The Hype 2 was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 is $299 and is available from Linsoul .
THIEAUDIO
THIEAUDIO was established in 2019 by Linsoul for creating innovative, yet affordable, audio solutions and mainly earphones. Since then THIEAUDIO has become a staple brand in audiophile communities around the world with some very successful products like the Oracle MKII and their flagship, the Prestige MKIII.
THIEAUDIO Hype 2
The THIEAUDIO Hype 2 is a new generation in-ear monitor. Hype stands for Hybrid Performance and as such the Hype 2 uses 2DD + 2BA drivers.
The Hype 2 features THIEAUDIO’s latest technological innovation, the so called IMPACT² which is a new subwoofer solution consisting of two 10mm composite diaphragm drivers arranged in an isobaric design, a technique that is frequently used by speaker manufacturers like the famous Neat. The addition of another 10mm subwoofer significantly enhances the power and texture of the bass, while their in-house isobaric chamber design keeps the frequency and pressure constant.
The Hype 2 utilizes two of the latest iterations of Sonion drivers. The 2356 and E25ST have been well established and used by many of the largest brands in the IEM industry. The latest generation of these drivers, the P2356HF/4 and E25ST001/D have been selected for the Hype 2 after extensive testing with different driver types. The updated P2356HF/4 has significantly enhanced output with reduced THD, allowing higher resolution and clarity compared to similar BA drivers of its class. Similarly, the E25ST001/D super tweeter provides excellent tone while effectively extending the treble at an audible range until 18kHz. This super tweeter has excellent upper treble performance like electrostatic (EST) drivers, but with a smoother and more coherent tone.
Tuning concept
THIEAUDIO informs us that the Hype 2 features a studio-monitor-esque tuning. The bass is powerful and thunderous, thanks to IMPACT² but well controlled by keeping a tight 200Hz bass shelf. This means that the mids are flat and neutral, which accurately represents the tone of studio monitors used by professional audio engineers. The treble is respectfully tamed throughout the whole range, never peaking, but also never dipping as to maintain a balance between detail retrieval and pleasant listening.
Wearing experience and build quality
The ear-shells of the Hype 2 are made from a skin friendly resin compound and have an anatomical, semi-custom design. They are lightweight and super comfortable, the fit is stable but without irritating the ear canal so the ear-shells stay in place and are suitable for continuous use without causing any discomfort. Each ear-shell has a tiny venting port but nonetheless passive noise attenuation is excellent. Build quality is stellar and the Hype 2 is available in two colors, zicao and indigo. The appearance is plain and minimal, the faceplates have a discrete pattern that reminds of a flower.
Cable
The Hype 2 comes with a 2-pin detachable cable which is a braided design with four strands. No further information is provided but the material seems to be silver-plated copper. The cable is well made, it is sturdy, yet with soft handling, it doesn’t get tangled and it doesn’t produce microphonic noise while the plugs, splitter and slider are made from high quality aluminum. This is undeniably a high quality cable but it is only available with a 3.5mm plug. At $299 a modular cable should have been included to add better value to the overall package or at least the user should have the opportunity to order the cable with a plug of his choice.
Accessories
The Hype 2 comes with one set of silicone and one of memory foam ear-tips, a cleaning cloth and a nice carrying case with a side zipper.
Power requirements and associated gear
With a 25Ω impedance and 108dB/Vrms@1KHz of sensitivity the Hype 2 is easy to drive and just moderately sensitive to source noise. Nonetheless a high quality source is strongly recommended in order to get the most out of the Hype 2. The Hype 2 synergizes better with more neutral sources so I have mostly used the FiiO M11S and the EarMen TR-Amp. As per usual practice the Hype 2 was left playing music for about 100 hours before listening evaluation.
Listening impressions
The overall sound signature of the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 is exactly as advertised by the brand in the introductory notes. It has a strong bass presence with crystal clear mids and a smooth yet extended and airy treble. The Hype 2 digs well into the sub-bass region and then delivers a mildly emphasized bass that is not overpowering and doesn’t cloud the mids. The bass is slightly colored and not that tonally accurate but still the Hype 2 can successfully reproduce music with acoustic bass instruments albeit not in a strictly reference manner. Low pitched instruments sound a little over-saturated but without too much bloat or muddiness. Most of the time the bass stays tight and controlled with adequate clarity and layering, especially with percussion instruments. The recovery speed of the dual-driver system is good but not that fast and sometimes there is a sense of sluggishness and too much of an echo, especially with heavy bowings or finger pinching on stringed bass instruments. As expected by the isobaric technology, the bass is full bodied and weighty with great macro-dynamic contrast and physical impact that result in a thundering and rumbling bass presentation that will serve well many kinds of music.
The real achievement in the THIEAUDIO Hype 2 is that despite the full bass there is no sense of overpowering the rest of the frequencies. Mid-range and treble clarity are really impressive for the category and the Hype 2 delivers a thoroughly homogeneous and balanced sound without anything missing from the mix. The mids are evenly tuned without upper mid-range forwardness or any lack of lower-mids presence. The sound is full bodied with a natural timbre and a lot of harmonic variety, the Hype 2 is quite resolving and refined with a high quality texture and an enjoyable warmness. It sounds musical and engaging with a good tonal balance and plenty of realism when it comes to reproducing acoustic instruments and voices.
The treble maintains a good balance between sounding airy and energetic enough while showing a pleasant and smooth nature that is easy to the ear. Not exactly reminiscent of a studio monitor as THIEAUDIO claims but still there is plenty of clarity and detail retrieval with good levels of fidelity while treble never gets out of control to become bright and irritating. The timbre is quite natural with just a touch of artificiality and the sound is full bodied without “balanced armature” thinness and overly fast decay.
The soundstage is wide and spacious enough as not to sound congested and presents a focused center image. Imaging and positioning accuracy are above average and very satisfying even with large ensembles that get nicely arranged in the horizontal plane but there is not that much of a depth layering.
Compared to the ISN EST50 ($449)
The THIEAUDIO Hype 2 reminds a lot of the much more expensive ISN Audio EST50 and these two earphones share many tuning similarities. The Hype 2 is more impactful and dynamic in the low-end, the bass is punchier and weightier while the ISN EST50 is a little more refined and resolving in the mids and the treble with better overall transparency and clarity. The Hype 2 is also more compact and comfortable.
In the end
The THIEAUDIO Hype 2 is an earphone with plenty of strong and impactful bass that still maintains great mid-range presence and treble clarity without never sounding fatiguing. A smooth sailing sound signature that is very enjoyable with most kinds of music and is going to satisfy a great variety of users.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2023.
+ Plenty of impactful and dynamic bass + Casual and enjoyable tuning + Natural timbre without much artificiality + Neutral mids and smooth treble + Great resolution and refinement for the category + Spacious and airy soundstage + Lightweight and super comfortable + Good passive noise attenuation + Excellent build quality + High quality cable + Nice carrying case - The bass is a bit slow - Not tuned for critical listening - Not the most sparkling treble - Limited selection of ear-tips - A modular cable would add greater value - No option to order it with a balanced cable
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