4 New Campfire iem’s Impressions - Holocene, Mammoth, Satsuma, Honeydew

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by rhythmdevils, Jul 27, 2021.

  1. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    4 New Campfire iem’s Impressions -
    Holocene, Mammoth, Satsuma, Honeydew

    iem loaners courtesy of @Bloom Audio
    bloom audio

    [​IMG]


    GEAR

    Gungnir A1 -> Drop 789 with Sigma 11 LPS (Loki set to bypass)


    Halocene - 3 BA

    [​IMG]

    Stupid glow in the dark BS is annoying and doesn’t even work. Also annoying cases that look like they were designed for toddlers

    • This iem is the only reason I decided to write a brief review of these iems. It’s a really great BA iem. It is a baby Andromeda, sounding surprisingly close to the Andromeda 2020 for 500$ less, albeit with some weaknesses.
    • Very neutral except for a dip in the midrange to upper midrange that makes guitars and vocals recessed and a roll off of lower bass
    • Treble is very neutral with no EQ from zero impedance source! I hope CA keeps going in this direction with future Solaris and Andromeda updates.
    • Typical for CA - best tone for BA iems on the market. No plastic-y timbre
    • Very close to the same soundstage as the Andromeda 2020

    VS Andromeda 2020:

    • Andromeda has more bass- neutral, and extension all the way down
    • Bigger soundstage with more separation between notes
    • More resolving
    • More dynamic
    • Better tone
    • Less recessed midrange and upper midrange, more neutral from bottom to top.
    But the Holocene has all the same traits of the Andromeda, just some weaknesses that are pretty fair for the price difference



    Mammoth - 1 DD, 2 BA

    [​IMG]

    Stupid glow in the dark BS is annoying and doesn’t even work. Also annoying cases that look like they were designed for toddlers.

    • Pretty good bass with good extension but lacks the control of the og Solaris, a bit loose and muddy
    • Recessed, cloudy, hazy vocals
    • Very recessed treble to the point that it’s hardly there. There is not enough treble extension to portray any shimmer at all with cymbals, they are very dull
    • Great soundstage, similar to the Holocene. Not as good as Andromeda or og Solaris
    TL;DR: Save up a bit and buy a used og Solaris this isn’t worth it.


    Satsuma - 1 BA

    [​IMG]

    Annoyingly skinny nozzle that doesn’t fit most tips. I had to use tips with a smaller stem that are more bass than most and probably did not do these iems any favors (Azla Sedna Earfit Light regular). Tip rolling could help with some of the bass emphasis

    • A lot of muddy bass, quit a bit north of neutral and overwhelms the whole spectrum, bleeding Ito the midrange
    • Pretty good treble extension, but not all the way there, a bit recessed, but with good tone and a kind of pleasing warmth
    • Vocals are muddy and hazy and just a bit recessed not not bad as far as neutrality. Just lacking in resolution and clarity
    • Upper mods are recessed. Guitars lack any bite whatsoever and are back in the mix

    Honeydew - 1 DD

    [​IMG]

    Annoyingly skinny nozzle that doesn’t fit most tips.

    I like this iem for what it is and I think others will too. It’s got no peaky nasties which from what I gather might be a first with a single DD iem?

    • Pretty damn neutral with good tone. No upper midrange or lower treble nastiness. Just a slight treble emphasis.
    • Slightly bass light, but tight, controlled detailed bass
    • Lacks ultimate bass extension
    • Vocals are neutral, not recessed, but sound a bit lean and have some sibilance at times from the treble emphasis
    • Upper midrange is just ever so slightly recessed taking the edge off any harshness
    • Pretty good soundstage but not great, behind all the others here. Sounds in my head, and doesn’t reach out outside the ears like most CA iems.
    • Not very resolving
    Overall, they are pretty even and lack harsh peaks but are lean across the board, with an FR that is upward tilting. I’m using warm sounding tips too. I want more body and weight to the sound and more warmth.

    I think these were designed for foam tips. I managed to find some that sort of fit the annoyingly small nozzle

    With Foam Tips:

    • Bass becomes neutral and accurate and punchy
    • Midrange has more body and weight
    • Treble remains a bit exaggerated
    • Resolution is still lacking
    • Soundstage is unchanged
    • Doesn’t seem to loose any transient response like iems usually do with foam tips.
    Foam is definitely the way to go with these iems. I think these are a great choice for the price for those looking for a neutral DD iem. With foam tips. I think size T200 might be right but I’m not sure. I don’t have any T200 Comply tips to try.


    The Holocene and Honeydew are the standouts here and the only ones I can recommend, though with reservations. Less reservation with the Honeydew and foam tips, but the treble exaggeration bothers me. It won’t bother most people though.
     
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    Last edited: Jul 27, 2021
  2. M3NTAL

    M3NTAL Friend

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    How do you think the bass driver of the Mammoth would do in the Solaris mid+high package? It seems that the biodynamic driver might be the star of the show and it is only used in the Mammoth.
     
  3. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I was excited about the biocellulose driver too, but in doing critical listening to my test tracks I found the og Solaris to have better bass response across the board. The Mammoth is a big screw up in my opinion. Sorry Ken I love you!
     
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  4. DrForBin

    DrForBin Friend

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    hello,

    as per usual, i audition iem's with my portable kit: 7th gen iPod Classic modded to solid state, and JDS Labs C5 (donations of any VorzAmp Pure greatly appreciated. :) .)

    Satsuma:
    bassy, not very well balanced through the frequency range.
    meh.

    Honeydew:
    very nice acoustic percussion on these.
    however... track 2 of Laura Nyro / Labelle Gonna Take a Miracle, "The Bells". at about 00:27, a glockenspiel comes in very low in the mix. i would hazard it is a stand-in for "The Bells" that the narrator will loose the sound of if her lover leaves her. also, at this same point, an electric bass line appears, which completely over-powers the glockenspiel. rendering these, unacceptable.

    Holocene:
    i find these to be vocal forward. there is no issue with Laura as mentioned above. Patricia is singing into your head, background vocals on Patsy's "Crazy", are easily distinguished and nice. they do, however, allow one to distinguish, between masters. "You Go to My Head" from Frankie's Nice & Easy, is vastly better on the EMI/Capitol Frank Sinatra The Capitol Years, 7243 4 96985 2 9, than on the US issue of Nice & Easy, 077777 96827 2 0.
    there seems to be a bit of hiss from my kit. they don't quite disappear for me.

    Mammoth:
    bass is one-note and awful.
    vocals are hollowed out and ... suck?
    did i mention, bass is awful.

    it seems that, for me at least, the top tier CFA's are the only ones i actually enjoy.

    or, to be more precise, the Ara rock my world.

    cheers!
     
  5. Precogvision

    Precogvision MOT: Reviewer at Headphones.com

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    The Solaris (which already sounds more like a BA than it does a DD in the bass) has better bass in my opinion. Mammoth sounds completely smeared over and I almost want to say it has worse texture.

    The only one that I thought was remotely decent out of these four was the Holocene. Fairly technical, but I got the impression it took the Andromeda inspiration too far. Center image on it sounded overly diffused; simultaneously, it didn't have the Andro 2020's layering chops.
     
  6. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I don’t agree about the Solaris bass. It’s not the best quality bass but it doesn’t sound like a BA driver at all. Completely different timbre that moves all the way up through to the midrange.

    Where did you hear all 4 of these? Just curious.
     
  7. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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  8. Precogvision

    Precogvision MOT: Reviewer at Headphones.com

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    Thanks for the heads-up haha. I don't check here often, so I'm not too familiar with protocol. Yes, that's me. I am paid for my reviews as well.
     
  9. Precogvision

    Precogvision MOT: Reviewer at Headphones.com

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    Hmm, I guess it depends on which Solaris we're talking about. It's been a while since I've heard them, but I remember the Solaris 2020's bass sounding distinctly different from the OG. The OG's bass was more coherent and matched the midrange and up more closely. The 2020's bass sounded tighter, but less coherent. Both had quite truncated decay for a dynamic driver and the OG, in particular, didn't really slam (at least to my ears).

    All four of them (and the Solaris/Solaris 2020) were loaner units I received from Headphones.com for review.
     
  10. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    i strongly dislike the Solaris 2020 and agree about the bass being sloppy but it doesn’t have BA timbre in the bass.

    the og Solaris and Solaris SE (abalone inlay) are the best by far. I wrote a comparison review of all of 4 Solaris models here
     
  11. StandUp713

    StandUp713 Friend

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    My review of the four Campfire Audio IEM Loaner.

    Chain Droid Pixel/THX Dongle

    Satsuma:
    The bass on these are too much for this IEM. The mids and highs were ok for what was offered, but they could not balance out the bass. None of my test tracks worked with these.

    Honeydew:
    These were the better of the two entry levels. They had more of a balanced frequency response that was acceptable with my test tracks. Tad on the neutral/ boring side. For the price, there are better options on the market.

    Holocene:
    Out of the four, these I liked the most. They have a flatter response without any glaring flaws. The midrange shined the most out of these. Sound stage was decent, and found the treble to be good. Bass was there and extended, but not pronounced.

    Mammoth:
    I found these to be a bit U/V shaped. The bass seemed a bit off with my electronic music. They were enjoyable with my other tracks, with female vocals most appealing. I do not normally care for aesthetics, but the blue color on these was very attractive.

    Big Thanks to the SBAF Equipment Loaner team and Bloom Audio!
     
  12. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

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    Big thanks to @Bloom Audio Very generous of them

    Chain: Iphone lightning dongle/ Motu M2
    TIPS: Final Audio tips
    This should be enough for these.

    I will refrain from comparing these to my previous IEMS and limit my impressions to these alone.

    I will be writing about these in order of preference

    Satsuma:
    Love these, nearly perfect. Their tone and prescience was superb. Open enough sounding that I didn't get the sensation music was in my head. The shells are bright and colorful and very smooth. The sound was neutralish with some vocal presence, there can be some improvement with male vocals but excellent for female. Not an issue with most music and not really a disqualifier here. Bass felt extended and warm, not very boosted but also not as resolving.
    The single BA is showing its flaws here but at the same time it is kicking butt. I Loved these, slightly forgiving but in a loving way.
    This is for someone who music lover and wants an iem that doesn't suck and wants something good.

    Holocene:
    This one is alot like the Satsuma, full BA. I signed up to hear what CFA can do with some full BA and try out the single and triple setups. These are awesome, you can hear the difference really amazing how CFA is able to do these crossoverless designs and tune with their tech. It was astonishing to me that so much can fit in this portable device. Very similar presentation to the Satsuma with a boosted range somewhere near or past the mids. What it does do is it offers much more air and refinement to the sound. Bass was much more textured and closer to the dynamic driver models.
    All together I can say I loved the Holocene but it left me with a feeling that a even higher up model might be more satisfying, either à la Andromeda or Ara.

    Honeydew:
    This IEM might be the least popular here, demos with family members seemed to prefer the Honeydew for their musical preference. This is probably the most fun IEM I have heard, while not reference quality for every genre of music, it excels in pop, hiphop, and edm. I am just naming a few, I would say these are great when bass quantity is important. and you do gain quite a bit when adding more BAs to the mix. Overall their design is superb, it knows what it is trying to do, and it does it in spades. It gives the goods that will blow your socks off. I got flashbacks to the CFA Solaris. excellent extension and articulation in the sub-bass region some channel systems would be jealous of.
    This is for someone who loves the sonic feeling of being at a concert. This one had the BIGGEST sound. It was breathtaking how small the casing is but the sound was as if it was coming from another dimension.

    Finally the Mammoth:
    Here I will add some of the accessory review to the Mammoth.
    The Mammoth is an amazing looking IEM, the Glow of the CFA logo is something I never thought I needed in my life. Everyone is asleep and looking to hear some tunes, maybe a podcast. Scan the room, and search for that green glow. Reminds me a bit of Uranium Glass. The ere glow has a practical use where it adds a ton of contrast in a dark or even shady room. I really hope CFA keeps this as I love it. If I wanted to pick out and IEM or ever find the 3.5 jack the green glow always guided me. I should have taken pictures :(

    Now for the finish on the Mammoth, this blue is stunning, I had no idea an IEM could look so great from all angles. The bore size is the best I have ever tried same goes for the Holocene.
    As for sound it is everything I liked about the Honeydew and Satsuma, and fixed up a bit, higher quality here but bass might still be a bit much for some people, but it is also just right for others.
    This to me might be the best sounding, and I don't mean highest resolution, but the finest tuned of the 4, it could be my bias towards the Shure sr215 or maybe I drank the graph koolaid and it was nearly indistinguishable. Regardless of how I felt about it, it was the one I used the least. Maybe it needed a bit more energy like the Holocene, or the bass was tuned down a bit from the Honeydew. Maybe something like a Polaris is for me, so I can assume as to why CFA decided to go with their tuning.

    Overall I would say yes I do love CFA for IEMS, these 4 have continued to show me the light. Maybe they do just about everything I could need from a closed back headphone while being pocket able and skipping the big amps needed to get the most out of them. while not everyone is perfect, they do have their strengths and I believe no matter what flavor you enjoy a CFA product might be right for you. :punk:
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2021
  13. philipmorgan

    philipmorgan Member of the month

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    I joined this loaner because I'm looking for a great-sounding but inexpensive IEM I don't have to EQ. My JVC HA-FD01's are almost there except they need a significant bass boost via EQ, even with max physical modding. I'm a basshead, but as we all know, bass ain't shit without real LIFE in the midrange.

    That's where 3 out of 4 of these CA IEMs fall down BAD. Massive sins of omission in the midrange for the Honeydew, Satsuma, and Holocene. All 3 combine a dead midrange with a little tizz that can make snare drums sound like they're 8" in diameter and hybridized with a cymbal.

    To fully cop to my bassheadness: My daily drivers are a pair of Elex with the lowest knob on my Loki set at 3 o'clock and the second lowest knob set at 11am. So yeah, I like some TILT towards the bass.

    The Honeydew has too much bass for even me. Satsuma and Holocene are better in this regard, but the dead lifeless midrange makes you think the bass is over-accentuated, but really there's just nobody home in the midrange area so you go next door to the bass and start scrutinizing that.

    The Mammoth is the only one that I would say is even close to worth the sticker price, and because headphone people seem to think that having something living in their gross, earwaxey, oiley, skin-flakey earhole _doesn't_ reduce the value of the headphone by 50% the second you list it for sale, then I doubt a used Mammoth would be a better value than something like a new FD01/FX01.

    I did want to listen to the Mammoth for more than 1 song, but I'd characterize all of these IEMs as good for "inoffensive all-day background music" listening. And that could be a real strength! If, ya know, that's what you want. The Mammoth's hybrid nature was apparent, BTW.

    I wanted to like the creative use of plastics in the Honeydew and Satsuma, but it felt more suited to the <$99 category rather than the >$200 category these two live in. The plastic shells had a seam that inspired distrust, and while I don't know that the nozzles are plastic, they look like fake-chrome-plastic from an 80's toy store item. The Holocene and Mammoth have price-appropriate construction. On all of these IEMS, the cables seemed quite nice, but I didn't use 'em so I can't comment more.

    Thanks for the loaner @Bloom / SBAF!

    ---

    - Chain: USB Audio Player on Android tablet FLACs and LDAC -> Sony MUC-M2BT1 -> Loaner IEMs with Spiral Dot tips.
    - The "Fake Empire" test: Should not sound like the The National's "Fake Empire" is being sung inside an oaken barrel (https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/meze-99-classic.1469/page-3#post-57103)
    - The "Trouble" test: "Trouble" by Ryan Adams should hurt in the first bar when played at volume because the guitar is that aggressive.
    - The "Down By The River" test: Roy Buchanan's version ("Sweet Dreams Anthology") of "Down By The River" should hurt so good during the guitar solo when played at loud-ish volume.
    - The "Simple Song" test: Once the song really gets going, it should be BRISTLING with detail and life. Not that it's an audiophile recording or anything, but despite whatever limitations the recording has, you should feel detail and LIFE exuding from the song. When Mercer hits the high parts, it should sound like his voice is sparkling with cocaine and unicorn glitter.
    - The "I Want To Break Free" test: You should want to sing along with this, even if the setting is inappropriate for singing out loud. If the IEMs you are listening to are not very good, you should want to break free of owning them.
     
  14. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    It looks like there’s been a slight mixup in the identity of the two cheaper IEMs, the Honeydew and the Satsuma. Three of us have heard the Honeydew as bassy and three others have heard the Satsuma as bassy. I got all turned around just now about this. So, which is it?

    Here are Crinacle’s graphs for the two IEMs (thank you for this great tool!):

    [​IMG]

    And here are Campfire Audio’s descriptions of the two IEMs. The Honeydew is the single DD IEM. It’s the yellow pair of IEMs, described like this (emphasis added by me):

    “Honeydew’s custom-built 10mm LCP diaphragm dynamic driver performance is characterized by a reference level bass response that is fast and detailed. Music creators and listeners who crave punchy, detailed bass, Honeydew delivers, and it does so on an expansive soundstage that is clear and detailed. Excellent choice for drummers, bassists, DJs, and electronic beatmakers.”​

    The Satsuma, meanwhile, is the single BA IEM. It’s the orange one. Here’s its description (again, my emphasis):

    “The Campfire Audio Satsuma has a sound that is both natural and balanced. The clarity and spatial accuracy of Satsuma’s presentation transition effortlessly from studio monitor to everyday listening companion. The bass is plucky and tight, thanks to the ported balanced armature. The 3D-printed acoustic chamber elevates the top-end extension for exceptional detail and air. The compact comfort of our all-new ABS earphone body makes Satsuma a joy to use daily, on stage or on the go. Excellent earphones for guitar, keyboards, and vocals.​


    I’m hearing the Honeydew as being a bass cannon: it reminds me of the Vega 2020. I should see if I can track down frequency response graphs for the Honeydew and the Vega 2020.

    Sorry for being pedantic, everyone; I just wanted to clear up any confusion readers might have.
     
  15. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    My first post has images of each iem with the correct name above each image. Taken straight from the CA website.
     
  16. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    Yes, that info's right; it was the impressions above that I was referring to.
     
  17. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Yeah I was just suggesting my post be used as a reference for future impressions. I don’t know how to figure out what past reviewers did but I agree with you. The Honeydew is not a bassy iem. It’s very balanced.
     
  18. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    All tips were using the standard CA marshmallow tips.

    Setup: Roon > PI2AES outputting Coax > Modi Mutlibit > IEMagni

    Was curious if there is a cheaper CA IEM that would like for once. When I mean cheaper, I mean stuff that isn't MSRP $1000+.

    Here's my short 'n sweet impressions:


    Satsuma
    • Orange shell looks like candy.
    • Sounds flat to me, bass details are lacking and so is treble. Midrange is slightly laid back and won't win on the detail wars, but good enough for a budget IEM.

    Honeydew
    • Shell still looks like candy.
    • It is actually a nice listen!
      • Nothing really seriously wrong, really not resolving at all at the same time for a budget IEM.
      • Bass is a little muddy but still sufficient enough for a DD driver, even if it is held back on purpose (considering this is from CA, thank goodness).
      • Mids are also solid but nothing really crazy.
      • Treble is rolled off to my ears, which depending on your needs it is a good thing or a bad thing.
    • I still recommend the Moondrop Starfield/Kato or the JVC HA-FDX1 for budget DD IEM needs.

    Mammoth
    • For once this looks like a CA IEM if going by the shells.
    • Treble is lacking, but the bass response is good as is without going overboard like the (in)famous Polaris II that I used to have.
    • Mids are solid but a little hazy at times.
    • Soundstaging is super solid.

    Holocene
    • As expected, my favorite of the bunch since it is a lower-end version of the 2020 Andromeda with less BA drivers.
      • With the less BA drivers, it its a good bit less resolving/less layering than the 2020 Andromeda.
    • Mids are similar to 2020 Andromeda except maybe a minor dip in the upper mid, but honestly the differences isn't much.
    • Bass and Treble are super solid, but 2020 Andromeda has better bass extension and treble extension, even if 2020 Andromeda is a darker sounding IEM.
    • Soundstage is close to 2020 Andromeda.
    • Holocene is a baby 2020 Andromeda, while the 2020 Andromeda is just about better in every way over the Holocene.

    TR-DR: Holocene is the good one out of the cheaper CA IEM lot. It's a lower-end 2020 Andromeda. If you must buy new (and not do any of the used IEMs), then I would only consider trying out the Holocene. It's the tits.
     
  19. Cryptowolf

    Cryptowolf Repping Chi Town - Friend

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    I finally have a moment to write my impressions. Before we begin, I am greying about the muzzle, have demonstrably damaged hearing, and tinnitus in my left ear that makes me especially treble sensitive. On the other hand, I have been building my headphone/IEM system over twenty plus years. My preferences tend towards a darker tonality with rich sub bass and mid range.

    Primary rig:

    Roon -> Innuos Roon Core -> Pi2AES running HQPlayer -> AES -> Holo Spring KTE Edition -> Khozmo Acoustic Passive Pre -> Ampsandsound Kenzie Ovation OG -> ZMF Auteur in Blackwood

    Evaluation rig:

    Iphone 11 running Neutron Player (no eq) -> IEM

    I was unable to figure out who to do precise volume matching so I did my best to do so with pink noise after switching each IEM. I own the Lyra II and OG Vega. I find both a bit recessed in the mids, but the bass of the DD more than makes up for it. I generally use EQ to add to the mid-range from 500 HZ to 1.5 kHZ. Here is went with a flat EQ.

    Tracks Used:

    Apocalyptica - Bittersweet
    Lyndsey Stirling - Shatter Me

    My musical tastes are rather diverse. I listen to just about everything but big band, gospel, and 8-bit. I picked these tracks because Apocalyptica features wooden cellos and I know the track very well. I picked Lyndsey Stirling for the clock ticking sound at the start, electric violin, and because Lyzzy Hale has a fantastic voice.

    With out further ado, my impressions. Please feel free to ask me any questions if I can offer additional insight:

    TLDR: I'm keeping my Vega and would consider the Holocene for a change of pace.

    Lyra II

    The leather case is nicer than the fruitlooped hue of the new cases. While the cables back then were more microphonic, I think think the overall metal construction of the IEM was nicer than the plastics.

    I thought the highs were recessed and the bass was wooly. Some particularly bass heavy passages lacked texture.

    Vega OG


    The sound seemed more tactile overall with better character. The performers still seemed slightly distant (especially when compared to my far more romantic and holographic desktop rig). The bass has much better slam and definition. Cymbols are still soft, but I can feel the bass.

    Satsuma


    The glow in the dark elements do nothing for me. Neither my wife or dogs care about headphone aesthetics.

    Everything with these seemed off. The sound was overall less distinct, distant, and lacking in slam. I did not like these at all.

    Honey dew

    These had a more forward and immediate sound, though still lacking in overall drum quality (kick and cymbals). The highs seemed tinny and the lows were smeared.

    Holocene

    I think these IEM may be more sensitive as they exhibited more noise when I first plugged them in without adjusting the volume. Everything seemed more crisp but still lacking int he bass slam of the Vega. I thought the overall separation of instruments and voices was good. After the last two, I found this IEM far less fatiguing. The sound overall was decent and I later tried them with mid eq. If I had to pick one of the four IEM evaluated here, this would be my choice. I would not trade the Vega for these.

    Mammoth

    The texture to the cello has returned (when compared to the Satsuma or Honey dew) as had the bass pressure. Anything but the bass lacks presence and detail. The cymbals lacked shimmer, while the kick drum was okay. the Bass overtakes the rest of the sound stage in a way that doesn't happen on the Vega. For complex metal or orchestral pieces, the bass sludge washes out the intimacy and detail I am looking for.

    If you have managed to read this far, I hope you found my rambling somewhat helpful. My thanks to SBAF, and the gear wardens, for this rare chance to try so many different flavors of Campfire IEMs. The last time I had a chance to do anything like this was Axpona in 2019 and that is a far less ideal listening environment.

     
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    Last edited: Dec 29, 2021
  20. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    CA Mammoth, Holocene, Honeydew, and Satsuma

    This loaner was quite the treat - four fun IEMs to listen to at once! Thank you, SBAF. I very much appreciate the efforts of the moderators and gear master to arrange these tours for us. I’m sorry for not posting these impressions sooner, they’re long overdue.

    The following impressions will go in a sequence from the ones I found the least to most appealing.

    Gear: Sony ZX2 or desktop combination of Bifrost 2 and THX 789
    Preferences: my IEMs are the MD+, Andro 2020, and original Solaris
    Caveat: I’m in my mid-40s and have had a bit more hearing loss than one would expect for someone of my age; I can’t hear Lex Luther sending secret messages to Superman or much else above ca. 15 kHz.


    Satsuma

    Fairly neutral, these IEMs have slightly more emphasis in the treble than the bass, making them, overall, a bit splarkly and, at times, tizzy. The bass is decent enough but much less prominent than the three others’ considered here. The mids seem either recessed or uneven, which ends up making the treble stand out more. I’m reminded, ever so slightly, of listening to Apple earbuds in noisy environments where the bass and treble stand out but the mids get lost. Thinner tips exaggerated this effect so I went with the thicker, regular Azla Sedna Earfit tips. The tuning works well if you want plenty of bite to your electric guitars. Vocals are quite forward, especially male vocals.

    With all instruments, I found the sound to be thin and without much tonal weight. Electric guitars lack heft. The thinness of the Satsuma affects the timbre of acoustic insturments, making them sound slightly off. Music sometimes comes across as overly simplified. Acoustic guitars have sparkle but little substance to them. Drums don’t have enough power or impact.

    Technicalities are better than the tuning, to my ears. The resolution is fine, for the price, but nothing special. The staging is what appeals the most: the Satsuma offer a nice open sound, one that’s very spacious and airy, with good separation no congestion. While there may not be much depth to the headstage, the one significant problem with the staging is that sounds pan hard to the left and to the right. The Satsuma shares this quality with the Holocene; neither of them has the strongest center image. Instead, the staging is a bit 3-blobby and also artificially wide. Perhaps the recessed mids contribute to this effect?

    In the end, I found the Satsuma a bit fatiguing. I’m sure how smooth the treble is, which is a problem when the treble is the defining characteristic of the sound.


    Mammoth
    I’m not sure what to think about these IEMs. I’m a bit flummoxed by them, really: I played around with tips but never landed on a sound that made sense. I’m not sure that they’re meant to be bass cannons. Most tips brought out a bass-heavy but also very muffled and overly warm or dark sound. But then, when using my thinnest, lightest tips - the Azla Sedna Xelastec and Crystal - the tuning became more balanced but still did not quite work. The treble remained rolled off.

    CA’s marketing calls out the Mammoth’s “huge sound.” I can see what they mean: while the Mammoth does sound spacious, it’s not ahead of the Andro or Solaris. The treble roll-off makes the overall sound slightly congested, which works against that spaciousness. My sense is that what makes for the odd spaciousness is the unusual way in which the bass frequencies come across: the Mammoth has a big, bassy sound, one that’s quite boomy; that boominess contributes to a greater sense of massiveness to the staging, albeit just in the low end. I realize this description sounds a bit baffliing; I guess I’m finding that the Mammoth is the opposite of the IE 900’s bass presentaiton, which struck me as having a very compact, tight nugget of rich bassiness. Here, with the Mammoth, I’m hearing a larger, boomier, looser, more spacious bass.

    The bass, then, is big. In some ways it may be too big in that it dominates the sound while not being as tight or well controlled as that of CA’s bass cannons, the Honeydew or Vega 2020. The Mammoth may not be especially bassy; the apparent bassiness may partly be a function of the rolled-off treble. The treble is far too muted; cymbals sound wrong.

    I really want to call the Mammoth’s sound “woolly” but it’s not quite that.

    The Mammoth does a few things well. Macrodynamics are nice and strong. The lateral staging width is decent. The resolution is pretty good, for the price. But whereas the Satsuma and Holocene have a slightly tizzy treble, the Mammoth goes too far in the opposite direction.


    Honeydew
    These are also the opposite of the bright Satsuma: they’re unequivocal bass cannons. Such fatigue as they cause comes not from the treble but from the pounding bass, and so strong was it that I had to keep turning down the volume.

    The bass has lots of depth, rumble, and fullness. There’s a bit of a treble rebound for vocals but the overall tonality is warm. Electric guitars have no bite to them whatsoever. Fortunately, the warmth does not make for a mufflled sound or any real congestion; in fact, I found the staging to be reasonably open, wide, and spacious. I’m not sure there’s much depth; layering and separation are fine for the price, but not particularly noteworthy.

    My disappointment with these IEMs lay in their macrodynamics, which weren’t strong enough and made music come across as a bit compressed. Their lack of speed was also a minor issue. Combined with the lack of treble, the overall sound was a bit ponderous and dull. Even so, the Honeydew made listening electronic music and hip hop quite mellow, fun, and relaxing, with a nice bassy boom. I’d buy them ahead of the Mammoth.


    Holocene

    These IEMs are easy to describe and even easier to like. As others have noted, there’s a strong family resemblance to the original Andromeda. I’ll go along with other descriptions of the Holocene as as a “Diet Andromeda” since it is slightly thinner in its sound and a bit lighter in its tonal weight - less meat on the bones, then, or a lower fat content.

    The Holocene have a fairly balanced tuning, by which I mean they could be construed as fairly “neutral,” depending on how you define that term. If anything, they may have a slightly upward sloping signature, from bass to treble, or with an emphasis in the treble - I’m not quite sure which. Vocals are quite forward without being intrusive. I wish I’d compared the Holocene with the HD 600, now that I think of it (for reference, I hear the HD 600 as just slightly bright of neutral).

    There are very few things to complain about with the Holocene, and these quibbles are minor: the thinness of the sound means that the timbre of some instruments isn’t quite as rich as it could be; strings aren’t as resonant or reverberant as they should be (but they have plenty of bite), and electric guitars likewise have nice bite but aren’t hefty enough to do justice to power chords. I’m not sure if the timbral issues have something to do with the BA drivers. Some drums aren’t quite as strong as they could be; timpani lack the proper welly behind them. The bass is also a bit loose and farty at times; some people may wish for a slightly stronger, tighter bass response. And the headstage, while excellent in many ways, has a great deal of lateral spread to the detriment, at times, to the center image. It’s not so much a three-blob effect as a wide panning to the sides.

    The resolution is decent, as you’d expect for the price, but a step back from the Andro, unsurprisingly. For a mid-tier IEM, though, it’s very good. I’d say, from distant and unreliable memory, that it’s not far off the Dunu SA6’s resolution.

    Everything else is excellent. These really are appealing IEMs. The standout qualities, for me, are:
    • the nice, clean clear sound, one that’s not fatiguing and that’s not in the least bit congested or compressed.
    • The outstanding headstage, which shares much in common with the Andromeda
      • it’s a bit too wide, as with the Andro, but there’s a wonderful spaciousness overall
      • the depth is fine
      • the imaging and layering are excellent
      • my favorite elements of the staging are the separation and air surrounding instruments
        • with the decent resolution, you can follow individual instruments very well, even in fairly complex musical passages. I used Charles Mingus’s Black Saint and the Sinner Lady to listen for these attributes, and only when lots of brass instruments blare all at once do the Holocen lose some clarity
    • the microdynamics and microdetail: I’m not skilled enough to comment about these characteristics but I’d guess they’re very good with the Holocene
    • the lovely treble, which is nice and smooth and well extended (as far as I can tell)
      • it may have a tiny bit of grain but this adds texture and doesn’t make for fatigue
      • in large orchestral works, you can hear flutes and harps and other higher-frequency instruments
      • woodwind instruments sound especially good
    • the speed is excellent - there’s a similar nimbleness and responsivess to the Andromeda
    • macrodynamics are nice and strong
    Taken together, all these qualities make for a dynamic, detailed, energetic and highly-engaging listening experience. At the risk of coming across like a Hi-Fi magazine reviewer, I’ll end by giving a quick example of what it’s like to listen to with the Holocene: Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah, with just an electric guitar and vocal, came across beautifully. There’s a lovely sustain and decay to guitar notes; microdynamics and details are superb, and the Holocene again sounds very responsive and nimble. The Holocene offer a lovely sparkle to the guitar although it doesn’t quite chime as richly as it does on other IEMs and headphones, perhaps because of a lack of heft or tonal weight. Even so, the guitar sounds wonderful, and while the vocals are forward, they stay coherent with the guitar.


    Conclusion
    So good are they that these IEMs really deserve a thread of their own; I can see them punching above their weight and getting pretty close to the Andromeda; it’s ca. 60% of the price but probably more like 76.64% of the sound quality. When I was looking to upgrade from my Massdrop Plus, I ended up saving for the Andromeda. But if this IEM had been around, I’d have probably purchased one.

    At the beginning of last year, in the 2021 Wishlist thread (here), I wrote that it would be great if Campfire Audio were to introduce “an updated version of the Orion, perhaps a more refined, mid-fi version in the $400-500 price range? In other words, an Andro Lite.” My wishes more or less came true. I feel like I’m obliged to buy a pair now.
     
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