Probably one of my favorite earphone makers—Campfire Audio—has just announced its latest high-end IEMs for serious music lovers. It’s always exciting when Campfire launches a new model and the Portland-based company take such exquisite care in designing and making multi-driver IEMs, you just know they’re going to sound great.
According to Campfire Audio, the new Astrolith IEMs have “the most refined and enhanced acoustic-shaping geometrics of any in-ear monitors on the market today.” Quite a bold claim and these new IEMs feature Campfire’s new Additive Acoustic Optical Inclusion housing (AAOI), these stunning casings are not just beautiful to look at, they are also designed to contribute to the acoustic performance of the Astrolith IEMs.
The shells of the Astrolith are made from stainless steel and are hand-polished to a mirror finish. The optically inclusive internal chambers are housed within a transparent exterior, creating a gem-like effect, with internal visibility from various angles. From a distance they look sleek and black while revealing light and structure from within.
Inside each of the Astrolith’s earpieces are two custom 14.2mm planar magnetic drivers that have been designed to support sub-low, low and midrange frequencies. There is also a single custom 6mm planar magnetic driver that works as a tweeter for the high frequencies. The IEMs have been precisely engineered to reveal the faintest of details within track.
As with any multi-driver earphones, the way the frequencies are split between the drivers is vital. Campfire Audio has developed a design without a crossover. By using internal chambers that have been engineered to create precisely controlled acoustic volumes, Campfire says the intended sonic vision is delivered.
Despite the relatively large size of the drivers, Campfire Audio says it has maintained its engineering prowess by ensuring the components can react at incredible speeds. Apparently, the drivers draw out clean, accurate details and overall acoustic resolution that reproduces music with life-like realism and detail on every layer.
Reflecting the rapid, accurate movement of the drivers is the Astrolith’s impulse response. That’s the ability of the driver to respond to signals and stop resulting movement quickly. That’s what gives earphones a more dynamic sound by enabling the driver to move from note to succeeding note without overlap or ‘smearing.’ It’s all about being sonically nimble and agile.
Campfire says its new IEMs are the “finest, most advanced available today.” The Astrolith IEM’s have an incredibly flat impedance, meaning they produce the most balanced, accurate sound possible. And with less than 0.3% harmonic distortion thanks to the use of planar technology, the even diaphragm movement of the IEM’s voice coil ensures it does not warp or bend, even at high volumes.
The Astrolith package includes a black leather folding wallet which is handmade in Portugal. There is a 3.5mm and 4.4mm TimeStream cable, a ‘Breezy Bag Micro’ two-pocket mesh pouch, a selection of silicone and foam ear tips available in small, medium and large sizes, plus there is a cleaning tool and the ever-present Campfire Audio Lapel Pin so other people know how seriously you take your music.
I haven’t had a chance to test the Astrolith IEMs yet, but if there are anything like my reference pair of Ara IEMs, we should be in for a treat. The people at Campfire Audio take their work incredibly seriously and are probably the leading IEM brand is my opinion.
Pricing & Availability: The Campfire Audio Astrolith IEMs are available now and priced at $2,199 / £2,199 / €2,399 from select retailers including Audiologica and Audio Sanctuary and Amazon via HEA Distribution.
Tech Specs:
- Drivers: 2 x 14mm Planar Magnetic and 1 x 6mm Planar Magnetic tweeter.
- Frequency response: 5Hz – 25kHz.
- THD: < .3%.
- Impedance @1K: 8.2Ω.
- SPL: 94dB @ 1kHz: 44.90mVrms.
