Campfire Audio Vega 2020 is a comeback of one of their most popular and beloved models – Vega. It is using a single 10mm A.D.L.C dynamic driver, and it’s priced at 899 USD.
Sound quality for the price
Build quality
Value
Packaging
It is a real pleasure to unbox the new Vega 2020 – just like every other product from Campfire Audio. It is well designed, has a great graphic on the top, and it has this legendary phrase – “Nicely done”. As I said in my Dorado 2020 review – Nicely done indeed.
Inside the box, you’ll find a new carrying case in this beautiful mint color, eleven pairs of eartips (including the great Final E-tips), a cleaning tool, Campfire Audio pin, a manual, warranty card and three soft pouches to protect your new Vega 2020 from scratches.
Carrying case
Just like with the new Dorado 2020, Campfire Audio decided to switch the material of the carrying case from cork to upcycled marine plastic. It is not as luxurious as their other cases in the past, but if it’s for saving our planet, I’ll take it any time of day. Nonetheless, it’s mint color looks beautiful and I’m really digging this choice by Campfire Audio.
Build quality
The build quality of the new Vega 2020 is simply put…flawless.
It is very similar to the build of Dorado 2020 with two main differences – the spouts in Vega 2020 are made of silver stainless steel in comparison to brass in the Dorado.
Also, the Vega 2020 is using the same, wonderful ceramic shells, but this time they are white, which looks incredibly clean and sophisticated.
The ceramic is a great material for an IEM because of two reasons.
Firstly, its very scratch resistant and looks great with this glossy yet smooth surface.
Secondly – the ceramic is a very dense material, and to pair it with this big and chunky dynamic driver results in a reduction of the shell’s vibration which improves the clarity and resolution of the sound.
Besides, Vega 2020 is using the same MMCX connectors which you can find in any Campfire Audio IEMs. As I said in the Dorado 2020 review – these are by far the best MMCX connectors that I’ve ever used. The cable inserts with a pronounced click upon insertion, and it will stay in no matter what—Snug, secure and very functional.
Comfort
Just like the Dorado 2020, the new Vega is the most comfortable IEM by Campfire Audio that I’ve ever used.
Thanks to the reduced size and lack of sharp edges in comparison to the Andromeda it is way easier to wear them for hours without fatigue.
The cable is also very comfortable and well-thought-out. It’s tangle-free, light and very playable, so you won’t be feeling it while using the new Vega. Also, it’s dark grey color complements the white shells beautifully.
Tech
Vega 2020 is a single driver IEM, using a 10mm A.D.L.C dynamic driver.
What is this A.D.L.C magic you’d ask? It stands for Amorphous diamond-like coating. It increases the driver’s musical performance by reducing the driver flex, which therefore improves detail retrieval and reduces distortions.
A hi-end earphones with only one, dynamic driver are starting to surface more often lately, and for a good reason – they offer a very coherent and musical sound signature, and this time its no different.
Sound
Campfire Audio Vega 2020 is a V-shaped IEM, with smooth, warm and full sound signature.
Just like the new Dorado 2020, the bass is the star of the show here.
It is big, bold and powerful, but in a slightly different way.
Where the Dorado is well boosted in the low end, it’s also well controlled and has a great slam, and the Vega is crazier and all over the place. It doesn’t slam that hard, mainly due to the sub-bass, which is way more pronounced and fast in the Dorado.
Nonetheless – these are definitely a bass-head dream, offering a very thick and elevated bass response.
It is obvious that you’re listening to the dynamic driver in a matter of seconds. While the speed and detail of the bass are not on the level of a good implemented balanced armature driver, it’s dynamics and volume is nowhere close to what you can get from the BA. It is all about fun and rhythm in new CFA releases, and I’m glad they went this way – with the Andromeda, Ara and Solaris 2020 they’ve achieved a fantastically performing IEMs which are quite neutral and even sounding. That’s why the Dorado 2020 and Vega 2020 is a magnificent addition to their lineup, offering a vastly different approach to the sound signature.
The midrange is where more differences between the Vega 2020 and the Dorado 2020 are starting to be noticed. It is quite delicate, laid-back and very coherent. Vocals sound full, natural and slightly warm, but at the same time, they are crispy and accurate. It doesn’t matter if you’re listening to Fleetwood Mac, The Weeknd or Dire Straits – it’s very pleasing and realistic with all the music genres I’ve tried.
What’s even more impressive is that the timbre is simply spot-on, resulting in a very true-to-life experience.
As I’ve stated previously, though, the midrange is slightly laid-back, which result in a slight recession in comparison to the bass and treble. It’s by no means dull or distant, but rather delicate and gentle, being absolutely impossible to get sharp or unpleasant.
Actually, it very much reminds me of Meze Rai Penta. While the Romanian flagship offers better color and is more analogue, the overall presentation of the vocals is quite similar in terms of being smooth and pleasant to listen to.
The treble is quite similar to the midrange in terms of musicality and overall timbre. It is by no means harsh or in your face, yet offers great detail retrieval and very accurate and natural sound signature.
While the Dorado 2020 is very neutral with a small boost in the treble region, the Vega is more delicate and safe sounding, especially for high volume listening. It is not recessed though, as its more forward than the midrange, but it’s very smooth and slightly rounded which result in a fatigue-free performance.
Female vocals sound sweet and polished, but it may lack energy for some, especially if you’re into Asian style tuning. This may result in a somehow dull and unexciting voicing, especially if you compare these to the likes of Final A8000 or Noble Khan.
Also, the cymbals, while sounding thick and natural, might be insufficient in terms of crispiness and dynamics for some people, especially in Metal and electronic music. For me, it’s totally fine, as I prefer the treble to be slightly sweetened.
Just like with the Dorado 2020, I find that the soundstage of the new Vega 2020 is great. It is both wide and deep, but the overall sense of airiness is slightly worse than the Dorado, probably due to lack of the BA driver and more laid-back treble response.
Nonetheless, it’s a very coherent scene with great imaging, but not on a level of the likes of Andromeda or even the Dorado, not being too far off though, especially to the latter.
Overall, these play outside your head and create a pleasing staging. It’s not class-leading in any means, but I believe it wasn’t meant to be.
Overall, the Vega 2020 is a bassy IEM with a delicate and smooth tuning from lower-mid to the top, with a good but not extraordinary soundstage.
However, if you’re a fan of Rap, RnB and basically the majority of modern music – the Vega 2020 is a fantastic choice to just sit back and relax, enjoying this thick bass and natural voicing, finished up with a smooth treble response.
Summary
Campfire Audio Vega 2020 is yet another great addition to the rich lineup of Campfire Audio in-ear monitors. It has it’s own approach to the sound though, offering a rich and powerful bass response, while the rest of the frequency response is quite natural, laid-back and delicate. Finish it off with tremendous build quality, stunning looks and rich accessories, and you’ll end up with a great pair of IEMs for years.
Highly recommended.
Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:
- Headphones – Lime Ears Aether R, Campfire Andromeda, Noble Audio Khan, Cayin YB04, Meze Rai Penta, Campfire Dorado 2020
- Sources– JDSLabs Atom dac + Atom Amp, Cayin N3Pro, Cayin N5ii, Fiio M15, Fiio M11, Fiio M11 Pro, ifi iDAC2, Topping A50+P50
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