Annihilator vs Pilgrim: which needs more amplifier?

The Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator is 22Ω at 99.4 dB/mW; the Elysian Acoustic Labs Pilgrim is 9Ω at 100.5 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The Annihilator needs 1.1 dB more than the Pilgrim to reach the same loudness — 1.1 mW against 0.89 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationAnnihilatorPilgrim
Impedance22 Ω9 Ω
Sensitivity99.4 dB/mW100.5 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)116.0 dB/V121.0 dB/V
Power for 100 dB1.1 mW0.89 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.16 V90 mV
Current for 100 dB7.2 mA10.0 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
2.75 Ω1.12 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
280280

Where the two part company

Every source in the database that drives one of them drives the other. On power, the choice between these two changes nothing about what amplifier you need.

11 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Annihilator under the one-eighth rule but not for the Pilgrim (FiiO KA13, FiiO K11, Schiit Vali 2+, 8 more).

280 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator and Elysian Acoustic Labs Pilgrim. Every figure on this page comes from what Elysian Acoustic Labs published, or is derived from it — what that maker publishes, counted.