ThieAudio - Oracle MKIII

Oracle mk 3 owner right there with ya! Don't stop till the windows blow out!

I'm good with the Thieaudio Oracle Mk3

I've only really messed with the treble switches so far, the 2 bass switches I left on because I love bass. In my opinion, the CCA Hydros are too bright with the treble switches on. I haven't tried turning the bass switches off yet, I'll tinker with them next time I give them a listen, perhaps later tonight. I also just picked up some used IEMs from eBay, Thieaudio Oracle Mk3's, they were listed for $450. I think those might be my 'endgame' IEMs, they sound amazing! They've got more bass than the CCA Hydros & the midrange & treble are incredibly clear. I'm now thinking about selling all of them on eBay, except for the Oracle Mk3's & I'll keep CCA Hydro's as a backup.

Enjoy what you have. I've listened to my fair share of iems. I just returned the thieaudio origin due to size and fit issues. I just got the thieaudio divinity v16 to try an all BA iem again. With a few mins of listening these things have a big stage and great imaging. My other iem isthe thieaudio Oracle mk3

I can only speak from my experience. I have three Thieaudio sets (hype 10, Oracle iii, origin), and they’ve been great so far. If you’re in the US, buy from a reputable store (headphones.com or bloom) with good service/warranties

I have that same btr 15 love it with my oracle mk3 iem and my other iems i only use it for Bluetooth function from phone

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

As an owner of the Theiaudio Oracle and Fatfreq Maestro Mini..... Keep the bass slammin, my friend!

I listened to both back to back. Honestly, the Origin was way more immersive. The MMk3 sounded a little like it was trying to hard. Bass was a real standout on the Origin as well. If you want something more technical and precise than the origin (but still a very engaging listen) , go for the Prestige LTD and skip over the Monarch series.

To the first part of your post, that price range will vary greatly with your musical experience/exposure, expectations about what you identify as mind-blowing, and your personal exposure to listening gear. Currently, IEM tech is changing at an accelerating pace- you can find mind-blowing products at several price ranges from the $100s to the $1000s. There is no potential endgame with IEMs in my experience. Specific designs will excel with certain genres of music and certain models are designed for very specific types of listening, including studio production- in my case, the Thieaudio Oracle is one of the only iems I can use for recording. For listening pleasure and study, I currently keep a handful of IEMs that can rival my headphones. In particular, I love my ISN EBC 80s for their astounding depth, immersion and dynamic breadth during active listening. I enjoy my Soundrhyme Sr7s during the day for their enveloping richness and soundstage experience. When I take the dog for a walk, I use my audiosense T800s and often take the 7Hz Auroras in my pocket. The warmer bass tuning make these a fun combo on the move. When I listen to live orchestra and chamber music I reach for the BGVP-DMA and the new NiceHCK Himalayas- they are astounding IEMs for the price. All these IEMs are in the $190 to $800 range, if you shop wisely. For professional work, I edit in a sound-treated room using Genelec and KEF monitors- they are both outstanding. I’ll move to HD 800 and Arya Organics at night to keep my neighbors happy. I have worked with far more expensive gear for years now, and cannot tell you that I’ve been blown away by more expensive hardware, specifically IEMs. I think this will change going forward, and we will probably hear breakthroughs that will indeed rival the likes of HD 800s and HE1000se. Lastly, IEMs cannot really compete with Supra-aural headphones imo. The physical design and anatomical challenges are pretty complex. There are other variables that will definitely affect your experience- your health, your ears and physiology, your eartips/fit solutions, your audio chain from power source-pre amp, to DAC and amp choice. The question remains, at what price point do you personally find the mind-blowing threshold ? IMO, the more you spend, the less you will experience that threshold. Late in life, I continue to have mind-blowing moments with my IEMs when I listen to new music every single night. Fundamentally, it’s bout the music in your head and heart. We live in an awesome tech moment that can afford us superlative listening for a relatively small investment.

I tried TheAudio Monarch and Oracle (don't remember Mk numbers) some time ago and wasn't impressed really. The do sound good, and have good technicalities but nowhere near the headphones at this price (Arya or LCD-2C) or substantially better than good quality $200-300 planar IEMs. Tonality is different but that's taste more than anything else. Timeless (1 or 2) is where IEM peaks for me personally, and diminishing return is hitting hard after that. At least based on my hearing abilities.

Although I hate to call myself that, I would be considered an "audiophile" with lots of Hi-Fi gear and also a lot of IEMs. I criticize Apple a lot when it it is due, but with the AirPods Pro 2, Apple really has released a gem. Sound quality is extremely good. Does it sound as good as my ~500 dollar Thieaudio Oracle? No, but it certainly does not sound only half as good as the Oracle, probably 80% as good - while being wireless, having ANC and being way more comfortable. In fact the APP2 is the most comfortable IEM I have tried, and believe me I have tried a lot. Regarding sound quality, there's technical ability and frequency response. The APP2 technically is the best wireless IEM available, soundstage and imaging are one of the best I have tried. Detail retreival and resolution it's the best on any wireless IEM, but is bested by some, but not all wired IEMs. If you have good ears and really listen carefully, you can still hear it's a wireless connection. Frequency response is excellent, but a matter of taste. It's warm-neutral with a slight and tasteful bass boost. For some genres it's perfect, for some others not perfect but still very good.

I also have S12 and APP2 (and also some other stuff, since I am gear-junkie audiophile) and I like the APP2 more. Sound signature is a matter of taste, but the S12 is heavily v-shaped with elevated treble, whereas the APP2 is a warm-neutral with a tasteful little bass boost. It sounds way better than the S12 And the S12 has not a good fit, the APP2 is the most comfortable and secure fit I have experienced in an IEM (and I have tried a lot). And that does not even factor in the amazing ANC and portability of the APP2. My Thieaudio Oracle sounds better than the APP2, but costs twice the price (and definitely does not sound double as good) and is not wireless and does not have ANC

Yeah, I'm with you on the audition – at that price point, it's all about the tuning, not the technical performance. Most IEMs in that range are really really good. But price-wise, I'd bump it up to 1k. IEMs from $500-$850 are a bit lacking compared to the higher-end ones, based on comparing the Oracle and Origin to the MK2-3 and LTD. Consider the Grand Maestro. IMO the GM is the benchmark, is that IEM the others compare too and it doesn't lose too much value like some other.

I would say, Yap warning Transducer TYPE BA/DD/EST/PZT/BCD Driver count Driver Impedance Driver Tuning/Resistor Choice Acoustic Tunneling Cabinet Size EG Size of IEM Venting Nozzle Length Isolation factor THD Driver Matierals Wire size 2 pin cable matieral and guage Target Audience A lot of these factors are what make high end speakers sound different from more budget speakers. Psychoacoustic bias is also the biggest issue and factor one should always keep in mind as when I had orignally bought my Mmk3 I thought they had a average and boring sound since I had not properlly tip rolled to get good isolation and also had racked up 400 hours of total listening time on my beloved variations. Once I had a mental reset, Proper tip roll and seal for comfort. WOW 1,000 price tag did not give me any buyers remorse unlike the day of delivery. I finally understood the Tonality claims and how fun they were for being a Neutral Set(Certified Treble Violation) compared to harman. I also want to give a bit of subjective bias in that a good set of transducers should have a bare minimum cost like how most EST tribrids rarely dip below 400$ msrp but also some all BA sets are upwards of 3000$, Cadenza U12/U18 and they have big engineering teams behind them probably inflatring that number to cover costs, but price should never equal a certain level of measureable gain or enjoyment at the ear, EG the 64 audio volur, MD Dark Saber and CCA Hydro all feature a similiar driver count but all sound different or much "better" even though they vary from 90$-679$-1999$, there tuning target and demographics were ultimately weighed upon all these listed factors and whom the iem was intended for. While the prices may vary the actually sound enjoyment will also be much more subjective considering the target response and In-EAR fit and anotamy. to list some reasons that may influence wether there is some form of reason to believe a iem at higher prices may sound "better" but you should give some factor in that at a certain point there is no value in weighing wether the rhapsodio supreme legend will be % better than the MIM Dark magician considering they are Single Dynamic units, with big price diferences. While I do think most people will lose themselves faster to music and stop chasing the dragon if they do get the chance to purchase a TOTL product after countinus use of budget Products, there will always be better reason to allocate time and money to other things outside of this very subjective terrible hobby. its honestly blind high stakes gambling sometimes lol.

Have you tried the Xenns Mangird Top? I have it and the Monarch MKIII and still prefer it. I want Xenns to make a $1k IEM badly.

ok, well, any budget? monarch mkIII plenty good enough. 64 audio u6t is also fantastic and I would take it over monarch. 64 audio trio and volur are both fantastic for gaming so just pick whichever tuning you like more for music. Vision ears ve10 is even more expensive but absolutely nutty. Empire ears raven isn't as good as ve10 for gaming but more fun. AME raven is like god tier for gaming but I dont like the tuning. :)

I generally would avoid campfire. Mk3 is a fine choice. For people with small ears and ok with eqing i recommend ie900.

Speaking of, I tend to reach for the Noir over the Monarchs. I have both. Noirs have a very addictive sound. Also, look for an open box or used set and save some money.

Well, we do hear differently, and I never tried them side by side. If I get a chance, I'll do just that and report back. It's the MKIII that I own.

To each their own I guess, to me the MMk3 is just overly shrill in the mid-upper treble that it comes off as messy and crunchy. The MMk2 is better tuned despite not being as good in terms of bass quality and note separation IMO.

I was recently wowed by a performer 5 I got on sale for $150 even though I own other sets ranging from $400-1000 along with headphones such as the 560s and 6xx. Goes to show that price is meaningless and it’s more about how much satisfaction you get out of it. Not saying my $1000 set, the monarch mkiii, isn’t superior, it definitely is, but it’s not like leaps and bounds unless you A/B test them

I'm using Scarlett Minis and had the MMK3 which is somewhat close to the Origin? MMK3 is nice but Scarlett Mini has amazing bass. No EQ needed.

Oh the MMK3 were far better for metal and anything that needed clarity. My MEST 2 edges it out though so that's why I sold the MMK3.