[Tristy]

Reviews of these are few and far between so thought I’d share.

https://www.headphonedungeon.com/campfire-audio-solaris-stellar-horizon-review/

 

[phiemon]

So, here is my personal opinion about Mentor vs. Viking Ragnar. These are just spontaneous impressions I have from an A/B comparison:

As far as I'm concerned Viking Ragnar simply has a whole other level of realism, clarity and soundstage/imaging than Mentor (which itself is already famous just for soundstage/imaging), the impression I have is that instruments and voices come out of a completely silent background like lightsabers in the most disparate directions (the soundstage is definitely wider but not so tall, but more airy and with more separation) and sound exactly "as they should be" (call it "neutrality"... maybe "reference"?! Just kidding! ). This level of realism is simply incredible - especially if you come from the Mentor or Trifecta. From this perspective, I don't even find Viking Ragnar (too) cold, bright or similar. It is just "right". Mentor is in this respect completely different, the opposite: intimate, tight but at the same time "big" (O-Soundstage), colorful with a very present (sub)bass. That BCD is simply addictive and I will never want to do without it again! Mentor is strong, pompous, powerful. it drops a veil hearing it after Viking Ragnar. Vocals are better on Viking Ragnar and are more in the foreground. On Mentor they are not as realistic, vivid and are more in the background - which I also like a lot! Viking Ragnar gives me in general more emotion, dispersion in the music (because of those mentioned peculiarities of sound reproduction) and "wow" effects. For me the resolution is also a bit higher, complicated passages are scanned better, the details are simply "there". With Mentor these details you have to "look for", to respect it sounds in certain very complex passages "blurred" (don't get me wrong, it is not at all so…). On the other hand Mentor is predictable since I have always had IEMs with similar timbres and so it is rationally "safer" for me, but emotionally I am now for Viking Ragnar.

If I had to make a decision between the two right now, I definitely couldn't decide. They both sound so damn opposite and great and I find that extremely attractive. It's amazing how the same music can completely transform when you listen to it with a different IEM. Sometimes I feel more "dark" and want to hear Mentor, sometimes I feel more "bright", so Viking Ragnar. To quote Animagus "As a listener, you can choose to use flat speakers, maybe add in a nice sub-woofer and calibrate them to play all FR regions evenly = which is what FLAT technically is. If you like coloured speakers that enhance bass and treble, sure, go for it! If one likes neutrally tuned IEMs/headphones to versions of well established target curves like Etymotic DF or Harman, great! Or if you like coloured IEMs/headphones that presents songs with a larger than life presentation, like you're listening to them in a concert arena, maybe even the Royal Albert Hall (lol!), that's great too! Why not have all of them for different moods!"

 

[Deezel177]

I'd think that would be essential to know to come up with a fair conclusion though. What if the DSD was created from a master that sounded much much better than the one Tidal used in the first place? Admittedly I know next to nothing about DSD so I might be totally wrong here. Perhaps @gLer knows?

drftr

I don’t know the ins-and-outs of it myself, but DSD apparently requires an all-new master of its own. It’s a bit like Dolby Surround or 5.1, where it requires a different workflow than standard stereo records. So, if a DSD version of a track sounds different than a WAV or FLAC version, it’s because it is.

 

[drftr]

I don’t know the ins-and-outs of it myself, but DSD apparently requires an all-new master of its own. It’s a bit like Dolby Surround or 5.1, where it requires a different workflow than standard stereo records. So, if a DSD version of a track sounds different than a WAV or FLAC version, it’s because it is.

I was thinking that perhaps there ARE no other masterings (which I think you confirm) because DSD is still quite new and that lesser quality (or completely different "realities") from the same master don't exist. They can't simply take 2 channels from the exact same master and call it stereo, or maybe they can? This would mean that one could only compare a DSD with the Tidal offering if you were streaming DSD from Tidal as then you'd know for sure where the problem lies. But I could imagine you can't stream DSD from Tidal at all so you're always comparing apples and oranges.

drftr

 

[RTodd]

So, here is my personal opinion about Mentor vs. Viking Ragnar. These are just spontaneous impressions I have from an A/B comparison:

As far as I'm concerned Viking Ragnar simply has a whole other level of realism, clarity and soundstage/imaging than Mentor (which itself is already famous just for soundstage/imaging), the impression I have is that instruments and voices come out of a completely silent background like lightsabers in the most disparate directions (the soundstage is definitely wider but not so tall) and sound exactly "as they should be" (call it "neutrality"... maybe "reference"?! Just kidding! ). This level of realism is simply incredible - especially if you come from the Mentor or Trifecta. From this perspective, I don't even find Viking Ragnar (too) cold, bright or similar. It is just "right". Mentor is in this respect completely different, the opposite: intimate, tight but at the same time "big" (O-Soundstage), colorful with a powerful bass. Mentor is strong, pompous, powerful. it drops a veil hearing it after Viking Ragnar. Vocals are better on Viking Ragnar and are more in the foreground. On Mentor they are not as realistic, vivid and are more in the background - which I also like a lot! Viking Ragnar gives me in general more emotion, dispersion in the music (because of those mentioned peculiarities of sound reproduction) and "wow" effects. For me the resolution is also a bit higher, complicated passages are scanned better, the details are simply "there." With Mentor these details you have to "look for", to respect it sounds in certain very complex passages "blurred" (don't get me wrong, it is not at all so…). On the other hand Mentor is predictable since I have always had IEMs with similar timbres and so it is rationally "safer" for me, but emotionally I am now for Viking Ragnar.

If I had to make a decision between the two right now, I definitely couldn't decide. They both sound so damn opposite and I find that extremely attractive. Sometimes I feel more "dark" and want to hear Mentor, sometimes I feel more "bright", so Viking Ragnar. It's amazing how the same music can completely transform when you listen to it with a different IEM. To quote Animagus "As a listener, you can choose to use flat speakers, maybe add in a nice sub-woofer and calibrate them to play all FR regions evenly = which is what FLAT technically is. If you like coloured speakers that enhance bass and treble, sure, go for it! If one likes neutrally tuned IEMs/headphones to versions of well established target curves like Etymotic DF or Harman, great! Or if you like coloured IEMs/headphones that presents songs with a larger than life presentation, like you're listening to them in a concert arena, maybe even the Royal Albert Hall (lol!), that's great too! Why not have all of them for different moods!"

Reading this made me think when we go from an IEM that leans in one direction to another IEM that leans in a different direction, that this would amplify the perceptions of the difference.

I went from Fibae F5 (for the week earlier) (a warm with interesting treble detail set, really nice though not in your face with anything extreme), to the Trifecta (two days ago) (another warm set though this time very different treble detail, with extreme amounts of air movement, a deep energy that adds the flavor of large speakers and is more in your face). I really like both signatures and in this case those leanings are amplified, making the Fibae F5 seem perhaps even more laid back than it actually is.

Just thinking out loud, again,

 

[MRT-Man]

What cable do you think Ragnar would need???

Orpheus! The tuning is perfect with Ragnar, and the detail and soundstage are incredible. FT is also a good choice. FTS has more air/energy in the treble, more similar to the stock cable in that regard, but still adds a bit of warmth. All of them, especially Orpheus, add more power to the bass.

 

[Deezel177]

I was thinking that perhaps there ARE no other masterings (which I think you confirm) because DSD is still quite new and that lesser quality (or completely different "realities") from the same master don't exist. They can't simply take 2 channels from the exact same master and call it stereo, or maybe they can? This would mean that one could only compare a DSD with the Tidal offering if you were streaming DSD from Tidal as then you'd know for sure where the problem lies. But I could imagine you can't stream DSD from Tidal at all so you're always comparing apples and oranges.

drftr

Well, you can always take the mix or pre-master used for the DSD master, and master it traditionally. Also, if DSD can be played as PCM, then there’s a good chance you could convert DSD to PCM, i.e. WAV, AAC, “standard” audio formats. So, conversion and comparison should be possible.

Reading this made me think when we go from an IEM that leans in one direction to another IEM that leans in a different direction, that this would amplify the perceptions of the difference.

I went from Fibae F5 (for the week earlier) (a warm with interesting treble detail set, really nice though not in your face with anything extreme), to the Trifecta (two days ago) (another warm set though this time very different treble detail, with extreme amounts of air movement, a deep energy that adds the flavor of large speakers and is more in your face). I really like both signatures and in this case those leanings are amplified, making the Fibae F5 seem perhaps even more laid back than it actually is.

Just thinking out loud, again,

That’s the no. 1, unspoken danger of listening at shows like CanJam, for example. You spend 15 minutes listening to a new IEM from brand A, then you instantly go to a new IEM from brand B. Whiplash is guaranteed. And, in your case, you were able to expect that whiplash ‘cus you’ve heard the F5 and Trifecta, and you’re aware of how contrasting they are. If they’re new IEMs you’re just hearing at a CanJam, you won’t be able to prepare for it, and your first impressions of that IEM will be that very sense of whiplash. It’s why I always take 10 seconds after a demo, take a deep breath and try to clear my head as much as I can before going onto the next one.

 

[CodenameBK201]

Reviews of these are few and far between so thought I’d share.

https://www.headphonedungeon.com/campfire-audio-solaris-stellar-horizon-review/

I tried these at CanJam, and they were probably my favorite of the CFA bunch. Sound was super crispy (maybe a little lighter in the bass?) and really solid build quality. Tiny too, and not too heavy for a metal build. Honestly, if the Trifecta had had more of the shell style of the Solaris, I'd have probably been more swayed. These felt like the most expensive of the bunch in-hand, despite being mid-tier priced.

 

[LH86]

So, here is my personal opinion about Mentor vs. Viking Ragnar. These are just spontaneous impressions I have from an A/B comparison:

As far as I'm concerned Viking Ragnar simply has a whole other level of realism, clarity and soundstage/imaging than Mentor (which itself is already famous just for soundstage/imaging), the impression I have is that instruments and voices come out of a completely silent background like lightsabers in the most disparate directions (the soundstage is definitely wider but not so tall, but more airy and with more separation) and sound exactly "as they should be" (call it "neutrality"... maybe "reference"?! Just kidding! ). This level of realism is simply incredible - especially if you come from the Mentor or Trifecta. From this perspective, I don't even find Viking Ragnar (too) cold, bright or similar. It is just "right". Mentor is in this respect completely different, the opposite: intimate, tight but at the same time "big" (O-Soundstage), colorful with a very present (sub)bass. That BCD is simply addictive and I will never want to do without it again! Mentor is strong, pompous, powerful. it drops a veil hearing it after Viking Ragnar. Vocals are better on Viking Ragnar and are more in the foreground. On Mentor they are not as realistic, vivid and are more in the background - which I also like a lot! Viking Ragnar gives me in general more emotion, dispersion in the music (because of those mentioned peculiarities of sound reproduction) and "wow" effects. For me the resolution is also a bit higher, complicated passages are scanned better, the details are simply "there". With Mentor these details you have to "look for", to respect it sounds in certain very complex passages "blurred" (don't get me wrong, it is not at all so…). On the other hand Mentor is predictable since I have always had IEMs with similar timbres and so it is rationally "safer" for me, but emotionally I am now for Viking Ragnar.

If I had to make a decision between the two right now, I definitely couldn't decide. They both sound so damn opposite and great and I find that extremely attractive. It's amazing how the same music can completely transform when you listen to it with a different IEM. Sometimes I feel more "dark" and want to hear Mentor, sometimes I feel more "bright", so Viking Ragnar. To quote Animagus "As a listener, you can choose to use flat speakers, maybe add in a nice sub-woofer and calibrate them to play all FR regions evenly = which is what FLAT technically is. If you like coloured speakers that enhance bass and treble, sure, go for it! If one likes neutrally tuned IEMs/headphones to versions of well established target curves like Etymotic DF or Harman, great! Or if you like coloured IEMs/headphones that presents songs with a larger than life presentation, like you're listening to them in a concert arena, maybe even the Royal Albert Hall (lol!), that's great too! Why not have all of them for different moods!"

Can't be more agree. Everything in my collection sound veil to some level after Ragnar. And those level of realism is really something. But bone conduction driver is really something too. So when I want little less perfect Ragnar with BCD the KK with Orpheus Shielding (boost on details and soundstage and add emotion in vocal) never think I will able to hear something like this from any IEMs even better than Susvara IMO.

Orpheus! The tuning is perfect with Ragnar, and the detail and soundstage are incredible. FT is also a good choice. FTS has more air/energy in the treble, more similar to the stock cable in that regard, but still adds a bit of warmth. All of them, especially Orpheus, add more power to the bass.

I second this Orpheus Shield transform Ragnar from nearly perfect to perfect my ears.

 

[drftr]

IEMs: Kublai Khan, Trailli, Le Jardin, Ragnar.

Being familiar with the others where does Le Jardin fit in your IEM collection if I may ask?

drftr

 

[RTodd]

Well, you can always take the mix or pre-master used for the DSD master, and master it traditionally. Also, if DSD can be played as PCM, then there’s a good chance you could convert DSD to PCM, i.e. WAV, AAC, “standard” audio formats. So, conversion and comparison should be possible.


That’s the no. 1, unspoken danger of listening at shows like CanJam, for example. You spend 15 minutes listening to a new IEM from brand A, then you instantly go to a new IEM from brand B. Whiplash is guaranteed. And, in your case, you were able to expect that whiplash ‘cus you’ve heard the F5 and Trifecta, and you’re aware of how contrasting they are. If they’re new IEMs you’re just hearing at a CanJam, you won’t be able to prepare for it, and your first impressions of that IEM will be that very sense of whiplash. It’s why I always take 10 seconds after a demo, take a deep breath and try to clear my head as much as I can before going onto the next one.

I like to have 4 hours before deciding anything about a set, impossible at CJ events. All I can hope for is enough time to find a set interesting heard at CJ to then get a longer listen later.

But yeah we could just discount the set and move on too quickly. That last CJ show I was very fatigued at the end to the point that I could not tell much of anything.

 

[Silverlinings]

So, here is my personal opinion about Mentor vs. Viking Ragnar. These are just spontaneous impressions I have from an A/B comparison:

As far as I'm concerned Viking Ragnar simply has a whole other level of realism, clarity and soundstage/imaging than Mentor (which itself is already famous just for soundstage/imaging), the impression I have is that instruments and voices come out of a completely silent background like lightsabers in the most disparate directions (the soundstage is definitely wider but not so tall, but more airy and with more separation) and sound exactly "as they should be" (call it "neutrality"... maybe "reference"?! Just kidding! ). This level of realism is simply incredible - especially if you come from the Mentor or Trifecta. From this perspective, I don't even find Viking Ragnar (too) cold, bright or similar. It is just "right". Mentor is in this respect completely different, the opposite: intimate, tight but at the same time "big" (O-Soundstage), colorful with a very present (sub)bass. That BCD is simply addictive and I will never want to do without it again! Mentor is strong, pompous, powerful. it drops a veil hearing it after Viking Ragnar. Vocals are better on Viking Ragnar and are more in the foreground. On Mentor they are not as realistic, vivid and are more in the background - which I also like a lot! Viking Ragnar gives me in general more emotion, dispersion in the music (because of those mentioned peculiarities of sound reproduction) and "wow" effects. For me the resolution is also a bit higher, complicated passages are scanned better, the details are simply "there". With Mentor these details you have to "look for", to respect it sounds in certain very complex passages "blurred" (don't get me wrong, it is not at all so…). On the other hand Mentor is predictable since I have always had IEMs with similar timbres and so it is rationally "safer" for me, but emotionally I am now for Viking Ragnar.

If I had to make a decision between the two right now, I definitely couldn't decide. They both sound so damn opposite and great and I find that extremely attractive. It's amazing how the same music can completely transform when you listen to it with a different IEM. Sometimes I feel more "dark" and want to hear Mentor, sometimes I feel more "bright", so Viking Ragnar. To quote Animagus "As a listener, you can choose to use flat speakers, maybe add in a nice sub-woofer and calibrate them to play all FR regions evenly = which is what FLAT technically is. If you like coloured speakers that enhance bass and treble, sure, go for it! If one likes neutrally tuned IEMs/headphones to versions of well established target curves like Etymotic DF or Harman, great! Or if you like coloured IEMs/headphones that presents songs with a larger than life presentation, like you're listening to them in a concert arena, maybe even the Royal Albert Hall (lol!), that's great too! Why not have all of them for different moods!"

I wish I had the same impressions as you. I think because of the poor fit for me on the Ragnar all I heard was treble with very little bass. For me the Ragnar didn’t have any warmth to its sound and made all genres sound similar, but again I think most of that was just a fit issue unfortunately. Noble iem’s in general you have to have have big ears in order to get a great comfortable fit. I had the kublai khan too and liked it but again I had a little soreness when I wore them for long periods of time which made me sell them.

 

[phiemon]

I wish I had the same impressions as you. I think because of the poor fit for me on the Ragnar all I heard was treble with very little bass. For me the Ragnar didn’t have any warmth to its sound and made all genres sound similar, but again I think most of that was just a fit issue unfortunately. Noble iem’s in general you have to have have big ears in order to get a great comfortable fit. I had the kublai khan too and liked it but again I had a little soreness when I wore them for long periods of time which made me sell them.

I was actually worried that Viking Ragnar wouldn't really fit for me or just poorly. And you are the one who is to blame for this, because what you had written made me worried a lot . But instead I have to say that the fit is just perfect. It fits in my ears like forged and disappear after less time. I find him more comfortable than Mentor (because the stock cable from the Mentor is not so ergonomic). The isolation is also very satisfactory (Mentor here too).

I would certainly have concerns about Ronin, and I would never blindly buy it for that reason alone. It is just BIG!

 

[LH86]

Being familiar with the others where does Le Jardin fit in your IEM collection if I may ask?

drftr

Le Jardin are my attempt to find true TOTL sound along with Trailli as people praised them like crazy and back then I found KK lack of something I can't explain like they sound so good but at the same time I felt lack of something. I ended up bought one Viking Ragnar and they sound like upgraded KK but still lack of something to my ears.

So fast forward I decided to blind buy Mason FS, and for the first time I heard Mason FS I was really disappointed SQ wise. They sound muddy and grainy compare to KK and Viking Ragnar.

So I read some thought of people about FS in this thread seem like people found them veil in mid which is exactly what I felt. And they said Red Halo, Le Jardin fixed that, So I blind buy Le Jardin and Trailli in additional just to hear true TOTL sound. But I was disappointed again because both didn't sound as realism as KK let alone Viking Ragnar.

Then I start to have a thought that maybe cable didn't do justice for them. So I opted in for Orpheus Shield. In the end it didn't help Mason and Trailli much (I even enjoy Trailli with Code 23 more.) But when I connected the Orpheus to my KK and Ragnar it's just OMG. Level of realism and details sweetness in sound basically everything I ever want. At first I think if IEMs can give me about 80% of what Susvara gave me will be miracle already. But now I really feel that these are even better than Susvara.

That my honest thought about all these earphones.

And I found I didn't touch or even want to touch Le Jardin at all. But MM is different definitely have something interesting in them. And now I try to trade Le Jardin with MM from my friend.

 

[maegnificant]

Sorry folks if the question has certainly come up many times. I tried to find an answer myself, but unfortunately without success.

Short and sweet. Better sound quality: Tidal Master (MQA) or Qobuz Hi-Res? Is MQA really somehow "falsified" as I read somewhere? Because Tidal writes that the master quality comes directly from the studio recording.

EDIT: I will switch to Qobuz: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...i-published-music-on-tidal-to-test-mqa.22549/

MQA is a proven scam. That's all what there is to say about it at this point and whoever chooses not to believe it, won't and doesn't have to.