Authorized dealers for Elysian Acoustic Labs ANNIHILATOR 2023

Audeos — online and in-store — Żywiec, Województwo śląskie (website)
Audio essence — online and in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland (website)
Bloom Audio — online and in-store — Gibbsboro, New Jersey, United States (website)
Elise Audio — online and in-store — Paddington, England, United Kingdom (website)
Headphone Zone — online and in-store — Laxmi Industrial Estate, Maharashtra, India (website)
HiFiGo — online and in-store — Kowloon, Hong Kong (website)
KMR — online and in-store — London, England, United States (website)
milk audio store — online and in-store — Roma, Lazio, Italy (website)
Music Store — in-store — Köln-Kalk, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)
Star Picker — in-store — Sea Park, Selangor, Malaysia (website)

Elysian Acoustic Labs ANNIHILATOR 2023 #1

Elysian Acoustic Labs ANNIHILATOR 2023 variant 1

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Elysian Acoustic Labs ANNIHILATOR 2023

Name: Elysian Acoustic Labs ANNIHILATOR 2023
Brand: Elysian Acoustic Labs
SKU: annihilator-2023
Rating: 88 (13 reviews)

With astonishingly fast treble and one of the cleanest midranges in flagship IEMs, the ANNIHILATOR 2023 turns dense mixes into a wide, precisely layered experience. The Headphone Show highlights exceptional detail retrieval, open imaging and visceral dynamics, while the robust Pentaconn connection adds practical polish to this unapologetically energetic tribrid design.

View at Elysian Acoustic Labs

Specifications 12 reviews & sources

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88/100

Nicely Roasted

Sound Quality

90/100

Fit Comfort Isolation

85/100

Build Accessories

90/100

Value for Money

85/100

Pros

Exceptionally fast, extended and smooth electrostatic treble reveals minute percussive and ambient detail.

Clean, highly resolving midrange and class-leading detail retrieval.

Open, wide presentation with well-defined instrument placement and air between images.

Well-built shells and a durable, stable Pentaconn connector system.

Cons

Mid-bass can sound dry and compressed, with less large-scale dynamic authority than expected at this level.

Bright V-shaped tuning, lighter note weight and occasional artificial midrange edge may not suit listeners seeking a natural, weighty presentation.

Large shells may require extra fit consideration, and the dynamic driver can exhibit flex during insertion or movement.

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What Reviewers Are Saying

"the annihilator sets a benchmark for treble in terms of speed extension and sheer linearity of the response itself"

— The Headphone Show

SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 90/100

The Annihilator 2023 is described as a vivid, bright V-shaped flagship with exceptional speed, openness and retrieval of fine detail. Its strongest assets are its unusually clean midrange and benchmark-like electrostatic treble, while bass texture, note weight and overall driver coherence are less convincing at this price.

Bass

78/100

The bass is punch-focused and mid-bass emphasized, giving drums a direct, energetic hit. However, the reviewer finds it somewhat dry and compressed, with limited macro-dynamic scaling for a flagship IEM.

Midrange

94/100

The midrange receives emphatic praise for exceptional clarity and resolution, with the reviewer calling it among the cleanest heard in IEMs. A slightly digital, occasionally artificial tonal edge keeps instrumental and vocal timbre from being wholly natural.

Treble

97/100

Treble is the standout: extremely fast, extended and able to capture tiny percussive and ambient details without becoming overtly fatiguing. The reviewer describes its combination of smooth air, linear extension and transient speed as a benchmark among IEMs.

Resolution Separation

95/100

Detail retrieval is described as class-leading, particularly through the midrange, where it surpasses a comparison model in sheer resolving ability. Its rapid treble response also reveals very small high-frequency details rather than merely presenting a broad wash of brightness.

Soundstage Imaging

93/100

The stage is especially strong in width, sounding notably open for an in-ear monitor. Instruments occupy well-defined spaces with convincing air between them, supporting a spacious and organized presentation.

Dynamics Coherence

84/100

The presentation can deliver visceral impact and is described as broadly uncompressed, but the reviewer also identifies coherence as its main weakness. Notes can lack weight and transient density, while the bass does not always convey the expected sense of large-scale dynamic contrast.

FIT COMFORT ISOLATION PERFORMANCE 85/100

The shells are reported to be on the larger side, so prospective buyers with smaller ears should take fit seriously. Beyond that observation, the review does not report discomfort, unstable sealing, bass changes from fit, or meaningful limitations in passive attenuation.

Seal Stability

85/100

The review does not describe insertion difficulties, loss of seal during use, or fit-related changes in bass response. Its larger shell may warrant care when selecting and fitting tips, but no actual seal instability is reported.

Comfort

84/100

The shell is specifically noted to be larger in order to house its complex internal design. The reviewer does not report pressure points, fatigue or inability to wear it for extended listening, so individual ear anatomy remains the main consideration.

Isolation

85/100

Passive isolation is not directly assessed in the available review. No complaint is made about outside-noise attenuation, but listeners needing maximum stage-monitor-style isolation should seek direct fit and isolation impressions.

Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.

Build Accessories

90/100

The reviewer considers the Annihilator very well built overall. Its Pentaconn connectors are specifically praised as a potentially more durable alternative to MMCX, though the review provides little detail on the included cable, tips, case or long-term durability.

Value for Money

85/100

At roughly $3,700 in the reviewed configuration, the Annihilator is firmly a flagship purchase. The review strongly praises several aspects of its performance, but does not directly compare its value with similarly priced competitors or explicitly judge whether the asking price is justified.

Reviews & Sources

Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.

Forum Mentions

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Specifications

Driver: 7 Drivers Tribrid Configuration 1 x Foster Dynamic Driver 2 x Electrostatic Tweeter 4 x Balanced Armature Drivers
System: 4-way Crossover High Quality Internal Wiring from JAPAN Advanced Chamber Design Revolutionary Pentaconn Ear Plug Connector (Developed by NDICS Japan)
Technology: DiVe Pass System for Dynamic Driver (Deep Controlled Bass with zero Dynamic Back vent Phase Cancellation) 3D AccuPost System (Proprietary Acoustic Chamber made to reproduce Accurate Sound Stage and positioning)
Frequency Response: 20hz - 45khz
Sensitivity: 94db @100mV @1khz
Impedance: 22ohms @ 1khz
Cable: Liquid Links MARTINI bundled cable (Silver Palladium + Copper Gold)

Manufacturer's Description — Elysian Acoustic Labs

Each Annihilator is meticulously hand-crafted upon order by Mr Lee, Founder of Elysian Acoustic Labs, with a production timeline of approximately two months.

Experience Elysian’s Award Winning House Tuning

Featuring state-of-the-art tribrid set up - 1 Dynamic Driver, 4 Balanced Armatures and 2 Electrostatic Drivers, the ANNIHILATOR provides for a truly intoxicating audio experience. On top of the high performance drivers, ANNIHILATOR is also powered by multiple in-house technologies such as 3D AccuPost System and Dive Pass Module for a meticulous sound positioning and a deep controlled bass.

Latest In-house Technology

1) DiVe Pass System - The only Hybrid IEM in the market with a perfected independent front and back chamber created to not only reduce air pressure but also improve sound clarity, definition and reduce phase misalignment issues.

2) 3D Accupost System - Mastercraft chamber design that presents notes with exact precision positioning and pristine accuracy.

Brand New Designs and Colors

New Era beckons for new material options. Introducing an array of 3, not just 1, options for nozzles - Gold plated copper mirror finish, Spin Brushed Titanium, Stainless Steel that matches coherently with the faceplate.

Experience Sound Without Compromise

No words will be able to describe just how incredible the Annihilator sounds. Whether it is the scale-breaking, record-shattering treble tuning, or the out of body experience with the imaging. It is created to provide the maximum enjoyment for anyone that uses, to stand above the rest, at the pinnacle of sound.

Each Annihilator is meticulously hand-crafted upon order by Mr Lee, Founder of Elysian Acoustic Labs, with a production timeline of approximately two months

Annihilator comes in default 4.4mm. Please contact us for alternative terminations for cable bundles.

Founder's Cable Recommendation

Lee's choice for pairing with the flagship ANNIHILATOR 2023 is EFFECT AUDIO's heritage series Cleopatra II OCTA. The Cleopatra II OCTA is EFFECT AUDIO's all silver cable that has a proprietary dual-geometric structure. Coupled with its 8 wire configuration, it adds in high quality clarity and offers users with a sound that has a richness and body reminiscent to an analog sound.

Combined with the already powerful ANNIHILATOR, this is a combination not to miss.

Find out more about EFFECT AUDIO's Cleopatra II OCTA below

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Authorized dealers for Elysian Acoustic Labs ANNIHILATOR 2023

Audeos — online and in-store — Żywiec, Województwo śląskie (website)
Audio essence — online and in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland (website)
Bloom Audio — online and in-store — Gibbsboro, New Jersey, United States (website)
Elise Audio — online and in-store — Paddington, England, United Kingdom (website)
Headphone Zone — online and in-store — Laxmi Industrial Estate, Maharashtra, India (website)
HiFiGo — online and in-store — Kowloon, Hong Kong (website)
KMR — online and in-store — London, England, United States (website)
milk audio store — online and in-store — Roma, Lazio, Italy (website)
Music Store — in-store — Köln-Kalk, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)
Star Picker — in-store — Sea Park, Selangor, Malaysia (website)