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Campfire Audio Solaris Review

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Aesthetics and Build Quality:

The Solaris do not take a low-key approach when it comes to looks, with a gold faceplate and large housing they definitely stand out in the crowd. They do however look great, you can see the craftsmanship in the machining of the shells, and everything feels very premium.

Build quality is superb again, with aluminium shells that are CNC machined, the cable is silver plated and slightly thicker than the one on the Andromeda. Everything is very well built and feels solid, albeit a little on the heavier side.

Comfort and Isolation:

Well there is no escaping just how big the Solaris are, and depending on the size and shape of your ears the fit will vary. I have quite small ears, and the Solaris stick out quite far, but do stay in fine with the right tips. They are not uncomfortable, just a little cumbersome.

Isolation is good on these; they do have a vent for the dynamic driver but this doesn’t seem to affect their isolation and these are great for on-the-go use or commuting and hold up well in loud environments.

Sound:

Bass: Having a single dynamic driver handling bass duties, these have more impact and rumble when compared to a more neutral IEM like their sibling the Andromeda. These have incredible articulation down low, there is a slight increase in presence down low to keep things tilted towards a more fun sound signature. However, the bass does a good job at controlling its body, and it never manages to get in the way of the midrange.

Midrange: The midrange on the Solaris is clean and clear, not suffering from the typical warm lower midrange due to bass bloat. This is where the BA drivers kick in and through out incredibly crisp and detailed mids that sound natural and tonally accurate. The midrange sits perfectly in the mix, without being pushed back, the extra body down low does not translate to a v-shaped sound signature.  The transition from the midrange to the treble is smooth and sibilance is not an issue with the Solaris.

Treble: The treble on the Solaris is very tastefully done, packed full of detail yet with a smooth and effortless extension allowing them to shine yet without fatigue. There is no artificial boosting to create a sense of detail, instead they decide to have a more even-handed approach and allow you to enjoy the music but also the detail is there if you want to listen. The precision of the treble is really impressive and their placement within the soundstage is very accurate.

The soundstaging of the Solaris is a definite highlight, there is great width and height and everything is incredibly well separated.

Conclusion:

The Solaris are incredibly coherent from top to bottom, with a mild emphasis on the bass region. They are a full bodied yet well balanced IEM that handle pretty much anything you throw at them. They may be expensive, but their performance is truly superb.

 

Sound: 5/5

Comfort: 3/5

Build Quality: 5/5

Value: 4/5

Campfire Audio Comet IEM – Video Review

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Campfire Audio Comet In-Ear Headphone Video Review

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.

Campfire Audio Comet IEM

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.

DUNU DK-3001 Hybrid Quad Driver Earphone Review – Hybrid Theory

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DUNU DK-3001 Hybrid Quad Driver IEM Review

The Dunu DK-3001 is a detailed and well balanced IEM, lending it’s hand to all genres and never becoming congested or peaky. A technical achiever that is also a lot of fun to listen to.

Pros:

  • Overall balanced and detailed sound
  • Layering
  • Soundstage

Cons:

  • Ergonomics
  • Treble may be borderline bright to some

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories

The Dunu DK-3001 are an interesting looking IEM, and very difficult to describe so it’s best to look at the pictures. The stainless housing is low key in black, with Dunu laser etched onto the outside.

The DK-3001 feel very well built, the stainless housing feels tough, the cables have very good strain relief and these use standard MMCX connectors so changing cables out is easy. I cannot find fault with the build, althought the MMCX connectors are extemly tight when first out of the box.

Accessory wise, if you have bought Dunu before, you know they include a ton of extras, these are no exception. They come with a hard plastic case, cable clip, flight adaptor, 3.5mm to 6.3mm adaptor, 2.5mm TRRS balanced spare cable, a pair of Comply foam tips in M, Spinfit tips in SS, S, M and L, and two different types of silicone tips in S, M and L.

Everything you need to get a good fit, and having a balanced cable is a big plus in my opinion, there is nothing missing with these.

Comfort, Isolation and Cable Noise

Well the housing of the DK-3001 is subject to some comfort issues, as they are not the most ergonomic IEMs out there. However I did find these to be more comfortable than the Dunu DN-2002. There are some sharp edges on the housing that can cause some discomfort over prolonged periods of time for some people, but once I got a good fit I found them to be quite comfortable. On a personal note I dislike memory wire, so getting a good upgrade cable could be useful for some.

Isolation is fairly average as these are vented, they don’t block out much outside noise so are not the best for very noisy environments, but general commuting and use will be fine.

Cable noise is not an issue with these.

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READ MORE: MrSpeakers Aeon Audiophile Headphone Review

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Sound

  • Bass

The bass on these is dynamic and full, it is quick and nimble when needed yet comes out in full when called for. Bass guitar lines are superbly controlled and easy to follow, kick drums hit with punch and authority, but all in line with the rest of the sound. The bass is not dominating in any way, it is well behaved but extremely articulate and well layered. They extend right down into the sub-bass with ease, acoustic guitars have very real body and the bass never gets in the way of the mids.

  • Midrange

The midrange is well detailed, the bass does not create additional warmth which allows the midrange to shine. I find the midrange to be quite smooth without huge peaks or dips, these is however slightly more presence in the upper mids. The don’t however suffer from sibilance in the upper mids, and what is excellent is the amount of fine detail that can be extracted from the mids.

  • Treble

The treble is crisp and clear, it has some added sparkle and presence and could be borderline bright for treble sensitive people. I find them to have excellent definition, extension and presence. The treble is not laid back, it is there allowing you to hear and distinguish every cymbal tap.

  • Soundstage

The soundstage is quite wide and airy, these is plenty of space between instruments and the soundstage is accurate and not artificial sounding. Instrument separation is excellent, with everything being easy to pick out, even in fast and technical tracks.

Conclusion

The Dunu DK-3001 is a very well done hybrid IEM, the bass is dynamic and punchy, with excellent and realistic body. The midrange is well layered and very detailed, with and hint of smoothness to it. The highs are always present, yet not fatiguing. These work well with all genres, the bass is fun and energetic in EDM, and rock comes across with detail and layering. Jazz has a very natural tone, and they just take all genres in their stride, however their ability to control heavy metal is truly impressive.

Dita Dream Earphone Review

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Dita Audio Dream IEM Review

The Dita Dream are a dream to listen to with well recorded lossless files, transparent and effortless, with an excellent soundstage to boot, a true TOTL IEM.

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories

The Dita dream come in a very high quality white card box, lift off the top and the Dita Dream are held in a velvet coated foam insert. Lift this up and you will find another compartment with the accessories underneath.
The Dream themselves are metal bodied, matte black IEM’s which look great and feel like the premium product they are. The cable is very well built and comes with the Awesome plug, and interchangeable plug system that really is nifty. The overall look and feel of these is excellent and they ooze quality as well as being rather understated.

The build quality of the Dita Dream is superb, the metal housing is sturdy yet relatively lightweight, the cable is thick and detachable, the Awesome plug is a system that allows you to change the plug from 3.5mm single ended to 2.5mm balanced, or many others that you can purchase separately. There is good strain relief throughout, and I see not issues arising from the build quality.

Accessory wise you get a very nice leather pouch to store them in, and a plethora of tips. You get S, M and L in 3 types of silicone tips, one is wide bore soft stem, one is wide bore stiffer stem, and the last one has a blue stem and slightly stiffer outer silicone. Also included is a flight adaptor, so you get everything you need to get started.

Comfort, Isolation, Cable Noise and Driver Flex

The Dita Dream are a dream to wear, the shape of the housing is perfect and fits my small ears well, the angle of the nozzle means they don’t protrude at and odd angle and you can achieve quite a deep fit with them. The cable to begin with is a little unruly and stiff, but I am sure it will soften up with some use.

Isolation is very good, blocking out a large amount of outside noise, they are vented but this doesn’t seem to affect the isolation much.

Cable noise is minimal as it is routed behind your ear.

Driver flex is present upon initial insertion, but is not a big problem.

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READ MORE: Final E3000 & E2000 Earphone Review

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Sound Quality

  • Bass

The bass is incredibly punchy and the sub-bass response is truly impressive, extending right down into the sub-bass without any early roll-off. Listen to some rock and you can feel the kick drums, listen to some EDM and the lows are equally as happy being full and vibrant, yet never sounding out of control. I have not heard rumble like this, from any other IEM, yet it isn’t over the top, the rumble only comes out when called for. The lows also do a good job at staying separate from the lower mids, not warming them up. I will also add the the layering and resolution down low is excellent.

  • Mids

The midrange is delicate, and wonderfully detailed, you can really pick apart the recording with these, hearing every nuance. The midrange is very clean, having the tendency to be a little more on the analytical side. Here you can hear every pick of a guitar string, every breath a singer takes, very insightful but not fatiguing. There is no sibilance up top either, and during harmonies you can clearly tell where each singer is positioned.

  • Treble

Not lacking in any way up top yet also not fatiguing, the highs are as good as the recording allows them to be. With well recorded music you will be presented with effortlessly extended highs that have excellent transparency and also air. Never fading to the back even during faster tracks, you can always hear the energy and detail up top.

Soundstage

The soundstage is both deep and wide, with excellent imaging and they give you a real sense of the space in ambient and live recordings.

Conclusion

The Dita Dream are a fun sounding IEM where everything is on a level playing field, nothing sticks out and nothing is missing. They are incredibly detailed, yet not analytical, however they do allow great insight into the recording should you want to analyse it. The space and air around each instrument is a highlight, and the transparency means you will definitely want to listen to better recorded lossless files on these. These have dynamics that mulitple BA designs cannot hope to match, they are a true TOTL dynamic driver IEM.

Oriveti New Primacy Earphone Review

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Oriveti New Primacy IEM Review

The Oriveti New Primacy are a slightly mid forward sounding in-ear headphone, with excellent air, detail retrieval and layering, a must listen at this price range.

Pros:

  • Clarity
  • Control
  • Detail retrieval

Cons:

  • Highs could be a little more refined

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories

The Oriveti New Primacy are a beautiful in-ear headphone, with seductive curves and a smooth finish. With a simple logo on each earpiece, they are understated, and the braided cable adds to the quality feel.

The build quality is top notch, the New Primacy housing is metal and very well finished, the cable is a 8 core braided cable with MMCX connectors. The MMCX connectors are tight and do not detach easily, or cut out, the jack is right angled with excellent traind relief and the y-split is a small piece of heatshrink. There is a chin slider, but there is lack of strain relief where the cable goes into the MMCX connector. Overall a very well built headphone that should last a long time.

Accessory wise these do not disappoint, they come with a multitude of tips 2 pairs of each silicon tip (S,M,L), 2 pairs of bi-flange tips, along with 2 pairs of medium foam tips, you also get a sleek metal carry case, flight adaptor, 3.5 to 6.3mm adaptor and a pair of earhooks. An excellent amount of accessories, to ensure everyone will be able to get a good fit.

Comfort, Isolation, Cable Noise and Driver Flex

The New Primacy are extremely comfortable due to their smooth shape and ease of insertion. The cable is soft and flexible and you really don’t feel them once inserted properly.

Isolation is good, they managed to block out a lot of outside noise effectivey and would be perfect for the daily commute.

Cable noise is not an issue with these, however there is a slight bit of driver flex upon insertion.

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READ MORE: Dunu DN-2002 Hybrid Quad Driver IEM Review

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Sound Quality

  • Bass

The bass on these will not overpower the rest of the sound, but they will create a solid foundation for the whole sound. They are full bodied, yet tight and impactful when called for, with excellent extension. They won’t satisfy bassheads, but for most there will be enough presence to keep things fun without excess. The dyanmic driver really gives these an articulate and well balanced low end, that can keep up with heavy rock, yet also the full body of acoustic recordings. I find there is a bit of mid-bass bloom, but this only adds a little extra body and does not affect the lower midrange.

  • Mids

The midrange is detailed and linear, nothing stands out apart from the excellent clarity and air. Both male and female vocals sound exceptional with very good detail retrieval, only the slightest hint of sibilance. Tonally they are good but maybe a litte dry for some tastes, not sounding as warm and euphoric as some out there.

  • Highs

The highs have good air and extension, and they are well presented in the mix. The great thing about the highs on these is the lack of peakiness, meaning whilst they are always present they are never fatiguing. They are sparkly and have good detail and resolution with great layering, overall very good treble indeed.

  • Soundstage

The soundstage is fairly intimate, with slightly forward mids, the instrument separation is very good with an airy presentation though.

Conclusion

The Oriveti New Primacy has a bit of a mid forward sound signature, with excellent clarity and air throughout the range, the bass digs deep and is very articulate, the mids have a habit of bringing out all the detail in recordings but not in an unpleasant way. The highs are airy and well extended, without fatiguing properties, overall a very comfortable and enjoyable listen. The New primacy manages to be a very coherent sounding hybrid design, with a very well textured an layered sound.