Elysian Acoustics Dio VS PMG Audio Apx SE

The PMG Audio Apx SE comes out swinging with a $6,000 price tag and a $1,600 cable that looks the part but fights the ear with stiffness and springy memory. The shells flaunt real lapis lazuli and an over-the-top suitcase-and-pillow presentation, complete with certificates and multiple cases—great for show, awkward for daily carry. Ergonomically, the cable’s tension and odd flush/penetrating plug mismatch feel fussy, making this an at-home listening trophy rather than a commuter’s companion.

Under the bling sits a small army: 11 drivers per side (10 mm DD, two planars—one rectangular, one round—and eight BAs) with a seven-way passive crossover, somehow delivering startling cohesion at just 5 Ω. The sound is hyper-resolving and fault-finding; imaging and spatial precision rank among the best heard, revealing hums, edits, and room cues that lesser sets gloss over. Stock silicones lean monitor-flat, but swapping to grippier tips (e.g., “Render” style) adds weight and a touch of warmth, nudging the tuning from sterile to satisfying.

Versus other favorites—Softears Twilight for natural timbre and Dunu Glacier for bass slam—the Apx SE feels like the “full package” of microdetail, stage mapping, and technical swagger, but only by a diminishing-returns margin. It’s arguably the most technically impressive IEM on the desk, yet not the most lovable; the wallet pain and fussy cable sap the joy. Verdict: hear it if you can and crave top-end microdetail, but recommending a used-car-priced IEM to normal humans? That’s a hard no.

Z-Reviews original ranking

The PMG Audio Apx SE comes out swinging with a $6,000 price tag and a $1,600 cable that looks the part but fights the ear with stiffness and springy memory. The shells flaunt real lapis lazuli and an over-the-top suitcase-and-pillow presentation, complete with certificates and multiple cases—great for show, awkward for daily carry. Ergonomically, the cable’s tension and odd flush/penetrating plug mismatch feel fussy, making this an at-home listening trophy rather than a commuter’s companion.

Under the bling sits a small army: 11 drivers per side (10 mm DD, two planars—one rectangular, one round—and eight BAs) with a seven-way passive crossover, somehow delivering startling cohesion at just 5 Ω. The sound is hyper-resolving and fault-finding; imaging and spatial precision rank among the best heard, revealing hums, edits, and room cues that lesser sets gloss over. Stock silicones lean monitor-flat, but swapping to grippier tips (e.g., “Render” style) adds weight and a touch of warmth, nudging the tuning from sterile to satisfying.

Versus other favorites—Softears Twilight for natural timbre and Dunu Glacier for bass slam—the Apx SE feels like the “full package” of microdetail, stage mapping, and technical swagger, but only by a diminishing-returns margin. It’s arguably the most technically impressive IEM on the desk, yet not the most lovable; the wallet pain and fussy cable sap the joy. Verdict: hear it if you can and crave top-end microdetail, but recommending a used-car-priced IEM to normal humans? That’s a hard no.

Bad Guy Good Audio original ranking