Audioquest Dragon Thread

Proir to the Dragon power cable on the P20, I found I was using the clean function on P20 remote as a third appendage to degauss my systems power supplies every few songs. A fix I once craved. I rarely find need to reach for it. These days I did it first time in three days. Yes it still will will increase clarity but not the necessity, I once seemed to desire since presentation is relaxed and always sounds ultra clean and unadulterated.

I am glad you are enjoying the Dragon more than last week. I should be getting mine around Thanksgiving. For power cord I have a trick by using an adaptor and connecting it to my wine refrigerator. I lower the temp by a couple of degrees and the next day I lower another degree, so it is on most of the time. That gives a good 48-hour high power break in. It usually reduces the break in time quite a bit.

That is a good trick. My break in is just two high current LPS and three power amps when listening. My power bill tracks my listening hours and spikes during evenings listening or watching HT.

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I am going to say my AQ Dragon HDMI cable is quite enjoyable. It’s detail detail detail.
Right on the razors edge though. Good thing I like it there.

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Give a little more time to break it in, and you should loose the razors edge, and all you should hear is clear clear clear. Mine has completely disappeared and all I hear is resolution resolution resolution.

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Agreed fully.

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I think mine is still running in some. Every day mine is a bit better. I streamed Led Zeppelin I tonight. Truly heard that album for the first time. As usual you’re always a man spot on with cables that has convinced me to spend more than I wanted but never regretted.

I find the Dragon power cord on P20 to display all the same sound attributes as the HDMI design and impart those on other sources like my home theater still running the WWPS7. Now my movie streaming is playing 15 notches down on volume and just as impactful but more clarity. I do say I am impressed how Garth Powell voices his cables. The HDMI Dragon was his first digital cable.

Not sure how much is purple fuses and adding EMI and RF absorption to the P20. But they all add up. I guess I need to start removing one tweak at a time to assess. But combined sounds so good one asks if I really care.

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You are making me want a dragon power cable and I haven’t even heard the dragon I2S yet!

UPDATE
I’ve heard the Dragon 48 and now I definitely want the Dragon HC cable!

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My Firebird HDMI has resolution and more resolution too, but I always wonder how much more a Dragon will get me? When the new PSA streamer comes out I will need another I2S. I may just get myself a Dragon HDMI to find out how close they are to each other.

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That’s what we’re waiting for, to see if those lower quality ground conductors makes any difference. My feelings are the Dragon will still be better, but not by a whole lot.
Kimber did a similar thing with their KCAG all pure silver conductors IC’s and the Silver Streak that uses 1 pure silver for the plus wire and 2 pure copper wires for the minus and ground. The Silver Streak cannot match the KCAG’s resolution, but it does cut down on the price though.

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Thank you for your suggestions, I’m following step by step (wallet washing sigh!)

First bought the Dragon HDMI and like others here I experienced a lot of bright razor detail, maybe more then what I wanted. After 2 weeks the sound went more balanced and the unwanted feeling of edge/harshness in highs became a wonderful immense and enjoyable clarity indeed.
Then bought 2 Dragons AC High Current to feed 2 PowerPlants P12. Here just out of the box the improvement was terrific, music all at once became unveiled, full of life, voices palpable, most of all transients as fast as never before and truly impressive. The biggest improvement I ever had, more than a new component in the chain, really!
Then bough 2 Dragons AC High Current to feed 2 amplifiers M1200s. All the system went up again and gained a sort of new strength, always under control, never exceeding the limit but so close to feel the maximum power of the hole chain and speakers (brand new Sonus faber Olympica nova III).

Here started the problem.

Then bough a Dragon Constant Current to feed the BHK Preamp, together with a pair of Fire XLR cables from DAC DSD Sr to BHK Preamp. Here again a new remarkable step up, but but but… not sure so pleasant. First of all volume level went immediately from 40 to 36 to avoid fatigued listening. Then a bad feeling: as the left speaker would play louder than right speaker. Very odd and unpleasant feeling. Voices in general were perfectly centered, with a perfect centered and deep and wide soundstage but electrical guitars in general or sax single performers (coltrane for instance) was all wrong, coming clearly from left side. Sometimes also drums came from left side. Sometimes both the speakers disappeared sometimes the left speaker only reappeared. Mmm it wasn’t good at all after all the money spent! Investigating for a few hour I tried to move speakers, set up again is a pain to arrange and refine once it seemed to be correct. Nothing. I tried to move some bass traps and furnitures in the room. Nothing. And very odd: vinyl sounded perfectly while digital no. Here I needed to focus on. Finally I swapped the new Fire XLR cables. What? Yes. Unbelievable! The white cable was on the left channel (white one on DAC and Pre) and the black cable was on the right channel (red one on DAC and Pre). I thought it was the logical correspondence of colors! Why AQ makes this colors so different from classical white and red? When I swapped them, the black cable went on left channel (white one on DAC and Pre) and the white cable went to right channel (red one on DAC and Pre). Wow! Finally all became in place, with a clear feeling to be in the correct position, guitars a little bit on the right, drums behind voices, bass a little bit on the left. The image now was correct and even more realistic and deep. Another check with @Paul SACD audiophile guide reference confirmed all was well presented now.

Here hence some question:
Anyone experienced a difference in right/left channel with XLR cables? I ever thought no color differences matter at all.
Anyone able to suggest if Fire interconnect also on Pre/ampli and SPP/Pre would give a better quality improvements?
Or would it be better to change first Dragon Constant current cables both to DAC and Stellar Phono Pre because Dragon power cords are more impactful than Fire interconnects in the chain?
Would it be so dramatically necessary to feed also transports with the same expensive cables in your opinion (total Dragon loom) or the TT Techincs SL-1200 G and PST can go for example with more affordable Tornado AQ cables?

Thank you all for help me and mainly to @Paul who first said that Dragon cables in room 2 were a big improvement to accept. And we all trust in him!

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I looked all over the internet and couldn´t find Fire xlr cables where they show white and black color,both cables look the same :flushed:
And to me you plugged them right way from the start,very strange…

With the Audioquest interconnects the colors are usually the colored lettering on the XLR’s connections black or white. In my experience.

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Here below find two pictures of the XLR Fire Cables

As you can see on the red connectors there is the word “Audioquest” written in white on one and in black on the other. The opposite connectors show the same: the word “Fire” written in white on one and in black on the other. So I intend this is to identify and separate 2 different cables for left and right plugs on DAC and Preamp.

I supposed which one right or left didn’t matter at all, the important thing was to respect the same right channel from DAC to preamp with one cable and the same left channel with the other cable. I agree with you, initially I was sure that I plugged correct from the start, unfortunately now I have the proof it wasn’t correct because swapping the cables I solved the problem (louder left channel with guitars, sax and drums) and it was a clearly defective issue easy to hear.

I really don’t know why. Any idea?

If I will buy new XLR cables, for example to plug BHK Preamp to M1200s or Stellar Phono Preamp to BHK Preamp: I confess I’d have doubt on how to proceed now.

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Ok I see now :nerd_face: You might want to swap cables again just to check they were correctly plugged all the way in and if you get same results.

Then ask AQ for clarification if they messed up connector labelings.

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Audioquest claim all of their cables are directional. Garth Powell claims he Iistens to ever wire spool as part of his job.
My guess on interconnects directionality has something to do with Font color white or black.

In general directionality works on RCA, in this case on XLR the direction from component to component is obliged, I suppose. And is very odd that two cables (a pair) could impact on right/left channel. I sent an email to Audioquest asking explication. As soon as they answer I will share it here.

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In addiction I’m asking to members of the forum if anyone experienced whit Dragon power cord Source Constant Current the same amount of improvement of Dragon high current. And if interconnects Fire may give more improvement than power cords source constant current. Just to decide my next steps, due to the really expensive matter I have to manage in any case. If sources are not so involved in Dragon cables improvements, for this components I would go on Tornado cables (same RFI and noise reduction and geometry, less copper/silver geometry quality).
If someone already test them I would appreciate any impression, I know it’s system dependent but here is PS Audio forum and all my system is PS Audio.

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You and I have similar system so I will put in my .2c. I have done a experience with my PST and DS, but not with AQ power cord. I use a Stealth Dream V10 for DS and a Silnote Orion for PST (it’s a nice cable but Stealth is better). I switched between the two pc and it just sounded worse, one hour later I switched back the sound improved immediately. This tell me DS is the place to use better pc. I am sure Dragon will improve PST too but at a less level than other components…

Good to know Dragon works great with BHK pre because it may be my next upgrade. I’m interested in Fire interconnect, but whisper in the air told me AQ has some killer interconnects coming out soon.

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Hi dchang05,

yes we have similar rigs and already discussed about Zavfino power cords if I remember well. I confirm you that Dragon on HC is an enormous improvement, and on SOURCE model I experimented the BHK Preamp is the winner. Go on this way. Now I’m one step from buy a new SOURCE model cord to feed first the SPP (I’m still a 50% vinyl guy, I confess) 2 mt. long - very expensive I know. And at the end, if all improvements are confirmed by my ears, another SOURCE cord to feed the DS.
IMO Turntables and PST may wait again and they arrive next time, perhaps I’m wondering also with a different cord less expensive than Dragon, for instance Tornado.

As for Interconnects me too I heard rumors about new lines from AQ, since 2019 on the web you can find “whisper in the air”. Wait and see.

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