Sennheiser IE600 VS Elysian Pilgrim Noir

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$700 buys a compact, 3D-printed metal single-DD that looks mature and fits like a glove. The IE 600 arrives with two cables (3.5mm and 4.4mm) that are thin and comfy but a bit microphonic thanks to stiff, moldable ear hooks. Connectivity is MMCX, yet Sennheiser’s slightly non-standard recess limits third-party cable options. Isolation is a touch below average, but the tiny shells seat past the tragus, stay secure, and even work as a sleeping IEM. The real facepalm is the stock tips—especially the silicone set with collapsing walls. Foam tips are usable (and subtly affect treble), but the easiest fix is Final E-type tips, which keep the incisiveness while curbing sibilance better than Moondrop Spring Tips.

Tonally, think tasteful V-shape: a sub-bass-weighted low end with just enough mid-bass wallop for body, natural and appropriately forward mids, and spicy, well-extended treble. The draw is the technical ride—top-to-bottom texture, punch, and an almost visceral snap. Bass is a standout: deep, delineated rumble that doesn’t smear the mids yet feels physical on everything from EDM to Fleetwood Mac. Treble gives cymbals real weight and timbre (a spot where many sets thin out), while stage is bigger than average with solid imaging—cohesive rather than gimmicky holography. Compared side-by-side, it’s bolder and more contrasty than a warm-neutral Zen Pro, and far more physical than the airy, sterile-leaning Moondrop S8, yet it keeps vocals clean and convincing.

Quibbles exist—awful stock tips, a touch of treble bite depending on fit, and that picky MMCX—but the core experience is special. With a quick tip swap, IE 600 delivers endgame-within-reach performance: exhilarating bass quality, incisive treble, natural mids, comfort for hours, and virtually no deal-breaking caveats. At $700 it’s not cheap, but it competes fearlessly with far pricier IEMs and feels like a set to buy once and be done.

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The Pilgrim Noir is a collaboration tweak on Elysian’s $400 Pilgrim, now at $800 with a darker aesthetic and an Effect Audio cable. The cable feels premium but, with very low impedance, has a negligible impact on sound; IPX connectors remain and hardware styling is a bit blingy. Driver layout stays the same—1DD + 3BA—and while marketing calls out crossover changes, the practical differences show up more subtly.

On the mic, graphs tell the story: when the resonance peak is aligned properly, Pilgrim and Noir measure very similarly, with only a small shift in the upper mids/treble. In listening, Noir presents a touch more relaxed vocal region and a hair more warmth, while bass quantity stays about the same. The original Pilgrim still projects a slightly wider, brighter sense of space, but the Noir pushes ahead on texture—voices and guitars feel a bit more guttural and satisfying.

As a package, this is still a safe tuning with no sharp treble or boomy bass, just a more opinionated flavor than the regular Pilgrim. Preference leans Noir for that added texture and nuance, but the value case is harder at 2× the price. Verdict: a solid 3-star set at $800—worth it for those chasing the Pilgrim’s core sound with a touch more character, not for anyone expecting a wholesale upgrade.

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Sennheiser’s IE600 reads like a course correction for a storied brand whose IEMs long suffered a 2–5 kHz dip and blunted energy. Here the midrange is finally set straight—no weird upper-mid recession, just natural, well-placed mids with proper presence. The single dynamic driver is tuned with uncommon discipline: a sub-bass-focused shelf that brings power and tactility without bleed, staying tight and controlled where past models went mushy.

The twist is the treble: an emphasis around 9–10 kHz that can split listeners. For some, that edge will read as sibilant; for others, it’s the rare, airy sparkle that makes cymbals and transients feel alive—call it the “blue cheese” effect. Technical chops are no afterthought either; resolution sits shoulder-to-shoulder with the IE900, trading blows with heavy hitters like Softears Turii, Dunu Luna, and JVC HA-FW10000, while avoiding their tuning quirks.

Measured against its field, the IE600 delivers A+ tone, A+ technical performance, and at $700 earns serious value credentials—enough to make the pricier IE900 feel hard to justify. In the wake of the Sonova acquisition, this feels like redemption: a market-breaking Sennheiser IEM that gets the fundamentals right, then adds just enough treble audacity to be special.

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Sennheiser IE600 hits with a confidently V-shaped signature: powerful yet tidy bass that thumps with dynamic-driver slam, a flat, clean lower midrange, and lively upper mids that make vocals and instruments pop. Timbre is notably natural—free from plasticky glare—and the treble pushes plenty of sparkle and micro-nuance without tipping into sibilance or fatigue for most listeners. The result is an energetic yet slightly analytical listen, where details jump out, separation stays intact, and the stage opens up with convincing width and a sense of air. Imaging shows near-pinpoint placement with real depth, contributing to a presentation that feels both exciting and controlled.

In A/Bs, IE600 trades blows with mid-fi favorites: versus Moondrop Variations, the Sennheiser is the more resolving and a touch more natural in timbre (Variations projects a wider stage and leans cleaner/U-shaped). Against DUNU SA6, SA6 offers the safer, more reference-leaning tuning, but IE600 pulls ahead on detail, note definition, and stage size. Compared with Thieaudio Oracle, Oracle stays truer-neutral, yet IE600 flexes stronger technical performance—the kind usually reserved for pricier sets, rivaling classics like Clairvoyance and Monarch Mk1. The catch is treble quantity: those sensitive to extra top-end bite may find it a bit much. Everyone else gets a compact, feather-light shell with outstanding comfort, a richly textured low end, vivid mids, and class-leading detail under $1,000—an easy recommendation if an energetic treble tilt fits the taste.

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Elysian x Effect Audio Pilgrim Noir takes the original Pilgrim’s 1DD + 3BA foundation and dials it up with an upgraded 4-way crossover, a stealthy all-black finish, and Effect Audio’s cable. There’s a switch to the micro-Pentaconn connector that feels more secure than on the OG, plus a suede case (smells like vintage sneakers) and a bigger-than-necessary box. Accessories are sparse for the price—some tips and a cloth, but no pile of extras or modular plug kit in the package—so the appeal leans hard on build and tuning rather than trinkets.

Sonically, Noir comes across as warmer, fuller, and smoother than the standard Pilgrim, with instrument placement that clicks into a “just right” stage—not hyper-wide, not cramped, simply balanced. Bass has satisfying body without bloat, mids are enhanced and buttery, and treble stays tasteful, giving the set clear character—a deliberate flavor rather than sterile perfection. Track after track hits the “ooh” button, delivering a genuinely flagship experience under $1k and feeling like a refined take on sets in the “Nanna” vein. Score wise, it gets the headline 10, with a “heart says 9.5” caveat only for the light accessory load; in pure sound, it’s a clear step beyond the original Pilgrim and absolutely the one to keep in ears.

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Elysian Pilgrim Noir pairs a 3BA + 1DD hybrid setup with the Effect Audio Eros S cable, whose interchangeable terminations and connector modules keep it versatile without coloring the sound. The tuning comes across as reference-leaning bright: crisp and detailed, but with a treble edge that can flirt with harshness on certain material. At around $800, it targets clarity and speed over warmth or heft, positioning itself more for precision than for cinematic thump.

In competitive play, that profile is a mixed bag. In Valorant, the elevated upper range pulls out light cues—footsteps, surface taps, metal pings—with excellent imaging and depth perception, making it a solid B+. Shift to Apex Legends and the brighter gunfire, grenades, and wideband chaos create occlusion; despite a larger stage, separation suffers, settling around a B–. In Call of Duty, imaging and verticality remain competent, but bass-weighted effects can mask detail, putting performance near a B to B–.

Overall, for pure competitive gaming the Pilgrim Noir isn’t the most compelling value at its price; several cheaper sets deliver cleaner separation and easier cue extraction. It still earns “wall-hack certified” status, yet the Tigerism Sunflower generally scores higher across titles and offers a warmer, more intimate presentation for music. The Noir suits listeners who favor a lighter, brighter, reference tilt and prioritize micro detail—just be mindful of the treble bite and genre- or game-dependent occlusion trade-offs.