Campfire Audio’s Chromatic Series in-ear monitors are now available. The Chromatic series comprises four different IEMs, offering various sound signatures, IEM configurations and technology, price ranges, and colors. It includes the Supermoon, Ponderosa, Cascara, and Bonneville – the flagship IEM of the Chromatic series. We have tested several Campfire Audio IEMs before, and I’m pretty sure these new Chromatic IEMs will offer top-notch premium quality and sound. Find out below which one of the Chromatic series is your cup of tea.
Campfire Audio Supermoon, Featuring Custom 14nm Planar Magnetic Drivers
Planar magnetic drivers are quite common in headphones, but they are not when it comes to IEMs. We previously reviewed an IEM with a planar driver, the Audeze Euclid. So I am pretty curious how Campfire Audio’s Supermoon, with a more friendly design and aesthetics, would fare.
The Planar Magnetic driver, a recent innovation in in-ear monitors (IEMs), stands out for its precision, quick response, and overall sound. Its large, flat diaphragm moves quickly to deliver powerful audio with intricate details and complexity that surpasses traditional balanced armature (BA) and dynamic drivers. The latest Planar designs have successfully addressed common issues like low efficiency and sensitivity, offering IEM users an exceptional auditory experience.
The Supermoon is Campfire’s first IEM to feature a 14mm full-range Planar driver, setting it apart with a distinctive sound profile in our collection. This driver’s size and speed produce a rich and smooth bass, clear and detailed midrange, and crisp highs, ensuring a well-rounded and authentic listening experience. Campfire Audio’s Supermoon IEM is ideal for those looking for an all-arounder IEM.
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Campfire Supermoon IEM (black) is available on Amazon here.
Campfire Audio Ponderosa, An Andromeda Alternative/Replacement?
Priced below the Supermoon is Campfire Audio’s Ponderosa. It features five custom balanced armature drivers, a configuration that is strikingly similar to Campfire Audio’s popular Andromeda. Its faceplate is a distinct hexagonal shape and offers a crisp, analytical sonic profile, perhaps somewhat similar to the Andromeda.
Campfire Audio prioritizes quality in its approach to designing earphones, focusing on the effective use of drivers rather than just adding more. This strategy leads to better sound quality and consistency across products, avoiding the complications of too many variables.
Their Phase Harmony Engineering technique segments the frequency spectrum, allowing each driver to focus on what it does best. They also fine-tune the sound by designing specific driver housings and earphone shapes and customizing how the drivers dampen sound. These adjustments help the drivers work together more effectively.
This careful coordination between drivers is key to avoiding sound issues like phase cancellation. It also contributes to qualities like imaging, separation, clarity, and the sense of space in the music, which you might not see in standard measurements.
Campfire has developed a patented driver technology called TAEC, which involves a special chamber for housing a balanced armature driver. This setup lets us fine-tune specific frequencies with great precision.
The Ponderosa uses TAEC for the dual-high drivers, resulting in highly accurate and detailed high-frequency sounds. Combining this with Campfire’s three-way Phase Harmony Engineering ensures a seamless blend of these fine-tuned highs with the rest of the sound spectrum.
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Campfire Ponderosa IEM (black) is available on Amazon here.
Campfire Audio Cascara, Dynamic Sounding IEM At Reasonable Price
For those who are into bass, I think Campfire Cascara would fit your ear. It features a full-range dynamic driver, which is meticulously crafted to deliver a lively performance and fun and engaging sound with an emphasis on bass. In short, this is a warm-sounding IEM.
Campfire Audio’s latest Dual Magnet Dynamic Driver uses a stronger magnetic field for better efficiency, faster response, and more accurate diaphragm movement, resulting in a rich and deeply engaging sound.
In the Cascara model, this driver is used as the sole, full-range component, ensuring a unified and powerful audio experience. The driver highlights Cascara’s vibrant and dynamic sound through meticulous tuning and dampening, combining deep bass with smooth, warm mids and highs for a pleasant listening experience suitable for daily use.
Campfire Audio’s Cascara uses a Dual-Magnet Dynamic Driver as a single, full-range unit, ensuring a unified sound that fully showcases the driver’s capabilities. This driver emphasizes Cascara’s rich and powerful sound through detailed tuning and dampening. The combination of deep bass and smooth mids and highs makes Cascara enjoyable and suitable for daily listening.
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Campfire Cascara IEM (black) is available on Amazon here.
Campfire Audio Bonneville IEM, “For the Ultimate Audiophile”
According to Campfire Audio, its Bonneville IEM is built for the ultimate audiophile. Now, while that may sound over the top or exaggerated, I’m guessing that the sound quality of this IEM is the best among the four IEMs in the Chromatic series. The Bonneville features a hybrid design with a 10mm dynamic driver and three custom balanced armature drivers for the mids and highs. This configuration is similar to the Solaris, Black Star, and Stellar Horizon. But of course, I’m sure sound tuning is different since the Stellar Horizon is double the price of Bonneville and the Black Star is a few hundred dollars cheaper.
Campfire Audio’s latest Dual Magnet Dynamic Driver uses a stronger magnetic field for improved efficiency, faster response times, and more precise movement of the diaphragm, producing a sound that’s both deep and emotionally engaging.
Campfire Bonneville’s driver serves as a woofer, delivering accurate and rich bass that reaches into the sub-frequencies without overwhelming other sounds. Combined with Bonneville’s three quick balanced armatures, the Dual-Magnet Driver focuses on delivering satisfying deep bass, enhancing your HiFi listening experience.
Campfire has integrated Knowles’ latest dual-diaphragm armatures, a cutting-edge development in balanced armature technology. This extra diaphragm boosts the driver’s sound output, enriching the audio signal while offering lower sensitivity and minimal harmonic distortion.
In the Bonneville model, this driver excels as a mid-driver, especially enhancing the vital vocal range. Bonneville captures the full emotion of vocals, guitar riffs, and solos with remarkable clarity.
Additionally, Bonneville includes two tweeter BAs dedicated to high frequencies, which precisely capture and convey every subtle detail of cymbal splashes, snare fades, and reverberations, striking an ideal balance between brightness and mellowness.
Where to buy: (#ad)
Campfire Bonneville IEM (black) is available on Amazon here.
