Ara In-Ear Monitors By Campfire Audio

With the Ara, incorporating a ‘Crossover-less’ driver design with a new Solid-Body acoustic design into a Titanium, shell makes for an excellent earphone. Ara has a speed and accuracy to its musical delivery that makes it exceptional. Its sound has just the right touch of warmth and richness to recall the best in classic HiFi. It reminds you why listening to earphones can be so much fun.

Ara incorporates a seven balanced armature design; two high (+T.A.E.C.), one mid, four low. It does not use typical passive electronic components to crossover the drivers. Instead, Campfire shapes the driver’s performance by articulating the acoustic properties of a Solid-Body internal chamber design in the approach first created during the development of the Campfire custom-fit earphones.

At first glance, four bass drivers would suggest a signature with prominent bass. However, the solid sonic grounding of the well-controlled bass drivers provides ample space for the mid and high drivers to shine brightly. Ara is an earphone well suited for the audiophile and reference listener.

Machined from Grade 2 Titanium billet, Ara’s shell is immediately appealing. Leaving the machined titanium raw lets the natural beauty of the material shine. Over the life of the earphone, owners will enjoy a changing finish that will only get more interesting with time. Rest assured, your earphone drivers are safe in this finely crafted body.

A new premium cork protective zipper case is an environmentally friendly update. Sustainably harvested Cork surrounds a substantial and protective rubber barrier that ensures that your earphones will remain safe while in transit. The interior is a thick faux wool lining that preserves the anodized finish of your earphones. Each case is made in Portugal by a small team of skilled craftspeople that share our commitment to quality. The Cork used for the cases is the outer bark of the Cork Oak Tree (Cork Suberus L), and its extraction is harmless to the tree. The harvest occurs every nine years during the expectable lifetime of the tree (around 150 years). Harvesting the Cork of the tree is fundamental for the sustainability of the cork oak forests. A naturally durable material that feels good to hold in your hand.

When choosing a Campfire model there are a few important considerations…

• The first is which model(s) fit within your budget.
• The second is whether your amplifier/device has better synergy with a Dynamic Driver, Balanced Armatures, or a combination of the two.
• The third is which kind of sonic characteristics you prefer.

Dynamic Driver vs. Balanced Armature

An IEM Dynamic Driver is like a miniature version of the drivers in your stereo speakers, where electromagnetic impulses move the driver membrane forward and backward. Dynamic Driver sound is rounder, with more groove and body, and is best paired with an amp and music with adequate detail and articulation.

A Balanced Armature is an even smaller assembly, where electromagnetic impulses vibrate tiny rods and those vibrations travel through a membrane. Balanced Armature sound is more finely-detailed, dynamic, fast, and has greater extension, but is also less forgiving and is best paired with an amp and music with adequate warmth and body.

* Don’t hesitate to call us for our feedback on which models are the best fit for your equipment and preferences.

Driver Architecture by Model

Note: The Equinox and the Solstice are custom-fit models that require a scan of your ear canals by an Audiologist.

Forbes
“Once in a blue moon, a product comes along that resets the standard in a marketplace with a new level of performance. The audio industry is blessed with some ground-breaking products that have stood the test of time because they provided outstanding performance that lifted them above the competition.

I think I may have just come across another product that does exactly that, and this time it’s a pair of IEMs (In-Ear Monitors) from Portland-based Campfire Audio.(…)

The Campfire Audio Ara were released this spring and they manage to make such a leap forward in terms of sonic performance, that it’s possible to hear the difference clearly. I’ve spent years reviewing headphones and earphones, and much of the time the difference between the various products can be fairly subtle. Seldom do I come across earphones that can blow my ears away with how they reproduce the music and the soundstage, but that’s exactly what these Campfire Audio Ara have managed to do.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marksparrow/2020/08/09/campfire-audios-new-ara-earphones-blow-the-competition-out-of-the-water/#590f1ca948f4

Headfonics
“Campfire Audio has always been really good at stamping a new IEM with a distinct personality or unique sound signature. The Ara is no different in that respect with a neutral almost reference like expansive tuning and a hint of natural warmth, quite unlike anything they have done before.

More than that and this is something you are going to hear a lot about on this page, is the remarkably coherent tuning of the Ara.”

https://headfonics.com/campfire-audio-ara-review/

Everyday Listening
“Tonality – The Ara is a balanced and neutrally toned earphone, slightly bright leaning to my ears, but certainly the most reference design we’ve seen from Campfire yet. Though it doesn’t trace any conventional curve, the earphone carries an almost dead neutral tone throughout and is naturally voiced too. It has a focused top-end with a slightly more aggressive detail presentation, tipping it towards the analytical side when compared to the fuller and warmer but also airier Solaris and Andromeda. The bass is very linear with a small bump in the sub and mid-bass for a bold note presentation. As it has a slightly full-bodied midrange presentation, this will never be mistaken for an anaemic or strained sound. The top-end also has quite remarkable technical ability.”

https://everydaylistening.net/2020/07/02/campfire-audio-ara-audio-therapy/

Audio Primate
“I find the bass on the Ara really nice. It’s not elevated, but it isn’t missing or rolled off. It’s got good extension with a touch of warmth to it. The texture and resolution in the bass are excellent. Its the neutral version of audiophile bass. The overall character of the Ara is smooth and musical.”

https://audioprimate.blog/2020/05/23/the-ara-has-landed-campfire-audio-ara-unboxing-and-initial-impressions/

Ear Fidelity
“These are heavy, but not too heavy. Boxy, but not too boxy. The craftsmanship and design are simply put – spectacular, can’t really find any other IEM on the market to compete with these in that regard. Ara is the best made and greatest designed IEM I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen a lot of them.

Campfire Audio Ara is a complete package indeed. In terms of the design and craftsmanship, it’s an unmatched masterpiece, with a spectacular sound quality to pair with that. Fast, resolving, neutral and very, very clean sounding yet providing a high dose of fun and a beautiful timbre. What’s not to love?”

https://ear-fidelity.com/2020/12/14/campfire-audio-ara/

Measurements

• 10Hz–28 kHz Frequency Response
• 94 dB SPL @ 1kHz: 7.094 mVrms
• 8.5 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedance

Features

• Dual High Frequency Balanced Armature Drivers + T.A.E.C.
• Single Mid Frequency Balanced Armature Driver
• Quad Low Frequency Balanced Armature Drivers
• Beryllium / Copper MMCX Connections
• Machined Titanium Shell
• Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber™ (T.A.E.C.)
• PVD Black Stainless Steel Spout
• Black Screws

Download the Ara User Manual