The Campfire Audio Cascade was one of the most anticipated headphones for me at Can Jam NYC 2018. I’m such a big fan of their earphones so I was thrilled to get to listen to their first over-ear headphone. These babies have been in the works for years, so it with great pleasure and excitement that I sat down at the Campfire table. Here it is, the Cam Jam NYC 2018: Campfire Audio Cascade First Impressions Review.

Can Jam NYC 2018: Campfire Audio Cascade First Impressions Review

Build and Feel

Headband

The headband of the Campfire Audio Cascade feels very durable and strong. It is made of stainless steel and as a result it has some weight to it. It doesn’t feel too heavy though and has comfortable padding.

Earcups

The earcups, which have a rectangular shape feels balanced and durable. Like the headband, they also have some weight to them. However, this weight is not burdensome. Rather, it instills a sense of confidence in its strength and robustness.

Earpads

The earpads are thick, soft, and comfortable. They are thick enough so that they protect my ear from hitting the earcups even though my ears are small. They seemed to isolate sound pretty although I wasn’t aware of any tight squeezing on my head.

Cable

The regular cable sounded good, but the ALO Litz balanced cable sounded GREAT! This cable brings a lot of light to the music by enhancing the transient response, so I highly recommend listening this way.

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Campfire Audio Cascade felt thick and hefty. This accented low-end felt really great, particularly with hip-hop, EDM, and pop. It also gave wonderful weight to heavy electric guitars.

Mid Frequencies

The low-mids felt big, and as a result, bass guitar in some mixes felt louder in the mix. Especially with the ALO Litz cable, the midrange really came to life. The quick transients make impactful acoustic guitar strums, string swells, and tom builds feel exciting and so it reproduces the emotional impact beautifully.

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Campfire Audio Cascade had lovely extension. They did seemed emphasized, but the results of this emphasis was actually quite interesting. Vocals had air and crispness, but didn’t sound sibilant.

Sound Stage

The sound stage was impressive for a closed back can. I was particularly impressed when listening with the ALO Litz cable. The midrange felt spacious. Overall more height, width, and depth appeared while listening with that cable due to the faster transient response I think.

Overview

The Campfire Audio Cascade is a wonderfully fun with a bombastic low-end, a lively midrange, and an airy, extended high end. Additionally, they seemed super durable. However, if you decide to buy them for yourself, I definitely recommend adding on the ALO Litz cable because it makes such a difference in the emotional translation of music.

The Campfire Audio Cascade is available for pre-order at Audio46.

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