Campfire Audio Clara Review – Polite yet Complex

Pros –

Relaxed and versatile tuning, Excellent dynamics and rumble, Natural and defined midrange, Involving imaging, Extensive accessory set

Cons –

Treble may lack vibrance for some, Source picky

Verdict –

If you want a versatile monitor sporting a highly natural voicing without shunning a powerful yet nimble bass or sparkly top-end, the Clara is a unique and accomplished offering.

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About Campfire Audio –

Campfire Audio is a boutique audio company from Portland, Oregon that started life as ALO Audio in 2015. Their team consists of audio engineers, designers, and craftspeople, giving them a well-rounded skill mix. At the time, the chief focus was on AMPs and cables, but this soon grew to include IEMs, where the name Campfire Audio was born. Campfire Audio partners with local companies and have expended efforts to improve the sustainability of their products. With a focus on acoustics, materials, and meticulous attention to fine-tuning, the company aims to deliver artisan earphones catering to all tastes and preferences.

Introduction –

Anyone who has spent time lusting over the colourful IEMs on the front page of head-fi has surely yearned for an IEM made by Campfire Audio. The brand played a heavy part in popularising artisan metal IEMs and have become known for pushing the envelope of IEM technology. More so, they are known for offering a diverse range of sound signatures to suit every listener’s preference. Despite this, only a handful of their models have achieved wide appeal, for their pursuit of specificity has come at the detriment of versatility. Meanwhile, the company’s famous all-rounder, the Andromeda, remains beloved, if getting a little long in the tooth as an almost decade-old design. With that in mind, the latest and greatest from the brand seeks to further its legacy, being tuned in close collaboration with Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails. Dubbed Clara, an ode to Alessandro’s daughter, Campfire Audio’s new flagship promises a more balanced, restrained tuning whilst still upholding the technical excellence that put the brand on the map. Versatility was a core tenet of this design, and it’s evident Clara was very much a labour of love for both parties.

The Clara is available for $1999 USD at the time of writing. You can read more about it and secure one for yourself at Campfire Audio!

Disclaimer –

I would like to thank Chris very much for reaching out to organise a review of the new Clara. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.

Contents –

• Page 1: Intro, Unboxing, Design
• Page 2: Sound and Source Pairings
• Page 3: Comparisons & Verdict

Specs –

• Sensitivity: 94 dB
• Drivers: Dual Neo Magnet 10mm Driver, Knowles BA mid, Knowles BA tweeter
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 20 kHz
• THD: Less than 0.3%
• Impedance: 13.30 Ω

Behind the Design –

Dual Magnet DD

Covering the low end is a dual-magnet dynamic driver. Campfire Audio have always been renowned for the performance of their bass, and many of their drivers are designed and made bespoke for the brand. The Clara takes the dual magnet design from the Cascara and Bonneville and adds a new bio-cellulose diaphragm to offer superior technical performance with the same engagement. A specifically tuned and designed acoustic chamber goes hand in hand with the driver itself to deliver balance and satisfying dynamics.

Dual-Diaphragm BA

Similar to the Andromeda Emerald Sea, the Clara uses dual-diaphragm balanced armature drivers manufactured by Knowles. Each driver sports two diaphragms and two chambers actuated by a single motor circuit, which greatly enhances efficiency in the same footprint of driver. This is paired with CFA’s Clear Wave tuning chamber that sculpts midrange frequencies to provide a coherent and pleasing sound.

T.A.E.C

Tuned acoustic expansion chamber makes a return, Campfire Audio’s version of a spoutless BA tweeter. Removing tubes and dampers results in fewer resonances, superior extension and more control over frequency response. This has been paired with dual super-tweeters for excellent detail, spaciousness and resolving power.

Unboxing –

Immediately from the unboxing, you can tell that the Clara is not your ordinary CFA IEM, forgoing the typical origami box for a more standard hard box with silver print. That said, it contains a similar wealth of accessories as seen on previous models.

The leather pouch with magnetic clasp makes a return, with two mesh breezy bags, should the user want something more portable. There’s the larger unit with a shoulder strap and a smaller breezy bag micro, which is a compact 2-pocket pouch that is pocketable but still protects each earpiece from scratches. A larger pelican-style hard case is a new addition; it has plenty of storage space inside with the IEMs and accessories, even a small DAP too.

The ear tip selection is just as generous, coming with 3 pairs of Campfire Audio’s generic silicone tips and memory foam tips and 5 pairs of Final Audio E-tips. A microfiber cleaning cloth, IEM cleaning tool, and Campfire Audio pin make a return as well.

Campfire Audio include two Time Stream cables too, with their signature flat profile, one with a 3.5mm single-ended termination and a 4.4mm balanced one. A generous inclusion is the Pilot II, which is a type-C dongle DAC/AMP using the ESS Sabre 9281AC Pro DAC. It supports high-resolution audio and can be optioned with a 4.4mm balanced output, which sets it apart from most dongle-style sources.

Design –

It’s clear that Campfire Audio are moving in a new direction with their designs for the Astrolith and now Clara assumes a 3D printed resin construction with a metal faceplate. It feels like a continuation of the Chromatic series IEMs as opposed to their legacy lineup and brings greater parity between their universal and custom fit models – CFA also now make custom sleeves for their universals for those wanting to further bridge that gap. There is also a limited-edition variant sporting all-metal titanium shells with a price to match. Featured today is the standard model, which is subjectively just as visually captivating. The vanilla Clara boasts crystal clear shells with a subtle cerulean tint, providing a window into the acoustic engineering inside. A bass port has been integrated into the angle of the triangular PVD faceplates, providing a streamlined aesthetic. Though not as industrial as the CFA shells of old, Clara feels modern, sculpted and no less exotic.

Making a return are some of my personal favourite Beryllium plated MMCX connectors that, in my experience, offer a more improved reliability and excellent tolerances. As aforementioned, two cables are included 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced. Both are of the Timestream Duet design, which offers twice the conductors of the regular Timestream cable, comprising four wires, two with SPC and two with pure copper conductors. The jacket is smoked translucent, and the cable features a flat ribbon design. Campfire Audio’s latest cables are supple and indeed quite tangle-resistant, albeit requiring more thought when coiling due to their intolerance of twisting. The pre-moulded ear guides are comfortable and well-shaped, and the metal terminations provide a premium handling experience.

Fit & Isolation –

Campfire Audio has targeted a faux-custom design with the Clara, which is notably more curvaceous than preceding models. Though not compact, it isn’t an overly bulky earphone either. Rounded edges and a sculpted shape that is forgiving on the anatomy of the outer ear equate to minimal hotspots, even over extended listening and excellent stability with a very locked-in fit during wear. The nozzle is well-angled and gives me a consistent seal every time. The fit depth is deeper than most Campfire Audio designs, but despite the larger nozzle size, I found comfort and seal were commendable.

There is some wearing pressure in return, and a little driver flex with a deep fit. Foam tips may help those sensitive to these characteristics, as there is no dedicated pressure relief system. With that said, and despite the vented hybrid driver setup, passive noise isolation is very good, vastly better than most hybrid designs and almost as strong as a sealed monitor. This makes the Clara a good choice for travel and commuting.

Next Page: Sound Breakdown