Campfire Audio - Introducing 2 new models Hello Andromeda and Nova

[willowbrook]

Wow, is it just me or the andros sensitive to moisture...little dews have formed on top of the nozzle after a few hours of listening lol

 

[Dingding123]

  Wow, is it just me or the andros sensitive to moisture...little dews have formed on top of the nozzle after a few hours of listening lol

This happened to my Aluminium Kaiser 10 too. Probably due to cold room temperature and thus some water vapour in ear canal condense on the metallic nozzle, since it's a good heat conductor.
Hope there's no long term effect on IEM performance and more importantly, ear health, since warmth and moisture promotes microbe growth.

 

[willowbrook]

  This happened to my Aluminium Kaiser 10 too. Probably due to cold room temperature and thus some water vapour in ear canal condense on the metallic nozzle, since it's a good heat conductor.
Hope there's no long term effect on IEM performance and more importantly, ear health, since warmth and moisture promotes microbe growth.

Yep, that must be why. The room temperature is quite cold right now. I guess the only way to prevent moisture build up is to put silica gel packets in the case.

 

[blazinblazin]

Just don't let the condensation seeps into the holes.

Mine happened recently. then 1 side got softer than the other side. I was going to send for repair but after i left it for a few hours the sound returned to normal.

 

[beowulf]

Would love to hear about more suggestions for portable or semi-portable DAC/amp setups that have zero hiss (The ifi black label seems interesting but it would be useful to have more options to compare). No Mojos please, not my type and heard too many people say they hiss a bit.

The Andromeda is so revealing that only really clean sources will do.

 

[willowbrook]

Just don't let the condensation seeps into the holes.

Mine happened recently. then 1 side got softer than the other side. I was going to send for repair but after i left it for a few hours the sound returned to normal.

scary...I am definitely going to check for condensation every hour now. Only happens when I'm in a room with temp under 70

 

[cocolinho]

Wow, is it just me or the andros sensitive to moisture...little dews have formed on top of the nozzle after a few hours of listening lol

Got the same experience with both Orion and Nova .

 

[kino lau]

Would love to hear about more suggestions for portable or semi-portable DAC/amp setups that have zero hiss (The ifi black label seems interesting but it would be useful to have more options to compare). No Mojos please, not my type and heard too many people say they hiss a bit.

The Andromeda is so revealing that only really clean sources will do.

I've heard very few owners say that they hear no hiss with whatever they're driving with. At moderate volumes up to about 27 on Low gain with my QP1R I don't detect any hiss. But once I hit about 30 I hear whatever there is on the track for background noise before the actual music begins. 

 

[beowulf]

scary...I am definitely going to check for condensation every hour now. Only happens when I'm in a room with temp under 70

This probably happens with many other IEMs, but that fat Mickey Mouse nozzle on the Andromeda just makes it more visible,especially not being a mesh. The very open tips might make this look more obvious but probably also make the condensation evaporate a lot faster when the IEMs are removed...

Here's my nozzle before and after a minute. The condensation moisture fully evaporated...



I'm more afraid of hiss than moisture at the moment.

 

[never satisfied]

Would love to hear about more suggestions for portable or semi-portable DAC/amp setups that have zero hiss (The ifi black label seems interesting but it would be useful to have more options to compare). No Mojos please, not my type and heard too many people say they hiss a bit.

The Andromeda is so revealing that only really clean sources will do.

It really is tough to find a good source with Andromeda considering it is so picky with its impedance curve and high sensitivity. But I think I have some options for you:

Geek Out V2+ is super clear, resolving, and revealing, and Andromeda takes full advantage of it all. However, the V2+ is powerful; 100mW in low gain! Andro hisses like mad if you connect it bare, but add iEMatch, it's still wonderfully clear, impactful and resolving, and the background is pitch black on the Ultra setting (Andromeda also becomes a little warmer/bassier with Ultra mode because of the 1 ohm output z). Some complain about a loss of dynamics with iEMatch, but with V2+, the loss of hiss actually makes things much more impactful. I think the V2+ is powerful enough and Andro is so sensitive that any attenuation effects are mostly irrelevant. Be sure to volume match.

Another option if you'd like to go the DAP route is the Sony ZX2. I haven't heard it personally, but do a google search of Andromeda + Sony ZX2. Enough of my friends have said great things about the pairing, and I'm currently trying to obtain one. It apparently has an extremely resolving sense of space, overall clear and neutral response, and excellent dynamics, all on a very dark background (can't guarrentee there will be zero hiss, but from what I hear, the background is pretty noise free).

Another choice is... an iPhone! For real! Ken has said he tunes his IEMs to sound good through an iPhone and just keeps scaling up from there. Personally, I find the iPhone with Andromeda to be pretty damn resolving and spacious, but of course, it is a very limited dac/amp, so it is not top-tier by any means. Things are still a little smoothed over, and there is some glare in the upper-midrange and lower treble, but I hardly miss my V2+ with just my iPhone. Sounds that good! Also, the background is near pitch black (exception being occasional signal interference). Overall... iPhone 6 is a very clean and respectable source for Andromeda if youre in a pinch (or lazy lol).

So yeah, V2+(and iematch) and ZX2 are my choices for clean, extremely resolving and dynamic sources, but if you have an iPhone 6/6s, I'd also give that a chance for a casual listening option. I'm sure there are more options but those are the ones I'm most familiar with. More will chime in I'm sure.

But really, iEMatch will be your friend if you absolutely hate hiss on anything, and makes Andromeda much more versatile.

 

[Jalo]

I found AK daps in general has very little hiss. My 380CU and 240SS works pretty good with my Andro.

 

[blazinblazin]

I paired mine with WM1A. Good too.

 

[goldendarko]

The iPhone doesn't get enough love with the andromeda to be honest. I preferred it over my AK70. Have also read good things about though QPR1 and ZX2 also though.

 

[knopi]

 
Another choice is... an iPhone! For real! Ken has said he tunes his IEMs to sound good through an iPhone and just keeps scaling up from there. Personally, I find the iPhone with Andromeda to be pretty damn resolving and spacious, but of course, it is a very limited dac/amp, so it is not top-tier by any means. Things are still a little smoothed over, and there is some glare in the upper-midrange and lower treble, but I hardly miss my V2+ with just my iPhone. Sounds that good! Also, the background is near pitch black (exception being occasional signal interference). Overall... iPhone 6 is a very clean and respectable source for Andromeda if youre in a pinch (or lazy lol).

 
Thanks for this info. When I tried the Jupiter with iPhone 5S sound was great, it has also very good dynamic, extension, no hiss, natural etc.. 5S is more on warmer side and Jupiter a little on cooler side, so very good combination I can only agree with this that Campfire is pretty good with iPhones. 
When I tried Noble Sage it was not bad on iPhone but I missed soundstage, missed detail in bass also missed better dynamic and it was too much kind...
Jupiter is clearly much better choice for me.
I will have for test also EE Spartan and than I will see if I will buy Andromeda or Spartan/UERR.. 

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Yes, there can be a bit of condensation.

I just detect them from the cable and pop them in here for a while during summer time. Just to be sure.

(Posted before)