Synergy
Efficiency
The THIEAUDIO Hype 2’s impedance rating of 25Ω is within the lower range. It will get enough power from any device.
Your phone, a DAP, or a dongle will give it enough juice for what you need. It will handle electrical swings so there’s nothing to worry about this part.
It is rated for 108dB/Vrms means it won’t need a lot of volume to get the full extent of its performance. Just enough and it’ll get loud for anyone.
Pairings
I’ve used the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 with Radsone ES100, Colorfly CDA-M1P, and a CX31993 dongle. I’ve only tested it with its stock 3.5mm cable, so no balanced output testing was done.
Without going into the source differences, all of these give the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 more than enough power for my use. Even the small CX31993 dongle was able to give me the necessary power.
For sound differences, the CX31993 doesn’t add any flavor to the IEMs. It plays as it originally intended.
With the Radsone ES100, it gave the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 better clarity. Vocals and instruments sound clearer with it. The Colorfly CDA-M1P made the staging and imaging farther. It helped improve the THIEAUDIO Hype 2’s weak point.
Select Comparisons
Moondrop Blessing 3
Technical
The Moondrop Blessing 3 comes with a 2DD 4BA driver setup. It has an impedance of 14.8 ohms and a sensitivity of 120dB/Vrms which makes it a picky and sensitive IEM unlike the THIEAUDIO Hype 2.
It’s also more susceptible to voltage swings which will give its users a bad experience with poor grounding. This leads to the static and popping sounds that users hear.
Design
The Moondrop Blessing 3 has a silver faceplate and clear shell. It is 3D printed by HeyGears using imported medical resin as the material.
The design is something you’ll either hate or love. Some people will appreciate the clear design that shows all the drivers, but others will hate its scratch-prone faceplate.
Performance
Starting with the bass, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 will give you a better bass experience. Compared to the Moondrop Blessing 3, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2’s bass is undoubtedly more in quantity, rumbling, and punchiness.
The Moondrop Blessing 3’s bass in comparison is weak and unsatisfying. The THIEAUDIO Hype 2 feels like it has 2 dynamic drivers rather than the Moondrop Blessing 3.
I can enjoy those boomy sounds in my music more with the THIEAUDIO Hype 2. With the Moondrop Blessing 3, I have to use EQ to get the bass to enjoyable levels in quantity.
The clear difference between these two is clarity in the vocals. The THIEAUDIO Hype 2 has problems with this since there’s a veil to either male or female vocals.
Meanwhile, the Moondrop Blessing 3 has a great edge to the clarity. The vocals sound cleaner and have a lot more richness.
With the Moondrop Blessing 3, I can hear the slight breathing pauses of the vocalist, the sliding of the guitarist’s fingers on the fretboard, and more. With the THIEAUDIO Hype 2, I couldn’t get any sense of those hidden details.
For the treble, the Moondrop Blessing 3 is more extended. It’s more sparkly and has a wider sense of staging.
But with sibilance, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 takes the total crown for this. Unlike the Moondrop Blessing 3, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 just has zero sibilance and is better relaxed in the treble.
Lastly, for the fit, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 is bigger than the Moondrop Blessing 3 which might cause fit concerns for some. As a trade-off, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 has better isolation and noise cancellation.
Etymotic ER4SR
Technical
The Etymotic ER4SR comes with a 1 BA driver setup with a sensitivity of 98dB@1kHz and an impedance of 45ohms@1kHz. Etymotic claims this type of driver setup brings an extremely accurate sound representation without the complexity of crossovers.
The ER4SR is the reference model for audio engineers and audiophiles with how clean the bass and mids are. This has the tuning that people who enjoy detail and vocals rather than bass would enjoy.
Design
The design of the Etymotic ER4SR is one of a kind. The shell and nozzle are combined into one elongated piece that is meant to fit deeply in your ears.
If we are to separate those two, then the nozzle would be the silver part of the IEM. The plastic black part is the shell of it.
Along with that, the Etymotic ER4SR also has unique double and triple-flanged tips. These tips will take some time to get used to if this is someone’s first time using it.
The entire design is meant to be fitted deep into someone’s ears to give the most optimal experience with it.
Performance
For the bass, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 simply beats it in every way. The Etymotic ER4SR just isn’t made for any bassy experience.
Going from the Etymotic ER4SR to the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 simply gave me a better experience of that rumbling, thumping, and punching bass. I couldn’t feel any of that once I listened to the Etymotic ER4SR again.
My music felt too dry with the Etymotic ER4SR. There wasn’t enough balance in the bass, mids, and treble to cancel out the dryness.
For the mids, I’d give it to the Etymotic ER4SR despite it sounding dry. The vocals sound cleaner and correct but the trade-off is that it sounds a lot more shouty.
For the treble, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 does it better. From being well-extended to having more sparklines, it simply beats out the Etymotic ER4SR.
Unfortunately, their staging and imaging performance is similar. Both are still stuck with the in-head staging experience.
Overall, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 performs better in more aspects than the Etymotic ER4SR. The music-listening experience sounds and feels more enjoyable.
Our Verdict
The THIEAUDIO Hype 2 is a great addition to the company’s fast-growing lineup of IEMs. Coming in as a bass-centric monitor, it’s a strong competitor in the market.
It does suffer from a slight vocal veil and weak percussion, however, if bass and enjoyment are your focus, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 will give you a good experience.
From its excellent bass to its zero tolerance for sibilance, this is one of the better laid-back, relaxing, and chill IEMs I’ve tried. Adding this to your collection or daily driving it, the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 is a good choice.
THIEAUDIO Hype 2 Technical Specifications
- Driver Type: Two (2) 10mm dynamic drivers, one (1x) Sonion E25 balanced armature, and one (1x) Sonion 2300 balanced armature
- Plug: 3.5mm single-ended standard 0.78mm-2pin
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 40kHz
- Impedance: 25Ω@1kHz
- Sensitivity: 108db/Vrms
- Nozzle Lip Diameter: 6mm
- Nozzle Stem Diameter: 5.4mm
