Go on, boost your desktop (or phone) audio for as little as £35 this Black Friday

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Plug in one of these tiny discounted devices and you should hear a world of difference

Go on, boost your desktop (or phone) audio for as little as £35 this Black Friday
(Image credit: Audioquest)

Black Friday is giving you a great excuse to upgrade the audio quality of your phone, laptop or computer with four juicy deals on affordable, tiny, five-star (read: highly recommendable) devices dedicated to the sound-boosting cause.

First up is the AudioQuest JitterBug, priced at just £35 at Peter Tyson for Black Friday. This clever little USB critter plugs into your computer’s USB socket, acting as the middleman between your computer and DAC, and getting rid of noise and interference coursing through the circuitry. Less noise = better sound quality. 

And then there are DACs themselves, which simply go between your phone, laptop or computer and your favourite pair of wired headphones to boost sound quality. Our favourite budget trio are all discounted today...

The five-star AudioQuest Dragonfly Red USB DAC is only £149 at Peter Tyson right now, while the Award-winning next-model-up Dragonfly Cobalt is only £30 more (and worth it) in the Black Friday sale.

Want something physically more substantial for your desktop? Our favourite budget DAC, the iFi Audio Zen DAC V2, is now just £179 for Black Friday.

AudioQuest JitterBug USB filter was £60 now £35 at Peter Tyson (save £25) Five stars

AudioQuest JitterBug USB filter was £60 now £35 at Peter Tyson (save £25)
This USB-stick-like Jitterbug filter device plugs into your computer’s USB socket, acting as a link in the chain between your laptop/computer and DAC (whether it’s a standalone converter or housed in a headphone or stereo amp), and rids circuitry of noise, helping to take your music to another level. It really works! Five stars

Deal also at Amazon

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AudioQuest DragonFly Red DACwas £199now £148.95 at Amazon (save £51.05) Five stars Price check: £149 @ Peter Tyson

AudioQuest DragonFly Red DAC was £199 now £148.95 at Amazon (save £51.05)
A near-flawless option for anyone looking to give their computer or phone audio a hi-fi boost, the excellent DragonFly Red USB DAC is great value and will make a huge difference. Just note you'll need an (affordable) adaptor for its USB-A connector if your phone or laptop uses USB-C or Lightning.  Five stars

Price check: £149 @ Peter Tyson
NOTE: Richer Sounds is offering this for £129 if you sign up for its VIP program and order via the phone or in-store.

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AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt DAC was £269 now £179 at Sevenoaks (save £90) Five stars

AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt DAC was £269 now £179 at Sevenoaks (save £90)
If you can afford to spend £30 extra for this higher-performing version, do it. Any money off the multi-Award-winning DragonFly Cobalt is welcome, but such a mighty discount of £90, or roughly 33% off, really shouldn't be dismissed. Want to boost your laptop, PC or mobile sound? This dinky USB device will do so tenfold. As above, you'll need an adaptor if your device's connector isn't USB-A.
Five stars

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iFi Zen DAC V2 DAC was £259 was £179 at Scan (save £80) Five stars

iFi Zen DAC V2 DAC was £259 was £179 at Scan (save £80)
A desktop delight, this DAC is better suited to desktop or hi-fi audio due to its form and connections (USB Tye B input; RCA, balanced 4.4mm and 6.3mm outputs). A multi-Award winner, the iFi Zen DAC V2 will significantly upgrade your laptop/computer audio to feed headphones or speakers. Five stars

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MORE:

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Becky Roberts
Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.