Tag Archives: polaris

Campfire Polaris 2 IEM Review & Video

Posted on by
1

Campfire Polaris 2 Dual Hybrid Driver Earphone Review & Video

Have you met the new Campfire Audio Polaris?

Hey everyone, John here. Campfire Audio is quickly becoming a big name in the world of earphones. Their bold and creative designs really stand out, and whether you look at their artwork, packaging or the products themselves, it’s obvious Campfire Audio love what they do. The Polaris was recently updated with a new cable, design and improved sound quality! Here’s what we think about them.

Build

As is always the case with Campfire Audio products, the build quality of the new Polaris is faultless. The housings have been constructed using aluminium, with a blue anodized finish. Stainless steel has been used for the black sound tubes and then the whole look is finished off with black screws holding it all together. The new cable is a definite improvement. Campfire’s silver plated copper Litz cable has been given a new smoky jacket and feels more flexible than the previous cable. The ear guides on the cable have also changed, scrapping the memory wire and replacing it with a more comfortable coating that can be moulded to fit your ear nicely.

Campfire Audio Polaris 2 Main

Comfort

The way Campfire Audio has designed the housings on the Polaris makes them very comfortable. They sit nice and snug in my ears and they stay comfortable even after long periods of listening.

Accessories

Included with the Polaris is a number of accessories, including a mixture of silicone and foam eartips of different sizes, small protective cloth bags, a larger blue leather protective carry case, a cleaning tool and a Campfire Audio lapel pin. Thanks to the amount of eartips supplied, you should have no problem finding the right fit. Just make sure you try all of the tips, as getting that good seal makes a huge difference to the sound quality.

Specs

The Polaris is equally impressive inside as they are outside. Campfire’s Polaris has a hybrid driver setup, with each housing containing a balanced armature driver and a 9.2mm dynamic driver. This pairing delivers the best of both worlds, with the balanced armature looking after the higher frequencies, and then the large dynamic driver taking care of the low end. Campfire Audio has developed some of their own technology, and it is present in the Polaris. The balanced armature driver has Campfire’s T.A.E.C. or ‘tuned acoustic expansion chamber’; this helps with treble extension and top end sparkle. Then the Polarity Tuned Chamber brings the most out of the dynamic driver.

Sound Quality

These earphones deliver a high energy sound with plenty of bass power and crisp clarity. These aren’t going to be for those looking for that reference kind of sound, or something neutral. The Polaris has brought fun listening to the high-end audio world.

  • Bass response

Bass is where it’s at with the Polaris. It’s full, weighty and goes really low. Campfire Audio have managed to reign it in enough not to overpower the mids or become bloated: it emphasizes and celebrates bass as opposed to adding more of it.

  • Midrange (instrumental/vocals)

Mids sit very comfortably in the mix. They are crisp without being too forward and gives the bass definition. Vocals nestle nicely in a pillow of low end goodness, coming across clear and well defined.

  • Treble (extension)

Treble on the Polaris extends far, providing space and sparkle. Reverbs tail off naturally and the top end detail makes separation very impressive. There’s a great sense of where instruments are placed and there’s an impressive depth to the sound.

Conclusion

The 4 to 500 pound price bracket has become quite a sweet spot for earphones, with competition coming from the likes of Flare Audio, Final, Westone, Oriveti and Shure. Luckily the Polaris has a lot going for it, and really stands out amongst the crowd. Their bass is like nothing else and Campfire Audio’s design is bold and attractive. If you enjoy good quality bass and want your earphones to deliver a fun and energetic listening experience, then check out the Polaris. Your ears will be happy.

Campfire Audio Polaris 2 Review

Posted on by
Reply

Campfire Audio Polaris

Aesthetics and Build Quality:

Much like all other Campfire models, the Polaris are a thing of beauty. The precision CNC’s machined housings look perfect, the blue really does stand out against the black screws and smoky cable. Even the case compliments the colour scheme. Campfire, in my opinion, make some of the best-looking IEM’s out there.

Build quality is another strong point, the metal housings are perfectly finished, and the MMCX sockets are some of the best I have ever come across. The cable is a silver plated litz cable that is twisted, with good strain relief on the 3.5mm angled jack. I can see the anodised finish showing scratches in the long run, but I personally find that adds character to them.

Comfort and Isolation:

The housings may look uncomfortable but the inner sides have softer edges and once you find the right tips the Polaris are incredibly secure and comfortable to use. I found them to fit and sound best with foam tips, but this is down to personal preference. The cable now uses pre-moulded ear-hooks which I find to sit much better than stiff memory wire, it’s great to see more brands using this. My one tiny gripe here is driver flex, which is quite present when you first insert them.

Isolation is very good, perfect for daily use and commuting, even though the housing is vented for the dynamic driver, I don’t find this impacting isolation much.

 

Sound:

Bass: This is the part that is immediately noticeable when you first try the Polaris, and for good reason. These are made to deliver a very full and powerful sound, and they do that without fault. The bass carries real weight and impact, you feel as well as hear the notes. The bass may be the prominent frequency band on these, but they do this without totally masking the rest of the frequency response. They are not a dark, bloated mess, yet they still have a bass-heavy signature which is very impressive and a lot of fun. The sheer weight and power of the low end is quite astonishing, yet it manages to steer clear from masking the mid-range too much, only giving the lower midrange a hint of warmth.

 

Midrange: The midrange is clear and detailed, yet does come across a little behind the bass in terms of absolute presence. The lows do give a little body to the lower midrange, but the upper midrange is quite up front. The transition from the upper midrange to the lower treble is not the smoothest, bringing out a bit of sibilance in the recording. They do not suffer badly from sibilance, but it is there nonetheless, and more present than a few other IEM’s that are a little smoother. The Polaris trade off a little refinement for fun factor, and I honestly am fine with that. They are engaging, the midrange is clear and well defined, especially when you compare it to the bass.

 

Treble: Due to the T.A.E.C technology, the Polaris has an incredibly open and airy top end. The treble extends effortlessly with excellent tonality and presence, however is it not peaky or harsh. The openness of the top end really aids the soundstaging capabilities of the Polaris, offering a really spacious sound that is not congested or closed in. There is plenty of detail up top and the energy is what mainly prevents the Polaris from sounding too dark. I really do enjoy the treble performance of the Polaris, providing the perfect balance between being there and clearly audible, but not bright and overbearing. Campfire don’t need to artificially boost the top end to give a sense of extra detail, because the detail is there and audible.

Conclusion

The Polaris are one hell of an IEM, with a very powerful and engaging sound signature. The bass is there by the bucketload, yet the midrange is detailed and only slightly behind when it comes to presence. The highs are effortlessly extended and packed full of detail, giving them a sense of space and air that really opens the Polaris up. Overall a great buy if you want an engaging and powerful IEM.

 

Sound:  4/5

Comfort: 5/5

Build: 5/5

Value: 5/5