Campfire Audio Trifecta

General Information

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Campfire Discoveries​

Present​

The Daring and Amazing Adventures of Captain Francis Aristarchus

On the Halcyon home world, where the singularity took place millions of years ago, the humanoid inhabitants have long forgotten a time when a core intelligence did not serenely guide every aspect of their existence.

Everything unfolds in blissful computational perpetuity, from global weather systems to the reseeding of biomes. And it has been this way for so long that any attempt to remember its origin would be lost were it not for the self-revelatory device provided by the planet’s Singular First Intelligence.

Though most inhabitants never see the need, any curious individual seeking answers about these seemingly perfect surroundings may experience their lives from the perspective of the ancient machine.

The off-world scholar who agreed to share this technology with Captain Francis Aristarchus asked for nothing physical in return, merely access to our database of history and folklore. When he first tested the peculiar headgear, Aristarchus fell into a deep slumber resembling death. He watched a nameless sky pass overhead and heard clouds become every part of his unbound mind.

Weeks later, the science team approved this godly instrument for listening.

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Pure, Unparalleled Dynamics​

Experience Huge, Clear, Expansive Openness.​

Trifecta’s triple dynamic driver configuration produces an unparalleled, towering sonic profile that surrounds the listener in rich textures and an expansive soundstage. Our custom full-range 10mm ADLC diaphragm dynamic drivers face one another in an equilateral triangle, combining seamlessly into a single voice, enveloping you in a uniquely lush and powerful sonic presentation.

Astounding sonic experiences await. Immerse yourself in pure sound with Trifecta.

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Clear as the Sky is Blue​

Revealing the Sonic Power Within​

An optically clear, robust nylon housing allows a full view of the inner workings of Trifecta, revealing the three gold-plated dynamic drivers within. Each is expertly soldered with high-purity copper and pure silver conductors.

Trifecta’s patent-pending triangular body shape incorporates three 10mm, ADLC diaphragm dynamic drivers into a single earphone while remaining comfortable and lightweight in the ear.

Time Stream(s)​

Step into the future of portable Hi-Fi cable ergonomics.​

Trifecta includes a full complement of our new Time Stream cables. A soft and pliable jacket removes microphonics and reveals the silver-plated copper conductors. Complimented with gold plated and polished metal accents, our new Time Stream cables are part of the cohesive vision of Trifecta.
Good things come in threes, and with our 2.5mm, 3.5mm, and 4.4mm terminations all included, you’ll be sure always to have what you need to keep Trifecta the earphone of choice with all of your audio devices.


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*the above text and images are taken directly from CFA's Trifecta listing (https://campfireaudio.com/shop/trifecta/)

Latest reviews

MusicalDoc8

500+ Head-Fier
This is DD territory, type 3 listeners go away
Pros: -Powerful sound, bass emphasys
-Detail is very good
-Shell is compact
-Light
-You can almost get a HP that you can carry in your pocket
Cons: -Cable are to me not good, but personal opinion
-Highs lose some detail/extension
-Suffers with orchestral music
Trifecta Review:

So it's come the time: I'll review a TOTL IEM.
So will i like it? Will i denounce it? Did i get it for free?
NAY! Bought this bad boy, second hand because i had great luck and saved, and immediately started listening to it with my HiBy RS8.

First and foremost, this IEM FINALLY gives me impact. I love my kennerton heartland, as you can read on that review, and to me impact is important. Not that accurate FR or technicalities aren't important, but if the sound is too dry i tend not to like it.
The first impression is that the notes have "weight", they're impactful and, for an IEM, it's not a small feat. After all we are dealing with something fitting in your pocket that i arbitrarily pit against headphones that have many times the surface to drive the sound. Is it something fair? Who cares i use me money for it so i better get what i want!
The feeling of having "impactful" sound, with drums hitting just right, powerful voices and a good vortex of sounds that mingle in just the right way are the special sauce that the Trifecta brings to the table.
In more tecnical term, i am very pleased both by the Frequency Response and the technicalities. Layering and positioning is absolutely in the realm of headphones, not a small feat. I speculate that the combined surface area of 3 DDs ends up giving it enough "space" to give a similar impact.

Now onto being more detailed with choices of songs:

Beethoven Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Op.125. Directed by Herbert Von Karajan
While the experience is quite pleasing, and an emphasys on the lower end is enjoyable, i have had more "fun" with planars in this kind of music.
It's not that it's bad, it is extremely good, but my reviews are both subjective and comparative, so i would say if you are classical music only, maybe look into other IEMs, because i feel they are a tad below the TOTL territory here. Instrument separation is adequate.
This rating has more to do with the price range than absolute quality. I'd say, it's a 9/10, but because they go for 3k, i put them in 7/10 for classical music. I think it's very important for a TOTL monster to at LEAST be adequate for EVERY music type. and the Trifecta are more than adequate to enjoy classical music.

Don't Stop me Now - Queen | Canned Heat - Jamiroquai
Voice is powerful and intimate, bass are a pleasure and instrument separation is good, these IEMs really shine with emotional and hard hitting songs, making them really shine. I would say these were really made FOR any music genre that emphasizes strong bass and powerful voices.

Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Bass, voices and the soundstage are great, the Trifecta are made to be a very invovling sound. Again i feel a tapering of the higher frequencies.

Haven't We Met? - Chesky Record 30th Anniversary Collection
Jazz, with lots of bass, makes the trifecta really shine. Intimate voices and great weight of the notes make any listening to jazz a pure pleasure. You will literally sink into the sound, a deep relaxing experience.

Believer - Imagine Dragons
Another song who really shines with the Trifecta, thought one little spot is again the slightly de-emphasized highs. Obviously vocals and drums are as great as it comes, so they only blindspot of the trifecta is the highs.

To sum up my experince, i would say this IEM is a real "TOP OF THE TOP", but a little shy of being an ace of aces. In my exerience they are a good substitute for people who are so often on the go that they need an IEM in lieu of a full headphone, with the obviuos reduction of luggage and cumbersomeness. I still think, overall, if you have a choice a headphone is better, and this IEM is the "missing link" between going full "imma bring a suitcase with my headphone" and forgoing good sound on the go.
So, if you like me wanted to include in your collection a portable IEM that doesn't make you miss your headphones too much, the Trifecta are a gold standard.

Would i improve something? Maybe i'm wrong but i think since they are DDs, they can't really fight against planar headphones in pure detail and treble extension. But maybe, just maybe, if campfire audio gets crazy enough to make a Trifecta with planar membranes....
All in all, this IEM set is a great set, possibly one of the greatest available now (wanna loan me a trialii/annihilator/raven?) but it suffers just from slightly recessed highs and less instrument separation than what would be expected from TOTL in case of very congested music like orchestral music. Sounds like being picky but at this price bracket it's expected.

UPDATE!

Since i just bought the hiby R8II, i decided to try the pairing RS8 vs R8II. As you know it's a R2R vs Delta-Sigma kind of pairing, and thus i wanted to see if the characteristics of the more analytical sound would improve the area i described as less than stellar of the tifecta. So i came back to Beethoven and after switching to the R8II, i found an improvement in instrumental separation and higher frequencies, loosing a bit of impact and power in the low frequencies, but offsetting the higher frequency "deficit" i found when driving the trifecta through the RS8.
After this "showoff", i can say that depending on your musical tastes, going he R2R route with the RS8 will increase the "impact" of the sound, but with a slight tradeoff in resolution, while the Delta-Sigma of the R8II nicely complements to "even out" the character of the trifecta into a more of an all rounder. I highly reccomend testing them wih both kind of sources, to tune your musical journey to your tastes!
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Trance_Gott

Headphoneus Supremus
Perhaps the best IEM in the world!?
Pros: Massive and full-bodied sound no other IEM provide
Very analog and natural sound
Massive soundstage with very good separation
Unbelievable good bass presentation
Very coherent tuning
Very comfortable
Cons: Using of MMXC termination
The Trifecta is the flagship from Campfire Audio. The name Trifecta is derived from the arrangement of the drivers in the form of a triangle. No other manufacturer has taken this approach before and I can already say that this IEM sounds like no other. The patent-pending triangular housing accommodates three dynamic drivers with a 10 mm ADLC cone that cover the entire frequency range. This should provide a massive and exciting sound with a very wide stage. That's the advertising promise. Whether it is kept or not will be shown in my later sound description.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Thomas Halbgewachs from headphone.shop for sending me the Trifecta so quickly. I was even able to purchase one of the limited edition of 333 units worldwide. These are usually all sold out at other dealers. I was really very lucky. The Trifecta is currently being offered in various versions (colors) without limitation.

The Trifecta is a sonic masterpiece from Campfire Audio, the result of the company's many years of experience. So what are the technical features of this at first glance futuristically shaped IEM? First of all, of course, the use of three dynamic drivers. This allows the Trifecta to move a considerable amount of air and create a sound that delivers a lot of impact. More impact than I know from any other IEM. And no bone conduction driver or similar is used to increase the pressure even more. The Trifecta doesn't need that at all. The acoustic chamber in the form of a triangle was specially developed to combine the three drivers into a single system. All three drivers face each other and the air pressure of each individual driver is thus combined into a single very powerful pressure wave that produces the Trifecta's truly powerful sound. In addition, each driver is vented separately, creating a balanced air pressure at the front and rear of the driver. This results in a better overall performance of each driver by ensuring full range of motion, consistent speed and greater accuracy.

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The Trifecta is supplied in a wooden box that looks classy for the price range and also has a nice gimmick. You can shape it into a presentation box with an enclosed golden hand and present the Trifecta hanging around this hand or have it aired after an extensive listening session. A great idea. I've never seen anything like it from any other manufacturer. The wooden box contains a set of foam and silicone eartips as well as a cleaning brush. The two additional cables are stored in a fabric bag.

A total of three cables with 3.5mm, 2.5mm and 4.4mm terminations are supplied. So you are equipped for every application. The cable is the Time Stream cable developed by Campfire, a very flat copper cable with a silver coating, which is very soft and flexible and does not cause microphonic effects. The cables are terminated on the IEM side with MMCX. I personally prefer 2-pin, as this type of connection has become established with the majority of other manufacturers and the cable cannot twist. I find this a bit annoying as I always have to turn it in the right direction. With 2 pins it would be fixed. Unfortunately, I was also unable to test the Trifecta with a different cable, as all my After Market cables are terminated with 2 pins. Too bad. The Trifecta itself is housed in a high-quality light blue leather case with magnetic closure. This is large enough to carry accessories such as an additional cable or eartips. A certificate with the serial number and instructions are also included. I was pleasantly surprised by the overall presentation. But for the price of €3699, you should be able to expect that.

The limited edition Trifecta is housed in a transparent cabinet that reveals the true splendor of the three drivers, which are soldered with high-purity copper and pure silver. The Trifecta is also very light overall and really very comfortable to wear. At first I wondered whether the shape would be comfortable to wear? This was answered very quickly when the first bars played. The comfort is really excellent.

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As usual, I used my iBasso DX320 MAX Ti for the sound test. As the Trifecta is really very easy to drive, I hardly get above gain level 1. Compared to a Radon6 or Raven, I have to turn the volume down two positions on gain 1 to get the same level. So the Trifecta can really be driven by any DAP without any problems. However, since I have the feeling that the Trifecta still benefits from the source, I used my stationary chain consisting of a Volumio Server, Topping D90 III and Niimbus US4 for a further sound test. And indeed, the Trifecta, which is already a revelation as we'll see in a moment, performs with even more physicality and control. However, as it is really very easy to drive, the control range with the Niimbus US4 poses a problem. However, you can improve this with an IEMatch from iFi, which then acts as an attenuator. According to the manufacturer, without impairing the sound. I found the SpiralDots to be the most suitable in terms of sound and comfort. Some other silicone tips with more emphasis on the treble don't fit as well in my opinion.

The Trifecta sounds bombastic in the truest sense of the word, like no other IEM I know! It is not a strictly neutral IEM and does not follow any other curves like Harman or the like. I would describe it as tending towards V shape. It has some peaks in the high frequencies around 4Khz, 8Khz and 10Khz, i.e. a frequency diagram where you first think that might be too much of a good thing in the high frequencies. Fortunately, it's not at all, because with the boost in the bass and the lowering in the upper mids and in the presence range, the sound is as good as I would never have expected just from studying the frequency diagram. Everything sounds so harmonious and coherent that I think I'm listening to a 1DD IEM like the Fir Audio E12.

What makes the Trifecta so unique? It is the presence of the individual sound events, which are presented with such a brilliant physicality that every voice, every individual instrument has a body that you can feel. Where other IEMs such as a Raven or Radon6 stretch a presentation of the bass across the entire room (I would compare it to an integrated subwoofer), with the Trifecta I can concentrate on a drum kit with its physical presence in one second and in another second on the plucking of a guitar string, which has a different presence again. It's amazing! This is a presentation that, in my opinion, no other IEM I have heard has.

But it's not just the physicality that the Trifecta possesses. Another highlight is its analog and very natural sound, tonally comparable to a Hifiman Susvara. Voices and acoustic instruments are reproduced so realistically that they are almost tangible in the very large soundstage. This brings us to the next highlight of the Trifecta, namely its gigantic soundstage presentation in both width and depth. Only the Raven offers such an expansive stage. The Trifecta doesn't have the laser-sharp instrument separation of the Raven, but it's still so good that I can easily concentrate on every sound event and they have more than enough room to breathe. The stage takes place in front of your head, while a Multiverse Mentor, for example, reproduces the action in such a way that you are virtually right in the middle of it and can pick out individual elements holographically. This is so easy with the Multiverse Mentor, as it delivers the cleanest sound image of all my IEMs.

The Trifecta is not an IEM that only wants to show what is technically possible with a clean sound image, the highest resolution, the fastest bass and the best instrument separation. It places the greatest value on an analog, musical presentation that lets the listener float in a true sphere of sound. A direct comparison would lead you to believe that it is technically inferior to other IEMs. But it certainly isn't! When I offer such a brilliant bass range, at first it may seem slower than the bass of a Raven. But the Trifecta performs incredibly well with this moving air mass compared to other IEMs and even the fastest metal is no problem for it. At no time with the Trifecta and no recording did I have the feeling that the bass range was uncontrolled or anything like that. I can hear a faster bass compared to other IEMs, but is it more natural than with the Trifecta? It is different. However, I usually prefer the Trifecta for metal, as no other IEM gives me the physical representation that the IEM from Campfire Audio does. And that's without any BCD, Kinetic bass or other little helpers.

Is the resolution lower then? Because the separation is not quite as razor-sharp as with a Raven, the quietest sound events are not quite as easy to perceive, but they are still there and are not masked or anything like that. So technically, the Trifecta is a flagship IEM with no ifs or buts. And in terms of sound, it is a revelation for me. All in all, perhaps the best IEM in the world!? Chapeau Campfire Audio!
Brohammer40K
Brohammer40K
Would these be a good upgrade from the FiiO FH9, or should I consider the Grand Maestro instead?
Trance_Gott
Trance_Gott
I don't know the FH9 never heared them.
Vamp898
Vamp898
The cables are terminated on the IEM side with MMCX. I personally prefer 2-pin, as this type of connection has become established with the majority of other manufacturers
Only Chifi uses 2-pin because they started copying major manufacturer back in the days where they used 2-pin

No major IEM company is using 2-pin anymore since decades. Most of them use MMCX with a few already upgrading to T2/IPX which provides a more stable connection and even IP67 rating.

2-pin has the advantage that its the cheapest but also the least reliable with the biggest change to completely break the In-Ear

552609

1000+ Head-Fier
The Freemason's IEM of Choice
Pros: Great bass
Excellent mids
Top-tier highs
Amazing packaging
Comfortable
Gorgeous
SOUL
Cons: A small amount of bass bloat/reverb - bass can overwhelm mids on occasion
Sibilance
Visible seams
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Overview:

Up for review today are the MUCH debated Campfire Audio Trifecta. Some people love these for their organic and almost retro sound. Some people hate them for their pronounced highs and slightly decreased bass compared to true basshead headphones. Spoiler alert: I really like these, but they do have some issues that I’ll talk about below as well. The real question is where will these come in amongst my ranking along with some of the best IEMs out there? Will they beat the current champs, the Noble Ronin, and the Multiverse Mentor? Let’s find out.

The Trifecta is one of the most unique IEMs on the market and the “333 Launch Edition” is limited to only 333 of them, all of which have sold out already. You can pick up the “Astral Plains” edition, which is…bluer and doesn’t have the gold-coated driver. I have no idea if it sounds different since Campfire won’t send me one to find out. It’s not a limited edition though, but still the same price. And has gold connections instead of the 333’s silver connections – I worry a bit about how the gold connectors will hold up – not my problem, both look good, but the 333 stands out more.

The Trifecta is named as such because of the 3 DDs situated throughout the shell in a triangle (Freemasons) pattern (Kidding, it’s not a conspiracy (it is)). There’s REALLY nothing else like this design on the market.

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Accessories/Earpads/Eartips (10/10):

Fantastic. Everyone has probably seen the hand of the Freemasons already (again, kidding…right?), but what doesn’t get enough attention is the fact that there are three (!) Time Stream cables, three (!) carrying cases, a bunch of ear tips of different types, and an IEM carrying pouch. Pretty sick. The tips you can choose from are foam or silicone and they’re about as good of quality as you can get without going aftermarket. The soft case is the dark blue one and it holds the two cables you’re not using (3.5mm and 2.5mm for me). The soft leather case is a bifold and it’s designed to carry your Trifecta in their own little mesh carrying case along with your cables and possibly even a DAP of choice if it’s slim enough, all while preventing damage.

The box itself is all wood with a paper sleeve and there is even a tiny little folder that looks like a passport with…a trading card…and a birth certificate? (It’s a certificate of authenticity - mine are 116, but it looks like a birth certificate.) Again, they put some serious effort into the packaging here and it’s easily up there with the Ronin, Elysium, and Mezzo LE, and quite possibly #1 for packaging. And yes, the Trifecta packaging smells amazing – leather and wood haha. 10/10 points here (I’d give more if I could). 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.)

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Cable (9/10):

I honestly don’t need 3 of the same Time Stream cables, each with a different connector. Campfire probably could have saved some cash and only included the 4.4mm with a 2.5mm adapter and they’d have been fine. No one that spends this much on an IEM is using a 3.5mm jack with the Trifecta and 2.5mm-only DAPs/amps are basically non-existent. Or do what Kinera, Thieaudio, and DUNU are doing and include an adapter set. But really, a 4.4mm would have been all you need. Still, they’re nice 4-wire cables with gold plating, polished metal accents, and silver-plated copper wires. Yes, this is a flat ribbon cable, something I didn’t realize until I got it - and something I've never seen before. It bothers my OCD because it almost never lays perfectly flat – and that hurts my brain. Still, the sound from it is really good and after playing with some cheaper cables that have MMXC connectors, I gave up and stuck with the stock cable as the best-sounding option I have.

The cheaper ones are the Kinera Magic Rope and Linsoul Tripowin Zonie – both very more flexible, and cut down on the sibilance from the Trifecta, but ruined what made it sound special also. You may be able to cable roll with these and find the perfect solution – I have no reason to get more MMCX cables since only two companies really use them. So yeah, the Time Stream cables aren’t that flexible and they bug me a little, but they sound good at least and you have to give Campfire props for including three – that’s unique, but maybe one less cable would have let them sell this for $3,330.00 instead of $3,375.00 (which makes no sense considering the 333 theme). Still, great sound, no microphonics worth complaining about, and decent flexibility – and three of them are included - 9/10 points.

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Build Quality/Comfort (9/10):

I mean amazing. Seriously. The build quality of everything is insane. The only IEM I’ve ever seen with quality issues from Campfire is the old-school Andromeda. On those, the anno/paint would rub off leaving looking like someone put them through a washing machine – no matter how hard you tried to keep them nice looking. My Dorado and Vega both look fantastic still and they’re the 2020 versions. So, unsurprisingly, the Trifecta has fantastic build quality. People have said they look like a piece of jewelry, and while I don’t think they’re that fancy (or I probably wouldn’t wear them), they do look excellent. They’re made out of a really strong Nylon, which I can only see tiny micro-scratches on if you REALLY closely in the correct light – otherwise, they stay much nicer looking that Acrylic IEMs. But seriously, these are impeccably built and I’m not worried about them breaking, though they’re not quite as durable as the Ceramic IEMs they used to make.

OK, comfort. I’m sure some people complained about a $3k+ IEM being made out of Nylon, just like people complained about the $4k+ Jewel being made from Acrylic, just like people complained about the $6k+ Traillii being made from acrylic. But guess what? I’ve tried several of the recent TOTL IEMs made from acrylic and they are HEAVY. The Trifecta is the most comfortable flagship I’ve worn…possibly ever. It’s smaller and lighter than a LOT of the other TOTL IEMs like the Ronin, Mezzo LE, Mentor, Kublai Khan, Thunder, etc. My biggest complaint with the Ronin was the weight, and a little bit the size. I can wear the Trifecta for hours without comfort issues. They sit in my ears easily and don’t constantly fall out because they’re too heavy. Awesome comfort. 9/10 points for the build and the comfort – the only point I’m taking off here is for the visible seams on the shells – they detract from the feel of quality you get otherwise. I’m not sure why they’re there since it looks like the nylon was poured after everything was assembled – there are tiny bubbles throughout the shells implying such, but maybe that’s glue.

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Sound:

Check out the wolfhawk.squig.link/ below. I’m comparing the Trifecta to the Ronin and Mentor from memory, so bear with me – I can’t afford to own all three at once since IEM companies haven’t felt like sending me $3k+ IEMs to keep yet (and likely never will). Looking at the Frequency Response Graph, obviously, the Trifecta has more sub and mid-bass. It also has more low-mids, with recessed Mentor-level of High-mids, and easily some of the most pronounced highs I’ve heard…ever. Also, the Trifecta has the most unique highs tuning I’ve ever seen with what I’d call a curtain effect with 3 almost identical peaks and valleys in the highs. Very odd, but pretty cool as well.

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I am powering these from my HiBy RS8 with the A/B amp on medium gain at around ~30/100 volume – super efficient and easy to drive, most IEMs are at 40+. I’m using Tidal Hi-Fi with MQA enabled and a playlist specifically designed to test each aspect of a headphone.

Lows (16/20):

I’m starting off with the Mid-bass/Sub-bass test I’m using David Guetta’s “I’m Good (Blue).” The bass drums in the intro have a ton of impact but have some bass bloat – similar to the Aroma Audio Thunder. The sub-bass is epic – and I mean that. It feels like it’s going to blow your hair into 80’s cartoon spikes with smoke curling to the ceiling. It has that take-your-breath-away feeling and that’s great. The only downside here to the bass quantity is that the mids fall to the back a little too much. Still, that’s what the next song is for, so the only points here taken off are from the extra distortion on the mid-bass. 8/10 points – tons of quantity, missing a little quality.

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. Yeah, unfortunately, the bass really overwhelms the mids here in a way I haven’t heard in a long time – partly because I haven’t been listening to super bassy IEMs. These are really close to super bassy IEMs, but they don’t quite reach the levels of Fat Freq or some of the bassier FiRs. 7/10 points here since the mids still have some excellent detail and all it takes is turning the DAP up a notch to bring the mids to the front again, with the bass bellowing away on the sides.

OK, this is not normally one of my test songs, but it came on while I was doing something else, and I have to say that this is probably the sickest I’ve ever heard the bass on Hollywood Undead’s “Hear Me Now.” Absolutely game-changing for me. This is not the only song I've had this happen on. I'm adding a bonus point here for making old songs new again! +1!

Mids (19/20):

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 soundstage and imaging are the first things that I notice in the intro of this song – fantastic, I can actually hear the guitarist moving slightly across the stage. The clean guitars at the beginning are also gorgeous and you can easily hear the high hats in the background along with the drums. Even the distorted guitars sound excellent with plenty of detail and instrument separation! That’s impressive since it’s been a few reviews for me since an IEM did this song justice. The vocals are a little further away than on the Ronin and Mentor, but they’re still quite pronounced. And seriously, the cymbals are insane on the Trifecta – it’s such an analog sound, and as a drummer, I can really appreciate it. What I appreciate less is the sibilance on the lead singer’s “S” notes, which are pretty pronounced, but that test song comes later. Here, it’s a 6/6 for sounding epic.

Staind’s “Something to Remind You” has clean electric guitars and wonderful vocals – this song tests vocal quality and background noise. Oh man, There’s the soul I’m looking for from this song. That’s always the problem with reviewing lower-end IEMs, no matter how good they are for their price, they just can’t touch something like the Trifecta. There’s so much soul and so much body to this entire song. The vocals have grit and breadth in spades. The bass guitar is pronounced, but not too offensive. The guitar sounds just clean with each note hitting like a hammer. The fingers on the strings are VERY detailed, which can actually be a downside on the Trifecta because it’s pretty forward. So, if you’re looking for some excellent detail here, the Trifecta has that, but it’s a double-edged sword as well. And yes, there are times when the bass guitar overwhelms the vocals and the mid-guitars. Still, 6/7 points here for making this song sound amazing.

To test classical instruments in the mids, I’m using The Piano Guys' “Code Name Vivaldi.” I have high hopes (ha, one song early) for this song based on how much emotion the previous song had with the Trifecta. Wow, I am not disappointed. There is just something about the way the Trifecta manages to vibrate the lows and low-mids that give them so much soul. The intro bass just sounds fantastic. There is so much going on in this song with each instrument being clearly heard and presented in such a way that you can’t help but fall in love with the Trifecta. I’ve heard these described as very analog sounding, like old-school speakers, but to me, they are the modern interpretation of what emotion should sound like – absolutely sick. 7/7 points here – the Trifecta really hits on what I want from this song.

Highs (15/20):

To test sibilance on headphones I use Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes.” Again, the intro has a ton of emotion and sounds great, but the sibilance is so rough that I really can’t listen to this song. This is my greatest complaint about these IEMs right here. Sharp “S” sounds are brutal on the Trifecta for anyone sensitive to Sharpness and sibilance. It’s bad enough to make me skip to the next song. @Rockwell75 has said that EQ’ing 8k down a few Db can help with this. 1/7 points here, which is a massive shame because I know what this means for the next song.

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.) If there’s a ton of sibilance on “High Hopes” I know that it means this song will do extremely well. It does. You can hear the cymbals quite clearly and it’s definitely close to or better than the FiR VxV with regards to highs quality. The bass drums can be heard quite clearly as well and the mids are excellent with the guitar solo really sounding like it’s supposed to.

Michelle McLaughlin’s “Across The Burren” is another of my favorite highs/sharpness test songs as it can easily sound painful on some headphones. This song can honestly go one of two ways, either very sharp or no sharpness at all depending on the tuning. I’m really not getting any sharpness here at all. Each note is represented beautifully. The high notes sound different from what I’m used to on most hybrids with ESTs and the like, but it still comes across fantastically. I didn’t know what to expect here given the sibilance on “High Hopes,” but the Trifecta really impressed me here. 7/7 points.

Soundstage/Instrument Separation/Imaging (9/10):

I use MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” to test soundstage, instrument separation, and imaging. Geez, how to they do this with only 3 drivers? The soundstage is huge, the instrument separation is fantastic and the imaging is so cool. Is it Multiverse Mentor level across the board? No, but it’s really close and possibly a tad above the Ronin. 3 points for each category, but it doesn’t quite earn the Mentor’s extra “wow” point.

Comparisons:

Well, there’s really nothing that compares to the Trifecta directly since it’s about as unique as it gets. Most TOTL IEMs are a hybrid of some kind whereas the Trifecta is straight-up dynamic drivers only. Yes, it’s an absolutely unique design and it has the dynamic bass people love along with some excellent mids and highs that I admittedly was expecting since usually the mids are driven by BAs and the highs are EST or something along those lines. Obviously, the Trifecta has the most sub-bass and mid-bass, which is pretty impressive because I wouldn’t list the Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor or Noble Ronin as low on bass. Both the Ronin and the Mentor have cleaner bass though, with the Ronin’s as the cleanest, but the least quantity. So if you want that wub wub, you should go with the Trifecta, but it will overwhelm the mids on some songs. Less wub wub? Mentor, but it can still overwhelm the mids on some songs, and lastly the Ronin won’t overwhelm, but it won’t have quite as much bass quantity as the other two.

For the mids, I’ll still put the Ronin in 1st place, but the Trifecta is a close second with the Mentor falling into a close 3rd. The Ronin easily has the most forward mids with some excellent quality. The Trifecta manages to just sound so musical and with so much body and soul that it takes a close second place, despite the mids being a bit further back in the soundstage. I kept finding myself turning the RS8 up so I could bring the mids forward more, which made the bass louder, but I just kind of rolled with it because of how good it sounded. The Mentor is no slouch in the mids department, but it still takes a close 3rd place in mids.

The Trifecta takes #1 in highs with the Mentor as a relatively close 2nd place and the Ronin as a somewhat distant 3rd. Yes, there’s some pretty bad sibilance on the Trifecta, but if you can get past that, you’ll get the best highs presentation I’ve heard, certainly in the TOTL segment. The Mentor still does a good job here with still a bit of sharpness and sibilance, but a good highs presentation as well. The Ronin is the most balanced, but it has less highs presence than the others, so if you want more forward mids, less bass, and less highs presence, the Ronin is the IEM for you.

The Mentor is for the people that want impeccable balance with a touch more bass. It has the best soundstage/instrument separation/imaging on any IEM I’ve heard. The Trifecta is a close 2nd though. If you want some VERY impactful and strong bass, with excellent mids and some of the most pronounced highs available, the Trifecta is truly excellent.

Trifecta Front.JPG


Conclusion:

The Campfire Audio Trifecta is EASILY the MOST interesting IEMs I’ve ever listened to. I recommend everyone give it at least a week of listening if you can (also, I hear burn-in makes these sound better). The Trifecta has forward DD bass response, some high-quality, soulful mids, and top-tier highs. If you can get over the sibilance from the highs, and a little bass bloat, these are amazing IEMs at a price cheaper than most of the TOTL IEMs out there right now. Now I just need to get my hands on the new Solaris and Andromeda…

Headphone Scoring (v3):
Accessories / Earpads / Eartips (10 pts):
10​
Cable (10 pts):
9​
Build Quality/ Design / Comfort (10 pts):
9​
Lows (20 pts):
16​
Mids (20 pts):
19​
Highs (20 pts):
15​
Soundstage / Instrument Separation / Imaging (10 pts):
9​
Total:
87​
Last edited:
mleroux
mleroux
How do these things compare to the legendary Z1R in the lows?
SREHR56
SREHR56
I have one, it's a tough call for my use between this and the Empire Ears / Astell and Kern Odyssey, both are superb but in different ways......blessed to have both.
YungOmbat
YungOmbat
may be one of the worst iems ever

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