Campfire Audio’s Alessandro Cortini collab IEMs are everything my Nine Inch Nails-loving heart needs

• Cortini loves Campfire IEMs so much, he approached founder Ken Ball
• The result is Clara, a hybrid driver configuration elite set of IEMs
• Clara IEMs are now available, priced $1,999 / £1,999 (around AU$3,900)

Sometimes the story of a beautifully symbiotic hi-fi partnership and how it came into being feels just a tad too good to be true. The tale as it’s being told (and according to committed audiophile and mutual friend of both parties, John Darko) involves long-time lover of Campfire Audio products, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inductee and celebrated NIN synth/bassist, Alessandro Cortini. The story goes that Cortini humbly pitched the idea of a collaborative in-ear monitor effort to CA’s founder, Ken Ball, just over a year ago. No, not the other way around; this isn’t like that. And he said yes, folks!

Look, when the resulting product is one of the most stunning-looking pairs of IEMs I’ve seen in many years – not to mention a set of wired earbuds that can be worn in support of a musician who’s been on heavy rotation in my ears since 1988 – I don’t care if the story’s been embellished a little.