Elysian Annihilator 2021 VS Aroma Audio Fei Wan

Youtube Video Summary

Brushed titanium Elysian Annihilator (2021) comes dressed to impress: a slick presentation with SpinFit tips, a plush micro-suede case, and a flashy gold cube 4.4 cable termination. The shells are crystal clear, showing off a 7-driver tribrid layout (1 Foster dynamic, 4 BA, 2 EST) in a four-way crossover, rated at 22Ω. The cable is beefy and terminated in Pentaconn Ear at the IEM side—sturdier than MMCX, but not the most convenient for aftermarket swaps. Price is a gut-punch: $3,000 (plus a little extra for the titanium finish), which sets expectations sky-high before a single note plays.

Sonically, this thing is an information firehose. Micro-details, ambient cues, and the “stuff between the notes” pop into focus with an airy, ultra-resolved presentation that separates elements like they’re each in their own display case. It’s engaging and never boring, pushing “one more track” syndrome hard. Bass is tight and competent but not a sub-bass thunder god, and it’s not the undisputed champ of every category; instead, the signature leans on clarity, layering, and treble finesse to deliver a different, highly technical flavor that stands apart from more “natural” single-DD favorites.

Value talk gets spicier. Price-to-performance keeps it from “perfect score” territory, even though overall quality screams top-tier. Think halo car logic: breathtaking in its lane, not a universal daily driver. The takeaway: a fantastic, fun, high-end tribrid that excels at resolution and air, memorable for how it sculpts space and detail—just don’t expect it to demolish every rival on bass slam or justify its cost purely on rational math. Call it a deserved 9/10 on enjoyment and execution, with the sticker price as the only real annihilator.

Youtube Video Summary

Elysian Annihilator 2021 arrives as a boutique flagship from Malaysia with a clear resin shell, gold faceplate, and uncommon Pentaconn Ear connectors. Inside sits a Foster dynamic for bass, four BAs for mids, and dual Sonion ESTs for treble. The tuning skews bright V-shaped: engaging yet potentially intense for treble-sensitive listeners. Bass is mid-bass tilted with punch but comes off dry and compressed, and persistent driver flex detracts at this price bracket.

The midrange is where the technical muscle shows—exceptional resolution and clarity with a slightly digital edge to timbre. Treble is the headline: a rare, proper EST implementation that’s blazing fast, captures microdetail effortlessly, and uses a subtle ~6 kHz dip to make upper harmonics materialize with immediacy. Extension feels remarkably linear into the air region, delivering space and sheen without veering harsh, provided one isn’t hypersensitive up top.

On technicalities, this set plays in the top echelon: detail retrieval rivaling (and in midrange, surpassing) usual benchmarks like U12t, impressive width and openness, and uncompressed macrodynamics. Trade-offs exist—note weight and transient density are lighter, hurting coherency and lending a slightly raw character. Value is tough at multi-kilobuck, but as a showcase of speed, extension, and treble mastery, Annihilator 2021 earns a spot among the few IEMs that genuinely feel world-class.

Youtube Video Summary

Elysian Annihilator 2021 presents a highly balanced yet distinctly treble-forward tuning: energetic upper mids paired with world-class treble that delivers striking clarity, microdetail, and separation without veering into fatigue. Elements in the mix stay cleanly delineated, producing a “technical monster” character that prioritizes transparency and precision. Bass is good—tasteful and supportive—but clearly not the centerpiece.

Against the 2023 revision, the 2021 model keeps its edge in midrange clarity, while the newer set adds bass texture and physicality with essentially the same excellent treble. The choice is preference: pursue the 2021 for its crystalline definition and speed, or lean 2023 for a touch more realism down low. Given the small delta in overall quality and strong demand for the 2021, sticking with it remains a very safe and arguably more “reference-leaning” play for those who prize resolution above all else.

Youtube Video Summary

Aroma Audio Fei Wan goes for broke with a dual-dynamic + 10BA hybrid and a sticker price around $4,688. The build is striking: a clear yellow shell with visible drivers and a glossy faceplate flecked with gold, though the shell runs large. The stock 2-pin cable is functional but a bit tangle-prone; the retro-styled unboxing and case feel premium. Minor quirks include occasional driver flex on insertion. Overall fit is comfortable despite the size, and the presentation screams boutique.

Sonically this IEM is all about texture, extension, and microdetail. Bass reaches deep with layered rumble rather than brute “slam,” mids are clean with slightly recessed vocals, and treble delivers air and sparkle without poking the 4–6 kHz zone. The graph shows healthy ear-gain and notable bass, but the magic is off-graph: resolution and overtones that feel world-class. Compared with benchmarks, Elysian Annihilator 2023 still wins on tone and vocal focus, while Fatfreq Grand Maestro and others share the “big-boy IEM” experimental flavor. Sets with shout or odd presence peaks (e.g., Dream XLS, E10/E12, Bonneville) don’t fare as well. EQ can nudge tone a touch “better,” but also trims some of Fei Wan’s special sauce—net maybe a 1–2% improvement.

Verdict: a special, statement-level IEM with second-to-none technicalities, deep textured bass, and elegant treble—tempered by a sky-high price and mids that could use more sparkle for vocal diehards. It slots just below Annihilator overall, earns a guarded recommendation, and absolutely warrants a demo before purchase. For value-minded listeners, options like Letshuoer Hype 10 capture a similar neutral-with-weight idea at a fraction of the cost, while many S–/A-tier picks remain safer bets for most.