Vision Ears ELYSIUM

Overview:

Up for review today is the spiritual upgrade to the Vision Ears VE8 (completely different layout), the VE Elysium. Yes, there’s another, more expensive, version of this that comes in purple. That one supposedly has more bass, though I’ve never heard it and it only comes in purple, which just really isn’t a color I’d spend $3,000 on. The Elysium retail for $2,280 and I see no real reason to get the Barney ones over the really nice-looking blue and green ones. That said, some people LOVE the EXT, so I’ll have to reserve final judgment until I actually hear the EXT (feel free to send me a pair.) I received these in a trade.

The Elysium has a High Precision Acoustic Leveling Chamber (HALC) which finely tunes the DD for the highest accuracy – their words, not mine. Other than that, it comes with a single BA driver for the lows, a DD for the mids, and two electrostatics for the highs (I think, VE’s own site doesn’t really tell you.) Odd to see BA for the lows and DD for the mids, but VE has tuned it to sound amazing either way. More about that later, on with the review!



Accessories/Earpads/Eartips (10/10):

Wow. The box that opens like something out of a sci-fi novel is really cool. I half expected some sort of gas or dry ice to come out to fill the room with smoke upon opening it. Yes, the center DOES rise up when you open it. Easily my top 2 unboxing experiences ever. The flap on the right contains all the ear tips, etc., while you can lift out the top to reveal the bottom goodies. On the bottom, there is a really nice BLUE case and a baggie I’d never use. Still, this easily deserves top points for accessories even though shipping that heavy box to the person that buys these from me is going to suck. As always, I'm using my Spinfit W1 tips since they're the best I've found (You can buy them here if you want a set: https://amzn.to/3WDrNIk.)



The stock included ear tips are really nice and match the aesthetic of the IEMs. No complaints here. I’m using the Spinfit W1s because stock ear tips on used IEMs gross me out (Here if you want a pair: https://amzn.to/3T1IX0s.) I have to admit. The W1s barely fit on the Elysium – these are the largest nozzles I think I’ve ever encountered. Ever. They make the Aroma Thunder’s nozzles seem small. So, small-ear people stay away – more on that in comfort. That said, I can get the W1s fit on here and they still give great isolation and seal FWIW.

Cable (8/10):

I don’t have much of a cable rant on this one because the cable that comes with the Elysium is pretty nice. It’s flexible, doesn’t have much memory retention, is a nice silver-plated copper, and comes with a balanced connection. The only problem is that the balanced connection is 2.5mm. Who sends their cable with a 2.5mm? Seriously? 4.4mm is far more common, and I’d even rather have a 3.5mm. Nothing else I have uses 2.5mm and only the A&K SP3k DAP (which runs $3,600) has a 2.5mm that I’ve used. Way to buck the trend of usable connectors VE. At least make it modular if not 4.4mm. So, I can’t use it with the very nice stock cable – instead, I’m using the Kinera Leyding (the best aftermarket cable I own – feel free to send me a better one: you can buy the Leyding here if you want one: https://amzn.to/3L3l0Eh.)



Build Quality/Comfort (9/10):

Classic VE German build quality. Everything just exudes good built quality. The clear shells show off the inside circuitry and it is a very cool look. I also love the metallic green and blue foil built into the shells. Top-notch workmanship.

I find these comfortable, but I have larger ears. The shell itself fits inside your ears, without sticking out at all. If you want something that protrudes more for more comfort, grab the JH Audio 16v2 or ROX. If you have small ears, these will not fit in them since they fit pretty snuggly in mine. I can wear these for long periods of time without any issues, but seriously, don’t grab a pair if you have small ears.

Sound:

There’s some weirdness going on the with Elysium Frequency Response Graph. According to my test system, the Elysium have the most bass of any IEM I’ve ever tested. More than the UM MEST Mk2. More than the Meteor and Zero. That’s weird, especially since the point of the EXT is to add MORE bass to the Elysium. I’ve remeasured the Elysium close to 10 times with different sides, different tips, different tip insertion depths, etc. and there’s been no change. Sooo…yeah, not sure what’s up with the Elysium measurements. Other people have completely different graphs for theirs. Mine looks nothing like theirs and I wonder if mine is some sort of pre-release version of the EXT – no clue, but as always with measurements, take it with a grain of salt.



Here's how it should look:



I somehow ended up with an Elysium that combines the low-end of the EXT with the highs of the Elysium - wicked.

I am powering these off both the Shanling M6 Ultra (M6U) and the A&K SP3000 (SP3K.) On the M6U, I’m using the 4.4mm balanced connection with low gain and volume at around 45/100. On the SP3K, I’m using the 4.4mm balanced connection on low gain with the volume at around 80/150. Both are running off Tidal Hi-Fi with MQA enabled.

Lows (17/20):

I’m starting off with the Mid-bass/Sub-bass test I’m using David Guetta’s “I’m Good (Blue).” The impact is solid, though with a touch of unwanted reverb (like the Thunder has) and the sub-bass has a really good rumble. You can even hear the sub-bass wind up in the background before it starts – pretty rare to hear that with most IEMs. The mids come in really clearly here and aren’t overwhelmed by the bass or shoved to the back. It’s an excellent bass presentation and I can see why the FRG shows it with lots of bass – these are not what I was expecting. 8/10.

Up next is Demon Hunter’s “I Am A Stone,” which I use to test whether the bass is too strong and overwhelms the mids as that is just as important as how strong/good the bass is. The bass instruments in the back are very well represented and while they overwhelm the mids a little, the mids still come through really strongly – enough that I’m only taking off a point on these. 9/10.

Mids (19/20):

Weaving The Fate’s “The Fall” is my test song for clean/dirty guitars and vocals with background instruments to see how clearly the vocals can be heard. Both the clean and dirty guitars are good. There’s no fuzziness to either – it’s a really good representation. The vocals are perfect and not pushed to the back at all. I have no complaints here, even the bass guitar can be heard clearly. 6/6.

Staind’s “Something to Remind You” has clean electric guitars and wonderful vocals – this song tests vocal quality and background noise. Wow, once again, no complaints here. The vocals are great, the guitars are great, and the bass guitar doesn’t drown out anything else. You can hear the fingers moving across the strings here, so some people might find that annoying, but I appreciate the level of detail and it’s not loud enough to distract me. 7/7.

To test classical instruments in the mids, I’m using The Piano Guys' “Code Name Vivaldi.” The bass-string instruments come in strongly in the into until the mid-strings sort of push them to the back a bit. Everything is very clear and detailed. The piano sounds excellent along with everything else. I’m only taking a point off here because it doesn’t sound quite as magical as it has on some headphones previously – a bit more clinical than musical. 6/7.

Highs (13/20):

To test sibilance on headphones I use Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes. Ouch. Painful sibilance. I switched between both DAPs on this song to see if it was just the SP3K since it can add some sharpness with its more neutral tone. Nope, there’s sibilance on both, but it is more tolerable on the M6U – barely. Not a fan here, which likely bodes well for the next song. 1/6.

Dream Theater’s “The Alien,” is the highs test song I use to see if the cymbals/high-hats/snare drum can be clearly heard and distinguished from the rest of the music (also good for instrument separation.) The cymbals in the background here can clearly be heard, but each individual strike is not portrayed like on some others. It’s definitely above average, but the cymbals do blur together a little bit and the separation I want to see isn’t there. 5/7.

Michelle McLaughlin’s “Across The Burren” is another of my favorite highs/sharpness test songs as it can easily sound painful on some headphones. There’s really no sharpness on this song. The piano is beautifully represented with no unwanted notes or harshness popping up. This is just about perfect somehow. I didn’t expect that after the previous two songs – an absolute enigma. 7/7.

Soundstage/Instrument Separation/Imaging (7/10):

I use MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” to test soundstage, instrument separation, and imaging. The soundstage is large, but not quite Epic like the MM. The instrument separation is good, but not TOTL level, there is a little bleed-together – the MM wins here again. Imaging is good, though again not at the MM level. Overall, a good, but not amazing presentation. 7/10.

Comparisons:

The BCD gives the MM an unfair advantage. While it shows low bass levels on the FRGs, the MM has a ton of bass, in fact, that extra bass is the reason I took off a couple of points from it because it overwhelms the mids on some songs. It’s a bit cleaner than my weird Elysium, and just a touch stronger as well. Both IEMs have really excellent mids, though the MM definitely beats the Elysium on Soundstage/Instrument Separation/Imaging. Both have excellent detail and clarity. The MM has better highs than the Elysium and less sharpness. Keep in mind that the Elysium costs half as much as the Mentor and it matters far less. The Elysium has a nicer unboxing experience than the MM (somehow) and the stock cable is less microphonic. Overall, these are both great and you can’t go wrong with either, but the MM is still slightly better across the board – and it’s that extra 5-10% that makes all the difference in this hobby.



Conclusion:

OK, so I have a weird Elysium. I know, so take this entire review with a grain of salt - though I'd like to think the mids are just as good regardless. The Elysium shouldn’t have that much bass. Maybe it’s a test rig issue (that only happens on the Elysium) and maybe I just have a unique Elysium or a prototype EXT. No clue. That’s the fun thing about trades, you never know what you’ll get. What I do know is that this Elysium is potentially the bassiest Elysium out there and it sounds really good. Not brand-new flagship good, but it’s not the Phonix, and it doesn’t cost anywhere near as much either. This should be in everyone’s top 5 – though I have no idea how the normal Elysium bass is.

Mona Elysa: The Vision Ears Elysium Review
Through the lens of Damz87 & SLC1966

Featuring an interview with Oliver Marino and Marcel
Schoenen from Vision Ears.

Mona Lisa:
“The delicately painted veil, the finely wrought tresses, and the careful rendering of folded fabric demonstrate Leonardo’s studied observations and inexhaustible patience. Moreover, the sensuous curves of the sitter’s hair and clothing are echoed in the shapes of the valleys and rivers behind her. The sense of overall harmony achieved in the painting—especially apparent in the sitter’s faint smile—reflects Leonardo’s idea of the cosmic link connecting humanity and nature, making this painting an enduring record of Leonardo’s vision. In its exquisite synthesis of sitter and landscape”. Britannica



Welcome into the mind of Damz & SLC. I as the fictitious but audio sexy interviewer (AKA Bob) would like to give the reader a deeper look at the Vision Ears Elysium through the lens of not just one, but two Elysium lovers. They may not have ever spent time together in the same room but they both have spent many hours with Mona Elys!!

I will first interview Damz and SLC. I also had the opportunity to interview the Leonardo’s of Vision Ears: Marcel Schoenen and Oliver Marino, the brains and artists of Vision Ears, were gracious enough to respond to my questions.


Bob’s Interview with Damz and SLC:

Bob: Rumor has it Damz that you bring the audio thunder from down under! Why do you want to share your thoughts on the Elysium with others? Don’t you own every IEM currently out there? And if so, how do they all fit in your pants with a DAP taking up most of the space?

Damz: Well, to be completely honest Bob, I didn’t expect to enjoy your Elysium as much as I do when I first saw your extra-large package arrive at my doorstep. My intention was to simply try them out and move on with my 69 other IEM’s. But there truly is something unique and immensely pleasurable about Ely that I have discovered, and I feel that they’re a worthy addition to my permanent IEM collection. And don’t worry, there’s plenty of room in my pants for a few more.


Bob: SLC, you may have your truckload of IEMs and have experienced a Damz level of IEMs, but fine sir, why are you interested in sharing your thoughts of Elysium with others?

SLC: I went through many single driver DD IEMs looking for the emotive sound that DD driver HPs can provide. In the morning I was never satisfied. Something was missing. A single DD IEM would have maybe the mids correct or the bass, but it was never coherent throughout all frequencies. I was never fully satisfied. Then I demoed Elysium as part of a VE tour and low and behold I had an Elysium of my own in my hands a few days later. All single DD driver boxes were checked. Yes, I know the treble is made up of two Estats and the bass is one single BA. But most of the musical action happens in the mid-section and that is where VE ingeniously put the DD. Hence the emotive box was finally checked. Estats are perfect for the treble and the BA is a perfect bass compliment to the overall signature. A single BA for bass and a DD for mids goes against the grain of thought at the moment but wow they nailed it. Emotions are there and engagement and musicality are there with IHMO nothing missing. That is why you probably chose the cheesy Mona Elysa title Bob.


Bob: I as the fictitious but sexy interviewer wanted to interject some facts about Damz’s Elysium. SLC had Elysium #17. Then sold it out into the wild. Bought it back. Then sold it to a good audio friend who then sold it to Damz. SLC tried to buy it back from Damz but Damz would not budge due to the Elysium joy he was getting. SLC ended up buying #237 Elysium and it has stayed. You may think I am cheesy SLC but who is the one selling IEMs and thinking they will magically come back to him when they are missed?

And on another side note: I do not dare ask Damz and SLC why one prefers to call Elysium “Ely” and the other “Elys”. I am afraid of the answer.


Bob: This IEM has the DD as the mids. SLC did already reference Elys as the single DD IEM he spent his life looking for even though Elysium is not a single DD IEM. What is your take on the Elysium DD?

Damz: Like the great musical trios of the past such as The Bee Gees and Destiny’s Child, there is magic when 3 talented performers come together as one. However, often there is one star that naturally shines brighter than the others. The midrange DD is the Barry and Beyonce of the Elysium. That said, one could argue that these stars needed their supporting cast to become the legends they are today.
As a self-confessed basshead, Ely’s driver configuration was met with plenty of skepticism from me. I simply couldn’t fathom a single BA driver being capable to drive a level of bass I need to enjoy my music. And at the time of Ely’s release, previously reviewed tribrid’s with e-stats had failed to impress the IEM community as superior (or even equal to) BA high frequency drivers. However, now that I have heard it for myself, I believe VE delivered a driver configuration masterstroke and a pioneer for tribrid design in the Elysium.
Driver coherency has been the Achilles heel of many hybrid/tribrid IEMs, but Ely bucks that trend and to my ears is one of the most coherent hybrid driver IEM’s I’ve ever heard. I agree with SLC that one could be fooled into believing that it’s a single driver inside those shells.

SLC: Yes, I did prematurely reference the DD which is a problem of mine but that is personal. I will take this opportunity to inform you Bob that the mid-section is where most vocals and most instruments are located. It is where the action takes place. That is why I think VE chose a DD for the mids. Nothing touches a high-quality DD for its ability to present instruments in a natural and emotional way. I love vocals that are real and emotional. I obsess on the sound a trumpet emits by a talented jazz musician. The Elys to me presents the trumpet for example with the best timbre I have heard.


Bob: Of course, the most important question is about that Elysium packaging. How is the packaging when you open her up for the first time? I hear others on side streets and dark alleys mentioning the word “levitating”!

Damz: Ely isn’t my first Vision Ears IEM, so going into this unboxing I was acutely aware that VE know how to do packaging. My expectations were high to say the least. And boy did it not disappoint. I can comfortably say that Ely’s unboxing experience is right up there with the best in the IEM market. I won’t say anything more than “if an unboxing experience is important to you when considering an IEM, then look no further than Elysium.”

SLC: The first time is magical. As the flaps are pulled to the side the Elys ascends to the sky. The only other two IEMs that provided a wow experience were the Dunu Luna and VE Erlkönig. But neither levitated.


Bob: What are 5 music artists/groups that come to mind when you insert Elysium?

Damz: I’m an electronic music junkie so a few sub-genres that I think Ely reproduces particularly well are Deep house, indy house, progressive techno, and minimal. Outside of Electronic music, some artists I listen to with Ely would be Chet Faker, Angus & Julia Stone, Matt Corby, London Grammar, and Lana Del Ray.

SLC: I am into Jazz and Alt Rock among other genres. At the moment, 5 of the artists/groups I gravitate to with Elys are Christian Scott, Radiohead, Miles Davis, Jason Molina, and Charles Lloyd.


Bob: What is your take on the fit of the Universal Elysium?

Damz: I have zero issues with the fit of Elysium in universal form. I get a deep fit with a tight seal and no vacuum effect.

SLC: The fit is very tight. The isolation is to the extreme. It did take a little tip rolling to find the best fit in which the Elys would stay fixed in place. There is an addicting Hoover effect. Strong seal feeling. Right now, it fits like my baseball glove did as a kid after it was properly oiled, formed, and broken in after a season of use. An excellent feeling.


Bob: What do you put on the tip of your Elysium? Do you tip roll as audio people call it?

Damz: I usually do tip roll however I got lucky with Ely and got a perfect fit with my first roll. I use SpinFit CP155’s.

SLC: With most IEMs I do need to tip roll. Some never find a tip that works, and they must move on. With Elys I was worried because I was not having luck my first tip rolling go-around. I ended up with eureka when I tried the Spinfit CP145s that I had in the bowels of my tip drawer. I do not use stock tips, but it turns out the Elys comes with the CP145 tips and the color of the bore of the tips match the color of the outside of the DD inside the Elys.


Bob: Speaking of rolling are the two of you late night cable rollers with Elysium?

Damz: Cable rolling is an important medicine for treating my audio obsessive compulsive disorder. I have given Ely the full cable roll treatment. TLR - I settled on the Effect Audio Code 51.
Here are the notes from my late-night cable escapades:
Effect Audio Code 51: Compared to stock, Code 51 adds some warmth to the midrange tone, and also creates a slight emphasis down low. Treble clarity doesn’t sound hindered by the added warmth. To me, I hear a slightly heavier note weight, especially in the bass.
Effect Audio Horus Octa: A leaner, more revealing tonality compared to stock. Highs get a bit more prominence and energy. I hear a clean and clarity-focused sound.
Effect Audio Leonidas II Octa: This cable sits somewhere between Horus Octa and Code 51 for tonality, and slightly warmer than stock. I hear a little more midrange focus and clean highs.
PW Audio 1950s: I hear a better sense of clarity and speed compared to stock. Lows are a little bit reigned in and neutered which doesn’t play well with Ely’s tonal balance.
Eletech Iliad: Similar to Horus Octa but not quite as lean and clear. Somewhat similar to stock with bass.

SLC: I do try different cables with IEMs and then usually stick with the same cable once I feel the synergy is good. The stock cable on the Elys is a 4 wire SPC cable that has an excellent synergy with Elys. I also like how the Elys and Erlkönig stock cables are flat 2 pin cables. They fit flush with the IEM. That all being said I tend not to use stock cables. No logic in that but I have enjoyed the PW Audio Loki 4 wire cable with the Elys. Once I got the Monile 2-wire cable I enjoyed it even better and then once I tried the PW Audio 1960 4-wire, I started using that and have had no desire to insert anything else. With Elys I like a cable that is not warm but not sterile. For Elys I like a cable that provides clarity and instrumental space to the IEM and a little bit of bite. All cables I mentioned above including the stock cable work well for me with the Elys. The PW Audio 1960-2 wire is too warm for Elys. The PW Audio 1950 was too neutral for Elys even though it provided excellent instrumental space and clarity. Also, Bob let me interject that the Elys responds extremely well to a more powerful source. The Elys loves getting filled with power!


Bob: VE used a BA driver for the bass. What do you say to those that speak of a light bottom on Elysium?

Damz: As I mentioned earlier, what held me back from taking the plunge into the world of Ely were my concerns around bass quantity coming from a single BA driver. However, those concerns were completely quashed once I got Ely in my ears. My theory is that one needs a deep and pseudo-custom fit to get the bass to sound how it was intended. I am lucky that I get a deep fit, so perhaps I am hearing Ely’s full bass potential. I personally would not want Ely to have any more low-end emphasis than what I’m already hearing. Would it sound better with DD bass? Maybe. But I trust that VE knew what they were doing when selecting a BA driver for bass. The bass tuning has a mid-bass bias to my ears, but I do hear extension all the way down to 20hz and I get a satisfying feeling of sub-bass rumble.

Is it going to satisfy those who want to be completely blown away with bass? Probably not. If you want that from an IEM, look for something like the Empire Ears Legend X or Sony IER-Z1R. But keep in mind that you will be making sacrifices to either upper treble or lower mids with those IEMs respectively. Ely’s bass plays a beautiful complement to the midrange without drawing too much attention to itself, but without going completely missing either.

SLC: Well, I would not go out for a post-Covid adult beverage with those that think the Elys bass is light. All kidding aside, I love the Elys bass. It is exactly what it should be. The instrument the Upright Bass for example sounds exactly like what an Upright Bass sounds like when heard live. Extremely natural. Both mid and sub bass natural. It is about tuning and coherence. To me that is why the EE LX is L shaped and most other massive bass IEMs are V shaped. Too much bass must have a counter effect in another frequency range. That is also why the EE LXSE seems to have less bass when they just did an upper-mids bump which gave the feeling of less bass and the feeling of more treble. That is also why IMHO the amazing sub-bass of the Odin needed to be offset with an upper mid bump.


Bob: Any thoughts on those two beautiful ESTATS up top?

Damz: I am a big fan of Ely’s treble. To me, it simply sounds correct. No weird FR peaks and valleys, no sibilance, plenty of air without being exaggerated, and generally enjoyable to listen to. Much like the bass, the treble tuning lends itself to being the supporting act to the mid-range.

SLC: I have not met a treble I did not like, from the hotness of Noble Khan to the very mildness of the EE LX and AAW Canary IEMs. That said the Elys treble is the most enjoyable treble I have heard. Probably because it is extremely natural sounding. The cymbals sound like I think they should sound. They do not distract from the music by being too much or too little. As Goldilocks said, “they are just right".


Bob: Is it true that Elysium has the same feel and width of a Spree Candy?

Damz: Sorry Bob, I’m Australian. I don’t have this spree candy you speak of where I live. I’ll send you some Eucalyptus drops!

SLC: That is an odd question Bob but since you brought it up: yes, so true. I remember saving up 25 cents and walking for a half-hour to the convenience store in my desolate North Dakota environment just to get a roll of Spree candy and a pack of candy cigarettes. The thickness and smooth texture are the same as a Spree candy. Great observation Bob.


Comparisons:

Bob: Readers love comparisons. Not the type you two are thinking but between other IEMs. Please compare Elysium to other IEMs you currently own. No need for psychotic detail but please give the reader an understanding of the basic differences. It is ok if you both compare it to the same IEM since the reader will be interested in each of your lenses. Two myopics equal one hyperopic!



Damz:

VE Erlkönig LE: On setting 1 and 2, Erlkönig is much warmer, bassier and musical compared to Ely. Setting 3 and 4 are tonally closer to Ely. Erlkönig has a more in your face presentation with a ton of detail and musicality. Whereas Ely goes for a slightly more laidback and diffuse presentation (especially in the midrange) with a clarity focused tonality. Treble extension is better on Ely, but bass on Erlkönig has a lot more authority and detail. Mids is where I’m the most torn on which I prefer. At times I prefer Erlk for its incredible detail and wetness. But Ely in a lot of ways seems more reference and true to life. They are both excellent and sport the best midranges I have heard in an IEM. On technicalities, Erlk is the more resolving and detailed of the two. Staging on Ely is slightly wider however Erlkönig creates a better sense of height.

Oriolus Traillii: From a technical standpoint, Trailli exceeds Ely on all fronts. Significantly larger staging on all axes, better detail retrieval, better instrument separation and layering, and sharper transient speed. Tonally, Traillii is tuned with more sub bass, and a more pronounces treble starting from the mid-treble region. Traillii mids are more laidback and sit further back in the presentation, whereas Ely’s are more forward and in your face. Some may prefer Ely mids to Traillii’s depending on preference. In isolation, I also prefer Ely’s mids, however I feel that Traillii exceeds Elysium in all other aspects.
64 Audio U12t: U12t goes for a bassier presentation (especially in the sub-bass region) with mids and lower treble sitting further back compared to Ely. This gives U12t a more spacious and open sound compared to Ely which is more in your head. U12t is the more technically proficient IEM once again. However, the U12t has a more clinical and reference tonality, especially in the midrange, which can come off as boring compared to Ely’s musical and engaging midrange.
Unique Melody MEST Mk II: MEST is tuned with a more V-shaped signature with a much larger sub-bass emphasis, relatively recessed mid/upper bass to lower-midrange, more forward upper mids and treble. MEST also has a much larger soundstage. However, MEST can sound quite incoherent when compared to Ely. One would not be fooled into thinking MEST is a single driver IEM.

Empire Ears Odin: You know how Ely is the master of mids? Well, Odin is the master of bass in my humble opinion. Odin has a sub-bass bias tuning compared to Ely’s mid-bass bias. But the twin W9+ woofers cannot be touched by Ely’s single BA driven bass when it comes to bass authority, detail and realism. Odin’s upper-mids are significantly more forward compared to Ely, and when it comes to midrange timbre and note weight, Ely is the clear winner to my ears. Odin has a colder, drier, and relatively emotionless midrange when I compare the two. Treble is pretty similar but I would say that Ely has slightly more upper-treble extension and airiness. Both are extremely coherent tribrids that offer TOTL performance, however Odin is the more technically proficient of the two (bigger stage, better layering, detail retrieval etc.)



SLC:

Noble Sultan:
If you want to have fun for a few hours, then the Sultan is where it is at. To me it is very W-shaped with a very analogue thick bass that stands out, but with mild forward mids and mild forward treble that keep the W going. The Sultan is not natural sounding when compared directly to Elys. There is a halo around each note of the Sultan that adds to the “fun” of the sound. Sultan is an antithesis of the Elys.

VE Erlkönig LE:
The Erk is about musicality. It is a pleasure to listen to. It does not have the same intense W nor “halo effect” of the Sultan but the “fun” level is high. The Erlk presents the vocals and mid-section instruments such as trumpet a little more forward. The Erlk bass does have more mid bass thump. Erlk is a very mild W vs the massive coherence the Elys presents with. Erlk is emotive but nothing presents the notes as emotional and natural as the Elys. I can tell that Erlk and Erl come from the same VE family. The presentation of the notes is different but still the siblingness is there.

EE Odin:
The Odin and Elys are similar in that they are both coherent but in very different ways. The Odin has an extremely well textured sub-bass. The actual quality of the Odin bass is so unique. The amount of detail and resolution of the Odin is so special. But again, the Elys is so much more natural sounding. Nothing touches the naturalness of the Elys across all frequencies. The Elysium presents the music in a non-threatening way. The Odin does not present the music it forces the music upon you. Both are very special IEMs. With the Elys I can suck on a Spree candy while listening to it. With the Odin I need a candy cigarette after some Odin time.

Unique Melody Mason V3+:
Elys and Mason V3+ massively share the ability to sound natural across all frequencies. They are both extremely coherent. They both are not W nor U nor L shaped. They have the body morphology that fits all frequencies together extremely well. The V3+ does have a little more mid-bass thump. The notes on the Elys are not thin at all. They are to me just right. The V3+ has thicker notes and more of a darker sound than the Elys. The Elys is not bright at all though. The V3+ reminds me of the AAW Canary in that the thick notes remind me of melting high quality delectable milk chocolate.
Noble Zephyr:
I included the Noble Zephyr because I like it so much and the price of the Universal shell is a very good bang for the buck just like the Elys is an extremely good bang for the buck in today's IEM price market. The Zephyr is also not W nor U nor L shaped. It does have a very special DD bass that is mid-bass focused like the Elys. The timbre of the Zephyr is not at the level of the Elys but for sure up there with the best of them. The notes on the Zephyr are a little brighter than the Elys. The Elys notes are a little thicker. They both are as coherent as any IEM gets.

Oriolus Traillii:
Thought I would throw this bird in there since it is the talk of the town lately. Nothing I have experienced touches the left to right soundstage of the Traillii. The bass of the Traillii is a little more textured than the Elys. The treble of the two are very similar. The timbre of the two are as good as it gets. The best timbre I have experienced have been the Elys, the Traillii and the Rhapsodio Eden. The biggest difference between the Elys and Traillii (along with soundstage) is the mid-section. Due to the wide soundstage of the Traillii the mids are not as focused upon as the mids of the Elys. They are a little bit back on the Traillii. The Elys has more intimacy in the mid-section due to the overall smaller stager of the Elys. The Traillii is not about intimacy. It is about experiencing the music on a grand stage. Another way I put it is that the Traillii envelopes you from the outside inward and the Elys envelopes you from the inside outward.




Bob’s interview with Marcel and Oliver from Vision Ears:

Bob: My understanding is it took 2 1/2 years to create the final version of Elysium. How was the initial thought/concept different to the final product?

Oliver: It took almost 2 years from the initial idea to the final product. I was playing with some Dynamic drivers and then after some measurements and initial test I decided to use a DD as midrange. The midrange is the most important part in the audio range, it is where the ear has the higher sensitivity and where most of the audio content is. It is where you have the presence, the clarity and attack of instruments. So, a DD as midrange works very well because of its very natural way of reproducing the sound, especially the harmonics.

Marcel: The very first Prototype was quite similar to the final version, but then we ordered the dynamic drivers for stock, and we found out, that the tolerance was horrible. Each driver was sounding different! We had a lot of discussion with the manufacturer and in the end, we had to find a new one… And this new manufacturer was able to tune the driver exactly to our demands and with a very low tolerance. Sound wise the first version was smoother in the highs and less in resolution - especially in the mids.


Bob: In laypersons terms what is “High Precision Acoustic Levelling Chamber” (HALC) for the DD mean and what does it do?

Oliver: Tuning a DD as midrange is quite different from tuning a BA, so HALC is a special acoustic tuned path that was developed to better shape the frequency response of the DD. Creating this special jig was a huge challenge, we had to choose a 3D printing method which requires doing micro precision. And then we needed to refine the tuning with doing small changes and ordering a lot of different prototypes of this part. A very time consuming and costly process.


Bob: Was it originally going to only be a custom design and not universal?

Marcel: With the Elysium we were one of the first manufacturers who used the electrostatic drivers for a custom IEM. Actually, we were not sure if we would release the Elysium as universal, but we got so much positive feedback to the fitting of the universal shell we created - so we decided to offer it as universal as well.


Bob: Rumor has it that there are differences between the sound of the Universal and Custom versions. Is that rumor true and if so in what way is the sound different?

Oliver: Usually a custom version will sound slightly different from the universal version because of the ear tip added. An ear tip will always add some small/large modifications to the sound because they add an acoustic path to the "motor" (drivers, sound tubes etc) . So, it will depend on the ear tip what acoustic path will add. Regarding our assembly, the custom and the universal have the same motors inside, so if you measure at the end of the shell nozzle you will have the same frequency response. You could argue that we could tweak the universal with the ear tip on, but then things will change when customers change ear tips, so again we will be at the same point.


Bob: A divisive area of Elysium is the bass. Some find it perfect for the signature and others think it is too mild. Why did you use a BA driver instead of DD? And how did you decide to use the BA driver that you did?

Oliver: We decided to use a BA because we discovered this BA that was really warm and a perfect match for the DD. The BA itself is capable of way more level, but we decided to tune it that way because we wanted a very smooth and quite "etheric" sound, a very smooth transition between the three different types of drivers.


Bob: The Elysium has a DD that covers the mid-range. Usually there is some type of port on the shell of any IEM when there is a dynamic driver involved. What was the reasoning for not having a port and what is the advantage of not having a port?

Marcel: You are absolutely right, usually you have a vent hole in the shell when using a dynamic driver. But since the dynamic driver of the Elysium is just 5.8mm in diameter and is tuned to only make a good performance in the mids, we don’t need a hole. The hole is just needed when the driver needs more volume of air to move properly - so if it’s rather big in diameter and is supposed to do a good rumble in the lows, you definitely need a hole in the shell. But for mid performance, the air which is inside the shell is enough for our small driver.




Bob’s Closing Remarks:

I would like to thank Damz & SLC for your time and efforts. Also, I appreciate very much Marcel and Oliver from Vision Ears taking the time to help everyone gain further insights into the creation of the Elysium.
I do file my nails, but I am not an audiophile. That said I do like cheese and from hearing everything you have said about the Elysium it really does seem like the Mona Elysa of IEMs! The Elysium has the natural beauty of Mona Lisa and will be an enduring record of the vision of Vision Ears.

The Elysium belongs to the Premium Line of the German IEM manufacturer Visions Ears from Cologne. The packaging is the first eye-catcher right after unpacking. As soon as you open the box, the middle part rises. I have not seen so yet. Reminds me a bit of the tubes in the HE1 - well, not quite as spectacular. But it is a good idea.



The package includes CP145 SpinFits and HornTips as well as an 8 wire silver coated balanced cable with 2.5mm plug. Plus a leather storage box, description and a set of some self-adhesive guards to protect the Nozzle from wax.



For the sound test, I ran the Elysium out of the 2.5mm output of the Shanling M8 DAP. This DAP is known for its incredibly musical and warm reproduction and fits like a glove due to the tonality of the Elysium. The Empire Ears Legend X as well as a Focal Utopia and Stax SR-009 served as comparison.



Now let's get to the most important thing - the sound. The Elysium plays neutrally bright over the entire frequency response with slightly recessed mids. Voices don't play directly in your face like with a Utopia, but slightly distant. What I find pleasant, however. At the same time, they don't seem nasal or discolored, but come across naturally. By the way, VE uses a dynamic driver for the midrange, while a BA driver is responsible for the bass range. An unusual constellation. But the engineers certainly thought of something and what comes out sonically is very good.

The bass range is incredibly good in terms of quality. A Legend X punches a lot harder and has more low end, but it doesn't offer the control of an Elysium. In terms of quality, there's really nothing to complain about. Quantitatively, it's between the SR009 and the Utopia. The Utopia offers more dynamic punch that the Elysium BA driver so lacks. While the SR009 has a little less in terms of quantity, the Stax Bass hits harder. With thinner recordings, I sometimes wish the Elysium had a little more punch. On well-recorded tracks, however, it again fits the bill. I also played around with the M8's EQ a bit and the Elysium can easily handle a +3dB boost here without anything distorting or getting out of control.

The Elysium's highs are nearly perfect. The two EST drivers at work here do a terrific job. Almost on SR009 level! Resolution without end and never annoying or sibilant. That's how it has to be.

The stage imaging is generously wide with good depth and razor-sharp instrument separation. A Legend X and Utopia play more directly. Here it is more reminiscent of the SR-009.

Of course, I didn't just feed the Elysium with classical and jazz in my listening session, but drew on some references from my favorite genre, metal, to explore the transient response. In the bass, it doesn't have the amount to push like a Legend X. The Elysium never gets out of control on the most complex drums, which is more than I can say for the Legend X, especially with the wrong tips, everything seems much more voluminous and not as fast. So the VE feels faster than a Legend X, but doesn't quite reach the speed of a Utopia or SR-009.

During my listening sessions, I tried several tips. Working well and I can recommend the included SpinFits CP145 as well as Comply T400. The Final Audio E tips and JVC SpiralDots don't go deep enough into the ear canal and thus produce too much bass loss. The Elysium thus sounds much too thin. The CP145s sound punchy and lively, very airy. The T400s dampen the high frequency range somewhat and sound warmer overall. I don't have a clear favorite here. In the future, I'd like to try the Sedna Xelastec, a hybrid silicone/foam construction.

In summary, I can say that the Elysium is an insanely good IEM and is suitable for anyone looking for a similar tuning to that of a Utopia and all that on the go. With a little EQ you can tickle out the last bit of punch and make it very similar to a Utopia. If VE had also relied on a dynamic in the bass here it would probably THE IEM at all! The mids, treble, soundstage are already perfect! Well done, VE!