High Level Overview
In my week since getting the Campfire Onyx they’ve become the IEM I reach for most and want to listen to most of the time. I’ve found them to be very comfortable and non-fatiguing, and to just overall have a fun and engaging sound signature.
The Onyxs have a nice, punchy bass that some may find overpowering if coming from more neutral IEMs, but I personally find it energetic and engaging. For the most part the Onyxs are quite detailed, losing out some resolution in trickier bass situations, such as the second half of the Big Black Delta remix of Midnight City by M83.
The Onyxs are the first IEM that I’ve felt like I could leave on all day without really noticing them or needing to take a break. And I have, with my longest listening session being about five and a half hours.
Comparisons
I am admittedly not very good at describing the sound of headphones on their own, however I can talk about the differences in sound between different sets.
My IEM lineup is currently quite small, so I’m really only able to compare with the other IEMs I own, the Moondrop Starfields, Campfire Polaris II, and Campfire Audio Holocenes
Moondrop Starfield
The Moondrop Starfields were my first real IEM purchase, but they never really hit home for me. I think they’re quite adequate, and if I had no other reference point they would be great, but they’re not quite to my tastes.
Compared to the Onyxs, the Starfields have less punch in their bass, and I think their treble peaks a little earlier, which leads me to share a complaint I’ve seen several others share, that the Starfields sound a little shouty. Where I think the Onyx is a V, these seem much more treble forward. For example, the bass in Such Great Heights by The Postal Service feel quite recessed on the Starfields after listening to the Onyxs.
Additionally, the Starfields are less resolving of bass, with the bass in Big Black Delta’s Midnight City remix turning into a ball of mud at some points.
None of this is to say that the Starfields are a bad IEM, but that they aren’t for me, and that overall I prefer the Onyxs.
Campfire Polaris II
The Polarises are The basshead IEM, with an almost L-shaped sound. Listening to them was the first time I really understood what people meant when they talked about bass coming from headphones punching you in your core.
Unfortunately that is too much bass for me. I think they might’ve been the perfect IEM for me had they been tuned slightly differently. The problem is that while very fun and giving me a nice kick the massive amounts of bass eventually starts to give me a bit of a headache. For shorter sessions, these are great, but going past the hour mark I need something different.
I would say the Polarises have better detail in the bass than the Onyxs, but that resolution comes at the cost of everything else being very recessed.
Campfire Holocene
The Holocenes go for a very different sound than the Onyxs. Where the Onyxs are very clearly V or U shaped, the Holocenes are a much flatter, more analytical IEM.
I quite enjoy the Holocenes, they’re the first IEM where I was actually able to hear a soundstage beyond just simple left/right channels. When I want to be more analytical, or I’m listening to music with a lot of layering these are what I reach for.
Overall, the Holocenes are more resolving in all frequencies, but this does come with a more neutral and, for most of the music I listen to, a less engaging sound. I also find that the Holocenes can be a little too sparkley for me, which can lead to fatigue during longer listening sessions.
Closing Thoughts
I quite like the Campfire Onyxs. In the week since I’ve received them they’ve become my new daily drivers, and I’ve had a great time plumbing the depths of my music library just to listen to different things with them. If you chance across a pair I highly suggest giving them a shot. The sound may not be for everyone, but it’s become my new baseline for what I want in my headphones.
