Campfire Audio - Introducing 2 new models Hello Andromeda and Nova

[scrypt]

   
Scrypt! where have you been
 
Good to hear from you.
 
ken

Stoked to see you're doing such good work, Ken. The name and aesthetic of your new company are inspired (though I wouldn't expect less of someone with your background in jeweled audio and the painterly fine arts -- esp. having peeped a few pages from your portfolio). The new designs are glisteningly severe and sinuous, and I happen to heart the Andromeda's shade of green. That IEM is the perfect marriage of bijou and surgical kit.
 
Now to put sounds to those facets.
 
I've been doing my best to avoid skirmishes in this sandbox ever since overpopulation crowded fellow (and fellowess) HF members together in ways that tend to irk even the most level-cephalothoraxed scorpions. Hence the hiatus.

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

Scrypt. Now there's a real blast from the past. Haven't seen that name in eons. What a weird coincidence to see you in an IEM thread of all things lol

 

[ngoshawk]

Ngoshawk: 

You might want to venture a gawk at the numbers at the bottom of the graph.

For porpoises of comparison, I'd like to see the graph for the Orion swimming in the same set.

Thank you very much, I was looking at the scale backwards. That's what I get for not making the picture bigger. The graph is about as flat as it can get, based upon that. Looking forward the the Nova.

 

[shockwaver]

 
 
Oh and to shockwaver, the Andromeda I heard wasn't V shaped.  Quite balanced overall.

Thanks, Brooko.
I keep reminding myself that the proof of the pudding is in the eating but still worried by its elevated bass response.

 

[RedJohn456]

Any dealers in Toronto by any chance? would love to be able to get some hands on time when they are released. 

 

[musiclvr]

Listening set-up: Apple Mac Mini--> Schiit Wyrd--> Chord Mojo --> CypherLabs Picollo --> Andromeda.

Initial Impressions: REFERENCE sound signature. PRaT is natural in timing with a lightning fast leading edge.

•The Treble is quite accurate in that it will lay bare distortion in poorly mastered tracks. It is not sibilant but not polite either. Most of all I do not hear any artificial peaks in the tuning. This is quite surprising to me because I am hearing all the detail I can ask for without fatigue.

•The Mids really are linear with what the recording renders. I find that it is transparent in that you can easily hear if the singer/artist was singing close to the mic or if there is more untreated space around the singer/artist; think vocal booth versus in a room with accompaniment. Acoustic music sounds so organic. I can listen to vocals and listen for all the detail I love without fear of any nasty peaks that some reference level cans/iems can present with at times.

•The Bass is glorious in its presence AND restraint. It is linear and can portray the deepest sub-bass with authority while allowing space for the mids. Most importantly to me, the upper mid bass is not boosted nor are the lower mids. There is not any bleed thru into the mids which is something I always listen for as it affects vocals and soundstage cohesion.

• I find the soundstage is wide and transparent. So live recordings can be a real treat. I feel this is a hallmark of reference level tuning regardless of the fact that the Andromedas happen to be iems.

The Andromedas can go toe to toe and demolish or be equal to what I have heard to date in sound. This list includes the Noble Savants, Sennheiser HD800s, Beyerdynamic T1 & T1.2, MrSpeakers Alpha Dogs, Audeze LCD XC, and the Grado RS1i.

I love the cable as it is pliable and is not microphonic. It's also nice to look at unlike some black plastic clad iem cables.

 

[twister6]

  ....
 
Re the shells - I've worked out why a few have issues and others don't.  Tip dependent. If I use a narrower tip, I have to try and insert further, the housing presses on the ear, and it's uncomfortable.  A wider tip, and they sit slightly off the ear, and the edges aren't an issue.  With a shallow fitting ergonomic design it can be an issue I guess.  Another option might be to lengthen the nozzle slightly.  Just food for thought.
 
Oh and to shockwaver, the Andromeda I heard wasn't V shaped.  Quite balanced overall.

 
Absolutely, Andromeda is not V-shaped at all, very balanced, highly resolving, with an excellent extension at both ends of the spectrum, and with a huge soundstage expansion and 3D placement of instruments and vocals.
 
Tip dependent - EXACTLY!!!  In my case, I can't deal with narrow tips due to my wide earcanal opening - always use wide tips for a better seal.  But in case with Andromeda I need to use tips with a longer inner barrel stem to compensate for a short nozzle of Andromeda - that controls how close the shell comes in contact with my ear.
 
The one on the left is what I settle on - PERFECT seal and fit where extra 1-2mm makes a BIG difference

  Of course, this is purely subjective to my ear anatomy.
 

 

[M3NTAL]

  The one on the left is what I settle on - PERFECT seal and fit where extra 1-2mm make a BIG difference

  Of course, this is purely subjective to my ear anatomy.
 
 

 
Twister - can you tell us which tips those are from Left to Right? Thank you.

 

[twister6]

 

  The one on the left is what I settle on - PERFECT seal and fit where extra 1-2mm make a BIG difference

  Of course, this is purely subjective to my ear anatomy.
 
 

 
Twister - can you tell us which tips those are from Left to Right? Thank you.

 
I collected a ton of eartips in the last few years.  The black one is Sony-hybrid look a like, probably from ebay.  The hybrid all the way to the left and the one in the middle are from Penon audio: http://penonaudio.com/3-Pairs-Grey-Red-Eartips and http://penonaudio.com/3-Pairs-In-ear-Silicone-Eartips%20 - highly recommend both of them, plus you get a variety with different colors.  Other two probably came from another IEM pair.

 

[Gaghiel]

The left most kind of like spinfit. Anyway, demo jupiter with their stock tips definitely not giving me proper seal. Tried with spinfit much better, but still too shallow to have proper seal.  YMMV.

 

[audio123]

Honestly thinking of getting andromeda but its green colour LOL

 

[kimD]

Honestly thinking of getting andromeda but its green colour LOL

Green not an issue.. to be refreshing your eyes, or even ride SMRT i was guess most of them are facing to you..

 

[Gaghiel]

Honestly thinking of getting andromeda but its green colour LOL

it is meant to hook up and enjoy the music, not to look at it. 

 you can always apply new color once got it 

 

[audionewbi]

I like to find out more about the Litz cable, in particular whether a future 2.5mm trrs will be released.

 

[goldendarko]

  I like to find out more about the Litz cable, in particular whether a future 2.5mm trrs will be released.

I 2nd that, I'm holding off on my purchase as well hoping a 2.5mm variety will be available. It's nice they've upgraded the cables but if I can't use it and have to buy another cable for $200 or so, what good is it?