ThieAudio Hype 2 IEMs – Dual Dynamic Magnificent Impact

ThieAudio Hype 2 IEMs – Dual Dynamic Magnificent Impact

ThieAudio Hype 2 is a $299 USD pair of In-Ear Monitors or IEMs sold and fulfilled by Linsoul, with a super comfortable ergonomic shell, 4 drivers playing for each ear, and with a high sensitivity, low impedance, and a 6mm nozzle diameter, designed to give you endless fun for all music styles. Given the price point, today we will be reviewing them and comparing the Hype2 to other high-quality IEMs, including Moondrop Blessing 3 (319 USD), HIDIZS MS5 (399 USD), iBasso IT05 (299 USD) and Periodic Audio Titanium V3 (299 USD). 

 

Introduction

ThieAudio is a company mainly sold and fulfilled by Linsoul, which happily is available on Amazon, and which is known for providing some super high-quality products, especially IEMs, with a low price point, good build quality, and which became the kind of alternative to big brand companies that many deal seekers go for these days. Thieaudio is nowadays synonyms to excellence in sound but with a lower price tag than the competition, and I have more friends who own the ThieAudio Monarch series of IEMs than I have friends who have any other particular flagship, so maybe with a bit of luck we’ll also be reviewing the Monarch in the future as well. In the meanwhile, Hype 2 or Hype2 can be found at Linsoul, but also on Amazon, and Linsoul will provide strong support for them, and happily those are the kind of IEMs unlikely to break for years to come.  

It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with ThieAudio or Linsoul, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I’d like to thank Linsoul for providing the sample for this review. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in the ThieAudio Hype 2 IEMs Earphones find their next music companion. 

 

Product Link

You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/46zOcug

If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3PLJwul

And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3PNuft0

 

Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort

ThieAudio always knew how to make some interesting IEMs, and I am really glad that this time around we have the better color, and the more pleasing to use version. Hype 2 has Sonion drivers, which traditionally have been known to be the more entry-level option compared to Knowles, but that still shouldn’t stop it from sounding amazing, if those are implemented well. There’s also the new Impact 2 subwoofer implemented, with an isobaric design, and an enhanced bass power. 

The whole idea of the new Impact 2 subwoofer is to have two bass drivers playing inside of each IEM, having them arranged in an isobaric design. We also know that the two Sonion drivers used in the Hype 2 are rather good versions, namely the 2356 and E25ST drivers, both of which have been known to be quite good. Something to keep in mind is that although Sonion isn’t usually known for making the more high-end drivers compared to Knowles, they generally have a less fatiguing sound, and with a smoother texture. 

At the technical level, we have 4 drivers playing in each IEM, all with an impedance of 25 OHMs, which is low, but not low enough to make them super prone to hissing and background noise. The sensitivity is quoted at 108 dB / VRMs at 1 kHz, which is also very good and means that Hype2 will be easy to drive and pleasing to use with most sources. The Stem size is 5.4mm and the Nozzle Diameter is 6mm, which means that this is an IEM that will be comfortable for most ears. 

When actually wearing them, I am getting excellent comfort, as Hype 2 will sit neatly in my ears, the shape is very ergonomic, and they have a rounded shell, plus there is no driver flex. It is important to try to insert them slowly, as there is a bit of void effect, which comes from the ventilation mechanism. We get a good amount of passive noise isolation, between 20 and 30 dB of passive noise isolation. Despite the fact that the body feels really tight and well put together, ThieAudio Hype 2 is lightweight and doesn’t make you feel any kind of wearing fatigue. 

The last part we’d mention is the cable, which is one of the less interesting cables we’ve seen lately, but that’s not a problem as the cable is detachable and fully replaceable. The cable feels generic compared to most Chifi IEMs in the price range that will offer Balanced modular plugs and such, but the cable works super well, and offers good comfort, which scores points for the overall quality of the Hype2. 

 

Sound Quality

We made sure to pair the ThieAudio Hype2 IEMS with quite a few sources, including some of the mighty ones, like FiiO K9 PRO, SMSL DO400, Matrix Mini-i PRO 4, and Aune S9c PRO. This being said, those have an extremely high SPL of 108 dB, and a super low impedance of 25 OHMs, so it will be more important to have a source with low hissing, as driving power will be plenty from most sources and you shouldn’t have any issues driving the Hype 2 from most portable dongles, including iFi Audio Go Bar, Hiby R2 II, and ddHIFI TC35C. 

The overall sound of the ThieAudio Hype 2 can be described as a super clean, super detailed presentation with a balanced overall sound, but with a slight V-Shaped tendency to provide a fuller, deeper bass, a somewhat recessed midrange, and a strong, bright, sparkly treble. The soundstage is super wide, and will respect the source material, so songs that have been recorded wide will sound really wide, while songs that are narrow or compressed will sound as such. The same can be said for dynamics, and Hype 2 will allow songs with a high dynamic range to sound super dynamic and punchy, but will show dynamic compression on music that’s been poorly mastered. 

Starting with the bass, we have one of the most pleasing low ends that we’ve heard in the entry-level range, and Hype 2 surely sounds like the name implies, and it is a hyped up IEM, there’s a strong sub bass, that continues with some uplift in the mid bass and slowly smooths out in the upper bass, creating a sensation and feeling of fullness for all music. This helps a lot with rock and metal, where you hear the rhythm, and feel a strong impact from drums, but also from bass guitars. This pumped up, punchy bass will give a superb sound to electronic, dubstep, and techno music, giving it that lively feeling that you typically get in a club or dance hall. 

The midrange of the ThieAudio Hype 2 is not forgotten, although it is presented ever so slightly behind the bass and the treble, it allows for a huge soundstage to expand between your ears and around your head. It feels like Hype 2 despite going for a very live sound, is one of the most respectful IEMS of the source material, and will play exactly the music you’re feeding it, for example wide sounding songs will be wide, holographic, have a really pleasing 3D staging, like Zomboy – Born To Survive having a really wide and pleasing presentation, but songs that sound more narrow being presented as such. Especially with music being played from Youtube, you can hear the compression in both the soundstage and dynamics compared to the album version of many songs, and this made me realize just how detailed and pleasing in the mids Hype 2 is, the company nailed the tonality really well, and hype 2 has very little specific character, rather allowing both male and female voices to be natural and vibrant, synths to present textures brightly, and guitars to sound juicy. The texture is natural, not smooth nor harsh, just as you’d expect from an earphone that tries to sound as naturally as possible. 

We have a bright, vivid, sharp treble that extends nicely into the 16-17 kHz range, and which plays all those shiny cymbal crashes, being able to fully show air and space in music. You can easily appreciate finer details and micro information in music, Hype 2 does deliver a really nice V-Shaped signature that, especially in rock and metal, EDM and pop music, shows detail that sounds natural and coherent. It is rare to hear a Chifi product produce such fine details, because most of them will have such a tuning that will show all cymbal crashes as very similar, while Hype 2 will be able to play each cymbal crash as it has been recorded, making all music just so much more fun. Overall, you should expect a sound that is pleasing, poppy, punchy, dynamic, and impactful, with a natural mid that will work equally well for all music styles. The less character an IEM has, the more transparent it is, the better for your music and ears, and Hype 2 will only add a bit of extra hype to music, but allow it to breathe and shine through. 

 

Comparisons 

ThieAudio Hype 2 vs Periodic Audio Titanium V3 (299 USD vs 299 USD) – Although theoretically the shape and ergonomic of Titanium V3 makes it easier to wear in theory (because it can be worn straight-down), it has a lot of microphonic noise if worn that way, making Hype 2 a much better IEM for ergonomics and comfort. Furthermore, the cable of the Hype 2 is of a much better quality, as the cable of Titanium V3 is flexible, but does not inspire a lot of faith in how well it will survive years of usage. The sound is cleaner, clearer and has a much better detail and resolution as presented by the Hype 2, and it is generally an upgrade compared to Titanium V3 when it comes to the technical ability and resolution. The one thing Ti V3 has going on for it is the bass, as it has a larger bass, but that bloats a bit into the midrange, and the treble can be quite aggressive, which makes the sound less friendly and more specific, while Hype 2 sounds more natural and cleaner overall. 

ThieAudio Hype 2 vs HIDIZS Ms5 (299 USD vs 399 USD) – MS5 is one of the IEMS with a larger shell than Hype 2, yet the weight is fairly similar between them. The cable of MS5 is of a better quality than the cable of the Hype 2, but wearing both is fairly comfortable, as long as you don’t mind the hook of the MS5 being quite tightly coiled around your ear compared to that of the Hype 2. The overall sonic presentation is bassier, heavier and with a more extreme treble sparkle as presented by MS5, and there’s a smoother, more natural sound as presented by Hype 2. Both of them are super enjoyable with basically the most music styles, but if you want a more balanced, more studio like signature, Hype 2 would be more recommended, while if you know that you’re likely to enjoy a heavier bottom end and a bit more treble sparkle, if you know you’ll want a more extreme V-Shaped sound, then MS5 should be the one for you. 

ThieAudio Hype 2 vs iBasso IT05 (299 USD vs 299 USD) – The shells of IT05 are much smaller than those of Hype 2, which makes the IT05 a more comfortable IEM for long-term wearing, and the cables are of a much better quality as well. This being said, the sound of the Hype 2 is actually more balanced and more natural, with IT05 being much fuller, to the point where it is a bass cannon and it loses some of the precision and naturalness that can be found in Hype 2 in the process. To put it bluntly, the sound of IT05 is more extreme in how V-Shaped or U Shaped it sounds, while Hype 2 sounds more balanced and more natural, while both of them have a good detail and a wide soundstage. The resolution of the Hype 2 is slightly better as the mids are more forward, making micro details easier to hear, and the treble is also sharper and more airy on the Hype 2. 

ThieAudio Hype 2 vs Moondrop Blessing 3 (299 USD vs 319 USD) – The ergonomics are quite excellent for both, and both look really good in design. Hype 2 has a slightly smaller and lighter shell, which makes it more comfortable in the long run, but the cable of Blessing 3 is of a better quality. The overall tuning is brighter, sharper and more precise on Blessing 3, while the bass is considerably deeper, punchier and has more substance in Hype 2. While Hype 2 is marketed as a monitoring IEM, that would be a better description for the Blessing 3, which will bless you with details, while Hype 2 has a sound more worthy of its name, hyped up and V-Shaped, with a fuller bass, making rap, electronic, EDM and even Metal music easier to enjoy. 

 

Value and Conclusion

It is always easy to find good value with Chifi IEMs, and ThieAudio has exceptional value even for Chifi stuff, Linsoul offering us a really nice package, excellent sound, and good comfort, all with the value we typically see from 500 USD – 600 USD IEMs, for the 299 USD tag Hype 2 carries. The package and default cable are not very interesting, but the IEMs and their sound is, so all the more reason to go for them if you like excellent value. 

At the end of the day, if you love bass, love a rounded sound with a smooth texture, and a full sound that will be pleasing every single time you hear it, if you love to hear a wide soundstage, and get excellent comfort from your earphones, then the ThieAudio Hype2 might be just the first IEM to actually be as good as the hype about it would make you believe it is. 

 

Product Link

You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/46zOcug

If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3PLJwul

And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3PNuft0

 

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Full Playlist used for this review

We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature.  I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5

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