Shure SE535 - iPhone 4 V Audioquest Dragonfly?

[topbloke55]

I am looking at the Audioquest Dragonfky dac to improve my headphone listening during the day with my Shure SE535 headphones.

The Dragonfly will clearly be better than my laptop, but how does it compare to my iPhone 4?

Is it a valid upgrade or just marginal?

 

[dalethorn]

NOTE TO ADMIN: It's the second time in two days that I typed a long reply on my iPad and this forum reported "Text field required" - i.e. it just dumped my text when I clicked the Save button.

The Dragonfly will provide more "air", high freq. detail, sense of space or soundstage etc. compared to the iPhone headphone out. If you listen for awhile with the iPhone and then switch immediately to the same music on the computer and Dragonfly, the difference may not be obvious. But try that the other direction and it will be obvious. But there's a second issue. If the Shure has a strong treble and lean bass, as my full size 1840 headphone has, the Dragonfly may tighten the bass further, enhance the treble further, and it could sound too bright or strident. It's not highly likely, but could happen.

 

[topbloke55]

Great,thanks for your response.

The good news is, the shure se535 have a healthy base, unlike the se425, which are indeed lean and I upgraded from.

Sounds like an audition is required.