CampfireAudio Atlas Earphone Review – Epic Vivid Spacious Immersion
Campfire Audio Atlas
USD1299Pros
- Huge spacious grand signature style
- Beautiful design aesthetics and excellent solid build quality. Excellent silver cable
- Great textured bass layering and full richness of signature
Cons
- Fit style not the best for over the ears usage
- People might be weary of MMCX connectors
- Signature could be a bit too full sounding for some peoples preferences
Build Quality/Design/Ergonomics
The design follows exactly the same style as the Comets – but larger in size to hold the 10mm driver.
Maintaining both a futuristic Cyber Punk style and also a classic high grade elegance aesthetic, the Atlas earphones certainly look desirable.
We really love the slightly Steampunk large vents of the Atlas. The CNC precision and artistic curves are very industrial and elegant at the same time.
Made in stainless steel and drop forged. Then CNC machined before being hand polished to a mirror finish. These are very impressive and portray high end quality.
I know many in-ear fans have has bad experiences with MMCX connectors, these ones are really solid feeling with tight flush fitting connections. So don’t be put off that these are not 2-PIN.
This was a conscious decision from Campfire Audio and they use custom Beryllium Copper MMCX which they say eliminates the traditional shortcomings of the connection and harnesses all of its benefits.
Beryllium Copper provides a robust mating mechanism; one that is typically made from soft brass. This selection of a harder material extends the life of the component and the earphone.
Specifications
5Hz–20 kHz Frequency Response
105 dB SPL/mW Sensitivity
19 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedance
Less than 1% Total Harmonic Distortion
Features
Single Full Range 10mm Dynamic Driver
Plasma enhanced Chemical Vapor Depostion (C.V.D.) Amorphous Diamond Like Carbon (A.D.L.C.) Diaphragm.
Beryllium / Copper MMCX Connections
Stainless Steel Body
Campfire Audio have created a new pure Silver Litz Cable for the Atlas designed to allow you to get the very best sound possible from your earphone, right out of the box. The pure silver conductors provide additional resolution and refinement to an already exceptional sound.
Using a unique twist wind this cable is configured is such a way as to reduce tangling and microphonics helping to improve day to day usage with the Atlas.
The cable has a right angled 3.5mm Stereo Plug and reinforced protection to help with durability.
This cable is a joy to use and it really is tangle free as advertised, there are no micro-phonics experienced when in use and the weight is perfect.
Expanding on the commercial and critical success of Vega, Campfire Audio have returned to the A.D.L.C. diaphragm design for the Atlas and super sized it to a new 10mm driver; up from 8.5mm utilized in the Vega.
For a quick background, A.D.L.C. (Amorphous Diamond-Like Carbon) is the hybrid of diamond and graphite carbon. It is a non-crystalline diamond. It is a material that has low density and high rigidity, important factors when considering diaphragm materials.
In designing a dynamic driver, the diaphragm material used should be as rigid as possible to provide a wider range of frequency responses and lower distortion. Additionally, the density of the diaphragm material should also be as low as possible in order to increase fidelity.
The 10mm A.D.L.C. diaphragm driver at the heart of Atlas achieves these goals; superior fidelity, excellent frequency response, and low distortion.
These feel solid, durable, compact, easy to wear and have a timeless industrial style that we love.