Ever since most smartphone makers removed the 3.5mm stereo headphone jack from their products, we’ve been forced to opt for either wireless Bluetooth earbuds or invest in an external DAC and use regular wired earphones. Now Campfire Audio has announced its new Axion earphones as an alternative to wireless.
While some wireless earbuds can sound very good, if you are an Apple iPhone user the the wireless sound quality you are able to access is capped at the limit of the AAC Bluetooth audio codec. It’s not a bad codec but it isn’t lossless and it isn’t high resolution.
Boutique earphone brand Campfire Audio decided it was about time that music lovers were given more choice when it comes to the type of earphones they can use with their smartphones. The Portland company set about designing a pair of high-end and wired earbuds that use a USB-C connection and a built-in DAC for suppluing upgraded sound quality.
Despite their premium sound quality and fresh styling, the new Axion are the Campfire Audio’s most accessible pair of earphones yet. The Axion feature a new, full-range silicon dynamic driver featuring enhanced tuning. The Axion also include an integrated, high-resolution DAC for turning digital sound into high-quality analog waveforms. The new earphones also have black-and-clear styling as well as USB-C connectivity.
“We set out to provide a high-performance, accessible entry into the world of high-fidelity, portable audio. Axion checks all boxes when it comes to true hi-fi on the go; incredible sonic performance, plug-and-play usability, lightweight and comfortable,” says Ken Ball, the founder and lead acoustic engineer at Campfire Audio.
Designed to be easy to use with any USB-C smartphone, the Axion have a high-quality integrated USB-C cable with an embedded 32-bit/384kHz DAC chip that delivers reliable and high-fidelity audio with a wide range of smartphones, tablets, laptops or portable gaming devices.
As a further benefit for smartphone users, the Axion’s USB-C cable also has an in-line microphone and an intuitive three-button remote that enables users to manage their phone calls, adjust volume levels and control media playback without having to reach for their smartphone all the time.
At the heart of the Axion, the full-range silicon dynamic driver uses innovative technology that blends a unique design and compact size that’s similar to a balanced armature driver but with the more fulsome sound quality of a dynamic driver. The driver has been precisely tuned using Campfire Audio’s years of acoustic engineering experience and the brand claims the Axion provide users with a smooth and balanced sound.
The Axion earphones are Campfire Audio’s most accessible model to date and they will appeal to anyone who wants to move from using Bluetooth wireless earbuds to a higher-quality wired design with a high-quality DAC for decoding hi-res digital audio files.
Pricing and Availability:
The new Campfire Audio Axion earphones will be available towards the end of April from a range of retailers, including Amazon. The suggested retail price is $249 / £249.
