Campfire Audio Andromeda Review: Holy Cow, This is a Dream, Awesomesauce!

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by purr1n, May 13, 2016.

  1. Returnity

    Returnity Acquaintance

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    Since I do not trust the customs here in my country (corruption) I asked CA to send my andros to a friend in the US. Finally my friend brought my Andros from the US and after a few hours of listening here are some first impressions:


    * They do sound like a big pile of sh.. with the iphone lightning dongle, so if anyone considers to buy these babies with the hope of using them with iphone 7 and up, well, good luck! No need to describe that muddy sound, no one should torture him/herself with something like that!

    * My wife's iphone 6 on the other hand was much much better with a whole lot brighter and detailed sound but it lacked the bite and precision of the more high-end devices. But it is definitely usable with almost inaudible hiss if your DAP runs out of battery or you want to use tidal etc...

    * Chord mojo... I was prepared for the worst after reading all the comments but I think it's not that bad, come on :) I agree that the bass is exaggerated and it bloats the sound which almost destroys the magic of these babies. But I think they're a perfectly viable option for non-android DAP users' Tidal needs. Just not the most ideal partner for andros. The hiss was not noticable for me in this one either.

    * WM1A: When I said above that I was prepared for the worst, that meant that I bought one of these second hand perfectly burned in. And oh boy...

    It was pure eargasm after eargasm for me. The bass, as stated, is quite prominent, but does not bleed into mids. The groove of the bass guitar and the punch of bass drums is just right for my taste.

    Mids are very life-like, so much so that you can feel the vox near you. And also the distorted guitars just rip.

    Treble is definitely not as lush as it was on iphone 6 but it was not lacking either. The quality of cymbals and overall detail level is still through the roof in my opinion.

    As for soundstage, sorry guys, I definitely have no idea how to express my thoughts regarding that terminology :) Ppl even talk about vertical and horizontal variants, but my ears aren't that much trained, sorry :)

    Still trying to decide on a balanced cable, so these impressions are from the SE output only.


    Conclusion: Coming from Pinnacle P1's I have to admit that this is a definite improvement. But make no mistake. The P1 is one hell of a champ in its price range and for those on a tight budget, it's quite a good substitute for Andros IMHO, especially after the deal with the PX's.

    The Andromeda is definitely on another level though and it's a classy redefinition of a neutral sound with a fun signature which always urges you to use them non-stop.

    The alteration of sound signature with various OI is real and significant, so be wary when you're about to buy them. Unfortunately I had no chance of trying them with the ZX2, but the WM1A SE output is the champ of my first day easily. A quick ranking and some notes:

    WM1A (punchy, very detailed, slightly south of neutral but still quite airy) >>> Mojo (quite south of neutral, less detail, less treble, but still a viable option) >> iPhone 6 (slightly north of neutral, I can see why ppl love them but if you're into guitar-centered music the whole sound is quite thin and lacks the punch, otherwise quite viable) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lightning Dongle (seriously, no one ever should try these abominations)



    Here are some of my test tracks if anyone is interested:

    Steven Wilson - No Part of Me, Holy Drinker, and To the Bone
    Akercocke - Disappear
    Chroma Key - On the Page
    Daft Punk - Lucky
    Dream Theater - 6:00
    Fleshgod Apocalypse - Cold As Perfection
    Septicflesh - Pyramid
    Genesis - Dancing with the Moonlit Knight
    Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond
    King Crimson - Fallen Angel
    Porcupine Tree - Sound of Muzak


    Disclaimer: All of these are with using symbio tips which IMHO should be the golden standard in the tip industry. Perfect seal, perfect isolation, perfect fit and all these without altering the intended sound signature! Do yourselves a favor and grab one pair of these please...

    And also, this is my first reviewish post, so careful with that axe please :)
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2018
  2. roscoeiii

    roscoeiii Acquaintance

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    Great summary of your experiences. As has been mentioned here and elsewhere, the ifi IEMmatch is a great tool for reducing the hiss and hitting the OI sweet spot for Andromeda. That opens up a larger variety of potential sources of you're OK with using that dongle.
     
  3. Returnity

    Returnity Acquaintance

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    Actually I'm not so sure if I'd want another dongle for portable use. Also, some people claim that it hurts the overall timbre and resolution.

    I know this is blasphemy but I found out that the EQ on WM1A works quite well. Even on basic sound enhancement with only bass, mid and treble knobs, adjusting the bass -1, mids +1 and treble +2 or 3 works wonders IMHO.

    On most occasions EQ'ing is a double edged sword but WM1A handles it quite well without altering the sound too much.
     
  4. matique

    matique New

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    I did a rough search but nothing substantial came up.

    Has anyone ever tried contacting Ken to ask if the older Andros can be sent in to be bead blasted and cerakoted? I have a pair of incoming Andros that's in pretty nice condition but my old one has seen war. I don't mind the look but was wondering about options if there were any.
     
  5. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    that’s a cool idea- refurb paint jobs on chipped green Andros.
    @KenBall any consideration of such in the future?
     
  6. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    aside: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Beausage

    personally, unless you're trying to resell, I think stuff that's kinda beat up but well used and not abused looks cool.

    All that being said, re-anodizing the shells would be rather difficult as far as I understand how CFA assembles their IEMs.

    Edit: ceracote is different than anodizing, but would require the same level of disassembly. Only bare alu parts can get coated - so all the guts have to be removed. It doesn't look like there's any finish machine work after coating on the interior of the shells, but impossible to say for sure without popping them open.
     
  7. matique

    matique New

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    Double post sorry
     
  8. matique

    matique New

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    Oooo I didn't know the inside of the shells would go through the cerakote process too.

    I'm quite familiar with cerakote; used it several times personally to refinish some model RC tanks. It isn't too hard to do it myself but I'm not familiar with removing all the drivers and tubes/chambers without damaging anything.

    How I wish I had picked up the white cerakoted Andros that went for $800 I'm November T.T
     
  9. drgumbybrain

    drgumbybrain Science Nut

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    Hello friends. Just need a piece of advice with my andrômedas. Using them with Sony nwwm1z turned andromeda into a dark and congested earphone. I have already learned that output impedance is the problem. Tested iem match, but now andromeda lost much of its dinamics and transparency. Dead end again.
    Is there any solution? Maybe a higher impedance cable? Can someone recommend one. Don’t know if such thing exists...
    The next step is putting andromeda to sell... what a shame. Cheers
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2018
  10. Cellist88

    Cellist88 Friend

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    Did you use balanced 4.4 or just se?
     
  11. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Linum has 2 higher impedance cables.

    G2 BaX: 1.5 ohms
    https://www.linum.dk/products/linum-g2-bax/

    G2 Music: 2 ohms
    https://www.linum.dk/products/linum-g2-music/

    I tried the original BaX a while ago (I think it's more of less the same as the "Music") and IIRC they made the Andros sound a bit thin. I would suggest trying the 1.5 ohm G2 BaX. Only comes in 3.5mm TRS or 2.5mm TRRS balanced, so you need an adapter to use the balanced output of your WM1Z.
     
  12. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

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    Strange. I am using the Andros and 1Z and don't have that issue. In fact the 1Z is one of Ken's favorite DAPs.

    EDIT - And I'm using the 4.4mm balanced output and one of Ken's Reference 8 cables.
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2018
  13. drgumbybrain

    drgumbybrain Science Nut

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    I’m using Sony 4.4mm kimber cable. The Litz cable it’s better in that matter
     
  14. Druid

    Druid Hyperactive Tree

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    Just bought a used pair of Andros and I'm loving them. I see what all the fuss is about. However, I'm experiencing an issue that worries me. Two nights in a row, after switching to M Spiral Dots and listening through my Jot, I start hearing buzzing in the right channel with a certain frequency in the mids. After that even if I change tips or listen through a different source it keeps buzzing. After the first night I packed them with a desiccant pack and listened today at work and the buzzing was gone. Then again tonight under the same circumstances it started buzzing again. Not sure what the Spiral Dots have to do with it, other than they do seal tighter than the foam tips I've been using.

    Is one of the drivers about to go or did wax or moisture get inside? Has anyone else experienced anything like this?
     
  15. matique

    matique New

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    I've no idea what he's talking about too. Perhaps different perceptions; when I auditioned the 1z with the Andros it was magical.

    The Andros sounds pretty damn good from my zx300 too. Maybe try it again and let your brain get used to it.

    Or try another iem for awhile and then return back to the Andros :)
     
  16. matique

    matique New

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    I live in a tropical country and idk, maybe my ears are just sweaty, but I always experience condensation on the nozzles of the Andros. Every few hours of listening or so, I'll wipe them with a q tip.

    The inside of the leather case also has two bags of desiccant that I placed inside. They're blue and turn pink when fully saturated. It takes around 2 months for a small bag 5g to turn slightly pink, by then I would replace them.

    So far this helps to put down worries about water damage. I have not experienced any buzzing of any sort. If you're unsure, send the Andros back and the team will take care of it for you :)
     
  17. likearake

    likearake Acquaintance

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    My very amateur measurements imply that the Sony cable has about half the impdence of the Litz cable, which might be part of the problem.

    I recommend trying the high gain setting which sounds much better on the WM1A using the Sony cable, maybe it will do something similar for the WM1Z.
     
  18. Drifterxny

    Drifterxny Friend

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    also depends on what sort of tips you are using, use non-foam if you want better highs
     
  19. matique

    matique New

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    Has anyone opened up the andros before? I don't want to void the warranty on mine but i'm always interested in how the internals looked.
     
  20. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

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    Just got my Symbio W tips the other day from Hungary and had a chance to fire them up with my Andro's and 1Z tonight. A few thoughts from my 1.5 hour long listen on the flight.

    1. They do make a significant difference to my ears, balancing the classical trade-offs of silicone and foam tips. I'm getting the best of the treble from the silicone but with the bass of the foam. Best I've heard on my Andros before.
    2. While the sound is great, they're not as comfortable to me as the foams I'm so used to. There's something about the pressure from the foam pushing against the seating surface of the silicone that makes me remember that they're in my ear, and while it's not uncomfortable, it's not as comfortable as foams. Maybe I'll get used to them? Maybe not. I'm also using the L sized tips, which seemed to fit better. I had also ordered some M sizes, as I read they ran big. Maybe the M's will still seal well but not have the same issues? Will have to check.
    3. Balancing off #1 and #2 above, I will still wear them as the sound beats the comfort. It's so friggin' cliche to say, but there were elements of some songs I know well that I had never noticed before with the Andros until I put the Symbio W's on them. I noticed Ben Folds breathing between versus on tracks I thought I knew so well. Likewise some of the instrument detail and contours were better presented as well. Not that I was looking for such audiophile detail crap as the end-all be-all, but it still took me aback and was additive to the listening experience.

    So I do recommend trying the Symbio W's with your Andros (and I have no connection with the dudes in Hungary). Took about 3 weeks to get them after ordering them on eBay, and I had paid the extra $5 for the tracking number, but can't remember every getting any tracking information, so not sure that was worth it.

    Cheers
     

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