The 64 Audio Nio is one of the newer IEMs in 64 Audio's lineup, and easily the most gorgeous. The Nio has one of the most comfortable IEM shapes I've ever tried. I listen to the Nio off a Qudelix 5K.

The sound of the Nio can be described as warm and punchy. There is an abundance of sub-bass - the dynamic driver good stuff. Mids are warm and harmonically rich. Treble is smooth, extended, and airy, but still very detailed and capable. The overall sound signature is very pleasing - terms that come to mind are enveloping, warm, relaxing.

Compared to my Solaris 2020 - the Nio is much easier to listen to for much longer. It falls behind in technicalities (soundstage, crispness) but only by a little - and I suspect this is a necessity given the sound signature the Nio attempts to achive. Overall, the IEMs complement each other excellently - bright and sharp versus warm and smooth - and though I've owned each IEM for at least half a year, I listen to them about equally.

TL;DR: the Nio is tonally pleasing and capable IEM that's just fun to listen to.

Solaris 2020 Review and Comparison to Campfire Andromeda





The Solaris 2020 is the latest and greatest remix of the controversial Campfire Solaris. Campfire Audio’s claim to fame was the Campfire Andromeda, an IEM with a near-universally loved audio signature. To this date, I maintain that the Campfire Andromeda was “sonic gold” - I wonder if even Campfire truly understands the science behind why so many people are drawn to the Andromeda.

Regardless, the Solaris is perhaps an attempt by Campfire to show that they are more than the Andromeda. The Solaris seems to be cultivated from feedback gathered over the Andromeda’s lifecycle, and attempts to fill a niche that is not satisfied by the Andromeda. In this sense, people interested in the Solaris should be warned - it is not a direct upgrade from the Andromeda. The Solaris is decidedly a sidegrade, and an expensive one at that. Let’s discuss.

I’ve had the Solaris 2020 for over a month, and have been waiting to write this review in order to get over new-toy syndrome.

Build Quality and Comfort
The build quality of the Solaris exceeds the Andromeda, and that’s high praise. I always loved how the Andromeda felt in the hand - the cold metal body with some heft to it felt rather premium. The Solaris takes this a step further, with a sleek, black PVD coat that (while being a fingerprint magnet) adds a sense of stealthy elegance and feels just a tad bit more premium than the Cerakote or anodized surface of the Andromeda. It also seems less prone to wear or chipping.

The packaging is stunning. The Campfire Solaris arrives in a stunning tan/gold box that is befitting its name. I am also a fan of the new cork cases included with the Campfire IEMs. They look decidedly rustic, they have an intriguing texture, and are far more sustainable (and ethical) than leather. However, the zippers on the Campfire cases remain notoriously rough and annoying to use. I had to apply some WD-40 to the zipper to make it more usable.

The Solaris 2020 is not as comfortable as the Andromedas for me. The nozzles are bigger, requiring me to go down a tip size, but more importantly, the IEMs seem to protrude out of my ears more than I’d expect. Also, the design of the Solaris seems to exacerbate the asymmetry in my ear canals. I had to use different sized tips on each side, something I rarely have to do on any IEM.

The included Final Audio eartips are acceptable on the Solaris 2020. Aftermarket Comply Foam tips sound even better to me, and are much more pliable and comfortable than the included foam tips. Both tips clean up the highs of the Solaris, reducing sibilance and increasing comfort.

Sound Quality
While the Andromeda had an instantly lovable signature, the signature of the Solaris took me time to understand. “Brain burn-in” is definitely a thing here, and it took me about a week to see why I should keep the Solaris.

The Solaris is less engaging and more relaxing than the Andromeda. This can lead to an initial impression that the Solaris is not as technically capable as the Andromedas, but much the opposite is true. In critical listening, I found that the Solaris was able to extract more detail from songs than the Andromeda. However, the Andromeda was more promiscuous with the (lesser) detail that it managed to extract in comparison to the Solaris.

Technicalities
The soundstage of the Solaris feels similar to the Andromeda (maybe a bit less) and imaging is superior. The Solaris doesn’t feel as airy as the Andromeda, despite (to my ears) being more accurate at high frequency reproduction. For example, in in Zalza - Terminal (2:37), the Solaris is better at producing the sound of falling rain compared to the Andromeda, but overall the Solaris has less air than the Andromeda, leading to an initial impression of reduced stage.

Instrument layering is superior: when multiple instruments are playing, each instrument contributes its proper weight and characteristics to the sound. This feels really good when you have multiple strings/cellos/violins playing concurrently.

Instrument separation is about the same: it’s about as easy to pick apart instruments on the Solaris as it was on the Andromedas.

Highs, Mids, and Lows
In long-term listening, I find the Solaris highs are more bearable than the Andromedas, and more natural too. After a listening session with the Solaris, when I return to the Andromedas, the highs feel unnaturally thin and almost tinny. The increased soundstage is there but it’s simply not worth the trade.

I find the Solaris mids are excellent and are more forward than the Andromedas. The mids feel spot-on to me, but I’m not the best judge of mids, so I can’t really say much more here.

The Solaris bass is fantastic. The Solaris exhibits far more bass and sub-bass than the Andromeda. The bass feels more natural, more full, more tactile, and manages to fill in many of the sub-bass frequencies that are absent on the Andromeda. In terms of bass, the Solaris is a huge win, and I’d almost recommend the Solaris over the Andromeda based off of the lows alone.

Sound Summary
To conclude, the Solaris’s audio is a marked change from the Andromeda. It is more intimate, but it is more full - it has more substance. The Solaris’s note is warmer, thicker, and fuller than the Andromeda while maintaining phenomenal technicalities. This comes at the expense of some air and soundstage. As such, I maintain that the Solaris is a sidegrade from the Andromeda and not an upgrade.

Conclusion





The Solaris seems like Campfire’s attempt to prove that they are more than the Andromeda, and I think it largely succeeds. The Solaris is every bit as capable and enjoyable of a headphone as the Andromeda, and while it doesn’t have that instant ‘wow’ factor, the Solaris does right what the Andromeda does wrong.

In the battle of technicalities and qualities, where some are traded for others, I personally find that the Solaris comes out ahead of the Andromedas, and it is now my IEM of choice. The Solaris’s thicker note is extremely compelling and draws me into the music more than the Andromeda ever did. However, I maintain that the Solaris is a sidegrade, not an upgrade, because the sound of the two headphones are distinctly different. If the Andromeda is an Sennheiser HD800S, the Solaris is a ZMF Verite Closed (review here).

If you’re new to the hobby, I might still recommend the Andromeda. If you’ve been around for some time - if you’re looking for a headphone that does what the Andromeda cannot - or if you simply have new-toy syndrome, I’d wholeheartedly recommend the Solaris.

ZMF Verite Closed Review


Overview
The Verite Closed is Zach's latest creation - a TOTL hand-crafted closed-back designed to be competitive with the best closed-backs on the market today.

As with all ZMF headphones, craftsmanship is second to none. The headphone consists of carefully sanded and waxed wooden cups, supported by a strong but lightweight magnesium chassis, and lined with luxurious soft leather. At the heart of it all lies a Beryllium-coated driver, a material found in some of the most detailed headphones available today.

Despite the handmade operation and heirloom aesthetic, there is a priority on keeping unit variance low. ZMF CNCs each cup and measures each unit before sending it to the customer.

ZMF headphones are known far and wide to take well to pad swapping. Pad swapping can significantly alter sound to let each individual better dial in what they're looking for.

I spent just over a week writing this review, collecting my impressions on-and-off and re-writing sections a few times. I tried to be as honest as possible and avoid letting new-toy-syndrome color my impressions.

My Verite Closed is in Monkeypod wood and retails for $2500.

Comfort and Isolation

The VCs are comfortable. The pads are smooth and soft. There is a fantastic adjustment system that allows you to easily adjust clamp force and other factors to get as comfortable of a fit as possible. I didn't find glasses to affect sound as I would on other closed-backs.

If you aren't used to closed-backs they can feel a bit too warm the first few times you put them on. In terms of weight, I don't think I could personally go for anything heavier than Monkeypod.

I often find closed-backs claustrophobic - but I didn't get this feeling with the VCs.

The VCs isolate very well in terms of preventing playing music from escaping the cups. Despite the fact that I listen to music relatively loudly, my friends were unable to hear the music from even just a few feet away. I'd be comfortable using this in a cubicle-based office environment.

Isolation in the other direction (preventing noise from the outside reaching the cups) is on par with the average non-ANC closed back, and a non-issue when music is playing.

Sound

The Verite Closed can be summarized as an energetic, engaging headphone with an unconventional signature and brilliant technicalities across the board.

I used an RME ADI-2 DAC fs for the purposes of this review.

Signature


The Verite Closed has a fundamentally unique signature. Regardless of the pads, upper-mids and sometimes treble are accentuated and which generally adds some energy to the signature. As such, the VCs are not a "sit back and relax" headphone. If you are not prepared for the influx of information, you will feel fatigue. But when you are, the VC engages you in music quite unlike anything else I've ever heard.

Let's use an analogy. Listening to the HD800S is like gazing at a supremely detailed painting. You can see all of it but your mind will never comprehend all of it at once, though the vast amount of detail itself is presented effortlessly and ripe for inspection. Looking at a painting is not something that engages you - it takes your interest, perhaps even your awe, but from a distance, and in sort of an academic manner.

The Verite Closed utilizes its characteristic signature to surface detail in quite a different manner. It's like watching an intense action scene. If you don't pay attention you'll lose your place. But if you are alert throughout, it's far more visceral and thrilling of an experience than staring at a painting. Sure, both a painting and action scene may present detail to your mind, but the latter would be more emotional and engaging.

I found sub-bass lacking, but was able to fix this with a bass shelf in EQ (+7dB, 50Hz, Q=0.8 brings it out quite nicely). There is a slight metallic timbre - I think in terms of natural timbre, the Auteur and Aeolus beat the VC. I feel the FR is purposeful and creates more engagement, but you should try before you buy. Do give them more time than usual when you try them, as it may take time to click.

Detail and imaging


The VC is fast. It is as quick and detailed as the HD800S if not more so. I was clearly hearing details my HD800S did not surface. It tickled my ears. These are the best technicalities I've seen come out of ZMF, and probably my favorite aspect of the VC. Attacks are sharp and immediate. The speed of the VC is amazing no matter how you slice it. Cymbals, snare drums, plucks of a guitar, slight vibrations of a cello - all of these are clear, which is something I cannot say for most headphones I've tried.

The ZMFs have an airy presentation for being a closed-back. Soundstage is pad-dependent but wide as an average open-back with the Auteur pads. This is very impressive for a closed back! Imaging is fantastic no matter which pads you use. Instrument positions are always clear and easily delineated.

I was not expecting technicalities at this level in a closed back. This isn't only "impressive for a closed back", it's impressive, period.

Pad comparison
Let's compare how pads affect both signature and technicalities. Reference the tables above while reading this.

Auteur solid pads

• Widens the stage significantly
• Recesses mids a bit, adds energy to upper mids
• Very engaging but more fatiguing

The Auteur pads are the default pads installed on the VC. They are larger and more comfortable. They provide a fantastic sense of stage I never thought possible from a closed back. On certain tracks the Auteur pads might feel too shouty - occasionally it was hard to strike a volume balance between slightly-recessed mids and accentuated upper mids. I think I've adjusted, though, and I'm enjoying these pads the most. These are the fastest, most detailed, most engaging pads in the west!

Universe solid pads

• Closer staging but better 3D imaging
• Upper mids are tamed, treble slightly accentuated
• Engaging, less fatiguing

I never really understood the term "3D imaging" until I put on the Universe solid pads. Vocalists and instruments are closely packed around your ears and yet you can separate them in space easily. I found the Universe less fatiguing - they reign in some of the upper-mids and bring the mids a bit more forward for a more balanced midrange overall. This is at the expense of soundstage and some comfort. Treble-heavy tracks can still get a bit fatiguing over time.

Auteur hybrid pads

• Most comfortable pads
• Pros: Not as sharp
• Cons: Not as sharp

The Auteur hybrid pads have a suede face and leather walls. They are basically more comfortable versions of the Auteur solids with peaks slightly tamed for a less fatiguing listening experience. As a consequence, they have a bit less air and a bit less detail retrieval and slightly less defined bass than the solid Auteur pads. I think most people will prefer these pads and they strike a very good balance between all pads.

Universe suede pads

• Speed and soundstage take a hit
• Least fatiguing
• Too inoffensive

The Universe suede pads provide the most sedate experience, while having the most natural timbre of the four. However, soundstage, imaging, and detail suffer, so I'm not sure I'd recommend these for general usage. I feel that these pads sacrifice too many positive qualities to achieve the balance they provide.

Pad Conclusion
I personally found the default Auteur solid pads the most interesting and engaging, so I'd use those for general listening. I'll use the Universe solid pads for when I want to feel "closer" to the music. I might occasionally use the Auteur hybrid pads as a less fatiguing alternative to the solid pads. I don't see myself using the suede pads.

Conclusion

I originally started my listening sessions kind of confused by the VCs and not very confident about whether I would keep it. I gave it some time, and eventually, things clicked - I understood why the signature was what it was, and after this, I struggled to return to my previous headphones. In this sense, the Verite Closed may be somewhat of an acquired taste.

The Verite Closed have supplanted my HD800S. This is high praise. I have tried plenty of headphones in this range and I always went back to the HD800S. But I just cannot help it - the 800S feels boring in comparison, even post EQ. The ZMF is simply more engaging, resolving, and interesting - and it doesn't sacrifice technicalities to get there.

Perhaps most perplexing is that ZMF has managed to make a closed headphone that is competitive with open-backs in the same price range. With the VCs, I am not wanting for engagement or technicalities, nor do I feel that something was compromised simply to make the headphone closed. What an achievement!

Read my other reviews here:

• Campfire Andromedas vs AirPods Pros
• RME ADI-2 DAC fs
• Sony WH1000XM3
• ZMF Auteur

Cerberus 3 Review

A CIEM worthy of the stars...

Cerberus III
I asked Jack to make it look like stars against a backdrop of a dark-purple night-sky. He absolutely nailed the look!
 
 

Unboxing

     

They arrived in a very well-made, slick-looking box with raised print, magnetic clasps, silk-like pull-strap to open, and all.
Opening the box, we're greeted with a soft and large microfiber Empire Ears dust bag. It has a very nice-looking silvery logo on the front.
 
 
 
    
 
Moving the pouch to the side, we see the hard-shell case. Jack will engrave your name on the case for you! I thought that was a really nice personal touch. I asked for a small logo to be placed in the middle of my name, and even though that's exceeding the bounds of what they normally do for case engravings, Jack did it! It looks really slick in person.
 
Ahh. What we've been waiting for. The excellently crafted Cerberus IIIs on the left (more on this later), a microfiber wipe-down cloth on the top right, and a smaller carrying pouch on the bottom right, which I use often. Both also have the same beautiful, classy Empire Ears logo.
 
 

I also ordered a BTG-Audio Starlight cable (4-strand, $125). They also offer more cables on their Accessories page.
 
 

Build Quality

One word here: Breathtaking.
 
There is some seriously incredible magic going on at Empire Ears. Not a single bubble, absolutely mind-bogglingly stunning shells, and they leave me speechless. Pause for a moment and take a look at the incredible shell design on these. These are as much works of art as they are amazing CIEMs, and Jack really brought everything I wanted to life. Pictures really don't do these justice, the reflection of the specks in the shell looks much nicer in person, like twinkling starlight, but a picture will have to suffice...
 

Hand-down the most beautiful shells I have ever seen.
 


Shells that look this good can't be legal.
 

Aesthetic Options

Empire Ears offer a ton of aesthetic customization options. What went into my build was:

1. Dark-purple transparent shells, with
2. Silver glitter interspersed throughout as to look like stars
3. Sky-blue ear inserts

And that's all. But they offer a lot more, including

1. Metallic shells that look mesmerizing
2. Exotic wood and other faceplates
3. Vector art and images on the faceplate
4. A lot more

 
You won't find cooler choices and better options from anyone in the industry. The personal level of customer service and vast options offered mean that there's really no going wrong, and if you want great looking CIEMs, look no further.
 
Really, I could go on about this for days, but you probably want to hear what these sound like.
 

Sound

The Cerberus-IIIs are triple driver (high, mid, low), triple-bore, 3-way (two crossover) CIEM. Both universal and customs are offered, at the same price-point.
They offer a fun, musical sound signature. First, though, I'll talk about the sensitivity options offered -
 
Sensitivity Options
 
Empire Ears offers both high and low-sensitivity options for their lineup. I've tried both for the Cerberus III for some time.
 
High-sensitivity versions are, well, exceptionally sensitive, and will offer the best sound - however, unless you have a good (by Head-Fi standards) DAC, expect hissing.
 
Low-sensitivity versions are what I would recommend to most Head-Fi'ers who listen on their phones or have low to mid-end DACs. You'll have to crank up the volume a bit more, but they'll actually sound better with your equipment, because the upper frequencies won't be veiled by hissing.
 
In my period of using the Cerberus III, I experienced hissing in the higher-sensitivity model. Jack was kind enough to re-make them for me in the image of the lower-sensitivity model that he had tuned to get the best sensitivity/hiss ratio for less capable DACs. However, if you want to go the higher-sensitivity route, some options have been suggested:

1. The UE Buffer Jack ($10), to decrease sensitivity and therefor hiss (I haven't gotten around to trying these, as I experience no hiss with the lower-sensitivity ones) (explanation)
2. A better DAC. Some time ago @Shotgunshane suggested to me the Leckerton UHS-6S mk2, CypherLabs Picollo, or (used, due to price) Headamp Pico Slim. Of course, this would be the more expensive route.

 
Again, I experience no hiss listening to these through my Galaxy S6 with a best-in-class (for smartphones) Wolfson DAC. Regardless, I carry around an Audioquest Dragonfly 1.2 for when I'm at my computer.
 
 
Bass
Let me be clear - these don't "belt out" bass. No, these rendition carefully controlled, elegantly layered, phenomenally textured, full-bodied, tight, and controlled bass. They roll off at around 30 Hz. The bass is visceral - you can feel it, you feel like you're right there with the bass. This is, hands down, the best bass I have ever heard. You can feel the vibrations of lower guitar strings, jam with synths, rock to the beat of drums - whatever you want. Yet at the same time, they don't veil the highs or mids! The bass gives me goosebumps, sometimes, at how well-done it is!
Man, that sub-bass. I can't get enough of it!
 
Mids
Mids are detailed, clear, but dynamic, and slightly forward - they are really well-done, and one of the best parts of the Cerberus. Acoustics truly come to life, vocals sound beautiful... The mids sound very natural. While the mids are slightly forward, the highs and bass are very clear and audible - not veiled in like many other mid-forward IEMs.
 
Highs
Highs are incredible! They are crisp and clear, they reproduce everything I want them to with flying colors. Whether it be cymbals, water, rain, whatever - it's all really brought to life with the Cerberus. Everything sounds extremely realistic, while being easy on the ears. Undoubtedly one of my favorite parts of the Cerberus.
 
Other
Imaging is great with these. The soundstage is great, and these suffer no problem with imaging/location of sound. I can easily tell "where" instruments are playing. The signature is musical, but not really tiring, and it's really fun to listen to. It meshes with the music I listen to rather well, for me.
I asked Jack for more isolation and thus these isolate a great deal. You can hear some ambient noise when nothing is playing, but when music is playing, you're pretty much completely isolated (tried and tested in a 6-hour plane flight!). Due to the nature of acrylic, higher pitched sounds will still manage to get through sometimes (eg. crinkling of a bag of chips) but these isolate an impressive amount!
 
Songs
I'll go over some of my favorites. I haven't checked the Youtube links for quality/accuracy yet at the time of posting, since I'm listening through Spotify (Premium, all songs at 320 kbps). I'm writing my descriptions as I listen to the songs over.
 
 
 
Part 3 'Standing in Silence' - Rhian Sheehan

The creaking at the very beginning sounds absurdly realistic. The strings come on, and you can very clearly hear the aged, toybox-quality as higher frequencies fade in and out to create sort of a "rewind" effect. All of this is done excellently, leaving me in awe of how well the Cerberus can reproduce detail, down to the very feeling of the pluck of every individual string.
And then the bass kicks in - and man, does it sound beautiful. It's really well-textured, it sounds phenomenal. It adds so much to the song, you can feel the very controlled reverb. And the mids after that, combined with the tinkling of the bells, with the bells - you can easily tell every instrument apart. It's a veritable symphony, and you're smack-dab in the middle, experiencing everything with joy.
At 2:05, I just give up describing this. Everything comes together so well. I've listened to this song hundreds of times and it elates me how well the Cerberus can reproduce the finest details while adding, somehow, to the meaning of the song. It must be the superbly textured bass, or the excellently-renditioned mids, or even the wonderfully sparkling and crisp, twinkling highs.
That was awesome.
 
 
 
As The Crow Flies - Timothy Vajda

The song starts out with strings. Eventually, the song combines high and low strings with varying positioning to throw the audience off-balance, and man, the Cerberus reproduces this perfectly. The disorienting nature of the song near the beginning is done superbly, with the left and right earpieces of the Cerberus doing their job in letting the song throw me off balance. This was really impressive. Absolutely excellent reproduction by the Cerberus. I can make out the individual vibrations and scratches of the bow against the strings with ease.
And then the lower strings kick in as the song takes on a dark and ominous tone - and by god, the Cerberus reproduces these strings with incredible realism. I can almost feel the strings being played, the bass of every instrument is reproduced with incredible precision and texture. It sent shivers down my spine - this was a dark, ominous, dangerous song and the Cerberus reproduces it excellently.
The song is composed entirely of strings, and I feel this was a strong test of how well the Cerberus can separate instruments - and I can say that I could very easily distinguish each and every instrument in this song.
 
 
 
Entropy - Nigel Stanford

More of a rock/post-rock style song than the others. This song begins with guitar strings being muffled as they are plucked, and the Cerberus catches that excellently - I could immediately make out that there was a hand on the guitar strings and how they were being plucked. The cymbals kick in, and they are lovely, excellently detailed. I love the mids as reproduced by the Cerberus - it all sounds extremely realistic! From the weight of the guitar strings to the hit of the drum, the bass kicks in when it's needed, tight, textured, and controlled. Everything from acoustic to synths to bass was reproduced excellently.
 
More songs to come, but the general gist is that these sound very realistic but full-bodied - you can easily feel the weight or significance behind any instrument, and nothing feels fatiguing or overbearing. I listen to instrumental music, mostly, and I'm extremely pleased with how these turned out! It feels like every instrument is more meaningful, I can hear detail, texture, intent behind the instruments. It's an incredible feeling.
 

Customer Service

Turnaround was 2 weeks. That's amazing for a CIEM of this grade and quality!
Jack is a seriously awesome person. The level of customer service I've seen from Empire Ears is unparalleled. Just as an example, I asked Jack a bit too late if it would be possible for a vector art logo on the faceplate - it probably wouldn't be, as the clear coat was on, but Jack went ahead anyways and experimented on spare shells just to see if it was possible! The customer service offered is amazing. There's constant e-mail support, and Jack was extremely helpful on the phone. He kept up with my 35+ long e-mail chain of questions upon questions with quick and informative replies. It was really awesome. Again, I can't really do Empire Ears the service they deserve with this block of text, but damn that's some incredible customer service. 
 

Conclusions

I don't think it would be possible to be more satisfied. I can't really call this a "purchase", since it was much more than that - it was an experience, an incredible experience. Calling it a mere "purchase" feels like it would devalue all of the hard work that Jack and Empire have put into the Cerberus and their new lineup. Would I recommend Empire and/or the Cerberus to anyone else? Do I even need to answer that question? I'm thrilled with Empire Ears and the Cerberus-III!

So - I must say - that the audio quality on these is absolutely phenomenal. Crisp, clear, detailed sound all around. Mids are absolutely wonderful, bass is phenomenal (and can be adjusted with the software), and highs are great.
 
Isolation doesn't seem that good when you first put them on, but when you start to play something, it goes straight up.
 
I saw little to no perceived audio quality loss with the wireless aspect of the headphones. Logitech uses it's own USB stick - this is not a low-bitrate Bluetooth connection. You won't get sound from these like you would get with $500 cans, but these are phenomenal for their price nonetheless.
 
The surround sound has been updated, and is great in games that support it. For those that don't, just use the stereo audio on these.
 
Comfort was indescribable. I felt like I was surrounding my ears in a soft, wonderful pillow of amazing. It got a bit warm after a few hours, but you probably won't be listening to these for long enough for that to happen anyways.