Nope, no dedicated “line out” mode.
Instead you’re supposed to use the headphone output, crank the volume up to 100% (to get the “standard” 2V output) and go from there. Which is a problem with the Cobalt, as it exhibits worse performance (but higher output) at that level than the Red does.
Notwithstanding that it also has a the “amp” in the chain, running to its rails, to do it.
So I had a chance to check out the Dragonfly Cobalt over the weekend and I gotta say I didn’t think I’d appreciate the form factor as much as I did. I knew about the Red and the Black but never bothered because I was never a fan of ESS DACs with my Andromeda. But I actually think that’s exactly what the Cobalt is for.
It’s perhaps right between my usual Burr Brown and AKM DACs and some of the older ESS-based DACs that I generally don’t use with the Andromeda anymore (like the oDAC) for overall enjoyment and smoothness vs sharpness. But I was mostly impressed with its ability to have absolutely zero background noise or hiss with the Andromeda, which is normally very sensitive to that. I can totally see the Cobalt performing worse than the Red or other similarly priced DACs for most headphones, but for the Andromeda it might actually be the way to go.
Anyways, here’s my first impressions video:
The one-tool-option for the small office on the go - I can understand the need for a black, red or cobalt
also if an 1k Andromeda benefits from the DAC - here you find an(for me hardly haha) reasonable amount of relation between cost for the items and demm. returns
like “no sound” beeing notebook internal DAC with hiss and poor sq and “good sound” with one of the Dragonflys
Edit: not every one has “proper line-out” as @torq explained in the audio learning thread
Edit: the variable voltage going out as DAC or DAC/Amp with different frequencies was always logical to me but never found fitting specs - thankfully read another interesting comment from @torq /Ian
so take the following with a grain of salt
my Earstudio ES100(Dual AK4375a) for 99 or even 79(in sale) with the app und different filters, Bluetooth LDAC … maybe an “old DAC-Chip” but new ones get also old in maybe half a year or a year
my ifi xDSD (with Burr Browns) for me quite transparent/neutral - ok 449 Euros and 10 times bigger with mqa support like the smaller above named brother(nano) for 200
my Fiio Q1 II (AKM AK4452) also tames down highs - especially balanced - bought this for 50 used and stays in the backpack as backup
if size, mqa support and bluetooth is not your priority, the sound should be. The hole chain should be considered. But that is deep digging knowledge for noobs.
At the beginning(not long ago) I looked at specs, functions and read reviews… but you first find the biggest sources, if not knowing the market there comes Z - ok lots of fun and everything is “THESE” are special or somewhat. A year later I found @Resolve - what a wonderful youtube content and a day after I wrote a comment on his last video, asking for dac/amp reviews - here it comes! hope for more!
German forums are not very nice. (Edit: we in munich have a few dealers with most of the brands(of course except ZMF) and I was at munich high end in may… but to untrained ears… to short amounts of time, you invest or get on a show or at a dealers shop, then asking the right questions, what fits my needs and liking and my other existing equipment - care less about budget or what is new has to be better).
You people are very professional and kind to each other. Big thumbs up
Sorry for the long text
The NiBL goes every where with me lol, it lives in my backpack. I’m mostly using my new toy for all portable use the past couple days (Cayin N6ii). But I still find the NiBL bang for the buck one of the best investments in audio I’ve made, due to form factor/sound/capabilities. No it doesn’t beat most of my other gear but it is a work horse that just gets things done in a pinch. I have line out to RCA adapters for when I need an external DAC too. Just a fun, easy to use device, that I much preferred over the Dragonfly Black, Cobalt is interesting but after playing with one for a lil bit (thank you @Torq) I just don’t see a purpose, especially after seeing the required gear to make it work properly for its intended use…might as well just use the NiBL or one of my DAPs… or honestly my THX dongle DAC from Razer(seriously good lil bit of kit for $20) with iematch dongle (specifically for the Andromeda’s).
Wall de text over 
My one complaint about the NiBL is that the IEMatch section has a whopping 4 ohm output impedance - which totally ruins the FR for certain IEMs - missing the whole point of using that port in the first place. I just don’t get why they didn’t include the tech from the dongle with the ‘ultra’ mode. It’s clearly doable. The main port is great though, and I’m a fan of that DAC in general.
Picked up my Cobalt at UPS today on my way back from an extended weekend with my parents (age 91) and my Sister and Brother (younger than me…)
Others have done unboxing and impressions, I doubt my box is any different. I have not yet listened, so no sonic impressions yet.
It is TINY. Smaller than the Black. Possibly a bit thicker/rounder. Not as wide, the dragonfly light is smaller.
It does not rattle when shaken, but if I grab the USB and tug or push, it can be moved just a hair’s breadth.
Busy week, and I still have not written stuff for my work Facebook page, or anything on they Lyr3 or the lightly used Grado SR-1e Reference series headphones that I got from @MCM here.
Looking forward to your thoughts/impressions on this one.
Warning - off topic.
Lovely city Munich! I’m jealous of your proximity to the Alps. On one of my last two visits (can’t remember which), I had a nice trip to the Koenigssee. The electric boats are a fantastic idea.
Munich is amazing. Actually, I have fond memories of Germany in general. Great photo!
really great picture Percy! yes the boats are a nice reminder at my childhood - went there very often with my parents and my uncle was a hunter and had a cabin at the Walchensee - very beautiful
We are in about an hour in the alps - that would be cool if my wife would not hate them. She feels claustrophobic and is more a mermaid type of and loves the eastern see, where she was born
more space and always a salty breeze - I can totally understand that. We are every year at least a week in “Zinnowitz” on “Usedom”
back to the alps… haha…
For a few overnighters in the year friends(all friendly- no hillbilly or worse material) have build a camp in the alps far away from any village in the woods where we (mostly guys of course) meet at, with a big shelter, a nice fireplace and eat the hole time, drink a bit… listen to good music on crappy bluetooth loudspeakers or someone plays the guitar… I sometimes take our dog with me… he loves it
Happy cake day!!! Here’s to finding audio bliss this day Of August 2019! 
Oh thank you Tyler!
Just another day- no big Deal
Yes happy cake day although I’m a little late now with my belated wishes.
oh thank you Paul! 
- too much kindness so early in the morning. Got little bit of pee in my old eyes
Hahaha, I just like to spread the love with this great community. 
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that works very well Sir
Quick question, I currently travel with audeze isine 20 and the xduoo 05. I"ve been looking into the dragonfly series does the cobalt provide enough of an improvement over the black and red versions to warrant such a price difference. (ok should i just skip the others and go for the cobalt) I use a windows laptop if that helps. thank you…
Hello and welcome @MadRev.
Welcome, @MadRev. I don’t currently own any of the Dragonfly’s, but from what I’ve read and heard from multiple reviews, the Cobalt is indeed the best version. You will lose the EQ presets that the Cypher cable provide (if you use it). I plan on ordering mine within the next week and I’ll leave an update here with my thoughts. I’ll be pairing with LCD-X’s, and PortaPro’s.
Good luck!
I would say that the DragonFly Cobalt is the “nicest” sounding version in the series (which is purely a preference-based thing), but the Red offers slightly better raw technical performance (at least from what’s actual audible) and manages to consume less power (really only an issue for iPhone users).
Since you’re running the iSine 20 off a laptop, are you using the Audeze Reveal plug-in to normalize their weird natural frequency response? If not I suspect the Cobalt is probably not the way to go unless you want your high-treble/space/air/sparkle rolled off even more.
The Reveal plug-in essentially lets you apply the same FR corrections as the Cipher cable (which is not available for PCs).
