Sound Quality
The new Bonneville is a well-balanced unit with a warm-neutral tuning. There’s excellent bass response and treble extension, full but nicely positioned and executed mid-range, and good technical performance. It has a spacious and airy presentation, with good PRaT and harmonics.
I expected a coloured tuning from this monitor. It’s surprisingly far from it. I found it very balanced and coherent, and its ability to control the frequencies is noteworthy.
I can smoothly say that Campfire achieved its goal of making this IEM a pure audiophile IEM. The expansive, airy soundstage coupled with great PRaT validates Campfire’s pursuit of audiophile satisfaction.
Bass
Bonneville’s performance in the bass section strikes the listener immediately with richness and impact. However, it’s not only because it has a big bass that rumbles well, but because of its ability to control the bass with that much texture and impact altogether, without dispersing.
While it may not boast a bass that overwhelms with sheer force, its finesse lies in the bass control, texture, and impact, converging into an experience that captivates. The textural depth it offers is impressive, allowing the listener to discern between different bass notes with a texture and clarity that’s seldom encountered in this price range.
Bonneville’s succession in delivering impactful bass without overpowering or muddying the rest of the spectrum is very impressive. This controlled but full/warm bass response maintains its presence, adding a foundation to the sound while allowing other frequencies to shine without too much compromise. In terms of presentation, it’s a dark bass response with plenty of fullness. I wouldn’t call this a neutral bass at all, as I think it’s more than neutral, but it’s indeed very controlled which is the impressive part.
Overall, Bonneville’s bass isn’t just about quantity, although the sole quantity is very impressive. While it has the quantity indeed, it’s also impressive in quality. Its controlled, textured, and impactful bass performance shapes the music in a way that elevates the listening experience.
Mids
Like the rest of the spectrum, Bonneville’s mid-range nicely blends in, offering a cohesive presentation with a full and thick delivery. It also offers good layering and precision, allowing you to pick the instruments cleanly. Within this clarity, there are instances where the lower mids hint at a slight veiling effect, probably the result of the dark and textured upper bass.
So a subtle veil occasionally makes its presence known in that particular area. The effect happens to appear only in certain passages, adding a hint of softness and darkness that contrasts with the otherwise good clarity of the midrange. While it doesn’t detract significantly from the overall experience, this subtle veil in the lower mids is a detail that seasoned audiophiles might notice in specific songs. The upper mid-range does not have this trait and it’s well defined.
Nonetheless, it’s important to remark that this nuance doesn’t overshadow Bonneville’s overall smooth midrange performance. In essence, the midrange presents itself in a way that allows each instrument, vocal nuance, or detail to be defined with very good clarity. Its ability to render details and maintain good separation offers an immersive listening experience. The mids have great musicality as well, with a rich timbre which is a bit thick but that makes it quite enjoyable.
Treble
Treble performance is very clean with excellent clarity, with very impressive articulation and micro detail performance. The transparency here is also pretty nice, providing an airy approach that provides very good clarity. The highs possess a subtle brightness but it’s never uncomfortable. While the emphasis leans more towards crispness rather than a pure sparkle in the treble, the articulation level is the most impressive part in my opinion.
At the top end of the treble, there’s a fine balance where it almost feels sharp without being harsh or causing tiredness. The level of articulation, extension and detail pickup creates an enjoyable sense of space and air in the music.
Overall, Bonneville’s high frequencies offer a bright and transparent sound that adds an airy quality to the music without becoming harsh or fatiguing, giving a nuanced and engaging listening.
Page 1: About, Packaging, Design & Build, Fit
Page 3: Technical Performance, Comparisons, Conclusion
