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Iems Most Wanted - Elysian Labs Annihilator 2023
After more than half a year of waiting, the time has come: Audio Essence is allowed to Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator 2023 sell.
Why is this special? Because the "Anni23" It is handcrafted in extremely small quantities by the head of Elysian Acoustic Labs, and therefore not every retailer is allowed to offer it. And because the "Anni" is one of the most sought-after IEMs among audiophile head-fi lovers.
We are all the more fortunate to be among the "chosen ones" and a few weeks after this announcement, I finally hold our Anni23 "Titanium" demo in my hands.
But before we look at the inner values of the As always, a little unboxing dedicated to "Anni"...
The Anni23 comes in a simple, cuboid-shaped gold-colored box.
A message from Lee, the head of Elysian Labs, awaits us under the lid, and the object of our desire is already hidden beneath it...
Apart from the IEMs and a high-quality cable, the box also contains a small carrying case and a selection of ear tips.
Elysian Labs avoids elaborate and complicated packaging and unnecessary accessories that only cost extra money – I find this very appealing!
In the end, I want - and I think most other music lovers do too - that my money is invested in music reproduction and not in packaging or accessories.
The Anni23 is available in Three finishes, or three different faceplates: gold-plated copper, polished stainless steel, or brushed titanium. For our demo, we opted for the titanium version, which is slightly more expensive than the other two versions.
Simple & noble
The workmanship is, as expected, excellent and I think the IEMs look very classy.
This also applies to the included "Liquid Links MARTINI" cable, which is made from a blend of silver, palladium, copper, and gold. So, there's absolutely nothing to complain about here – unlike many other manufacturers who bundle their flagship IEMs with extremely cheap cables.
The "Liquid Links MARTINI" is not an absolute high-end cable, as is the case with the higher-quality IEMs from Unique Melody, for example - but it is definitely a good cable with which you can enjoy the sound of the "Anni23" can enjoy.
But yes, there's more to it, as a short test with a Satin Audio Apollo 8x impressively demonstrated... but I'll come to that later!😉
Sound check
To get an IEM of the caliber of the "Anni23" appropriate to To evaluate you need a suitable source and that is why this time my beloved Lotoo Mjolnir which has had a permanent place in our testing setup since its release.
As a new addition to the DAPs, we also pair the Hiby R8ii with the Anni23 - let's see, how well the two get along.
Last but not least, I try to Satin Audio Apollo 8x Cable the last from the "Anni23" to tease out - let's see what that brings...
Test setup
Testing playlist
My Testing Playlist is a collection of tracks that I know very well and covers a wide range of music genres. Furthermore, not all recordings are perfect, so there are also critical tracks among them that Ruthlessly expose weaknesses in playback equipment. 😅
Whether reproduction of bass, midrange, treble, reproduction of male and female voices, stage, spatiality, instrument and channel separation, coherence etc.. - everything can be analyzed and assessed with this playlist.
So, now that that’s out of the way, let’s start with the fun part: listening to music!
😊🙌
Let's go
Since I forgot to charge the Mjölnir, I have no choice but to make do with the brand new Hiby R8ii - but that doesn't matter, because the R8ii quickly proves to be an excellent partner for the "Anni23" - and as an excellent DAP in general, because it is in no way inferior to much more expensive models!
As always, I'll start with Chris Jones, who belts out his song with fervor. The performance is emotional and intimate – vocals are full of intensity and stand out clearly from the instrumental accompaniment without the overall sound suffering – keyword coherence.
The Anni23 differs quite significantly from its predecessor, which was noticeably more analytical. The highs of the "old" Anni have been tamed in favor of a warmer, more relaxed performance, and the bass is now more full-bodied, with an emphasis on the lower mids and excellent sub-bass. All in all a More center-centered tuning designed for long-term suitability.
What remains is the incredibly authentic and sonorous vocal reproduction, as well as the excellent instrument and channel separation. Despite the more relaxed highs, there's no lack of detail—quite the opposite. You can hear the performers breathing, and with guitars, you can practically "taste" the strings—truly cinematic! 🤩
With the R8ii in Turbo Mode + Darwin Ultra Filter, the Anni23 conjures up a spatiality that I am otherwise only used to from the Empire Ears Raven or UM Multiverse Mentor.
It's time...
...the big guns - that is, the Mjölnir - because it is now charged enough to take "control" of the Anni23.
Control is a good keyword here, by the way, because that's what particularly distinguishes the Mjölnir. The Lotoo operates a bit more delicately than the R8ii – vocals are more clearly reproduced, and even micro-details are audible. The bass is more contoured, crisper and faster - the treble reproduction is more pronounced.
One thing is already clear: Whether on the R8ii or the Mjölnir, the Anni23 is a true flagship and does not have to hide from any of its competitors - not even from z.T. significantly more expensive models from other manufacturers.
Room for improvement
During the unboxing, I already hinted that the already great sound quality of the Anni23 could possibly be further improved by cable upgrades.I briefly tested this with the Satin Audio Apollo 8x – an absolute high-end cable and my personal cable favorite!
What's changed? The Apollo 8x boosts pretty much all the frequencies and characteristics of the Anni23. The bass is even tighter and faster, vocals a bit more intense, and the treble is even more detailed – and with that, the Anni23 has indeed moved closer to the tuning of its predecessor – albeit at an overall higher level. Subject to further cable tests, I'd like to conclude my first impressions here. As the saying goes, you should stop while things are going... 😅🙌
Conclusion
I'm slowly beginning to understand why this IEM is so sought-after: The Annihilator 2023 isn't your run-of-the-mill in-ear, but a commitment to music without compromise. The warmer, full-bodied tuning might not be for everyone—it's neither reference nor neutral. But it's incredibly coherent and gives me goosebumps when listening to music—and that's what matters to me personally!
