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Campfire Audio has a new line of IEMs, with new designs and sounds that have a leg in every price range. The Bonneville is the priciest of this new crop, so it should represent the best of everything that this new line has introduced. The Supermoon and Ponderosa were very enjoyable IEMs, but does the Bonneville eclipse them completely?
What You Get
- 1 Time Stream Cable (Essential Version: 2.5mm, 4.4mm, 3.5mm terminations available)
- Marshmallow and silicone tips
- Cleaning tool
- Cleaning cloth
- Campfire Audio pin
- Large soft case
- Small dual-pocket soft case for shell scratch protection
Look & Feel
Every set of IEMs from this new line features a similar style of body. They take inspiration from custom IEM shells that are meant to fit like a puzzle piece and that’s exactly what the Bonneville does. Everything about its presentation feels high-end, helped by its stainless steel faceplate. The housing is smaller than the Supermoon, sporting a shape that doesn’t make the body of the IEM look as bulbous.
Design
Campfire Audio usually makes its driver configuration very simple. The Bonneville features a 10mm dynamic driver with three custom-balanced armatures. Its dynamic unit uses dual magnets that make the driver act as a sub-woofer, while the balanced armatures mainly control mids and highs.
Soundstage
Although the soundstage and imaging appear mostly in your head, the Bonneville makes sense of its spatial positioning very well. Its width comes through naturally and features a wingspan that feels right for an IEM at this price range. While a lot of the individual sound elements feature solidified bodies, the imaging is able to peel back the layers of each performance in an organized fashion. It’s very dimensional and immersive, separating the layers so that they are more distinct in the mix. I don’t think it gets to the point where the soundstage is wrapping around you though. It gets close, but the presented headspace is too closed off. I don’t think that stops the Bonneville from displaying spacious imaging though.
Low End
The real flavor of this sound signature is in the bass, where the Bonneville exhibits some of the heaviest impact in this price range. It slams down and gives off a cinematic impression, spanning a wide range filled with rich textures and detail. Everything that comes through the Bonneville sounds huge because of how thick and bodied the tone is, and how clear it is. There’s so much depth to this bass that it feels like it crawls up your throat and shakes your jawline when it really starts to punch.
Mids
Like most bass-heavy IEMs, the midrange doesn’t play a huge part, but the Bonneville still possesses great clarity. Its frequencies are well-balanced with the rest of the sound signature and never relegates any of its response toward the background. There’s less prominence in certain ranges, but the Bonneville handles this with great articulation. You don’t feel that sense of pure identity with the instruments, helped by biting attacks and decays, but the mids still offer a smooth shape to its sound elements.
Highs
There’s a refreshing top end to the Bonneville that brings a sleek tail to many different sound elements. They have a ton of resonance and jump out of the sound signature with a glittery tone. The highs are very airy and feature a distinct aura that makes the frequency response colorful and fun to listen to. It presents the sound signature with height, opening up the soundstage as best it can.
Summary
This new line from Campfire has bred some of their most exciting IEMs in recent memory. The Bonneville is a big proponent of that, delivering a rich sound that can be addictive to the ear. Even as a predominantly bass-focused IEM, the sound of the Bonneville never feels limited. Their new shell style is also a highlight of this series overall, providing natural comfort for long hours of listening. The Bonneville is Campfire operating in top form, similar to the original Solaris.
The Campfire Audio Bonneville is available here.
