Elysian Acoustic Labs x Effect Audio Pilgrim Noir & OG

Take a journey into the known!

PROS: the choice of two well-tuned sound sigs between OG and Noir versions, excellent build quality, cool faceplate design, comfortable fit, Eros S cable with ConX and TermX (Noir), the exceptional value (even for Noir).

CONS: Pentaconn ear connectors are less common, and the Noir model costs more (due to the higher-end cable and accessories).

The product was provided to me free of charge for review purposes in exchange for my honest opinion.

Manufacturer website: Elysian / Effect Audio. Available for sale from authorized retailers like Musicteck.

Intro.

You have to live under a rock if you never heard of Elysian Acoustic Labs and its founder Lee who is highly respected in international audiophile communities and among other IEM/cable manufacturers. Early this year, right before the CanJam NYC’24, when rumors started circulating about Elysian showcasing a new pair of IEMs, many visitors rushed to Effect Audio and Musicteck tables to check it out. As some are probably aware, EA has collaborated with Elysian in the past, continues with the supply chain and manufacturing help of their current releases, and is also involved with new releases. Well, imagine the surprise when it was first mentioned that their new upcoming Pilgrim IEMs were going to be priced under $1k, then confirmed later as having a $399 price tag.

With premium flagship IEM prices going up to a mega-kilobuck level, Elysian Annihilator’s $3k price tag is still considered to be quite reasonable. Their DIVA with its switch control to choose between 3 bass tunings at half the price of Anni was highly regarded as well. But what do you get at a fraction of that price? To make things even more interesting, shortly after the Pilgrim OG announcement, we learned about a new Noir version of Pilgrim, designed in an exclusive collab with Effect Audio, though the price has doubled to $799. The latter announcement got a lot of attention from people at the chi-fi end of the price spectrum wondering if it is worth paying double, while the other group of audiophiles from the summit-fi end of the price spectrum was contemplating if they should get both.

I got flooded with questions to compare Pilgrim OG vs Pilgrim Noir, but unfortunately only received Noir while was still waiting for the OG unit. Not sure if OG got lost in the mail after 3 months of waiting, and I continued to get more requests to review and compare both. Thus, I decided to borrow an OG pair from Musicteck, just for review and comparison purposes. I know, there have been dozens of Pilgrim reviews already with Head-fi alone having over 35 reviews in the last few months. I hardly have any other chi-fi IEMs in the same price range for comparison. Thus, I decided to focus this review on sound analysis, comparison, eartip selection, cable rolling, and different source pair-ups of these two Pilgrim brothers.

I hope you enjoy this read and find it helpful in your decision of which Pilgrim is the right one for you, or if it makes sense to get both. So, here we go!

Unboxing and Accessories.

As already mentioned, I only received Noir and borrowed OG, with both arriving to me in a clear plastic bag. But I have seen packaging pictures of both and can confirm that OG arrives in compact packaging which includes a custom oval-shaped carrying case (pleather?) along with a set of SpinFit CP100 eartips (S/M/L sizes), a small cleaning brush, a small flannel cleaning cloth, and warranty card with a manual. Along with a pair of Pilgrim IEMs, you will also find a stock SPC (silver-plated copper) cable with hardware to match the finish of Pilgrim OG shells. Despite this being a “budget” release, the cable looks very elegant, with a smooth aluminum plug housing with curved lines for easier grip, a matching finish chin slider and y-split with the Elysian logo, and a matching connector housing with a similar sexy curve for easier grip. Connector housing has an L/R label and houses Elysian’s traditional Pentaconn-ear (P-ear) connectors.

To distinguish its premium design while keeping its “black theme”, Noir features a premium suede leather carrying case and steps up to SpinFit W1 eartips. But that was not the only upgrade here. Instead of using a stock SPC cable, here you will find Effect Audio’s special limited edition Eros S Noir cable, derived from their Signature Series. I have covered this cable in a separate review, and it does remind me of their 1^st Anniversary edition Eros S release that was also in black and cost $349.

Eros S Noir edition is a hybrid cable that uses premium UP-OCC Pure Copper Litz and Pure Silver Litz wires, 8 conductors with 26AWG gauge, featuring septuplet multi-sized core bundle geometry. It still has its ultra-flexi insulation, and to match the black theme it also has a custom Noir black matter sleeve and marbled forged carbon fiber y-split with golden mosaic accents. Besides that, the cable comes with both, a ConX connector interchangeable system with a default P-ear connector which you can upgrade to 2pin or mmcx. You will also find the TermX interchangeable plug system where you can select 3.5mm or 4.4mm tips.

In theory, if we are to discuss the price difference between OG and Noir, besides driver design and tuning differences, the accessories and cable alone here can justify the higher price.

Design.

Both Pilgrim versions, OG and Noir, have a very similar exterior shell design, varying only in the color finish and a few other cosmetic differences. Pilgrim shells and bores are made from the industrial quality 304 stainless steel material which is known for its corrosion resistance. The OG version leaves the shell finish color as is while the Noir version, appropriate to its name, adds a distinct matte black color. They also have different nozzle colors, with OG having shiny polished stainless steel and Noir having a golden finish. Another difference is in faceplate logos, OG features the same Elysian logo on both sides in a polished finish while Noir has logos in gold, with the Elysian on the right and the Effect Audio on the left.

The shape and size of the shells are the same, compact, and smooth on the inner side, making them very comfortable to wear during extended listening sessions. Aside from the cosmetic differences mentioned above, the faceplate design is the same, featuring circular stepped patterns. As I was reading more about Pilgrim, I learned that faceplate design took its inspiration from the topography of knolls, like rolling hills, stepping through the Elysian journey with ups and downs like peaks and valleys.

Pilgrim OG

Pilgrim Noir

On paper, both OG and Noir versions have a hybrid design with DD/3BA drivers and internal cavity audio chambers and sound tubes being 3D printed. They even feature the same 9.2mm LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber) dynamic driver, but everything else is quite different.

The Pilgrim OG version has a 3-way frequency crossover with a split between 9.2mm LSR DD for lows, Sonion 2300 BA for mids, and 2x Sonion E50 BA for highs. According to the spec, OG has 9ohm Impedance and 101dB Sensitivity.

The Pilgrim Noir version has a 4-way frequency crossover with a split between 9.2mm LSR DD for lows, Sonion 2300 BA for low-mids, another Sonion 2300 BA for mid-highs, and one Knowles BA for highs. Internally, the Noir version also features an EA bespoke mix of palladium, copper, and silver wires. According to the spec, Noir has 8.3ohm Impedance and 103dB Sensitivity, similar to OG yet not exact due to a different crossover design and driver variation.