Pairing with Janus D cable...
Dynamic sounds that put Vocal as main highlights...
Still prefer Janus B for Solaris OG...
unique sounding comes from unique Material...
Campfire - Solaris
- Thread starter KB
- Start date
Pairing with Janus D cable...
Dynamic sounds that put Vocal as main highlights...
Still prefer Janus B for Solaris OG...
unique sounding comes from unique Material...
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2010
- Posts
- 888
- Likes
- 2,158
Campfire Audio Solaris SE - First Contact
Guys we just got the Solaris SE in the office and there are some differences to the original Solaris, not just external but internal also. Initial impressions posted
https://headfonics.com/2020/01/campfire-audio-solaris-se-first-contact/
Guys we just got the Solaris SE in the office and there are some differences to the original Solaris, not just external but internal also. Initial impressions posted
https://headfonics.com/2020/01/campfire-audio-solaris-se-first-contact/
Guys residing in the UK, Hifi headphones currently have a sale on the Solaris OG and other campfire stuff (not the SE)
arftech
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2010
- Posts
- 849
- Likes
- 922
Fink’s Resurgam album is insane with Solaris!
Here some thoughts on LX vs. Solaris after a day with the former.
The LX and Solaris put forth very different sound signatures-- and personally I find them very complementary. With the LX the whole signature is defined by the bass-- it's large, it's powerful and it's everywhere. Thankfully it's also very resolving and detailed so that the rest of the sound isn't drowned out in the bass. Nonetheless the bass is present and it dominates. Consequently the mids, particularly vocals, while sufficiently bodied and robust, are pushed back a bit behind the bass...but this is true in any V-shaped monitor. The result, I find, is that the sound is a bit "closed in"...I wouldn't go so far as to say congested, as one of the great things about LX is that it somehow avoids this despite all the bass...it's why I would call it the ultimate "basshead audiophile" IEM. Nonetheless, due to the robust low end on the LX it can be said to be lacking a bit of air.
The Solaris, on the other hand, is an entirely different beast. Whereas the LX does the "v-shaped club sound " better than anything else I've ever heard, the Solaris gives you a sense of air and space and a holographic stage-- I have not encountered any IEM, and I've tried many, that can replicated the sense of 3-d space and separation of sounds that Solaris creates...it's simply breathtaking. Consequently everything has more space to breath, vocals are more forward, and there is more thickness in the mids overall. The bass is still present and impactful. but it's at the centre of a vast space rather than dominating the mix. With the LX I feel as thouh I'm at the club, on the floor with the bass pulsating around me, with the Solaris I feel as though I'm inhabiting a vast space with detail and sound coming at me from all directions.
What's interesting to me is that with each IEM I can listen to the same track and enjoy it in two different ways. Take for instance Ice Cubes "Amerikkka's Most Wanted" off the album of he same name. It's one of my favorite hip hop tracks and it's driven by a deliciously textured and deep bassline. On the LX this bass is brought to the forefront and it really gets you going, with the lyrics retreating to the background a wee bit. On the Solaris, the same texture and rumble is there in the bass, but it's in the background while Cube's voice is more in the foreground and it feels as though he's rapping right into your ear. The sound on the whole is cleaner & clearer and much more spacious. I enjoy the presentation of each equally, depending on my mood. I love both IEMs and would still consider Solaris my favorite IEM as it ticks all my boxes and is a better "all rounder to me"...but the LX is a fantastic "partner in crime" for the times when I want a more robust, pounding club type sound-- it is peerless in that regard.
The LX and Solaris put forth very different sound signatures-- and personally I find them very complementary. With the LX the whole signature is defined by the bass-- it's large, it's powerful and it's everywhere. Thankfully it's also very resolving and detailed so that the rest of the sound isn't drowned out in the bass. Nonetheless the bass is present and it dominates. Consequently the mids, particularly vocals, while sufficiently bodied and robust, are pushed back a bit behind the bass...but this is true in any V-shaped monitor. The result, I find, is that the sound is a bit "closed in"...I wouldn't go so far as to say congested, as one of the great things about LX is that it somehow avoids this despite all the bass...it's why I would call it the ultimate "basshead audiophile" IEM. Nonetheless, due to the robust low end on the LX it can be said to be lacking a bit of air.
The Solaris, on the other hand, is an entirely different beast. Whereas the LX does the "v-shaped club sound " better than anything else I've ever heard, the Solaris gives you a sense of air and space and a holographic stage-- I have not encountered any IEM, and I've tried many, that can replicated the sense of 3-d space and separation of sounds that Solaris creates...it's simply breathtaking. Consequently everything has more space to breath, vocals are more forward, and there is more thickness in the mids overall. The bass is still present and impactful. but it's at the centre of a vast space rather than dominating the mix. With the LX I feel as thouh I'm at the club, on the floor with the bass pulsating around me, with the Solaris I feel as though I'm inhabiting a vast space with detail and sound coming at me from all directions.
What's interesting to me is that with each IEM I can listen to the same track and enjoy it in two different ways. Take for instance Ice Cubes "Amerikkka's Most Wanted" off the album of he same name. It's one of my favorite hip hop tracks and it's driven by a deliciously textured and deep bassline. On the LX this bass is brought to the forefront and it really gets you going, with the lyrics retreating to the background a wee bit. On the Solaris, the same texture and rumble is there in the bass, but it's in the background while Cube's voice is more in the foreground and it feels as though he's rapping right into your ear. The sound on the whole is cleaner & clearer and much more spacious. I enjoy the presentation of each equally, depending on my mood. I love both IEMs and would still consider Solaris my favorite IEM as it ticks all my boxes and is a better "all rounder to me"...but the LX is a fantastic "partner in crime" for the times when I want a more robust, pounding club type sound-- it is peerless in that regard.
soundperfection
100+ Head-Fier
Is there any chance I might think Solaris sounding bright comming from a k10U wich I found abit shrill.
K10 has a peak around 8kHz which prolly makes it sound bright to you. You might be sensitive in that area. Just go to crinacle.com and compare the graphs. I would say compare the version 4 of the Solaris which should be the latest one and hopefully free of QC issues.
soundperfection
100+ Head-Fier
Ye you are probably right the solaris didnt seem to have any huge peaks anywhere. If I gonna get a solaris is it best to go with the special edition then.
Both are amazing but if you like the look and can spare the extra $$ then the SE is the way to go IMHO.
soundperfection
100+ Head-Fier
I can spare the extra cash. But its just a slightly tuned up version with slightly better vocals if I understand correctly.
To my ears it as slightly more clarity in general and in particular more presence and clarity in the midrange, in particular with vocals. Also I find bass to be a bit cleaner. These are subtleties though and might not be apparent over a superficial demo session. I listened to the OG after having had the SE in my ears for the better part of two weeks and that's what jumped out at me.
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2010
- Posts
- 888
- Likes
- 2,158
New mids driver in the SE
Yes I heard that...it's certainly apparent. I'm really looking forward to your full review actually...it will be nice to see an in depth comparison of the two. I'm particularly curious to hear from anyone who complained about the "hollow mids" in the OG (never a problem I had with it) to see if they notice any difference in the SE. The only time I came close to perceiving it was with a couple Michael Jackson songs where, on OG, his voice sounded a touch "nasal"...however on the SE, on the same tracks, his vocals sound more forward and bodied...with not a hint of the nasality. I'm loving the SE though, it's a "do everything well" IEM that checks all my boxes and it ultimately bests everything I've had the chance to own or demo, including the Z1R, Trio & u12t, Noble Khan, Phantom, Anole VX, Andromeda (all varieties).
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2010
- Posts
- 888
- Likes
- 2,158
Yes it is quite different sounding the two of them when you sit down and spend more than 5 minutes with each. I still think there will be fans of the feistier original so it is good they are selling them both side by side for however long the SE lasts.
When you say "feistier" are you referring to the slightly subdued treble (relative to OG)? I find SE to be slightly more "in your face"...at least with respect to vocals.
Users who are viewing this thread
