Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon In-Ear Monitors Review

IEMs or in-ear monitors are normally reserved for professional audio and recording. While I’m not unfamiliar with them, I was not fully aware of how good they can be for critical listening of music casually in a non-production setting. The Solaris Stellar Horizon is not just marketed to professionals but also enthusiasts alike. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of anything in-ear or even on-ear. However, I’ve never heard anything like this before and the wine that is the Solaris is sweet and refined.

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This was the biggest shocker in my recent reviews, an almost unreal level of detail and design has gone into the Solaris. The packaging alone was wild, to say the least. It takes a few minutes to fully enjoy the custom wood box and artwork that is included. While not very practical to store or transport them, it’s still quite interesting to admire the effort that went into it.

The IEMs themselves are nothing short of a piece of artwork, with clean lines and fine metal with a slightly abstract gold inlay in laser-cut acrylic. Heavy in the hand but not too heavy in the ear, the build quality is superb. While not indestructible, Campfire does warn about sudden motion and drops harming the finely tuned drivers enclosed.

That said, the included soft case doesn’t inspire much confidence. While the overall packaging is excellent, the daily use case is not something I would use to keep this investment safe from bumps and drops. It would be really nice to see a hard case that keeps them well-protected and secure.

I tried out a few different headphone amps and DACs; the one constant I discovered is that the Stellar Horizons show the weaknesses in almost all of them. With IEMs this precise and sensitive it’s easy to hear the slightest hiss or whine in an amp. The only setup I had that was good enough was the SMSL DO300 and Schiit Magni Heretic which were as quiet as quiet can be.

I was able to hear hiss in amps that I’ve never heard hiss from before, and slight chops and distortion in DACs. The level of detail reproduced here is off the charts. Expect to invest some money into a system that can really bring out all the Solaris have to offer, or you will hear things you would rather not hear in lower-end gear.

Listening Setup:

It’s an honor getting samples of the latest IEMs from Campfire Audio as products like this are not something I get to check out every day. And they are admittedly rarer than most other forms of audio. One very important thing to note is to be sure and select the correct tip to keep them firmly planted in your ear, otherwise, the highs immediately sound hollow, and the lows disappear entirely. Forming a complete seal in your ear canal is key with any IEM, and the Solaris Stellar Horizons are no exception.

Getting into listening to a bit more, Campfire Audio gives a frequency response chart on their website that is helpful in determining which of their IEMs are best for you. I would describe the chart as very on-point. The Solaris Stellar Horizon tends to favor the upper end and highs just a hair more than the mids and lows. It’s rather curious just how much bass these really do put out for the size, while not over-ear headphones, it’s quickly apparent that the difference is small.

I found the highs to be incredibly detailed, but often when you hear about highs as being “good” you think of them as being warm. I found them to be on the cooler side, whether that be typical of IEMs or not, it’s definitely profound of the Solaris to be so clear while not adding any color to the sound.

I primarily drove them with my Schiit Magni Heretic, it’s an affordable little amp that is as quiet as can be, but also very neutral sounding overall. I do feel the Solaris would benefit from a tube amp to warm them up slightly as long as your amp can drive them with no noise. While very little power is needed to drive them, more power never hurts, as long as it’s clean.

After many hours of listening to the Solaris Stellar Horizons, they really have me impressed. Of course, for $2,670, they should drip detail and clarity. And in fact, they do, in spades. Their soundstage was deep and flowing, with a lifelike energy abundant in each ear. They brought new life to my personal listening space.

For the discerning audiophile who wants a compact and easy to carry system, the Solaris is nothing short of a stunning value that will make your current system filled with envy. While being near $3k, they do also require a similar investment in gear to back them up and bring them to life.

If the Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon In-Ear Monitors seem like your cup of tea, just make sure you spend some time picking the right ear tip for your ear, this can make or break a set of IEMs. And make sure your electronics are up to the task. These IEMs have me looking for a new headphone amp with more punch and clarity than the Schiit I currently have, so be aware of the system you will pair them with. While most headphones and speakers hint at the gear that is driving them, the Solaris Stellar Horizons drag the gear into perfect view and tear it apart. It was an honor and a thrill to get to review them, and if you’re wondering, YES, they are worth it.