Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon

Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is the newest IEM by the American manufacturer. It uses a single dynamic driver and three balanced armatures. It's their new approach to the high-end market, as the new Solaris comes at $2670.​

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Introduction to the Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon review​

Campfire Audio is now one of the most covered brands here at Ear Fidelity. We started covering them from their Dorado 2020 and Vega 2022, and throughout the years we’ve reviewed most of their lineup. What’s also worth noting at the beginning, is that Campfire Audio is probably one of the most known brands when it comes to IEMs in the world. Their Andromeda is nothing short of legendary for years now, as it’s been one of the most popular high-end (well, back then it was high-end) IEMs on the market period.

Their Solaris 2020 was one of the best experiences I’ve had with Campfire Audio in my life as a reviewer. It is such a unique, pleasing IEM to listen to, and the build and design are both extraordinary.
However, Campfire Audio turned its heads more towards limited editions of its most-known products, rather than pushing the limits and trying to keep up with the crazy world that is the IEM market in the past 5 years or so. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this kind of approach, but it’s not a secret by now that Campfire Audio left the Summit-Fi IEM race a long time ago. Last year they released their new flagship, Trifecta, which seems to awaken the hopes for the true Summit-Fi IEM by Campfire Audio for their fans.
Now, in 2023, Campfire Audio decided to refresh their Solaris model with the version called Stellar Horizon. There’s a slight controversy though, as the price went up from $1499 to $2670. You’re getting a lot more in the packaging, but the price difference is still large. Everything in the world gets more expensive, that is true, but the Solaris Stellar Horizon is not just an example of inflation.

Luckily, Campfire Audio has listened to feedback throughout the years, and they finally included more cables in the packaging, including the long-awaited balanced one. This was one of the biggest cons of their IEMs in the past, as even after spending $1500 on a pair of IEMs, you’ve only been given a standard, 3.5mm cable. Nowadays, all high-end equipment comes with a balanced output, so it’s about time.
The last thing I’m going to mention is that we met the guys from Campfire Audio again this year when we visited Munich High-End show. These are one of the coolest people in the industry, without the slightest doubt. Down to earth, chill, and just nice, happy they got to do what they’re doing. Big shoutout to Chris, Ken, and the rest of the team. I have my fingers crossed that the beer party will work out next year!
Okay, let’s get to the point, join me in this review to find out whether the new Solaris Stellar Horizon is a valuable addition to their lineup, and if Campfire Audio is back into the high-end IEMs market with a product worth buying.

Packaging​

Here comes probably the most unique, cool, and creative packaging in the history of IEMs. Campfire Audio has always been known for its great attention to detail when it comes to the unboxing experience, but now they’ve outdone themselves.
First of all, the box of Solaris Stellar Horizon is now made of wood, which surely raised the cost of the packaging, but it also feels more premium and luxurious now. It has a weight to it and feels a lot more secure, increasing the “premium” feeling of the whole experience. You don’t have to worry about an evil delivery guy destroying your precious new babies while in transit. But there’s more…

What’s worth mentioning, is that the box now also acts as a showcase stand for the IEMs, thanks to the dedicated, colorful wooden part with a hand-painted hand that’s holding the IEMs. I strongly believe that this is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in an IEM packaging. It’s such a convenient yet great-looking way to store your new Solaris while you’re not using them. Lastly, it makes my life as an audio reviewer (that really focuses on his photography game) a lot easier, since it’s just so great-looking and I didn’t have to think too much about framing my shots. Yeah, I’m kidding here…a little.



Not everything is perfect though. Unfortunately, Campfire Audio has completely redesigned the case, and I believe it wasn’t a great idea. You see, the whole point of an IEM case is to protect them while you take them outside, and the new case doesn’t really do that. I think that every IEM in this price range should come with a hard carrying case, as it’s by far the most functional. Don’t get me wrong, the case included by CFA is of great quality, but it’s soft, meaning you could use it to store your IEMs on your desk…and that’s about it. I wouldn’t trust it enough to take it with me and just toss it into a bag. You probably shouldn’t try that either.

The biggest change with the unboxing of the reviewed Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is the inclusion of 3 cables in the box. You’ve got a standard, 3.5mm cable, and two balanced cables, one terminated into 2.5mm and one 4.4mm. I think Campfire Audio could have cut the price a little bit by not including the 2.5mm cable, as it’s not really a valid option anymore, and it’s definitely much more niche than both the 3.5mm and 4.4mm.
I have to give credit where it’s due though, and seeing that Campfire Audio has finally included balanced cables with their new IEMs makes me happy. They’ve listened, and they delivered.

Design, Build, and Comfort​

Just like with the unboxing experience, Campfire Audio has always been praised for the build quality and design of their IEMs, and the new, reviewed Solaris Stellar Horizon is probably their Opus Magnum in this regard.
The IEMs are incredibly sturdy feeling, and the level of precision is top-notch. The fit and finish are both impeccable with these, and you’ll surely feel that you’re handling a high-end pair of IEMs while using the Solaris Stellar Horizon.

The looks also evolved a lot. The Solaris 2020 was a very cool design, but it was simply black at the end, while the Stellar Horizon is much more complicated in its design. Keep in mind though, that if you want to take some macro photos of these, do it right away after unboxing them, as faceplates get dirty immediately, and they are basically impossible to clean.
The body of the IEM is made of brushed stainless steel with brass fasteners and MMCX capture. They certainly have some weight to them, but I wouldn’t call them too heavy. More on that later though.

The faceplate is made of laser-cut black acrylic with gold PVD inlay, and it looks incredible in real life. It adds a lot of depth to the overall design, and it looks beautiful with proper light. These are a jewelry level of design, and you’ll surely be grabbing a lot of attention in the crowd wearing these. However, it looks premium and sophisticated, so there’s probably nothing wrong with grabbing attention for that.



I already mentioned the cables, so let’s go in-depth on this topic. The new CFA cables are a flat design, and while I’m definitely not a fan of those, these ones are rather brilliant. They are completely tangle-free, comfortable to use and they do feel premium. It’s a huge upgrade over the last iteration of CFA cables, and now you’re getting three of these. If you just bought the new Solaris Stellar Horizon and you plan to use it with your balanced DAP…now you can just do it straight out of the box. Great news.

I’m also happy to see that the reviewed Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon still uses MMCX connectors. I’m not a huge fan of 2-pin, as these are not as secure as good (that’s a very important point) MMCX are. Campfire Audio has always been the true GOAT when it comes to MMCX connectors, never ever failing me once, and I’m happy to report that they kept it with the new Solaris Stellar Horizon.
Continuing into ergonomics, the Solaris Stellar Horizon is a very comfortable set of IEMs. While these are nowhere close to being the lightest, the shape is very ergonomic, and the cable also adds to the comfort level. Overall, you shouldn’t have any problems using these during long listening sessions, I don’t find them problematic even after hours of listening to music, which is a great thing. Keep in mind tho, that our ears could be vastly different, so it’ll still be the best to try them on your own, but from my point of view, these are wonderfully comfortable to wear.

Tech​

Now let’s get into the tech inside the reviewed Solaris Stellar Horizon. Campfire Audio never really joined the whole “more drivers!” trend, and the Solaris SH further proves their approach.
First of all, the driver configuration is rather bland by today’s standards, but once again – it doesn’t really mean anything. It’s the way these drivers are designed and used that really matters.
The single dynamic driver is 10mm in size and here’s what Campfire Audio has to say about the “Radial Venting” technology:
Our new Radial Venting surrounds the 10mm ADLC dynamic driver, creating a greater air volume and expanding the physical space in which the driver operates. This creates a greater soundstage and a more even performance of the dynamic driver.
While there’s no real way to evaluate the result of this technology itself, the soundstage is fantastic in the reviewed Solaris Stella Horizon, so there’s certainly some truth to it.

Other than the dynamic driver, Campfire Audio used three dual-diaphragm balanced armatures, which have been custom-made for CFA.
The Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is rated at 4.40 Ohms, and 94 dB, which makes it easy to drive, mainly. because of the sensitivity. An impedance of 4.40 Ohms is extremely low, probably the lowest I’ve seen in an IEM. Keep in mind that you might get some background noise on some DAPs and Amps, but shouldn’t be really anything deal-breaking.
I’ve had no problems whatsoever driving the Solaris Stellar Horizon from the Cayin N3 Pro, iBasso DX170, or the EarMen CH-Amp. Every single one handled the IEMs like a champ, with great dynamics and no distortion. While such a low impedance is quite demanding on the amplifier, it’s countered by the high sensitivity, so you don’t really need a powerhouse to drive the new Solaris Stellar Horizon.

How does the Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon sound?​

Let’s now see what the reviewed Solaris Stellar Horizon sounds like and how it compares to the Solaris 2020 and a few other IEMs.
First of all, the new Solaris is vastly different sound wisely to the Solaris 2020. While the 2020 version was romantic, warm-ish, and smooth sounding, the Solaris Stellar Horizon aims for a way more technical, neutral kind of presentation.
Whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing will depend entirely on your personal preference. However, looking at how much more expensive the new model is, going for a more impressive technical performance seems entirely logical to me. Let’s see how it goes.

Let’s start as usual, with the bass. The Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon offers a very high quality of bass, but keep in mind that this is definitely not the strongest-hitting bass out there by any means. Personally, I’d even go as far as calling it a slightly bass-light IEM, which is not entirely up there with my personal preference. However, as a reviewer, I’m always trying to put my personal preferences aside and focus on objective evaluation.
Hence, I simply have to admire the sheer quality of the technical aspect of the low frequencies here. The slam is there, and while not the biggest, it retains the speed and clarity that is on par with other IEMs in this price category. Both layering and physicality of the bass are great and it creates a great foundation for the rest of the frequency response.
“Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk is a great album for testing audio equipment, and it showcases a great bass response of the product if it has any. Listening to this piece on the Solaris Stellar Horizon is a great experience, and the bass frequency is definitely doing it a favor. Doesn’t matter if it’s synthetic bass or a bass guitar, low frequencies sound natural, snappy, and dynamic. This is a very strong performance here, and if it was slightly stronger overall, I’d be absolutely in love with it. It might be just perfect for you though.



Let’s now get to the midrange. Here lies the biggest difference between the reviewed Stellar Horizon and the Campfire Audio Solaris 2020 version. The latter is a romantic, lush, and smooth-sounding IEM in the entire midrange response, and the new Stellar Horizon doesn’t really offer any of these.
Instead, the new model focuses on decay, technical transparency, and detail retrieval. Looking at this comparison in the most objective way I can, there’s no way not to call the Solaris SH superior to the older model. It gives you more information, and more neutral and uncolored sound that should be your priority when it comes to IEMs that cost that much.
Going deeper into the timbre of the midrange, I’d say it’s slightly on the thinner side, and it works better with female vocals than it does with male ones. I’m not saying that the Solaris SH works badly with male vocals though, that would have been incredibly unfair for the hero of this review. Mariusz Duda from Lunatic Soul sounds great and melodic, but he lacks just a touch of body in the lower midrange, which results in his voice sounding a bit metallic and not as rich as it does with the Solaris 2020.
However, when I tried Tove Lo and her fantastic “How Long”, the Solaris Stellar Horizon simply turned into an astonishing show. The forwardness, detail, and timbre of her voice were just absolutely marvelous, and I actually went on to listen to the track three times in a row. Additionally, what I’m going to spoil for you is the soundstage which is absolutely up there with the best of the best on the market, which further enhances the midrange performance, especially with female vocals.
The amount of air, together with it moving when the artist sings sounds great, and the separation is just perfect. If you’ll get to try the Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon, try a track with a few female vocalists singing at once, and I promise that you’ll be left shocked. This is something that the legendary Final A8000 is known of for years now, but the Solaris SH takes it a step further.

Now, we’re heading into the treble. It actually reminds me a bit of the 2017 iteration of the Andromeda. It’s right on the edge, in just a perfect way. This is definitely a forward-sounding treble response, and I’d actually call the reviewed Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon a slightly bright-tilted IEM, but it doesn’t get too hot or too harsh, even though it comes close to it. That’s what I meant by saying that it’s “on the edge”. It often comes quite close to being “too much”, but it never actually does that. This must have taken endless hours for the Campfire Audio team to tune, and if that kind of treble performance was their goal, I must admit that they achieved it entirely.
The album to listen to when testing the treble response is (of course) Acoustic Live by Nils Lofgren. Yes, I know, it’s been overdone for years now, but it’s just a brilliant mastering for showcasing the treble performance, so bear with me for a moment.
Because the treble response of the Solaris Stellar Horizon is so focused, airy, and forward-sounding, this album sounds absolutely spectacular. The string action and the high pitch of certain parts of the album sound lifelike, offering an impeccable show of textures and details. Another very important aspect for me is the ability to recreate the metallic sound in a natural way, and the Solaris SH can definitely do it. The metallic ringing, the acoustic guitar strings vibrating, and people clapping in the audience, all of these benefit greatly from the kind of treble response that the Solaris SH offers. These are just fantastic for acoustic music, offering a very vibrant, airy, and sparkly type of sound.

Now onto the soundstage, and this is probably the best aspect of the Solaris Stellar Horizon.
The staging is vast, and airy and offers a fantastic separation and great imaging. The size of the soundstage is huge, which works well with the entire frequency response of the IEMs. You definitely cannot call it an “intimate” sounding IEM, as the Solaris Stellar Horizon aims for a big type of experience, with a lot of air between the instruments.
An album that showcases it well is “Hell Freezes Over” by Eagles. There are a lot of instruments playing at the same time on many tracks, and the Solaris Stellar Horizon never loses its pace and spaciousness. This type of sound works great with music that needs a lot of space and air.
The radial venting technology used by Campfire Audio seems to do the trick here, giving the dynamic driver room to breathe and resonate freely. If you’re a fan of spacious-sounding, airy IEMs, the new Solaris Stellar Horizon might be one of the best choices you could make in the current IEM market.

Comparisons​

Campfire Audio Solaris 2020



Let’s start with the most obvious comparison between the new and the old Solaris models.
As I said previously in this review, the Solaris 2020 is richer, lusher, and warmer sounding of the two, which could work for some. I’m a fan of the 2020 version thanks to its romantic and sweet sound, but it should come as no surprise that the Stellar Horizon version is better when it comes to technical performance.
The Stellar Horizon is faster, more detailed, more spacious, and airier than the 2020 version, which will surely appeal to customers in the high-end market. Because of that, I agree with Campfire Audio on the change of the tuning here, especially since the price difference is very big.

Both are valid options on the market though, as the Solaris Stellar Horizon isn’t really a natural successor of the Solaris 2020 because these two are too different to be considered that. The more expensive model is much more technically capable, which is a very logical thing if you’ll think bout it.
However, for long listening sessions, I think that the Solaris 2020 might be a better choice, because of its more forgiving, richer sound signature that will be more relaxing and less tiring over long periods of time. The Solaris Stellar Horizon isn’t really a fatiguing listen, to begin with, but it certainly involves you more with its more forward, brighter, and leaner type of sound.

Dita Perpetua



The Dita Perpetua is a single dynamic driver IEM coming at $3000. It is a flagship of Dita Audio, which we reviewed a couple of months ago.
The Perpetua is a very relaxing, coherent, and easy listen, just as I stated in its review. This is definitely not a technically impressive IEM at this price range, but its strength is a completely non-fatiguing, easy-going type of experience.
The Solaris Stellar Horizon sounds totally different here. It is much more technically capable, more forward, and more involving sounding, resulting in an IEM that will appeal more to those of you who value the detail and resolution the most. Additionally, the soundstage of the Solaris Stellar Horizon is bigger, more airy, and more precise, further highlighting the technical superiority of the Solaris Stellar Horizon.
However, once again, the Perpetua is going to be more relaxed and easier to listen to for extended periods of time, which is worth considering if you tend to listen to your IEMs for hours and hours a day. While the Stellar Horizon is much more technically acclaimed of the two, it’s also going to be more involving and expressive sounding.

Campfire Audio Supermoon



Now let’s compare the Solaris Stellar Horizon to the Campfire Audio Supermoon. What’s really interesting, is that I’d call the SH a natural upgrade to the Supermoon, as these two share more similarities than the Solaris 2020 and the SH version.

The Supermoon is a very technical-sounding IEM that offers a very fast, snappy, and detailed sound, and the Stellar Horizon has a similar flavor, but it’s just better.

The Solaris Stellar Horizon is even more spacious and faster sounding than the Supermoon, and its tuning is more natural in my opinion. Both are rather bright-tilted, but the Stellar Horizon is not as extreme as the Supermoon, resulting in a more natural timbre.

The Supermoon offers a slightly more impressive texture, mainly due to the fact that it uses a planar driver, which is known for its texture presentation. However, the Solaris Stellar Horizon packs a bigger punch and better dynamics, which further improves on the universal aspect of the IEM.

Final A8000



The Final Audio A8000 has been famous for its speed and decay over the years. However, as the world evolves and the technology gets better, it’s been less relevant in the current market.
What’s interesting is that the Solaris Stellar Horizon shares many similarities with the A8000. Both focus on the technical aspect of the sound, but I think that the Stellar Horizon is a more valid option in 2023.

First of all, while this is highly subjective, the Stellar Horizon is much more comfortable for me. I’ve always had slight problems with the ergonomics while using the A8000, and I’m not having any with the Solaris SH. Also, while both are built impressively, the CFA will scratch much less than the A8000, which is starting to show scratches very quickly.

Lastly, the sound of the Solaris Stellar Horizon is more impressive and less fatiguing at the same time. While both will be a great choice when choosing a technical sounding IEM, the A8000 is starting to sound a bit dated in 2023, having too many compromises sound wisely. It’s especially prominent in the soundstage category, as the Solaris Stellar Horizon offers a much bigger, airier, and more accurate staging than the A8000.

Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon Review – Summary​

The new Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is the best IEM that CFA ever released when it comes to technical performance. Instead of considering it as a successor of the Solaris 2020, I’d rather say it’s the bigger brother of the Supermoon, as they share a lot more similarities.
Of course, the upgrade comes at a big price of $2670, but now you’re getting a lot more in the box. The overall unboxing experience is one-of-its-kind, and there are more accessories included when compared to the Solaris 2020.

However, I’d personally wish that Campfire Audio offered a single cable with interchangeable plugs, or at least not include the 2.5mm cable in the box. It raises the price even further, and the 2.5mm standard is not valid anymore in 2023. A hard-carrying case would have been a great addition as well.
Overall, the Solaris Stellar Horizon is a highly technical, fast, and very spacious-sounding IEM that will appeal to many. Pair it with a great build quality and beautiful design, and you’ll end up with a very exciting pair of IEMs.

Recommended!


Big thanks to Campfire Audio for providing the Solaris Stellar Horizon for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Overview:

Up for review today is the gorgeous Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon – which I will refer to as the SSH or Stellar Horizon because that name is way too long. The SSH has 3 BAs, and 10mm 1 DD on bass duty. As always with Campfire, they manage to get some crazy good sound from a small IEM with a small number of drivers. Considering that most companies now use 10+ drivers in each ear for their high-end IEMs, 4 is just great. The Solaris itself has gone through so many revisions and special editions, it’s hard to keep track – and these are the most expensive at $2,670 retail, so how do these stack up to their older siblings?



Accessories/Earpads/Eartips (10/10):

Awesome as usual. I mean it. Sure, it’s not all necessary, but when you are paying this kind of money a set of tiny headphones, you really want to be treated and Campfire takes it to the next level at making you feel special. It’s the same packaging as the Trifecta essentially with the wooden box and the hand, several types of ear tips to choose from, a “birth certificate,” trading card, serialized numbers, etc. You also get 3 cables, and 3 cases (1 for cables, one for the IEM, and one carrying case) – see the photos for all the swag. Everything is sustainable and environmentally friendly – no plastic or anything to murder the plant. So yeah, this is what I consider a 10/10 – no bare minimum here. As always, I'm using my Spinfit W1 tips since they're the best I've found (You can buy them here if you want a set: https://amzn.to/3WDrNIk.)



Cable (8/10):

The cables are the same as with the Trifecta – oddly, there are still 3 of them. I have to say that I still don’t need 3 of the Time Stream cables – no one uses 2.5mm balanced cables anymore – 4.4mm is the gold standard. Also, anyone buying a $2,600 IEM owns a DAP or amp with a 4.4mm output. So the 3.5mm is also unnecessary and could have saved both Campfire and the buyer $100-200 on the price. I also find the cables to be good quality, with good sound, and super annoying. Why? Because my brain hates when they aren’t perfectly straight since it’s a flat ribbon cable. Also, it’s a little too long, so it gets in the way of everything short of sitting at my desk. Kneeled down to pick something up? Catches on my knee, pants, cabinet handle, dog leash, etc. Super annoying – I constantly found myself tucking it into the pocket on my hoodie, which was also annoying since it’s a pretty stiff cable. So yes, good quality, but kind of annoying. 8/10 points.



Build Quality/Comfort (8/10):

The Stellar Horizon are brushed stainless steel for the body with a form of acrylic called PVD for the faceplate inlaid with gold and MMCX brass connectors. It’s a really fantastic look without adding too much weight. It honestly has better build quality than the Trifecta since it doesn’t have the Nylon bubbles that I didn’t like with the Trifecta. So yeah, very good build quality.

The comfort is a little wonky, but these are very small IEMs – Solaris 2020 size, and more comfortable than the Andromeda, but not quite the Trifecta. Overall, they’re very light for an IEM with a metal body, right around Rn6 level of weight. These actually get cold, which is a bit awkward when you put them in the first time – it’s not a big deal, but it is unusual to experience. The fit is also a little bit wonky since you kind of have to rotate them up a bit to get them to sit comfortably. Again, not a deal breaker, but certainly something to mention - overall, these are small, light, and comfy. The score here is a 9/10 points for the cold/fit that needs adjustment and some may not like.



Sound:

Check out the Wolfhawk.Squig.Link below to see how these measure compared to a couple of other IEMs you might want to compare them to. Obviously, it has less bass than the Trifecta and Rn6 – it’s not really trying to compete with those in that department. Still, the sound is quite balanced and neutral overall. The mids are more pronounced than the Trifecta and Rn6 while the highs look like a 4-year-old’s scribbles as usual. Read the test songs to see what those scribbles mean.



I am powering these off of my Cayin N8ii on medium gain with the solid-state amp at around ~30/100 volume using the balanced 4.4mm connection and Tidal Hi-Fi Plus with MQA enabled.



Lows (18/20):

I’m starting off with the Mid-bass/Sub-bass test I’m using David Guetta’s “I’m Good (Blue).” There are some really fantastic bass drums and sub-bass here. It’s nothing like the Trifecta, but it feels like cleaner quality with less quantity. It doesn’t have the unwanted extra reverb that some bassier IEMs, especially DD ones, can have on this song. The sub-bass won’t melt your face by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s strong enough to feel it. This is a very different presentation from the old Solaris, which was pretty light on bass. I love it, 10/10 points here.

Up next is Demon Hunter’s “I Am A Stone,” which I use to test whether the bass is too strong and overwhelms the mids as that is just as important as how strong/good the bass is. The bass comes in strongly in the background and only occasionally overwhelms the mids. It doesn’t have the Rn6’s magic ability to separate stronger lows from the mids, but it gets as close as any other IEM with good bass response I’ve heard. 8/10 points here.

Mids (18/20):

Weaving The Fate’s “The Fall” is my test song for clean/dirty guitars and vocals with background instruments to see how clearly the vocals can be heard. The clean intro guitar is detailed and full-bodied while the distorted guitars are fantastic and the cymbals and drums can both be clearly heard above and below the guitars. The vocals sound great and are more forward than on other IEMs. The biggest downside here is one I can’t mark off here, and that’s sibilance in the vocals, which isn’t overwhelmingly noticeable, but still noticeable. Still, the song itself earns a 6/6 because it sounds great on the Stellar Horizon and the sibilance will get marked off later in the highs.

Staind’s “Something to Remind You” has clean electric guitars and wonderful vocals – this song tests vocal quality and background noise. The guitars and vocals here sound great. There’s a large soundstage and good instrument separation that is easily discernable in layers. The lows can cut into the mids just a little here, but the overall presentation is very good without any unwanted reverb. 6/7 points here.

To test classical instruments in the mids, I’m using The Piano Guys' “Code Name Vivaldi.” The bass-cello is full-bodied with excellent depth and the piano comes in clearly if a bit muted by the bass. Later on, the piano takes the front stage and can be heard quite easily over the bass. The mid-cellos sound good throughout the entire song. The Stellar Horizon definitely brings more emotion to this song than IEMs like the Jewel, but not as much as something like the Trifecta or Traillii. 6/7 points here.

Highs (16/20):

To test sibilance on headphones I use Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes.” Yeah, you already know this is going to lose points here. Some brutal sibilance. It’s definitely below average and really makes the Andromeda appealing due to how much sibilance it has – but only if you’re sibilant sensitive. The Andromeda has a lot less detail and is a warmer, mushier sound. This is almost as bad as the Trifecta – 2/6 points.

Dream Theater’s “The Alien,” is the highs test song I use to see if the cymbals/high-hats/snare drum can be clearly heard and distinguished from the rest of the music (also good for instrument separation.) Of course, sibilance and excellent highs performance almost seem to go hand in hand and the Stellar Horizon is no exception. These are some of the most detailed highs I’ve heard, they’re quieter than the Trifecta, but just as, if not more, detailed. 7/7 points here.

Michelle McLaughlin’s “Across The Burren” is another of my favorite highs/sharpness test songs as it can easily sound painful on some headphones. Just like the Trifecta, I’m not encountering any sharpness here. The sibilance is the only weakness in the highs on both IEMs. 7/7 points – this sound beautiful.

Soundstage/Instrument Separation/Imaging (8/10):

I use MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” to test soundstage, instrument separation, and imaging. The Stellar Horizon was tuned brilliantly and the venting built into it really opens up the soundstage for some truly tiny IEMs. The Rn6 and these are very close in soundstage (3/3), and Imaging (3/3). The big weakness here is the instrument separation with the bass as I’ve already mentioned. Occasionally, it bleeds into the mids, so it’s a 2/3 points there sadly and it doesn’t quite earn the extra point.



Comparisons:

I’ve already compared these to several IEMs above, but the most likely comparison you’re looking for is against the Trifecta. Compared to the Trifecta, both have similar highs performances. The bass is more pronounced on the Trifecta, but it comes at a slightly muddier cost and a similar issue with too much bass on occasion. The mids on both the Trifecta and Stellar Horizon are pretty close quality-wise, though the Trifecta has more “soul.” That’s the biggest difference between these two, the Stellar Horizon is the safer tuning, but it sounds less magical as a result. Both are excellent, but I’d still pick the Trifecta for some intangible reason.

The Rn6 is more flexible with its swappable modules and it’s a very balanced IEM with a magical instrument separation ability. It’ll run you the same amount as the Trifecta though and I’d stick with the Trifecta from personal preference even though the Rn6 scores higher. The Stellar Horizon and the Rn6 are surprisingly similar, though the SH has much nicer packaging and no modules. Both are well-balanced IEMs with a metal chassis. Obviously, you can tune the Rn6 to be Trifecta bassy (or higher), while the SH is a bit of a one-trick pony, but it does that one trick very well and should sound good with most music. Also, it’s $700 cheaper – nothing to sneeze at. Oh, and I prefer it to the Solaris 2020 in case you’re wondering.



Conclusion:

The Stellar Horizon is another excellent IEM from Campfire. If you can’t afford the Trifecta, but want a similar presentation with less bass and more pronounced mids, the new Solaris should definitely be on your list. This doesn’t have the Trifecta’s intangible “soul,” but it does a really good job of getting close while having a more premium shell and a more balanced sound with less unwanted reverberation as well. It reminds me a lot of the Rn6 with the Red module, a well-balanced IEM that does just about everything well, just watch out for the sibilance.