[Tristy]

What's the best bet for an all-rounder (current production) CFA IEM that has a thick, textured, and dynamic presentation that goes especially well with rock and metal and won't totally punish me if I listen to a poorly recorded track? Also would be hoping to run it off my iPhone with a very small dongle like the FiiO KA11.

I was thinking that Cascara, Dark Star, or Bonneville are probably the best choices? Would Clara maybe fit in this group?

100% Bonneville. Best IEM I’ve heard with metal, Astrolith is good too but more analytical and faster. Bonneville sounds more engaging and the bass is much more satisfying for metal imo.

 

[dbull12]

100% Bonneville. Best IEM I’ve heard with metal, Astrolith is good too but more analytical and faster. Bonneville sounds more engaging and the bass is much more satisfying for metal imo.

Yeah I'm thinking Bonneville or Cascara would be best for what I'm looking for since early impressions make it sound like Dark Star and Clara might be tamer and less dynamic than these two.

Bonneville seems like it would give me a larger stage, more precise imaging and higher resolution/microdynamics than Cascara, and also more air and sparkle in the treble? Does anyone here prefer Cascara to Bonneville? I'm assuming Bonneville has the possibility of exposing more flaws or being more fatiguing with harsh recordings?

 

[Pabsu]

I’d love to be proven wrong about BA bass, but I haven’t heard any of the examples listed here.

Andromeda gold

 

[Ghisy]

Does anyone here prefer Cascara to Bonneville?

I have the Bonneville and Cascara are on the way soon. But I got to try them both in stores.

They're different beasts I'd say: Bonneville are great all-rounders with a satisfying bass presence; Cascara are all about the bass and perfect for EDM or hip-hop. They fit different moods for me (well, they will when my Cascara are finally here).

Depends on what you're looking for really.

 

[fejnomit]

Bonneville seems like it would give me a larger stage, more precise imaging and higher resolution/microdynamics than Cascara, and also more air and sparkle in the treble?

Yes and yes. Bonneville is a no-brainer. Miss mine.

 

[zadillo]

Yeah I'm thinking Bonneville or Cascara would be best for what I'm looking for since early impressions make it sound like Dark Star and Clara might be tamer and less dynamic than these two.

Bonneville seems like it would give me a larger stage, more precise imaging and higher resolution/microdynamics than Cascara, and also more air and sparkle in the treble? Does anyone here prefer Cascara to Bonneville? I'm assuming Bonneville has the possibility of exposing more flaws or being more fatiguing with harsh recordings?

Where are you finding Dark Star impressions? I’ve barely seen anything

 

[OhmsClaw]

Listed

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/campfire-audio-andromeda-gold-special-edition.79481/

 

[Pabsu]

That's damn near mint condition

 

[dbull12]

Where are you finding Dark Star impressions? I’ve barely seen anything

I read through this thread over the last few days and I swear someone posted about not finding the Dark Star very dynamic, but I'm having a hard time finding that post now when I use the search bar. I could be mistaken and read it somewhere else or imagined it lol.

It would be strange if it wasn't dynamic since it's just an improved Black Star with the new driver according to Campfire

 

[Diraan]

If you're finding the Astro sharp, I don't think you should get it. No that's not 'expected at that level of IEM', no it's not increased resolution, no you don't need 'brain burn in' (just trust your ears), and no you shouldn't require to EQ it if you don't typically. I feel the Clara is a safer tuning choice, though it's not boring at all and in fact IMO extremely musical with a great low end.

Thank you for your continued advice. And that's more or less what I've been thinking over the past 24 hours. I've really been trying to like these, but I just don't. At least not as much as I should given the cost.

The only thing that is giving me some pause is that I love the reach that the Astro has on the low end. Almost like someone is tapping the back of my head on certain tracks. Does the Clara come anywhere close to this? It's not a dealbreaker as I'd much rather have my preferred male/female vocals and midrange, but it would be nice. I'm not the kind of person that's going to keep a collection of several IEMs. Ideally, I want one pair that I'm going to be able to travel with and work with 99% of the time.

I've already sent a message to CFA asking to start the return process. I bought it with the Black Friday Timestream Ultra cable - but I'm hoping they'll let me keep the cable and just deduct the deal/difference from the total refund. Also complicating matters is that I went all-in and bought Modulate tips, and I sent in my impressions. So I'm also hoping they can keep my impressions on file and pause my custom tips order till the Clara comes out.

Here's hoping the Clara launches sooner rather than later. I was really hoping to have something to listen to over my holiday break.

 

[Takeda`1537]

Penon Turbo! . Titan have DD bass

got confused .. re Titan ... Symphonium is so much into BAs that I forget that some models use DD .... mistake ..

 

[Rolu]

Thank you for your continued advice. And that's more or less what I've been thinking over the past 24 hours. I've really been trying to like these, but I just don't. At least not as much as I should given the cost.

The only thing that is giving me some pause is that I love the reach that the Astro has on the low end. Almost like someone is tapping the back of my head on certain tracks. Does the Clara come anywhere close to this? It's not a dealbreaker as I'd much rather have my preferred male/female vocals and midrange, but it would be nice. I'm not the kind of person that's going to keep a collection of several IEMs. Ideally, I want one pair that I'm going to be able to travel with and work with 99% of the time.

I've already sent a message to CFA asking to start the return process. I bought it with the Black Friday Timestream Ultra cable - but I'm hoping they'll let me keep the cable and just deduct the deal/difference from the total refund. Also complicating matters is that I went all-in and bought Modulate tips, and I sent in my impressions. So I'm also hoping they can keep my impressions on file and pause my custom tips order till the Clara comes out.

Here's hoping the Clara launches sooner rather than later. I was really hoping to have something to listen to over my holiday break.

I've not heard the Astro at length to assess its bass depth (honestly, I went in to demo it right after the Clara and found it to be too spicy in comparison to hear it for too long), but I found the Clara pretty wholesome in the bass. CFA is going to use the same DD in many of its forthcoming IEMs and so I expect CFA to keep doing really well at bass in general. Here were some impressions of the Clara I posted from CJ Socal: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...n-first-page-all-welcome.957426/post-18355204

If you want something before the holidays, you can preorder the Clara Ti already. Regular Clara will release in January.

 

[Rolu]

Listed

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/campfire-audio-andromeda-gold-special-edition.79481/

Looks sick!

 

[gaex86]

I’m enjoying my Holocene, but I’m not too fond of the cable; it’s too thin, always worried to break it someway, and it’s 3.5 mm terminated.
Any suggestion for an upgrade cable that won’t cost as my IEMs?

 

[Pabsu]

I’m enjoying my Holocene, but I’m not too fond of the cable; it’s too thin, always worried to break it someway, and it’s 3.5 mm terminated.
Any suggestion for an upgrade cable that won’t cost as my IEMs?

Dd hifi makes good cables