[JLeeMD]

Have you heard any other version of the Solaris?

I have not. I own the Thieaudio twins and Moondrop Variations and have owned the Moondrop Blessing 2. I was a little leery ordering the Solaris X because I’m a stickler for neutral tuning which Campfire isn’t always known for. The Solaris X is that rare product that sounds organic and neutral but is still hugely detailed and transparent. Similarly, my Levinson No. 512 (now gone) also had an organic fluidity that didn’t sound like hifi but was still stupendously detailed and transparent. I’ve also listened to the Solaris X using my iPhone 12 Pro + Clarus Coda DAC with similar results so it’s not just a Astell & Kern synergy thing.

I’m all about the sound but a few ergonomic notes: these are gorgeous to look at and very comfortable to wear. The all silver cable is quite thin and tangles easily. The 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter is transparent. It‘s much better than the same adapter that comes with the Thieaudio twins.

 

[Dietmar Görtz]

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/new-price-astell-kern-campfire-solaris-x-nearly-new.8892/

 

[Hanesu]

I’m all about the sound but a few ergonomic notes: these are gorgeous to look at and very comfortable to wear. The all silver cable is quite thin and tangles easily. The 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter is transparent. It‘s much better than the same adapter that comes with the Thieaudio twins.

I find it a bit weird that the adapter has an angled plug, while the 2,5 mm cable has an angled plug, too. So the cable kind of gets an "S-shape", if you plug it into the adapter. Usually these cable/adapter combinations use a 2,5 mm straight plug, which makes much more sense imo. How is it in real life usage?

 

[JLeeMD]

I find it a bit weird that the adapter has an angled plug, while the 2,5 mm cable has an angled plug, too. So the cable kind of gets an "S-shape", if you plug it into the adapter. Usually these cable/adapter combinations use a 2,5 mm straight plug, which makes much more sense imo. How is it in real life usage?

Now that I think about it, you are right! But it hadn‘t crossed my mind until now which I think answers your question

 

[Dvl Kubo]

Would you guys consider making another batch of these? Or at least make one with the same color shell? after seeing this it's hard to want to even buy the regular Solaris

 

[lights]

Would you guys consider making another batch of these? Or at least make one with the same color shell? after seeing this it's hard to want to even buy the regular Solaris

Selfridges are still selling them:

https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/ca...olaris-x-limited-edition-earphones_R03824840/

 

[Dvl Kubo]

Selfridges are still selling them:

https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/ca...olaris-x-limited-edition-earphones_R03824840/

They dont ship to japan it seems

 

[JLeeMD]

They dont ship to japan it seems

I’ve since bought 64 Audio’s U12t and U6t. With the stock cables, they sounded underwhelming IMHO. With silver cables (Dunu Blanche-U12t; 64 Audio Premium Silver-U6t), they both dig up more detail than the Solaris X. But they’re both significantly more expensive in their current configurations. Also, in absolute terms, the Solaris X digs up detail on a par with my Focal Utopia so it’s not exactly resolution-challenged. Finally, the Solaris X has an organic warmth and timbre that I find very natural and appealing.

I know I’m going out on a limb talking about improvements/differences with cables. I find it odd there’s so much skepticism about cables in the IEM community. When I was building a home system and reading reviews and opinions from The Absolute Sound and HiFi Plus, the benefit of quality cables was widely accepted.

 

[Dvl Kubo]

I’ve since bought 64 Audio’s U12t and U6t. With the stock cables, they sounded underwhelming IMHO. With silver cables (Dunu Blanche-U12t; 64 Audio Premium Silver-U6t), they both dig up more detail than the Solaris X. But they’re both significantly more expensive in their current configurations. Also, in absolute terms, the Solaris X digs up detail on a par with my Focal Utopia so it’s not exactly resolution-challenged. Finally, the Solaris X has an organic warmth and timbre that I find very natural and appealing.

I know I’m going out on a limb talking about improvements/differences with cables. I find it odd there’s so much skepticism about cables in the IEM community. When I was building a home system and reading reviews and opinions from The Absolute Sound and HiFi Plus, the benefit of quality cables was widely accepted.

64 audio cables honestly suck I have a pair of U8s and U6s I've had to swap the stock cables out. Dunu's blanche and their Dw03 are very good cables especially with the game-changing swappable terminals makes me wanna just swap all my cables out on every single Iem i own. Even if I could get my hands on the Solaris x I would swap the default cable for the dunu dw03

 

[kaisarantonn]

64 audio cables honestly suck I have a pair of U8s and U6s I've had to swap the stock cables out. Dunu's blanche and their Dw03 are very good cables especially with the game-changing swappable terminals makes me wanna just swap all my cables out on every single Iem i own. Even if I could get my hands on the Solaris x I would swap the default cable for the dunu dw03

agree but, I bought the 64 audio's cable with pentaconn 4.4 for my 64 audio nio and sounds far far better than the stock cable

 

[gofishus]

I did a unboxing and impressions video on the Solaris X



short summary:

Granted, I haven't tried the Andromedas or Solaris to compare to, the only comparisons I have are to my AK (JH Audio) Michelles and Tansio Mirai LANDs. Compared to the Michelles, the Solaris X is noticeably richer and more detailed with the layering, with a wider soundstage with more detailed and prominent mids. Compared to the LANDs, the Solaris X is a more relaxed, laid back presentation and the soundstage to me is slightly wider and deeper as well, whereas the LANDs are more forward and lively. They are both very detailed IEMs and about the same when it comes to imaging. The main issue that me and my audiophile friend noticed with the Solaris X (using an AK SE100 DAP as the source) is the trebles are recessed a bit, they're still there but we would have liked it if AK / Campfire would have added some more treble - but this might have been AK's goal all along is to create a more smoother presentation as I've never tried the original Solaris. The TSMRs (and maybe the Michelles too from memory) definitely have more prominent treble and are a nice balanced pair of IEMs overall but I find the TSMRs trebles can even be overextended a bit and if the volume is turned up can become slightly sibilant as well. The Solaris X never has those issues and of course in Campfire tradition are easily amongst the most sensitive IEMs on the market, but because of the laid back delivery I have a hard time believing they will ever get harsh even at higher volumes. Note that the stock cable that comes with these are pretty nice and sell separately for $200 by themselves. My friend doesn't think the Solaris X is necessarily better than the TSMR LANDs or his FLC8s (Chinese IEM from 10 years ago), and thinks his Noble K10s are more neutral, but personally I do prefer the relaxed and warm sound signature of the Solaris X a bit more than the Michelles or LANDs. I have not tried the FLC8s or the Noble K10s that my friend talks highly about so I cannot comment on those.

 

[gofishus]

You referring to this ?

Sorry if wrong to post but its just a persons opinion and at this level of product sound it really is just personal.... that is really what all it is. I have tested a lot lately again, seems like every two years I get the itch to try the best "NEW" ones out and though some are impressive it really is not huge step, its more shifts. One has better extension but not as detailed... just the opposite. IE: Personal. So I guess to argue over something at this level that is better then XYZ and not seeing it being down to personal... well I think the answer is the statement.

I own the OG, tried the SP and 2020 and all sounded excellent but I stayed with the OG. Just like the turning best for me. I will admit these are SEXY as H*LL though =)

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/campfire-audio-solaris-battle-royale.10551/

I would be interested to hear the Solaris X up against the $1k THIEaudio Voyager 14s which I think would be a much closer shootout