# Topping DX5 II vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Topping DX5 II (Topping) and AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt (AudioQuest) among dac amps. Topping DX5 II is the cheaper of the two at $299.

## Side by side

| Spec | Topping DX5 II | AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $299 | $300 |
| Brand | Topping | AudioQuest |
| Form factor | desktop | dongle |
| Dac chip | ES9039Q2M | ES9038Q2M |
| Max pcm (kHz) | 768 | 96 |
| Max dsd | DSD512 | — |
| Max power mw | 6400 | — |
| Snr (dB) | 133 | — |
| Thdn percent | 0.00006 | — |
| Balanced output | Yes | No |
| Headphone jacks | 6.35mm/4.4mm/4-pin XLR | 3.5mm |
| Digital inputs | USB/optical/coaxial/Bluetooth | USB-A |
| Weight grams | — | — |

## Key differences

- Form factor: Topping DX5 II desktop vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt dongle
- Dac chip: Topping DX5 II ES9039Q2M vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt ES9038Q2M
- Max pcm (kHz): Topping DX5 II 768 vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt 96
- Balanced output: Topping DX5 II Yes vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt No
- Headphone jacks: Topping DX5 II 6.35mm/4.4mm/4-pin XLR vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt 3.5mm
- Digital inputs: Topping DX5 II USB/optical/coaxial/Bluetooth vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt USB-A

## What reviewers say

**Topping DX5 II** — Only one whitelisted tester, TechRadar, published a hands-on review of the exact Topping DX5 II. TechRadar rates it a near-excellent budget DAC/amp (verdict 'generally excellent'), praising its poised, detailed and dynamic sound, exemplary build and comprehensive specification at $299, while flagging a tendency toward top-end brightness. (1 sourced review.)

**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

- Topping DX5 II: https://www.topping.store/products/topping-dx5-ii-hi-res-dac-headphone-amp-combo (topping.store, 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/topping-dx5-ii-vs-audioquest-dragonfly-cobalt/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Topping DX5 II ($299) vs AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt ($300) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/dac-amps/topping-dx5-ii-vs-audioquest-dragonfly-cobalt/
License: CC BY 4.0.