Campfire Audio Vega, Dorada, Lyra 2 Discussion/Impressions

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by purr1n, Oct 29, 2016.

  1. hifi01170

    hifi01170 Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2015
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    28
    @mulolomu : I would bet the ex1000 has a better soundstage. :)
    Should receive my Vega in a couple of days so if interested I can post a short feedback on Vega vs Ex1000 and ie800.
     
  2. mrweirdude

    mrweirdude Asshole lowballer - acquaintance

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2016
    Likes Received:
    148
    Trophy Points:
    43
    I own the EX1000 and just demoed the Vega, Andro + Lyra II, from my memory Andro has somewhat bigger stage than Vega, both have less than EX1000 (though I haven't heard it for a week, so fuzzy memory)
     
  3. seamon

    seamon Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2016
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Indiana
    I heard the Vega. It was by far the best dynamic driver I have ever heard. I felt like the bass was the star of the show. It had this lifelike characteristic to it like it was alive. The mids were ever so slightly laid back. The highs were slightly sibilant to my ears. That might be because I'm extremely sensitive to sibilance. I wasn't too much impressed by the soundstage. I would consider these as active IEMs. IEMs you use to bring you back to the present. IEMs that you use to bolster your self-confidence. These are not for dreaming about the past or relaxing. I tried to relax with the Vega, it felt like being roasted alive.
     
  4. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,028
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Philly - Yo
    Yeah, the Vega's can tend to grab you by the 'nads and not let go. A bit like taking a shot of Jagermeister - definitely gives a jolt. Cheers
     
  5. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,028
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Philly - Yo
    Although, after thinking about it for a minute, more than half of the people I've let listen to the Vega's have ended up ordering them! Can't say the same about shots of Jager! :cool:
     
  6. Crinacle

    Crinacle Friend

    Staff Member Pyrate IEMW MZR
    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    812
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    SG
    Home Page:
    I'm a bit of a hybrid nut so I'm really curious as to how the Dorados fare against the competition. I doubt the dual BAs inside would be unique designs (I suspect modified xWFK drivers but it's pure conjecture) but the whole TAEC tech seems like it'll be rather excellent in coherency. Shame that the Dorado is the hardest to find amongst CA's "flagship" lineup; I see Vegas and Andromedas available for audition a lot but the hybrid always eludes me...

    Anyone heard Translucent or Oriolus IEMs? How do they compare with the Dorado?
     
  7. Lojay

    Lojay Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    64
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Guys quick question- and I'm wearing an anti flame suit- how good/bad will a Dorado sound straight out of a Samsung S6 compared to say a Shure 846? I liked the 846 after a quick audition out of the iPhone compared to the Lyra II as the latter seemed to not be adequately driven.

    I'm asking because I'm thinking of buying the Dorado for my fiancée. She likes the rose gold colour. I know.
     
  8. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,028
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Philly - Yo
    Lojay - No flaming from me. Anyone who is willing to buy their fiancee a CFA IEM is good in my book!

    Wish I had my Dorado's with me right now but I let someone else borrow them for a while. So I'll have to go off of memory. The Dorado (like the Vega's, and by association I am assuming the Lyra II's) definitely benefit from additional amping and power as compared to coming straight out of a smartphone. If you preferred the 846's over the Lyra II's out of the S6 then I'd say it's a safe bet that you'd enjoy them more than the Dorado's as well in the same use-case. This is especially true given that the Lyra II and Dorado share the same DD structure. So in this case seems like the 846 might be the safer bet.

    However, the rose gold is quite a nice color!

    Cheers
     
  9. Warrior

    Warrior RIP 2021

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    746
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I really can't say. I haven't abed them directly. Both are out in loaner, but I should have them back in 3 weeks or so. Maybe @shotgunshane might be able to offer his view.
     
  10. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

    Staff Member Pyrate Flathead IEMW
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    6,304
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Clear, clear water
    Dorado should be fine from a smartphone and should fair a little better than the SE846, which is very sensitive to output impedance. The SE846 sounds wooly from anything over 1 ohm.

    Dorado will sound a good bit warmer than the stock SE846 and have much better treble response and timbre. However, if you mod the SE846 filters, you can get comparable treble presence and response.
     
  11. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

    Pyrate IEMW
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,729
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Meow Parlour

    I can help with that. The ex1000 has the larger, more open soundstage
     
  12. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

    Pyrate IEMW
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,729
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Meow Parlour
    The 846 doesn't extend above 7khz, so over time listening, I think it'll be lacking for some folks. The dorado might be a better bet and it's prettier for her, so that's important.
     
  13. Lojay

    Lojay Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    64
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Thanks guys that's informative. I am a full sized headphone guy but I have the KSE1500 and retired the JH Layla's (overpriced POS).

    I tried the Lyra 2, Jupiter and SE846 out of the iPod Touch. The Samsung apparently has a higher output impedance (about 9 ohms?) than the iPod (about 1 ohm?). Alternatively, my fiancée's iPhone 7 plus adapter would yield an even lower output impedance of less than 1 ohm.

    In my 15 minute audition out of the iPod with the best fit and seal I could muster in that short period of time, I felt that the Jupiter and SE846 were close, the SE846 edging the Jupiter out in midrange resolution but having slightly shoutier vocals. Neither had much treble sparkle or extension. The Lyra 2 was bright - perhaps the seal was not ideal - and I felt that everything just sounded off. It was tonally awkward and vocals sounded quite unnatural. The soundstage was constricted and closed in.

    I wonder how much of what I heard is attributable to different technologies (BA vs DD) and sensitivities. Unfortunately I am unable to try the Dorado as it hasn't arrived in Hong Kong yet and the CFA website is out of stock.

    If the Dorado is likely to sound closer to the Jupiter/SE846 out of the Samsung/iPhone than what I heard with the Lyra 2, I would probably buy it in a heartbeat. Fiancée will be mainly listening to low-fi pop music so sound signature preferences will probably complicate things as well.
     
  14. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

    Staff Member Pyrate Flathead IEMW
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    6,304
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Clear, clear water
    Dorado bass is the same as Lyra 2. Their signatures begin to noticeably deviate in the upper midrange and treble.

    9 ohms is a lot of impedance. Single dynamics will be unaffected by this but most armature based iems and hybrids will to some degree. I think you need to hear/demo on that smartphone, rather than rely on impressions, due to that high of an OI.
     
  15. Lojay

    Lojay Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    64
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Thanks for alerting me to the output impedance issue, a rather important concern. I think I will be advising her to use her iPhone 7 with adapter instead - it has 0.37 ohm output impedance which may bring about more flexibility when it comes to IEM choice.
     
  16. Warrior

    Warrior RIP 2021

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    746
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Sorry bro, I forgot about you. My bad. I still love you though!! ;)
     
  17. Warrior

    Warrior RIP 2021

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    746
    Trophy Points:
    113
    So pissed. Received my loaners of Lyra 2 and Dorado, but don't have any of my equipment at work. One day I didn't bring it...
     
  18. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,028
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Philly - Yo
    Breathe my friend, breathe...

    Cheers
     
  19. Warrior

    Warrior RIP 2021

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    746
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Lol. I'm trying. Everyday in my messenger bag I bring 2 pelican cases, and not the small ones either. Depending on my mood, what I want to listen to, etc. Totally forgot to pack it up this morning, as I woke up and started my day to the best news I've had in probably years in regards to my business. Left the house in a hurry, thinking I'd have no free time for music today... Derp.
     
  20. deafdoorknob

    deafdoorknob Almost "Made"

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    385
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    hong kong
    don't forget about tips... depending on where you demmed them in hk it's most likely using stock silicone or spin-fits, neither are ideal for CA iems, stock foamies or comply followed by wide bore silicone tips like spiral dots or ortofon will address most mid/treble anomalies. according to hk's distributors, dorado never arrived in hk nor is there an eta , good luck
     

Share This Page