# JDS Labs Element IV vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the JDS Labs Element IV (JDS Labs) and AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt (AudioQuest) among dac amps. AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt is the cheaper of the two at $300.

## Side by side

| Spec | JDS Labs Element IV | AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $549 | $300 |
| Brand | JDS Labs | AudioQuest |
| Form factor | desktop | dongle |
| Dac chip | ES9018K2M | ES9038Q2M |
| Max pcm (kHz) | 384 | 96 |
| Max dsd | DSD128 | — |
| Max power mw | 3200 | — |
| Snr (dB) | 120 | — |
| Thdn percent | 0.00025 | — |
| Balanced output | No | No |
| Headphone jacks | 6.35mm | 3.5mm |
| Digital inputs | USB-C/optical | USB-A |
| Weight grams | 570 | — |

## Key differences

- Form factor: JDS Labs Element IV desktop vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt dongle
- Dac chip: JDS Labs Element IV ES9018K2M vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt ES9038Q2M
- Max pcm (kHz): JDS Labs Element IV 384 vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt 96
- Headphone jacks: JDS Labs Element IV 6.35mm vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt 3.5mm
- Digital inputs: JDS Labs Element IV USB-C/optical vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt USB-A

## What reviewers say

**AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt** — Two whitelisted testers, What Hi-Fi and TechHive, reviewed this exact DAC; both praise its clean, precise, detailed sound in a tiny plug-and-play package and rate it among the best small DACs, while flagging the premium price. Neither ran instrumented measurements, so all findings are subjective listening. No SoundGuys or PCMag review found. (2 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- JDS Labs Element IV: https://jdslabs.com/product/element-iv/ (jdslabs.com, verified 2026-07-11)
- AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt: https://www.audioquest.com/products/dragonfly-cobalt (audioquest.com, verified 2026-07-11)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/dac-amps/jds-labs-element-iv-vs-audioquest-dragonfly-cobalt/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, JDS Labs Element IV ($549) vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt ($300) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/dac-amps/jds-labs-element-iv-vs-audioquest-dragonfly-cobalt/
License: CC BY 4.0.