I’m surprised the cat isn’t adhering to the #1 cat rule “If I fits I sit” in the bowl on the table
Precog's IEM Reviews & Impressions
- Thread starter Precogvision
- Start date
I’m surprised the cat isn’t adhering to the #1 cat rule “If I fits I sit” in the bowl on the table
Dunu Glacier is awesome. The FR Target is still not my thing but super well done and still enjoyable with many genres.
Bit spicy, but the techs at the price make even some top tier stuff sound muffed.
Bit spicy, but the techs at the price make even some top tier stuff sound muffed.
Hey everyone, here's that article I was writing a while back, finally got around to publishing it:
What is DETAIL in IEMs?
And this is the video version, but I prefer the written one because I was able to cover more and less was cut out:
What is DETAIL in IEMs?
And this is the video version, but I prefer the written one because I was able to cover more and less was cut out:
silentdisko
Head-Fier
Great article, very informative, well explained and to the point.
Wow, really informative and well written. Just learning the word audiation was worth the read!
2 questions:1. How does pinna gain factor in...is it in some measure an effort to address and adjust for HRTF?
2. It seems similar principles related to audible spectrum, auditory masking, tuning choices etc... may apply to full-sized headphones as well. What are the key differences?
Old_Snake
100+ Head-Fier
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How does the Meteor compare to the U6T?
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silentdisko
Head-Fier
They go for quite different targets and objectives.
The u6ts has more of a balanced with bass-boost tuning, with the midrange being it's best quality, while the Meteor has more of a pronounced u-shaped tuning that is more of a fun listen with more bass (mid-bass and sub-bass) and more upper treble when called for, which are also the Meteors best quality.
What they have in common is they both share pretty good dynamics for an all BA, easy fit/small, good build quality (though the meteor is slightly better and with a better cable).
If you want a fun set that gives you a lot of bang for the buck, the Meteor is hard to beat as long as you don't mind the slightly boomy mid-bass, but that is also what makes it fun and impressive. It sounds waaay larger than just a 3 BA set.
I personally prefer the u6t, but I'm more impressed by the Meteor. Also, at the price of the u6t there are a lot of good options for neutral with bass boost or u-shaped tuned sets that perform equally or better than the u6t imo. If you can find u6t on sale then it's a solid purchase. The meteor is easier to recommend but less so as a blind buy.
Cheers.
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Hey everyone, just popping in real quick to share a couple new articles I wrote:
CanJam SoCal 2024 Show Report
A Survival Guide to Your First Audio Show
Tempestorm
New Head-Fier
https://headphones.com/blogs/features/a-survival-guide-to-your-first-audio-showHey everyone, just popping in real quick to share a couple new articles I wrote:
CanJam SoCal 2024 Show Report
A Survival Guide to Your First Audio Show
Glad to see your posts again, I somewhat thought you left this hobby.
Well, I'm no stranger to poor financial decisions but this one's up there...
There's two IEMs that I always re-demo at audio shows, and they’re the Subtonic Storm and the Elysian Annihilator. I've written extensively about these IEMs in the past, but the Annihilator has a 2023 version and the Storm is unobtanium. That in mind, here we are: the first IEM that I've purchased in almost two years and probably my most impulsive buy ever.
So why'd I buy it?
Basically, music that's played from the Annihilator sounds supercharged. There's a sharpness to attack, particularly in the midrange and treble, that doesn't quite sound lifelike but that is believable and grabs your ears. Against the other best IEMs in the world, it's like you already had good vision but are now seeing the world with 20/15 vision. And due to the Annihilator's fantastic upper-treble response, every note sounds wholly crisp and has the delineation to decay you'll often hear from full-size speakers that have extension up till 20kHz.
In this vein, even as EST setups have matured, the Annihilator's implementation reigns at the summit. It consists of a predominantly linear response that is preceded by a brief 5-6kHz recession. This feature mitigates harshness and begets a sense of treble notes flitting out of thin-air. It’s not necessarily accurate, as finger snaps and snares are missing some of that initial ‘crack’ some might enjoy. But to my ears, there's no other IEM that captures the spirit, effortless extension, and fluttering to transients that you'd associate with an electrostatic setup like the Annihilator does.
Something else I've noticed is that the Annihilator sounds outstanding at louder volumes when, for context, I'm usually a low-volume listener. This is not only because I like protecting my hearing, but also because most IEMs fall apart for me when I crank the volume: they're either too low-resolution or too fatiguing. But the Annihilator continues to sound unabashedly crisp and only sounds better to me as the volume rises. This, in tandem with its U-shaped signature, makes it one of the best IEMs I've heard for a sense of macro-contrast and engagement factor.
Like some other IEMs with very extended treble, I find the Annihilator is pretty sensitive to sources (just my anecdotal experience) and tip swapping (this is measurable). But whereas I wouldn't drive the Subtonic Storm using an Apple dongle, I'm content doing so with the Annihilator (literally my setup). Put all these factors together, and it's not hard to see why the Annihilator is consistently a top-performer on the show floor.
As for the Annihilator 2021 vs. 2023 comparison, I‘d have to do it from memory. However, my impression is that the 2021 is a more authentic expression of Elysian's tuning. The 2023 adds in more sub-bass and, to compensate, slightly more upper-midrange. This brings it closer to something like Harman, whereas the Annihilator 2021 was more oriented toward Eastern audiences.
How does this play out in actual listening? The 2021 has superior presentation - it sounds more holographic and possibly sharper, more digital. Meanwhile, the 2023 has thicker bass and a more natural, coherent presentation. It sounds like you're further away from vocals and the way it images is more width-oriented. My heart leans toward the 2021 for its uniqueness but, in my head, the 2023 is the better all-rounder.
In general, the Annihilator is an IEM that I associate with not only a lot of good memories but also legacy. It was one of my few ‘ah-ha’ moments in this hobby, a moment when I knew I’d heard something close to the pinnacle of sound. Its implementation of the Sonion electrostatic drivers was also revolutionary at a time when the rest of the industry had their heads stuck in the sand. Yes, maybe one day the Annihilator will be eclipsed - it probably already has been in my opinion - but I don’t find myself minding too much when it already sounds this good.
There's two IEMs that I always re-demo at audio shows, and they’re the Subtonic Storm and the Elysian Annihilator. I've written extensively about these IEMs in the past, but the Annihilator has a 2023 version and the Storm is unobtanium. That in mind, here we are: the first IEM that I've purchased in almost two years and probably my most impulsive buy ever.
So why'd I buy it?
Basically, music that's played from the Annihilator sounds supercharged. There's a sharpness to attack, particularly in the midrange and treble, that doesn't quite sound lifelike but that is believable and grabs your ears. Against the other best IEMs in the world, it's like you already had good vision but are now seeing the world with 20/15 vision. And due to the Annihilator's fantastic upper-treble response, every note sounds wholly crisp and has the delineation to decay you'll often hear from full-size speakers that have extension up till 20kHz.
In this vein, even as EST setups have matured, the Annihilator's implementation reigns at the summit. It consists of a predominantly linear response that is preceded by a brief 5-6kHz recession. This feature mitigates harshness and begets a sense of treble notes flitting out of thin-air. It’s not necessarily accurate, as finger snaps and snares are missing some of that initial ‘crack’ some might enjoy. But to my ears, there's no other IEM that captures the spirit, effortless extension, and fluttering to transients that you'd associate with an electrostatic setup like the Annihilator does.
Something else I've noticed is that the Annihilator sounds outstanding at louder volumes when, for context, I'm usually a low-volume listener. This is not only because I like protecting my hearing, but also because most IEMs fall apart for me when I crank the volume: they're either too low-resolution or too fatiguing. But the Annihilator continues to sound unabashedly crisp and only sounds better to me as the volume rises. This, in tandem with its U-shaped signature, makes it one of the best IEMs I've heard for a sense of macro-contrast and engagement factor.
Like some other IEMs with very extended treble, I find the Annihilator is pretty sensitive to sources (just my anecdotal experience) and tip swapping (this is measurable). But whereas I wouldn't drive the Subtonic Storm using an Apple dongle, I'm content doing so with the Annihilator (literally my setup). Put all these factors together, and it's not hard to see why the Annihilator is consistently a top-performer on the show floor.
As for the Annihilator 2021 vs. 2023 comparison, I‘d have to do it from memory. However, my impression is that the 2021 is a more authentic expression of Elysian's tuning. The 2023 adds in more sub-bass and, to compensate, slightly more upper-midrange. This brings it closer to something like Harman, whereas the Annihilator 2021 was more oriented toward Eastern audiences.
How does this play out in actual listening? The 2021 has superior presentation - it sounds more holographic and possibly sharper, more digital. Meanwhile, the 2023 has thicker bass and a more natural, coherent presentation. It sounds like you're further away from vocals and the way it images is more width-oriented. My heart leans toward the 2021 for its uniqueness but, in my head, the 2023 is the better all-rounder.
In general, the Annihilator is an IEM that I associate with not only a lot of good memories but also legacy. It was one of my few ‘ah-ha’ moments in this hobby, a moment when I knew I’d heard something close to the pinnacle of sound. Its implementation of the Sonion electrostatic drivers was also revolutionary at a time when the rest of the industry had their heads stuck in the sand. Yes, maybe one day the Annihilator will be eclipsed - it probably already has been in my opinion - but I don’t find myself minding too much when it already sounds this good.
DaveStarWalker
Headphoneus Supremus
Interesting to read how personal preferences and listening analytics can be... different.Well, I'm no stranger to poor financial decisions but this one's up there...
There's two IEMs that I always re-demo at audio shows, and they’re the Subtonic Storm and the Elysian Annihilator. I've written extensively about these IEMs in the past, but the Annihilator has a 2023 version and the Storm is unobtanium. That in mind, here we are: the first IEM that I've purchased in almost two years and probably my most impulsive buy ever.
So why'd I buy it?
Basically, music that's played from the Annihilator sounds supercharged. There's a sharpness to attack, particularly in the midrange and treble, that doesn't quite sound lifelike but that is believable and grabs your ears. Against the other best IEMs in the world, it's like you already had good vision but are now seeing the world with 20/15 vision. And due to the Annihilator's fantastic upper-treble response, every note sounds wholly crisp and has the delineation to decay you'll often hear from full-size speakers that have extension up till 20kHz.
In this vein, even as EST setups have matured, the Annihilator's implementation reigns at the summit. It consists of a predominantly linear response that is preceded by a brief 5-6kHz recession. This feature mitigates harshness and begets a sense of treble notes flitting out of thin-air. It’s not necessarily accurate, as finger snaps and snares are missing some of that initial ‘crack’ some might enjoy. But to my ears, there's no other IEM that captures the spirit, effortless extension, and fluttering to transients that you'd associate with an electrostatic setup like the Annihilator does.
Something else I've noticed is that the Annihilator sounds outstanding at louder volumes when, for context, I'm usually a low-volume listener. This is not only because I like protecting my hearing, but also because most IEMs fall apart for me when I crank the volume: they're either too low-resolution or too fatiguing. But the Annihilator continues to sound unabashedly crisp and only sounds better to me as the volume rises. This, in tandem with its U-shaped signature, makes it one of the best IEMs I've heard for a sense of macro-contrast and engagement factor.
Like some other IEMs with very extended treble, I find the Annihilator is pretty sensitive to sources (just my anecdotal experience) and tip swapping (this is measurable). But whereas I wouldn't drive the Subtonic Storm using an Apple dongle, I'm content doing so with the Annihilator (literally my setup). Put all these factors together, and it's not hard to see why the Annihilator is consistently a top-performer on the show floor.
As for the Annihilator 2021 vs. 2023 comparison, I‘d have to do it from memory. However, my impression is that the 2021 is a more authentic expression of Elysian's tuning. The 2023 adds in more sub-bass and, to compensate, slightly more upper-midrange. This brings it closer to something like Harman, whereas the Annihilator 2021 was more oriented toward Eastern audiences.
How does this play out in actual listening? The 2021 has superior presentation - it sounds more holographic and possibly sharper, more digital. Meanwhile, the 2023 has thicker bass and a more natural, coherent presentation. It sounds like you're further away from vocals and the way it images is more width-oriented. My heart leans toward the 2021 for its uniqueness but, in my head, the 2023 is the better all-rounder.
In general, the Annihilator is an IEM that I associate with not only a lot of good memories but also legacy. It was one of my few ‘ah-ha’ moments in this hobby, a moment when I knew I’d heard something close to the pinnacle of sound. Its implementation of the Sonion electrostatic drivers was also revolutionary at a time when the rest of the industry had their heads stuck in the sand. Yes, maybe one day the Annihilator will be eclipsed - it probably already has been in my opinion - but I don’t find myself minding too much when it already sounds this good.
Not in my mind to say the Anni 2023 are bad, but, against my personal references and expectations, they sound typical, with a lack of balance and homogeneity (BIG and somehow disjointed bass ; no other concern for me)...
Hence the "obligation" to play loud*... Psychoacoustic effect to make the general balance more even.
This being said, we are all different (morphology, then personal preferences and references ; acoustics and musics) and there are a lot of factors to take into account.
Which with in-ears, by definition, makes any universal comparisons and conclusions difficult or even impossible to make.
However, nothing prevents you from giving our opinion.
That's why, in my signature, I specify the maximum of details, as to the configuration of the system that I use (DAPs, cables, tips but also digital filters, and even sd cards**).
This being said, there is no greater pleasure than having finally found one's technical and musical ideal, and therefore no longer having to worry "only" about music, all music.
So... Enjoy
* The question of listening volume is rarely discussed. But it is fundamental. All quality transducers, headphones, in-ears, speakers... have a "G-spot" in this regard, where the dynamics are perfectly released and above all distributed. Finding it is... fundamental.
** I must say this particular point, since two weeks, has defying my...
. Mind-blowing and intellectually uncomfortable. But hey, it's okay, I quickly found what I wanted. 
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o0genesis0o
Headphoneus Supremus
Driving Annihilator 2023 with apple dongle is a chad moveWell, I'm no stranger to poor financial decisions but this one's up there...
There's two IEMs that I always re-demo at audio shows, and they’re the Subtonic Storm and the Elysian Annihilator. I've written extensively about these IEMs in the past, but the Annihilator has a 2023 version and the Storm is unobtanium. That in mind, here we are: the first IEM that I've purchased in almost two years and probably my most impulsive buy ever.
So why'd I buy it?
Basically, music that's played from the Annihilator sounds supercharged. There's a sharpness to attack, particularly in the midrange and treble, that doesn't quite sound lifelike but that is believable and grabs your ears. Against the other best IEMs in the world, it's like you already had good vision but are now seeing the world with 20/15 vision. And due to the Annihilator's fantastic upper-treble response, every note sounds wholly crisp and has the delineation to decay you'll often hear from full-size speakers that have extension up till 20kHz.
In this vein, even as EST setups have matured, the Annihilator's implementation reigns at the summit. It consists of a predominantly linear response that is preceded by a brief 5-6kHz recession. This feature mitigates harshness and begets a sense of treble notes flitting out of thin-air. It’s not necessarily accurate, as finger snaps and snares are missing some of that initial ‘crack’ some might enjoy. But to my ears, there's no other IEM that captures the spirit, effortless extension, and fluttering to transients that you'd associate with an electrostatic setup like the Annihilator does.
Something else I've noticed is that the Annihilator sounds outstanding at louder volumes when, for context, I'm usually a low-volume listener. This is not only because I like protecting my hearing, but also because most IEMs fall apart for me when I crank the volume: they're either too low-resolution or too fatiguing. But the Annihilator continues to sound unabashedly crisp and only sounds better to me as the volume rises. This, in tandem with its U-shaped signature, makes it one of the best IEMs I've heard for a sense of macro-contrast and engagement factor.
Like some other IEMs with very extended treble, I find the Annihilator is pretty sensitive to sources (just my anecdotal experience) and tip swapping (this is measurable). But whereas I wouldn't drive the Subtonic Storm using an Apple dongle, I'm content doing so with the Annihilator (literally my setup). Put all these factors together, and it's not hard to see why the Annihilator is consistently a top-performer on the show floor.
As for the Annihilator 2021 vs. 2023 comparison, I‘d have to do it from memory. However, my impression is that the 2021 is a more authentic expression of Elysian's tuning. The 2023 adds in more sub-bass and, to compensate, slightly more upper-midrange. This brings it closer to something like Harman, whereas the Annihilator 2021 was more oriented toward Eastern audiences.
How does this play out in actual listening? The 2021 has superior presentation - it sounds more holographic and possibly sharper, more digital. Meanwhile, the 2023 has thicker bass and a more natural, coherent presentation. It sounds like you're further away from vocals and the way it images is more width-oriented. My heart leans toward the 2021 for its uniqueness but, in my head, the 2023 is the better all-rounder.
In general, the Annihilator is an IEM that I associate with not only a lot of good memories but also legacy. It was one of my few ‘ah-ha’ moments in this hobby, a moment when I knew I’d heard something close to the pinnacle of sound. Its implementation of the Sonion electrostatic drivers was also revolutionary at a time when the rest of the industry had their heads stuck in the sand. Yes, maybe one day the Annihilator will be eclipsed - it probably already has been in my opinion - but I don’t find myself minding too much when it already sounds this good.
Congrats on the shiny, mate. I'm also eyeing Anni23. It's such an entertaining IEM.
Anni2023 certainly isn't for everyone. I find timbre to be a bit artificial and bass to be smeary, lacking in snappiness. However, it's one the IEMs that truly has that wow factor and engages you in a special way. Somehow it manages to be crispy, dynamic and full of detail without any treble peaks. Usually with IEMs that have upper treble extension I have to keep volume lower than I want. This is certainly not the case with Anni2023.
On a sidenote, @Precogvision have you tried Symphonium Europa? I see you regard Crimson very highly and I find Europa to be improvement in every way. It fixed upper treble harshness and added slightly more upper-mids, which makes it more engaging and non-abrasive. All while still keeping the good qualities of Crimson.
On a sidenote, @Precogvision have you tried Symphonium Europa? I see you regard Crimson very highly and I find Europa to be improvement in every way. It fixed upper treble harshness and added slightly more upper-mids, which makes it more engaging and non-abrasive. All while still keeping the good qualities of Crimson.
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I guess you’ve found an iem with an audio representation that is perfectly aligned with the acoustical properties of your ear canal and preferred signature sound, quit now, whilst you are ahead
Nice review,
PS : that new job must be paying you well
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