Balanced Armature Earphones & IEMs
Balanced armature earphones are all about precision and control. This collection brings together Campfire Audio’s most detailed IEMs – from the flagship Andromeda 10 to Fathom and Ponderosa – each using carefully tuned multi-BA architectures to deliver fast transients, rich midrange articulation, and crisp, three-dimensional imaging. Hand-assembled in Portland, Oregon, these IEMs are designed for listeners who want to hear into the mix: every layer, texture, and micro-detail presented with photographic clarity and a natural, emotionally engaging tone.
7 products
Frequently Asked Questions
Balanced armature earphones use miniature driver elements originally developed for hearing instruments and in-ear monitoring. Instead of a single full-range cone, they use tiny “armatures” suspended in a magnetic field, which can be tuned to specific frequency ranges. This allows for multi-driver designs with very high speed, resolution, and precise imaging.
Balanced armature IEMs usually sit at the “clarity and detail” end of the spectrum. They excel at fast transients, separation between instruments, and a clean, organized presentation of the mix. Dynamic drivers tend to emphasise warmth and physical bass impact, while planar magnetic designs offer a wide, effortless sense of scale. Balanced armature models prioritise precision and nuance, especially in the mids and highs.
They’re ideal for listeners who care about hearing every layer of a track: detail-oriented audiophiles, engineers, and musicians who need reliable monitoring, and anyone who prefers clarity over boosted bass. Different models in the collection put their own spin on the BA sound, from rich, immersive mids to more neutral, reference-leaning tunings.
Yes — but the bass character is different from a big dynamic driver. Multiple low-frequency balanced armatures can produce tight, fast, and textured bass that’s very controlled and well-defined. You’ll usually get less “boom” and more precision: bass notes are outlined clearly without masking the midrange.
Campfire Audio's balanced armature IEMs are generally efficient and easy to drive from modern digital audio players, dongle DACs, and portable amps. They will play from a phone, but you’ll hear more of their resolution, dynamics, and low-level detail with a clean, low-noise DAC or dedicated portable amplifier.
Yes, some balanced armature models are available as custom-fit IEMs built from your ear impressions. This gives you the resolution and precision of a multi-BA design with the isolation, comfort, and stability of a custom shell, making them a strong choice for stage use and long listening sessions.