Campfire Audio Vega (and Dorado and Lyra II) - Head-Fi TV
Mar 18, 2017 at 10:43 AM Post #3,182 of 5,394
This is something I feel many people underestimate. Music is an excellent form of therapy, it is indeed widely acknowledged as such, but the quality and signature of the music can have a real impact on how effective it is. I hope to incorporate a chapter on this subject in a book I plan to write about high-functioning ADHD. 

I'm an academic with an international career and I also have ADHD, which is a neurological condition that affects my ability to concentrate (as well as plenty of other side effects). I used medication for a year and a half, and a month or two ago decided to get off them because it was turning me into a horrible, depressed and lethargic mess of a zombie. One of the key tools I use to cope with my condition is music and I have been working hard on figuring out how I can tailor the signature of my gear to improve the effectiveness of music as a therapy. Given my budget I ended up ordering the Custom Art Ei.3, which is a really smooth and engaging CIEM that helps improve my mood, my emotions and even my concentration. At least I hope I got it right, as I am still waiting on them being built. At the moment I primarily use the fun little Trinity Vyrus.

When I read about the Vega I really wish I could afford them and try them out. The things I hear about its realism, its physicality and the details that come through, make me believe it is a really engaging IEM that draws you into the music, and like you explain here, helps release emotions in a very healthy and constructive way. For me, lots of details keep part of my brain occupied while another part can focus on the task at hand. When I have problems with anxiety coming up, being taken away into the music reduces that remarkably and after an hour or so I just feel infinitely better. The Vyrus do an OK job at this, but because it can't reproduce music that naturally and doesn't really have any impact, immersion is often broken. From what I read the Vega should be ideal for this sort of use.

Apologies for the lengthy post, but I find this stuff fascinating and want to emphasise to others how helpful music can be and that better IEMs can be a really good investment in ones general well-being.


As I have said before, music is not music until a person establishes an emotional connection/reaction to it, otherwise it is just sound or noise. Thank you for sharing your experience and I do feel Vega may be particularly suitable for your condition as it does tend to grab your attention better than other phones. However, I also feel the Andro can also be helpful to you as it can give you that serene experience better. Sometimes an ADHD mind needs a break or rest from its busy activities also.
 
Mar 18, 2017 at 12:11 PM Post #3,183 of 5,394
Has anyone with the Lyra/Lyra II (or any other dynamic for that matter) ran them with a balanced cable? If so, what kind of improvements did you see? I have a Sony PHA-3 and I am buying the Lyra II's off of Massdrop and have heard pretty significant improvements with my balanced connections on my headphones, but I have never ran balanced with an IEM. Thanks everyone!
 
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:43 PM Post #3,184 of 5,394
As I have said before, music is not music until a person establishes an emotional connection/reaction to it, otherwise it is just sound or noise. Thank you for sharing your experience and I do feel Vega may be particularly suitable for your condition as it does tend to grab your attention better than other phones. However, I also feel the Andro can also be helpful to you as it can give you that serene experience better. Sometimes an ADHD mind needs a break or rest from its busy activities also.


Thanks! I quite like that... "music is not music until a person establishes an emotional connection/reaction to it".
 
I really like what I have read about the Andromeda too. I understand it has a bigger sound stage as well, which I think might improve immersion. It is a shame that I could not find any way to audition the Campfire Audio line here in the UK. That would have been very interesting.
 
Yes, the ADHD mind needs a lot of rest and I love shutting down a bit while listening to some classical music, especially pieces that have lots of layers and detail working together in a cohesive way. That way the music occupies my mind without it costing me any effort. Very soothing!
 
Mar 18, 2017 at 4:38 PM Post #3,185 of 5,394
I used to be an R2A owner, and they were my gateway into this hobby - this is purely from memory, but the Vega are an order of magnitude better than the R2 when it comes to dynamic impact, detail retrieval and general presence. The soundstage is larger on the R2 from memory. Hope that helps?


Thank you. Looks like I'll need to save up.
 
Mar 19, 2017 at 7:55 AM Post #3,187 of 5,394


How did you find the truth with the vega? Heard that combo and the vega'a soundstage literally exploded, width increased by a large margin and no longer is it so forward and in your face. The bass tightens yet hits harder and imaging becomes more pinpoint and more physical, it's amazing how much better it got, the improvement is even more than I got adding the mojo to my setup.
 
Mar 19, 2017 at 8:36 AM Post #3,188 of 5,394
I dont know. At this point I need to flush out my brain before the next cable review.
I have several sitting here waiting... looking at me...

Ditas awesome plug Truth cable included (silver and copper versions).

41a82351b7d92007053f053951d16744.jpg


From distant recent overloaded memory I think I found the Dita silver (out of the two)matched well with the Vega.

Anyways review to follow of both cables as usual yadda yadda :)
 
Mar 19, 2017 at 6:08 PM Post #3,190 of 5,394
BTW, I must share that I've found using my Vegas w/ my Nintendo Switch & Zelda to be an absolute blast.  The physicality of the IEMs really adds to the experience, esp. late at night playing in bed.
 
Mar 19, 2017 at 6:42 PM Post #3,191 of 5,394
Yeah! If I had to do it all over again, I would have just stopped at the Andromeda and Vega. As far as the Noble co-flagships are concerned, they're better but not $750 better. If you're talking B-stock Andromeda ($850), you can't beat it! Just my opinion, of course. 

Well you made me to keep the vega because i'm sellinng it to buy the Encore. I thought it's much better than my vega :)).
 
Mar 19, 2017 at 6:48 PM Post #3,192 of 5,394
Well you made me to keep the vega because i'm sellinng it to buy the Encore. I thought it's much better than my vega :)).

BTW, I must share that I've found using my Vegas w/ my Nintendo Switch & Zelda to be an absolute blast.  The physicality of the IEMs really adds to the experience, esp. late at night playing in bed.

Really ? I will try it with my switch and zelda.
Now im enjoying my vega and 4.4mm connector. Will mmcx get loose if i swap cables often?

Oops double posts...
 
Mar 19, 2017 at 8:12 PM Post #3,194 of 5,394
Really ? I will try it with my switch and zelda.
Now im enjoying my vega and 4.4mm connector. Will mmcx get loose if i swap cables often?

Oops double posts...


Perhaps someone makes a single ended to balanced adapter? Although I'm not sure if anyone makes one for the fairly new 4.4mm connection.
 
Mar 19, 2017 at 8:14 PM Post #3,195 of 5,394
Well you made me to keep the vega because i'm sellinng it to buy the Encore. I thought it's much better than my vega
smily_headphones1.gif
).


I think they both have their strengths and weaknesses. You'd be hard pressed to fault either of the Noble flagships based on their BA designs. They're so refined.
 

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