U-Free
U-Free
I’ve been fortunate to experience a range of IEMs across different price brackets—everything from the lofty Traillii Ti and UM Amber Pearl to the more budget-friendly (and often polarizing) KZ models. My journey with Campfire Audio began when I got the chance to listen to the Ponderosa, an all-BA IEM with an engagingly bombastic sound signature. It instantly hooked me, and I dove deeper into their lineup, falling for the Moon Rover’s unique charm and the Bonneville’s gorgeously immersive mids.
When I heard about their collaboration with Alessandro Cortini, my interest was immediately piqued. After patiently awaiting its release, I can confidently say the Clara has exceeded all expectations.
With its four-driver configuration, the Clara delivers an exceptionally cohesive and dynamic sound. The bass is authoritative and impactful without overpowering the spectrum. Vocals are forward with impressive depth and texture, while the treble is delightfully airy, free from any trace of sibilance. The tuning strikes a fine balance between musicality and tonal accuracy, making it a versatile performer across genres.
It’s a phenomenal all-rounder that handles everything you throw at it with finesse. Bravo to the team at Campfire Audio and Alessandro Cortini for creating something truly special.
And as always thanks for MusicTeck for their outstanding service.
small gripe of no L/R indicators and doesn't say what way they are supposed to go (none of my IEM's have the 2 pin notch so took a bit to figure out orientation)
I don't think any of my IEM's are particullarly sensitive so a cable shouldn't change their sound and I didn't notice a difference
build is fantastic and looks nice though
👉🏻Pros:
😊 Semi custom black acrylic shells with machined aluminum faceplates fit comfortably in my ears and offer excellent ambient isolation.
(Fit is subjective)
😊 Unassuming 2 pin black SPC cable terminated 4.4mm pairs very well sonically.
😊 Very easy to drive.
😊 Reflects the tuning nuances of source devices, but not device fussy.
😊 Well layered mid and sub bass.
😊 Smooth, rich and detailed mids.
😊 Exquisite natural vocals.
😊 Precise airy highs with outstanding micro detail.
😊 While not extremely expansive, the intimate stage fills the head, has a dead silent background, and precise imaging and layering.
👉🏻 Cons:
😔 Semi Custom shell design may present fit challenges for some.
😔 No tolerance for poorly recorded source files.
I owned the original VE EXT back when it was first released.
I really liked the strong bass presence and exceptional detail.
They weren’t exactly V shaped but pretty strong U shape tuning.
Unfortunately I found the highly energetic mids and highs fatiguing during lengthy listens.
It was a hard choice, but I sold them a couple months later.
I was immediately interested when I saw the EXT MKII was being released.
Revised semi custom shell with smaller nozzle diameter
A more refined low frequency range with greater accuracy and detail.
Enhanced mids and vocals clarity and a more balanced presentation.
I couldn’t resist, and have no regrets.
The MKII is without a doubt more refined and better balanced.
I would say it still has a mildly U shaped signature.
The mids energy is deceptive. The super quiet background has virtually no noise, and that makes it easy to push the volume high, without noise or distortion.
At high volumes I can still fatigue over long listening sessions (I am mids sensitive)
There is really no need to push the volume high, every note and nuance of the music is there at moderate volumes.
At moderate volumes it is very easy to engage and drift into the music for lengthy multi hour listening session with no hint of fatigue.
The EXT MKII is definitely a positive improvement over the OG EXT. At least it is for for my preference.
This one’s a keeper and will be with me a very long time.
Well done Vision Ears! 👍🏻
Thank you Andrew and Grace for the always excellent customer service, and providing a source for high quality audio gear.
I received the amplifier and was impressed with the build quality. I was very pleased when I heard the first notes and have been satisfied with my purchase ever since. Music Tec is a great company to do business with.
This little dap sounds incredible. One of the most beautiful sound I ever heard from a little dap. Hard to put it down. Easy to drive hps using the 2.5mm or the 4.4mm output this dap rocks! I've tried with some of my hps like the denon d9200, hifiman ed. X, and just wow...ridiculous good. The bt sennheiser momentum 4 sounded great also, will be bringing it to the gym. It didn't play well with the focal utopia. Also for some reason the denon d7000 3.5mm jack adapter did not work well. It must be easy to drive then. Overall it's a great experience. The UI can be a bit slow at times.
