Campfire Polaris: Dual driver hybrid

Necroing this up a bit, is anyone still using a Polaris? How are these with metal/core genres? No doubt kicks and guitars are well represented, but do vocals suffer much?

 

To answer my own question, the Polaris is pretty great with metal, depending on the genre. Great with more modern stuff, probably not great with heavier, slower genres. Guitars generally are super clear and bitey, downtuned guitars will occasionally suffer from the lack of lower mids, but so far it's not a biggie. Very low vocals (death growls) might sound a bit weird as well, I wouldn't recommend these for old school death metal. Drums are to die for, super fast and punchy. On some shittily mastered tracks hats and crashes will almost veer into sibilance, but never do, very cool.

Obseravations made with ifi iDSD Nano BL and medium foam tips.

 

So CA came out with the Polaris II not too long ago. This time the whole IEM body is blue (not in duel-colors like the first gen). I been curious on it for months, so when the B-Stock sale was announced for $349, I was like why not…..

First thing first: I believe most people will not like this IEM. It’s a hard hitting bass cannon with the V-Shaped Sound. Also, I think the price isn’t going to be agreeable with most people due to one this is a V-Shaped bass cannon that most people tend to avoid, and two I think the price is kind of a problem when we are dealing with the better IEMs in the market for less (or shit, the used market will give you better choices for $499 new asking price of the Polaris II).

So my B-Stock Polaris II came in yesterday, and I was playing around with it. I’ll make a post in the future to see if my opinions of this will change, but I’ll say this: Good for music that would benefit with an inflated V-Shaped Sound, which to me is on the limited side.

The highs are inflated in order to it to come out with an inflated bass. The mids are hallowed a bit when running anything I throw at it. Bass hits hard, and it goes great with electronic, pop, etc. Shocking for me that it was decent enough for Jazz, but not ideal.

I giggle like a school girl when I’m playing my electronic stuff (later Kraftwerk, later YMO releases, various Bandcamp digital releases, pop like Michael Jackson, George Michael, etc.). When the bass hit, it hits hard to the point I lol in enjoyment.

Soundstage is limited, mostly due to this is an IEM and two I don’t think people would care for it on a V-Shaped IEM. People who are buying this want a nice sounding bass cannon IEM. This is the weird thing for me, the Polaris II have some similarities to the LCD2C that I had before. You know the sound isn’t on a high level and the highs/lows are inflated, but it was still enjoyable. However, while the LCD2C to me had relaxed highs, good mids, and boom boom lows, the Polaris II highs are more engaging, mids are relaxed, and lows hit just as hard as the LCD2C.

I wanted to see what happens if I have a lol fun IEM in my collection to use. That’s why I gotten the Polaris II. We’ll see if I’ll keep it for the long term. With that being said, I think the new asking price of $499 is just too much. I mean, this is a hybrid IEM so CA did put effort into this, and I understand why they are asking $499 for this new. I think with the IEM market full of good sounding IEMs that can also be found for $500 used, I think it is a steep price for a non-technical fun IEM.

I think the price is good for some who for the most part only listen to music that benefit for the V-Shaped sound signature. Tons of video game music that I listen to on top of the electronic stuff. However, I also do listen to classical and jazz as well. The Solaris I have will do great for those genres. I think if getting the Polaris II then one you must have a certain need for it, and two you have other cans/IEMs you can rotate them around. I think you are shooting yourself in the foot if this is the only IEM you have and you are into a wide range of music like I am. I haven’t heard the Drop JVC IEMs yet, but from what people are saying about the JVC that it might be better for more genres than the Polaris II if you want to own one IEM.

Some would say just EQ you stuff if you want bass, I’m too lazy to do that. I prefer running everything direct with no EQ’ing at all. It’s my preference personally. I haven’t heard the first gen Polaris so I can’t compared the II with the I.

At least the Polaris II add much needed bass to some digital pop records of the 90s, which to me most of them sounded quite flat.

 

So YMO, do you still have your Polaris 11 IEMs?

 

Nope, too bassy.