Short answer: the Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator. It ranks #777 of 1369 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.6/5, at $3,299; the Softears Enigma ranks #793, rated 3.5/5, and costs $3,699, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The case for the Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 68 against the Harman target. The catch: An uneven response, 2.1 dB standard deviation from target.
Why pick the Softears Enigma: An elaborate tribrid flagship that combines 2 dynamic drivers, 6 balanced armatures and 4 electrostatic tweeters. The tradeoff: In the median of 8 hobbyist measurements on squig.link it reaches a preference score of only 68, with presence and lower treble both close to 3 dB below target and a 6.7 dB dip near 6 kHz that softens the bite of guitars and snare.
Buy the Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Softears Enigma and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 68 against the Harman target.
Bloom Audio $3,299.00 eBay
An elaborate tribrid flagship that combines 2 dynamic drivers, 6 balanced armatures and 4 electrostatic tweeters.
HiFiGo $3,699.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator | Softears Enigma | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,299.00 | $3,699.00 |
| Ranked | #777 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones | #793 of 1369 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (median of 11 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 68 (median of 8 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.13 dB standard deviation | 2.30 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.84 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.73 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Driver Type | Tribrid | Hybrid (2 dynamic + 6 balanced armature + 4 electrostatic) |
| Drivers | 7 drivers (1 dynamic driver + 4 balanced armatures + 2 electrostatic drivers) | 2 x dynamic + 6 x balanced armature + 4 x electrostatic |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 45kHz | 8Hz - 42kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Impedance | - | 10 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 121.5 dB/Vrms |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator from animagus, atechreviews, dchpgall, dl, elrics, jaytiss, precog, recode, soundignity, superreview and zerostresslevel; the Softears Enigma from aftersound, animagus, atechreviews, ducbloke, eliseaudio, hu-fi, sl0the and superreview, all via squig.link.
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