Campfire Audio Andromeda Review: Holy Cow, This is a Dream, Awesomesauce!

Question for the other ZX2 owners. When disabling sound adjustments, should I expect the same improvement on locally stored music as well as Tidal? When I disabled it while playing locally stored music the volume jumped up and the effects were gone. Sounds great. When I switch over to Tidal the gain is reduced and I have to turn it up significanlty to match the local music. Going back and forth between the two it's the same. Does this mean Tidal was already outside of the control of the ZX2 "enhanements"? I know on a MAC you can not adjust EQ using the system while playing Tidal. Your only option is an ap like Roon that ties into Tidal. Maybe this is why I wasn't blown away with the difference of diabling it or not at first. Most of my music is downloaded off line Tidal content. I just happned to listen to some hi-res local files that I moved to the ZX2 or would not have noticed this.

 

Yeah, you're welcome!

I'm just bending it back to shape. I haven't found a way to reduce memory yet.

Sound-wise? I'd have to say Ref 8 + ZX2. But No.5 + AK120 is not so far behind and is ergonomically superior by a mile... AK120 being the more portable player and No.5 being far softer with no memory. I have used AK120 a lot these days because it's far more portable than ZX2 and I can't get Tidal with ZX2 without my phone also being in tow anyway... so ultimately, I'm using Andro + iPhone for Tidal and Andro + AK120 for everything else. Might consider selling ZX2 soon.

Yeah, the jack is a bit underwhelming compared to the rest of the cable. I might recable it to a non-Oyaide right-angle jack at some point for kicks... but for now, I'm happy with the sound and everything.

 

Greetings,

I have had the Andromedas for a couple of weeks now and I can't say enough nice things about them! But I am here today to ask for some advice, I am looking for a dap that can also be used as a dac for my home PC. I see that the AK 120 ii has been thrown around a little in this thread and wanted to see if that was a viable option. Any suggestions / advice would be greatly appreciated!

I am also considering picking up the UE18+ so if that has any affect on the choice please let me know.

Thanks!

 

for those who want a more ref 8 like cable but with #5 like ergonomics, i am currently using the effect audio eros II+ with good success. it's a 22 gauge 4 conductor (2 6N copper occ / 2 4N silver occ) it's less "thick" sounding and more detailed cable without harshness.

 

Thanks for this post. I always appreciate the level of effort, thought, and detail you put into your comparisons. Ref8 was on my list, but I know the stiffness would have driven me crazy. Looks like I'm curious to try No. 5 instead. I don't think I'll mind the added warmth to the already warm Vega.

 

spoke to PW, fyi

no 5 international = mids and upper bass accentuated.

no 5 jap version (with wood splitter) = upper mids accentuated, voiced for oriolus 2

ultra copper = neutral/widebandwith

they are all similarly priced

 

So that's why I have a wood splitter on my no.5..... Cool, guess I'll want to get it fixed after all

 

@deafdoorknob was kind enough to send me his PW Audio No. 5 and Linum BaX cables to try with the Andros. My reference is PW's Copper 28 which I bought because I couldn't stand the memory wire on the stock Litz. Sources used were Sony A35, micro iDSD/iDAC2 (w/ and w/o iEMatch, -12dB prototype pigtail). Here are some impressions when paired with Andro, compared to the Copper 28 unless otherwise noted.

PW Audio No. 5

• Bass seems a bit phatter, punchier.
• A touch more crispness in mids/highs.
• Maybe a bit more detail, layering.
• Handles like a dream. Absolutely no memory. Soft and supple as a the best Corinthian leather.
  
• Heatshrink earhooks on the No. 5 have only 1 layer and aren't as firm/rigid, my Copper 28 has 2 layers. (I checked with PW and he can put a 2nd layer of heatshrink on for HKD150 + return shipping.)
• Metal neck slider has just the right amount of grip, unlike the wooden one that came with my Copper 28 that couldn't hold its position. I sent it back and had PW replace it with one made of heatshrink.
  
• Disappointingly, I'm finding the No. 5 almost as microbionic as the Litz. I think I tend to subconsciously flex my ear muscles and that generates a crinkly sound. Also the cable rubbing against my chest conducts noise to the IEM. The Copper 28 has almost zero mechanical noise, I think in part because the earhook squeezes firmly against the back of my ear, as well as the cable itself being lighter.

Stock Litz

• Oh man, ... sparkly, tingly, tinselly. Didn't notice this difference when I first got the Copper 28, but it's very obvious now going back to the Litz from both the PWA cables.
• Still microbionic after removing the memory wire, but less fiddly

Linum BaX

• Super thin and could double as a garrotte. Perfect cable for James Bond.
• No memory from the Y-split to the MMCX connector, but the braided part stays coiled like a Slinky all the way to the teensy-weensy 3.5mm plug.
• Definitely notice the 1.5 Ω impedance affecting the bass response of the Andros.
• Highs have a slightly brittle sound, about halfway between the PW coppers and the Litz.
• Bass is more subdued than the PW coppers.
• The neck slider is rather difficult to move up and down.
• Absofuckinglutely zero microphonics.*

*Edit, forgot to mention this.


Suspects in question:


Andro No. 5


Geez, I can't believe I just did a cable review that included differences in sonic attributes.

 

I've had a couple of those linum cables in the past and had all of them fail on me a few months later. If I knew how to solder it probably wouldn't be a big deal but since I don't they were disappointing. The cable itself was great (especially for a glasses user) and would be an instant buy if it wasn't for my past experience with them.

 

Yeah, after a while, I've also noticed my No.5 having some microbionics or weird... fuzz fuzz sound whenever I flex my ear muscles as well... subconsciously or consciously. Gonna send the cable back and see if Music Sanctuary can help me tighten the connection. Other than that, nothing else to complain about anything else.

 

@Bill-P before you do that, wait for me to get mine back from PW. I decided to buy them from @deafdoorknob and sent them to have a 2nd layer of heatshrink put on the ear hooks like my Copper 28s have. I'll let you know how it works and it'll be more expedient going through PW directly (unless MS will take care of it gratis, though PW's fee is nominal).

 

Hello, few years ago I don't really care about iem because on the ambient noise outdoor, so I randomly grabbed a used pair of SE846. Originally I am a full-sized headphone believer, until recently I found my using my IEM at lot at home due to weight, comfort, and sound quality in a quite room. Now I got my hands on the CA Andromeda for around 2 weeks. I started lurking around discussions on portable source gear to pair with my CA Andromeda (Sony NW-WM1A, NW-WM1Z, AK380, SP1000) etc...

Until I read over the Hugo 2 discussion thread on SBAF and saw the statement @Marvey chord portable source dac do not compete with desktop dac (Yggdrasil, Gungnir multibit). So from the Hugo 2 thread, I guess it means that if I do NOT need portability and only care about the quality of the sound, my money on a Yggdrasil is better spent than a Hugo 2. (please correct me if I am wrong.) If that's true, it means that if I want to get the best sound out of my Andromeda / SE846, I should stay away from those portable DAPs and use my desktop Schiit stack at home. (I do NOT need portability)



Problem:
Then I encountered the problem of little background noise on my Andromeda /SE846 when plugging into the Mjolnir 2 single end output. I would also like to play my Andromeda through the 4-Pin XLR on the Mjolnir 2. Since there is background noise on the SE output, I assume it will be the same on 4-pin XLR. I found a local shop that makes 2.5mm female to 4-pin XLR male and I can order one with impedance added choosing between 20omh - 300ohm.

1.) How do I solve the problem of background noise on the Mjolnir 2 when I am listening on my Andromeda on it?

2.) If the impedance adapter is one of the possible solutions, how much omh should I order? Ordering one 2.5mm female to 4-pin XLR with impedance added cost about 65USD I am not comfortable in order a few with different impedance added to test it out. So I need some recommendations on the amount of impedance added.

3.) Or if my approach is totally BS and I should just go to portable gear and buy something like (Sony NW-WM1A) and use it at home to get the most out of my Andromeda, please tell me.

Thank you

 

Oh, cool. Thanks! Yeah, I'm not in a hurry, though it would be nice to have the cable back in time for the school year since I'd rather focus less on gear tuning and more on listening.

Finally heard Hugo 2 with Andromeda. So I have heard Andromeda out of Hugo 2 and Yggdrasil + Ragnarok by this time, and my assessment is: Andromeda is best out of Sony NW-ZX2. It's not even close to me. ZX2 just sounds significantly better than everything else by a mile. Even the 2nd place (AK120) is pretty far to me. I just don't like the interface and the fact that Sony forces ZX2 to have weird software limitations that you have to work around, but other than that, its sound is solid. Don't think portable DAPs are bad. It's just that, personally, I think Hugo 2 is horrible for Andromeda. Just a poor fit.

But that aside... here are my answers to your questions:

1. Use iFi IEMatch.

2. As above. It has adjustable impedance and has balanced output/input mode as well. Use it in between a regular XLR adapter.

3. Don't get NW-WM1A or WM1Z. IMO, they are worse than ZX2 at everything... (the interface is slower/laggier, almost slower than my AK120, their sound is barely better than AK120, and ZX2 without sound enhancements is still significantly better, and they cost more than ZX2 now). I'd still recommend that you go with ZX2 and disable sound enhancements (the process) to get the most out of your Andromeda. Close 2nd would be an AK120, and then a "workable" solution is an iPhone (SE, 6, 6+, 6S, etc...).

 

You have picked two extremely sensitive IEMs. Sooner or later you will always run into problems. You can solve the hiss from almost any source with the iFi iEMatch, though.

Most agree that the Andromeda sounds best at 2 ohms. Personally, I think even higher is even better but you have to figure out a way to tame the treble. At 0 Ohm the Andromeda are warm and full sounding. The midrange is noticeably recessed. Increasing the impedance will result in a more balanced midrange, but also in more pronounced treble. Not sure how sensitive you are, but I thought the midrange sounds best at 6 Ω but the treble was unbearably sibilant. So you will need to figure out your own sweet spot.

I don't think you need a desktop amp for either IEM. The reason the Sony DAPs are so popular with the Andromeda is because they have 2 ohms output impedance. This works for the Andromeda but should have less satisfying results with the Shure SE846. Usually an output close to 0 ohms is always preferable because it does not bend the frequency response. So, if you plan to buy other IEMs in the future, I would try to get a source with close to 0 ohms. Personally, I like the DX200 very much. I would suggest to get the iFi iEmtach anyway, even though the iBasso doesn't hiss. With the iEMatch you can switch between (close to) 0 Ω directly from source, 1 Ω (ultra setting) and something around 2.5-3 (high settings).
I have not heard the Hugo 2 yet (still waiting) but the Hugo 1 did hiss with very sensitive IEMs.

 

Thank you for the reply. I will go and grab an iFi iEmatch first. Hope one of my local store got them. I wanted to play from a desktop amp because I also want to use my Gungnir multibit as the source, a DAP does not allow that. I will consider other DAPs later.

 

@Bill-P I doubt MS will be able to help you directly. I have been there a few times and as far as I know, most of the staff are students or part-timers in their 20s who work there to save up for their next CIEM, and unlikely to be technically savvy enough to help you. If anything, they are likely to just forward the cable to PW Audio, so that might mean double shipping on your part.

Unless you are referring to a different Music Sanctuary outside of Singapore, of course.

 

This statement is something I wholeheartly disagree. I reckon you haven't heard the WM1A/WM1Z on balanced connection which takes it to a higher level than the ZX2. Because of Muse Wandering's thoughts, I have compared the balanced and unbalanced connections of the WM1A again and they are not close. I have ownt 2 zx2s and 2 wm1as, and have done very long comparisons between them. I sold my ZX2 to Brencho so we've listened to the same specific unit. Also once the firmware is updated to 1.20, the WM1A does not lag anymore. I don't know your tolerance for hiss, but when listening to classical pieces....the zx2 has so much hiss its unbearable(I tend to listen on low volumes. The maximum i go on the wm1a is 19/120 steps...so similar levels on the zx2). I also remember thegunner100 and Marvey voicing their opinions how they thought the wm1a/wm1z were at least slight improvements on the zx2. If you like a thicker romantic/lush sound then go for the ZX2. I feel zx2 has stronger driver grip and impact, but I found the wm1a more transparent and "organic". Maybe I'll go try another zx2 again. I do wholeheartly agree though that ZX2, and the WM series are the best match for the Andromedas.

 

I have heard WM1A/1Z out of balanced (WM1Z was Ken Ball's, by the way), and my assessment stands: they are not comparable to ZX2 with Sound Enhancements properly disabled (note: this is actually more elaborate than it seems). With firmware 1.20, Ken's WM1Z was indeed less laggy, but his music list was still long enough that it would stutter. ZX2 almost never stutters at all once you have disabled all of the unnecessary stuffs.

Yes, I agree that ZX2 w/ sound enhancements not disabled is actually inferior to WM1A. No qualm about that, but I suspect you never disabled sound enhancements properly on ZX2. ZX2 w/ sound enhancements not disabled = thick, darker, less airy than WM1A. ZX2 w/ sound enhancements disabled properly (again, more complicated than it seems) = still thick but not dark, and has better transient than WM1A. I couldn't quite get WM1A to sound like ZX2 despite trying to disable everything I could within the interface (maybe I should have upgraded to firmware 1.20?). But... admittedly, WM1A did hiss less regardless. ZX2 hiss is actually more apparent once sound enhancements are disabled because I suspect the output is "cleaner" per se.

I think this is a case of listening levels. I listen typically between 1/3 - 1/2 the volume slider on ZX2, and you're listening to far lower than that, so for you, less hiss is preferable over everything else. I do hear hiss with ZX2, even when it's using the franken TRRS connector, but I can live with it at higher volume and with non-quiet music.

 

You suspect that I never disabled sound enhancements...hmm....on that claim...I am quite sure I listened to the ZX2 on all diff configurations. One with the SA on, one with all SA enhancements disabled, and one where you only kill the SA on the running tab while keeping it on the all tab which relieves in my opinion the midbass bloat and lower treble performance of the ZX2. I do agree transient response kicks much harder on the ZX2 and it is one thing that I miss from the WM1A. However, I hear much more transparency in the bass and mids for the WM1A. The sound is more open for lack of a better word and for transients it doesn't seem like front row pounding and more like fifth row pounding. I do not know if you listened to Ken's WM1Z on High gain because on High gain, the transient response is quite close to the ZX2. I wouldn't listen to the WM1A/WM1Z on low gain.....On Low gain, I would prefer the ZX2 . I wish it wasn't a pita to make sony players sound optimal.