Campfire Audio Solaris - raising the bar?

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by mscott58, Oct 10, 2018.

  1. Mystic

    Mystic Mystique's Spiritual Advisor

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    Every balanced armature design I've tried would give me fatigue after a little while of listening. This happened for years, no matter what iem I tried (warm, bright, bassy, etc). Figured it may of been just the way my ears were designed until I realized that the only iem I ever got along with long term was the Phonak PFE, which uses a single dynamic driver. Decided to give the Lyra 2 a try and loved it, then got the Vegas. I'm assuming I'm sensitive to balanced armatures, not very scientific but it's worked for me lately so I will be sticking to dynamics from now on.

    Yes, I wore the Solaris like that. It's just too big. Even the Andromeda was too big for me. Nobles and Shures are too big as well. Small iems like the CA dynamics (not sure about Atlas though, looks kind of big) & MD Plus fit perfectly.
     
  2. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    @Mystic, the Phonak PFE parent company is a hearing aid company. The PFE 012/112/132 variants were all a single armature iems and the 232 was their dual armature model. I believe all models used the same changeable filter system.
     
  3. Mystic

    Mystic Mystique's Spiritual Advisor

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    Haha that's ironic. I'm really glad I thought they were dynamic iems or I may never of tried the Lyra 2 and Vega!

    I remember always using the black filters.
     
  4. M3NTAL

    M3NTAL Friend

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    Thanks to the loaner tour I was able to compare the Solaris to my Andromeda and LCD-i4. My original hopes were to see if the Solaris could replace either one of those two. It turns out it isn't that simple (for me).

    Lets start with the basics.

    The build on these are the best I have seen from Campfire or anything else that I have had the opportunity to have my hands on. Not only are they beautiful, but the craftsmanship is at the next level. I liken this to the Utopia - the price is justified.

    I was slightly worried about ergonomics, but it turns out these actually fit my ears better than the Andromeda for the most part. The diameter of the bore seems larger though and causes a little bit of irritation. I used medium spiral dots for both the Andromeda and the Solaris. With the LCD-i4 I used the medium groovy tips. Not too much of an issue, but they stick out pretty far from my ears. It looks ridiculous, but wasn't a big deal for how I wear them.

    Now the part that people care about - the sound.

    TL: DR - they are pretty darn good - I could be very happy if they were my only headphone!

    I really enjoy the tonal balance that they went with. I'm especially impressed with the mids & treble and it has me wondering if this is what the Andromeda S is more akin to. I will need to check those out!

    Will the Solaris replace the LCD-i4 or Andromeda for me? Unfortunately, I don't think so. The Solaris ended up being more of a competitor for the Andromeda and the LCD-i4 still is in a different class for me. The LCD-i4 has its issues tonally that requires EQ, but its presentation is getting very close to where I want to be. Effortless and grand with extension in both directions that the Solaris just can't match. The Solaris makes me think what it would be like to have studio monitors inside my head where the i4 is just open with its wall of sound and smooth bass.

    Another minor quibble I have with the Solaris is the timbre in the low end. I'm hearing its Atlas DNA in there and I believe that is what is causing me some listening fatigue. It reminds me of the utopia in that it enjoys being played at an increased volume and it is just so fast, tight and with an almost perfect amount of impact.

    As far as the Andromeda goes - I'm not sure if it is the all BA vs. Hybrid thing since I've never heard a hybrid before, but I feel like the presentation of the Andromeda is more cohesive and a little more relaxed than the Solaris. The Solaris is more in your face begging you to listen to every detail. I'll use the same description for the Andromeda as I did the LCD-i4 and that is effortless.

    I'd love to have these added to my collection and it might be something I look into in the future. I think Ken created something that almost anyone can enjoy. The funny thing is - if any of my friends asked me to recommend a headphone for them - I would pick the Solaris - it is quite a great all-a rounder.

    Thanks again for the opportunity to listen to these!

    **EDIT** My chain for all the listening was the Sonic Frontiers SFD-1 into a Krell Klone. The Solaris is more sensitive than the Andromeda and I can hear the noise floor even using the IEMatch.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2019
  5. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    My impressions mirror @M3NTAL’s, especially the Solaris / Andromeda comparison.

    I feel the Solaris is very impressive sounding from the lower mids up, a bit more refined than the Andros and also projects a bigger sound, where all the elements are of a bigger scale in an otherwise similar soundstage. The Andromeda feel more spacious and laid-back, as a result.

    However, the bass feels disconnected from the rest, which is a bit of a shame. It’s not bad, mind you, but I prefer the cohesiveness of the Andro.

    Finally, comfort is not good with these. I tried many different tips. The silicon / spinfit are the only ones that fit in my ears (the foamies are just unbearable) given how big the bores are. This is the fatal blow for me. I would have gotten them otherwise.
     
  6. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    Excellent review, I always appreciate reference points and comparisons to other gear. I wonder though if Campfire Audio might have a bit of sensitivity problem on their hands. The Solaris is 115 dB and the Andromeda is 113 dB, and as everyone know 3 dB is about a doubling of volume so this is seriously, seriously sensitive. No doubt this sensitivity is what give you a lot of the detail retrieval and sense of space in the sound, but it also means you need some very, very good sources with no hiss and background noise. And unless you're careful there's a very real possibility of blowing both your in-ears and your eardrums to smithereens.

    I wonder if anyone's tried attaching an inline resistor to the cable? Or make a 3.5mm plug adapter with a resistor? You could probably solder something together and place a variable resistor on the GND channel. This might give you a way to reduce background hiss and it should also work as a sort of bass boost unless I'm mistaken.
     
  7. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    It’s my understanding there is only one crossover at about 4k, so the dynamic driver and mid armature driver overlap and run free if you will.
     
  8. Rockwell

    Rockwell Friend

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    I've had the Solaris for about a week (and probably about 60-70 hours of use) and one thing I'm appreciating above all is how balanced and cohesive it is. Nothing stands out yet at the same time everything stands out. I've never tangibly perceived such a sense of unity from portable music before-- I can focus on each level and be totally wowed but at the same time sit back and appreciate how seamlessly it all blends together. If I were to chime in on the burn-in factor at this point I would say that as the hours wear on with this unit the sound becomes more and more cohesive. When I first tried it there was a vague sense of each of the different layers working to carve out their respective spaces but as the time wears all on of that dissolves into a serenely engaging unity. It doesn't matter what I'm listening to-- I can engage with each of the different layers if I choose but it's also easy to sit back and embraces the whole of the sound and not be distracted by any particular layer of it. Whether it's due to actual burn in or psychological burn-in who's to say but I think it stands as a testament to the quality of the tuning on this thing (for those who prefer a more balanced signature).
     
  9. ohmaigulay

    ohmaigulay Friend

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    Some thoughts on the loaner program Solaris:

    My experience with top of the line IEM's is limited. I own a Nuforce EDC3 and while balanced sounding straight from an iPhone, I found the bass presence lacking. I liked the tuning of Campfire Audio, especially the highs, from a brief listen with an Andromeda and borrowed a CA Dorado from SBAF which I completely fell for and purchased a unit myself. Trying the Solaris was a no brainer due to the overwhelmingly positive impressions and it being the next generation of hybrid based CA products.

    In short, the Solaris is a better IEM than the Dorado from top to bottom.

    Comfort: The Solaris actually felt more comfortable compared to the Dorado in my ears. It seems the sculpted body of the dorado sits easier in the ears compared to the Dorado where it seems all the weight is being supported by my ear canals. The Solaris body is also lighter than the large body seems to suggest. I used comply tips for both IEMS.

    All listening was done mostly from an iPhone 6s headphone out using Spotify premium or tidal. A Fulla 2 was also used but was not the main source.

    Highs: It has the same CA BA highs that Ive been drawn to from the Andromeda to the Dorado. However detail and clarity surpasses any IEM I've ever tried. What I really enjoyed was it gave more detailed "bite" in the highs compared to the Dorado without ever sounding harsh or fatiguing. Cymbal crashes and brass blare gained more of a realistic bite. Instruments that were metallic sounded like they were, right down to steel guitar strings, while things that weren't didn't like violins.

    Mids: This was my favorite aspect of the Solaris specifically listening to vocals. Both male and female voices were the best I've heard on a headphone even full sized ones. There's also more sense of space on the Solaris. Instrument separation and detail exceeded that of the Dorado.

    Bass: Bass hits deeper and with more detailed on the Solaris. On songs with a great bass track you can really pinpoint all the bass notes. Again there's a strong sense of detail and realism whether a bass guitar or the deep kick of a bass drum. I would have preferred a small boost in the bass quantity but that's just a personal preference rather than a fault.

    If I can describe the Solaris in one word it would be clarity. Even with all the detail it still sounds natural.

    With all that being said, I still prefer using the Dorado. It has a friendlier response and boosted bass. I listen on IEMS at work straight out of my phone for the convenience and the need to be mobile. I work in a Lab at night need to be on my feet half the time. Solaris is more of a sit down listening type of IEM, and in that case I prefer listening to my speakers at home.

    Thanks again to SBAF and Campfire Audio for the loaner program Solaris.
     
  10. Rockwell

    Rockwell Friend

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    This is a fascinating point. You are no less than the 5th or 6th person I've come across at various places online who has found that tip rolling can mitigate the issue with the Solaris' mids. When I first put them on out of the box with the foamies I found bass and mids to be hollow and non-existent however when I switched to my usual spirals everything improved and my impressions were more in line with those who have been praising Solaris since the beginning. The point: the Solaris is quite tip dependent it seems and people who have issues with certain frequencies-- in particular the mids and bass-- would be advised to play around with tips before making a verdict. You may be rewarded if you do.
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2019
  11. ChaChaRealSmooth

    ChaChaRealSmooth SBAF's Mr. Bean

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    I really like Marv's "stream of consciousness" reviews, and while I will not and can not copy it exactly, I thought I'd do something similar here. Keep in mind that I'm someone who typically dislikes IEMs due to hating that "something is in my ear" feeling (probably because I had a bad experience where a bug flew in my ear and got stuck). Thus, my reference points aren't going to be to any other IEMs since, well, I haven't heard any besides the free AKG ones that came with my phone.

    So without further ado, here are my day 1 impressions of the Solaris in no particular order. All listening was done out of my phone to a cheap Fiio A3 I have laying around.
    • I tried the foam tips first. The sound was hollow, had unnatural timbre, and was otherwise just unlistenable.
    • However, with the silicone tips (not the Final ones), the Solaris didn't just redeem itself; it blew me out of the water. The sound was fully fleshed out, tilting slightly warm, and has great attack and resolution.
    • These do some of the best jobs in reproducing that dry, rough bass used in "Starlight" by Muse. I think the LCD-3 might be overall better in bass, but the LCD-3 has this character where it wants everything to be liquid-smooth, sometimes at the detriment to the original intent of the recording. The Solaris might be "truer" to the song.
    • Speaking of the LCD-3, these do seem like they have a dip in the mids, perhaps in the same region? I rather like the Audeze sound signature, so I'm not bothered by a small upper mid dip.
    • Treble seems smooth. As someone who is somewhat treble-sensitive, love it!
    • Midrange is good. I initially thought these had a really forward presentation of mids, but after my brain adjusted it sounds much more natural.
    I'll update in probably a week. I really do need more time to listen to these and then do some comparisons with my other headphones on the same rig (although I'm pretty sure on the tips; for some reason the stock tips rock for me)
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2019
  12. ChaChaRealSmooth

    ChaChaRealSmooth SBAF's Mr. Bean

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    Alright, so I've had a few more days to listen to the Solaris. I've tried it now also on a SDAC/Wyrd + Magni 3 system (pretty inexpensive and basic, but sounds decent), and also compared it to the other headphones I own (no IEMs; don't own any for reasons stated above).

    As someone who primarily listens to circumaural headphones, the Solaris is an interesting take on things. The Solaris will never get close to being able to reproduce the fully-fleshed out sounds that these large cans deliver. Obviously, though, the Solaris has a couple key advantages due to its formfactor; mainly that it's small and easy enough to carry with you, and that it's also not really hard to provide enough power for it to sound good (my phone was sufficient enough most of the time).

    That being said, I totally agree with this:
    The Solaris is just fine out of a phone, but it benefits from better sources and better amps. Primarily, I noticed that the mids fill out a bit, the tone fleshes out a touch, and the Solaris's ability to layer sounds became immediately apparent. For those considering these, it's definitely worth investing in a good DAP of some sort (although if you're looking at these you probably already have one unlike me).

    I find that the Solaris really excels with certain genres (like classical and some rock songs) and is just okay with others (dance music). To my ears and with the silicone tips, the Solaris kind of makes everything sound like it was recorded in a large concert hall. It does do a really good job at (faking?) a large stage, and almost manages to sound like it's outside of your head. This might be in part in its ability to just layer sounds together in this fantastic way, but either way, this is just something I noticed with my listening. I will say that this aspect of the Solaris's presentation shocked me.

    I think the fairest comparison I have is the Thinksound On2. Compared to the On2, the Solaris is much more neutral in FR, sounds more clean and modern, and is leaps and bounds better in stage. However, the On2 excels where the Solaris is just kind of 'meh,' probably because the On2 is a much more "fun" headphone, having pretty obvious mid bass boost and a bit of extra sparkle on top (slightly V-shaped, but very tastefully done). The most telling difference is that the On2 is really at home playing rock, pop, and most modern songs, while the Solaris is more refined and neutral. I wouldn't call the Solaris analytical by any means though.

    Overall, I really like the Solaris and am glad that I have the opportunity to listen to them because of SBAF. However, I don't know if I'd recommend them because I honestly don't know squat about IEMs other than the fact they play sound. That and they are expensive no matter which way you look at it. However, they are so good that they made me want to tolerate that feeling of "object in ear," and to me that means a lot.
     
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2019
  13. KenBall

    KenBall Owner - Campfire Audio

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    Just got back from the Fujia-avic spring headphone festival show. See some pics at the end of my post. Great show!

    https://www.fujiya-avic.jp/user_data/headphone_fes.php#

    I just want to make people aware of how a custom slip over can change the over all sound of your IEM. A custom slip over for your universal IEM is a great idea, for comfort and better isolation. However I would like to caution everyone who has these that if they are not optimized for the shortest bore possible it will adversely affect the sound of your universal. I have been working on this here in the Campfire Lab and found that its a can be a nasty outcome. I addition I have seen some Solaris custom slip overs that I feel could have been made better - shorter sound bore-. The universal IEM slip over part needs to be modeled such that the IEM is positioned as far into the custom slip over as physically possible. If the universal IEM is pulled back the sound bore of the custom slip over will add length to the sound bore and your whole freq will be rolled off. See demonstration doc on a typical BA and the affect of a longer bore.

    [​IMG]

    Disregard the black (no tube)
    focus on the peaks at 5000 - 7000
    the longer the tube = more roll off / pushed back

    Ideally the slip over would not add any length to the sound bore into your ear or be minimal.

    These are some I saw at the show last week and appeared to be a good build. I am not sure who all is making custom slip overs but just wanted to caution on this. Fit is so critical with the Solaris, I have seen people report definitive renderings that I think are not representational of the IEM due to inadequate tip fitting. If the sound bore is too long or your foam tip or silicone tip is not fitting well its not the Solaris's fault. I have never encountered a IEM where the fit has such a critical impact on the overall sound. Generally a deeper insertion on the Solaris is going to yield the best sound. I hope this helps.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Show pics from last weeks spring Tokyo headphone festival.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Thank you,

    KB
     
  14. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    @KenBall I personally really like the sound of the Solaris, but I find the fit to be a bit awkward as the shell is too big and the nozzle is a bit too shallow. Like a shallow fit is all I can achieve. If I try to push Solaris deeper in, it just... wouldn't work. But a shallow fit means they'll fall out eventually, and even when they don't fall out, they just weigh down on my ears.

    So yeah, there's that part that I think is the only gripe I have about Solaris. Otherwise, I would have bought one to replace my Andromeda already.

    Do you think that's something that can be addressed without significantly changing the sound signature?
     
  15. KenBall

    KenBall Owner - Campfire Audio

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    Please try rotating the shell forward when it sits in your ear, so basically the cables MMCX termination should point straight ahead and the mmcx over mold should be parallel to the ground.

    All be it "universal" IEMs are not going to be 100% universal... I have been working on a custom slip over but found that difficult not not totally muck up my tuning. I think we am going to now focus on a custom tip instead of a fully custom slip over. Just the tip, would have a much shorter sound bore and avoid many of the issues of the full slip over. Anyhow its still a work in progress.

    Kb
     
  16. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

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    Caleb looks a bit jet-lagged in that last pic! ;)

    Can also testify that the deeper insertion on the Solaris helps. I typically use the large size Symbio W's, but for the Solaris I switched to the medium and pushed them in deeper (props to @purr1n for pointing me in that direction) and it helped a bunch.

    Cheers
     
  17. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Quick impressions, though probably less useful since I'm pretty inexperienced with nice IEMs and this was a meet thing. Posted a status update but figure it might do more good here:

    Azla Sedna M tips and Final E-type L tips used, no issues getting good seal. Longer-than-Andro nozzles on Solaris actually worked in my favor; could never get Andros to fit properly but these sat well enough in my tiny ears using the above tips and with ear hooks in place, the shell in vertical orientation; shell wasn't so much in my ear as suspended a few mm outside, but it was reasonably secure. All comments made listening straight out of my phone (S9+, PowerAmp mix of local and Spotify tracks). Friend had a proper DAP (ZX300?? forgot to ask) but I didn't recognise any of the anime music he had on there except for some Macross Delta songs. Skipped.

    Demoed Fleetwood Mac Rumours album mainly, Carly Rae Jepsen (sharpness test), America - Sandman, Radiohead - Burn the Witch, Elysian Fields - Sugarplum Arches, and Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God.

    Sedna had humongous stage and crispy images. Resolution made it ridiculously easy to pick out nuances in recording, particularly acoustic guitar vibrations, how tensioned the strings were. Easier to notice than on Klipsch HP-3 or Sennheiser HD650 out of my mid-fi rig, but doesn't sound compressed despite that. I flipped out when I heard nuances in Sandman and The Chain on the Solaris I'd never heard before (friend snapped a photo of my dweeb reaction on his fancy Leica, the douchebag).

    Bass solo on The Chain (I adore this track and was gutted when they left the solo out of the Guardians of the Galaxy film) was thunderous but not bloated and overbearing as it can be on un-vented Klipsch or stock HD650. Plucked strings in intro to Burn the Witch was scary in a good way— bursting into life without restraint; bass-heavy bursts of bwaah were less wall-of-sound than I was used to but still intimidating, and string instruments sang with good sharpness, slightly too much sharpness for me. Roomy stage, comparable to TH900/HD800 sense of space, but treble really was too elevated. Couldn't stand the cymbal crashes on You Make Loving Fun for more than a few seconds. I didn't even try Sugarplum Arches or CRJepsen, which are my treble pain tests. Not so much metallic as it is bright as f**k.

    Amon Amarth was fine. Music itself is compressed to shit and the Solaris doesn't work miracles here— imaging was cruddy but it was easier to discern individual instruments than I was used to. Vocalist's growling might have sounded unnatural, slightly nasally, but not a deal breaker.

    E-type tips remedied treble grievances but collapsed stage and air between images to the point where I was getting decidedly meh about them. It seemed nearly HD650-powered-by-a-phone-warmbutt and claustrophobic with these tips, at least compared to the other pair. Resolution might have taken a hit, and imaging definitely did, but I didn't spend very long with the Finals because I enjoyed the Sednas more despite occasional treble pain. Might try medical gauze filters if I ever get the opportunity to take a pair home.

    Photo with Final tips. I was having too much fun with the Sednas to think of taking a photo.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2019
  18. Aeron

    Aeron Facebook Friend

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    Not sure why the love stopped for the Solaris, guess I’m a late adapter. Mine arrived this morning, I’ve discovered these are extremely tip dependent on sound. The Finals were a flop, the large foamies that were preinstalled overemphasized the bass, finding a small Symbio, with a foamectomy, is the most balanced so far. After these burn in a bit, I’ll play with the tips some more.
     
  19. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

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    Yeah, the Symbios seem to be a good match with the Solaris and with/without the foam depends on how much bass you like (I'm moar bass than less, but not a basshead, so I leave the foam in). In terms of what size Symbios to use, I have gone down a size from L to M and pushed them in further (at Marv's advice) and that helped as well. And do give the Solaris a few days to burn in and you'll likely find them much more agreeable. Enjoy!
     
  20. Aeron

    Aeron Facebook Friend

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    Thanks for the advice, I think I got the idea of doing a foamectomy from one of your Posts! I’ll give the mediums, with foam a shot!
     

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