Campfire Audio - Andromeda 2020

IEMs:- Campfire Andro 2020 > Shure se846 > Sennheiser ie800 > Dunu sa6 > Sony mdr ex800 > Sony xba N3 > final a4000 > Sennheiser ie200 > etymotic er2xr > Sennheiser ie600 > Kiwiears Cadenza > Shure se215 > blon bl03 > Moondrop Space travel Headphones:- Audeze LCD2C > AKG K701 > hd600 > hd660s > hd6xx > hd650 > Meze 109 > Koss porta pro > Grado sr225 > Grado sr80

Extreme Metal only sounds great on BA/Planar IEMs. The problem with EM is that that it doesn’t have the V-shape sound that most budget sets are tuned for. Niche genres need niche IEMs. For EM, the IEM needs to have exceptional treble. Hence BA/Planar sets. Anything with DD for bass = muddy since transient response of DD is simply not enough for the kind of speed you need. That is a limitation of DD. For budget I recommend S12 Pro, kilobuck Andromeda 2020, or multikilo U12T. I’ve tested all sorts from all budgets in accordance with the hype, these are the only three sets that sound good for Metal.

Andromeda 2020 was a kilobuck IEM (does it count, it's a bit less? )that genuinely blew me away. The soundstage didn’t just feel wide — it changed how I perceived the music entirely. Instead of “listening to music,” I suddenly started *seeing* a person: holding a microphone, standing in a room, singing in front of me. Their voice echoing throughout the room. It was the first time an IEM made the performance feel like a physical scene instead of an audio file. I could even visualize fingers plucking guitar strings. The only problem? I barely use them because I’m terrified of scratching the paint.

0.5k I would say. I am quite happy with SA6, had a few kilobucks before that. When I got sa6 I was running Andromeda 2020 as my daily drivers and I felt more happy with sa6. Enough technicalities for my needs and somehow more fun!

Where are the Campfire Clara $800? Cheapest I've seen used is $1550. These would be a fucking steal at $800. I'd love to compare them to my Andromeda 2020 and Solaris 2020, but I don't have the cash for a new set of Clara at the moment.

My Monarch MK3’s were the one that made me think, Holy Shit I have been listening to music all wrong haha! From the I have really loved the Dawn X, Andromeda 2020, and Mest MK2 a bunch. Have some FX17’s landing tomorrow and excited to see if all those EST’s really change anything.

As someone who has owned and listened extensively to both the Performer 7 and Andromeda 2020. This is absolutely not true. A P7 is incredible and punches above its weight for sure. Andromeda lives on another planet comparatively. You can EQ anything to have a similar sound. It doesn’t at all equate for stage, clarity, width, punch etc.

I hear you on all points, before my current line of business I spent a decade in the cycling industry. Also watched plenty of small businesses fold to being priced out of the market. As an American (I know, I can’t help it though) I love that Campfire is a home brewed option. Though blind buying 1k+ IEM’s blind is a tough go, especially when Campfire is still seen as somewhat polarizing in this market. I am loving the Andromeda 2020 a lot all the same. Hope you end up loving the Holocene! I also vote you keep the glow in the dark cable, acting your age is boring! As to rotation, I work from home and have a lot of time that I can listen. I will also sell many of the ones I have now and keep a couple. Then in a few months do the same thing again. Keeps the inventory fresh and the unused market is always hopping with folks looking to try something new and different.

u/capital_YR I already have andromeda 2020 IEM and thinking about upgrading. I listen to orchestral and vocal(love female especially) like Enya and john williams. Has the tech come far enough where you think it's worth upgrading? I love the andros except for the bass. It just doesn't have any authority with dynamics and impact etc. The soundstage, imaging, and treble seems top notch and super clear and detailed which I love. Budget up to 1500, but see no reason to spend a ton unless it's going to be a huge wow factor.

Have the andromeda 2020 and it blows my mind consistently. I still go for the thieaudio monarch mkii slightly more often on jazz & acoustic but… yes fully agree about awesomeness.

A few years ago for my first set I jumped in the deep end with the Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020’s. It was a splurge and I’ll never spend even half that much again but have no regrets. To me they sound beyond amazing and the build quality is top tier but they lack boomy-ish bass I sometimes want so last month I got a set of Truthear Zero: Reds to fill in the gap and experience what a super budget set is like. Overall I find the Red’s to be very impressive and I have no size issues with my medium sized ear canals though I did swap out the ear tips with some nicer ones from Spinfit. I think I’ll eventually get one last set and call it good. I almost ordered the Moondrop Crinacle Dusks (Dunu Davinci’s were also considered) the other day but ultimately decided against them for a few reasons (size, no lip on the nozzle, very similar graphs to the Reds, review opinions, etc.). My current plan is to wait for a future <$500 release that combines all the pros of the Andro’s with a little more bass and be happy with a collection of 3 IEMs.

I'm going to be honest man, if you genuinely like something then save up for it. I liked the signature of a 2019 Andro and bought one. Zero regrets. If a more expensive set hits what you want it to do perfectly or near perfect then it is worth it. But do also take time to appreciate what you have. If you want a step up directly from the EW200 at some stage then the EW300 is quite good for the price, it will be a step up in timbre and tech. If you want something almost similarly meta but a touch cheaper then see if you can demo the Crinear Daybreak. It's my daily to work.

Look I own about 10 or so pairs of iem's and it still remains the pair that impressed me the most but I highly doubt that it's the best in its price range to this day. It's just the best I own in this regard.