I have lost count of the number of headphones I have reviewed in the last 8-years. What I do know is that I have learned a lot more about sound since the early days. I’ve refined what I like and dislike in a pair of headphones, and I’ve learned more about how the technology works. The Campfire Audio Mammoth are easily the best wired IEMs I’ve ever used, period.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
These days most people are all about true wireless earbuds or wireless headphones, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I still think the AirPods Pro are the best TWS headphones you can get, and the AirPods Max are the best over-ear headphones.
Before we jump in, it’s important to note that I have two categories for IEM headphones. IEMs for listening to music and IEMs for using as monitors for performing onstage. The Campfire Audio Mammoth falls into the listening to music category. When I first got them, my thought was to test them as onstage IEMs. When I started using them, it became clear that these would not serve my needs as onstage IEMs.
But don’t fret! If you’re looking for Campfire Audio IEMs that work for onstage use, they make the Holocene which the company says has a neutral soundstage.
So I changed direction and started testing Mammoth as purely listening to music IEMs. If you’re curious which IEMs I use for onstage performance, I will point you to the FiiO FH7’s. The FiiO’s deliver a better balance of frequencies that give you nothing but pure sound with no coloring. But if you’re looking to listen to already produced music, well, then the Campfire Audio Mammoth certainly brings the BOOM. Read on for the full review.
Specifications
The Campfire Audio Mammoth has the following features and specifications:
- 5Hz–20 kHz Frequency Response
- 94 dB SPL @ 1kHz: 18.16 mVrms
- 8.1 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedance
- Machined Aluminum Body
- ‘Frozen Tundra’ Anodized Finish
- Single Custom Balanced Armature (High)
- Single Custom Balanced Armature (Mid)
- Single Custom 10mm Bio-Cellulose Diaphragm Dynamic Driver
- Custom Beryllium / Copper MMCX Connections
- Black PVD Finished Stainless Steel Spout
- ‘Smoky Glow’ Silver Plated Copper Litz Cable – 3.5mm Stereo to MMCX connectors
What’s In The Box
- Campfire Audio Mammoth IEMs
- Smoky Glow Litz Cable – Silver Plated Copper Conductors with Berylium Copper MMCX and 3.5mm Stereo Plug
- ‘All Seeing Eye’ SEAQUAL YARN Earphone Case
- Assorted Ear Tips
- 3 Mesh Bags for Storing Tips
- Cleaning Tool
- Manuals and Documentation
- Authentic Warranty Number Sticker – Matches Interior Warranty Card
Design
The Campfire Audio Mammoth design isn’t unlike many other IEMs on the market. They’re very angular and blocky in their design language. While the company has chosen to play it safe by staying with a familiar style, the build quality is outstanding.
The body of the Mammoth is aluminum, not some cheap plastic like some of the Amazon buys you’ll find. The variety of ear tips provided will also ensure that everyone gets a good fit. The included carrying pouch is very protective but also very boisterous and festive, which may not appeal to everyone. My girls have already claimed it for their purposes, LOL.
Like most IEMs, the cables are detachable from the earbud housing, which is great because you can replace it cheaply should it break. That saves you from having to repurchase the earbuds. The cable included with the Mammoth IEMs comes with glow-in-the-dark connections, making them a bit easier to find in the dark.
The cable itself is well made and looks like it should stand up to years of use with ease. The cable also easily wraps behind the ear to help keep the IEMs in place.
As for comfort, the Mammoth are very comfortable to wear for long periods. There is a wide variety of ear tips, so finding the right fit should be easy. Once you have the correct ear tips, they slip and seal very well, and they stay put inside your ear.
Overall, the design of the Campfire Audio Mammoth IEMs is straightforward and sticks to the familiar look of other IEMs. These IEMs are well built, and all of the materials used are of high quality. The comfort level is also above average, and most people shouldn’t have an issue with comfort.
Ease of Use
There’s not much to say about the ease of use. The Mammoth are wired IEMs, so there is no Bluetooth connection and no apps to putz with. These IEMs are plug-and-play. The hardest part of the whole process is maybe changing the ear tips and finding the right fit.
Sound
As I mentioned early in this review, I intended to use the Mammoth IEMs as monitors for onstage use. I play guitar on church worship teams and in other bands. My initial testing of these as onstage IEMs concluded that they would not work for me in that environment.
The reason is, Campfire Audio colored the soundstage on these to be warmer than neutral. That means the bass frequencies are slightly moved up in the mix, giving the overall sound a warmer and bassier result. For me, I need onstage IEMs to be completely neutral. The reason for this is because I use a large pedalboard that modifies my guitar’s sound already. What I hear through my IEMs needs to be the same as the sound engineer’s, so I know what I’m giving him, and he knows how to put it in the mix.
That doesn’t mean the Campfire Audio Mammoth sound terrible; they don’t. Once I moved my testing over to exclusively music listening. That is already mixed and engineered music from Apple Music; they are fantastic!
The soundstage is most certainly leaning towards the bass frequencies but not in a wrong way. Campfire Audio tweaked the bass to add a bit of body to the overall mix, and I am okay with that. I’m not too fond of bass-heavy headphones from company’s like Skullcandy that absolutely murder everything good about music.
I prefer balanced mids and highs with just a tweak to the bass, which is precisely what the Mammoth offers here. Add in the fact that the ear tips provide an outstanding seal that gives you natural noise cancellation, and you’ve got a pair of IEMs that are flipping fantastic!
I used the Mammoth IEMs with my iPhone’s Lightning dongle and used them with my FiiO BTR5 DAC, which I’ve been using with all of my headphone reviews lately. The Mammoth sounded fantastic with just the dongle, but the BTR5 added a lot more clarity, elevating these even higher.
Overall, these are just some fantastic IEMs. They sound amazing, as if Campfire Audio has been reading my headphone reviews and tuned them, especially for my ears. The Mammoth are easily the best wired IEMs for listening to music that I’ve used to date.
Alex’s Headphone Testing Playlist
Price/Value
So now it comes to it, the price. These aren’t going to come to you cheap, not at all. The Mammoth will set you back US$549, but I think they’re damn well worth it. They sound better than AirPods or any other TWS headphones, and you don’t have to worry about the battery dying, like, ever. So 3-years from now, when your TWS headphones die, these will still be working. Yes, US$549 is a lot of cash, but if you’re serious about your sound and want a pair of headphones that will last, you cannot go wrong with the Mammoth.
Wrap Up
The Campfire Mammoth aren’t for everyone. These IEMs are made with audiophiles in mind, but that doesn’t mean normie users aren’t welcome. If you’re willing to spend the US$549, I guarantee you that you’re getting more than you pay for, and you will be happy with these headphones.
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Last Updated on October 19, 2021.
