I think the company Campfire Audio known anyone a little bit interested in portable audio person. Just recently, in one review I lamented the fact that in their lineup at the lack of low-end models and all of a sudden, a few weeks later there was a novelty in the face of a Comet.
I think Campfire Audio wouldn’t be myself if I hadn’t got access to the creation of a budget model with the same thoroughness with which they approach their top-end solutions. This time their diligence was further emphasized by the fact that the Comet was released in conjunction with the new dynamic flagship of the company Atlas, which I also will tell. Comet got the same flagship with stainless steel case, with a difference only in size. Sound meets single emitter with a balanced anchor. Campfrire Audio used some unusual ventilated driver and added a specially designed three-dimensional resonance chamber for improving sound. Jumping a little ahead to say that they managed to make a cool sound, unlike traditional reinforcement headphones.
Separate the subject of joy in this case was the fact that the company decided to shift the initial segment in a more accessible area, and estimated the Comet is only $ 200 (price may slightly be different due to taxes and fees).
Specifications
- Emitter: with a balanced armature
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sensitivity: 97 dB/mW
- Total harmonic distortion: <1%
- Impedance: 48Ω
- Cable: copper Litz, removable, with MMCX connectors
Packing and delivery
Everything flows, everything changes, and only boxes Campfire Audio headphones remain a Bastion of stability. Whether it’s a flagship, or, as in this time, the budget model they will arrive to you in a compact package of heavy paper, sealed in plastic. The difference between the models says only the color of the cardboard (this time in mustard yellow) and label printing (orange).
Inside the box is the case (this time from leatherette), in which lie the headphones with the supplied cable. Each headphone is carefully installed in a separate velvet pouch puffs. Under the cardboard insert-separator is a set of accessories:
- 3 pairs of foam tips
- Odnoplanovye 3 pairs of silicone ear tips
- standard set of 4 pairs of nozzles Spin Fit
- cleaning brush
- and, of course, the main accessory — the brand icon with the company logo
As you can see, on the accessories there is clearly not saved, the package is worthy flagships.
Design and comfortable wearing
From the point of view of the appearance of Comet are out of competition. I even think sometimes that Campfire Audio specially developed the design of two new models to emphasize that in the metal they have no equal. I think the pictures speak for themselves, but life headphones look even cooler, all of these difficult transitions in shape, chamfer, company logo… And the bars on the sound channel… well, it’s not the headphones, and the present technoporn for fetishists, made with the highest quality possible.
The material is polished to a mirror finish stainless steel, and I do not recall similar solutions earlier. On the first rendering headphones looked weird, like a mixture of dryer and weapons of the space Marines, but they live such impressions are not produced.
Of course, the “Comet” is very convenient, they’re compact and will easily sit for almost all users. You can choose wearing styles: behind-the-ear or cable down, so you can adjust the depth of planting, if you put the nozzle are smaller, they can be thrust very deeply, having increased sound insulation.
Of course, there is a removable wire and, of course, Campfire Audio put headphones in the same MMCX connectory with believin coating, as in expensive models, providing excellent quality and reliability. Wire is relatively simple: copper Litz wire in the black insulation, but it is soft, thin and very handy in daily operating instructions manual, the same used in Polaris. Cable this cold does not harden, no noise, little inclined to tangling. This time, Campfire Audio do not have the ear pieces that will delight lovers of classic fit. On the cable provided for the microphone and remote control, if there are willing to connect these headphones to the microphone.
For my taste, with the cable this time was a slight discrepancy in Comet too beautiful for such a “common” wire, and the same silver litts kit Atlas here looks much cooler (and sound better) but it costs more than the Comet itself. Although, of course, that I’m so picky, the stock cable is in fact very good and the sound and appearance, but this time just headphones look much more expensive than its price.
Sound
To listen following equipment was used.
- Yulong DA9 and Resonessence Labs Concero HP in the role of DAC and amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2016 as the source
- Fidelia in the role of player
- Lotoo PAW Gold, theBit OPUS#2, Astell&Kern, A&ultima SP1000 and the role of other portable players
- Recording high-resolution Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky have The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before listening headphones were heated for 48 hours, a noticeable change in sound is not observed.
Don’t know, maybe I’m overdoing it with the praise Campfire Audio, but now there will be another paragraph about it. The sound of a Comet shows that the company over it carefully worked, it is not like what we expect from valve. The developers have tried to take the best from this technology: detail and speed, but to offset the disadvantages of such lightness, sharpness and coldness in the flow. For overall sound, the Comet was very musical, balanced, with a slight touch of warmth. A special praise deserves the naturalness in the transmission of natural instruments.
In any case, once again a fairly obvious truth: the making of a model can vary significantly depending on the nozzles and landing, for me, the best results were with SpinFit and shallow behind-the-ear fit. The subsequent description is made for her.
NCH accentuated by the added weight, but of course this is done very sparingly, without compromising detail. Headphones completely devoid of reinforcing dryness, not knowing they can be easily confused with a good dynamic model. The bass has decent depth, not extraordinary, but sufficient to fully capture the nature of the instruments. Expected for reinforcing the headphones, he well conveys the texture and shared plans, but with virtually no typical valves of reduced attacks and attenuation.
Midrange is also slightly mitigated by a relatively “typical odnoprovodnoi valves.” In comparison with the same typical dynamic speakers, the headphones have good resolution, they perfectly convey the emotions and nuances inherent in the recording. Despite the fact that the midrange is slightly lowered relative to the WOOFER, not the slightest trace “of a typical V-shaped” frequency response is not here. Incremental heat on the MF model is not super-critical to the quality of the recording, allowing you to listen not perfectly mixed tracks, however, Frank slag, it is better to avoid. The imaginary stage is considerably greater average width and a little more average in depth. If you complain, we can note a slight tendency towards underestimation of the size of the tools, but in order to notice it — have to really listen. Comet is good for IEM share plans and are positioning the sound sources in three dimensions.
HF turned out to be for reinforcement, but here Campfire Audio has made efforts to create a comfortable flow. The lower half of the treble is very detailed, with a slightly reduced attack and damping, which is typical for used drivers. The upper part of the treble is a little laid by the wayside, so headphones it turned out comfortable, not sharp, without a care in the ringing and excessive underlining of sibilants. Of course, the length of the HF, sometimes you want to hear higher, but this is unlikely to be able to achieve with a single broadband emitter. Campfire Audio decided in the first place to bet on the naturalness and musicality of the filing of this part of the range, and for my taste is not lost.
Of course, I didn’t deny myself the pleasure to try the headphones with silver Litz wire supplied with the Atlas, since he is now sold on the website ALOAudio separately for $ 250. Surprisingly, the result was quite audible: NCH added a bit in resolution, midrange sounded more emotional, the length of the treble also improved slightly. In General, the changes are quite positive, although not very logical to spend for cable more cost headphones.
Of course, the review needs comparison. To compare “everything with everything” of course, I can not, therefore, limited to a few models.
Campfire Audio Orion “Orion” — this is just an example of a more typical reinforcing drivers: drier over the entire range, with increased emphasis in the contrast sharper on the treble, offering a little less depth and weight in the bass. In General, neutral monitormost against the more musical nature of the flow.
Dunu Falcon-C . If it is rebar, which can dinamani, “Sokol” — the opposite situation, dynamic headphones, borrowing a lot of fittings. Falcon-C are more detailed and dry bass with more drums with a little less emphasis on quantity, they are a little legkovushka on midrange and treble they are distinguished by the great length and sharpness.
HiFiBoy OS V3 One of the best hybrid models, and, perhaps, not only hybrid, the initial price category, the sound is like trying to mix Comet and Falcon-C in one bottle. Bass is heavier but more neutral, the midrange is a little legkovushka, treble is more extended and, as expected, sharper.
Etymotic ER4S As not to mention here of the kings of odnoprovodnoi armatures? “Motyka” the sound is closer to Orion: the more detailed, drier, more neutral, that’s all, what do you expect from such emitters.
Compatibility
Despite the presence of a headset, to use these headphones with a phone not very much sense. They will play well, but their potential will be significantly nedorost. So, players in the mid-segment will be the best friends of the owners of Comet. However, the role of a second headphone for a top player they is also acceptable.
Stylistically headphones quite versatile, but they are particularly well revealed with music, involving the presence of live instruments and emotive vocals. Recording they srednekraevoy, out of 10 points somewhere in the 7th.
According to tradition, some tracks for example
Pat Metheny — Unity Village a Great test for any headphone — complex guitar music, that does not imply the use of distortion. Comet are doing a great job masters of jazz guitar, playing all authentically and naturally.
György Cziffra — Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 Yes, the same melody That played in one episode of “Tom and Jerry”. In this case, she plays the role of another test on the naturalness of the transfer of sophisticated tools, and, again, claims to a younger model Campfire Audio almost there, piano sounds very vividly and naturally. And, of course, I couldn’t pass version from one of the best pianists of Hungary — emotional, but very light and natural.
ZAZ — La vie en rose Oh and one more demonstration of “Comets” is an example of excellent female vocals in French. Again the maximum efficient presentation of vocals, emotions, nuances of accompaniment, all that plunges us into the atmosphere of the track and carries at least mentally in the land of love and wine.
Insights
Campfire Audio is always Audio Campfire, regardless of the price of the headphones, you get the maximum of everything: design, accessories, sound. In this case Comet for many will play the role of the “easy drug” that gets them hooked on the products of the company and provides long-lasting relationship, hardly anyone of the victims will complain about that.
Buy Campfire Audio.
Overview headphone Audio Campfire Comet — there is one way up…
Pavel Dmitriev