Thieaudio has spent a lot of time focusing on high-end earphones over the last review, but it’s returning to its roots with the Hype 2. Its latest pair of earphones adopts designs from its flagship Monarch MKIII and brings them to a more accessible price point. At $299, these headphones aren’t cheap but offer sound quality and performance that’s destined to impress.
Specifications
- Current Price: $299 (Amazon, Linsoul)
- 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
Thieaudio Hype 2 - Design and Key Features
In many ways, the Thieaudio Hype 2 feels like a return to form. The company has spent a lot of time in the high-end designing flagship in-ear monitors (IEMs) for audiophiles and live performers. Products like the Monarch MKII, MKIII, and Prestige LTD have been excellent and prove that this is a brand that knows its craft. But those IEMs are also $999 or more and out of reach of most listeners.
That’s not where the brand began, however. Some of my earliest reviews in the audio space were for some of its most formative IEMs, like the Legacy 3, which retailed for only $119. It has experimented a lot since then, releasing products across the pricing spectrum, including a couple pairs of headphones. The Hype 2 returns the company to more accessible pricing — or at least mid-tier pricing — and brings some of its biggest advancements to more affordable price points.
The Thieaudio Hype 2 is being called a mini-Monarch and for good reason. It uses a hybrid driver arrangement, consisting of two balanced armatures and two dynamic drivers, While its BAs are both part of Sonion’s latest generation, they’re different from the ones used in the Monarch MKIII, and there’s no ESTs either. What draws them together are the dynamic drivers and the tuning.
Like the Monarch MKIII, the Hype 2 utilizes two 10mm dynamic drivers. These drivers are placed in an isobaric chamber to create a subwoofer-like effect. The company calls this its Impact2 (impact squared) system and it’s quite effective. The bass on this set is clear, fast, and detailed but surprisingly well-positioned and balanced with the rest of the frequencies.
The remaining two drivers cover the mids and highs. These Sonion drivers (the 2356 and E25ST) have been refined with their latest generation to improve their frequency response while also lowering their total overall distortion. The E25ST is noted as having been particularly enhanced with audible improvements to its tone up to 18kHz. Thieaudio even compares its performance to that of an electrostatic driver. That might be a bit of a reach, but the mids are smooth and natural, the highs airy but not sharp.
Their design follows the formula we’ve seen on other recent releases from the brand. The shells are composed of a resin material shaped in a universal IEM form. This design is intended to nestle into the air and secure both with the ear canal as well as be supported by the outer ear. That’s important because these IEMs are on the larger side and need that additional support. The faceplates come in burgundy or blue with a star pattern on the former and a painterly layed swirl on the latter.
Also included in the box is a nice zippered travel case, a silver copper cable that looks very similar to that included with the original Oracle, and a series of small, medium, and large tips in both silicone and foam. I would have liked to have seen more types of tips included for this price, but between the two types, most users should be able to find a comfortable fit. Likewise, I wish the cable were modular, but since the earbuds have a low impedance and high sensitivity (25 ohms and 108dB) they’re very to drive from its 3.5mm single-ended connection.
Thieaudio Hype 2 - Listening Impressions
The magic of the Hype 2 is in its tuning. Thieaudio has tuned it to be very close to the Monarch MKIII, which allows it to sound and present quite close to its much more expensive counterpart. Opting for the Monarch still makes sense for the best overall sound — it’s a technically more capable, more resolving, more detailed and spacious IEM, just as you would expect for the price — but if you’re not digging into those nuances and microdetails, it’s in the ballpark for a third of the price. That’s pretty killer.
Monarch MKIII = darker blue on top, more extension around 20kHz; Hype 2 = lighter blue on bottom
It’s not 1-to-1. In the graph above, I’ve poorly overlaid the two. It’s not a scientific measurement to present them in this way, by any means, but it gives a good impression of how closely tuned they are and where we see some difference. The Hype 2 (on the bottom in the graph above) follows the same overall curve with slight deviations. The two IEMs don’t sound alike but they’re close and that much is plain to see even if you’re not familiar with graphs.
In a sentence: the Hype2 is brighter and more energetic, slightly less expansive, but mid-forward, which is perfect for mainstream music and gaming.
Bass: The bass on this set is impressive. It’s authoritative but also controlled. There’s plenty of texture, which speaks to the responsiveness of the driver. Compared to the Monarch MKIII, I find the bass is quite a bit stepped back but also leaves the Hype 2 sounding a bit brighter overall. It has enough oomph to carry pop and even hip-hop, so it’s not bass-light, but it’s exceptionally well balanced with the rest of the frequency spectrum. The tone is excellent. Zach Bryan’s Something in the Orange and B.o.B.’s Airplanes are excellent examples of the versatility of the low-end.
It’s not as wide as the Monarch and feels quite different overall. The Impact2 system is apparently able to present with some versatility, but both are very enjoyable in their own way.
Mids: When it comes to the mids, the Hype2 is energetic and fun, tuned to bring vocals right to the front of the mix. The energy in this range is much more emphasized than the MKIII, making them sound less balanced and more bright, but very fun. Guitars and instruments really come out, bringing forth a lot of detail, and work very well for live and instrumental music.
Honestly, the mids are my favorite part of this set. Vocals sound great on these and I love how they bring out guitars and keys in this range. For gaming, this also has the benefit of accentuating the competitive detail frequencies for positioning and really taking in what’s happening in the environment around you.
Treble: The upper range presentation completely the middle-high lean of this set. The new Sonion drivers do great work in the treble, providing excellent clarity. Look no further than Post Malone’s Hollywood is Bleeding. The clean guitar resonates with a clarity like you’re sitting right next to a Fender amplifier hearing it live — which is what I do. The presentation is so good; the upper harmonics are presented wonderfully and allow mid-range instruments to come through so realistically, that it’s almost joyful.
The overall tuning here borders on being too bright but pulls back right before hitting that point. If you’re treble sensitive, or prefer a warmer, bassier sound, these might not be your cup of tea, but if you prefer a moderate amount of brightness and exceptional clarity, there is truly a lot of enjoy here.
Technical Performance, Soundstage, and Imaging: When it comes to detail and imaging, it’s excellent for the price. They’ve been tuned to emphasize clarity and detail and it comes through very well. The soundstage is also wide and offers excellent imaging, so with a little reverb on a track or in a game, they can sound almost like headphones.
It’s an unfair comparison, standing these against the Monarch MKIII, with technical performance. This is the area where the MKIII outclasses the Hype 2, as it should at triple the price. The Monarch is wider, more spacious, more detailed, and better positioned. But these differences also represent the law of diminishing returns that’s so evident in this hobby. Yes, the MKIII is substantially better, but that doesn’t mean the differences are groundbreaking or that the Hype 2 isn’t very enjoyable in its own way. It is, and frankly, I kind of love it.
Gaming: This is a great set for gaming. The sound is very spacious for the price and the positionality is very good for competitive shooters and immersive single-player games. There’s enough bass to give explosions and gunshots authority and impact and enough clarity to never feel like the sound is artificially warm or veiled like most gaming headsets. Turn on Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos and you’ll find that this set is excellent for gaming.
Overall Impressions and Final Thoughts
The Hype 2 stands on its own, apart from the Monarch. I can see why some critics have made these comparisons; on paper, they have a lot in common. In actual listening, you can hear some shared DNA, but the Hype 2 is an overall brighter, more energetic IEM. It’s designed for a wider range of listeners with less of an emphasis on neutrality and more on the mids and vocals.
And you know what? It’s pretty great. For $300, it has a sound signature that’s a lot of fun and feels more versatile than competitors like the Moondrop Blessing 3, which is also excellent for around the same price. The Impulse2 bass system is great and leads to a fuller-bodied sound than the B3, while still managing to sound tight. I really, really enjoy these earphones and if this is the direction that Thieaudio is heading next, trickling its audio technologies and tuning philosophies down to more affordable prices, that’s a very exciting thing for the industry.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Articles may include affiliate links from which we may earn a small commission to help support the site. Authors do not earn affiliate revenue or commissions.
