Closer Examination

I mentioned before how the Astell&Kern x Campfire Audio PATHFINDER comes with three cables and this may seem like a weird alternative to the more typical modular cables that are getting popular lately allowing swapping of 2.5/4.4 mm balanced TRRS or 3.5 mm single-ended TRS plugs on the same cable. Perhaps this is Campfire Audio implying the modular connections takes away from the cable parameters and that's a discussion I'd rather not have anyway. I will say that Campfire Audio has gone with the exact same triple cable route with its new flagship Trifecta IEMs too. As such, you end up having to choose the cable you would like to pair the PATHFINDER with and are then left with two cables that you have paid for but won't be using. They are more than decent cables, however, so perhaps you could sell them to recoup some of the cost of the IEMs. Note the unique flat nature to the cable with Campfire Audio going with high-quality enameled silver-plated oxygen-free copper conductor in a Litz configuration. There are four strands to begin with which then split into two per channel, and we end up with an all-silver aesthetic including with the use of metal housing throughout with well-integrated strain relief too. The cable cinch is highly functional too and the cable as a whole is fairly easy to route without any microphonics in use. It's not the easiest to re-shape though—especially given the cables come wrapped up already in a manner it takes a while to deviate from—and we see the same continue with the pre-formed ear hooks on the IEM side. In this regard I can't say the user experience with the cables meets expectations set forth by the marketing claims, let alone those I set for myself from what is clearly a premium product. The cable terminates in low profile MMCX connectors that have L/R markings on the housing to help indicate the left and right channels, respectively.


The shells of the PATHFINDER are a different story altogether in being not only appealing but well-built and designed to where I would personally be happy to receive these knowing they were expensive. Each shell uses precision-milled aluminium that is then hard-anodized in a "night sky" black for a durable finish resistant to fingerprints and dust. There are two sections to this composition which is glued together and then a brushed stainless steel inlay is fixed on the top to be the de-facto face plate. Note the deliberately machined inlay with six sides that are meant to represent light and shadow coming together to form a mountain peak that the PATHFINDER name takes inspiration after in addition to working well with Campfire Audio's own use of mountains to represent its Portland, USA origins. The steel inlay, along with the machined and hand-polished steel spout/nozzle add some heft to the otherwise lighter aluminium shells to also make these seem solid in the hand and I wouldn't worry much about any damage via accidental drops/scratches.


Branding comes in the form of both Astell&Kern and Campfire Audio etched on the sides, and a closer look at the shells also shows more about the light/shadow as well as the mountain peak design that has gone into the steel face plate/inlay. It's a subtle thing on what is otherwise a very clean design when in the ears owing to the plain brushed finish. Note also the fancier looking vents here relative to simpler holes as on resin shell IEMs and we also see the expected beryllium/copper reinforced female MMCX connectors placed closer to the top and angled outward courtesy a physical extension to the shells. The nozzle is certainly one worthy of being described as a spout and is fairly elongated in typical Campfire Audio style. It's tiny compared to a lot of recently released IEMs at ~5 mm in diameter and also tapers down before having a retaining notch to help keep the installed ear tips in place. The grill on the end has eight circular holes and is no doubt designed deliberately with the sound output in mind while also doing double duty in preventing contaminants from easily entering the acoustic chamber.


Fitting the different ear tips will require you to slightly stretch the inner bore to fit over the nozzle before pushing them in and going around to ensure they are not at an angle. Seen above are each of the included size M silicone and foam ear tips installed on the PATHFINDER as we see how they vary in composition, length, and bore diameter. Try out the various tips and sizes, and keep in mind that both ear canals don't need to have the best seal with the same size or set, either. Regardless of which tips you pick, the next step is to re-connect the cable of your choice by carefully identifying the matching channels and orienting the ear hooks around your ear when connecting the IEMs. Doing so is simple, as you just push the MMCX connectors together until they click in place. This also allows free rotation unlike with 2-pin plugs and now you will also note how the silver on the cable works well with the brushed steel inlay and the steel nozzle, along with the trim around the connections on the shells themselves. The availability of three cables with different connectors also means you can easily pair the PATHFINDER with the source of your choice, be it a fancy Astell&Kern DAP that I don't have here or a portable DAC/amp such as the Qudelix-5K with its clean power output and handy EQ options.