Campfire Audio Andromeda in-ear Headphones - Official Thread

IEMs / In-Ear-Monitors Official IEM Model Discussion
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A quick follow-up to an earlier post of mine about the Andromeda 2020’s perceived lack of macro-dynamics. I’d like to amend my initial impressions: the Andro 2020 isn’t lacking in punchiness at all; rather, it actually has decent slam, more than enough to make my music nice and lively and energetic. The key to this is the right source pairing. Out of my AK Jr, the Andro was too soft; with a Sony ZX2, the macro-dynamics are satisfyingly strong.

The right source pairing isn’t just a matter of output impedance, I’m finding. (The AK Jr, on paper, should be fine here). It’s a matter of getting a good synergy, and as many others before me have remarked, the ZX2 is a great pairing. I’ll post more impressions once I’ve had more time with my new setup.

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My Dunu cable just arrived today - shipping took for-EVER! I got a 2.5mm balanced connector for it, as well as a 2.5mm -> XLR adapter so I can plug in to my desktop amp while I work. The whole system is sounding really nice - thanks for the suggestion.

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No problem man, enjoy !!

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Welp, trying out an IEM for the first time hahaha still trying out which ear tip works best for me, but I’ll probably post some first impressions later :grin:

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I am a newcomer to the IEM universe and this is my first post on this thread. I go back to the 70s with an appreciation of music starting with my purchase of “Can’t Buy a Thrill” by Steely Dan. Since then my tastes have expanded from rock to jazz, classical, bluegrass, folk and even ambient. When the pandemic hit, I decided it was time to move my digital music collection to the cloud and invest in some good audio equipment. Headphones were a more practical option than speakers and the path led to IEMs because I enjoy their portability and form factor.

I’ve had the Andromeda 2020 for about two months and have probably logged 50-60 hours of listening time so far. I am very pleased with the purchase with two caveats covered below. As a newcomer to IEMs, I would welcome feedback from people with more experience.

Caveat #1: I listed to Qobuz and Vox from my Apple devices: iPod G7 (mostly), iPad, and MacBook Air. I initially went with a Dragonfly Cobalt DAC. The resulting sound was great, but the volume was too loud given the sensitivity of the Andromeda. Neither Qobuz or Vox has volume controls, so I was left with the controls on the iOS device; it goes from mute to much-too-loud in three ticks of the volume. So I purchased an iFi DAC with IEMatch (and volume knob!) which fixed that. But I miss the convenience and size of the Dragonfly.

Caveat #2: my other IEM is the Final B3 with dual BA drivers. I enjoy those as well, although in my A/B comparisons, they lack the bass, detail and soundstage of the Andromeda. However, listening to “Unquity Road” from the early Pat Metheny trio I found that I actually preferred the B3. The sound was more compact - fine for a jazz trio - but it was also brighter and more precise than the Andromeda. I suppose that I am learning that the material influences how an IEM sounds to my ears. This is not news to seasoned IEM listeners, but it has been part of my discovery - and enjoyment of the hobby.

I am now in the market for a DAP in the $500 - 1000 price range. The primary criteria is that it pairs well with the Andromeda 2020 and that it handles streaming from all the major hi-res sites. If you have a recommendation I’d like to hear it.

Thanks for reading my ramble :slightly_smiling_face:

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Solution to your volume problem

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Congrats on getting the Andromeda 2020, it’s nice to hear that you like them so much - caveats aside. Both of your reservations make sense and I have a few suggestions for you. My apologies, in advance, for the length of this post (and for repeating some of my posts above).

First, though, I should point out that I have only marginally more experience than you with high-end IEMs: I’ve had my Andromeda 2020 for a whopping three months now!

I love ‘em. I’d been listening during commutes to my Massdrop Plus IEMs for the past few years (another IEM with BA drivers), and while I liked them a great deal, it became increasingly frustrating to go back to them after listening to the superior quality of my much better over-ear headphones, especially when it came to resolution. In many ways, the Andromeda 2020 rival my high-end headphones, especially when it comes to resolution and the sound being so engaging, and I no longer feel as though my portable listening experience is a significant step down from my desktop setup. In fact, there are many times when I reach for them over my desktop rig because they sound so lovely and do some things so very well.

The source for an Andromeda 2020 matters a great deal. For one thing, Apple devices simply don’t have the fine gradations of volume control that are needed for sensitive IEMs like the Andromeda. A DAP will fix this. I find the IEMatch to have an adverse effect on the sound, so I went in the direction of getting a decent DAP. (I’ve seen quite a few folks praise the Lotoo Paw S1 device but I’ve not seen any specific impressions of the pairing with the Andromeda 2020). Another dac/amp option for you might be the Chord Mojo.

For another thing, getting the right source is also a question of doing justice to the great potential of the Andromeda. Whereas my iPhone 7 was good enough for the Massdrop Plus, the superior resolution and micro-dynamics of the Andromeda 2020 exposed the limitations of the iPhone, and I found the sound to have an artificial quality - I think I now have a vague inkling of what “digititus” means. The iPhone was also also weirdly fatiguing, which is strange because the Andromeda 2020 has a dark sound signature. So, I decided to try a couple of DAPs instead.

Out of an Astell and Kern Jr., the Andromeda 2020 had the kind of clarity and engagement I’d been missing on the iPhone, but it didn’t have strong enough macrodyanmics or slam. The sound was simply too soft and unexciting. So, I picked up a Sony NW-ZX2, which is widely reputed to make for an excellent, synergistic pairing with the original Andro. I’ve found it to be everything I could want or hope for with my Andro 2020. Somehow the pairing makes for a sound that captures both the subtleties of the music while also being great fun, tremendously exciting and energetic.

When it comes to sound quality alone, then, I’d highly recommend the ZX2. But practical considerations are such that I cannot recommend the DAP to you: the DAP is no longer in production and has been around for some five or six years; when you buy it used, beware of the battery length. Since I’m not commuting at the moment, this isn’t a big concern for me, so I took a risk on the Sony, especially as I got it for ca. $350. The battery will be a significant issue for you, though, since you stream music. I play native files so, again, it’s less of an issue for me. And I’m not sure if the operating system is ideal for the latest streaming services.

Before deciding to get the Sony, I had my sight set on the AK SR25 because it’s price is right and because it has a suitable output impedance for the Andro. The output impedance of your source is another important consideration. The Andromeda 2020, like its predecessor, is highly susceptible to changes in its character according to differences in the output impedance. Sources (including amps) with a low output impedance, below 1 ohm, tilt the frequency response of the Andro 2020 even darker - and given that the Andro 2020 is pretty dark to begin with, it just becomes too much. Out of a Magni 3, on low gain or a Fulla 2 (be careful with the volume knob), or out of the iPhone 7 with a dongle, the bass response gets boosted but the cost of tilting the sound signature too far.

An ideal output impedance, in my view, would be in the 1.5-2.0 range for the Andromeda 2020. There aren’t that many DAPs on the market that fall within this range. A final, important issue is that the sensitivity of the Andromeda 2020 is such that it can be highly susceptible to hiss. You may well want a quiet DAP. Unfortunately, all this rules out many of the DAPs on the market. I’d narrowed my options down to the AK SR25 and the Sony NW-507. The AK SR25 has received quite a bit of criticism on Head-Fi for dropping its wireless signal. I wonder if this is something that’s either overstated or that could be fixed with a firmware update. For the Sony NW-507, opinions seem to be mixed. But since I’ve had such a good experience with the ZX2, my hunch is that Sony DAPs make for a nice pairing with the Andromeda. There’s also the NW-WM1A but it’s $200 above your budget.

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I appreciate the reply. That does indeed address the situation on the Mac, but the bigger issue is on my iOS devices. In my case, it is with the iPod or iPad - even using the volume control on the Control Center.

To be clear, there is one volume level that I find comfortable, but one tick in either direction is either too loud or soft. Kind of a Goldilocks effect …

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If you want finer control over volume. Pressing and holding or using 3D Touch on the volume slider will let you adjust volume in smaller increments. Swipe down from the top of the screen to activate Control Center. Press firmly (on iPhone 6s or later) or press and hold on the volume slider to expand it.

Google is your friend :slight_smile:

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Fantastic information - thank you. You’ve given me a lot to think about. You confirmed a few things for me, e.g., that I need to be careful with my DAP pairing and that the iPod/iPhone may not be best suited for it. The Sony recommendations sound good to me except for the questionable streaming support. I had gone the iOS/Mac OS route because I liked the idea of building on a robust OS. (I previously owned a Panasonic DAP whose weak software ultimately pushed me to sell it.) I’d be willing to stretch the budget for the NW-WM1A but that doesn’t promote its streaming capabilities either.

As far as the AK SR25 goes, that has been at the top of my list, but I also read about the Wifi issues. The Android software doesn’t do much good if the Wifi is glitchy. Perhaps it has been addressed. And I also was considering the iBasso Audio DX220. It has an output impedance of roughly .5 ohm but I take your concern about making the sound signature darker to heart.

Since this is a Christmas gift to myself, I have time to continue my research :slight_smile:

Thanks again

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That was actually one of the first things I had I tried. But trying it again, you’re right, it does provide more granular control…sometimes. With Vox, it seems to work with some songs but not all; maybe something to do with loudness of the album I ripped? Streaming Qobuz the fine control isn’t there at all. In either case it requires fine manual dexterity to manipulate the volume.

I appreciate the advice and will keep experimenting.

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I think much of this will come down to your preferences - what works for me may not suit your tastes, of course. Does your iPad have the headphone jack? I ask because, if you’re listening through the dongle, you’ll be able to get a rough sense of what the lower output impedance sound signature is like (the dongle is below an ohm, and close to zero, I believe). You can also use the IEMatch to hear the effect of varying output impedances on the sound profile.

The issue of personal preference can also depend on the music you’re listening to. I like a darker signature with rock and electronic music; for classical and jazz, or other genres with acoustic instruments, I prefer neutral-bright headphones.

Good luck with your research!

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Anyone grab an Andromeda from the B-Stock sale so far? I’m glad I didn’t wait on the Gold, sold out within the first day.

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No but the price is great. It was interesting to see the Gold show up on sale, I hadn’t thought they were being made any more.

Given the 2020 version’s different FR, it would be a shame if the original were to disappear from the lineup. I’ve got the 2020 but there is a distinct appeal to the original.

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No but I picked up the Polaris II in that sale as a complementary headphone to my Andromeda. I gave it to my wife to give to me as a gift on Christmas :slight_smile:

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The Polaris is indeed an awesome compliment to the Andromeda!

Darko Audio’s review of both summed up why they are both excellent best in my book.

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Funny you should mention that. Darko’s enthusiasm for the Polaris did help pique my interest in them. I find the Andromeda’s low end generally works for me, the mids are superb, but its highs often lack the shimmer and splash (in the case of cymbals) I am looking for. This seems to go against what I read here and in reviews about the Andros. So is it more attributable to my taste, my inexperience with IEMs, or aging ears? I am looking forward to see how the Polaris II will compare.

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It’s the same analogy I would give to someone starting any new hobby, e.x. sneakers (which is my other wallet pain-inducing addiction).

Walk into a sneaker store with no prior background and choose what speaks to you. Don’t judge by reviews, the “hype”, or what you can flip with resell rates. Wear what you want, and fits your fashion/style as you please.

The same goes for headphones ~ which speak to us in different ways musically. I wish I listened to people who speak about audio like Darko earlier on when I was starting out because I would have found my personal taste that I have now so much faster than just following the hype.

That said, I think the Polaris II will be exactly what you’re looking for. I recently had them for a week before trading them again and really enjoyed them. My collection has succumbed to upgraditis.

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You’re referring to the 2020 version, right? The lack of sparkle isn’t just you; others have observed it. See this thread, for instance, where among posts by more experienced folks than me I wrote up some comparative impressions of the OG and 2020 Andromedas. The quick takeaway: the original has more of the shimmer and splash you’re looking for. It’s not just a matter of taste, necessarily, or inexperience and aging ears (I can’t claim to be experienced but I likewise have aging ears).

I’ve had a Lotoo Paw S1 for a few weeks now, and while I’ve not had chance to give it a proper listen, my initial impressions of it with the Andro 2020 are favorable. You get plenty of volume range with it. I suspect it has an output impedance that works well for the Andromeda 2020 insofar as it doesn’t make this IEM overly dark or bassy (I’ve not seen the OI on any specs), and the Lotoo Paw S1 would make it possible for you to continue to stream music from your iDevices, which I suspect are better for that purpose than most DAPs. The Lotoo Paw S1 may lack some of the technicalities of DAPs but it’s relatively affordable ($165 new from Musicteck, or $139 right now for a “like new” one). I should add that the Lotoo Paw S1 won’t add any sparkle to the Andro 2020.

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Thanks for sharing that thread. Then it is not just me ! :slightly_smiling_face:

I pretty much agree with every point in that post off that link. I smiled when I read the comment about acoustic and jazz; I reach for my Final B3s over the Andromeda 2020 in those situations every time.

A good example of my experience with the Andromeda 2020 came yesterday when I listened to the first song off the new Smashing Pumpkins album, The Colour of Love. Streaming Qobuz off my iPod + Dragonfly Cobalt the guitar riff growls, the bass guitar and kick drum are absolutely addictive and the synthesizer sweeps across top nicely. And then there is the issue of the cymbals. At points the song builds to a big cymbal crash … that never really delivers. Disappointing.

And thanks for the Lotoo PAW S1 info. I’ll probably play around with the Polaris II as my next step, then come back to sources.

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