Audioquest Dragonfly & Martin Logan Mikros 70

[unitycoupled]

I do a lot of traveling, sometimes for long periods at a time and usually in very remote places. Usually, I'm on dive trips, and will have a full-blown underwater camera rig and dice gear, so space is at a premium.

Until now, I've had to settle for a pair of in-ear noise-cancelling earbuds playing out of my Mac, and the sound is so mediocre that I usually just do without until I get home. So I've been on the search for an extremely compact way to get good sound on the road.

The Audioquest Dragonfly was designed by Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio under contract to Audioquest. Of course, it uses his Streamlength USB interface code and it shows. Dragonfly as that trademark Wavelength midrange, along with a smooth and detailed high end. If you're a fan of Gordon's Wavelength DACs, you'll recognize the Dragonfly's family resemblance.

The reviews on the Mikros 70 have been mixed, with the biggest complaints centering around a rolled-off top end. That is actually what drew me to the them. Back when I first got my Summit Xs a few years ago, I was disappointed in their seemingly shrill high end and hard, almost metallic midrange. But since then, they have settled in and sound just about perfect. The high end is smooth and detailed without any annoying edge. The midrange has become fuller and more rounded. When I first put on the Mikros earbuds today, the Martin Logan family sound was apparent.

Together, I'm finding that I am able to listen to a wide variety of music without strain. For example, some of the old 70's classic rock stuff that just tears a hole into your head on your high end Sennheisers or Grados is rendered in a much smoother and more balanced way by the Dragonfly/Mikros combo. At the same time, your Rudy van Gelder jazz recordings will sound great as usual.

Anyway, maybe it's one of those happy accidents, but I like the Dragonfly/Mikros 70 combination very much. If you're like me and can't stand many of the "reference grade" head-fi setups that sound overly bright and harsh on anything but the finest recordings, give this combo a try.

Audioquest Dragonfly
Martin Logan Mikros 70

[doggiehowser]

I've also been looking at a portable setup and while these are slightly larger, they do offer some improvements.

Meridian explorer
IFi iDAC

Both offer 24/192 and both are derived from more expensive designs: Meridian and Abbingdon Music Research respectively.

There's some speculation the explorer will even get the famous apodizing filter.

I also like that these can use a short standard USB cable (wireworld ) so they aren't directly connected to the USB port. I've destroyed my old USB wifi dongles before. If I get the dragonfly, the dragon tail is a must.

[Eisener Bart]

Originally Posted by doggiehowser

I've also been looking at a portable setup and while these are slightly larger, they do offer some improvements.

Meridian explorer
IFi iDAC

Both offer 24/192 and both are derived from more expensive designs: Meridian and Abbingdon Music Research respectively.

There's some speculation the explorer will even get the famous apodizing filter.

I also like that these can use a short standard USB cable (wireworld ) so they aren't directly connected to the USB port. I've destroyed my old USB wifi dongles before. If I get the dragonfly, the dragon tail is a must.

I tested iDAC last week at my home, it worth to take only together with iUSBPower.

[doggiehowser]

I got the idac together with the iUSB but haven't opened the idac yet I did test the idac in the shop with and without the iUSB and concur that the iUSB adds a lot to the mix.

I'm using the iUSB with my current semi transportable TEAC UD501 and it works very well.

I also got the Meridian but had to return it till the dealer gets the new production run with lower output impedance. I think the idac (sans iUSB) IMHO is similar to the dragonfly and the current meridian (driving a not so low impedance can)

[Eisener Bart]

Originally Posted by doggiehowser

I got the idac together with the iUSB but haven't opened the idac yet I did test the idac in the shop with and without the iUSB and concur that the iUSB adds a lot to the mix.

I'm using the iUSB with my current semi transportable TEAC UD501 and it works very well.

I also got the Meridian but had to return it till the dealer gets the new production run with lower output impedance. I think the idac (sans iUSB) IMHO is similar to the dragonfly and the current meridian (driving a not so low impedance can)

I got better results with my tweaked RME Babyface when connected through iUSBPower.

I gonna take the AMR DP-777 in 2 days, will check with iUSBPower as well.

[HiFiGuy528]

the DF and ME are hard to beat. I should have the new version of the ME in the coming weeks to compare to the original.

[doggiehowser]

With my UE11Pros, no question. The Dragonfly beats the first gen Explorer.

[ChrisAZ]

I've gone through more ear buds than I can name - everything from Apple (awful) to top end Shure. Most sound shrill or are, to me, very uncomfortable. I have also lost or broken more than my share of expensive ear buds - the last time I had a pair for $500 that sounded great but I lost em in 1 day, I won't do that again. And while I enjoy my full size cans at home in limited doses (I much prefer speakers), I don't want to walk around in public with them (too great a dork factor). So I was surprised when I bought a pair of the Martin Logan Mikros 70s this weekend - relatively inexpensive ($150), very comfortable, and very natural sounding. I could and will wear these for hours attached to my iPhone listening to MOG without complaint. Highly recommended!

[Portugal]

I have the Dragonfly and think that connected to my Earsonics SM3 sounds really exceptional. It's great value at this price.

Would like to have 24/192 enabled. So considering the Meridian or the iDac.

Questions about the iDac (just to confirm my understanding):

- it can be powered directly from a Mac USB like the Dragonly or the Meridian, without need to be plugged to a wall power socket. Right?

- Is it built by AMR?

- Better than the Meridian? The downside is that's bigger.

Thanks.