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Hello all! I took about 40 pages of notes this CanJam, so I'm starting a thread to better organize my thoughts. I'll be grouping up my impressions based on *where* I tested them. So, for example, everything I tested in the Bloom Audio room will in a single post, as will everything I tested at the Linsoul booth, etc.

 

[Cinder]

CanJam SoCal 2024 Impressions: Campfire Audio​

Every Campfire IEM I tested deserves a full-length review. They are, without exception, excellently-crafted products, and I urge you to take my impressions as what they are — impressions.

Do note that the lighting in the venue was awful. I did my best to edit the photos but they just don’t do these beautiful products justice.

Campfire Audio Trifecta​

Two special edition Trifecta units. Amber Radiance (left) and Dark Prism (right). Chrome Sky not pictured.

The Trifecta has a unique appearance. It almost resembles a tear drop — at least one crammed full of full-sized dynamic drivers. I have never experienced an IEM that moves air the way the Trifecta does. It generates powerful waves of sound that feel more like they came from speakers than miniature drivers.

Tonally, the Trifecta is silky-smooth. Its 3x dynamic driver configuration is excellently-implemented, with no discernible cohesion issues. Its weighty bass slams with maximal tactility — it is in your face and demands that you like it. There’s not a hint of boominess or blur, just endless well-controlled rumble and slam. The rest of the Trifecta’s sonic range is no slouch either — its treble, while not dramatically pushed forward, delivers crisp and intelligible details. The Trifecta’s midrange is filled with texture and is brimming with life.

I had expected vocal intelligibility to take a hit with such a unique tuning, but after letting my ears adjust, it seemed just as clear as my Campfire Audio Atlas.

Campfire Audio Cascara​

The Cascara is the closest-related IEM to my Atlas. They share similar drivers, with the Cascara featuring a vastly improved form factor and high-tech 3D-printed acoustic chambers. This is my pick for the IEM that will please the widest audience — it has a much lower price tag than the Trifecta (or even the Atlas!) and has a maximally-cohesive 1x dynamic driver configuration. Its joy-filled, V-shaped sound signature imbues music with energy and life. The Cascara’s energetic treble extends unusually far for a dynamic driver IEM, and its vocal lift ensures you get good vocal intelligibility.

The Cascara’s lower midrange is rich and smooth with medium warmth. It provides the listener with an easy transition into the Cascara’s vast bass presentation. In spite of the its weighty nature, the Cascara is capable of staging and layering with a good deal of air. I found it to be a touch lighter than the Atlas while still maintaining the same silky and comfortable tone.

At $500, this is my high-end (not TOTL), dynamic-driver IEM of choice.

Campfire Audio Astrolith​

The Astrolith is Campfire’s standard-bearer planar magnetic IEM. It features two planar drivers — one 14mm full range driver and one 6mm tweeter. Both of these drivers use Campfire’s new advanced acoustic technologies which you can learn more about here. Many of the planar IEMs that were released this year felt rushed — planars are fairly new drivers to the IEM scene — but not the Astrolith. It boasts a broad, clean, V-shaped sound signature. The Astrolith is fast. Extremely fast. Bass attack and decay, treble fade, you name it — the Astrolith has it on tap.

I was most surprised with how deep the Astrolith could push into its sub-bass. Its 14mm driver is full-range in the truest sense: it can punch and rumble with extreme speed while maintaining excellent treble extension. The Astrolith, unlike many other planars, is genuinely great with electronic music and other bass-heavy genres. Its extreme treble extension gives it outstanding detail retrieval in the upper register. Access to such a wide array of frequencies combined with precise planar-grade diaphragm control makes the Astrolith’s treble exceptionally textured.

In my humble opinion, the Astrolith is right up there at the top of the performance stack with the Trifecta. They bring very different things to the table, but do so with extraordinary competence.

Campfire Audio Moon Rover​

The Moon Rover is Campfire’s new single planar-driver IEM. It features a (perceived) neutral sound signature aimed at listeners that crave analytical sound signatures. To say nothing of my treble sensitivity, this is an IEM for which I immediately selected foam eartips. It has a forward, bright treble that teeters on the edge of being “hot”, a property of its tonality that, while appealing to some, does not match my wants.

With my complaining out of the way, the Moon Rover does do a lot well — it has an extended treble, expressive midrange, and solid sub-bass. It doesn’t punch, nor does it rumble that often. It is a strict “tell, not show” experience that expects you to listen to your music at a distance, you know, for science. The Moon Rover’s vocal range is textured and even, but likely won’t appeal to audio slobs (like me) who crave warmth and weight. A well-constructed IEM for certain, but not one I’d select for myself.

Campfire Audio Fathom​

The Fathom is a new 6x balanced-armature IEM from Campfire. It has one driver more than the famous Andromeda and uses Campfire’s new mono-clasp shell design. Its all-black shell is machined from anodized aluminum and is starkly contrasted by “Rainbow PVD” accent pieces. This was a particularly difficult IEM to photograph in such low ambient light, so please forgive the grain and shadow.

As for its sound, the Fathom is clearly intended to be Campfire’s all-BA flagship. Its sound signature is “neutral with a twist” featuring slightly elevated treble and a mid-centric boost. It is not anemic, like many analytical IEMs and features a healthy, but “read-only” bass. It is articulate, but not tactile. I wish I had more time to A/B test the Fathom against the Andromeda 2019 and Andromeda Emerald Sea as there’s certainly some interesting contrasts to be observed.

Campfire Audio Clara​

The Clara is my hype IEM. Campfire Audio collaborated with renowned musician Alessandro Cortini (bassist from Nine Inch Nails) to tune it and, wow, this is an IEM you can’t afford to miss. It contains 1 dynamic driver + 3 balanced-armature drivers and leverages each one to its maximum potential (or so it sounds). It is optimized for Alessandro’s favorite genres (which are all electronic), but it performs well across a ton of other genres. I played all manner of rock, alternative, punk, and electronic tracks through it and the Clara responded beautifully.

The Clara‘s gentle V-shaped sound signature features a comfortable, but well-extended, treble. Its bass is, well, fantastic. It is cohesive, punchy and often feels voluminous. The Clara is not the bassiest IEM in the Campfire lineup, but its bass is extremely textured and expressive, more so than the Cascara and Atlas.

A short impression window doesn’t do the Clara justice and I’ll be on the lookout for more opportunities to give it a listen.

Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea​

The Emerald Sea dispatches with the Andromeda’s long-standing three-screw shell design, switching to the aluminum clasp shell design used by the Fathom. While I do miss the old-school shells a little, the new shells are more interesting, geometrically. The Emerald Sea iterates on the Andromeda’s smooth, warm, and relaxed sound signature with a more expressive treble and better bass extension. To my ears, the Emerald Sea tips more to the “fun” side than “relaxed” side. To be fair, I only have a 2019 on hand to compare to, so the 2020 may be closer in sound signature.

As is expected from an IEM boasting the Andromeda moniker, the Emerald Sea features excellent detail retrieval without sounding cold or thin. Its warm and comfortable midrange captures texture with considerable aptitude, making it one of my favorite multi-BA IEMs, closing in on much more expensive IEMs.

Conclusion​

I listened to about half of what Campfire had to offer and it took me over two hours. There’s so much to love at a Campfire Audio booth that I never know where to start or when to end. The Trifecta and Astrolith and absolute stunners at the top-end of Campfire’s lineup with hard-hitters like the Cascara offering compelling value to listeners who don’t want to shell out $2–3$k on a single IEM. If you get a chance to listen to Campfire’s new IEMs, take it.
Thanks for humoring me Ken and the rest of the Campfire Audio team!

 

[Cinder]

CanJam SoCal 2024 Impressions: Bloom Audio Room​

Every IEM I tested deserves a full-length review. They are excellently-crafted products, and I urge you to take my impressions as what they are — impressions.
Do note that the lighting in the venue was awful. I did my best to edit the photos but they just don’t do these beautiful products justice.

Vision Ears VE 10​

The VE 10 is an ultra-high-end IEM from German brand, Vision Ears. It features a gorgeous, warm, lower-midrange that skillfully avoids becoming thick or heavy. Its upper midrange is, relative to its lower midrange, fairly neutral. The VE10 features an extended, somewhat elevated, treble that adds a great deal of texture and air to the VE10’s lifelike and natural timbre. The VE 10 is the most “fun” VE IEM I have listened to and is my personal (VE) IEM of choice for recreation listening
It is sensitive and easy to drive, though I did prefer listening to it on my HiFiMAN SuperMini over my phone’s built-in 3.5mm jack.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a decent picture of the VE 10.

Vision Ears EXT MK II​

The EXT MK II is VE’s new flagship IEM, and is priced as such (coming in at a whopping $3,399.00). It has a surprisingly low driver count, weighing in at a mere 6 drivers:

• 2x dynamic drivers
• 4x electrostatic drivers.

I assume that EXT is short for “extension” because this is easily one of the most extremely-extended IEM’s I’ve heard in a while. It has very potent bass, stretching down further than what I can hear (and into what I can feel). VE tuned the EXT MK II’s bass to be natural and cohesive, focusing on texture and shape rather than absolute volume. This approach complements the rest of the EXT MK II’s sound signature which sits squarely in the “north of neutral” territory with a mild W-shaped sound signature. The EXT MK II’s treble is…extremely competent. Its electrostatic drivers are the very definition of “quick” providing the listener with, at times, overwhelming levels of detail retrieval.

The EXT MK II’s quickness also allows it to stage instrumentation with precision. Not only does the EXT MK II possess a wide sound stage, but a tall one. The sensation of dimensionality created by the EXT MK II is rare and marks this IEM as one of the greats.

Noble Audio Spartacus​

The Spartacus (great name) is a new hybrid IEM from Noble. It features a visually-stunning floating wood-grain faceplate immersed in high-quality colored resin. While I remain skeptical about the HiFi industry’s rush to implement bone-conducting drivers, Noble’s BC IEM are by far the most refined implementation of the technology I’ve seen so far. The Spartacus lacks the spring-loaded echo-chamber resonance sensation that many worse-built BC IEMs have while leveraging each of its drivers to create a compelling sound signature.

This is an energetic, fun IEM with a focus on tactility and raw experience. It has a forward, but not sharp, treble that extends well. The Spartacus’s midrange is fairly even with a natural tone and great vocal expression. Its midbass and sub-bass are paired very well, treating listeners to a punchy and controlled lower register than comes and goes with intent and precision. The Spartacus, overall, sounds V-shaped and is another great option for listeners craving a fun, but precise, IEM.

Noble Audio Ronin​

The Ronin is Noble Audio’s EST hybrid Flagship IEM. It features 12(!) drivers:

• 4x Sonion electrostatic drivers
• 4x Knowles balanced-armature drivers
• 4x Sonion balanced-armature drivers

Noble synthesizes this huge array of drivers into a cohesive, expressive sound signature. It has a healthy lower register extending from about 200Hz down to 50Hz where is slowly rolls off. The Ronin’s lower mids are a little recessed, though not veiled. This gives is a light and nimble tone, complemented nicely by its expressive upper-mids and linear treble. The Ronin sounds regal and distinguished, not delving into bass-land nor treble craziness.

This is an IEM that is subtle and intelligent and is very well suited to comfortable critical listening. Unlike many (perceived) neutral IEMs I’ve listened to, the Ronin is comfortable and versatile, never triggering sonic discomfort through a bloated midbass or sharp treble.

I would have really liked to be able to carefully A/B the Ronin with the VE EXT MK II and CTM DaVinci X, though CanJam was neither the time nor the place.

Noble Audio Viking Ragnar​

Both the Ragnar and the Ronin are designated as flagships by Bloom Audio, so I’m just going to roll with it. The Viking Ragnar is another “tribrid” flagship IEM from Noble featuring 10 drivers:

• 2x dynamic drivers
• 4x balanced-armature drivers
• 4x electrostatic drivers

The Ragnar’s absolutely stunning visuals aside, this is a phenomenal TOTL IEM. Its cable is unique and imposing, pairing very well with the meaty and powerful V-shaped sound signature created by the Ragnar’s insane driver configuration.

When I say that the Ragnar is V-shaped, I mean it. It features elevated bass, recessed lower mids, and elevated treble. Even with the Ragnar pushing well into both the sub-bass and upper-treble, it never sounds colored or artificial. It instead comes across as intense, articulate, and full of texture. The Ragnar is, to my ears, the most textured IEM of the Noble lineup (in Bloom Audio’s room), by a significant margin. It blew me away with just how much fine detail and texturing it was able to catch in Chevelle’s Sleep Apnea, particularly around the fringes of the distorted electric guitar and the punching of the drums.

After I got home, I took a peek at the Ragnar’s frequency response, and while it was roughly what I was expecting, I had no idea that its upper treble peaked so high. It is integrated so well into the broader sound signature that I didn’t notice it bleeding, blurring, or otherwise deforming/ becoming irritating.
The Ragnar is not an IEM to pass over if you get a chance to demo the Noble lineup.

Noble Audio Onyx​

Noble Audio’s Onyx is a new so-called “quadbrid” IEM feature four different types of driver:

• 1x dynamic driver
• 1x bone-conducting driver
• 4x Knowles balanced-armature drivers
• 2x electrostatic drivers

This 8-driver IEM is cold, dark, and brooding. It is highly stylized, featuring a bass-rich sound signature with a linear midrange and treble. The Onyx generally doesn’t sound claustrophobic, but can sound “veiled” to listeners accustomed with less linear midranges. I had to re-tune my ears with several “nearly neutral” IEMs before coming back to the Onyx for a second listen since it was difficult to assess with such a chaotic day of listening.

I really enjoyed the Onyx’s ability to texture the lower register. Its mids remain mostly untouched by mid-bass bleeding and maintains a pretty solid level of texturing and sound staging in a variety of genres. The Onyx is a bold IEM that definitively targets a specific audience of dark sound signature lovers. This IEM, while possessing some great qualities, is not my cup of tea.

Noble Khublai Khan​

The Khublai Khan is Noble’s newest iteration of its older Khan IEM. It features four types of drivers including:

• 1x 10mm dynamic driver
• 1x bone conducting driver
• 4x balanced-armature drivers
• 1x 10mm Piezo super-tweeter

This a potent and powerful IEM featuring a similar, but less intense, sound signature to the Ragnar. It is decidedly V-shaped with an elevated bass, recessed midrange, and elevated, but internally linear, treble. The Khublai’s driver configuration consistently produced incredibly lifelike drum hits in tracks like Remember When by Chevelle. It perfectly captured the slam and lazy decay of the drums, organically combining queues from across the entire frequency range. The Khublai is, as is tradition with Noble IEMs, highly resolving and textured. Its midrange is highly expressive with a tactile vocal bump. Vocal intelligibility is excellent and shines through on dark and soft vocals. The Khublai Khan is, in my mind, a baby Viking Ragnar that is more focused on mids and overall balance.

7th Audio Acoustics Supernova​

I hadn’t heard of 7th Audio Acoustics before demoing the Supernova. The Supernova packs 8 balanced-armature drivers to give listeners a smooth, mid-centric sound signature with a considerable upper-treble presence. It resolves well and is comfortable, but didn’t stand out to me in by back-to-back demoes. It sounded kind of like an inverse of the Noble Onyx, though it had a decidedly more thin BA-style decay. I’ll give the Supernova another listen if it shows up at my next CanJam and see if it piques my interest then.

Ice Lab Prismatica​

The Prismatica is a high-end all-BA IEM featuring a bassy, rich V-shaped sound signature. It has a powerful, but controlled mid-bass and well-extended sub-bass. The Prismatica’s lower mids are meaty and warm with the its vocals being giving a considerable boost in the 2–4KHz range to aid with separation.

While the Prismatica does indeed have outstanding bass performance and a soothing midrange, I found it to occasionally become sibilant, particularly in songs with harsher mastering. Its treble isn’t particularly forward, but there’s something about the way it’s tuned that aggravates my sensitivity. Bass lovers should definitely check this IEM out, just be aware that sibilant-sensitive listeners like me will likely need foam eartips or an EQ to smooth out the vocal and treble response.

 

[Cinder]

CanJam SoCal 2024 Impressions: Linsoul Booth​

Every IEM I tested deserves a full-length review. They are excellently-crafted products, and I urge you to take my impressions as what they are — impressions.

Do note that the lighting in the venue was awful. I did my best to edit the photos but they just don’t do these beautiful products justice.

ZiiGaat Estrella​

The Estrella is a new, highly-regarded IEM created by ZiiGaat in collaboration with renowned reviewer, Jays Audio. Coming in at $299.00 and packing 2x 10mm dynamic drivers + 4x balanced-armature drivers, the Estrella is aggressively positioned in the 6-driver hybrid market.

The Estrella’s sound signature is V-shaped. It features a crisp, but not sharp, treble that rolls off its drivers effortlessly. Its vocal range is clear and well-separated without sounding disjointed or colored. The Estrella’s bass is masterfully tuned, bringing a solid midbass with a perfectly paired sub-bass to the listener’s sonic table. The two dynamic drivers sound like they’re doing most of the work, since the Estrella’s presentation is shockingly cohesive.

The solidity of the Estrella’s lower register allows it to articulate bass guitars, such as the one in The Only One by Manchester Orchestra, with excellent control and substance. In my experience, it takes a truly well-balanced bass to demonstrate this type of instrumentation with such a natural and realistic body.

Overall, the Estrella, is not a detail monster — it is not aimed at analytical audiences. Honestly, I don’t think it even matters. The Estrella is fun, engaging, and energetic while maintaining a HiFi-level of detailing and resolution. Its natural and expressive tuning makes it fun and comfortable in a wide variety of genres. Definitely check the Estrella out if you get a chance.

ZiiGaat Arete​

ZiiGaat’s second collaboration IEM is the Arete: a collaboration with Fresh Reviews. Coming in at a cheaper $249.00, the Arete has a 1DD + 4BA hybrid driver configuration.

The Arete is a more relaxed IEM that still maintains a general V-shaped sound signature. It has a very-well extended treble that captures quite a bit of sparkle, such as the jingles in the background of (Girl We Got a) Good Thing by Weezer. The Arete’s tuning, while a little warmer, still has a few peaks in its midrange and upper treble that are more forward than I prefer. The flip side of this increased upper-register peakiness is that it enables the Arete to capture texture very well, particularly in comparison to its price peers.

Some of my louder / sharper-mastered music came across with sibilance (Cross Over by Katy B / Magnetic Man), so I’d have liked to have had the time to tip-roll with different foam tips to see if it’s possible to even out the vocals without an EQ.

ZiiGaat Doscinco​

The Doscino is another mid-priced hybrid IEM from ZiiGaat. Like the aforementioned IEMs, it is currently on pre-order. The Doscinco will run you $269 and get you 5 drivers (2x DD + 3x BA).

The Doscinco is a much smoother, more relaxed V-shaped IEM. It has softer, less aggressive bass and a comfortable, full midrange. The Doscinco’s calm tone pairs excellently with Oliver Tree’s Jerk to deliver a consistent, silky Gen-Z experience. I also enjoyed listening to Lonely Boy by The Black Keys; their low-fi mastering complements the Doscinco’s full and texture-focused presentation well.

ZiiGaat did a great job at integrated the Doscinco’s extended treble and sub-bass into its broader sound signature. This is an IEM with a measured, carefully executed mid-bass that leaves plenty of room for the lower midrange to articulate. The Doscinco’s sub-bass pairs nicely with its midbass — a property of its sound signature that will appeal to anyone who listens to music with a lot of “wet bass”.

ZiiGaat Cincotres​

The Cincotres is the twin-brother of the Doscinco, coming in with the same driver count of 2x DD + 3x BA and the same price of $269. It has a more pronounced treble and vocal range than the Doscinco with an more “studio professional” presentation. It feels like it is aimed squarely at people who want a “north of neutral” IEM that feels analytical without sounding thin or barren — at least on the surface.

Perhaps wanting to imbue the Cincotres with a more “analytical” and clean tone, ZiiGaat has paired a linear (but slightly elevated) mid-bass with a potent and robust sub-bass, giving the Cincotres what basically amounts to a gentle L-shaped sound signature laid on top of a gentle W-shaped sound signature. This is then blended into a recessed lower midrange than works its way up into the 2–4KHz range where it has a peak for its vocals. The Cincotres’s midrange is clean and articulate, making way for textured and intelligible vocals. I actually prefer the Doscinco’s bass production, as it has, to my ears, a more natural bass slam and rumble that pairs better with electronic and rock music.

Kiwi Ears Quintet​

The Quintet is 4-way hybrid IEM featuring 1x dynamic driver, 2x balanced-armature drivers, 1x planar driver, and 1x bone-conducting driver. At a shockingly-low price of $219.00, this 5-driver-per-side IEM does a great job of leveraging two relatively novel types of driver.

Like much of what we listened to at the Linsoul booth, the Quintet is V-shaped. It has a prominent, but not boomy, bass, an even midrange, and a smooth treble. Vocal intelligibility is good, and vocals are resolved without color or smudging. In fact, the Quintet’s treble articulation captures the most vocal texture and twinge I heard from the Kiwi Ears lineup.

The brand new planar tweeter in the Quintet does a lot of work in making its treble fast and clean. It remains smooth and free from sharpness even on poorly-mastered songs, which is a plus for me considering my treble sensitivity.

The Quintet’s consistent and precise drivers allow it to access a wide, airy soundstage that layers very well. I’m not a big fan of bone-conduction drivers, but Kiwi Ears seems to have implemented the ones in the Quintet nicely.

Kiwi Ears KE-4​

The KE-4 is an IEM from Kiwi Ears designed from the ground up to accommodate its 4-driver hybrid configuration. It has two specially designed 10mm dynamic drivers and two customized Knowles balanced-armature drivers, all for $199.

At a table filled with vibrant and outspoken visual designs, the KE-4’s simplicity was a sigjt for over-stimulated eyes. And, just like its faceplates, the KE-4’s sound signature is no-frills and straight-forward. It has a mostly-neutral midrange with a touch of warmth in the lower mids and an average vocal boost in the upper mids. Its treble is even and extended, giving the KE-4 a linear and serious outlook in the upper register.

The KE-4’s bass, unlike the rest of the sound signature, is on high-alert. Its midbass is toned and controlled while its sub-bass is highly active. The KE-4 consistently provides listeners with sub-bass presence and activity, kicking and rumbling organically on drums, bass guitars, and electric bass lines.

This might a controversial IEM in terms of tuning, but I for one really enjoyed the KE-4. Its ability to texture, layer, and stage details in spite of its linear midrange and treble is impressive, and the KE-4's insistence on rumble and tactility is hard to come by. The refinement and execution of vision demonstrated in the KE-4’s tuning made it my favorite among the Kiwi Ears IEMs at the booth.

Thie Audio Origin​

Thie Audio (pronounced THEE) was the “premium” brand at the Linsoul booth. The Origin the second-cheapest IEM I tested, coming it at $849. It packs 8 drivers per side in a 4-way-hybrid configuration:

• 1x dynamic driver
• 2x Sonion electrostatic drivers
• 2x Knowles TWFk-30017 balanced-armature drivers
• 2x Sonion 2600 balanced-armature drivers
• 1x bone-conducting unit

The Origin sounds great. It has a fast, forward treble and powerful sub-bass. Its mid-bass is respectful and controlled, pairing well with the Origin’s linear midrange. Vocals are pushed forward quite a bit, giving them excellent separation and indelibility. Vocal tone and texture seem uncolored. Male and female vocals both sound quite good, with the Origin seeming to prefer female vocals due to its less-warm lower midrange.

I absolutely loved the Origin’s ability to model treble decay. High-hats and cymbals sound GREAT, even when thrown far into the background of a busy song. As far as V-shaped IEMs go, the Origin is in the top-ranks of what I tested at CanJam.

Thie Audio V16​

The V16 Divinity is an ambitious 16 driver all-BA IEM from Thie Audio. It has a gorgeous two-texture faceplate grafted onto a large resin shell. Its cable is cloth-covered and braided with a (gratuitously) meaty swappable termination. Sure, you can switch from 3.5mm to 4.4mm to 2.5mm, but the sheer size and weight of the jack housing makes it cumbersome, and frankly a little dangerous to your gear with how much momentum it carries. I’d be concerned that dropping the cable on the screen of my DAP could damage it, something I have done in the past while coiling up a cable to put it away after a listening session. Please Thie Audio, revise this cable and cut weight from the termination.

My nit-picking about the (otherwise great) cable aside, the V-16 sounds phenomenal. It has much better cohesion than I expected, being 16 drivers per side and all. It has a mid-centric sound signature that prioritizes quickness and detail retrieval. Its midrange is full-sounding and smooth with a small helping of warmth. The V16’s sub-bass is… really good for an all-BA IEM. I don’t know what happened to BA technology in the last couple of years, but the days of anemic BA IEMs are seemingly over.

When comparing the V16 to my CTM DaVinci X (10 BA drivers), I found the V16 to be comparatively warm with a much more pronounced bass. It is, as a result, a little less transparent in the mids than the DaVinci X. I don’t imagine most people will care though, as the trade-off makes the V16 much more engaging for casual listening.

Thie Audio Prestige LTD​

The Prestige LTD impressed me right out of the gate with its all-around ability to texture. Every segment of its highly-extended V-shaped sound signature is rich and precise. The 4 electrostatic drivers packed into this thing are doing serious work. It was thanks to the Prestige that I realized I really needed to pick up a TOTL-level IEM with electrostatic drivers — my ears respond exceptionally well to the blazing fast response time they give to the upper mids and treble.

I honestly cannot sing the praises of the Prestige enough. It is airy, dynamic, and spacious, all while giving the listener an engaging midrange and bass. Layering and sound staging is top-notch, with the Prestige nailing whatever psycho-acoustic parameters are needed for those sensations.

The only sticking point I encountered was some minor sharpness in the vocal range on certain songs when paired with certain sources. I noticed a distinct reduction is sharpness when switching from my USB-C DAC to my HiFiMAN SuperMini.

Thie Audio Oracle MK III​

While I am quite excited about the Prestige LTD, the Oracle MK III takes my “best in booth” award for the Thie Audio collection. It is the cheapest Thie Audio IEM I listened to while I was there (cheaper IEMs from Thie were present, but I ran out of time before getting to them) and is by far my favorite.

The Oracle MK III has 2x dynamic drivers, 2x balanced-armature drivers, and 2x electrostatic drivers. The two dynamic drivers selected by Thie are tuned extremely well, washing over the listener with an organic, natural bass presence. Even though Thie claims that the Oracle MK III is a studio monitor, it isn’t flat, dry, or “empty”. Its electro-static treble is fast and sparkly, imbuing tracks with a transparency and air that is reminiscent of the CTM DaVinci X. Its mid-bass is tight and articulate, never bleeding or smuding the lower-mids. The Oracle MK III’s sub-bass is very extended and potent, hitting with rumble and tactility. I particularly enjoyed the sheer flexibility of the Oracle’s vocal range. I couldn’t find a single song with vocals that felt thin, weak, or weighed-down (male or female). Bullet With Butterfly Wings by Smashing Pumpkins sounded just as articulate and tonally whole as Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide.

 

[Cinder]

Reserved

 

[Cinder]

Reserved

 

[KB]

CanJam SoCal 2024 Impressions: Campfire Audio​

Every Campfire IEM I tested deserves a full-length review. They are, without exception, excellently-crafted products, and I urge you to take my impressions as what they are — impressions.

Do note that the lighting in the venue was awful. I did my best to edit the photos but they just don’t do these beautiful products justice.

Campfire Audio Trifecta​

Two special edition Trifecta units. Amber Radiance (left) and Dark Prism (right). Chrome Sky not pictured.

The Trifecta has a unique appearance. It almost resembles a tear drop — at least one crammed full of full-sized dynamic drivers. I have never experienced an IEM that moves air the way the Trifecta does. It generates powerful waves of sound that feel more like they came from speakers than miniature drivers.

Tonally, the Trifecta is silky-smooth. Its 3x dynamic driver configuration is excellently-implemented, with no discernible cohesion issues. Its weighty bass slams with maximal tactility — it is in your face and demands that you like it. There’s not a hint of boominess or blur, just endless well-controlled rumble and slam. The rest of the Trifecta’s sonic range is no slouch either — its treble, while not dramatically pushed forward, delivers crisp and intelligible details. The Trifecta’s midrange is filled with texture and is brimming with life.

I had expected vocal intelligibility to take a hit with such a unique tuning, but after letting my ears adjust, it seemed just as clear as my Campfire Audio Atlas.

Campfire Audio Cascara​

The Cascara is the closest-related IEM to my Atlas. They share similar drivers, with the Cascara featuring a vastly improved form factor and high-tech 3D-printed acoustic chambers. This is my pick for the IEM that will please the widest audience — it has a much lower price tag than the Trifecta (or even the Atlas!) and has a maximally-cohesive 1x dynamic driver configuration. Its joy-filled, V-shaped sound signature imbues music with energy and life. The Cascara’s energetic treble extends unusually far for a dynamic driver IEM, and its vocal lift ensures you get good vocal intelligibility.

The Cascara’s lower midrange is rich and smooth with medium warmth. It provides the listener with an easy transition into the Cascara’s vast bass presentation. In spite of the its weighty nature, the Cascara is capable of staging and layering with a good deal of air. I found it to be a touch lighter than the Atlas while still maintaining the same silky and comfortable tone.

At $500, this is my high-end (not TOTL), dynamic-driver IEM of choice.

Campfire Audio Astrolith​

The Astrolith is Campfire’s standard-bearer planar magnetic IEM. It features two planar drivers — one 14mm full range driver and one 6mm tweeter. Both of these drivers use Campfire’s new advanced acoustic technologies which you can learn more about here. Many of the planar IEMs that were released this year felt rushed — planars are fairly new drivers to the IEM scene — but not the Astrolith. It boasts a broad, clean, V-shaped sound signature. The Astrolith is fast. Extremely fast. Bass attack and decay, treble fade, you name it — the Astrolith has it on tap.

I was most surprised with how deep the Astrolith could push into its sub-bass. Its 14mm driver is full-range in the truest sense: it can punch and rumble with extreme speed while maintaining excellent treble extension. The Astrolith, unlike many other planars, is genuinely great with electronic music and other bass-heavy genres. Its extreme treble extension gives it outstanding detail retrieval in the upper register. Access to such a wide array of frequencies combined with precise planar-grade diaphragm control makes the Astrolith’s treble exceptionally textured.

In my humble opinion, the Astrolith is right up there at the top of the performance stack with the Trifecta. They bring very different things to the table, but do so with extraordinary competence.

Campfire Audio Moon Rover​

The Moon Rover is Campfire’s new single planar-driver IEM. It features a (perceived) neutral sound signature aimed at listeners that crave analytical sound signatures. To say nothing of my treble sensitivity, this is an IEM for which I immediately selected foam eartips. It has a forward, bright treble that teeters on the edge of being “hot”, a property of its tonality that, while appealing to some, does not match my wants.

With my complaining out of the way, the Moon Rover does do a lot well — it has an extended treble, expressive midrange, and solid sub-bass. It doesn’t punch, nor does it rumble that often. It is a strict “tell, not show” experience that expects you to listen to your music at a distance, you know, for science. The Moon Rover’s vocal range is textured and even, but likely won’t appeal to audio slobs (like me) who crave warmth and weight. A well-constructed IEM for certain, but not one I’d select for myself.

Campfire Audio Fathom​

The Fathom is a new 6x balanced-armature IEM from Campfire. It has one driver more than the famous Andromeda and uses Campfire’s new mono-clasp shell design. Its all-black shell is machined from anodized aluminum and is starkly contrasted by “Rainbow PVD” accent pieces. This was a particularly difficult IEM to photograph in such low ambient light, so please forgive the grain and shadow.

As for its sound, the Fathom is clearly intended to be Campfire’s all-BA flagship. Its sound signature is “neutral with a twist” featuring slightly elevated treble and a mid-centric boost. It is not anemic, like many analytical IEMs and features a healthy, but “read-only” bass. It is articulate, but not tactile. I wish I had more time to A/B test the Fathom against the Andromeda 2019 and Andromeda Emerald Sea as there’s certainly some interesting contrasts to be observed.

Campfire Audio Clara​

The Clara is my hype IEM. Campfire Audio collaborated with renowned musician Alessandro Cortini (bassist from Nine Inch Nails) to tune it and, wow, this is an IEM you can’t afford to miss. It contains 1 dynamic driver + 3 balanced-armature drivers and leverages each one to its maximum potential (or so it sounds). It is optimized for Alessandro’s favorite genres (which are all electronic), but it performs well across a ton of other genres. I played all manner of rock, alternative, punk, and electronic tracks through it and the Clara responded beautifully.

The Clara‘s gentle V-shaped sound signature features a comfortable, but well-extended, treble. Its bass is, well, fantastic. It is cohesive, punchy and often feels voluminous. The Clara is not the bassiest IEM in the Campfire lineup, but its bass is extremely textured and expressive, more so than the Cascara and Atlas.

A short impression window doesn’t do the Clara justice and I’ll be on the lookout for more opportunities to give it a listen.

Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea​

The Emerald Sea dispatches with the Andromeda’s long-standing three-screw shell design, switching to the aluminum clasp shell design used by the Fathom. While I do miss the old-school shells a little, the new shells are more interesting, geometrically. The Emerald Sea iterates on the Andromeda’s smooth, warm, and relaxed sound signature with a more expressive treble and better bass extension. To my ears, the Emerald Sea tips more to the “fun” side than “relaxed” side. To be fair, I only have a 2019 on hand to compare to, so the 2020 may be closer in sound signature.

As is expected from an IEM boasting the Andromeda moniker, the Emerald Sea features excellent detail retrieval without sounding cold or thin. Its warm and comfortable midrange captures texture with considerable aptitude, making it one of my favorite multi-BA IEMs, closing in on much more expensive IEMs.

Conclusion​

I listened to about half of what Campfire had to offer and it took me over two hours. There’s so much to love at a Campfire Audio booth that I never know where to start or when to end. The Trifecta and Astrolith and absolute stunners at the top-end of Campfire’s lineup with hard-hitters like the Cascara offering compelling value to listeners who don’t want to shell out $2–3$k on a single IEM. If you get a chance to listen to Campfire’s new IEMs, take it.
Thanks for humoring me Ken and the rest of the Campfire Audio team!

Cinder,

Such a pleasure spending some time at the booth and thanks for the comprehensive look at the line up. What an amazing show this one was for all of us. Thanks for all who stopped by we really appreciate all the great vibes.

Ken

 

[silentdisko]

Great posts, getting a bit lost without replies though so here is mine.

 

[Cinder]

Great posts, getting a bit lost without replies though so here is mine.

Thank you! I didn't know what format would be best when I made the thread, but I didn't even think about the lack of notifications from editing a "reserved" post haha.

 

[DunninLA]

You didn't hear the Monarch Mk III?

 

[Cinder]

I think you mean Oracle Mk III. You didn't hear the Monarch Mk III?

Thanks, you are correct--repeated typo on my part.

I did not. It was consistently in use while I was there, so at around the 2hr 15m mark of demoing at the Linsoul booth I decided to give my seat up to someone else

 

[Cinder]

The Grand Maestro with Black Filters. Picture credit to FatFreq​

Disclaimer: Every IEM I tested deserves a full-length review. They are excellently-crafted products, and I urge you to take my impressions as what they are — impressions.

Do note that the lighting in the venue was awful and it butchered my photos of FatFreq’s good-looking IEMs. Out of respect I won’t be posting those here and instead use images taken by FatFreq.

Maestro Mini​

Picture credit: FatFreq
​

The Maestro Mini was my favorite IEM of the three that I tested. It is bass-heavy with organic mid-bass and elevated sub-bass capable of some serious rumble. The Maestro’s treble is tame and well-toned but gives up some resolution in exchange for its relaxed positioning. I respect FatFreq’s ability to resist the temptation of boosting the vocal and treble ranges to typical V-shaped levels— holding back made this a much better IEM.

Circling back to bass performance, the Maestro Mini gave me a shockingly-concert-like experience with its lower register’s lifelike timbre. Live recordings of rock music from the likes of Red and Chevelle were sublime. I still remember attending these concerts (I didn’t take the recordings) and the Maestro Mini put me right next to the stage once again.

Scarlet Mini​

Picture credit: FatFreq
​

The Scarlet Mini sounds like a more dramatic version of the Maestro Mini. It has more pronounced bass, boosted vocals, and sharper, more resolving treble. The Scarlet Mini is a more V-shaped Maestro Mini that will definitely appeal to people who want more traditional tuning paired with FatFreq’s signature wall-of-bass.

I found that the shift in tuning made the Scarlet Mini more prone to rumbling than punching — a departure from the equal-parts punch-and-rumble of the Maestro Mini. Ultimately, I enjoyed the Maestro Mini more due to its softer treble, but your mileage will vary according to your ability to enjoy elevated treble.

Grand Maestro​

This was a very interesting IEM from FatFreq. The Grand Maestro is their TOTL IEM, engineered to make use of a wide variety of tuning modules. I tested two different filters and will detail them individually.

Default Filter (large, circular)​

I’m not entirely sure what to call this filter as it was the one that the staff was placing on the Grand Maestro whenever they handed it to a visitor for the first time. I’m gonna just refer to this as the default filter.

Relative to the other IEMs I tested, the GM had a gentle V-shaped sound signature with an highly-extended treble and solid sub-bass. It maintained a strong sub-bass rumble with only a moderate mid-bass presence. This relative evenness gave the lower midrange a lot more room to articulate with clarity and separation. With this filter, the Grand Maestro demonstrated exceptional control over its mid-bass, utilizing it with precision to create shapely punches. Overall speed and texturing was excellent — the Grand Maestro does indeed live up to its name in this respect.

The GM often teetered right on the edge of being too sharp for my preferences. The flip-side of this more-aggressive treble tuning is much better access to sparkle and “air”. The Grand Maestro’s open upper-register also makes it great at separating and articulating vocals.

Bass Filter (standard black filter)​

The black filter did not change the Grand Maestro’s sound signature as much as I anticipated. The filter induced a mild increase in bass presence across the board. It got a more open sub-bass with a somewhat more robust rumble. The Grand Maestro’s lower midrange warmed up a bit too, giving male vocals a little more weight.

This filter did cool the treble off a little, but ultimately doesn’t change its tonality all that much. Both the black filter and the standard filter sound great, with both having the flexibility to be used as general-purpose configurations.

Conclusion​

FatFreq’s lineup is impressively varried. The wide swing in price from their entry-level IEMs to the TOTL means there’s something for every price range. Their dedication to bass is admirable, especially in the era of Harman-curve-hugging. I wish I had more time to explore the entire FatFreq lineup, but there’s always next time.

Thank you to the FatFreq team for giving me in-depth answers to my questions and taking the time to guide me through their product stack.

As always, happy listening!

 

[SCYJ]

The Grand Maestro with Black Filters. Picture credit to FatFreq​

Disclaimer: Every IEM I tested deserves a full-length review. They are excellently-crafted products, and I urge you to take my impressions as what they are — impressions.

Do note that the lighting in the venue was awful and it butchered my photos of FatFreq’s good-looking IEMs. Out of respect I won’t be posting those here and instead use images taken by FatFreq.

Maestro Mini​

Picture credit: FatFreq
​

The Maestro Mini was my favorite IEM of the three that I tested. It is bass-heavy with organic mid-bass and elevated sub-bass capable of some serious rumble. The Maestro’s treble is tame and well-toned but gives up some resolution in exchange for its relaxed positioning. I respect FatFreq’s ability to resist the temptation of boosting the vocal and treble ranges to typical V-shaped levels— holding back made this a much better IEM.

Circling back to bass performance, the Maestro Mini gave me a shockingly-concert-like experience with its lower register’s lifelike timbre. Live recordings of rock music from the likes of Red and Chevelle were sublime. I still remember attending these concerts (I didn’t take the recordings) and the Maestro Mini put me right next to the stage once again.

Scarlet Mini​

Picture credit: FatFreq
​

The Scarlet Mini sounds like a more dramatic version of the Maestro Mini. It has more pronounced bass, boosted vocals, and sharper, more resolving treble. The Scarlet Mini is a more V-shaped Maestro Mini that will definitely appeal to people who want more traditional tuning paired with FatFreq’s signature wall-of-bass.

I found that the shift in tuning made the Scarlet Mini more prone to rumbling than punching — a departure from the equal-parts punch-and-rumble of the Maestro Mini. Ultimately, I enjoyed the Maestro Mini more due to its softer treble, but your mileage will vary according to your ability to enjoy elevated treble.

Grand Maestro​

This was a very interesting IEM from FatFreq. The Grand Maestro is their TOTL IEM, engineered to make use of a wide variety of tuning modules. I tested two different filters and will detail them individually.

Default Filter (large, circular)​

I’m not entirely sure what to call this filter as it was the one that the staff was placing on the Grand Maestro whenever they handed it to a visitor for the first time. I’m gonna just refer to this as the default filter.

Relative to the other IEMs I tested, the GM had a gentle V-shaped sound signature with an highly-extended treble and solid sub-bass. It maintained a strong sub-bass rumble with only a moderate mid-bass presence. This relative evenness gave the lower midrange a lot more room to articulate with clarity and separation. With this filter, the Grand Maestro demonstrated exceptional control over its mid-bass, utilizing it with precision to create shapely punches. Overall speed and texturing was excellent — the Grand Maestro does indeed live up to its name in this respect.

The GM often teetered right on the edge of being too sharp for my preferences. The flip-side of this more-aggressive treble tuning is much better access to sparkle and “air”. The Grand Maestro’s open upper-register also makes it great at separating and articulating vocals.

Bass Filter (standard black filter)​

The black filter did not change the Grand Maestro’s sound signature as much as I anticipated. The filter induced a mild increase in bass presence across the board. It got a more open sub-bass with a somewhat more robust rumble. The Grand Maestro’s lower midrange warmed up a bit too, giving male vocals a little more weight.

This filter did cool the treble off a little, but ultimately doesn’t change its tonality all that much. Both the black filter and the standard filter sound great, with both having the flexibility to be used as general-purpose configurations.

Conclusion​

FatFreq’s lineup is impressively varried. The wide swing in price from their entry-level IEMs to the TOTL means there’s something for every price range. Their dedication to bass is admirable, especially in the era of Harman-curve-hugging. I wish I had more time to explore the entire FatFreq lineup, but there’s always next time.

Thank you to the FatFreq team for giving me in-depth answers to my questions and taking the time to guide me through their product stack.

As always, happy listening!

Great impressions! From your description, I think the large black module you tried was the new SuperStage module, whereas the 2nd black module u tried was the standard bassy black module.

 

[Cinder]

Great impressions! From your description, I think the large black module you tried was the new SuperStage module, whereas the 2nd black module u tried was the standard bassy black module.

Thank you!

It could be! I asked a couple times which one it was, but between the high ambient noise levels and crowding at the booth the staff never heard me, haha. The filter was LARGE, about twice the surface-area of standard black filter.

 

[SCYJ]

Thank you!

It could be! I asked a couple times which one it was, but between the high ambient noise levels and crowding at the booth the staff never heard me, haha. The filter was LARGE, about twice the surface-area of standard black filter.

Yes, I have the GM with both the large humongous SuperStage module and the smaller standard black module! The large module is definitely my favourite, it really enhances the stage while improving sound cleanness and bass texture.