MAGICAL SYNERGY — AUDIOQUEST DRAGONFLY BLACK & IBASSO IT00

WHAT

The DragonFly Black ($99) represents a beautiful solution for those wishing to rescue their computers and ‘smart devices’ from the purgatory of ‘unmusicality’ to the ‘garden,’ if you will, of musicality, plain and simple. And at a micro-pittance of the price we two-channel folks (read stereo—speakers, amp, CDP, DAC, etc.), not that long ago, paid to get similar sound (or lesser sound). 

Imagine, with this bite-sized headphone amplifier/preamplifier/DAC, a goodly pair of headphones, and/or a computer or a smart device we, collectively, have access to a literal world of music! And that music via the DragonFly Black will now engage heart and mind and soul. Highly recommended!

The iBasso IT00 ($79) is quite the impressive entry level IEM for what it brings to the table relative to its price point. It is well constructed, its graphene-coated dynamic drivers handle the frequency spectrum exceptionally well and coherently, from bass extension to treble extension. And the IT00 also plays well with smartphones, entry level DACs, and scales with a couple of the best DAPs on the market, though quite impressive synergies were had with the AudioQuest DragonFly line.

The IT00 is both detailed and musical and it brings weight across the frequency spectrum, that will find no region lacking or impoverished of musicality or thin. Though at the highest treble frequencies resolution is quite good, but not great. It bass response, though, is very impressive. And the IT00 will project a good-sized soundstage with quite good depth, imaging, and layering. 

Its match will not be found within its price range, but at, perhaps a three to four multiple of its retail price. This, of course, speaks to the fact that there is quite a lot packed within these tiny shells. This IEM  should absolutely be on the short list of all those looking for a great starting point to begin enjoying their music free of the limitations of those “free buds” or those iconic white IEMs. Highly recommended and doubtless that it will go on next year’s list of Best Products under $100.

WHY

Together these two products—AudioQuest DragonFly Black and the iBasso IT00—their collective price point at $178, will rise to challenge any computer and its branded wired or wireless buds and even at double or greater than their collective price, they will win more comparisons than lose.

These two products—AudioQuest DragonFly Black and the iBasso IT00—then represent our very first Magical Synergy. It would be hard to go wrong with them.