Thieaudio Hype 2

Packaging

To me packaging...I don't really care for it, it comes in a basic brown box or some fancy box. To me I like accessories and of course the iem itself. Don't we all.

Unboxing experience overall is good lol


Here are some photos of the box, case and iem itself



The cable & faceplate of the iem is gorgeous, the craftsmanship here is extremely nice. I'm a sucker for eye popping IEMs and these will suit anyone who loves a gorgeous IEM



Sound
These imo are simply amazing sounding iems to my ears. Balanced, open sounding and fatigue Free

Bass
The bass here is very good, this iem has a proper bass shelf and you'll really feel and hear when the sun starts subbin. The texture here is fantastic and has that type of bass where it just spreads & blends with any music you listen to. Yeah it's that good and for 300 bucks It's great if you're a basshead

Mids
Mids are clear, transparent and vocals sound really good. Both male & female vocals have nice heft & weight to them, simply put they sound full. Timbre here is great, everything sounds correct.

Treble
Treble to my ears is tuned to sound like an EST. You're probably asking What does this even mean but lemme try & explain. EST drivers usually sound very clear, snappy extend well. This kind of has that slightly brightish clearly type of treble.

Hard to explain Ik lol but overall the treble is tuned quite nice although I don't think it's as good compared the bass & mids.

Isolation
Isolation is top notch. Although keep in mind it'll pick up the wind pretty easily if we'll it's windy and you have shallow tips

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒆𝑨𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒐 𝑯𝒚𝒑𝒆 2 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: 𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒕-𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔


|| 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ||

ThieAudio is one of the most recognizable brands in the Chi-Fi market. With well-received products such as their Monarch and Legend series of IEMs. They are now starting a new series of IEMs with the focus on the amount of drivers packed inside with their first iteration being the Hype 2.



The Hype 2 is priced at around $300 dollars which is the cheapest of the Hype series. It competes with the likes of big names such as the Blessing 3 , AFUL Performer 8, and my personal favorite, the Yanyin Canon II. Packed with 2DD+2BA, the

Hype 2 is definitely no slouch in the quantity department but will that help it win over this price range?


|| 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 ||

I am in no way, shape, or form affiliated with the brands I review and do not give out preview privileges.

This set is sent in exchange for an honest review. There is no material or financial incentive for me to do this review and I guarantee no exchange has been done by both parties to influence or sway our opinions on this product.

My thoughts and opinions are of my own. My experience will entirely differ from everybody else. The contents of this review should not be considered factual as this hobby heavily leans on subjectivity. YMMV.

I don’t do rankings or tier lists as they can get outdated immediately as a reviewer can change their thoughts of a product to a certain extent. If you do want a recommendation then feel free to reach out so I can help out


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𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 THIEAUDIO 𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆.
𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 Linsoul Audio 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝘀. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁. 𝗜 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀.

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| 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗨𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 |

It comes with a huge box that I honestly feel is quite redundant. It is a bit too large for an IEM really but it does give off a nice unboxing experience. The front of the packaging has the image of IEM with all the information one needs about the device and some of the manufacturer’s information.




Sliding off the cover and opening the flap reveals the IEMs in full glory with the cable attached along with the included case holding all of the accessories. All of which are encased in foam to protect it during shipping.

𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻:
Paperwork
Hype 2 Drivers
4-core Litz 5N OCC Silver Plated Cable(3.5mm)
Hard-shell case
White normal-bore eartips(S/M/L)
Foam eartips (S/M/L)
Microfiber cloth

A decent set of accessories for the Hype 2. The case certainly isn’t pocketable but it sure can fit all of the included accessories, the IEM with the cable attached and even a dongle or two if you so desire. Adding to that is the inclusion of a microfiber cloth is very nice considering the Hype 2 is made out of resin that is quite a fingerprint magnet. It seems like the cable included is the one they sell as their EST cable mark I priced at around $69 which is added value I guess.


| 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 & 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 |

The Hype 2 as a whole is made out of resin that feels nice and sturdy in the hand. It comes in 2 color variants that have differing faceplates that being the Indigo and Zicao which is the one we have in for a review. I actually like the Zicao more than the Indigo as it looks more unique and stands out more.



It adopts a pseudo-custom fit with grooves and fins to help sit in your ear better. A rather big vent is located on the front side of the IEM. It has a metal nozzle with a lip to make ear tips stay in place but the nozzle itself seems to be quite chunky compared to others I’ve tried. It has the 2-pin connection on the top area of the IEM and is flush with the whole body.



The faceplate is where both of the color variants differ. The Zicao one has this striking pink and violet glitter pattern that reminds of flowers with a ThieAudio branding on the bottom part of the faceplate.

ThieAudio is packed with a 2DD+2BA setup. They are boasting that they are utilizing the latest Sonion Drivers which are
very well regarded in the industry.


| 𝗜𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 |

Because of the pseudo-custom fit, it isolates very nicely. It drowns out noise very well and can pass off as your passive noise-canceling set in a pinch.


| 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 |

Occlusion effect seems to be average on this one but the main issue pertaining to comfort is the thick nozzle. After some time using it, it does feel tiring in the ear and made me want to remove them to take a breather on several occasions.

** 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗭𝘂 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗶 𝗪𝗶𝗱𝗲(𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹), 𝗭𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝟭 (𝗘𝗦𝗦) | 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗘𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗧𝗘-𝟮𝟮𝟮 | 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 (𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴) | **

| 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 |

Even with the multiple drivers packed into the Hype 2, I never had an issue powering these even with the Apple Dongle but I really prefer the sound of this when pushing more volume



|| 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 ||

The Hype 2 doesn’t strike me as anything specific that most people in this hobby specify IEMs as. I find these pretty
balanced to the point that it is kind off boring. There is nothing the sticks out but it is most definitely a safer kind of tuning

| 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝘀 |

The bass of the tends to lean more on the midbass compared to the sub bass but only by a slight margin. Midbass hits are forward and do give off good hits and impacts that feel full, while the subbass is in the background, while present, it doesn’t take center stage as much but provide ample rumble support.


| 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝘀 |

Mids sound great. Vocals sound full, rich and quite forward. Female vocals seem to be more present than their male counterparts but they do sound a tad bit more harsher hence more instances of hearing sibilance. Instruments sound great. Cymbals sound especially full and not splashy like things like the KiwiEars Quintet. Timbre is quite natural even with the presence of balanced armatures.


| 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘀 |

Details are okay. The Hype 2 isn’t as revealing like the Quintet but it does its fair share of credit for detail. Highs isn’t the most forward in the Hype 2 so harshness is more than bearable. Extension is also not up to par with the likes of the Quintet or the Canon II. Because of this clear downside, the Hype 2 doesn’t provide much in terms of sparkle in the treble.


| 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 |

Although the sense of staging is quite cramped, imaging, layering and separation is good. I can easily identify sources even in the busiest part of songs with ease. It never was congested. This is great for all things entertainment from movies to all types of games.


|| 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ||

I often found myself comparing it to the cheaper KiwiEars Quintet and the Yanyin Canon II for around the same price. In terms of treble and technical ability, get the Quintet. In terms of energy and bass quality, grab the Canon II. However, if you can’t fit in either of those boxes and aren't quite sure of what to get, then I can recommend the Hype 2.



Nothing sticks out for the Hype 2 in my opinion. It is basically a jack of all trades, master of none type of set that I can recommend safely. Although if you are after that spice, then I recommend looking at somewhere else.

[| 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 |]

https://www.linsoul.com/products/thieaudio-hype-2...

(𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀. 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀)

Preamble​

Many thanks to @o0genesis0o, Linsoul and Thieaudio for providing me with the Hype 2's for a review.

It feels as though Chi-fi has a new release every other week and in the midst of that, there are a lot of questions to be asked. What is the best at $XXX? Is it worth the extra $XXX for X IEM? Why does Thieaudio get so much hype (pun intended)?

Today’s review concerns the Hype 2, the not really a sequel in that it’s actually Hype2 instead of 2. Thieaudio has garnered significant attention over the last several years with their lineup of IEMs that have captured the imagination of many hobbyists as well as some very high-profile reviewers. That is not to say that they are infallible, there has been numerous detractors to some of their IEMs whose reputation have been less than stellar. But is the Hype able to shake off some of the recent Ls to live up to their name?

The Factual Stuff

While I didn’t receive the Hype in its box, I did receive the accessory package consisting of:

• foam tips;
• silicone tips;
• a grey zip-up hard case;
• a twisted 3.5mm cable;
• a cleaning cloth; and
• a cable velcro strap.

Coming in your choice of two colours, the Hype earpieces are rather lightweight and the faceplates carry a rather understated garishness that is very much appreciated.

Within those earpieces are a drive configuration consisting of two dynamic drivers and two balanced armatures. The party piece of the Hype and the inspiration of their namesake is the IMPACT2 technology that utilises the two 10mm dynamic drivers arranged in an “isobaric design”. The BA are supposedly the latest model from Sonion, the P2356HF/4 and E25ST001/D. The latter being a “super tweeter” focused on treble.

The Hype is priced at 299 USD.

Opinion Stuff​

Sound​

Bass​

The Hype seems to place particular emphasis on the IMPACT2 technology used within and perhaps for good reason. The bass frequencies in the Hype are very well done for an IEM in this price range. There is a healthy amount of bass added in the tuning with the sub-bass and mid-bass elevated above “neutral” IEMs resulting in a distinct fun-factor with the Hype. And it’s not a matter of sheer quantity over quality, the bass remains resolving and relatively fast, hitting with good impact and presence but not bloated to the point of becoming hugely distracting from the rest of the mix. “Hype” by Drake (only a coincidence I swear) has a big, drawn out bass line throughout the track at times overlapping with a running rap by Drake and the entire experience remains coherent and easily discernible from one another. The bass remains present, impactful (I swear I’m not doing this on purpose) and quite clean. “THE PLAN” from the TENET soundtrack has an outrageous amount of sub-bass within the first 10 seconds of the song, and the Hype manages to resolve it with the required texture and sense of weight extremely well. The technology that Linsoul have put into the Hype appears to be paying dividends as this region seems to punch well above its price range.

My experience of the low-end of the Hype appears to affirm the claims made by Thieaudio in spruiking their novel implementation of a dual dynamic driver set-up in that it is elevated, fun and still clean in its presentation. A definite win for the Hype in this regard.

Mids​

The midrange of the Hype is imbued with a sense of warmth perhaps by virtue of its rather generous bass boost. There is a sense of fullness and grand tonality to the vocals sitting within this range. “Billie Bossa Nova” by Billie Eilish elicits a rather relaxed listening experience with the sparse instrumentalization and her voice feeling warm and rounded in nature. “Stay with Me” by Sam Smith also provides a similar experience with the vocals and instruments presenting slightly forward in the mix and with a naturalness that I associate with being more emotionally engaging than some more hard-edged IEMs in the market.

Upper mids appear to be executed well as I ran the gamut of slightly sibilant and shouty tracks through the Hype to little fatigue.

However, the Hype does descend into the region of being overly soft and smoothed out in this regard as detail feels lost with certain instruments in songs such as “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington & Bill Withers which strikes with a laundry list of instruments throughout. The result is a tonality that veers slightly into “wet”, “overly smoothed” and could even be potentially described as veiled. To put an odd metaphor in place, the Hype presents certain notes as a hand formed piece of clay instead of an intricately chiselled marble statue.

Overall, there is not much to hate with the midrange for a casual, laid-back listen but there is a feeling of some detail left on the table.

Treble​

The treble of the Hype is a bit of a mixed bag for me. Whilst it does not make the mistake of grossly inflating this region in the pursuit of what I’ve termed as “faux detail” it is slightly restrained and takes on a very slightly dark tonality in my mind.

Grating synths in EDM tracks such as “Language” by Porter Robinson & “You & Me” by Disclosure/Flume fail to raise the hairs on the back of my neck and give me the sparkle that I listen out for in these tracks. A cymbal crashing and a brush on a hi-hat lacks that sense of presence and detail and whilst this ties in with the rest of the tonality in some regard, I do not feel comfortable saying that the treble is “great”. Elements within this region come across as slightly blunted and lacking the tingling inducing sense of sparkle.

A quick test with some digital signal processing with the Chord Mojo 2 in this region with a very generous boost resulted in a very clean treble region that imbued that sense of sparkle and micro-detail.

Overall, the treble takes a rather safe approach and I can’t really fault them for it. Slightly dark and missing the sense of air and microdetail on slightly hotter IEMs, the Hype is built for the long, relaxing listening session.

Technicalities​

The Hype 2 presents a rather mixed bag of technical prowess that I will temper with the knowledge of its price point.

On the detail retrieval and imaging front, the Hype 2 does decently well but the tuning of the mids and treble as described earlier does lead to a slightly veiled tonality that feels as though some detail is being lost. The bass however, provides great detail and texture that I feel is punching beyond its price range.

Imaging is a bit odd and I can only describe it with a rather obtuse metaphor of being in a 5 speaker surround system. Centre presenting vocals, but expertly mixed tracks seem to only present in the corners of my head, basically to my 11, 1, 5 and 7 o’clock. As a result of this limited imaging prowess, there is a lost sense in the ability to perceive “layers” of music with songs such as “Fine” by Taeyeon with a multi-layered vocal belting at approximately 2:30 presenting with less specificity than other (pricier) IEMs.

Sound staging is similarly odd, the Hype feels somewhat confined in width and depth but feels rather tall. Bombastic orchestral music such as “One-Winged Angel” from the FFVII soundtrack which is already (likely) recorded in a music hall feels oddly narrow.

The combination of these factors lead to a conclusion that the technical capabilities of the Hype match its price point and in any case, sort of fits into what I believe Thieaudio was going for when they put this IEM into production. This is an easy-listening IEM that has its fun-factor in its bass frequencies and in that respect, it is hard to fault the technical performance of the Hype.

Overall:​

I feel that the Hype takes a rather uncommon tuning approach in the Chi-Fi space. Instead of wringing out every ounce of detail possible and following a target curve, the Hype goes for a more relaxed and easy-going signature that is bolstered with tremendous bass performance.

The result is an IEM that seems to rely on the excellent bass performance that punches above its price-bracket at the cost of slightly below average mid-range and treble performance.

Comparisons​

Vs Moondrop Variations MK2​

The Variations represent a step in the price bracket when it comes to Chi-fi and has the benefit of an additional driver type being thrown into the mix with its EST driver setup. The Variations take a different approach to tuning with the mid-bass / lower mids region being noticeably recessed compared to the Hype. In this regard, the present a colder tonality that assists with a greater sense of clarity and coherency throughout this region.

The Hype feels to hit with a greater sense of punch and physicality in the bass with its slight mid-bass boost, whereas the Variations, even with a rather generous sub-bass self doesn’t present itself as a “punchy” IEM.

The upper region also gets a little boost over the Hype 2 leading to a more edgy sound signature wherein female vocals and instruments sitting in this region gain a greater sense of crispness that at time verges on a little bright. However, I do not believe the Variations can be described as sibilant by any means. The Variations present greater clarity and coherency through the mids and the treble region that is thin to the ears when A-Bing against the Hype. The Hype’s vocal tonality feels more natural to the ear but the detail and crispness of instrumentalization suffers compared to the Variations.

Ultimately, I feel that the Variations still best the Hype on a technical standpoint with a wider albeit somewhat flat staging and greater resolution throughout the mids and treble region.

The tonality of the two are rather different and if you prefer a crisp and edgier sound signature with a greater sense of layering and imaging, then the Variations are the no brainer. The Hype is betting on its bass in this shootout and I feel that it presents a competitor and perhaps even a winner against the more expensive Variations.

Quality of Life​

The Hype 2 fits comfortable within my ears with the qualifying statement that my ears have yet to find an uncomfortable IEM with perhaps the exception of the Symphonium Helios but that is more related to the difficulty in finding the most comfortable fit.

The cable is nicely smooth, soft and malleable. The ergonomics of the stock cable are hard to deny and I feel that alone makes the accessory package of the Hype 2 rather good.

The included tips are decent but do not feel particularly compelling in any regard.

I will caveat the next statement in that I received these from a fellow reviewer and I am not sure what sort of wear and tear they were put through but the finishing of the faceplates seem to be somewhat lacklustre with some visible air bubbles. This is definitely not acceptable at this price range and I trust the previous reviewer to take more care with these considering he purchased them and as such I would tell readers to venture with caution.

Driving the Hype 2 seem to be no issue with lower-powered sources such as the venerated Apple Dongle.

Value​

Priced at 299 USD, I do not feel that the Hype completely demolishes the competition at this price point but rather, presents a compelling argument in the price range. The bass quality and quantity are excellent in that it punches beyond its weight class but it is at the cost of some mid-range detail and engagement and treble sparkle. These two elements are quite key in this price range as I feel that the 300 range represents a step up for those looking to jump up from their budget IEMs and any less than a perceptible “detail” improvement will be somewhat disappointing. In this regard, the Hype occupies a rather niche expertise in its excellent ability to reproduce the bottom end of music. If you have been living in this price range and want a standout IEM in terms of bass quality in the same price range, then I feel that the Hype represents wonderful value.

Conclusion​

The Hype seems to eschew the common trends in this price range, dispensing with what I would term a lean and technical tuning in order to emphasise bass performance. The result is a tremendous bass response that I feel competes with more expensive IEMs but at the loss of some quality for the rest of the regions.

That is not to say the rest of it is absolutely terrible, it takes the approach of tuning the mids and treble to be warm and smoothed out in its reproduction, losing some semblance of detail and perceived resolution.

The perceived loss of detail leads me to believe that this will be a hate it or love it IEM as the Hype leans heavily on its bass quality and the mids and treble seem more like afterthoughts. Initial listens are wonderfully rewarding but extended listens inherently leads to a sense of FOMO for everything else.

The Hype feels like a proof of concept for their new IMPACT technology and colour me impressed, however, I would wait for v2 with a greater attention to detail on the mids and the treble and perhaps put my money towards a greater all-rounder that perhaps is not as tight in the low-end but presents with greater balance.

ThieAudio Hype 2
2DD + 2BA
$299

Before I even start this review, I want to thank Linsoul for sending me the Hype 2 in for review, rest assured, this review is 100% my own opinion.

You can get the ThieAudio Hype 2 here : https://www.linsoul.com/products/thieaudio-hype-2

Unboxing
What you get inside the box :

• IEM
• Cable
• Silicone Tips
• Foam Tips
• Cable Ties
• Pouch
• Microfibre cloth

Build Quality

There are some issues I see on Google with the Hype 2 build quality, there are some people that has experienced some kind of rattle inside their Hype 2, but myself with 2 sample that I received (Blue and Purple) The build quality of my sample is very good, so no rattle to be found even when I flick my IEMs (please don't do this).

I also have asked Linsoul about the rattle issues with the Hype 2, rest assured, they said they will help any customers that are having any issues with that.

The IEM itself is build from resin and is probably hollowed out because it is so lightweight.

While the cable is the ThieAudio EST MK1, It is one of the most premium and beautiful cable for a stock included one.
Though sadly there is no option for choosing between 2.5mm / 4.4mm connector.
Fitting
Here is very comfortable despite the IEM is a bit chonky and thick.

Sound

Tested using Hiby FC6, Cayin RU7, StockCable, Stock Silicone Eartips.
Music is mostly from Apple Music(J-POP, J-Rock, EDM, Jazz, Rap, Metal, Anisong)

Tonality in General :
Bass Boosted Neutral

Bass is handled by isobaric design dual DD that ThieAudio called it the Impact Squared.
It has a very generous bass boost ranging from sub bass to around 200hz, it doesn't touch the midrange area so the bass is very clean.

Bass presentation here is very satisfying.
It has a very “grand” bass presentation if that makes sense to you, it has a very good rumble and the texture of it is very resolving, If you'd like to hear a high resolution bass, the Hype 2 is probably the right IEM for you !

The impact and slam is also very good thanks to the isobaric design of the DD
I test it on Hit 'Em Up by 2Pac and whooh, I feel super immersed with the tracks using the Hype 2.
Not only that, the bass speed can keep up with double pedal tracks such as metal music, I test it on Trivium songs and boy the bass here is also very satisfying.

Midrange is handled by Sonion BA, it sounds very natural and organic for a BA unit, the timbre here is very good superb I'd say.
Midrange here is mostly flat and neutral, it has proper note weight, so male and female vocal sounds lovely and not only that, instrument such as saxophone, trumpet, and violin is rendered very very well, I test it with my usual Violet Evergarden OST, and a lot of Massimo Farao Trio Songs it sounds very realistic to my ears.

Treble is also handled by Sonion BA, it sounds very airy without any piercing sound and “zink” at all.
It has a very good long and “wet” decay so sounds such as cymbal is rendered very realistically and is very resolving albeit a bit softened.

Treble timbre here is also superb, there is no metallic sound at all to be found.
Extension here is very good and well extended.

Technicalities
Stage is very wide for an IEM, it has exact wall placement and is symmetrical in shape.

Separation and Positioning is very good, it is well separated and the positioning is also sharp, no issues at all tested on nZk – Cage track and lots of songs from Plini.

Imaging is superb, I dare say it is already having a holographic presentation for only $299.
It has very good 3D rendering of sound and it has that “holographic pop up” effect that usually only available on flagship tier IEM.

Detail Retrieval is very good for its price and is very resolving in all frequency (bass, mids, treble).

Comparation

Moondrop Blessing 3

The Blessing 3 is $20 more expensive than the Hype 2, looks wise I prefer the Blessing 3 because of its transparent full resin that looks so beautiful.
Sound wise, the Blessing 3 is having less bass quantity compared to the Hype 2 and is inferior in terms of timbre and a bit lacking in the imaging department.

Conclusion

Do I recommend the Hype 2 ?

YES.
It is one of the very good sounding IEM on the $300 price bracket, not only that, the timbre and imaging here is top notch for its price, timbre wise, it even beats my Moondrop S8 in terms of sounding natural and organic.

-0.5* because there are no 2.5mm / 4.4mm cable options.

But again, please do make your own judgement, myself here as a reviewer is only giving you guys more data to process by yourself for free on the Internet.

Thanks for reading this far !


Just in case you're Indonesian or understand Bahasa Indonesia, you can watch the review of this IEM here


-littlenezt.

Review Of The Thieaudio Hype2​

Introduction​

The Chinese company Thieaudio, which produces electroacoustic products with a determination, is well-known and respected in the audiophile community. Particularly their one IEM, the Monarch MKII, is highly regarded and adored by many audiophiles, including me, for being one of the best sounding IEM in the world and costing less than $1,000. I personally own a Monarch MKII, and the truth be told, I am enchanted by the sound quality it produces. I use this IEM as the standard against which to judge other in-ear monitors. Putting aside personal experiences, Thieaudio not only sells IEMs but also gorgeous cables. They recently released the HYPE2, a budget-friendly IEM. Since this is the first in the line, I'm not sure what happened to the HYPE, but today I'll be reviewing this IEM in a unique way because it's a special one. But first, I want to set the facts straight.

Disclaimer​

*Since this unit tour was organised by the kindly people at Linsoul, I am grateful to them. And as I've said in all of my evaluations, the same is true for this one: all of the concepts I've expressed below are entirely my own, original ideas that haven't been influenced by anyone else. If interested, go to this link.
*I am not associated with the connection, and I receive no financial assistance from anyone.
*For the remainder of the review, I will refer to these IEMs as “HYPE2.”
*I am using different Ear-tips for convenience and better versatility.
* As a result of the worse-than-expected delivery, I don't have all the accessories on hand, so I'll post an online picture of them instead.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the HYPE2 based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification​

Two dynamic drivers that are isobarically positioned and two balanced armature drivers make up the HYPE2's four driver configuration.The new generation sonion P2356HF and E25ST001/D super tweeters, which handle the mid and high frequencies, respectively, are the balanced armature drivers. The two dynamic drivers are the result of the IMPACT2 design, which employs two 10mm subwoofer dynamic drivers in an isobaric configuration. Along with the interiors, the exterior is also attractive and upscale.The faceplate has a really lovely pattern that shines more brilliantly in the light, and the shells are made of medical resin. Additionally, the shells' ergonomic design and small size fit the ears well and prevent pain or fatigue even when used for extended periods of time. The cable that comes with this IEM is one of those premium cables that look and feels exquisite when it is used with high-end IEMs. The cable has a two-pin connection on one end and a straight 3.5mm jack on the other, but the 3.5mm plug was broken because I received a damaged package. In order to accept the cable, I soldered a 4.4mm balanced plug. A carrying case with the thieaudio logo, three pairs of silicon eartips, three pairs of foam eartips and one microfiber cloth are the only additional accessories that are included.



**Credit of the above image**

What I think of the sound​

As the majority of audiophiles are aware, once a hype train for a tuning gets going, everyone wants a piece of that pie. I have been testing this IEM since last month in order to determine precisely what is new in the IEM market. So, when I talk about the HYPE2, I'm talking about my month-long experience with it. This time, I wanted to determine whether the IEM is truly worth the money or if it is the best of the best. Obviously, this is a subject matter of mine, but I am confident that the IEM brings the mid-fi segment to its knees.



What I like most about the sound, then, is that it is undeniably alluring and has a balanced response that tops any IEM when it comes to striking the ideal balance between tonality and technicalities. It seems as though a 2 BA 2 DD wouldn't be very good at presenting the sound because it is so beautifully done. This dynamic quality of the mix keeps your senses tingling not due to how potent it becomes but rather due to how it flourishes and provides you with a calming experience. This dynamic quality of the mix controls the entire response and creates a fantastic balance between each region.

Although the clarity and details are lacking, it does bring smoothness and fluency to the energy transitions between the treble, midrange, and bass. My personal opinion is that the upper treble is airy and transparent enough to allow for a well-rounded and wholesome response; however, details are another story when compared to IEM like Blessing 3. With a stronger emphasis on clarity and forward response, the lower treble has better energy and allows for better exposure to instruments and vocal high notes, which sound full and organic. The mid range, nothing sounds out of place and everything sounds so harmonious and expressive with great control over the notes, whether it is in the lower mid range or upper mid range. Particularly when I talk about the vocals, the closest explanation could be that they create such an enveloping sound that satisfies every desire you might develop. When it comes to the bass, the sub bass is the main focus, and its extension is very deep and resonant, sounding very dynamic and thunderous, strong, and punchy, while the mid bass blooms well together, making the slams sound impactful, which they do successfully. However, I find it really pleasing that it doesn't interfere with higher frequencies, change the response, or overflow the mix. Although some listeners may perceive the overall response as having a v-shape sound signature due to bass exposure, it is overall a balanced response that is smooth, captivating, and enveloping with a fuller and richer response and no offensive sounds, making it the one to rule them all.

Is it really the "Baby Monarch MKII" ?​

Although many audiophiles have discussed this IEM as being little Monarch MKII or a close replica of the Monarch MKII, this is not what I believe. The thieaudio tuning signature, in my opinion, is a characteristic that is deeply ingrained in both the Monarch MKII and HYPE2, but they don't sound the same. The Monarch MKII's spacious sound gives it a somewhat relaxed tuning and a leaner sound, whereas the HYPE2's sound gives it a slightly aggressive sound with a more full-bodied and rich response that allows the vocals and air to infuse and blend together to produce an overwhelming sound. Compared to the Monarch MKII, the bass is more supportive of the lower notes and better able to pull the lower mid range. Even though the vocals appear to be slightly recessed on the frequency response graph, the HYPE2's presentation puts the vocals more front and center. I guess this is because the treble lacks an expansive response. When I talk about stereo exposure in imaging layering and separation, the characteristic I mentioned earlier appears to be similar. So while Ido think that both IEMs produce a somewhat similar response, I won't refer to the HYPE2 as a "Baby Monarch MKII."

Where does it stand around its competition ?​

I became confused when I turned my attention to IEMs in this price range because most of them sounded excellent in their own right; comparing them would be pointless because each would satisfy whether it be the new blessing 3, falcon ultra, or quintet. It appears that Hype2 produces a flavorful response that strikes the best balance between the previously mentioned tonal and technical accuracy. It is enjoyable to hear the HYPE2. Of course, it doesn't compete with the DUNU Falcon Ultra's pure DD thick organic response or the Moondrop Blessing 3's lean and incredibly detailed response, but I still believe that the HYPE2 offers what the other compromised at, namely the technical prowess or tonal quality. I promise that the blessing 3 sounds good, but the HYPE2's male or female vocals simply sound more authentic and natural. The vocals on The Blessing 3 sound leaner and clearer, but they don't grab your attention the way that HYPE2's vocals do, which I believe exclusively elevate monotonous or vocals that are layered on top of one another in a complex mix thanks to its best-in-class stereo imaging and layering. The smooth and upfront exposure turns out to be a better setting for my ear to handle even though they don't come out very contrasted. As I noticed when I reviewed the Ultra, it seemed that each region when in mix were louder subdued other region to become the star of the show which from an overall aspect it sounded an overflowing mix which gives you an idea of rich and fuller response, I think that composure or the segregation in the mix between each region to sound fuller as well as balanced cannot be fully accomplished by a DD. So I think the Hype2 is the best IEM for everyday use and I do think it is more capable overall than other IEMs.

Some of the tracks I thought worth mentioning​

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult​

The beginning of the song serves as the ideal demonstration of how well imaging capabilities are conveyed; the bass and electric, which blend but sound completely distinct, create a distinctive response. The cymbals that emerge from the back sound loud and clear, and the vocals have a light expression with good note weight. A sense of realism is created by the vocal sets' or vocalists' harmony. Generally speaking, the notes are distinct and far away enough for me to easily identify the source of the sound. I really enjoy this song, but the addition of the HYPE2 elevates the overall effect to a whole new level. Check it out at this link.

Somebody That I Used To Know by Goyte​

Another of my favorites, the male vocals really go low and high smoothly with accurate note weight and clarity, allowing for a clear response that separates the vocals from the entire mix and presents them in an open space, creating a richer, fuller response that fills the head stage and envelops your senses. The female vocals sound clean and natural, not overly light or heavy, but just right, allowing for a more alluring exposure of the female vocals. I really enjoy the instruments that fill the far left and far right walls completely and give the sound of a surround system. The stage has an ordinary but holographic feel. Check it out at this link.

SUZUME by RADWIMPS​

Oh boy, this song really grabs you in the middle and calms your mind. When I listen to it on HYPE2, however, the holographic presentation of it almost gives the impression that the song is playing in a small concert hall with the vocals being too close to the listener and the enticing notes clinging to their minds. It may be the first time I've heard the violin completely separate from the piano in the mix while the vocals are being the focal point of it all. This is especially true at the beginning of the song when the vocals work their magic and the instruments blend together while still sounding distinct. And as soon as the drum starts, it delivers a broad, dynamic hit that feels powerful, impactful, and yet controlled. I thought the vocals already sounded very open, and the HYPE2 gave me more experiences than I had anticipated. Check it out at this link.

Ramta Jodi by Sukhwinder Singh, A. R. Rahman​

A. R. Rahman and singer Sukhwinder Singh produced a masterpiece. When the bass notes start to play, they really define a faithful reproduction that grabs your attention and complements the vocals and other instruments. It sounds expansive because the vocals, whether they are male or female backing vocals, are so wide-ranging and open. Well, it's the magic of the song's composition, but the impact of the strong notes gives the song a deep, powerful sound. Check it out at this link.

The sources I mainly used​

Sony WM1A ​

The vocals had more room to breathe, sounding more staged and composite on the HYPE2. The total response is a really velvety and smooth response. The HYPE2 was also easily powered by the WM1A. The tracks' bass-forward sections sounded more thrilling and resonant because the bass was more dynamic and deep. Any track I heard sounded smoother and more pleasant when I heard it with WM1A, in my experience.

Tempotec V6 ​

When I heard the HYPE2 combined with the V6, the first thing I heard was how energizing it sounded. Whether it was the treble, midrange, or bass, the entire mix sounded more precise and expressive. Compared to the WM1A, the response sounded more direct and aggressive. The biggest setback was the disappearance of the richness and pleasant natural reproduction, which brought more precise details to the notes. Well, I still favor a laid-back presentation over one that is transparent.

HiBy R6 Pro II​

When listening with the Hiby R6 Pro II, the sound wasn't particularly unexpected or different in terms of technical or tonal performances, but that is what I initially perceived. After giving the pair a good deal of listening, I felt that the details were more refined and the energy rose a notch in the mix, which made the stage more satisfying. However, the response was not particularly interesting; I think it is the IEM.In my opinion, the R6 Pro II brings out the true value of this IEM, and in my opinion, this is the response I fell in love with. The correction might not be with the R6 Pro II but with the IEM itself as I already feel the IEM is perfect. It's possible that other sources have manipulated nuances in the mix to make it sound distinctive.

iFi Hipdac​

Although it appeared that Hipdac's effects, which mostly emphasize the bass, had little effect on the HYPE2, there was unquestionably an aggressive front in the midrange. I can tell that the voices got too front and too powerful for me, as if they had lost their poise, while the treble sounded close and as though it had been saturated in air. However, listening to bass-heavy music did cause the treble region to be softer, especially when I turned on the XBASS. Oh no, the impact and thump got so intense that not even I could stop myself from embracing the resonance and physicality of it.

My last Thoughts​

I would go out of my way to urge everyone to purchase this IEM because, in addition to satisfying your need for a pure, dynamic sound, it will also, and I mean this, gratify whatever need you might have. Everyone will be moved by a reaction that is clear, balanced, and has the ideal balance between tonality and technical execution. The guidelines on how to get the finest sound out of an IEM have been established by HYPE2, and other businesses should abide by them.

Disclaimer: Linsoul loaned me with a review unit. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Unaffiliated product link.

Introduction & Packaging​

Hype 2 ($299) is a dual dynamic drivers with two Sonion balanced armatures IEM From Thieaudio. Using the technology that debuted with their flagship, the Monarch Mk3, the dynamic drivers are arranged in the isobaric configuration that they named IMPACT² ("Impact Squared"), which Thieaudio claimed to "keep the frequency and pressure constant" in their marketing materials; we'll see whether this actually translates to a better sound quality.

The accessories and packaging are reminiscent to its higher-end siblings like the tribrids lineup. The hard case is exactly the same as the ones that came with Monarch, Prestige, and other Thieaudio flagships. The cable looks to be similar to the Thieaudio EST cable, a silver-plated OCC copper cable. I would prefer it if there were other termination options like in the EST cable listing. There are silicone and foam tips included, with a small microfiber cloth to keep the Hype 2 shiny. Overall, I think it's a solid packaging.

Sound Impression​

Sources: SMSL H300+D300 stack, Quloos MUB1
Setup: Large stock eartips (silicone), stock cable
Music Sources: Local FLAC (redbook/hi-res), Tidal Masters, Apple Music Lossless

The IEM has undergone a 20-hour burn-in at a medium volume for prior to the review.
Listening impression is a very subjective experience depending on individual ear shape, choice of eartips, music library, and personal preferences, so your experience may vary.

Hype 2 has a pretty warm-dark tuning with relatively neutral mids expression. Overall texture is smooth with decent details and natural timbre. Some earlier impressions mentioned that Hype 2 is like a mini Monarch Mk3, which I can agree to a certain extent. From subbass to midrange, I would say that Hype 2 is remarkably similar to the Monarch Mk3, but I just find the upper treble lacks air in comparison. Certain tracks that don't emphasize treble region are excellently rendered with Hype 2, mostly smooth jazz, but as you get to a more complex tracks, you can understand why the Monarch lineup costs more than 3x the price of the Hype 2. That said, the Hype 2 indeed can give you a sneak peek to what the Monarch Mk3 bass is capable of.

Bass​

Hype 2's bass is definitely the star of the show here. Excellently textured, punchy, and detailed. The IMPACT² technology did deliver what they promised. Having listened to a Monarch Mk3 previously, I can say that it is indeed the same technology and tuning on the bass region. Thumpy beats on the Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes are visceral and detailed, with enough resolution to render that famous bassline well. The bass drops in "DAYS" by Shota Shimizu is also distortion-free and punchy. It's not a basshead kind of midbass, but more focused on subbass.

Midrange​

The midrange in Hype 2 is competent, no bleeding from the bass. There are certain lushness to how the vocal performances from both male and female are reproduced. The timbre is pretty natural here, with decent amount of details. However, if you push some more complexity into it, you can start feeling the limits of a single BA handling this region. "Fragile" by Laufey was a good representation where Hype 2 shines the brightest, with the simple instruments and excellent vocal performance from Laufey.

Treble​

I have to say that Hype 2 is weakest in this point. The treble extension is lacking, especially compared to the competitors around this price point like Moondrop Blessing 3. There are certain wall-like sensation when the track reaches for some airy regions of the frequency range. However, for those who are looking for super laid-back, relaxed listen, then Hype 2's treble would not be of an issue at all. When I listened to "Rather Be" by Jess Glynne, Hype 2 did allow me to still enjoy the song while cutting out some parts of the song that may be sibilant with other IEMs.

Technicalities​

Hype 2 has a pretty good technicalities overall, with the tuning allowing for a decently spacious soundstage and moderate imaging capabilities. It's not as incisively sharp in a way that you can pick out individual instruments, but good enough to have a rough projections of them. I would describe it more of a jazz club sensation than an open theatre.

Driving Requirements & Pairing Suggestion​

Like most of Thieaudio's lineup, Hype 2 does not take much power to fulfill its potential. It remains consistent from low to high power sources. I would recommend a warmer source to play to its strength more rather than trying to balance it out with a brighter source. I would also recommend a mid-sized bore eartips, similar to the stock tips for a better bass to mids balance.

Select Comparisons​

Moondrop Blessing 3 ($320):
The Blessing 3 has a more neutral-bright signature with a slight bass boost. I find that Blessing 3 has a more 'correct' timbre, but still Hype 2 has a better musicality. Hype 2's note weight and texture are overall more natural and made the Blessing 3 sounds too dry in comparison. That said, Blessing 3 has a much better treble extension, resolution, and overall better technicalities. Then on the other hand, Hype 2 has way better bass quality than Blessing 3 with the same driver configuration. While I think both units are still solid choices, the decision would be more of a personal taste. Personally, I would go with Blessing 3, but I can still find some tracks or genres (like jazz and slow rock) where Hype 2 is a clear winner over Blessing 3.

Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite ($250):
Straight out of the gate, I think Orchestra Lite is a more detailed IEM with excellent mids. There is a couple of issues with it tho, which are the BA timbre and the slight incoherence. I think in those two fronts, Hype 2 is a better performer. When it comes to bass quality and quantity, Hype 2 is also the clear winner, with a more natural, textured bass reproduction. I still personally think Orchestra Lite is more of my taste, again, depending on the music library and genre, I can see how Hype 2 would be preferred by some.

Conclusion​

Hype apparently means "Hybrid Performance", an evolution of sorts from their Legacy lineup. If the naming pattern would follow the Legacy series, I am optimistic that we'll be seeing Hype 3, 4, 5, or more in the future. And based on what I hear from Hype 2, there are definitely more rooms for improvement. There are some excellent parts of Hype 2 and subpar parts too, and while it is not for me at the moment, I'm looking forward to the future of the Hype lineup.

Hype is now used nowadays for advertising and marketing tactics. It is a form of excessive and unrestrained promotion or publicity of a certain product or an idea to the point that leads to an exaggeration of its usual function or capabilities.

But we have a different HYPE here as I will explain it properly, the term "HYPE" was actually formed as it was taken from the first two letters of two words, "Hybrid" and "Performance". This is actually my first product review from THIEAUDIO but I've tested their older entry-level product, The LEGACY 3, so I'm quite excited about this one to share my assessment here.



THIEAUDIO like some audio companies on how it was established,It started from the initiative of a few DIYers who wanted to make a product that has a well-thought-out tuning with superb technical performance and more affordable and reasonable price that can be reached by budget-conscious audio enthusiasts. With a full support from LINSOUL Audio with some provided resources for the development and became a base of creative platforms for audio enthusiasts and audio professionals alike. As they journeyed across the portable audio realm, their products like the Voyager, Legacy series, Divinity V16, Oracle and Monarch series 1 and 2 somehow change the landscape of midrange up to the TOTL segment as these products will truly rival and can stand toe to toe with other more established audio brands in the market.



What I have here is a THIEAUDIO HYPE 2, it is in a class that was situated between entry-level to midrange segment that some people will like to classify it as "flagship killers'' in which I'm quite uneasy and rather avoid to use that term. THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 is a hybrid driver IEM like its elder sisters, the Monarchs, Oracle and Excalibur but the Electret/"EST" drivers were omitted on this one to make it more affordable and budget-friendly. Before I explain more comprehensive its driver configuration, THIEAUDIO implemented their proprietary "IMPACT SQUARED" technology; this technology will give a deeper, more rumble and texture on its bass response due to an isobaric set-up of two dynamic drivers with composite diaphragms. Isobaric configuration is usually found on loud speakers so this one is quite interesting. As I mentioned its dual dynamic drivers inside, it was supported by two Sonion balanced armature drivers which are the latest generation, the P2356HF/4 and E25ST001/D, the first one was implemented to handle the midrange to treble region to have a crisper, better resolution and clarity on this one with some tweaks of its output compared to previous generation of Sonion 23 series while the E25ST001/D is for an added harmonics on its brilliance treble for more sparkling tone.



These drivers were encapsulated in a medical-grade imported resin shell chassis in a regular size UIEM-style form factor. It has irregular swirl patterns of colour combinations consisting of blue, grey and rose gold colour in a black faceplate panel to give that premium look on its aesthetics similar to some TOTL ones. There's a vent hole at the bottom part of its cavity base to release some excess air pressure produced by its dual dynamic driver to alleviate listening fatigue that might be detrimental to our hearing conditions. THIEAUDIO did implement a 2-pin connector on this set as its detachable mechanism for ease of cable replacement.




THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 is paired with a high quality stock cable. The said stock cable is a substantially textured 4-core 5N Silver-plated Litz copper wiring that was twisted and it has a gold plated 3.5mm SE termination plug. The cable is quite supple and has a resistance of entanglement.



The fitting and comfort of HYPE 2 is quite impressive on how it rests well into my lugholes. This is probably one of the best fitting IEMs out there and it has good passive isolation as it's able to block some outside noises from surroundings that we are situated at.



As for product packing, the packaging box of HYPE 2 is rather huge but the contents inside is rather spartan but at least it got some basics.



Here are the following inclusions inside of THIEAUDIO HYPE 2.

■ Pair of THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 IEMs
■ Stock Cable
■ A large zippered IEM case
■ Three (3) pairs of white-coloured balanced ear tips in different standard sizes
■ Three (3) pairs of black-coloured memory foam ear tips in different standard sizes
■ Cleaning cloth



On amplification rating, with 25 ohms of resistance rating and a sensitivity mark of 108dB, HYPE 2 is absolutely power efficient and easy to drive. With just a sufficient amount of volume level in a medium amplitude scale around 60% in a usual low gain mode, it already sounds very dynamic and it encompasses a full-range frequency spectrum.



The tonality of HYPE 2 falls into a mild-U shaped sound signature that is quite balanced across its frequency range. It has prominent low frequency, a linear midrange and a tad elevation on the upper mids and presence part of its high frequency. In other interpretations of its tonal aspect, some might perceive it as a bass-boost neutral sound profile.



(The graph was provided by @baskingshark , credits to him)

LOWS/BASS:

My initial impression of THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 that it has a well-balanced bass response. It has a tactual, punchy and deep, fairly dark tone. And this type of bass response certainly will not win over the ears of staunchly uber bass-heads as they might find it less authoritative and boomy but rather it will be more pleasing on a majority of midcentrics and neutral heads alike (I'm placing myself in this type of listeners category).

It has a haptic sub-bass presence as I discernibly felt those reverberations and rumble from the lowest pitch of certain instruments like synthesisers, low tone bass guitars and drum machines from the usual test tracks that I listened to like synth-pop and electronic rock genres. The mid-bass is somehow sufficiently textured as it gives an ample note weight on some bass-focus instruments and male vocals. Bass kick drums seem to have a sustaining and a thudding sound as it was able to cope with fast double bass kicks from extreme metal. Bass guitars have rasping and resonant sound from every strum on its strings either it is tapping, fretless or slapping. Bass-baritone vocals have a fairly texture and volume to have that guttural, woolly and sufficiently dark timbre.

Tracks Tested:

Sub-bass

● The Prodigy - Breathe
● New Order - True Faith
● Kraftwerk - Das Model

Mid-bass

● John Bonham/Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks (Bass kick drum)
● Fredrik Widigs/Marduk - The Blond Beast (Bass kick drum)
● Patricia Morrison/Sisters of Mercy - Lucretia My Reflection (Bass guitar)
● John Deacon/Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
● Peter Steele/Type O Negative - Black No.1
● Andrew Eldritch/Sisters of Mercy - Lucretia My Reflection


MIDRANGE

The midrange response of THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 quite commendable as it was presented in a neutral, adequately textured with enough warmth and somehow an immaculate sound to give a delineated and spacious sense particularly on some female vocals, percussions and woodwinds though not that energetic as I will explain it later.

On male vocals, due to adequate warmth and volume, it gives decent texture on baritones, tenors and countertenors. In general, Baritones have a usual smooth and velvety sound on this set, operatic type baritones such as Kavalier and Verdi have a steely and authority on their respective tessituras. Tenors fare well on this one as these new improved Sonion BAs were able to sustain a degree of versatility and dexterity of this type of vocal to have a brassy, dazzling and ringing sound with power and heft on it. Meanwhile, countertenors have a smooth, agile and tender sound which in my opinion shares similar characteristics with mezzo-sopranos vocals. When it comes to female vocals, contraltos have that smokey and rich sound from them as it gives me that feeling of serenity of their vocal qualities. As I mentioned a while ago that mezzo-sopranos have similar characteristics with countertenors, they also have these velvety and coppery characteristics from them. Soprano vocals sound balanced with good texture on it as they sound have the silky and silvery which gives more realistic timbre on dramatic, soubrette and spinto soprano. Some lyric and coloratura types of soprano might be a tad inadequate in projecting energetic and bright tone from their vocals but nonetheless, I still give an excellent mark on the vocal capabilities of this set.

In all the instruments' sound quality, THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 depicts them in an organic and almost tonally accurate register, range and timbre which have a remarkable tonal balance and nearly life-like. On strings, guitars, either acoustic and electric ones have a balance sound from them but there are some instances that they sound a bit dry a due to more focus on fundamentals rather overtones which have a subtle peaks which I also noticed on all string ensemble of a Spanish-type Rondalla (Mexican and Filipino variants were included) like from octavinas, lauds and bandurrias. Violins have a full, calm and lustrous sound rather than a more vibrant and lively sound that I really want. Woodwinds like concert flutes, piccolos, clarinets and saxophones, I hear a poetic and rich sound on flutes, a more graceful yet clear sound of piccolos, a velvety and sonorous sounds of clarinets and sufficiently mild and warm sound of saxophones. On brasses, trumpets have substantial, round and mild vividness sound from them, trombones have solid and full sound and horns warm and full sound particularly on middle register. On percussive, snares have sharp and precise sound, Both tom and field drums have a warm, sustaining and resonant sound from them, kettle drums also have a resonant sound but it has a deeper tone. Pianos seem to have a balanced tone on how it sounded in all registers.

Tracks Tested:

Baritones

● Dmitri Hvorostovsky (Kavalier baritone) - Ombra Mai Fu
● Robert Merrill (Verdi) - Largo al factotum
● Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face

Tenors

● Luciano Pavarotti (Lyric-Spinto) - La Donna E Mobile
● Placido Domingo (Lyric) - Nessun dorma
● Freddie Mercury/Queen - Killer Queen

Countertenors

● Andreas Scholl/Handel - Ombra Mai Fu
● Philippe Jaroussky/Vivaldi - Tecum Principium
● King Diamond/Mercyful Fate - A Dangerous Meeting

Contraltos

● Kathleen Ferrier/Bach - Angus Dei
● Tracy Chapman - Fast Cars
● Annie Lennox - No More I Love Yous

Mezzo-sopranos

●Cecilia Bartoli/Handel - Ombra Mai Fu
●Sharon Den Adel/Within Temptation - The Cross
● Dolores O'Riordan/The Cranberries - You and Me

Sopranos

● Diana Damrau/Mozart (Coloratura) - Der Zauberflöte: Der Hölle Rache
● Tarja Turunen/Nightwish (Dramatic) - Sleeping Sun
● Allison Krauss - A Living Prayer

Instruments

● Eagles (Live, Hell Freezes Over) - Hotel California (Guitars)
● Felix Ayo/Vivaldi - Summer III. Presto: Tempo impetuoso d'Estate (Violins)
● Jethro Tull - Living In The Past (Flute)
● George Michael - Careless Whisper (Saxophone)
● Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Wagner - Die Walküre (Trumpets)
● The Specials - A Message To You Rudy (Trombone)
● The Ventures - Hawaii Five O (Drums)
● Yiruma - River Flows In You (Piano)


HIGHS/TREBLE:

This is what makes the treble quality of THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 sound more balanced, smooth and neutral. There is a mild accentuated bump on the upper mids and presence part just to give a more definition on both rhythmic and percussive attacks and yet retains a more balanced vocal quality. It also has a good crisp, clarity and adequately detailed sound without compromises, so harshness and sibilants are practically non-existent on this one.

Cymbals sound lustrous and full while hi-hats have that shortened buzzing sound. Glockenspiels have a lustrous and bell-like sound as it has a quite consistent timbre across its range. Celestas have a velvety, sweet and mellow sound in which my ideal timbre of this particular type of instrument should sound at least silvery or brimming with glistening sound.

On the brilliance part, I always anticipated that a smooth and balanced tuned treble usually has some trade-off on quantity of harmonics but not in this case as it has a sufficient sparkle and a fairly moderately treble air extension.

Tracks Tested:

● Celtic Frost - Visual Aggression (Cymbals)
● Ottoman Mehter - Ceddin Deden (Cymbals)
● Cologne New Philharmonic Orchestra/Tchaikovsky - Dance Of The Sugar Plum (Celesta)
● Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France/Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre, Op. 40 (Glockenspiel)


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

To think that technical capabilities are one of THIEAUDIO HYPE 2's strongest aspects and here are the following grounds.

It has a wide and tall proportion of its sound field as it gives me a roomy head stage with my aural sphere. It has a quite wide lateral span, a pretty tall on its height and a good and immersive depth on both front and back.

It has a holographic spatial stereo imaging where I can able to locate the exact location of instruments and singers, a clear and well-defined separation and a proper arrangement of tonal layers of instruments and vocals in a sonic canvas which is more conducive for multi-instrumental complex tracks.

The hybrid driver configuration of THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 has an fairly cohesive performance as each drivers able to deliver its specific functions but I notice that it's isobaric dual driver set-up doesn't have the fastest transient response that I've heard but at atleast it doesn't sound sluggish at all.

This set also has good resolution capabilities as it has solid and ample texture on its macro-dynamics as it has good notation attacks while it has a fairly sharp on its micro-detail definition as it was able to extract a good amount of details and nuances from an audio track.


PEER COMPARISONS:

YANYIN CANON II

● Like HYPE 2, CANON II is also a hybrid driver IEM and its shell chassis also made of high quality medical grade resin but the differences were it has a single 10mm paper-cone diaphragm and two more balanced armature drivers and also has tuning switches. And also, the resin shell chassis of this one is quite chunky and a tad larger compared to HYPE 2.

● Due to its tuning switches, CANON II offers three or four types of sound profiles depending on the settings but all of them leaning towards a u-shaped sound signature. Its tonality is between being a balanced-warmish to "warmish-neutral" sound. It has a more solid and punch bass response, a more recess yet textured midrange to have a more warmer tone on instruments and most of the vocal types especially male ones, and similar on treble response but it has a modest amount of air and sparkle.

●As for technicalities, they are quite similar with the exception that when it comes to sound/speaker stage size, CANON II's width span is just above average as it has a rather limited expanse unlike HYPE 2.

AFUL PERFORMER 8

● Both are quite similar as Performer 8 is also a hybrid driver configuration and has a resin shell chassis too, although Performer 8 has more balanced armature drivers and it has its proprietary patented technologies like "RCL Network Frequency Division Technology" in which AFUL claims that it will provide better separation and cleaner sound quality across its frequency range and dampening system for lesser ear fatigue. And Performer 8 has more choices of ear tips to choose from.

● As for its tonal aspect, Performer 8 has also a mild U-shaped sound signature but it is leaning towards a balanced-neutral tuning. It has a more balanced but less punchy and impacting bass response compared to HYPE 2 but it has crisper, detailed and energetic midrange which is makes its more better on female vocals and strings instruments thought some sopranos vocals might sound a tad shrilly, and it has tad brighter treble response compared to HYPE 2.

● On technical capabilities, they are almost almost similar but again, compared to HYPE 2, its sound/speaker stage is more on the intimate side which makes Performer 8 has a less roomy perception which makes it a bit average one in my opinion.


Here are the summaries about THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 and what makes it more special. First was its pricing which was situated between entry-level to midrange category in which Thieaudio seldomly ventured on this price range, second one was its dual dynamic driver in an isobaric set-up and last but not the least was the implementation of new generation of Sonion balanced armature drivers on it.

As I end my assessment on THIEAUDIO HYPE 2, this set will definitely deliver a kind of sound quality which is well-balanced and quite articulate sound with its pricing. And also it will be more versatile to all types of music genres and will give more a pleasant and enjoyable sound quality even to treble sensitives folk out there. But the big question was will this set become one of the reference standards in entry-level and even midrange level sets? For me, its plausible.



THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 is now available at LINSOUL, you check the unaffiliated link down below.

★★THIEAUDIO HYPE 2 - LINSOUL★★

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: THIEAUDIO HYPE 2
IMPEDANCE: 25Ω
SENSITIVITY: 108dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (2) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (2) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS


Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **
Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *
Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to THIEAUDIO nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to KAREENA TANG of LINSOUL for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate her generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Linsoul for furnishing this unit. The Hype 2 can be gotten here (no affliate links): https://www.linsoul.com/products/thieaudio-hype-2




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 2 x 10 mm composite isobaric dynamic drivers + 2 x Sonion balanced armature drivers (P2356HF/4 and E25ST001/D)
• Impedance: 25 Ω
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: 108 dB/Vrms
• Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm; 5N OCC silver-plated Litz cable; 3.5 mm termination
• Tested at $299 USD

ACCESSORIES



Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of silicone tips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of foam tips (S/M/L)
- Case
- Cleaning cloth
- Cable

For something close to 300 bucks, the accessories are servicable, albeit other rivals at this price-point may provide a modular cable or a wider assortment of eartips.




The included foam tips increase isolation, though at the expense of taming the treble, whereas the silicone ones boost treble air and soundstage. Do explore to see what suits your preferences.




The stock cable is a 5N OCC silver-plated Litz cable. Haptically, there is nothing much to complain about - is pretty well-braided, with a chin cinch. There's just slight microphonics noted. Sadly, it is not modular, and only comes in a 3.5 mm termination.




Lastly, we have a cleaning cloth and a huge rectangular semi-rigid case. This case is large enough to contain the IEM plus accessories, and is a very functional addition. The innards have webbing and are lined by a soft material.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT



Fashioned from 3D-printed medical-grade dermatologically-friendly resin, the shells are light and ergonomic. Despite being on the larger side, they fit snuggly in my average ears, with a concha protrusion for added grip. I experienced no discomfort despite longer listening sessions. ThieAudio says that each shell is individually painted, and indeed each earpiece has an individual serial number, which adds some exclusivity to the equation.




During ordering, one can opt for a red-hued or blue shell. 2-pin connectors are generally more robust than MMCX ones at the budget/midFI segment, and it is much appreciated that the Hype 2 utilizes the former connector type.




Despite being vented, I noted driver flex during insertion of the earpieces, but this can be mitigated to some extent with eartip choice, and is also dependent on ear anatomy.



Isolation is surprisingly above average, and this IEM can be used on-the-go or in noisy places with no issues.


INTERNALS

The Hype 2 packs a 2 DD + 2 Sonion BA driver setup:
- 2 x 10 mm composite DDs in an isobaric arrangement handle the bass
- P2356HF/4 Sonion BA settles the midrange and treble
- E25ST001/D Sonion twitter reproduces frequencies until 18 kHz.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the Hype 2 with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Creative Sound Blaster X5
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Fiio KA13 dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

This IEM is easily driven, and amplification is not 100% required.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES


Graph of the ThieAudio Hype 2 via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz area is a coupler artefact peak.

The Hype 2 can be described tonally as having a mild V-shaped signature. It is quite a fun sounding set with big bass on tap.

This IEM is sub-bass focused. The bass is just a level shy of true basshead levels. Indeed, the bass is very well extended with a deep throaty rumble. The Hype 2 is somewhat scooped out in the mid-bass, so there isn't a massive bass thump, and this is a different bass presentation from what some bassheads may be used to. Nevertheless, the bass quality is excellent, with no mid-bass bleed, and a nimble and clean bass heard, with outstanding texturing.

The Hype 2 is a joy to listen to for bass forward genres such as EDM and hip hop!

As a consequence of the lack of big mid-bass, the lower midrange is admittedly thin. This is a double-edged sword though, as this region is quite transparent without a big encroaching bass, and instruments and vocals are given much space to breathe and showcase their talents, though note weight is on the slender side. The upper mids has a 6 dB ear gain, which pushes vocals forwards without veering too much to shouty territory.

The lower treble continues on from the boosted upper midrange, but is relatively sibilant-resistant. This region is quite smooth, and treble-sensitive peeps should be decently placated. The upper treble has a roll-off and isn't the most sparkly or airy, so trebleheads might want to consider alternatives. Having said that, the Hype 2 is not one of those typical CHIFI steroid-infused overly boosted treble types that give "fake clarity", and this set keeps decent resolution on tap without cheating in boosting the upper end.

Fitted with 2 BAs covering the midrange and treble, there's a slight whiff of BA timbre for acoustic instruments, giving a slyph-like tone to notes. Nevertheless, it is not the worst offender in this department, with some similarly priced competitors performing way worse here (cough cough, no pun intended for the AFUL Performer 5).

In technical chops, the Hype 2 does very well for a sub $300 hybrid. Micro-detailing as alluded to above is solid, and imaging is quite pinpoint, with up-to-scratch instrument separation. Soundstage is quite expansive in all 3 dimensions and even on complex tracks, the Hype 2 manages to hold its own.

Coherency is commendable, with the fast DDs covering the bass complementing the Sonion BAs handling the upper registers.


COMPARISONS

Comparisons were made with other hybrids around the $200 - 300 USD region. Planars, tribrids, single DDs and pure BA types were left out of the equation as the different transducers have their pros and cons.




AFUL Performer 5

The Performer 5 is a U-shaped sub-bass focused hybrid. Technically, the Performer 5 has inferior imaging, micro-detailing, soundstage and resolution.

The Performer 5 flops at timbre - and has poor coherency - with its untextured bass notably slower than the faster BAs handling the other frequencies. The bass smears when complex bass lines come out to play.


Penon Fan 2

The Fan 2 is a warm neutral set, with a thicker note weight and a thicker midrange than the Hype 2.

The Fan 2 has a more natural timbre, though it is behind in soundstage, micro-detailing, imaging and instrument separation. The Fan 2 also has an awkward fit due to super long nozzles, though it does not have driver flex.


CONCLUSIONS

The Hype 2 is a nice addition to the midFI hybrid market. It brings "fun" sonics to the table, and bass is undeniably the star of the show, in both quality and quantity. Though the lower mids are somewhat pulled-back in the mix, the midrange is quite transparent, with good clarity noted. Treble is pretty well-dosed, in keeping good resolution without resorting to the usual party trick of overly boosting this region.

As for externals, this IEM is beautifully crafted, with comfortable ergonomics and easy drivability. Isolation is also above average, though it loses some marks due to driver flex. Against similarly-priced hybrids, the Hype 2 fares very well, and coherency is quite polished. While there is some BA timbre noted, it is arguably not the worst offender in this respect.

In a nutshell, the Hype 2 will have a place in my rotation as an entertaining hybrid that doesn't neglect technical chops, and does most departments well. All aboard the hype-train choo choo!

The Hype2 by Thieaudio
Redcarmoose Labs Saturday September 2nd, 2023

This is simply a review of Thieaudio’s latest creation. Thieaudio started a few years back in 2019, created by a few audio enthusiasts/engineers. The trick it seems was to offer better value and to do so they grew in stature, but also tried to always be learning and improving their design and manufacturing skill. Their creations are a little famous with such introductions as the Monarch, Monarch II…..which our Hype2 has a kinship with. They have recently come out with a $999.99 Monarch MKIII too! They offer full-size headphones like the Thieaudio Phantom, Wraith and the Ghost. They offer IEMs such as the Prestige, the Legacy Series and the Oracle MK1 and MK2. They make cables like the $199.00 Oceania and $19.00 Smart Cable. Also IEM big boys, like the $1,499.00 Thieaudio V16 Divinity Universal IEM, and $999.00 Thieaudio Voyager 14 Universal IEM. Really they make a bunch of stuff……more than I’ve listed here.

I've only heard three Thieaudio creations, though I thought they were innovative and budget conscious. My first Thieaudio IEM was the Legacy 4, and later I reviewed the Elixir and Thieaudio Ghost full-size headphone. Yet in many ways our Hype2 is the very opposite of the Legacy 4. Yep, Thieaudio went and added a bass style that is much like the Monarch II I’m told, the same exact cable as the Monarch comes with the Hype2, I was informed about. To summarize this introduction, Thieaudio went and extracted all they know about making audio products and put them into this single new Hype2 IEM. They did it first by using the very, very best ingredients like dual Sonion BA drivers. This latest generation of Sonion products basically outperforms anything on the block. The new E25ST001/D BA super tweeter goes all the way to 18kHz. The other BA, the P2356HF/4 has lower harmonic distortion which enhances clarity and resolution. And finally the other two drivers are 10mm Isobaric subwoofers. Such magic was pulled from places like car-audio and home theater to greatly change the IEM bass texture and performance.

Here are just two examples of isobaric design. The trick here is to have a woofer inside a sealed chamber, and only one sending sound out the front. Inside this sealed chamber both woofers move in the same direction and the pressure remains consistent inside. The main advantage to doing this is you only need half the volume in comparison to a single speaker.

Technical Details:
DRIVERS Sonion E25 (x1) + Sonion 2300 (x1) + 10mm dynamic drivers (x2)
SENSITIVITY 108dB/Vrms@1KHz
IMPEDANCE 25Ω@1KHz
FREQUENCY RESPONSE 20Hz-20kHz
NOZZLE DIAMETER (LIP) 6mm
NOZZLE DIAMETER (STEM) 5.4mm

Hype
The word hype can have a few meanings. I tend to lean towards the very last definition. Excellent, Cool.



Comparisons:


Two side-by-side comparisons:
In describing this IEM, the easiest way is to use comparisons. Why? Because often known products (like the Kiwi ears Quintet) are already out there doing their job and making a sound statement. Other past IEMs like the EarSonics ONYX are more expensive but go ahead and help make an example of sound performance that is in some ways better than the Hype2 and in other ways maybe inferior.

Thieaudio Hype2 (4 way) 2 BA/2 DD $299.00
Kiwi ears Quintet (5 way) 1 DD/2 BA/1 Planar Magnetic/1 PZT driver $219.00
EarSonics ONYX (4 way) 1 DD/3 BA $561.00

Weight:
5 grams Thieaudio Hype2
5 grams Kiwi ears Quintet
16 grams EarSonics ONYX

The equipment used:
Before I get started I just wanted to state my comparison setup. Using the Sony WM1A (with MrWalkman’s firmware), ISN CS02 Cable in 4.4mm and my usual wide-bore silicone ear-tips. Such a set up was arrived at as it allowed me to access 4.4mm amplification with the Sony 1A. The CS02 cable seemed to amplify all the correct ways about all three IEMs, making them basically slightly better than they were originally. Also great effort was put forth to finalize the use of this specific cable. At first I wasn’t going to use another cable, but it simply worked out that the combination of 4.4mm amplification and the tonal balance of the cable just worked with all three IEMs. Also the continued testing during this review with music was also using the ISN CS02 cable. When preparing for this comparison test I ended up using the provided stock cable for many many days with the Hype2 as well as I spent 9 hours listening to albums with the provided Thieaudio cable and the EarSonics Onyx. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the provided cable, in fact it was one of the better cables in use with the EarSonics ONYX. More on the provided cable in the cable section.

Comparisons:
Now maybe a few readers want to know how and why I would use these three IEMs for comparison? Maybe the most important reason is that all three promote this warm analogue sound. Really in many ways they are close to the same, while at the same time very different. But it’s the differences primarily that will help explain things. It’s the differences here that I felt helped explain just what the Hype2 is/was. It was through contrasts with other IEMs that a new understanding of the Hype2 could possibly be achieved. Now remember too, this is just my personal journey and experiences. They could be the same for you or maybe not? I have no ulterior motives for picking these two IEMs, only for discovering a style of truth. Truth to be told, all three were given for me to use for review purposes. But the Kiwi ears Quintet is also included due to being near the same price, but also because many own it and want to know differences. The EarSonics ONYX has like 21 reviews, but a lot of them are due to review units being supplied for review. The ONYX arrived in early 2022, and I subsequently gave it a full five star review……….in February of that year. The ONYX graphs out a little weird and sounds way more balanced than you would imagine by studying the graph.

EarSonics ONYX:
Laughably the graph would have you guess an unbalanced replay. Where what’s happening is the 1.6kHz peak is getting you male vocals, the 3.8kHz is getting you female vocals. The 6.5kHz bump is balancing out the bass and shows-up a tiny bit like the (5kHz bump of the) Hype2! This crisp 6.5kHz tone we will get into later, as it is a trend for 2023 in a few IEMs currently. Surprisingly it actually works here and with the Hype2, where typically the 6kHz region will get a dip for reduced sibilance/presence. There is ample bass presence except it’s controlled with a fast tuck-in at 200Hz…….a little like the Hype2. Now maybe you see my reasons for comparing these two?



ONYX v Hype2:
To start with vocals, yep on both IEMs they get a great forward presence, more than you would guess. This thought of balance may actually come from childhood, of hearing home stereo when there was too much bass, the vocals were drowned out. But know both are exceptional at vocal presence. You see, this is the balance talked about, the fact that if tuned right you really can have it all.

At the same volume levels the ONYX has more bass and a reaching forward of imaging, the Hype2 is slightly more relaxed and backward positioned, while at the same time slightly more cohesive and reserved, showing the Sonion BAs in action. Though both ways are right, the ONYX is more 3D. Now here is the thing, the ONYX has custom made BAs, and they have great tone, yet there is at times this character that the ONYX has, I don’t want to call it color because it’s not that, at times it has its own sound, part of it is maybe because instruments have super fact decay above what the DD is doing. The Hype2 is showcasing the slightly smoother Sonion sound, which is holding slightly longer BA decays and a more filled-in (complete) tone. Though keep in mind here bass is actually stronger and maybe not quite as polished with the ONYX, but it’s noticeable. I spent the entire day listening to the ONYX yesterday and feel reacquainted with what it ultimately is. Faster fall off of BAs, but a well balanced and vibrant sound response. The owner of EarSonics is a bass player, and you can totally tell the drum and bass interaction was one goal for the IEM. Offering a slightly more disjointed playback making that vividness that much more separated. Such contrasted pace is special and provocative having the ONYX be one of my all time favorites. If going by vividness alone the ONYX wins, but the Hype2 pulls ahead also, by adding sophistication due to the 2X BA Sonion harmonics and realism. More together and congealed the Hype2 becomes………….yet both are fabulous! Keep in mind the ONYX is more than 3 times the weight of the Hype2.

You know maybe there is something to the ONYX graph, and while maybe it’s tree-topping frequencies, all that is required is provided, though I can’t help but feel the Hype2 is showing a more linear and complete response. It’s like the vividness of the ONYX is partially due to the FR and it comes off contrasty, where the Hype2 is smoother and more filled in, yet not as contrasty, but still fine.

Quintet v Hype2:
Probably another contrast festival? Ha. Yep all those drivers doing their thing. Well, the Quintet is where it is at in life due to performance........an incredible one-of-a-kind IEM. And to tell you the truth both of these IEMs are terribly special. Now this is not my first time comparing these two. And it makes me feel more accurate to disclose my findings remain the same as prior testing. That the vocals are truly better with the Hype2, showing a more natural tone, not having any tinge of synthetic over-tones. Bass is fairly even though with the Quintet being slightly more sub-bass oriented and the Hype2 showing more regular bass and lower midrange authority. The Hype2 is simply more filled-in and showing slightly more tonal sophistication in playback, more money yes, but many may feel a better value too? Still the Quintet is incredibly special and the separation and stage presented just prove one more time that this is the best I ever heard $219.00 sound! Where yes, there is still a tad of BA sheen with the Hype2, it’s not always noticeable and only on certain instruments, never really on vocals? This is the price we pay to have wonderful BA contrasts and separations at hand. Hybrids are my favorite methodology to make IEMs, and the Hype2 is just another reason to love them.




Comparison summary:
I chose these three as in many ways they approach music with the exact same set of values, so in many ways they are the same. Yet upon comparing I learned something about the Hype2, yep I learned what the Thieaudio house sound is. Now there is a little bit of it in the Legacy 4 IEM, and the Elixir IEM, except during this comparison I learned the Hype2 sounds like the Ghost full-size headphone. So there truly is a method to this madness. And that sound may be in the mid-range the most? Wherever it is, it’s the thing that made my experience different from the ONYX and Quintet. It’s a careful sound, and an extra complete and even sound……though I can’t completely describe it, you would have to hear it to understand.



Packaging:
Note how the IEMs are mounted to the cables, You get three pairs of foam tips and three pairs of silicone tips. You get a trademarked cleaning cloth and a nice case.





Cable:
Such a cable! Perfect ear-hooks and manageability. While as you can see it doesn’t always lay totally flat, and requires a cable tie for photos, there is nothing at all wrong with how nice this particular cable is.

https://www.linsoul.com/products/thieaudio-est-cable?variant=40981816049819

I’m about 99.9999% sure this is the Thieaudio EST cable, a $69.00 purchase by itself. I love this cable, every bit of it.




THIEAUDIO EST Cable
26AWG ThieAudio Monarch & Clairvoyance IEM cable

• Litz 5N OCC Silver Plated Cable 100 wire x 4 core
• 2.5mm balanced cable comes with 3.5mm and 4.4mm adapter
• High-purity Silver-plated OCC Copper Litz Wire

Build:
Each Hype2 IEM is individually numbered and offers a handmade faceplate. No two are exactly the same, as far as subtleties in faceplate design............the two styles of faceplates give the consumer a choice…......either Indigo or Zicao. Coming in at only 5 grams the Hype is a joy to wear. But more than that, the shape is incredibly comfortable. They truly do block sound, maybe due to the construction or fit? 3D printed medical grade resin creates the lowest weight and curvy design. As seen in the photographs there is one giant vent on the tip. I need to talk about 2Pin recesses as this is a first in my Thieaudiio experience. The recesses go ahead and keep the force of the 2Pin from punching out the clear 2Pin receiver, into the IEM body. Literally the surrounding side walls help keep the plug in place, very different from the flush 2Pins of the past. A nice inset screen sits protected inside the nozzle opening. Really the build, fit, finish and form are totally agreeable here?

My favorite part of the design comes from metal nozzle ends, Such small things end-up as values due to holding ear-tips on at a very specific place. Such a device keeps the ear-tips from moving into a different position, releasing concern at checking each time before an individual use session.




Sound:
The best way to describe the sound would be both delicate and of authority. Meaning there is just enough contrasts and forwardness to gain perspective into what the artists intentions were during the recording. We are met with 2 new generations of ideas here, marketing talk or reality, the dual 10mm drivers are known as IMPACT2 drivers, and while all this talk of bass may have you get the wrong ideas. As to me the bass is balanced yet still dramatic and satisfying. Now the use of Sonion P2356HF/4 and E25ST001/D BAs don’t need any qualification from me. Due to Sonion being the very best there is, offering the most realistic playback available. What all this means is balance, but more than that in practical use, it means you can choose any music, any file format or any cable or source and be happy. In short, the Hype2 scales-up with your better gear, but still plays great from a phone. Much of these changes in our audiophile landscape happened because of added correct bass authority. Meaning there was a time when it was hit or miss if an IEM would sound good from a phone. Either the impedance was mismatched or the tone was off somehow requiring you as a consumer to take matters into your own hands. You before had some IEMs that worked better from a phone and IEMs that needed power to perform. Due to the driver design........the Hype2 actually sounds even and natural with a big expanded soundstage just from a phone. Probably much of this centers around bass authority, except it’s also the Sonion BAs just waking-up and going to town from any source, maybe? It’s truly the balance and listenability that has me shaking my head with this one?

Treble:
Here you have almost a shelf of vibrancy.......due to the upper midrange into the treble from 2.5kHz all the way to 8kHz (included is the 8kHz artifact) before it drops. This actuates a balance to the bass, but more than that allows just enough framing for the exquisite midrange. Such balance is what the Hype2 is all about. Because after about 100 hours of burn-in the Hype2 really came together? And I ask myself, am I bored with this treble, and the answer is not at all, there is just enough action to make me forget the IEM I’m using, and allow me to get with the music at hand. Added is this peculiar 5kHz bump, that’s not really a recess……..adding that crispness…..just more smooth and natural evenness almost?

Midrange:
OK, we talked about it, but what is it? Maybe more importantly what is it not? It first holds an aggressive tuck at 200Hz which just by the nature of sound means the midrange itself is not cloudy. Then a slow progression to 2kHz into which the upper midrange from 2kHz to 4kHz shows a smooth but substantial bump……..the shelf. From 4kHz to 5kHz there is an additional bump. Note the gradual aspect which is showcased though-out. First a quick drop at 200Hz to signify midrange presence without any bass interference. This tuck may be responsible for the great pace we experience? Seemingly perfect the way we are presented with the ability to already hear the 2.5kHz to 4kHz “shelf”…..such a design leaves room for an additional even bump between 4kHz to 6kHz. It’s this 5kHz boost that is smack-dab in the middle of the presence region, gaining clarity to off-set our bass focus.

This tune is solid gold, and it will be copied endlessly! Mark my words.

Bass:
Boosted to add warmth yet fast enough and nimble enough to get us pace and rhythm. So you may be wondering exactly what the bass is like. I tried to inform you that it wasn’t as vibrant or as out forward as the ONYX, earlier. What it is like is getting into a warm bath where the water is a perfect temperature. Just enough dexterity to show bumps, but not the most technical you have ever heard. With all this talk of iso-bass……………and there is truth in that 2 10mm bass drivers coupled as a pair now produce the same frequency response but use half the space. The drivers produce the same amount of bass as twice the driver size, yet one is not open to port out. I mean I have heard faster bass from a 8mm or 6mm driver due to them just being smaller and possibly more rigid, and we don’t have that style going on here. It is a regular 10mm bass but well done. Again if I can repeat myself, it is totally the correct amount of bass for the rest of the frequency response. Yet also that response is not all that dependent on power to get it, you can get it from a phone, Dongle or get a slightly cleaner response from a desk-top or DAP.

Music:
This is the part I’ve been waiting for as to me the rest up to this point have been the formalities.



Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch
Blade Runner 2049 OST
Mesa
44.1 kHz - 16 bit
So probably the redeeming aspect right off is just how both digestible and visceral this goes down. I mean how do those terms even go together? Well my friends it starts with natural, really nothing is out of place. The piano which starts this off has perfect timbre. At 00:23 there is what sounds like a turn-around of sorts, where this bass is dropping then it pauses for a second? At 00:45 there is this synth accent and right after a theme plays, yet nothing is ever too much, not too scathing or too deep of lows. Yet again it is that this is all one, like one full-range single DD, and that is the subtle magic here…….that everything is all together. You see this is better than a DD because the BA drivers bring that steeliness and detail that are never done exactly like a DD can do. There are fast turn-arounds and shifts in frequency that only BAs can do……as they are instantaneous. This also brings transients into supreme focus, again like only BAs can do. And while this isn’t the very best at bass detail, there is something else going on……..maybe it is the iso-bass? Something new brought to the table? Also this song is a soundstage song, so just when you think the soundstage is average, things start to open-up. Yep, big events, bigger than you thought possible with the Hype2. And while the bass takes a big portion of that stage, then the mids come along and offer surprises. And while the Hype2 isn’t about pin-point detail and extracting many magnitudes of layers, it does have its charm and seems to do the most with 4 drivers of any IEM I have ever heard?



E-Mantra
Daydream (Dense Remix)
Ascending (Compiled by E-Mantra)
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
The sounding bells are super important to the beginning as it’s a reassurance that the treble is all you need. Once again the transients are providing imaging to squander our imagination on. At 00:26 the rhythm bass starts, now the drums haven’t started, but you get the feeling of the density here. And while I have heard this tone more defined it’s not sloppy, or lagging in any way…….and seems to hold better timbre than ever? At times I’ll take timbre over other technicalities, I mean, that’s just how the Hype2 is. And somehow the more I listen to it, it does showcase an attack and texture…….more than I first guessed? It’s round and everything is in place? At 01:55 that extra stage comes in showcasing the soundstage unexpectedly? See these little bell sounds they have a rhythm and a tone, a feeling to them that when it is right, it feels right. Such artifacts of the song are not loud but if represented right, all is well, as it is almost as hearing into the blackness of the stage. At 02:08 the drums finally happen, and they are not really that out front or contrasty…….seemingly going with the program. Yet the drums while not super out front still contain the texture and depth they ultimately do have. What I’m realizing here is that to be good at everything, the Hype2 needs to approach music in this fashion, maybe? Don’t get me wrong, the bass is perfect, I just may have heard it louder on other IEMs. At 02:34 there is an accent, a faint cymbal or really a brush sound……..electronic, and it is perfectly separated in the mix. All I can say to sum this song up is that there is a unity, a unification of tone, where really the BAs merge with the bass driver to become as one. This one-ness continues on into other aspects of the song and doesn’t stop for a moment. It’s the well-roundedness that maybe is the Hype2’s greatest strength? I mean the next song shows how well the Hype2 does fully formed EDM drums/bass, and further down the line in music tests we will then try out full-on orchestrations.



KMFDM
Paradise
Megalo
44.1 - 24 bit
I use this album all the time for reviews, probably because I know it forwards and backwards, that........and it has good sound quality. The faint bells at 00:11 are well separated and reverberated. At 00:28 the sequenced synth starts, traveling right to left and back again. At 00:39 the vocals and drums come in. My favorite part of this rendition here right now is the drum and bass pace. Yep, I mean the downbeat is the backbone of this song, yet if there was a problem with it we would lose pace, where here it’s hyper paced. It grooves and sways like the best IEMs do! I mean for a lot of EDM listeners this single trait could be reason to buy the Hype2. I don’t consider myself an EDM listener but I have had my spells. There are two aspects which are really important in that style of music for IEMs. Typically there are exaggerated hi-hats which are mixed that way to counteract the bass presence. The other aspect is simply bass presence and texture. Does the bump groove and if so is it lovable? And it is, both aspects are taken care of here with the Hype2. What that means is if EDM was your only genre of choice, or you listened to it 90% of the time, you would be happy with the Hype2. And most likely you would be way more than happy, but I won’t say that.



Ludwig Goransson
Oppenheimer OST
Gravity Swallows Light
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
This really sounds like a full thick set of strings……..in the opening. This is a prime example of frequency response being correct. I say this as we all know when someone is of wanting of a different presentation. Maybe EQ does it for them? Here there is every style of frequency even though the song in many ways seems simplistic at the start. At 00:17 an atomic bomb sound is heard, I haven’t seen the movie but I assume. Such a sound travels to the outskirts of the stage, delineating what this IEM can do. At 00:25 a through bass drop occurs. Such a bass is warm and holding analogue tone, found maybe with less clarity than other (pricier) IEMs I’ve heard playing this song, except there is no arguing this is correct. This particular song has a lot of panning going on, a lot of washes flowing through then a finite piece of tempo…….a string instrument, maybe? It’s holding the pace for once like a Geiger–Müller counter. This sound comes at 02:01 and takes control of focus. Somehow the Hype2 captures that and lets it happen. At 03:03 there is the returning cello, actually this whole song could be entertaining just for the cellos. But right before 03:03 a bass drop hits and we can hear that small detail well. The fact that those cellos have air, and space in the soundstage.



Ludwig Goransson
Oppenheimer OST
The Trial
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Finally The Trial, my favorite song on the album. Here the Geiger–Müller counter is moving fast and the pace shows. And again the cellos are back, but this time even deeper and bigger. At 00:16 they add a string instrument, maybe an electric bass, on-top. At 01:56 a sub-bass hits, as deep as we can go just inside of our hearing. Probably the overall best sonic value here is note-weight, that and a woody density and fluidness to the string instruments?



Ludwig Goransson
Oppenheimer OST
Dr. Hill
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
At the 00:46 mark there is an actual song here, there is an actual theme buried between effects…………….it emerges and holds musical value. Such a piano comes to prove its worth. And all I can say, is everything in this soundtrack seems well placed, well toned and exceptionally entertaining for a $299.00 IEM. All seems correct and sounding big and involving, but most of all musical and together. It's the naturalness that is a focus, I mean while listening to this you have to ask yourself if you would ever want it another way? Such density of strings and balance of itemizations into the stage........................




Conclusion:
I’m thinking Thieaudio really outdid themselves here. Linsoul is the house brand and Thieaudio is their baby. And while I haven’t heard the Monarch II, I believe the Hype2 is an emulation. Though for some people they feel there is even better bass than the Monarch II, part of that could be balance, meaning if you start to roll back the treble equipment up-top, you are left with balance still but a refocus of energy and personal sound aspirations. Meaning there is nothing left but to hold-onto except the bass, as that’s what is there. Think of it like a large cabinet with glasses and plates inside. Only the very top shelf has been taken out. That means you still see most of the cabinet, and if you didn’t know any better would think it was full. Many never look up that high-up anyway. Literally everything looks like it supposed to when you open the doors. So in the end Theiaudio took out what they thought they could get away with, and still have a winner of an IEM. And while not perfect, nothing is, and normally there are more imperfections in the under $500 realm.



If you were truly sensitive to treble they Hype2 would have your name on it. Especially if you were both into EDM and sensitive to treble, I couldn’t think of a better IEM to get. The magic here is that they somehow dialed the Hype2 into not really needing a thing. It’s this whole togetherness thing that has me smitten, that and the beautiful imaging and transients. There is also a special simplicity that comes with only using 4 drivers, nothing to get in the way, nothing to confuse the frequency playback. If anyone out there has a multi-BA IEM, you know what I’m talking about……the swarm of bees. No bees here, nope…just the right amount of frequencies. And the bass……how do you describe something that is basically correct……correct for me anyway. With all the emphasis many will get the wrong idea about the Hype2, thinking its a bass-head IEM, when it has lovely bass, but not really that extreme, maybe on the border? I mean you can’t add 2X 10mm iso-bass drivers and get nothing right?

And finally the usability. Sure there are flagships out there, but (at times) you need a stack to drive them. You know the guy you saw on the subway with a pile of gear somehow all stacked together to power these little IEMs. How ridiculous is that? Oh, wait…………I forgot......Head-Fi, the only place in the world that loves 5 pounds of portable audio on the go. Well anyway those days are over, yep there is a new era starting……super efficient IEMs that only sound like a 5 pound stack of audio gear. Truly if you were just looking for a great out and about IEM the Hype2 is it. It weighs only 5 grams, runs off anything, sounds big, and has great noise occlusion. Really what else are you looking for? I know TWS has taken over the sports and recreation sectors of Head-Fi. Still none of them that I know sound like the Hype2. Or if you were looking for a relaxing less hypercritical treble-centric IEM than your flagships that is an absolute joy to listen to, the Hype2 is that too. Really the Hype2 changed a lot after burn-in, I mean it should being it's not one 10mm, but two! And the fact that they threw-in the most recent Sonion BAs to put icing on this cake! This simply shows Linsoul/Thieaudio used their buying power and supplied the quality parts. The cable……….really a work of art when you look at it, a little unwieldy, and that’s just what it is…..but only slightly. What it is is it doesn’t like to be coiled-up super tightly or even remotely tight. Yet I still was able to put it away. And truly the cable is all that and more, coming with an IEM of this caliber.

The Sonion Sound:
I can’t help but realize that my affinity to the Hype2 results from the integration of Sonion BA tone and texture into the Thieaudio sound. It’s no secret that Sonions are my favorite way to go. And just like different guitars or pianos, they emit a character that is remarkably their own to contain. Such a character is a mixture of note weight, harmonics, resolution and clarity. It is such a quality that upon listening to any other IEM.......it’s just not the same. Now not to be too critical here, Knowles takes a close second. But my Sonion listening experiences have produced the most realistic and enjoyable IEM listening experiences to date. Sonion is singularly the main reason I like Hybrids the best of any style of IEM methodology. And the fact that Thieaudio went and somehow amalgamated the Sonion sound directly into their own sound…….to take this whole shebang one step farther!

The Review Process:
This was by far the easiest review to do all year here at Redcarmoose Labs. Why? The playback is like chocolate ice-cream, it’s simply lovable and goes down easy. There is a no-fuss way about the IEM shape and fit, the way the cable hooks are. It’s almost refreshing to come-upon such an easy yet detailed treble…………I mean surely I was looking to throw rocks here, but I found absolutely nothing to take offense to? That is how well done Thieaudio has done the tune.....to perfection. And around these parts, perfection is a naughty word to use, because the perception of perfection is subjective. Still I don’t care, the reason being is the tune is simply a step into the correct direction, to attract more and more listeners…….and with that said, the Hype2 has it all……it really does.

Ending:
So I guess I’ve covered the Hype2, you can be sure I’m going to be listening to it over and over again, because it isn’t just what an IEM costs, but how and why it was made and the design sophistication involved that makes it valuable. An added IEM to your collection that I can assure you, you have never heard before.

$299.00
https://www.linsoul.com/products/thieaudio-hype-2?variant=43984786522329

Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Kareena at Linsoul for the love and the Hype2 review sample.

Disclaimer:
These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Shanling UA3 Dongle DAC/Amplifier 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Samsung phone 3.5mm

Introduction!
Today we will talk about headphones from the company Thieaudio, and this is their novelty, which is called Hype 2 and their cost is $299 !
And they come in a very large box with a nice design, on the front part there is a large image of headphones, the logo of the company Thieaudio, and the name of the model Hype 2 with an indicating the number of installed drivers!

And here the technical specifications are indicated on the side, 2 dynamic drivers of 10 mm are responsible for the sound here, and 2 reinforcement drivers from Sonion, and the sensitivity of the headphones is 108 db and they received an impedance of 25 ohms!

Let's take a look at what's included!
And the first thing that meets us is a thick cardboard black box with the inscription Thieaudio!

And inside it there are headphones neatly fixed here!

And in my opinion they look very good with such a beautifully designed front panel, it shimmers a little and plays in the light, but you can also choose the blue version of the front panel on which, by the way, there is an inscription Thieaudio on both headphones here!

And yes, you probably noticed that this model has such a massive body and is made of medical resin, so they are very smooth and pleasant like Canon 2, well, according to the standard, they have a 2 pin connector slightly recessed into the housing to connect the cable, and there is 1 acoustic hole under which there is a mesh, and it's also worth saying that their nozzle is quite wide!

Ergonomics and convenience.
I am glad that they have a protrusion on the nozzle, so the ear pads do not fly anywhere and with the fit and convenience of these headphones, despite their impressive size, they are in full order, they sit quite tightly and comfortably.
Accessories.
And the complete cable here is 2-core, silver-plated, has 2pin connectors and a 3.5 mm jack connector, generally quite good, although rustic, the same canon 2 cable is, of course, much more interesting, but this cable does not get particularly tangled and has good ears of a convenient shape.

Well, in this medium cool zippered case of tieyaudio there are two sets of ear pads, some of which are foam, that's how they look, and these are ordinary silicone quite good nozzles I used headphones with them.
Well, there is also a black cloth for wiping your headphones.

How do these headphones sound ?
Well, now friends, let's talk about the most important thing, namely the sound of this model!
Low Frequencies :
The low frequency area in these headphones is well emphasized and has excellent mass and volume with good filling of the space with its depth, and textural elaboration is at a very good level, although the tonal basses are less warm compared to Canon 2, and the emphasis in hype 2 is slightly shifted to sub bass, unlike Canon 2, where the midbass literally occupies a dominant position, but in fact both settings show themselves well, that is, in Hype 2 there is no such thing as a single sub bass playing, since they have a midbass with a well-defined attack, and it seems more restrained and neat, since the attenuation here is smoother, but still prolonged.
Mid Frequencies :
Well, the midrange frequencies in these headphones are very detailed on overtones and sound more emotional compared to Canon 2, that is, if you lacked emotions from Canon 2 when listening to music.
Then Hype 2 is your choice, their supply of this area differs in a positive way in my opinion, so they are not so neutral and more fun to transmit this range, with good transparency and air which is not here that it was added to us excessively, but on the contrary there is the right and optimal amount.
I also liked how well the vocal part and instruments are revealed in them, the vocal itself is very articulate and legible and does not sound somehow closed and deaf with an intimate arrangement, on the contrary, it is quite well pushed forward and accentuated and feels wide in space.
Well, the percussion drums sound a little more accentuated than in Canon 2 and are still well emphasized, but they sound very nice and smooth, so I can say that the overall presentation of this area turned out to be quite warm and pleasant to the ear.
High Frequencies :
Well, the high frequencies in thieaudio HYIP 2 have a familiar and correct approach to tuning, they are quite smooth, but at the same time they have good detail with no less hidden technicality with neat long after-hours, so there are no restrictions on genres here, the headphones do an excellent job with different music, metal, acoustic music, jazz, blues, rock they reproduce all this without problems without losing details during playback.
And I would not call the presentation of this area overly analytical and dry, on the contrary, everything sounds quite emotional and not as neutral as canon, so all the music in them plays quite interesting and exciting, there are also no sibilants in this area, so you can, as they say, raise the volume well and everything will sound smooth and comfortable by ear.
Stage and stereo panorama :
In the headphones of Thieaudio Hype 2 turned out to be quite wide and optimal, they perfectly draw images in depth while not blurring the separation and drawing of instruments in space, so there is complete order with this.
My conclusion on these headphones :
Thieaudio Hype 2, turned out to be excellent headphones for more such an emotional and exciting listening with a very comfortable and accurate presentation, moderately pronounced textural and dense bass, smooth and light medium frequencies and very comfortable moderately technical high, in places they are very reminiscent of Canon 2, so if you can't afford Сanon 2, then hype 2 will definitely be a great option that I can recommend to you without hesitation.
Link where you can buy them!
https://www.linsoul.com/products/thieaudio-hype-2
Icygenius was with you, I will be glad if you subscribe to my YouTube channel and watch this full review on Thieaudio Hype 2:
Review: