Campfire Audio Comet

Hailing from the other side of the Atlantic – Campfire Audio don’t just create great sounding earphones; they create works of art. Based in Portland Oregon, Campfire design their models in house and for me, they are one of the more exciting brands around right now. The Comet is one of their more recent releases and is their entry level model as just over £200.

Like all of the models in Campfire Audio’s range – the Comet comes packaged in a very cool box covered with colourful artwork. This is a Campfire signature and each model has its own colour combination. Included with the earphones you get a large selection of eartips including Final silicone, standard silicone and foam tips. Individual soft pouches for each driver, a cleaning tool, a lapel pin and a hard carry case – again each model has its own style.

Entry level price – High-end quality

The Comet is Campfire Audio’s newest addition and entry level earphone – a very impressive one at that. Inside the polished stainless steel housing is a single balanced armature driver with acoustic venting – providing a more full and punchier sound than you would normally expect from a single balanced armature earphone. Campfire have also developed their Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber or TAEC – this helps improve treble extension when compared to traditionally used filters.

These earphones are full of fine craftsmanship and creativity – from the packaging all the way down to the speaker grills. The size of the housings make them very comfortable, they sit in the ear naturally and there’s no irritation when worn for long periods. The Comet is supplied with a replaceable copper Litz cable and is connected using MMCX connectors. The cable also has an in line microphone with universal 3 button controls – making the Comet a superb all rounder.

Fun and energetic sound quality

The Comet is a great introduction into Campfire Audio. It gives a clear idea of the experience and sound expected from the brand. What I find most refreshing is that they don’t take themselves too seriously – and this comes across in the sound. On initial listing the Comet is fun and energetic with plenty of bass punch and a very enjoyable richness – qualities that are lost on a lot of higher end IEM brands.Listen more and the finer details start to come through. The bass manages to have power without overshadowing the mids, which are rich and clear, cutting through the mix effortlessly. Then up top the treble provides space and extends far without ever becoming fatiguing or harsh. The sound has plenty of width and soundstage is impressive – close your eyes and you can picture where each sound is coming from.

Overall these earphones are made to enjoy music on. I think anybody can enjoy these – whether you’re after bass, fun, dynamics, style, comfort or detail, these will do it. Just stick them in your ears and enjoy them – that’s what I did.

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Verdict

Great for those relaxing at home and in the office, the Audio-Technica ATH-CHX7iS is a slight departure from the usual style of in-ears and earbuds. Audio-Technica have mashed the two styles in a way that reminds us of the Final Audio Piano Forte Series. These are not designed for all scenarios; on a motorbike journey for instance, enjoyment is reduced to knowing only when cymbals are being used in a recording. Of course, open-back headphones do not receive low scores for leaking sound and so the snappily named Audio-Technica ATH-CHX7iS is being viewed with a similarly open mind.

Pros

• Very comfortable

• Feel secure whilst worn

• Great open wide sound

Cons

• Case very small

• Not for noisy places

Being big in Japan, Audio-Technica have been satisfying the Japanese fetish for personal audio products for some years now and have a huge number of different models. This allows for a little experimentation in the boardroom and some interesting items for us to try.

Key Features

The Audio-Technica ATH-CHX7iS comes with a handy button for smartphone functionality, and a volume control. The volume control does not communicate with the phone, it is a variable resistor only but works very well. The carry case is very small indeed; being hard it will afford some protection but the cable would need to be wound more tightly than perhaps it should. The relatively large size of the driver units doesn’t help either.

First Impressions

We all like something a bit different and the Audio-Technica ATH-CHX7iS is certainly that. Given that portable audio is all about blocking out the outside world, these earphones are a departure from the norm. Perhaps taking a leaf out of Final Audio’s book (their Piano Forte range is similar), Audio-Technica have seen a potential for small, open-backed models for those quieter moments out there, or for casual listening at home.

Sound Quality

As with anything open, the surroundings make a crucial difference and with a design worn like this, people are going to expect to use them outside. Great if it’s quiet, but a bit of road noise will reduce the Audio-Technica ATH-CHX7iS to a tinny irritant by contrast.

At home though, the presentation is as comfortable as the fit and I have the impression of a halfway house between headphones and speakers; it’s like a very cheap alternative to the AKG K1000 speakerphones. Soundstage is the best feature of the Audio-Technica ATH-CHX7iS, along with the natural feel they have.

The sound is very well balanced despite the loss of bass due to the open fit – perfect for lounging around the house while still remaining alert of the surroundings. The sound is on the bright side but this may just be the added soundstage making certain details stand out more, and also the fit. By pushing the capsules gently against my ears the bass is heightened; perhaps it is the design of our ears which might lead to subtle differences here in what we each perceive.

Summary

It would be good to see more models like the Audio-Technica ATH-CHX7iS coming through; we’re in danger of becoming too conventional in the headphones world and being set in our ways. It seems that companies like Audio-Technica and Final Audio don’t want us to get too comfy and are happy to prod us towards a more inclusive attitude. And why not? The headphones concept might be 100 years old, but things are far from predictable; particularly with new technologies being developed and many new ways of using and relating to music to look forward to.

Score – 8.5/10

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