AudioQuest DragonFly User manual

1
SP
En ( www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight ) están disponibles las
instrucciones de instalación en español
FR
Les instructions d’installation en français sont disponibles à l’adresse :
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
DE
Kongurationsanweisungen in deutscher Sprache nden Sie unter :
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
NL
Instructies voor instellingen in het Nederlands beschikbaar op :
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
CN
中文的设置说明见 : www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
JP
日本語 のセットアップの指示は次のアドレスにアクセスしてください:
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
KR
한국어로 설정 안내 보기 :
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
RU
Инструкции по настройке на русском языке имеются на сайте :
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
IT
Le informazioni in italiano relative alla congurazione sono
disponibili nel sito : www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
PT
Instruções de conguração em português disponíveis em :
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
PL
Instrukcje instalacji w języku polskim są dostępne pod adresem:
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
TH
สามารถอ่านคำาแนะนำาในการติดตั้งเป็นภาษาไทยได้ที่
www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Flight
OR

2
DragonFly DAC – Flight Manual
This short manual will take you through the few simple steps required to set
up your computer operating system so that sound from music, movies, web
videos, etc., will play through DragonFly with the best possible sound quality
… while your computer’s chimes and alerts are played through the computer’s
onboard sound card and speakers. However, rst we must discuss how to
adjust volume, because this part of the guide is not computer specic.
Adjusting Volume Level
When using DragonFly with headphones, powered speakers, or a power
amplier, it’s best to start at a low volume until the desired volume level is
achieved. When using DragonFly in this “variable output mode” we
recommend the following steps:
• Music player application (such as iTunes®) volume control should be set
to maximum.

3
• Computer’s main (operating system) volume control should be set to 25%
of maximum.
• Adjust to desired volume using the computer’s main volume control.
When the music player’s volume is set to maximum and the computer’s main
volume control is used, DragonFly’s onboard 64-position analog-domain
volume control is able to preserve full resolution and maximum sound quality.
DragonFly is also capable of being employed as a traditional xed-output
source component (such as a CD, DVD or Blu-ray player), and can be
connected to a standard input on a receiver or preamplifier. For this
application, both the music player’s volume control and the main operating
system volume control should be set to maximum. This “xed output mode”
allows your audio or AV system’s volume control to be in charge.
Mac OS X® Setup
Mountain Lion, Lion & Snow Leopard .................................................................Page 4
DragonFly setup instructions show the latest Mac OS X Mountain Lion windows
as there are no differences between Snow Leopard, Lion and Mountain Lion
which would aect the setup process.
Windows® Setup
Windows 7........................................................................................................................Page 8
Windows XP .................................................................................................................. Page 12
Currently, DragonFly is incompatible with Windows Vista. Microsoft is aware
of incompatibility issues between the operating system and audio devices
and is working towards a resolution. AudioQuest recommends using
Windows XP or upgrading to Windows 7. For up-to-date information please visit
audioquest.com/DragonFly/Vista

4
Mac OS X
Using “System Preferences”
to send audio to DragonFly,
while keeping alerts and
sound eects on the
computer’s speakers.
Insert DragonFly into your
computer’s USB port.
Open“System Preferences”
from the Dock or from
the Apple® drop-down
menu top left.
Click on the “Sound” icon.
In the Sound panel, click on
the “Output” tab.
Select “AudioQuest DragonFly.”
Click on the Sound panel’s
“Sound Eects” tab.
In the “Play sound eects
through” menu, choose
“Internal Speakers.”
Close the window.

5
Setting up the “Audio MIDI
Setup” so computer audio
plays through DragonFly.
Open the “Applications”
folder, and then the
“Utilities” folder.
Within Utilities, double-click
to open “Audio MIDI Setup.”
Within the “Audio Devices”
panel, click on “AudioQuest
DragonFly.”
Use the “Format” drop-down
menu to choose a sample
rate … most likely 44100.0 Hz;
please read the following
explanation.
Why is “Format” important?
CD’s are 44100.0 Hz.
Compressed MP3 and AAC music les and
audio streams are typically encoded at
three dierent quality levels - 128kbps,
256kbps (iTunes Plus) and 320kbps - and
most often reconstructed as 44100.0 Hz les.
Many music downloads and CDs ripped
as Apple Lossless or FLAC files are
reconstructed to 44100.0 Hz.
If you have higher resolution les, it is
important to choose the correct higher
sample rate in order to maximize the
benet of those les, and to direct the
information to whichever of DragonFly’s
two dedicated “clocks” is optimized for
that sample rate.
Some programs (such as NPR) use
48000.0 Hz. These 24-bit/48000.0 Hz les
can sound amazingly close to higher
sample rate les.
Some “high-res” files use 88200.0 Hz
because it is a multiple of the CD standard
sample rate.
Some “high-res” files use 96000.0 Hz
because it is a multiple of the sample
rates used on DVDs, Blu-rays and in the
computer world.
DragonFly’s illuminated dragony lights
up in dierent colors to indicate status or
sample rate:
Red: Standby Green: 44100.0 Hz
Blue: 48000.0 Hz Amber: 88200.0 Hz
Magenta: 96000.0 Hz

6
Making certain that sound
eects are routed to the
computer’s speakers and not
to DragonFly.
In the already open “Audio
Devices” window, click
rst to highlight “Built-In
Output.”
Click on the gear icon
drop-down menu.
Check that “Play alerts and
sound eects through this
device” is grayed out. If it is
not, click to select it so the
now appears next to
“Built-In Output.”
Plug in earbuds, headphones, or a cable to your powered speakers or amplier,
and you are ready to listen!
Visit www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Advanced for advanced computer audio
setup guides which include tips, tweaks and techniques for getting the best computer
audio-based sound from iTunes, as well as information and links to alternative
music player applications such as JRiver, foobar2000, Pure Music, Decibel, and
Amarra. You’ll also nd a listing of which electronics and devices are and are not
compatible with DragonFly.
Mac OS X - continued

8
Windows 7
Using “Control Panel”
“Sound”settings to send audio
to DragonFly, while keeping
alerts and sound eects on the
computer’s speakers.
Insert DragonFly into your
computer’s USB port.
Go to Start menu and
launch “Control Panel.”
Open “Hardware and
Sound” panel.
Select “Sound.”

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The AudioQuest DragonFly
is added as “Speakers.”
Ensure it is the “Default
Device.”
Select “Speakers.”
Click “Properties” button for
more setup options.
Click “Advanced” tab.
Use the dropdown menu to
choose the sample rate ...
most likely 24-bit, 44100 Hz;
please read explanation
below.
For “Exclusive Mode,” check
both options then click
“OK.”
Why is “Format” important?
CD’s are 44100 Hz.
Compressed MP3 and AAC music les and
audio streams are typically encoded at three
dierent quality levels - 128kbps, 256kbps
(iTunes Plus) and 320kbps - and most often
reconstructed as 44100 Hz les.
Many music downloads and CDs ripped as
Apple Lossless or FLAC les are reconstructed
to 44100 Hz.
If you have higher resolution files, it is
important to choose the correct higher sample
rate in order to maximize the benefit of
those les, and to direct the information to
whichever of DragonFly’s two dedicated
“clocks” is optimized for that sample rate.
Some programs (such as NPR) use 48000 Hz.
These 24-bit/48000 Hz files can sound
amazingly close to higher sample rate les.
Some “high-res” files use 88200 Hz, but
Windows 7 is not currently compatible with
this sample rate. To play 88200 Hz music les,
Windows 7 users must select 44100 Hz, 48000
Hz, or 96000 Hz with 44100 recommended
as optimal. Windows-compatible alternative
music players such as JRiver and foobar2000
will play 88200 Hz les at their native sample
rate. For support or more information about
these music players please visit jriver.com or
foobar2000.org.
Some “high-res” les use 96000 Hz because it
is a multiple of the sample rates used on DVDs,
Blu-rays and in the computer world.
DragonFly’s illuminated dragony lights up in
dierent colors to indicate status or sample rate:
Red: Standby Green: 44100 Hz
Blue: 48000 Hz Amber: 88200 Hz
Magenta: 96000 Hz

10
Setting chimes and alerts to
play through the computer’s
speakers and not DragonFly.
Click “Sounds” tab.
For “Sounds Scheme” select
“No Sounds.”This prevents
chimes and computer alerts
from playing back through
DragonFly.
Enter “DragonFly” as sound
scheme (optional).
Click “OK.”
Close window.
Plug in earbuds, headphones, or a cable to your powered speakers or amplier,
and you are ready to listen!
Visit www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Advanced for advanced computer audio
setup guides which include tips, tweaks and techniques for getting the best computer
audio-based sound from iTunes, as well as information and links to alternative
music player applications such as JRiver, foobar2000, Pure Music, Decibel, and
Amarra. You’ll also nd a listing of which electronics and devices are and are not
compatible with DragonFly.

12
Windows XP
OR
Setting “Sounds and Audio
Devices” to send audio to
DragonFly, while keeping
alerts and sound eects on
the computer’s speakers.
Insert DragonFly into your
computer’s USB port.
Go to “Start” menu and
launch “Control Panel.”
If using Classic view, open
“Sound and Audio Devices
Properties” panel.
If using Category view,
open “Sounds, Speech,
and Audio Devices,” then
open “Sounds and Audio
Devices.”

13
Select “Audio” tab.
In “Sound Playback,” select
Audioquest DragonFly as
the “Default Device.”
Setting chimes and alerts to
play through the computer’s
speakers and not DragonFly.
Click “Sounds” tab.
For “Sounds Scheme” select
“No Sounds.” This prevents
computer alerts and chimes
from playing through
DragonFly.
Click “OK.”
Plug in earbuds, headphones, or a cable to your powered speakers or amplier,
and you are ready to listen!
Visit www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Advanced for advanced computer audio
setup guides which include tips, tweaks and techniques for getting the best computer
audio-based sound from iTunes, as well as information and links to alternative
music player applications such as JRiver, foobar2000, Pure Music, Decibel, and
Amarra. You’ll also nd a listing of which electronics and devices are and are not
compatible with DragonFly.

A ngel Y osemite V ictoriA s YdneY
B ig s ur g olden g Ate e Vergreen
t ower
www.onlinehifi.co.nz
Email: [email protected]
Freephone: 0800 255 800
Getting the most from your DragonFly
Available in these 8 performance levels:
From
DragonFly
To
Amplier
or Powered
Speakers 3.5mm 3.5mm
or
3.5mm RCA
3.5mm
3.5mm male,
3.5mm
RCa,
RCa RCa,
3.5mm
3.5mm Female
From
DragonFly
To
Amplier
or Powered
Speakers 3.5mm 3.5mm
or
3.5mm RCA
3.5mm
3.5mm male,
3.5mm
RCa,
RCa RCa,
3.5mm
3.5mm Female