Nostalgia Audio Camelot – Review

Sound performance

My main sources were: ddHiFi TC44C / iBasso DX320 / FiiO M17, and trusted sources from trusted brands that I used extensively for the past months.

Files were played from either Apple Music / Spotify or my own music library. Some tracks will be highlighted, just so you can try them at home too!

Overall signature

Truth be told, I was very, very curious to see (or hear) if, for the price, the Camelot delivers real game-changing performances. And… yes, those are exceptionally gifted IEMs, even if you take the price into account!

I was afraid that this opulence of drivers would lead to an incohesive presentation, focusing more on details than the music itself, but after just a few minutes of listening, all my worries were gone.

First of all, the bass is monstrous, digging abysmally low frequencies with ease, even just paired with the small TC44 or the classy TC44C. Dual drivers can be hit or miss, but this is not, and compared to any other IEM I owned to this day, I can confidently say that Nostalgia easily reached the top of this game, outperforming my “old” UM by a good margin. 

It’s not just deep and impactful, it’s also precise when needed, while maintaining a high-pressure level, even at low volume. For electro-music lovers like me, it’s one of the presentation setups I could ask for, pushing further and further to the bottom of the spectrum, with no saturation, nor limit to their power. In this regard, it’s basically one of the best IEMs I had the chance to try in every price range.

Mid-wise, the overall sound quality of the Camelot is excellent, with wondrous textures, superb layering, and, all-in-all, the same level of refinement found on my UM Maestro, even surpassing the Astell&Kern Pathfinder I had the chance to get in the meantime. It screams TOTL every time you plug them, almost overwhelming you with details, unveiling subtleties previously hidden like textures on the drum, impact on piano keys, or pan effects that suddenly sound almost uncanny all of the sudden. Sometimes it’s even on the verge of being too much, but Nostalgia did a great tuning and managed to keep things just below the threshold. 

Dynamic is superb, enhanced by the 4.4mm output and plugged with a TOTL player like the iBasso DX320 or FiiO M17, I found that the Camelot clearly narrowed the gap between big headphones, and IEMs. If the prior keep the hand in terms of spaciousness, the highs – and ultra-highs – of this model allow them to outshine lots of competitors. And, even if I still prefer my Sennheiser HD800S in silent environments, on the go, the Camelot was blissful to listen to, almost matching that same 3D soundstage, in environments the Sennheiser simply can’t.

The voices were equally natural, poised, and well-controlled. I could easily pinpoint each voice or instrument and thanks to the low impedance, sometimes I could just keep the tiny little ddHiFi TC44i plugged into my phone and the IEM remained solid through and through. Powerful mids, good impact, natural voices, excellent clarity from top to bottom, topped by a nice level of finesse: you could almost forget that you’re wearing tiny, little ears sometimes.

Compared to the Shanling ME800 and Meze Advar I recently reviewed, this new model doesn’t seem to put more emphasis on the bass and highs, but when I A/B tested them, the Nostalgia Audio Camelot gave a sharper presentation every time. Paired with my Hifiman EF400, I kept the same TOTL render during all my tests, and compared to other models, this one doesn’t always need a gigantic setup to shine, which is quite a feat in itself.

So yeah, long story short, this is the best IEM I own to date. Simple as that.

Tonality

Highs: electrostatic for the win. Unlike what I expected there was not a once of emphasis on highs and, like the bass, the Camelot output one of the finest trebles I could get from an IEM. It’s never hissy, never tiring, but at the same time overwhelming with details, adding a delicious layer of magic on top of the other frequencies. Wondrous!

Good test-track: I gotta keep Dancin’(Keep Smiling) – Carrie Lucas

Mids: linear and spacious. It’s rare to hear a bad sounding mid on a modern IEM, but it’s also rare that a model massively outperforms the others – which is almost the case with the Camelot. The wide soundstage and soothing voices make for a very pleasant experience, but the realism struck me with this IEM, especially when paired with the DX320.

Good test-track: Metroma (Jody Wisternoff & James Grant Remix) – The Sei

Bass : (super)deep and powerful. As usual, lows are the pillar of all the great things that happen upfront. It’s incredibly immersive, with just the right amount of oomph to push you out of your comfort zone, and tight control to keep you hooked. I played a few games on my (awesoooome) Steam Deck, paired with the iBasso DC06 (once again), ddHiFi TC44C (love that one), and watched a few movies on my computer and the HiFiman EF400: each time I was completely blown away by Nostalgia’s IEM. It’s simply that good!

Good test-track : Alternate Realities Pt. 1

Conclusion

Simply put, the Nostalgia Audio Camelot is the best IEM I tried this year, period. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it’s big and bulky. But once you’ve put them in your ears, nothing else matters!

Nostalgia did a stellar job here, polishing every aspect of their sound without a single slip-up, and since I got them, those ears never left my bag. Performances are on par, if not better than high-end headphones, highs are delightful, vocals superb and If you want deep, authoritative lows in a small package, this is the one.

Big kudos to the team!