The Ponderosa from Campfire Audio is an IEM from the new Chromatic series. Campfire's original mission has always been to offer uncompromising sound at an excellent price-performance ratio and with this new Chromatic product line, Campfire continues this mission. With an RRP of €899, the Ponderosa is significantly cheaper than an Andromeda, for example, but should still offer an incomparable sound experience and appeal to a wider audience for the price. I will shed more light on whether this has been achieved below.
The Ponderosa is equipped with a total of 5 BA drivers. The patented T.A.E.C technology is also used here, which enables the drivers to be better coordinated with each other. The Ponderosa is available in an Essential or Deluxe version. The difference between Essential and Deluxe is that the Deluxe Edition comes with 3 cables instead of 1, as well as a premium leather case. For the review, I received the Essential Edition with a 4.4 mm cable, a fabric bag, various ear tips, a brush, a fabric bag for the individual earphones and a cleaning cloth. The cable itself is a bit stiff and a kind of flat ribbon cable. I would have liked a rounder and softer version here. The colors of the fabric bag and the cable are very funky with the bright green. That is a matter of taste. It would be too much green for me, so I chose the IEM itself in black.
The fit and comfort of the Ponderosa is very good. For me, the Azla Clear pads offer the best results in terms of sound and comfort. The IEM itself with its 3D printed housing and stainless steel front panel looks very high quality.
With an impedance of 6 ohms, the Ponderosa is very easy to drive. I even have to set my DX320 MAX Ti to 83/100 with a digital volume adjustment so that I still have a control range at all in the low gain. It is also the first IEM ever to cause minimal background noise on my MAX Ti. If I'm sitting in a very quiet room, I can hear this a little. When the music starts, you can no longer hear it. For powerful DAPs you have to keep this in mind. With my very powerful stationary amp, the Niimbus US4, it's even noisier. This is a combination that I cannot recommend.
Tonally, the Ponderosa plays on the warmer side. Here Campfire has chosen a very safe tuning that doesn't emphasize any frequency range in particular or start to get on your nerves. The bass is strongly boosted. The BA Bass can really punch. It will put a smile on the face of every basshead! I almost didn't believe that it was (only) a BA bass, it kicks like a DD driver. The upper bass is slightly more boosted than the low bass. There are some recordings where it puffs up a little and then radiates a little into the mids. For most recordings, however, it is fine.
The mid-range is very direct and plays extremely full and very smooth. It is an IEM for lovers of the more intimate style. You feel right in the middle of the action at all times. The stage is rather small, especially in terms of depth. At a metal concert, you are sitting in front of the stage and not 10 rows behind it. If you like that, you will really like the Ponderosa.
The treble is very gentle and has a slight roll-off. Sibilants never stand a chance. The airiness is also somewhat less than with a U4s. On the other hand, the Ponderosa isolates really well. The resolution is okay for this price range. You have to go for a more expensive U4s, which then offers more resolution.
With the Ponderosa, Campfire Audio has created an IEM that performs very well technically in this price range and delivers a warm and very pleasant sound. Friends of a more intimate presentation who prefer a sound that is not so big on stage will be delighted with the Ponderosa. I find it very suitable for traveling, as it offers great isolation and is comfortable to wear.
The Ponderosa is equipped with a total of 5 BA drivers. The patented T.A.E.C technology is also used here, which enables the drivers to be better coordinated with each other. The Ponderosa is available in an Essential or Deluxe version. The difference between Essential and Deluxe is that the Deluxe Edition comes with 3 cables instead of 1, as well as a premium leather case. For the review, I received the Essential Edition with a 4.4 mm cable, a fabric bag, various ear tips, a brush, a fabric bag for the individual earphones and a cleaning cloth. The cable itself is a bit stiff and a kind of flat ribbon cable. I would have liked a rounder and softer version here. The colors of the fabric bag and the cable are very funky with the bright green. That is a matter of taste. It would be too much green for me, so I chose the IEM itself in black.
The fit and comfort of the Ponderosa is very good. For me, the Azla Clear pads offer the best results in terms of sound and comfort. The IEM itself with its 3D printed housing and stainless steel front panel looks very high quality.
With an impedance of 6 ohms, the Ponderosa is very easy to drive. I even have to set my DX320 MAX Ti to 83/100 with a digital volume adjustment so that I still have a control range at all in the low gain. It is also the first IEM ever to cause minimal background noise on my MAX Ti. If I'm sitting in a very quiet room, I can hear this a little. When the music starts, you can no longer hear it. For powerful DAPs you have to keep this in mind. With my very powerful stationary amp, the Niimbus US4, it's even noisier. This is a combination that I cannot recommend.
Tonally, the Ponderosa plays on the warmer side. Here Campfire has chosen a very safe tuning that doesn't emphasize any frequency range in particular or start to get on your nerves. The bass is strongly boosted. The BA Bass can really punch. It will put a smile on the face of every basshead! I almost didn't believe that it was (only) a BA bass, it kicks like a DD driver. The upper bass is slightly more boosted than the low bass. There are some recordings where it puffs up a little and then radiates a little into the mids. For most recordings, however, it is fine.
The mid-range is very direct and plays extremely full and very smooth. It is an IEM for lovers of the more intimate style. You feel right in the middle of the action at all times. The stage is rather small, especially in terms of depth. At a metal concert, you are sitting in front of the stage and not 10 rows behind it. If you like that, you will really like the Ponderosa.
The treble is very gentle and has a slight roll-off. Sibilants never stand a chance. The airiness is also somewhat less than with a U4s. On the other hand, the Ponderosa isolates really well. The resolution is okay for this price range. You have to go for a more expensive U4s, which then offers more resolution.
With the Ponderosa, Campfire Audio has created an IEM that performs very well technically in this price range and delivers a warm and very pleasant sound. Friends of a more intimate presentation who prefer a sound that is not so big on stage will be delighted with the Ponderosa. I find it very suitable for traveling, as it offers great isolation and is comfortable to wear.
