Select Comparisons
The following comparisons were compiled using the iBasso DX320 MAX Ti, the HiBy RS8, and Cayin N7 in balanced output mode as our primary paired sources. The Trifecta was fitted with the wide bore stock silicone tips.
Empire Ears Legend EVO
The Empire Ears Legend EVO was launched towards the end of 2021 and for many, this is one of the legendary basshead monitors out there. It also was a Top Gear Co-Awardee for 2021.
Technical
Both monitors are universal multi-driver but the configuration for the EVO is massively different with a mix of bone conduction, dynamic, and BA as opposed to purely dynamic inside the Trifecta.
Inside you have 8 drivers. A dual Weapon IX+ subwoofer for the lows and 5 BA for the mids and highs with a Weapon X Bone Conduction Ultra Driver designed to flesh out the sub-bass, add more reverb and in doing so deepen the soundstage. It also uses a complex 9-Way synX crossover network for phasing.
The Trifecta keeps it a bit simpler avoiding contrasting driver timbre with those triple 10mm full-range A.D.L.C dynamic drivers in a triangular array facing each other. I am not entirely sure CA uses crossovers for the Trifecta driver array. Some companies prefer passive filtering and it may be the case here.
The Legend EVO is rated at a very low 4.5Ω impedance and a not terribly sensitive 103dB SPL, (all weighted at 1Khz). And whilst the Trifecta rating system is not an exact match due to the different methods of weighting for SPL its impedance at 6.3Ω is equally low also.
Our real-world testing with the HiBy RS8 low gain balanced output on Turbo mode did reveal the Trifecta to be more sensitive and play at louder levels when volume matched.
Design
The Legend EVO design is symbolic of the original all-black Legend X design which kind of suits the vibe of its sound signature.
Despite its high levels of comfort and above-average isolation for a dynamic driver design its aesthetic and resin shell design looks a little muted compared to the Trifecta.
The Trifecta aesthetic is very unique, very eye-catching, and built to a very high quality. There is literally nothing like it on the market today. Yes, it is dimensionally bigger but its comfort levels are just as good with an isolation performance with the right tips on par with the EVO.
For those who wish to have a more low-profile look then the EVO is going to suit them better but if you want to be the talk of the meet or ‘scene’ then the Trifecta visual is going to stand out more.
Finishing-wise, the Trifecta uses those beryllium/copper gold PVD finished sockets whereas the EVO is 2-pin 0.78mm. There will be fans of both systems.
The cables are good investments. EE’s Genesis cable is a 24AWG Ultra-Pure OCC Copper Cable with a polypropylene reinforced core and terminated with a balanced 4.4 Pentaconn plug.
It handles like a boss and is visually attractive also. There is no memory retention and low microphonics though the plug barrel finishing on the cable is a bit old school from PW Audio. The splitter is a complimentary black with the ‘Legend’ branding.
The Time Stream Trifecta core cable is similarly attractive though very different with that flat wire SPC, silvery finish, and very low profile splitter finish. Note, you get 3 Time Stream cables with the Trifecta and not just one with variable plug finishes.
Performance
Both IEMs are bass addictive and can dig deep with fantastic sub-bass-driven power.
The differences will come down to the driver configuration, timbral colorations from the mids/highs tuning, and the type of tips used. With the stock wide bore silicone tips the Trifecta’s performance up to the mid-bass is on par with the EVO in terms of quantity and extension.
However, the EVO’s cheat code is their stock Final E tips. If you switch them over to the Trifecta the bass becomes incredibly concussive and ultra-dynamic. I actually think the stock wide bore silicone tips on the Trifecta is a good balance but the option is there to go all in.
The timbral coloration of their respective lows also has a different quality. For me, the EVO bass is a little warmer and denser whereas the Trifecta bass is marginally cooler in tone, and more dynamic in the mid-bass, with a stronger dash of upper-order harmonics around the mid-to-upper-bass.
One final note on the lows is the outstanding textural quality and presence of bass guitars on the Trifecta, something which doesn’t stand out on the EVO performance as much. It’s an addictive firm and texture-rich tone that rock fans will love.
Mids and highs differ a lot here. The EVO is more consistent and true to audiophile standards up to 5k with an elevated and fairly smooth bump giving vocals some clarity with those BA drivers.
The Trifecta rises at 1-2k but it’s narrower with dips on either side with a stronger 7-8k peak. Depending on the vocal pitching you can get a forward weighty analog vocal tone or a recessed with less complex spatial imaging. The EVO BA’s does better here for detail and complex imaging though with less treble coloration.
Vision Ears EXT
The Vision Ears EXT is a universal format-only reimagination of the previous flagship Elysium. Like the EVO it was our Top Gear 2021 Co-Awardee for Best Universal IEM.
Technical
Lined up against the Trifecta’s triple 10mm A.D.L.C dynamic drivers we have the EXT’s mix of two differently-sized dynamic drivers for the mids and the lows combined with 4 electrostatic tweeters for the highs.
The precise DD configuration of the EXT is a 9.2mm dynamic driver for the lows and a 6mm dynamic driver with a green-themed HALC acoustic chamber for the mids.
Both dynamic drivers are enclosed in a Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) surround to reduce potential distortion and use an Al-Mg Alloy diaphragm and Rare Earth N52 Neodymium Magnets to keep the performance tight, fast, and articulate.
The EXT is rated at 10Ω and 108.5db @1kHz SPL but that can be deceiving as I tend to find a lot of EST hybrids are less sensitive than the ratings would suggest. The EXT is no exception and is far less sensitive compared to the Trifecta using the DX320 MAX Ti balanced output in low gain.
Design
Two beautifully finished IEM designs but quite different in their approach. The EXT is modernistic with those ‘Tron-like” gridlines on its anodized purple faceplate and angular smoky transparent black resin shell underneath. The Trifecta is more grandiose and very unique with its triangular shape and transparent nylon shell.
The EXT is actually quite compact and low-profile in its shape and fitting compared to the Trifecta’s more ambitious form factor. There is a reason for that with a very angular main body shell shape designed to get the EXT nozzle as deep as possible into the ear canal to his that ‘second bend’ for maximum performance.
The Trifecta approach is different with a super wide nozzle matched by some very wide bore matching stock tips to deliver a fairly deep fitting but not quite as snug as the EXT. It will stick out a bit more in your ear for sure, just simple physics here.
Again, two flagship IEMs with good quality cables to match. The EXT uses a 2-pin fitting with a 1.2m 28AWG 8-wire SPC wire insulated in 200d Kevlar and a solid black wrap finished with an equally black springy memory wire. It is terminated with 2.5mm TRRS but comes with a 4.4mm balanced adaptor for some fitting options.
The Trifecta’s triple lineup from CA’s Time Stream series is more ambitious with 3 separate cables with separate plugs and that unique flat design comprising of an 8-core SPC of around 26AWG gauge size.
Both handle very well offering low microphonic performance. The Trifecta Time Stream cables are a bit better for tangle management whereas the EXT cable is a little lighter for day and daily use.
Performance
Again, two bass-rich dynamic driver mixes with a smooth and analog vocal performance. However, those EST drivers and different type of dynamic drivers means the presentation and imaging is very different.
The Trifecta is more dynamic to my ears on the lows with stronger impact and much meatier expressive upper-bass to lower-mid instrumental notes. Again, I refer to areas such as bass guitar slaps and plucks sounding very distinct with beautifully defined texture on the Trifecta. Less so on the EXT but perhaps a little pacier and more articulate.
Sub-bass power and presence on the Trifecta is stronger but perhaps a little less controlled. It’s an exciting sound but once you try to reach into the mids for a bit of clarity it’s messier if the bass energy is high.
Now the EXT is south of neutral on the mids presence with vocals generally clear but positioned further back. The Trifecta vocal pitching will depend a lot on where it hits with 1-2k sounding much further forward and equally as analog with some very pleasing texture. However, if the bass is in full flow and the vocals sit a bit lower it can sound more recessed and less distinct.
The Trifecta treble presence is a little stronger but its presence can be uneven depending on the tracks. It has more of a timbral influence on the mids giving them a slightly cleaner edge but for spatial cues in the higher register it is less resolving with the EXT pushing out a surer tone and more headroom, especially into the upper treble.
I guess you can sum up with the Trifecta being more driven and dynamic, especially on the lows and the EXT more complex and more balanced in mids to highs. There will be fans of both sound signatures.
qdc Dmagic 3D
The qdc Dmagic 3D was launched in late 2020 with our review in early 2021. It’s one of only a few triple dynamic driver IEMs out there of a high-enough caliber and worth comparing despite the price difference.
Technical
The Dmagic 3D has what I call a diminishing-size triple dynamic configuration. That means you get progressively smaller drivers for the lows, mids, and highs as opposed to the Trifecta which uses 3 equally sized 10mm A.D.L.C dynamic drivers.
Inside the qdc build you have a dual 10mm dynamic driver for the lows and the mids and an 8mm compound dynamic driver for the highs using a 3-way crossover.
The larger driver for the lows and mids comprises a coaxial 10mm graphene vibrating diaphragm and titanium-plated vibrating diaphragm compound dual dynamic design. For the highs, the Dmagic uses a single smaller 8mm compound vibrating diaphragm.
It is not as easy to drive as the Trifecta despite the smaller driver sizes. The rating of 13.5Ω is higher than Trifecta’s 6.8Ω but we are at really low levels here for both so voltage is not really an issue here.
It is more the SPL rating at 98 dB @1kHz for the Dmagic 3D which, when tested from the Cayin N7’s low gain balanced output was a lot softer and quieter than the Trifecta at the equivalent volume level.
Design
The Dmagic 3D is probably one of my favorite ‘classic’ resin shells quasi-custom designs in all my years of reviewing. It’s a gorgeous base wood with a stabilizing resin and a lot of dye blending to get a beautiful deep and richly diverse nebula swirl design.
The Trifecta is no less impressive but very different. It’s dimensionally shallower but longer with that triangular shape very unique and the Dmagic 3D is more traditional, meaning deeper but stubbier.
The Trifecta inner is the design with a light blue on the nylon shells combined with the gold-plating accents on the drivers to create a more dynamic effect whereas the outer shells of the Dmagic 3D are solid so you can see nothing underneath.
With the stock silicone tips the Trifecta is not quite as good for passive isolation compared to the Dmagic 3D but with the foam tips it tightens up a bit more. Both are very comfortable in the ear though the qdc is a bit more low-profile in terms of dimensions.
The Achilles heel of the Dmagic 3D is the connector system which is a reverse polarity 2-pin system and not the normal 2-pin connectors. You will need an adaptor for your existing cable line-up if you want to upgrade.
That might frustrate a few since the stock 26AWG copper and silver 8-core parallel wire, (4×4) cable is a bit average despite having a multi-connector system. Something I would have loved to have seen with the superior MMCX-terminated SPC Trifecta Time Stream cables.
Performance
Hugely different presentations despite both having an unmistakable dynamic driver texture throughout their FR.
I consider the Trifecta drivers to be superior on a technical level to the Dmagic 3D, with a bigger macro-staging quality, better dynamic range, and improved resolution. However, the Magic 3D is what some would define as more balanced and vocal-centric giving a stronger focus to the mids and rock vocals in particular.
No question the Trifecta is the more powerful performer with a huge dynamic and impactful bass response. However, it also has stronger highs and offers more headroom compared to the Dmagic 3D. Atmospheric grandiose music performs much better here for me.
The qdc tuning is more controlled on the lows with a little bit of drop off in presence sub-50Hz giving the mid-bass up to the lower-mids a more supportive than dominant character.
The Trifecta slam is intense but there is also more of a contrast in its timbre. I would still classify it as fairly analog in tone but that additional treble overtone gives it a bit more sparkle and energy with certain tracks.
Vocal presence is more evenly dealt with on the Dmagic with a 2-3k peak that can stay clear of the more controlled bass line. I tend to find this tuning much more suited to classic rock standards even when the bass line gets busy.
The Trifecta’s stronger 1-2k peak is much better suited to modern pop and synth wave where vocals soar and the mids instrumental arrangement behind is generally less intense. The dual bass and vocal hit with a sparse mix sounds excellent with EDM genres but can get washed out if the bass gets too heavy with classic rock.
Our Verdict
The Campfire Audio Trifecta is one of the most unique-looking and sounding high-end in-ear monitors I have reviewed to date.
Whilst there are some ‘bass bomb’ IEMs out there at a similar price, I would be hard-pressed to say that any of them are quite like this. With the right genre and a clean-sounding source, it conveys a very powerful and emotive quality from its triple-dynamic driver setup.
If you are after a master class in micro-detail and speed this is not the IEM for you. And whilst I understand this tuning will be polarizing in terms of accepted norms and sensibilities in today’s modern Harman Target-centric tuning camp there will also be plenty of fans of its incredibly fun and engaging performance.
The Trifecta has what I call a strong ‘memorable quality’ which in this day and age of multiple monthly cookie-cutter multi-driver IEM launches is something that is becoming a rarity. So, go ahead and celebrate the difference, folks.
Campfire Audio Trifecta Specifications
- 5Hz–20 kHz Frequency Response
- 94 dB SPL @ 1kHz: 16.91 mVrms
- 6.3 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedance
- Total Harmonic Distortion less than 1%
