Elysian Pilgrim
- Thread starter atechreviews
- Start date
What Mod is this ?
Does it make any difference sonically or is it just for the fit ?
They are Keyboard O rings or something similar. No sonic difference - just better/more snug fit on the tips to prevent slipping.
Guys stop buying azla xeladtec and try the new crystals, they are the improved version
zenwolfe
New Head-Fier
Got them and tried this out - it helped the fit a little but i think it's still just not a great fit for me and I don't find the Pilgrims to be that much better compared to before, so might just not be the IEM for me. Thanks for the tip though, definitely a good oneHere's a link to my previous post with the image:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/elysian-pilgrim.972568/post-18151580
They're cheap O-rings, I bought a pack of like 200 from Amazon for less than £5: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0761TSWF3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Sonic Sleuth
500+ Head-Fier
Sad to hear that. What are you considering replacing them with?
zenwolfe
New Head-Fier
No clue. Trying to sell my Pilgrims but no takers so far. Back to my Meze Albas for now haha. I have the Aful P5 but I want to try out the Explorer and if I prefer that, I'll prob try to sell my P5s. I am currently waiting to hear about reviews for the Ziigaat X Jay's Audio Estrella at the moment as well.
I purchased the Noir about 2-3 weeks ago from Musictek. The service was excellent and Andrew is a gent and a pleasure to deal with. My impressions are my own and I’m not under any obligation to say anything positive.
I previously owned the OG Pilgrim and thought it was a wonderful iem for the price, with the only really negative being it could sound a little dry. Prior to owning the Noir, I never really saw the appeal, it seems like a substantial increase in price for a minor tuning change, black finish and a more expensive cable.
Anyway, I attended CanJam in London and was curious to try the Noir, amongst other iem’s on my ‘must listen to’ list.
As soon as I tried the Noir, I knew I needed to purchase it to replace my OG set. It’s not worlds apart, but it just sounded so much more natural, with a bit more body and weight giving a sense of overall more refinement, correcting the only real weakness I felt the OG had.
Anyway, since the Noir has arrived, I’ve enjoyed it very much every day. Not only does it look great, but sounds wonderful. Whilst the treble presentation is on the relaxing side, it’s still detailed and resolving with good extension.
It has really good imaging, lovely impactful bass, that never bleeds into the mids -but also manages to sound natural and never dry or analytical.
A/b’ing it to my Mega5est it’s not too disimilar with both going for a warm-neutral sound/presentation, however the Noir is more detailed with better resolution and imaging. So for me it’s easily worth the price increase vs the Mega5est.
Versus the Dunu Mirai which I’ve had for about six months now and isn’t too far above it in price, I’d say they’re comparable with the Mirai being a bit more laid back with the stage being a bit wider and pushed back stage. Whilst the Noir having more forward mids and vocals in particular. The Mirai also has more elevated upper treble, whilst exciting and creating a sense of more air and detail, also sounds a little
artificial. The Noir still has really solid treble extension but comes across more natural in comparison.
They’ve both wonderful iem’s, that achieve a relaxing sound presentation that are so resolving with good technicalities. I can’t really pick between them.
Some people have had issues with the fit, and with the OG I did too, until I used keyboard o-rings to extend how far out the eartips will extend.
However, I’ve since purchased some eletech baroque ear tips, and I’ve found that with the Noir, they fit me great, giving a good seal, without the need for the o-rings. They also suit the Noir aesthetically really well too.
The biggest competitor and issue with the Noir is the OG exists for half the price. Is the Noir better than the OG? For me, yes undoubtedly. Although some people will prefer the OG and I respect that. However is it worth twice the cost of the OG, the simple answer is no, no it’s not.
However, anyone who’s been in the hobby long enough and tried various iem’s across various price ranges know that diminishing returns exist. So whilst it’s not twice as good, for me at least, it is worth the price increase (over the OG).
The best way to fairly assess the Noir is in isolation, and for me it’s absolutely worth its price compared to what I’ve heard around it's price. It also benefits from coming included with a quality cable and looks great in all black with gold
So what I would say for anyone interested in this set, give it a try and don’t be put off by the fact that the OG is half the price,
the Noir is a wonderful iem, and one of my favourite sets that I’ve owned.
I previously owned the OG Pilgrim and thought it was a wonderful iem for the price, with the only really negative being it could sound a little dry. Prior to owning the Noir, I never really saw the appeal, it seems like a substantial increase in price for a minor tuning change, black finish and a more expensive cable.
Anyway, I attended CanJam in London and was curious to try the Noir, amongst other iem’s on my ‘must listen to’ list.
As soon as I tried the Noir, I knew I needed to purchase it to replace my OG set. It’s not worlds apart, but it just sounded so much more natural, with a bit more body and weight giving a sense of overall more refinement, correcting the only real weakness I felt the OG had.
Anyway, since the Noir has arrived, I’ve enjoyed it very much every day. Not only does it look great, but sounds wonderful. Whilst the treble presentation is on the relaxing side, it’s still detailed and resolving with good extension.
It has really good imaging, lovely impactful bass, that never bleeds into the mids -but also manages to sound natural and never dry or analytical.
A/b’ing it to my Mega5est it’s not too disimilar with both going for a warm-neutral sound/presentation, however the Noir is more detailed with better resolution and imaging. So for me it’s easily worth the price increase vs the Mega5est.
Versus the Dunu Mirai which I’ve had for about six months now and isn’t too far above it in price, I’d say they’re comparable with the Mirai being a bit more laid back with the stage being a bit wider and pushed back stage. Whilst the Noir having more forward mids and vocals in particular. The Mirai also has more elevated upper treble, whilst exciting and creating a sense of more air and detail, also sounds a little
artificial. The Noir still has really solid treble extension but comes across more natural in comparison.
They’ve both wonderful iem’s, that achieve a relaxing sound presentation that are so resolving with good technicalities. I can’t really pick between them.
Some people have had issues with the fit, and with the OG I did too, until I used keyboard o-rings to extend how far out the eartips will extend.
However, I’ve since purchased some eletech baroque ear tips, and I’ve found that with the Noir, they fit me great, giving a good seal, without the need for the o-rings. They also suit the Noir aesthetically really well too.
The biggest competitor and issue with the Noir is the OG exists for half the price. Is the Noir better than the OG? For me, yes undoubtedly. Although some people will prefer the OG and I respect that. However is it worth twice the cost of the OG, the simple answer is no, no it’s not.
However, anyone who’s been in the hobby long enough and tried various iem’s across various price ranges know that diminishing returns exist. So whilst it’s not twice as good, for me at least, it is worth the price increase (over the OG).
The best way to fairly assess the Noir is in isolation, and for me it’s absolutely worth its price compared to what I’ve heard around it's price. It also benefits from coming included with a quality cable and looks great in all black with gold
So what I would say for anyone interested in this set, give it a try and don’t be put off by the fact that the OG is half the price,
the Noir is a wonderful iem, and one of my favourite sets that I’ve owned.
Great review. And I agree that viewed in isolation the Noir is absolutely worth the price. I wonder if Elysian and Effect Audio marketed it differently, it would have gotten a lot more love. Maybe launch the Noir first and then coming out with a "budget" version later.
Pilgrim OG pairs pretty well with Cadmus 4W. Great details for the price point, though some might find the treble slightly harsh.
Waiting on the Ares 4W cable to see if copper will provide a little more warmth.
Waiting on the Ares 4W cable to see if copper will provide a little more warmth.
Yeah I completely agree with you there, and was going to mention that myself.
Heard the Diva is phasing out, wonder what they will bring in for the tier above Noir.
Finally, I may have found the tips for me: Azla SednaEarfit Xelastec II. Really quality construction and lovely sound. Mine are the regular version, but there appears to be a wide bore version, but I can't find any immediately in stock. Thanks to the posters who have suggested the Azlas!
voicemaster
Headphoneus Supremus
I have tried both type of Divinus Velvet tips (wide and narrow). The wide bore gives a slight more open sound and less body on bass, vice versa. So if you like a slight boost on bass, get the narrow bore.
Yes. With the wide bore Divinus eartips the bass goes south. I prefer the narrows. My current personal ranking for Pilgrim tips is Azla SednaEarfit Xelastec II>SpinFit W1>Divinus.
Still, there's a whole universe of tips I haven't tried yet. I'm too broke from tips to buy the Cadmus. Maybe next month...
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