Just wrote some impressions of the Comet for Facebook but thought it would help some readers out here. Hope you don't find the photos too blinding!
Design –
Campfire’s redesigned earphones have been met with a polarising response. However, the Comet looks a lot better in person and its design has certainly grown on me over the past couple of days. The earpieces feel hefty, dense and unrelenting in their construction. There’s no give, rattle or creek to be found here and the level of finish is immaculate with even seams, perfect joins and smoothly formed edges; you would be hard-pressed to find a better-built earphone regardless of price.
Though the driver in the Comet is vented, the external housing is fully-sealed. It fits similarly to earphones like the ER4 and X10 with a slender design that offers flawless comfort (no sharp edges, minimal ear contact) and a deeper fit than their previous BA housing. Resultantly, isolation is great, not quite as superb as the more ear-filling Orion however, the difference is only noticeable in very loud environments and somewhat counterbalanced by the Comet’s fuller tuning. In addition, the Comet can now be comfortably worn both cable-down and over the ear, and it remains very stable in both configurations.
Campfire are using the same cable as the Polaris, though the Comet’s cable includes an in-line 3-button remote/mic. It has Litz copper internals and a twisted braid that’s supple and smooth, easily routing through sweaters and avoiding tangles. It has a well-reinforced, case-friendly right angle plug and custom beryllium MMCX connectors that promise greater longevity. In short, the included cable is as liveable as we’ve come to expect from Campfire, a former cable manufacturer, I have no complaints.
Sound –
The Comet has a signature that will be sure to please many; a modest V combining a pleasantly warm low-end, clear midrange and crisp high-end that doesn’t encroach on bright, harsh or sharp. In many regards, the Comet actually reminds of the Andromeda though it is considerably more v-shaped and not nearly as technical so don’t get any ideas!
For a single BA earphone, especially considering its reasonable pricing and superb build, the Comet has impressive end to end extension. It’s clear that sub-bass doesn’t hit like a dynamic nor does it possess the solidity of some multi-armature earphones, but it’s a definite upgrade over the Orion and fairly comparable to the Haka and Klipsch X10 from first impression. Mid-bass is most enhanced and upper-bass to a lesser extent, imbuing a warmer tone while avoiding congestion and obvious bloat. I noticed that the Comet's bass notes decay more like a dynamic than a conventional BA earphone. It has nice dynamics and texture that many will enjoy.
Its midrange is laid-back but clear; some bass colouration is present but mids are never drowned out or muffled as a result. The Comet has a bump in its upper-midrange that contributes to its clarity. However, it also avoids thinning out vocals like a lot of v-shaped earphones as it has that upper-bass fullness combined with a well-metered lower-midrange. Vocal articulation is a little more emphasized on account of a modest lower-treble bump, but it’s hardly overdone and provides a little more clarity on top without over-emphasizing sibilance.
Treble is presented in a clear, crisp manner with well-considered lower-treble emphasis and a bump within upper-treble that provides extra sparkle; a characteristic carried primarily by Campfire’s higher-end BA earphones such as the Jupiter and Andromeda. Extension isn’t nearly as strong as either of these earphones nor is resolution. But for the price and considering that it’s a single BA with solid bass reach, the Comet has very commendable range. It’s on the more aggressively detailed side but isn’t peaky. Rather, it has more organic treble instrument body, producing a well-detailed image.
I haven’t spent enough time with the Comet to quantify exact soundstage qualities. I can confirm that it’s nicely spacious and surprisingly layered. It doesn’t touch the immensely spacious Jupiter and Andromeda, but it’s far from intimate. Separation is also very nice, especially considering its generally warmer tone.
Initial Impression -
The Comet is a fun sounding earphone and it redefines the level of finish and build quality that we should expect from our earphones! I'll be giving the Comet a lot more ear time for the full review, thanks for your time.
