ThieAudio - Hype 4

Most of my IEMs are warmer, so not too many mid forward rock/vocal IEMs. In the $250-500 price range, maybe the Moondrop Blessing 2, Thieaudio Hype 4, and anything Penon makes (I really like the Vortex and it's only $200). For $500+, the Oriolus Isabellae probably takes the cake for vocal forward IEMs. My favorite IEM that I have currently is the FATFreq Maestro SE, but that's out of most people's price range so I definitely wouldn't recommend it for most people. I still feel stupid spending as much money as I did, but hey, I enjoy it so I'm getting my money's worth!

The Hype 4 has indeed been garnering hype since they have been released. They are pretty V-shaped and while they would defianetly work for some libraries, they certainly would perform poorly on others. Its too sub-focused with vocals generally pushed back and even buried in busier tracks. The Da Vinci, with its dense sound signature, seems to outperform the Hype 4s in the vocals department but nothing else.

From my experience, i have only found the delci and hype 4 to be good enough for me. They dont sound as good as my edition xs, but you get portability which is a trade off i can accept. Delci is sub 100 and hype 4 is about 300-400 dollars if im not wrong. Generally speaking, i prefer soundstage and headphones provide that much better than iem. However, iem portability is unmatched, so my mindset is buy one good iem and be done. Im using the delci rn, will upgrade to the hype 4 once i have the money.

The hype 4 is a level better than delci at everything.the bass is more defined, the soundstage is larger, better imaging, better mid etc. it is a direct upgrade to me. The delci has good soundstage, the only one that extends to the outer ear under 100 (to my experience, yours can be different). However, delci other qualities like detail, bass, or mid are just ok enough. Well, they dont outright suck, but they wont impress you. Also,the delci isnt really bright (the kefine klean on the other hand, is quite harsh). If you dont have high budget and just want to buy sth to use immediately, i think the delci works fine (i havent tried delci ae yet, but people have said that it is brighter, and personally, the delci is on edge with its treble already, more treble will just make it worse). Otherwise, hype 4, it is. I dont suggest blind buy, try everything before buying if you can.

You probably already received your pair by now but sound is very subjective. I enjoy these iems a lot and love the tuning. i typically listen to EDM, K-pop, J-pop, R&B, Classic Rock and Metal. These iems are good enough for me and i’d say they are good for their price. They are very mellow for me and very natural sounding. I LOVE BASS and these have good enough slam for me but I wouldn’t use them if I am craving bass lol. I use my Thieaudio Hype 4 if I really want big, deep bass without it bleeding into the other frequencies. I also own Moondrop Dusk (yes the Crinacle collab), Moondrop Blessings 3, Thieaudio Hype 4, Finalaudio A4000, and on the lower end of the price bracket the Linsoul KZ ZS10 Pro 2. My personal rankings for my IEM collection (from best to worst): Hype 4 = Dusk > Blessing 3 > Daybreak > Finalaudio A4000 > KZ ZS10 Pro. Daybreaks are good for their price range but I wouldn’t say they punch above their weight. The ones i ranked ahead are more than double the price of the Daybreak so it makes sense why my rankings are like that but if you have the money for the Daybreaks then I would say go for it and keep them and if you don’t like the tuning then just return them and maybe save up for a more expensive iem? Also just an FYI, I am pretty new to the IEM scene as I used to mainly collect and use Over-ear open back headphones (I own the Sennheiser HD800s, HD600, HD6xx, AKG K712 Pro, Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro, hella Koss Porta Pros, and hella Grados). So you can take my say with a grain of salt since I am fairly new to IEMs.

Owned Tea Pros, Hype 4 and MK12 at the same time. Decided to sell the former two because the MK12 sound that good to me (after PEQ), and was <1/2 the price (backed on Kickstarter).

Get a cheaper mic arm and remove the dac, you can get better IEMs. I have the Hexas and the Hexas are good for their price for sure, but at double the price you can get a whole list of great IEMs around the 160 range. A better iem does far more difference for audio quality than any dac would. From my subjective experience, IEMs really do go up linearly in quality from budget to mid-fi. I went from the Hexas to the 300-400 dollar Thieaudio hype 4s and I can say in my opinion it is at least 4 times better in enjoyment for me. Same goes for 80 to 160. I think the super mix 4 is like almost 2 times better than the Hexas, this is all subjective of course. Jays Audio just made a great video with a comprehensive list of competitive Iems at that range. As someone else said, get an apple dongle instead or just plug it into your PC. Also I recommend a cheaper mic such as the solocast if you want to squeeze out more for 10 dollars and get better iems. If you use your onboard headphone jack on your PC, a 20 dollar arm (or no arm at all to save even more), and a 40 dollar mic, you are spending 40 or 60 dollars and leave about 190 to 210 for a great IEM. Here is the video that I mentioned: https://youtu.be/dapR2KQDXhQ?si=PyQILHFZPE36J2z1 In the description of the video he also leaves a genre guide and a ranking list of all the IEMs he listened to and their prices, you can even find many of them on AliExpress for even cheaper sometimes if you are willing to wait for the shipping. Edit: For gaming I prefer a tuning with clear treble since you will hear more detail and things will seem more spacious

If you're happy with the build quality, the fit/comfort and the look of them, I would try to eq. Pretty much anything you buy is likely to have a certain area, or multiple areas that may benefit from anything from very minor to more major eq adjustments. Here is one to try I came up with for Hype 4. It should sound slightly more neutral. Preamp: -0.8 dB Filter 1: ON PK Fc 21 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 0.300 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 45 Hz Gain -0.9 dB Q 0.300 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 100 Hz Gain -0.2 dB Q 1.000 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 425 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 1.100 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1400 Hz Gain -0.3 dB Q 1.800 Filter 6: ON PK Fc 5600 Hz Gain -0.6 dB Q 1.700 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5700 Hz Gain -0.7 dB Q 1.900 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 5800 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 0.500 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 8900 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 2.000 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 14000 Hz Gain -4.6 dB Q 1.100

After spending some time looking at various IEM's around what would be considered the 'mid' price brackets, it seems you just can't win with everything (not even close). From needing to EQ various areas to try and get the sound you want through to lots of QC or design issues - even a lack of aesthetic choices. Example of IEMS I'd buy: Hype 4 - Shell itself and 2 pin connection issues. One owner clearly resorted to a gluegun being used to try and hold the connection in. Maybe a batch issue? EQ tweak fine. Dusk - 3.5mm EQ essential + new 3.5mm cable as the one provided wouldn't be out of place on a budget IEM, channel imbalance issues (notable if you look at frequency response - may not be always heard), resin cracking around 2 pin connection underneath the connector (not visible unless cable removed, likely to worsen over time) plus possible moisture issue (minor). Davinci - EQ essential due to bass. Size issue plus nozzle size issue at 6.7mm widest point (why not bond a nozzle on that's less wide?) Mega5est - 2 pin connector on shell possibly not fully flat resulting in the connection of normally left side constantly coming out slightly - reported here and on atleast one review that's even pictured. Unsure if design was revised and if this is a regular problem. Difficult or not possible to know if you would get a revised design when ordering online. EQ tweak fine.

Thieaudio Hype 4, sounds better than my Sennheiser HD 800S and Sennheiser IE900

I own both but I'm addicted to the Hype 4's clarity. The tea hurt my ears :( but they're good too!

treble in the hype 4 is magical, all I can say

Left to right Everyday desktop listening: 1. Linsoul x Hbb Jupiter 2. Theaudio Monarch MKIII Relaxed listening: 3. FIIO FX15 On the go: 4. Theaudio Hype4

If you like the reds you'll be amazed once you surpass the $350 mark. Yeah I know it sounds like a lot for wired ear buds BUT the sound quality is amazing. I personally think the hype4 is probably the best for a moderate price iem. On black Friday they hit low $300s. I probably would have been happy there but I'm way to stupid to be reasonable. Lol. Impulse buying makes me giddy.

KZ ZSN Pro and more or less in parallel Samsung AKG if those count... And no not using anymore. The Samsungs are broken like the third time I think and the KZ are not my cup of tea but showed me, that there is more than just always using cheap *ss earbuds/in-ears for around 10 bucks. So I went on, on my journey and currently resting on my (amazing) Hype4. Thought they were my Endgame... But who knows...

Can't help you with your question :( but I'd curious for a comparison of your current rotation items and what you love/don't love about them. I'm owning the Hype 4 and well at least I think I am not already done yet with items... And you own a few I'm interested in and as well can compare them to my current set, so I thought it is worth a try ;)

Kiwi ears ke4 or Fatfreq deuce, maybe also Thieaudio hype 4 and Ziigaat arete

They are cleaner than the doscinco, for me they have a better fit, however yes you are right even the doscinco are good for what you ask. I have no experience with the estrella sorry

Dusk/ blessing 3 or Hype 4 for me, i didnt tried yet Meteor but try to look if you like it

Yes 100% hype 4

Thieaudio Hype 4 - double DD and they really make thr most of them. You can get far more bass out of them than out of the box tuning. They're pretty good all rounders, too.

100%. I've owned both. The only reason I don't have the Hype 4 anymore is because someone offered me an insane trade deal for them for some Campfire Supermoons, which I wanted to get for my dad. I went through a few replacements out of curiosity, as those were my out & about sets. I really disliked the Tea Pro & the Aful 5+2. I thought the Davinci were OK, but not up to par - I was going to go back to the Hype 4, but I was offered a fantastic deal on some Moondrop Variations & went for those instead. I own some very high end bass heavy sets - Fatfreq Maestro SE CIEM / Campfire Astrolith / Sony IER-Z1R. The Hype 4 cannot compete with these, but you can't expect them to at that price (these are all 1500-3000 sets) - but they are really bloody good for the budget & that goes beyond bass. Those are three pairs out of about 15 mostly TOTL sets of IEMs & overheads that I own. I've worked in bass music for almost 30 years although it's now more of a serious hobby. I am pretty spoilt & the cheapest two sets I will recommend to absolutely anyone are the Hype 4 & the Moondrop Variations (not a bass centric set). I wouldn't recommend the Davinci, but I think it's ok. Definitely better than the Tea Pro & the Aful 5+2, but the Hype 4 rule supreme.

When I read the stuff written in here for people such as yourself, I always think it is TERRIBLE information & I think a lot of that comes from (a) lack of real experience with audio / (b) people who can't afford more expensive gear & use the old diminishing returns thing without genuinely having spent significant time with more expensive sets. I've been professionally involved in audio & music for 30 years. I never though I'd say IEMs could be better than headphones - but in some cases, they absolutely can. These two 'rules' I often hear are are total & utter bullshit & I don't believe these are generally subjective opinions, I think this is simply how it is - 'Above $300 is diminishing returns' Firstly I can't think of an IEM I'd genuinely recommend for less than 450 - the Thieaudio Hype 4. I've just been through three of the most hyped 300-350 sets (I got rid of my Hype 4 as someone offered me a ridiculously good trade offer for some Campfire Audio Supermoon - the IEM I wanted to but for my Dad - and I wanted to try something else as a replacement); Xenns Tea Pro, Dunu Davinci & Aful 5+2. I didn't love any of them (I hated 2), and I thought the jump between even the best one (Davinci) & the Hype 4 was HUGE. These are my 'beater' pair as my main six sets are 1600-3000 & I don't want to take them out into the humid climate where I live - and again, that gap between these & the Hype 4 is huge. For me, I'd have to say that diminishing returns GENERALLY begins at around 1300. BUT then you have the Campfire Astrolith are $2200 & you just won't find anything better that does this particular thing at anything less. Of course you can be a dumbass & spend $3000 on a pair that is dogshit. ---- The other 'rule' that I think is absolute bollocks is - Speakers > Headphones > IEMs ESPECIALLY the Headphones > IEMs part. This 'rule' is years old & IEMs have come a very long way in the last few years. Certain IEMs can do things that headphones cannot & vice versa. As far as I'm concerned, they're now on an even keel. Speakers... I think the sheer expense & amount of room required to get something that sounds even as good as a TOTL IEM or headphone is wild. Of course if you have unlimited money & can throw 100k++ and have a room in your house acoustically treated, it's going to sound unbelievable. But that's out of reach for most.

You already have a better set than Tea Pros. I'd suggest saving & getting a $500 set; the two I recommend are the Moondrop Variations (technically better, still fun - overall better for me & excellent build quality) & the Hype 4 (more fun technically not as good, build nowhere near as good - I love Thieaudio, but their shells are really not good, with the exception of the Valhallla - the Thieaudio Prestige Ltd I had to CIEM/resell after 10 months of daily use as they were getting worse for wear despite me looking after them well). The jump between 300-350 sets & the right 500 sets is massive. Kids here genuinely hate the fact that diminishing returns after $300 is bollocks.

To be honest I wouldn't recommend any of those except for the Hype 4, but I think Moondrop Variations is much better at, that price point (obviously they are quite different, but I would definitely give a better overall score to the Variations). Build quality was a BIG priority when I put this list together before buying all of them. This is my artillery. Source is ideally a Mojo 2, but I'll use a FiiO BTR17 on the go & I only take my Variations outside with me as I live in Bangkok & it's very humid. IEMS - QDC Emperor/CA Astrolith/Fatfreq Maestro SE CIEM/Thieaudio Prestige Ltd CIEM/Final A8000/Sony IER-Z1R/Moondrop Variations

I have the Hype 4 and Orchestra Lite and enjoy them both a lot. The Hype 4 are very technical and detailed whilst still being smooth. The bass hits hard and goes deep and the mids are also great. The Orchestra Lites are much smoother and warmer. Really lush and you just get lost in the music. I put a 5db bass shelf at 180hz and works great, just gives them enough and I personally love drums on ba sets. They also have a noticeable large soundstage. So to compare Hype 4 highly technical yet still smooth with a bit of excitement and bass goes deep, slightly more critical listening. Orchestra Lites smooth, lush, envelope and you just listen for hours. Both for my small ears are decently sized Iems but still fit fine. Orchestra Lite is unvented so you'll get suction cup with sticky tips (personally doesn't both me), but sancai tips negate this, also gives them much better sound isolation.

I haven't heard the Arete but have back to backed the Doscinos and Hype 4. To me the Hype 4 was significantly better but that's just my ears. The EW300 sounded very similar to the Hype 4s to me just less technical and nuanced but I was extremely impressed with them for the price.

I have the hype 4 and the texture is there for bass, punch is really good not great. The origin would likely be more punchy do to tuning, and the drivers. The duece is likely more bass and I've heard the quality of bass is amazing, some of the treble on the graphs I've seen that I might not enjoy, how ever in relation to how much bass there is in that set it might be good for the tuning.

Yeah, I prefer the Tea Pros, but there are some days I just want to use the Hype 4s, I'd say that was a nice buy! I'd personally keep the Timeless 2s, since I don't really like selling my iems, but id maybe sell them if I don't use them for an extended period of time.

Just because they're recommended doesn't mean they are better than what already exists (or that better doesn't already exist)... so different, yes... better? I'd be surprised. Thst isn't really going to happen until high quality EST/bone conduction & even further away, xmems drivers, become far more affordable. The amount of new toy syndrome there is in the sub $500 territory is wild - and the cheaper we go, the wilder it gets. The things is - there is not a huge jump in the technology with much in the IEM world, and you generally need to spend thousands to experience the innovation. All the cheaper stuff (and a lot of the more expensive stuff), is just reconfigurartions of the exact same small handful of drivers over & over & over again... I re-shell/CIEM certain universal IEMs (where it's possible - it isn't with every IEM) & make custom IEMs from scratch, and I have the same access to all the same parts as all the big manufacturers. My advice to the guy was to go second hand & get some UM Mext - there's a pair in Head-Fi classifieds right now for $440. If the seller is trustworthy - these are about $1100 new & I think they're still a good price new - they easily sound better than anything under around $700 new for this kind of presentation. The Mext are maybe on par with the $700 Thieaudio Oracle III in terms of SQ, but the build quality on those is crap, as was every Thieaudio before the Valhalla - and I say this as someone who thinks Thieaudio have always been good/excellent value for money - even with their poor quality pre-Valhalla shells. People really underestimate how important build quality is in the long run. Credible reviewers don't tend to mention it unless the BQ is especially bad/good - in relative terms - and sadly, that's not a good thing because the bar for the average is really bloody low. Campfire have been the (mostly) consistent benchmark for build quality. For less expensive sets, I thought Kiwiears were very good - especially the $300 (purely talking build quality - sound did absolutely nothing for me) Orchestra Lite - a stunning looking shell that really & a relatively incredible quality build for the price (that said, there is no excuse for any $300 IEM to not have this level of BQ). These things felt like they'd last a few years of daily use (similar build type & actually stronger feeling than Elysian Annihilator! Another set I dislike immensely) - most sets in thie price range feel/look like they'd struggle to hit a year.

I'd look on the second hand market & get a set of UM Mext. There is a set on Head-Fi classifieds for $440 now (theyre about $1100 new). They have absolutely incredible build quality - a super strong resin that really looks & feels ultra premium, even with a few scratches. They were released a couple of years ago, but they truth is there isnt anything new under $700 that competes for the kind of sound you seem to be talking about. The Thieaudio Hype 4 are really decent & on a similar path, but not a patch on the Mext in either sound or build... and having been into audio gear since the 90s, I've really learnt how important build quality is. My personal favourites new at $500 (if you're lucky - most places are selling for $700 now a they're so difficult to find & I believe they're out of production) are the Moondrop Variations & they won a poll here a few months ago as the best in that price bracket - but I don't think they'll be your thing. Good luck! Always remember: music >>>>>>> gear.

I got the Moondrop May for my wife. She usually would use AirPods Pro. She tried the May and fell in love with the sound. V-shape and “fun”. Budget friendly. If you wanna go higher, I can definitely recommend Hype4, Canon 2 and my favorite: DUY BUSK (you gotta figure out what fights one is by looking around a bit!) 😃👌

I say go with prestige Ltd. Read my review post made a few days ago. From my experience even though thieaudio support sucks their higher end IEMs are made with quality in mind it’s just sucks to get it serviced if you need it. I’ve own Thieaudio hype 4, monarch mk3, origin, and prestige Ltd and haven’t had a single issue with any of them but I could just be lucky. The prestige has a very clean natural sound that overall plays everything quite well. One of the best things I love about thieaudio IEMs is the fit and comfort, after maining the monarch mk3, it’s been my go to for fit — fits my ears like a glove and the prestige Ltd is no different. I’d say the prestige is slightly more comfortable being that it’s slightly smaller than the mmk3. Only other IEMs I’ve been considering over the prestige is the ziigaat hbb Jupiter and cadenza 12.

Bought it! :P Found a black one on Ebay for $299. Less gaudy looking than the white one! Thank you for the suggestion! :P

I have the XENNS Mangird Tea PRO and I love them ! I had the Hype4s before and the tea pro is better . But my buddy said the ones I mentioned are great and he can hear his opponent scratch their ass around the corner lol

I had the hype 4 and still have the top but nothing beats the IE900 bass performance. IE900 for that tactile thumping lows

Happy cake! Onto the question, in my personal listening experience I found it to be overall pleasant. As reference, I have the Subbassy Thieaudio Hype 4 and the Harman tuned Simgot SuperMix 4. Call me biased but I love Subbass. These ones are definitely a happy place for me. To my ears, the vocals are clear and forward. I don't hear much distortion on my set and the sounds feel very good. Bass like 808s and Kick drums have a good punch to them. There are some songs where I feel the bass guitar does tend to get lost in the mix, but I feel the rest of the positives make up for it. There's good space in the sound and it's good for gaming. I'm not too sure about competitive shooters, but if you're playing more immersive single player games (City Builder, Stardew, Monster Hunter, God of War) there's enough immersion to feel the weight and impact of key moments. Overall pretty good, it's not a $200 headphone but you can convince me it's closer to $100 for the sound quality https://preview.redd.it/4ak1cgyil6te1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b62b30f17ae95994bafae9e6268e6e896846abb8 (My set, I bought the NiceHCK RedAg cable for aesthetics)

Moondrop Kato was my first IEM and I just couldn't get over how shrill the high end was. Hurt my ears. Now I'm using the Theiaudio Hype 4's and I love them. I don't have a fancy DAC, I have the Beacn Mic which basically has the same chip as an AudioQuest Dragonfly Red but it works for my needs.

I own both the Hype 4 and the Arete (and the orchestra lite). The hype 4 is one of my all time favorites regardless of price. For the price the Arete is really enjoyable, probably my favorite ZiiGaat. The orchestra lite is more analytical than the other two. It’s great for micro detail and accuracy. It’s less “fun” imho.

Hey I never got to try the davincis out, I ended up finding a hype4 during a good sale so I got them along with the dusk and listened to them for a while, the hype4 were far more of my preference but they had a sharp spikey upper treble at times that I found to be too much for me, I realize I could have eq'd that out, but I felt for the price I should not have had to do that. plus the nozzles were a bit big for my ears making them slightly uncomfortable. Going off graphs which doesn't tell the whole story the davinci seem to be very close to that without the spike but I don't believe in graphs alone so i'm not sure if it would have been a different story. For that type of music genre though if you like a thicker bottom end the hype4 were better in my opinion - the dusk are highly detailed but lack the thickness that I prefer in that style of music. I do miss the hype4 at times and still going off those as a reference here were a few iems that I wanted to try at some point: Davincis, Mangird Tea Pro, Estrella and QoA Adonis but never got around to trying them, I just use a cheap pair of zero 2s at the moment and im happy with them so I quit looking down the rabbit hole. I realize im probably going to get slaughtered for saying these things since they don't fit what most would say about these iems but just letting you know my opinion.

They are pretty good, but just didn't quite do it for me. I think around that price the Hype 4 are a fantastic deal.

Are you sure you were reading about the Hype 4 & not 2?? Because honestly man, that sounds WAY off. Hype 4 bass is unbelievable for the price & has SO much headroom to DSP (or I guess EQ - but I strictly use Mojo 2 for IEMS & DSP is absolutely incredible - Chord literally guarantee there is no compromise with the DSP - something that absolutely cannot be said about software EQ. Anyway yeah - that bass sounds good out of the box, but it gets to maybe basshead levels with the DSP (/EQ...). Treble is excellent & they are a surprisingly good all rounder. I have 6 'kilobuck' sets & the Hype 4 were my 'going out' set as I live in a very humid climate & I don't want humidity killing EST drivers in 3000 USD IEMs BTW I've been heavily involved with & made bass music for 30 years... I own the Fatfreq Maestro SE CIEM, Sony IER-Z1R & Campfire Astrolith - so I Def know a thing or two about bass/bassy IEMs. They are definitely not hitting the heavy lows of any of those but for sub 500 (apparently 291 USD on Ali now!?) they are a GREAT buy. I only got rid of mine as someone offered me a ridiculously good swap deal for some Campfire Supermoon - an IEM I absolutely wanted for my dad & I'd just bought him a Sony ZX707 DAP & these were regardless of price & based on his library, the ultimate for him. I should have just replaced the Hype 4, but curiosity got the better of me & I went through a few sets all of which were not up to standard (these are JUST my personal opinions - I am no oracle) - Aful 5+2 (abysmal) / Tea Pro (V V V disappointing esp as I loved Tea 2) / DaVinci (better than both but not for me)... I was presented with a NEW pair of Moondrop Variations for 300 & although I think H4 are a safer and better rounded pick - I LOOOOOVE the Variations & they suit my bass/treble prominent prefs V well. PS I have zero 'recency bias' aka new toy syndrome & having worked professionally with music/audio for 30 years, I don't really need that brain burn in period... how I hear a pair first time is how I hear them 1000 hours later.

Personally I started with the Kiwi KE4, and it has satisfied me pretty good. I also recently got theiaudio hype 4 which not going to lie it was a big difference(not huge tho) in how spacious it is, could be me tho. if you looking for something average nice for most music style, i do recommend the kiwi KE4 i got them for like $170 on Amazon.

I briefly had the Hype 4's. But they seemed kind of fragile. And a few folks have posted pics of cracks. I was eyeing the Monarch's. But the brittle nature of resin has me worried about accidental drops.

Thieadio Hype 4 babyyyyyyyy woooooh got it for 330$

I have the buds pro 2, and they are complete ass compared to 100 dollar moondrops. I'm thinking there was an issue with your dac dongle or something. The first time I used the quedelix and hype 4, something wrong happened, and I needed to fiddle with the settings. It was a volume and eq thing.

I am rocking the thieaudio Prestige LTD now for more than a week and I am really surprised from how good they sound and how comfortable and stylish they are. I ordered them from linsol AliExpress, at the beginning they said it would take 2 to 4 weeks to be assembled and sent to linsol as my order was a pre order.. after like 8 days Linsol has received the IEMs and started the delivery to me at the same day... I live in Germany it took like 10 days to get me.. For about 200 hours I left the Thieaudio Prestige LTD to burn.. When I put them on the first time it was love from the first hear ,,,,xD It has the sound signature and technical prowess. Bass: The Prestige LTD offers a robust and controlled sub-bass with a slightly recessed mid-bass, resulting in a spacious and natural low-end response. While not tailored for bass enthusiasts, it provides sufficient impact and depth when the music demands it. Mids: The midrange is very natural and detailed, especially for vocals and instruments. It’s smooth and clean, without being recessed or shouty. There’s a refined upper-midrange that brings clarity without sounding harsh or fatiguing. Treble: Thanks to its four electrostatic drivers, the treble is extended, airy, and very detailed. It’s smooth and non-fatiguing—no harsh peaks—but still sparkly enough to bring out the finer nuances in music. Soundstage & Imaging: The soundstage is wide and spacious with great depth, offering a very immersive feel. Imaging is precise, letting you pick apart layers of instruments and vocals effortlessly—ideal for complex genres or orchestral music. Build & Comfort: It’s handcrafted from medical-grade resin with a unique galaxy-style faceplate. The fit is ergonomic and lightweight, good for long listening sessions. It is small and elegant and the forum is designed well more than the other thieaudio IEMs. I have also as my second IEMs the Thieaudio Origin and how it is designed for my ears 👂, it was big and it wounded my ears all the time no matter all the ear tips I bought. I have spent more than a 100 dollar on all the available ear tips out there. Nothing helped with discomfort from the thieaudio Origin.. The Thieaudio Prestige LTD in comparison with the Thieaudio Origin from forum here is that Thieaudio Prestige LTD shell is smaller and more ergonomical in a way that there is never discomfort or fatiguing. I have discovered the IEMs world like three months ago. My journey was exciting and full of joy.. I started getting the most expensive one available in Amazon and it was the hype 4. It shocked 😲 me when I heard them the first time, coming from Bluetooth earbuds. I used the thieaudio hype 4 for 2 weeks then returned them back, to get the Origin. I thought the Thieaudio Origin was a better choice. but sadly the fit was not good. So I tried getting recommendations for ear tips. Then I ordered all of the ear tips. But the fit issue was never solved. Then I pulled the plug on the prestige LTD. And I am glad I did........xD

# TL:DR Hype 4: I like more the sound signature and the punch bass that comes wihout EQ. DUSK: It feels slightly more comfortable to my ears and i percibe the instruments and vocals more "widely open" and i enjoy that alot. My wallet can only hold one. I accept other iems suggest that have the best of this two. \--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wanted a 450€ iem and decided to try these two. Let me tell you my experience: # Accesories DUSK comes with a good good presentation, two cables (3.5mm and DSP cable) and a leather case. Hype 4 its only the 3.5mm and you\`re done. # Comfort The Moondrop DUSK hugs my ears while the Hype 4 are OK but fels slithly bulky. # Volume I always drive my iems with the Qudelix-5k. If i don't touch the volume, at 25%, the Hype 4 has more volume than the DUSK, last one need to be at 38-40% volume to match the Hype 4. # Sound - THIEAUDIO Hype 4 I feel it like a V shape and that bass at 50-100 Hz, oh boy that makes me happy, hearing drum & bass and Jazz its a pleasure. I notice that the vocals are a little above the rest of the spectrum, i like that in some songs like "As the world caves in" or "Sunflower - Rex Orange County". The imaging when playing games its ok, It's not perfect, like when footsteps come up behind you on the left, they feel close and narrower. # Sound - Moondrop x Crinacle DUSK I know these are more neutral and maybe there isn't any frequency that stands out above another. But the instruments, voices, drums... I can hear each instrument separately. Maybe I'm exaggerating, or maybe I'm subconsciously giving these headphones more love than I should. Nothing distorts and by equalizing the frequencies between 4 KHz and 8KHz 3-5 dBs it makes them majestic to listen to any song where vocals predominate. The imaging in games, everything feels more open, with more space, not cramped. I can tell when sounds are coming from above, to the right, or behind, to the left, with better precision than with the Hype 4. When i try to EQ with the Qudelix i feel like the bass is not that punch than the Hype 4, and that "jars" me a bit. Maybe im doing something wrong when i eq this ones, i didn't try to import a custom eq yet. If someone can share her eq profile i would be glad to try it.

Thieaudio Hype 4, Divinus Velvet Wide Bore, Dunu Lyre Mini Cable. https://preview.redd.it/sq9n9xgyjknf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=783d1002a52803f7c6c6845f43e08a2fe2660dd1

Thieaudio Hype 4--believe the hype! Endgame for me. Picked up a pair of Meze Albas also--darn good for the money. I can keep the Hype 4s for when I'm critically listening or listening wired, and then use the Albas when I'm on the go wireless (with FiiO UTWS5 2025 adapters).

I have hype 4s and kiwi ears x hbb punch.The hype 4s sounds the best, but the nozzle size is a bit big for me. The punches have amazing bass if not a little too much. They do, however, fit me better better. I did, however, notice that the hype 4s don't have the greatest imaging when playing valorant. To be fair, though, I've heard the audio engine in that game isn't that good to begin with. I would definitely consider nozzle size when choosing an iem if you're looking to use them for extended periods at a time.

have hype 4's. they're fine, but mine have had quality control issues. left connector goes into the IEM a lot further from the right, straight out of the box. didn't think anything of it then, but it always sort of bugs me.

It’s the IEM, it pushes in too far, based on the stock photos I’ve seen and compared to the opposite side, that and I’ve tried a couple of different cables and it turns out the same. It’s a bummer, but it is what it is I guess

Thieaudio Hype 4's are a good pick! Their bass is nice and thick and deep. It's full of character and it handles deeper bass really, really well. I'd absolutely recommend them - they could even be and end-game.

Hype 4s are great and plenty of bass

I really liked the Day Break as an all rounder. Very natural sounding. My personal favorite atm is the Hype 4 but they are at 400$. My personal recommendation would be the AWFUL Explorer, they are just lovely. Warm, lush but still with detail (not bright though). I could listen to them all day and the fit is great. TLDR: big budget- Hype 4 All rounder - Day Break Smooth and comfortable- AWFUL Explorer

hype 4 vocals dosent sound natural imo

I love both my hype 4 and Tea pro. I feel like when I'm looking for more fun I reach for the tea pros, but for more relaxed I go for the hype 4s. Both these sets have become my favorite go-tos. You won't be disappointed!

same, I got the hype 4 on sale so I feel like I don't need the tea pro, but dang they are pretty and people love em

I have the galaxy buds 2 pro, hype 4 ($400 iem), moondrop dusk ($400 iem), and the xenns top pro ($500), along with a few $50-150 iems. Cna tell you rn that rhe galaxy buds 2 pro perform better than most iems below $100. Its my favorite wireless earbuds too, and i ve teied many, includijg the airpods 2 pro. To answer your question, yes iems can sound much better than the galaxy buds 2 pro, but the ones that do will cost the same or much more. You can try looking into the kiwi ears4 if you want more base and better sound quality than the buds 2 pro. They cost around $150, but i think the galaxy buds 2 pro have pretty good bass though, but i am using spinfits 1 eartips and I downgraded the firmware to the own with the best combination of sound quality and ANC. If the bass isn't there for you, try switching eartips and doing some eq.

I've had Hype 4s for over a year and I'm really satisfied with my choice and truly enjoy them. I had tried a lot of IEMs over several visits to a local shop before choosing them, so it was a pretty empirical choice, not just based on reviews. I've tried a lot of IEMs at a wide range of prices at the shop, from $10 to some $4000, and I have to say that Prestige LTD is my absolute favorite out of all of them. I like them more than any of the IEMs that were even more expensive. If you loved your Hype 4s, I'm sure you'd love Prestige LTD too. Hype 4 is great and I think it's one of the best IEMs in its price category, but Prestige LTD is a significant upgrade. The price also reflects that, obviously. With Prestige LTD, you're getting an even better soundstage and you're getting much more delicate details that make you immersed in the music. IEMs at the level of detail of Prestige LTD make you learn new things about the songs you thought you knew well and make you appreciate them even more. Tbh, if you're looking for something at a similar price to Hype 4, I don't think you'll find much. I quite liked Dunu SA6 MKII, but I don't think I liked them more than Hype 4 and they're slightly more expensive than Hype 4. Hype 10 would be a logical upgrade but the price difference is significant and you might as well consider Monarch MKIII at that point. Recently, I tried Aful Performer 5+2, which is like half the price of Hype 4, and I was really surprised as I could imagine myself running them if I didn't have Hype 4 already.

Hard pass on UE. I wouldn’t bother with their products produced since the Logitech acquisition. Hype 4 all day.

I can definitely vouch for the Hype 4. I’ve had them for a few weeks now and I can only describe the bass as it feels like you are in a movie theater, you can really feel it. The best part is it really doesn’t over power the mids either and it has overall excellent clarity. Truly worth over its asking price. That being said, if you are really looking for a bass experience, get the punch. I haven’t heard it myself, but people say it’s their end game for a bass head set.

Hype 4 for sure. It’s amazing for electronic music and you can really feel the base. I can’t recommend it enough.

I have the arete and it’s good for gaming but it’s not big on the bass side. I had the Thieaudio Hype 4 and I think that is probably more like what you are looking for- huge, clean bass but still maintains that separation you need for audio queues (and it’s amazing for music too). I only moved on from that because I kept chasing the best gaming IEMs thinking it would be a night and day difference. My advice? Don’t go down the rabbit hole too far. I have overspent on too many different IEM’s in the past and I’m still not even thrilled with the Arete. At this point I am in the wheelhouse of “As long as you have a decent IEM with good drivers, it will be good enough for gaming.”

Can’t comment on the dac, but tea pro is going to be your best bet for a gaming IEM. I will say that I am currently using the Thieaudio Hype 4 and I think it’s very comparable to the tea pro with better bass

The hype has a little more energy in the upper bass. Try to increase the level around 100Hz carefully.

I think you're erroneously conflating the "new meta" tuning with JM-1 DF. JM-1 as a population average diffuse field target is exactly that, a diffuse field target. It is mathematically derived from the B&K 5128's DF target and only makes minor modifications to that target past 3-4 kHz, due to the fact that IEMs bypass the pinna and these effects have to be assumed. Headphones don't bypass the measurement rig's pinna and therefore can directly use the 5128 DF target, while JM-1 is just the equivalent diffuse field target for IEMs that assumes the more realistic "population average" human pinna effects instead of the 5128's stock pinna (which overemphasizes some frequency ranges past 3 kHz). I'm simplifying here a lot for brevity's sake, but most of this is covered in that video and on [this forum post](https://forum.headphones.com/t/understanding-the-headphones-com-iem-measurements/23607) by Listener on Headphones.com The "new meta" tuning is JM-1 DF ***with the addition of preference adjustments***. The relevant measurement rig's (whether that's a standalone 711 coupler, GRAS KEMAR, HEAD Acoustics or B&K rig) DF target with a -1 dB/octave tilt preference adjustment has been held as true neutral for headphone measurements for more than 2 decades, as it mirrors what a pair of flat studio monitors would sound like in a well-treated room (basically the conditions in which most music is produced, mixed and mastered). This is where the term "tilted diffuse field" comes from. Any bass boost or treble adjustments past that are up to individual and manufacturer preferences. Specifically in the case of the new meta IEMs, they add on a bass boost. All of this is to say, just like how the rig's DF target with a -1 dB/octave tilt is considered true neutral for headphones, the JM-1 DF target with a -1 dB/octave tilt is considered true neutral for IEMs. You may not agree with this or like how pure tilted JM-1 DF sounds and that's fine, but there's nothing subjective about what true neutral is, and JM-1 is exactly that for IEMs. Joel has a very valid point, and it looks like most people misunderstand what neutral actually means so I get where his frustration comes from.

With all due respect, I think you've still misunderstood that the new meta isn't the same thing as JM-1. Not even close. The new meta is JM-1... plus a -1 dB/octave tilt (preference adjustment to make it truly neutral), plus a bass boost (another preference adjustment but this time takes it further away from neutral). It could be a semantics thing, but since I work in mixing/mastering with Adam T8V studio monitors, there is a reference point for what neutral is in that sense. The truth is, most people don't like the sound of true neutral/pure tilted diffuse field, and whether that's tilted 711/5128/JM-1 DF only depends on which measuring rig was used and whether it's headphones or IEMs that are being measured. Funnily enough, the Studio 4 sticks pretty closely to JM-1 DF with a -1 dB/octave tilt (true neutral) up till the treble. I would say that all of these neutral IEMs that stick to tilted DF really put the emphasis on "monitor" in the word "in-ear monitor", given that they're meant to sound like studio monitors in a well-treated room aka tilted DF aka tilted JM-1 DF for IEMs measured on the 5128. I find that neutral IEMs that stick tightly to tilted DF all sound pretty darn close to my calibrated studio setup in terms of tonality. As for which IEM I find to be most neutral, it's the Hexa for sure. I have no idea how they nailed the tilted diffuse field sound that well at that price, and I have yet to find any IEMs that sound as flat and uncoloured across the bass and midrange. The only place where it deviates from neutral is in the treble, which is a little bright. I'm fine with it though, and I actually kinda enjoy that air to it when I'm listening to music in my free time and not working on mixes and masters. As for my favourite of the new meta, which I want to emphasize is ***not*** tilted JM-1 DF (as the new meta tuning slaps on a sizeable bass boost on top of the usual tilt), it's definitely the Thieaudio Hype 4. Just very fun and dynamic to listen to, with a ton of air and detail.

I get where you're coming from, and I've seen a lot of people on this sub use JM-1 and the new meta tuning interchangeably, even though that's not the case at all. I understand how some people that may not dive deep into it would come to that conclusion too, since most Squiglinks that have JM-1 listed as a target automatically apply the tilt (good) *and* bass boost adjustment (not good), when you select it. Imo, these sites shouldn't apply any adjustments as default, or at least, should only apply the tilt adjustment and not the bass adjustment when you select JM-1 as a target, exactly to avoid this confusion. In his video, Joel does a good job of explaining how JM-1 = diffuse field for IEMs as measured on the 5128 rig and tilted DF = neutral by professional studio standards (by transitive property, tilted JM-1 DF = neutral). He specifies how JM-1 DF is absolutely not the same thing as the new meta tuning and airs his discontentment at both terms being used interchangeably. He even talks about his own personal preferences and where they differ from the pure tilted JM-1 DF target, but while maintaining that this target is true neutral even if he doesn't personally enjoy it. I think it's a brilliant and well-researched video without a single error, as he's very precise with his wording, for those that understand what he's talking about. Hence why I recommended it to OP to watch. It is true that most people don't like true neutral sets that stick closely to pure tilted DF (pure tilted JM-1 DF in this case), and most like an additional bass boost on top of that for more excitement and fun. This is why manufacturers crank out so many new meta-tuned sets but nowhere near as much neutral sets. I myself am not an exception to this, as I do enjoy my Hype 4 and have enjoyed a few of the other new meta sets in the past as well. But this shouldn't change what "neutral" actually means and the definition it's had in terms of objective measurements for decades now, and none of these new meta sets are truly neutral because of that bass boost. Sorry, I wasn't aware you posed a rhetorical question lmao. I tend to miss subtexts like that often, so I answered literally to that. My bad there! And yeah I was wondering where exactly the disagreement was in this exchange, as you said the Studio 4 sounds neutral to you and I would absolutely call it a neutral set (both subjectively and objectively) as well, alongside the Hexa and everything else that closely sticks to pure tilted JM-1 DF. I'm glad to see we were on the same page all along.

They are in the same boat in a broad sense I guess, but in reality there are notable differences in the sound for sure. The Hype 4 has a more natural midrange and especially upper mids imo (the Hype 2 sounds a bit more grating and strident in comparison), but they have a fair bit more bass than the Hype 2. You may not enjoy this additional bass. I personally enjoyed that combination of big, tactile bass + more neutral mids on the Hype 4 when I demoed it, and they wowed me and were more pleasant to my ears than the Hype 2. Since I already have the Hexa as a neutral set, I decided to go full fun and went for the Hype 4. I will say though, both sets are very much U-shaped, and especially are very hot in the upper treble. The vast majority of people would find them sibilant, but I personally enjoy the absolute tons of air, clarity and detail both these sets throw at you. I went for the white ones actually, I quite like how they look! I know it's polarizing, but I gotta say, they look a bit flashy and are definitely unique in their all-white glossy resin shell. Won't be the case for everyone, but I personally like the variety over the standard black resin shells we're all so used to :)

i too recommend the qudelix 5k. you can run them through your pc with usb-c for gaming. and they make massive difference in sq vs plug in play iem sound signatures. my cheaper CKLVX D62 eq'd sound much better than straight plug n play Hype 4. my eq'd hype 4's sound better than the D62, mostly just in the bass department. the graphic eq is way easier to mess with than the pq adjustments where it can get a bit intimidating. my daily drivers are my hype 4, but i think even keeping your arete and grits and using the 5k to eq might make you think twice about buying new iems.

For gym id get something like the jabra elite active 75t. You can get them under $100 now and they still sound very good for tws. I have hype 4's, fan 3 and cklvx d62 and they're great, but I throw on my elite 75t when mowing lawn or going out on walks. They have app with eq and they sound pretty great even compared to my wired good iems.

i haven't tried the Tea Pro, but i own the Hype 4. i love them, pretty much everything sounds excellent on them. but to be honest, i find my CKLVX D62 like 90% as satisfying and you can get them for like $239 new. i got mine for $120 used. i do think the Hype 4 get slight edge on the D62 on bass, but the D26 competes in every other category. in other words, i love my hype 4 and they've become my daily driver, but if they broke on me today, i wouldn't miss them a ton, the D62 i have are pretty much as good, but at a much cheaper price. i've seen lots of comparisons between hype 4 and tea pro and the review seem like mixed results. most seem to find the hype 4 a little more dynamic and energetic sounding than the tea pro, which is what i prefer. that said, i've tried several IEMs and the item that i think surpasses all upgrades i've made, is using the EQ on Qudelix 5k. after using the 5k, all stock tunings pretty much sound veiled and unimpressive IMO. there's lots of purists out there that don't mess with EQ, but i find it is the biggest game changer

Yes, like I said they are good for gaming, not great. In my case once I got the Hype 4 it was more than obvious the difference in quality and details. But I believe OP didn't mention if he was into competitive gaming or just casual. That's why I said that if he was playing for fun the S08 would be good, more than good to be honest, but if he's into competitive gaming he needs to go further than the S08 and $100 budget. Or use them as an entry point to IEMs.

To be fair I have tried several IEMs with my controller and none of them have had static issues. I have used: - Moondrop Chu 2 - Moondrop Aria SE - Letshuoer S08 - Kiwi Ears Aether - Thieaudio Hype 4. Maybe you should try another pair to confirm it isn't your controller.

Am i allowed to say monarch mk2 mk3 mk4. Or sony ier z1r. No? Okie.. how about the hype 4, been checking on this iem as it does make ie600 run for its money. Or xenns top pro

Love my hype4s but they gave me temporary tinnitus after a very mild volume for an extended period of time. Got some hifiman ananda nanos and think they sound better than the iems so id say I lean more for open backs.

The IEMs that comes the closest to being an endgame set for less than $400 for me are the Xenns Tea Pro Kiwi Ears Punch Ziigaat Estrella Thieaudio Hype 4 Dunu DaVinci Moondrop Dusk Ziigaat Doscinco Simgot EM10

There’s way too many variables here. What is ‘enough bass’ for one person isn’t for another. But the biggest culprit from my experience is that no set sounds the same. I’ve had 3 Hype 4 IEM’s and each sounded different. One had almost no soundstage. Another had huge soundstage, average seperation, rumbly sub bass but almost no mid bass and smooth treble. The last one I tried had a ton of mid bass, great seperation and peaky treble. And this is considered a brand with good QC.

When i did A B comparison between the hype 4 and 7hz crinacle zero 2 I was more amazed at how good the latter sounded compared to the hype 4 rather than the hype 4 sounding so much better than the zero 2. That including huge comfort made me sell my hype 4 and am now just rocking zero 2.

Never look at pros. They are pros for a reason, shitty gear won’t bother them. 2nd they are sponsored by shitty brands like logitech. Simgot supermix 4, Thieaudio hype4, xenns mangird tea bro. Literally wallhack iems

I've owned the MP145 and currently own the T10. MP145 has three nozzles that allow you to make the iem sound however you want the iem to sound. The T10 is really difficult to beat for the price, I'd argue the MP145 is better because of the nozzle choices. The T10 is in my rotation, and I own the Hype 4 which costs seven times as much as the T10.

I've EQ'd my Hype 4 (no problems with it) to the Punch ... that sounds really good!

I own the Alba - I sold my Hype 4 which costs a lot more and sounds better simply because the Alba was so comfortable. I'm listening to my Sennheiser HD 550 right now, an open backed headphone that I could wear for a half day comfortably, likely longer. They sound great to my ears.

Yes to the wide bore tips, completely changed the way my hype 4s sound especially with perceived sound stage.

I like the Kiwi Ears way better. Hype 4 treble is too much for me so it sits pretty low down my list when it comes to $300-$600 iems although it is pretty good on certain songs. There's an anniversary sale on Aliexpress at the moment so you can get the Kiwi Ears Punch at around $300.

Tea pro has better build quality than hype 4 while being cheaper and has smoother treble

you again.. Skip the whole UE lineup for real. As mentioned in my previous comment, even a $20 zero2 will sound better than any of these UE models based on the impression i had with demo. You would be safe getting the hype4, in fact way safer.

Ziigaat Doscinco works great for metal. Hype 4 as well, but the Doscinco is warmer and bassier while being pretty similar.

Yeah the doscinco has a little bit more, but the hype 4 is no slouch either, it’s close.

Of the sets I have I’d say ziigaat Doscinco, xenns tea pro, hype 4 or I haven’t tried it but kiwi ears punch. I’d say deuce, but that midbass scoop…I haven’t heard that either so maybe it’s not as lean as it looks. If you can find a good deal the ikko oh10 is still really great, especially for that music.

Tea pro has better bass than the hype 4, but it’s close. I think the quality is better than the hype 4, and the mids have more body than the hype 4. Either are great though.

The Hype 4 is V-shaped and excitable. It's not like the Explorer, which is warm and new meta-tuned.

I’ve heard many good things about the Tea Pro, and of course it looks stunning. I always wrestle with the idea of the Tea or the hype 4’s.

Hmmm i’m gently swaying towards the Tea Pros the more people talk about them, the hype 4’s are £30 more from what ive seen when both are on offer.

I've been pretty impressed with the Theiaudio Hype 4. While it's said to be neutral with some added bass, I find the treble is well represented and very clean. The soundstage and detail are pretty exceptional. To the point where I have been worried about my hearing because instruments that are typically flat sounding in space with other iems now sound placed in a way I have not really heard before. When I try other iems I can hear it now, but it is not nearly as obvious. I suppose you could say they create holographic soundstage. As you pay more, I find you are paying for detail retrieval and soundstage (generally), where the sound signature might match a different set but the effect is changed by the soundstage. I'll be honest though, sometimes I just want the flattened sound of the track too so I use other sets in those cases.

It is great for a relatively neutral slightly brighter set that works well for gaming and music. It has a decent soundstage and imaging for the price. I like it but generally just use it for gaming because I prefer the sound profile of other sets I have for music, but I could definitely live with it if it was my only set.

The sets I have right now are: Hype 4 Aful Explorer Letshouer S12 Pro Simgot E6ML Letshouer Z4 Of those the Hype 4 and Explorer get the most use for music but I don't really like them as much for gaming. The Hype 4 holds its own, but is almost too detailed for gaming (also a lot more expensive). The Explorer has too much sub bass and ruins gaming IMO, but it is extremely comfortable and a lot of fun for music. I prefer the S12 Pro for music over the E6ML, but the E6ML is slightly better for gaming. Mainly I find the difference to be with gun shots and vocals (especially the main character in Destiny Rising) the S12 Pro can sometimes exhibit simbiliance-type effects. That said, if I was buying only one set of those two, I like the S12 Pro better (comfort is better, build quality is better, and generally the details are outstanding). The z4 works very well for gaming, is great for vocal and live audio, but it is not a great general set (though I paid 28 USD for it so I don't mind too much, as it is a niche specialty set in my mind). The only other I have been eyeing is the s08, which has a decent reputation for gaming and is supposedly a more detailed/speedy Explorer - that sounds like an interesting combination to me.

I get mine tomorrow, don't expect them to be any better than my Supermix-4 or Hype-4 but what the heck for 17 bucks. I also have 2 budget iem's, the Chu-2 and the Zero Red.

My first impression, it was hard to get a good fit. the nozzles are short and narrow. The standard eartips are crap. I tried many eartips where I had to remove some from my ears with tweezers. Finally good seal with SpinFit W1 eartips which almost doubles the price if you have to buy them for a good sound. Sound quality, bass: quite punchy but not as fast as for example the Simgot Super Mix 4. The bass bleeds a bit in the mid range. The mids and highs are a bit more in the background than with my multi driver iems. I don't regret the purchase, nice to have in the collection. I've been in the iem hobby for a year and my endgame iem for now is the ThieAudio Hype 4 with a much better bass while the mids and highs remain upright. The ND-planet cannot be used without a DAC, no volume and bass at all then. I used the Fiio KA1 (usb) and BTR13 (bluetooth) no EQ used.

Just my opinion but I found the Hype 4 too harsh on the treble and sibilant. Dusk was quite safe and neutral, I instead went with the Mangird Tea Pro.

big difference

Ive demo’d the mega5est before in Japan. It’s a fantastic all rounder, there’s no genres it performs poorly in. But as others have said, it lacks any specific tuning oddities to be especially exciting to listen to. I own a SA6 mkII. It is well tuned for female vocals and most genres where you aren’t looking for bass impact and slam. The lack of a dynamic driver makes the more anemic BA bass noticeable. Other than that however, it is a well tuned iem. I have tried someone’s pair of meteors a while back, so these impressions are a little more fuzzy. I wasn’t too happy about how there was no venting in the iem. As a result, the isolation was excellent, but the pressure feeling in the ear was unpleasant enough for me to dismiss owning a pair altogether. I will say however that I probably liked its tuning more than the SA6mkIIs. It has a U shaped tuning with more emphasis on the bass and treble, which can make it more engaging to listen to. As a result, this one has more coloured tuning compared to the previous 2 iems. I prefer iems with this type of tuning, as my favourite pair is the 64audio u4s. However, it is less natural sounding than the others due to this. To be honest, I personally would just get a pair of Hype4s. I find them more interesting to listen to, and they have enough technical performance to satisfy most people. However, if you want something that sounds mostly neutral and safe, the mega5ests are good. You might want to include what kinds of music you listen to, and what are you looking for in an iem when asking for a recommendation

I’ll second the SuperMix 4. I was quite happy with them, somewhat recently upgraded to ThieAudio Hype 4’s.

ThieAudio HYPE 4’s. I was looking into new IEMs to purchase almost monthly, and stopped looking completely once I picked up the HYPE 4s. I’ve been using these daily for the past 6 months and they don’t leave me wanting anything more.

I have the dusk, hype 4, ie600, Aful 5+2 and I can EQ any one of these to sound like the other. Fit is most important. EQ really can do the rest. As for me, dusk is more comfortable than hype 4 as well.

I own the pro, hype 4, and p7. Of the theee, the p7 is most comfortable to my ear canal. It is the only one of the three that requires EQ for me, BUT with EQ, the p7 is beyond what I thought would’ve been possible in a unit that’s so inexpensive. If you’re not going to EQ, the hype 4 and pro are literally a 50/50. Fit is for me the most important thing since I can EQ.

If I were you, and I’ve bought 2 sets of hype 4, I’d get them second hand at $250 and get a Qudelix Bluetooth dac/amp and you’ve got a powerhouse of a set up. At that same price you can also get a new P7 and EQ it lol. It’s a stellar iem for the price. Either way, you’ll be impressed. I personally would get the tea pro just for the fact that it’s got a metal chassis( if you’re opposed to used gear)

Idk, I just got the Hype 4 and it’s pretty damn legit imo. It feels like listening to a 2.1 speaker system that has the sub in just the right place. And geez for an iem it’s pretty crazy how well it images, the separation of instruments is real and it’s floating all around your head. Instead of being one big glob stuck in your head. I’m using it with a Cayin RU7 rn. I’ve yet to try it on my main system. First impressions are great for me. I’m going to live with it for awhile and see how I feel after that. It might just be my new favorite. Gotta give it time for the newness, the possibility of a placebo effect to wear off. Rn it feels like the best value under $1k!

i have the dusks and ive also extensivley listened to my brothers hype 4. I find the open and more balanced sound of the Dusk analog really nice. when i listen to the hype 4, the bass is really nice but for me its a tad too much bass; i feel like it can shroud some of the details that would be there otherwise like on the dusk. the comfort and look of the dusk is also really nice, even with small tips on the hype 4, the nozzle is a bit large and can feel stiff in the ear when on the dusks i use large tips and the nozzle just floats, much less pressure in the ear. the treble on the dusks is definitely more present and quick than the hypes not just in tuning but also because of the planar tweeters. the soundstage on the dusks is something else especially when playing games. they both sound VERY similar to each other in many ways so it comes down to what you want from them.

Some price bracket options off the top of my head: Theaudio hype 4 and moondrop dusk are probably endgame for most people $400 right now. If you want a bit cheaper there's the aful performer 5 $220. If you want entry level something like the kiwi ears cadenza $35. But regardless of what you choose you should get at least a cheap dac/amp dongle to make the potential of the iems fully realized. If you go for the more endgame sets, you should probably go with something better than a cheap dongle but even with a cheaper dongle the $300 to $500 pairs will still sound good. A really decent cheaper dongle is the moondrop dawn pro but if you want even better audio go with the fiio br17. Bluetooth and wired for desktop and mobile. A more cost efficient option is the qudelix 5k, it's great.

dusk is good. im using them right now in fact; but the qc on moondrop products is very iffy sometimes. the dusk has a very balanced tuning so nothing steps over the other sounds. it has a decent soundstage as far as iems of this price goes. the bass isnt super strong but it is high quality and is very well controlled. the vocals and instruments are vivid and sound great. I prefer the analog tuning but for most, the DSP default profile seems more preferable over the analog; DSP is a slightly less forward, warmer profile. if you want a generally more engaging sound with all of those qualities, i would go with the thieaudio hype 4, the overall tonal signature isn't too far off, they are very similar sets but the hype has a bit more bass volume than the dusk. if you want a more technically advanced set that has a different tuning to the hype, get the hisenior mega 5 EST. good endgame set for most if your not chasing the dragon.

I've been using them exclusively for a few months, and no, they are not to me. Of course, every abuse will be fatiguing.

Glad to hear it, when I bought the Hype 2 I had the 2pin connector which was too fragile and the channel unbalanced, compared to the Hype 4 they are 2 really different pairs, the Hype 2 are not at all "mini 4", I did not like them, but if you like what you listen to and it works there is no reason to change equipment, enjoy listening!

I own both, the Tea Pro are more bass boosted but a bit soft/round/slow, the Hype 4 have good bass but some people find them too deep/hollow/muddy and I think this comes from the base eartips/unit variations. The treble of the Hype 4 is just too forward in my opinion, it jumps out at you at high volume, a slight EQ of -2DB in High Shield 12Khz Q at 1 solves the problem .I find the Hype 4 more detailed, cleaner, maybe a little "cold" as a listening in the treble despite quite warm bass, the tea pro are more bass boosted and more relaxed but the tonality / layering is not perfect, less detail, darker, but the 2 are very good, I LARGELY prefer the manufacturing quality of the tea pro and the comfort on the other hand. but I prefer the sound of the Hype4 despite all the flaws, the pair is not perfect especially at this price but I like what I listen to, but I prefer to recommend the tea pro which are much safer.

I really like the hype 4 because I have them at 350€ instead of 450€ on Amazon, and my pair has no problem with QC (too, it is a pair that stays at home, it is often fresh at home, so it will not undergo any shocks / temperature variations I only use it on my PC) so I would not have a problem with 2-pin or the Vent-Hole cuz i dont sleep with and i dont walk outside etc. So for the price that I have paid them that does not bother me to buy Spinfit Neo / Tripowin Zonie, but it's 2 purchases to take into account for real experience, so my ears are far from being capricious comfort, it is clearly not the case for everyone, a friend prefers the hype 4 to the monarch mkiii just for this reason. (Shell is BIG)

I use both BT and wired for cheap and mid-upper range (B3 and Hype 4) IEMs. There’s not a noticeable difference in the quality, and honestly the trade off of portability and convenience is more than enough justify it. The only thing I’ll say is STAY AWAY FROM MOONDROP EVO. It’s a fantastic BT adapter, but has possibly the worst case I’ve ever had. It doesn’t clamp the hooks into the charge ports so they just bounce around and disconnect. They also randomly connect to your phone in the case because they lose contacts with the charge points, so they think you took them out. If they had a better case, they’d be pretty good. Touch controls on them kind of suck too tbh but they lay flat and are shorter than other hooks which is nice because I have lots of earrings.

I own some of those $1200 IEMs, and I use none of them for gaming. Many of them make poor gaming sets, with a few exceptions. The IEMs I have used most often are the Simgot EM6L, Supermix 4, Crinicle Zero Blue/Blue 2, Thieaudio Hype 4, Xenns Tea and Top Pro, Meze Alba, and Letshuoer S08 & S12 Anniversary. The one I recommend most is the EM6L. It has consistently been my go-to for competitive gaming most of the time. Coincidentally, it's one of the cheapest sets in my rotation. Unfortunately, recency bias often often plays a major role in what is recommended in the community, which is why you don't see it as often in these types of recommendation threads, but a good tuning remains good forever -- which means many budget sets may be getting more attention recently, but they haven't necessarily dethroned the EM6L. The most critical areas of the frequency range for gaming is the upper mids and treble. The EM6L excels in these areas, offering great detail and clarity, with enough bass extension and emphasis to round out the tuning, but without losing detail in the mids. Imaging and soundstage is solid for an IEM, and they're comfortable enough for long periods of time, with the exception that the nozzle can be challenging for users with smaller ear canals. The other sets I often fall back on for immersive/single-player gaming is the Letshuoer S08. Up from there, the Hype 4; both are warm and fun, with the Hype 4 providing stronger bass performance, albeit typical Thieaudio "rounded" bass, and not as incisive as the S08's faster, more immediate planar slam. On the higher-priced midfi side, as mentioned above, the Hype 4 is one of my go-tos for immersive games, and the Top Pro is my competitive set of choice. It is like the Tea Pro, but with more controlled lower frequencies, and better detail and clarity. The Tea Pro is often recommended for gaming, the Top Pro improves on that tuning. It doesn't quite hit Volur-levels of "holographic" soundstage and imaging, but it is an exceptional set for its price. TL;DR: do not spend more than $500-$600 on a gaming IEM, and to be honest I wouldn't even recommend spending that much. I have dozens of IEMs in my collection, and my favorite gaming sets are on the budget side. Do I still use the Top Pro and Hype 4? Yes, but not as often as the EM6L and S08, and you could get by using the former for every use case -- I just like the S08 enough that I enjoy weaving it into my day-to-day as much as possible.

Very different tunings; the MKIV in its default mode is similar to the MKII, and in its "rumble" mode it is similar to the MKIII, but with a bit more roundness in the mid bass. It's a little less incisive. However, I would not recommend the MKIV for gaming. Besides the fact that emphasized lower frequencies narrow stage (might not be an issue for you in immersive/single-player titles), the MKIV is bulky, with an extended nozzle. Fit/comfort issues are pretty common with the MKIV; I'd consider myself to have larger ear canals than most (I have to use XL tips or large barrel tips like the S&S), and it can be fatiguing, even for me. Sort of hard to see in [these](https://imgur.com/a/mkiv-size-comparison-DrsdZ3G) side-by-sides, but the MKIV definitely suffers from Grand Maestro syndrome. Those odd resonances you're associating with BA timbre, can still be an issue with ESTs and planars. They all have their idiosyncrasies, which is why tuning is much more important than the driver technology. When BA's are pushed to emphasize clarity and detail, as they reach those peaks in the upper mids and treble, that's where you encounter those BA qualities that some people are more sensitive to -- the myth is that a better BA driver doesn't have those qualities, and I don't know that I agree. The irony is, that's why you probably feel it's near perfect; if it were less clear and detailed, you'd likely not hear that BA timbre, but then you'd be missing the clarity and detail. Personally, my favorite gaming IEMs are mostly budget/midif IEMs; the Meze Alba, Simgot EM6L, the Hype 4, and Mega5est Bass+ edition. I run the Hype 4 and Mega5est most often for single-player titles. The Mega5est is probably my favorite for that use case; the slightly bass-boosted JM1 tuning just works really well as an all 'rounder, with that typical meta cleanliness, but with some extra sub bass energy you'd want for immersive games. I can also wear both the Hype 4 and Mega5est all day with no issues. I love the MKIV; it's Thieaudio's best iteration of the Monarch, but definitely wouldn't be my first pick for gaming.

If you want an all ‘rounder, the Mangird Tea Pro is the best option in your price range. That said, even with dozens of IEMs, from budget to summit-fi sets, I run the EM6L 90% of the time. The Tea Pro is markedly better when it comes to media consumption, but the EM6L is no slouch there either, being somewhat mid-forward, but with excellent bass and treble and very strong imaging for a budget set. Whatever you choose, it’s best to avoid sets with emphasized lower frequencies as it will narrow staging and impact the clarity of your mids. Upper mids and treble are where most gaming cues live and is thus the most important area of the frequency range for gaming — hence why the EM6L is such a good option at its price. Other sets I’ve run for games that I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed; Thieaudio Hype 4, Crinicle Dusk, Xenns Top Pro, Meze Alba, Truthear Blue and Blue 2, Letshuoer S08 and S12 2024.

Thanks for the honest review. I ended up returning mine to Amazon, they just didn't do anything special for me and I found I just wasn't wanting to listen to them over cheaper IEMs like the Ziigaat Odyssey and Aful P5+2 or my Kiwi Ears Punch

Personally, i think it depends on what you started. if you started as an over ear listeners, you will tend to prefer over ear and vice versa. I started with over ear (dt 770 pro) and the iem that i enjoy the most is the theoaudio hype 4 then the kefine delci. However, i still prefer dt 770 pro over most of the iems i tried. If you started with iem like chu2, your experience will probably be very different. and what changes? in general, kinda everything. If i were to compare the hype 4 and the delci, the hype 4 has better soundstage, tighter bass and more fun in the music. Honestly, i think it is just about finding the tuning that you like regardless of the price. I have also tried many moondrop iems, and i think they all suck (the most expensive i tried is blessing 3) or the mega5est, which i consider as a snoozefest. And no, you wont be hearing new sound, that is just excitement from getting new gear.

I love the bass on preformer 7 and tea pro. Hype 4 decent also.

Yes and I've tried a ton to find something better for the money and it don't think top pro, davinci, hype 4, mega5est or martilo best it. My step up from tea pro is um mest mk2 which was originally a kilobuck iem!

Well, I love my bass too and have had a few experiences trying to get great bass (but not muddy) and nothing comes even close to ThieAudio Origin. Sorry about the price though. Hype 4 and Tea Pro are nice for half the price but they cannot compete with Origin, even EQing them to Origin, it’s not the same unfortunately.

If only headphones it's easy: Arya Organic > FiiO FT1 >>> Sennheiser HD6XX If IEMs count, it's a bit harder, I would say: ThieAudio Origin > Arya Organic = ThieAudio Hype 4 > Ziigaat Odyssey > FiiO FT1 > Aful Explorer > Simgot SuperMix4 > Sennheiser HD6XX

Depends on what you are after and what are your preferences. For me I always enjoyed IEMs more than headphones and while I do have HD6XX and Arya Organic I tend to use my IEMs more, even cheaper ones like Hype4. The IEMs that gave me that wow factor first were the Simgot EA1000. The Hype 4 gave me the same thing again for their tuning which is pretty perfect to my taste. I will say that the most impactful/wow factor moments for me in audio (recently) were the Bass in ThieAudio Origin and the first impressions of the Ananda Nano (that soundstage, airy feeling, detailed). The jump to the Arya Organic was definitely not that wowing

If you got it, flaunt it baby! Haha! I have blind bought every set, and it is only based on doing tins of research of what reviewers say. It has worked out good. If you can get to Singapore, or a Can Jam that is the best. Jay's Audio recommended the Hype 4 over the Dusk. Many other reviewers mentioned the issues with the DSP, and QC issues. I trust the reviewers in the aggregate. The research is fun. And I am beginning to understand graphs. Cheers!

Yes you re so right: Hype4's on sale is an excellent recomendation.

last year I spent over $2,500.00 on IEMs, tips, and dongles. in chronological order: Pula PA02s B tier, an all rounder, excellent. Simgot EM6L B+ tier, just sounded great! A little too spicy. Ziigaat Doscinco, and Cinoctres. The Doscincos are bass boosted all rounders both are A tier, The Cincotres are more neutral and suppose to be more monitor like and dry. they are A tier also, just a little different than that Doscincos. I bought Thieaudio Hype 4's next. They have just as good of bass as the Doscincos, with better mids, and some airy, slightly sizzling treble. I rank them A+ because they are just about perfect all rounders. If you A, B with the Ziigaats you can hear that they just are better sounding, but like only 5%. The Hype 4s are not cheap, I bought a pair for a good friend of mine, and she loved them and bought a pair for her niece! A+ Then I got some Hisenior Mega5-ESTs and they are the best IEMs, or headphones I have ever heard! I bought them after reading tons of reviews and watching this review on YT: [https://youtu.be/vWWofORMPZU?si=cNgIrUOHXbOWQrFE](https://youtu.be/vWWofORMPZU?si=cNgIrUOHXbOWQrFE) MEGA5ESTs are reference level legendary IEMs now, and they influenced the whole industry as they sound better than many over $1k IEMs they are S tier I use Divinus Velvet big bore tips, and Ducbloke's PEQ tuning. they are music Heaven, fit good, not chunky at all, and you can listen for hours with out getting tired, or I can. finally I got the MEGA5-EST Bass+ edition. Same, but not as good to my ears A- tier Xiaoliang Qian Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 thanks for asking. The Mega5's some say are boring because they are a quite natural and neutral sounding. My experience the bass is quite good, the mids are just about perfect, and the treble is airy, sparkle, fantastic! The sound stage is holographic. Over all I praise these to the moon, they are magnificient. if you want a alternate in this type of sound "Meta" or JM-1 tilted the Nice HCK Rockies are almost and exact clone of this same type of tuning. You don't need and PEQ, or even use an EQ if you don't want to. This tuning has been so successful it is being done with other lesser, and premium IEMs (over $1k) Recently Aful came out with their best IEM ever, Thieaudio has the Monarch MKIV, and FiiO's FX15 with eight EST drivers was released! I am looking at my endgame. Good chance it will be one of these sets. Also the older UM Mest MKII is of great interest to me.

Had Odyssey, Dusks, Hype 4 and Davinci at the same time. What is left is Davinci. I love them. They just sounds right to me (with touch of warm), just like i would not wear iems at all. They have amazing scene and directionality. Dusks - too intense, Hype 4 - to much subbas, Odyssey- too much subbas and overall meh. I know that i can eq and I am doing it but eq is not always possible and i am seeking for most fitting me (sonically) base

I'm not 'your guy' you condescending mug & if you had more serious sets/knew what you were talking about, I don't believe you'd think the Tea Pro were anything except utter crap with horrific mids, dreadful bass & terrible treble - the Tea 2 were much better. The Variations are my out & abouts. Only the Hype 4 are another pair I'd consider for that spot. If you're comfortable staying with the opinions of others - it seems most of the people who bought the Tea Pro are the guys with 20 pairs of 15-50 USD IEMs & suddenly went for a big boy set. I'm pretty sorted... IEMS - QDC Emperor/CA Astrolith/Fatfreq Maestro SE CIEM/Thieaudio Prestige Ltd CIEM/Final A8000/Sony IER-Z1R/Moondrop Variations  HEADPHONES - Focal Clear MG Pro/ Focal Stellia/Focal Celeste/Sennheiser HD800/Kennerton Magni/Kennerton LSA-H1/Meze Emperyean/FiiO Ft1

I think they are significantly better than the Xenns Tea Pro - which as a Tea 2 lover, left me very disappointed. For something with solid bottom end, the Hype 4 absolutely smash them... they're also a very good all rounder. I've worked in audio/music for 30 years & quite frankly if anyone tells you the Tea Pro are better than the Hype 4 (in any way) they're talking out of their arse.

In every way possible. The Hype 4 are fantastic value for money - that rings true with pretty much all of Thieaudio's stuff. They use top tier parts & their margins are actually very low VS others. The DD's & BA's in the Hype 4 are top end - the same ones they use in their top end IEMS (and they primarily make more premium IEMS). I don't believe that Xenns & Dunu are using drivers of the same level of quality & this affects every single part of the sound. I've owned all of them (plus the Aful 5+2). Most of my IEMS are on the very high end: 1600-3000 for my main six pairs - I don't take these out with me as I don't want to damage them. I wanted one IEM sub 500 to be able to take out. I got the Hype 4 & was blown away - the bass is incredible, miss are very good & treble excellent. They sound far more expensive than they are - I'd have been happy had I paid 700. I got rid of my Hype 4 as someone offered me a ridiculous trade deal for Campfire Supermoon - the IEM I wanted to buy for my dad as it suits his library/taste perfectly. I probably should have just got the Hype 4 again - but I think everyone interested in audio is curious to see how other, newer IEMs sound. I went through the Aful 5+2 (terrible - horrible, abrasive upper highs) - then Gizaudio DaVinci (definitely the best out of this bunch, but I just knew the Hype 4 were so much better & then finally what I thought would be a safe choice - the Tea Pro. I thought the DaVinci were significantly better. I have no recency bias, nor am I influenced by reviews - the Hype 4 smash all of these in every way. You could absolutely say (and it's been said by others) that this could easily be a 700 USD IEM & that absolutely cannot be said about the others.

Thank you for your Kind recommendation, I will look into those turn, and I'm sort of considering the btr17, but I dont know of a non vented iem with more bass than the orchestra lite, and receiving calls seems a bit troublesome, may be wrong.

My issue is that it is vented and I have already RMA'ed one set due to the sweat sipping in and killing a driver Edit: the radius is fine, I think my up to 2 meters/6feet distance should be just fine

Forgot my most important matter, and it is that the hype 4 just can't block enough sound I hear the train sometimes as if I had nothing, and if I have music I can still hear plenty like 80% on foam tips. Those dt600 don't look so bad If nothing else I may go this route or may have to get used to the orchestra despite listening to a bunch of DNB

Footsteps and voices 2/3 tea pro. Big boom hype 4

Monarch mk3 has better layering, better separation but sometimes same as with hype 4 it hurts my ears on long sessions of cs2 cause of the gunshots but not as bad as with hype 4 only tried monarch 5 days, the tea doesn't hurt my ears but I don't enjoy it as much on music. Tea has 70 of a wide stage sensation while the hype 4 soundstage gets a little well bloomy but it's not bad, some enjoy it

So I got home and tried a bit of fallout 4 with the Hype 4 and tea pro, they're are almost equally tea comes top on layering. but explosions like with the mini nuke or the gattling laser torrent thingy or exploding a car are just a little more boomy or rather emotional more fun on the hype 4, but if you don't care about those the tea is better, you can hear where someone is hiding when in an ambush a lil better, I heard a bit faster when a rad scorpion came to me, but just a little really not so crazy just a tiny bit more and well there is less sub bass Wich is the strong part on the hype 4. Also the ear tips are huge difference, Im currently using spinfit 140 and 360 and the stock are good but not as confortable as these, I can use the iem for longer periods without removing them and sound a lil better, the 360 help the bass a lil and the 140 are more in the neutral side of things

I have a pair of Mays and listen to metalcore/hardcore. I don't like the Mays at all... Knocked Loose goes hard on both my Hidizs MP145s and Thieaudio Hype 4s. I don't know about the sound signature but the Mays sound really muddy to me compared to my other 2 sets. # #

I was almost tempted on a "I don't really need to cross grade - my Hype 4s sound great" order of some Oddysey 2's.... but might wait for some reviews of these...

Hype 4 is a very good all-rounder for 300€. Don't buy into the Tea Pro hype. It's a good IEM, I listened to it back to back with my Hype 4, and while it sounds "proper" it's not as engaging as Hype 4.

Unlike a lot of other people, for me it wasn’t love at first “sight” (sound); for me a took a bit of tip rolling to find the right ones and to get a good fit. Now, I absolutely love them, but between the Hype 4 and the Tea Pros I’m still more drawn to the Hype 4. Hard to explain exactly why as the Tea Pros sound phenomenal, but there’s just something about the Hype 4 that keeps me coming back for more

I second the Punch and Hype 4!

I was at Axpona yesterday, listened to a lot of iem’s, and I was kind of amazed at how much everything mostly sounded the same. I tried every item from Thieaudio and while I had favorites, I would be completely happy with the hype 4, with the Divinity 14 and Origin being my favorite, but it was shockingly close. Same with 64 audio, liked all of their offerings favoring the u18t, followed buy the velour and u4s. At the Bloom audio table, they had almost everything to try. Crazy how much sounded the same. At the campfire table, I a/b’d the supermoon and astrolith, with the latter being better, but not $2k better. Diminishing returns really kick in super fast in this hobby.

Love the Origin , also my Hype 4.

I had the Hype 4, a great set but sounded very unnatural in vocals to me. That 3k ish peak made some vocals even sound honky/nasal. And the BA timbre was more noticeable. I now have the ISN H60 which is everything Hype is but better, as it has natural sounding vocals, and more midbass so the bass slam is more satisfying. Ordered their flagship the EBC 80 which will the main competitor to Thie Audio’s Origin. Will find out in week or so.

Had the Hype 4 hated the vocals on that set, Tea sounds much more natural.

I had a similar dilemma, demo’d the Hype4, Tea Pro and Punch and I’ve settled on the punch as my “end game” for now. I found the tea far too relaxed sounding, worst of the bunch. Inoffensive tuning but zero excitement for me. It was also the least comfortable as the wide bore meant I could only use small tips and still felt pressure after a while. Hype was very nice, brought emotion out of the music but I found the bass to be too “crunchy” if that makes sense to you? Fit and comfort were good though I don’t personally like the front facing vent as I need isolation. The Punch is just right to my ear, this feels “hi-fi” to me. The bass sure is powerful, digs deep and yet never overwhelms the highs or mids. They even make flat old punk records sound powerful, honestly my favourite audio device currently. It’s definitely the chunkiest IEM I’ve used but still fits comfortably through multi hour sessions.

+1 In this price bracket, I’ve tried the Tea Pro, the Mantilo, the Performer 7, and the Hype 4. Tea Pro takes the cake for bass quality, clarity, and gaming performance.

I'm on Dusk's side for this one. Dusk just comes off as alot more natural, transparent and detailed compared to Hype 4. I personally use the DSP tuning and Wow, is the bass so much better than Hype 4. Not exactly in the amount of bass but the quality. Dusk's bass is more snappy, accurate and dynamic while keeping the mids clean. The treble is also handled better with it having an emphasis but not too much to where it's sharp and edgy. The Analogue tuning can be like that to some but I still find it better handled on the Dusk. The Analogue is alot more lean and bright so if you want just more bass and the DSP isn't giving to you, maybe something like Xenns Tea Pro would fit better. Hype 4... As much as I want to like it, it's outclassed by multiple IEMs below it's price point. The bass dynamics are pillowy and bloomy so it's not the most satisfying bass for me despite how much bass it has. The bass's messiness also kinda effects the mids clarity for me because the bass just crowds it out with muffled slam which just makes the mids not as detailed as I would like them to be. the treble is also a little hot on some tracks so definitely more a V style tuning but it just doesn't sound natural, clear or resolute which is what I usually like in an IEM. Below it, IEMs like Ziigaat Odyssey, Performer 5+2, META all do a better job at overall sound quality and clarity. Going at the same price tho, Tea Pro is just way better Hype 4 in my opinion. The bass punch and tactility is really just wow on that. The "Lub Dub" of kick drums and the rumbling of the sub bass really is nice and it still keeps the mids clear and details while also having a more tame treble so it's less V shaped and more of a Neutral with a good bass boost. If you want that bass => Tea Pro If you want clarity and naturalness => Dusk I find these 2 sets to be some of the best at the price point but these are just my opinion so mileage may vary but hope this helped to give more perspectives into your perchasing decision :)

The Monarch MKII is still by far my favourite Thieaudio IEM and it's not not even close. Even after listening to the Prestiges, Valhalla, V16, origin, hypes and oracles, I still put the MkII right at the top above all of them. It's personal preference which monarch you like more but for me, it's MKII >>> MKIII anyday

I’m currently trying to downsize - if you’re interested in trying Moondrop variations vs thieaudio hype 4 vs sennheiser ie600, I’m down to send them to you as long as you buy one of the three and send the other two back!

Unfortunately ZiiGaat is hard to find in my country and Xenns is sold out and left the demo unit only. I tried a demo with the Xenns and Hype 4. Pulled the trigger on Hype 4 so far enjoying it. Should I sell off my Timeless 2 or is it worth keeping my only Planar IEM.

Hype 4. Had nothing to do with the sound, but it had fit issues for me.