Dunu Mirai VS Campfire Audio Alien Brain

Youtube Video Summary

Build quality and presentation are the Mirai’s calling cards: a premium cable, a robust case, and those quirky little IEM booties make for an unboxing experience that feels luxury at its price. Sonically, it sketches a spacious, almost holographic stage where higher voices shine, drums hit with conviction, and guitars sound convincingly natural. The trouble starts lower down: bass and alto vocals can feel thin, with a mid-bass dip that leaves some tracks lacking body; strings on certain orchestral pieces skew sharp or plasticky, and there’s an ~8 kHz glare that can bite. Metal and electronic are a treat; well-recorded R&B is a poor match.

EQ—whether to Precog’s target or a similar in-house curve—fills in mid-bass and steadies the balance, but it raises the question of whether a pricey set should require tweaks. In context, Supernova offers flatter treble and fuller mids, Monarch MKIII brings livelier dynamics and a safer overall tone, and the Binary Chopin delivers a more consistently “fun” V-shape with fewer problem tracks. Mirai ultimately suits big-spending listeners who value build and staging panache over benchmark value; mid-tier collectors may find stronger all-rounders elsewhere. Verdict: a solid 4-star recommendation with a pure audio score of 8.9—impressive on the ears, if not the outright class leader for the money.

Youtube Video Summary

Alien Brain arrives as a single-DD + 4BA hybrid around $1,000 with a truly peculiar shell: the rounded, “alien cortex” faceplate is magnetic, uses MMCX, and can be tricky to seat. The unboxing is lavish—two cables (including 4.4 mm), a compact magnetic leather case, a USB-C DAC/amp, foams plus “sticky” tips, cleaning tools, and extras. Fit is the hurdle; tip-rolling is essential, but once positioned correctly, comfort and seal fall into place.

Tonally, this set pursues a balanced, all-rounder tuning with a near-ideal bass shelf, lively but controlled upper mids, and sparkly yet composed treble. There’s punch and detail without drifting into fatigue; extension is strong, but staging isn’t the most expansive and note weight isn’t “thumpy”—this isn’t a bass-head cannon, more a clean, grounded presentation. The FR shows a touch of 1 kHz energy and smooth ripples through presence/air that favor natural timbre over hyper-etched brilliance, making it a long-session, non-fatiguing listen.

Versus Campfire’s own lineup, it’s far more normalized than the colorful Trifecta, better extended than the warm Axion, and closer in poise to Moon Rover but with a bit more bass and refinement. Compared to peers like Dunu Glacier or DA Mecca, Alien Brain trades V-shaped excitement for cohesive neutrality, and avoids the upper-mid glare that can scare off listeners. Net result: a strong recommendation for those who can manage the fit and want a high-end Campfire that does something new—not the classic house warmth, not sterile flatness, but a realistic, well-rounded signature with broad appeal.