I quite like the qdc Dmagic 3D which we will have a full review out shortly. Our initial impressions are published a few weeks ago and still seem accurate.

Thank you, Marcus. Do you have a recommendation for a CIEM that is as clear as the VE5 but that dies Not push the vocals that much forward? Forward is ok, but not that much. Thank you very much in advance!

What you are hearing with the VE5 are the precision and lighter timbre of BA drivers. The Elysium dynamic driver timbre is quite different, it’s much more life-like with a lot more body and detail in the body so more resolving for me.

Thank you. As the VE5 is purely for vocals, it is no option for me. But I fell in love with their clarity. I have never heard something that clean, although I have heard VE6 and VE8. Is the Elysium as clear as the VE5? Thank you very much in advance!

We have a full review of the VE5 from way back and we said at the time it’s purely for vocals. The Elysium vocals are special because of the dynamic driver texture performance not because they are really far forward. I find them more solid, better detail, and natural in tone.

I loved the VE5 because of its clarity / airiness (I don’t know how to put it into words). They were the clearest sounding earphones I have ever heard (clearer than the VE6 or even VE8 for example). Do you know what exactly I mean? Unfortunately the vocals very put too much to the front. You have heard both of them. Are the Elysium the route to go? Are they as clear and airy as the VE5? Thank you very much in advance. By the way: I’m stuck between FIBAE 7, VE8 and Elysium.

Hi Jonathan, sadly no, I don’t have either the a18s or the a18t. I have the original A18 and its thinner in the mids which is the exact opposite of the richer mids of the Elysium.

Sorry. Keep trying to convince myself that the Elysium is worthy of the hype. But nope. Afraid not. Interestingly, since posting this, I have heard about other enthusiasts complaining of a similar problem with the Elysium, who have moved to other options. I appreciate this is a subjective issue, but it’s good to know I’m not alone in my views, or that lockdown has somehow messed with my hearing or worse, my brain. The Pola39 unquestionably has the Elysium beaten for me.

Funny how my experience is completely opposite to that of yours, extremely detailed and articulate in the Elysium universal but relatively meh on the Pola39, with an overly warm lower-mid range (way less boomy bass than the original Pola but still overly warm and not very well defined) that is killing all the dynamics and headstage. Fairly obvious spikes in the high-mids range, but fairly subdued beyond those spikes and in the high frequencies. Regardless of price or other factors I won’t consider the Pola39 to be in the same league as the Elysium.

Listened to both on balance with my WM1Z and ZX507, low gain.