Linsoul THIEAUDIO Hype 4 2DD+4BA in Ear Monitor, HiFi IEM Earphones with Tonal Balance, Latest Sonion Driver, Detachable Silver-Plated OCC Cable for Audiophile Musician Professionals (White)

The THIEAUDIO Hype 4 is a mid-range in-ear monitor (IEM) that has garnered significant attention for its impressive sound quality and design. Priced at $399, it offers a compelling option for audiophiles seeking high-performance audio without venturing into the ultra-premium market.Design and Build QualityThe Hype 4 features a sleek and ergonomic design, ensuring a comfortable fit for extended listening sessions. The IEMs are crafted with high-quality materials, providing both durability and an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The included silver-plated OCC cable enhances clarity and refinement, contributing to the overall premium feel of the product.Sound PerformanceThe Hype 4 employs a hybrid driver configuration, utilizing two dynamic drivers and four balanced armature drivers, including THIEAUDIO’s IMPACT technology. This setup delivers a sub-bass-boosted neutral tuning signature, offering deep and controlled bass, natural mids, and detailed treble. The soundstage is notably wide, with excellent stereo imaging and layering capabilities, making it suitable for both audiophiles and professionals seeking accurate sound reproduction.Pros:Balanced Sound Signature: The Hype 4 provides a tasteful U-shaped sound signature, with well-represented male and female vocals, making it versatile across various music genres.Comfortable Fit: The ergonomic design ensures a secure and comfortable fit, suitable for long listening sessions without causing fatigue.High-Quality Cable: The included silver-plated OCC cable enhances audio clarity and adds to the premium feel of the IEMs.Cons:Bass Emphasis: While the deep bass is appealing to many, it may be overwhelming for listeners who prefer a more neutral or treble-focused sound signature. I had to equalize the bass region down a bit to prevent it overwhelming the midrange.Upper Treble Presence: Some users have noted that the upper treble can be slightly exaggerated, which might be distracting in certain tracks.It stands out in its price range, offering a combination of high-quality build, comfort, and impressive sound performance. Its balanced tuning and deep bass make it a solid choice for those seeking an enjoyable listening experience with depth. However, individuals sensitive to bass-heavy or treble-emphasized sound signatures may want to audition the Hype 4 before making a purchase. Overall, it represents a strong value proposition in the competitive IEM market.

I was somewhat underwhelmed by the Hype 4 when I first got them and put them on. They sounded great, don't get me wrong, but just, not as big a jump in perceived sound quality as I'd been hoping for, coming from the position of having a lot of experience with IEMs in the $200-300 range. But diminishing returns is a serious thing with IEMs, and you should never expect $400 IEMs to be "twice as good" as a pair that costs $200. They can still be worth the premium, of course, but you really need to temper your expectations with IEMs in this price bracket.But after a few weeks I keep finding myself coming back to the Hype 4, and I've started to understand what sets them apart and makes them worth $400. And at this point I can confidently say:Yes, these are fantastic IEMs. If you're considering them and don't automatically wince at the price, just buy them. I doubt many people could be truly disappointed with the Hype 4.Let's start with the tuning: the Hype 4 are sometimes called "V-shaped," but that's really not accurate at all. They're actually pretty close to the neutral "new meta" tuning, just with a bass shelf and a couple of treble peaks. Take a look at a graph and compare them to something like the Thieaudio Monarch Mk2 or Kiwi Ears KE4, both renowned for being pretty dang close to a perfect "new meta" tuning. The Hype 4 are tuned VERY similarly to the Monarch Mk2 - just with more bass emphasis. So I would call them fairly neutral-warm overall.If you like bass, these will probably make you very happy, unless you're just an absolute bass nut or something. You can only push bass so far with IEMs before it sounds totally muddy - the Hype 4 nail it, imo. Bass is warm, full, punchy, natural, and CLEAR. There is a distinct separation between sub-bass, bass, and lower mids, and that's what you want with any IEM, really. You really FEEL bass drum hits or 808s. And yet, those "boomier," punchier sounds don't drown out the bass guitar or synth or anything else in that lower range. It all just works together perfectly. On really well-recorded tracks, the bass emphasis of the Hype 4 really helps sell the feeling of "space" and three-dimensionality.Mids are crystal clear and neither over- nor under-emphasized. Vocals are very clear and distinct, very "forward," so to speak, but they are almost never shouty or piercing. Treble is very pleasant - I really despise IEMs with over-emphasized treble, as it almost always sounds shouty, piercing, and fatiguing to my ears. The Hype 4 gets treble right, at least for me. It's cranked up just enough to create that feeling of "detail" and "headspace" while never really overwhelming the mids or hurting my ears.Soundstage is a very subjective thing, and frankly I don't think it's as REAL a thing as the audiophile community seems to believe it is. As such, I don't really like to talk about soundstage when reviewing IEMs. All I'll say for the Hype 4 in this area is that they feel very spacious.Imaging, on the other hand, is very much a real thing, and tends to not get enough focus in reviews. The Hype 4 have pretty good imaging. Not the best I've ever heard, but far from the worst. In most cases, the Hype 4 present individual instruments and voices very clearly and distinctly from one another. The fact of the matter is, some songs are just poorly produced, and neither the Hype 4 nor any other IEM can pull distinct images out of mud. But on well-engineered tracks, imaging is very good, especially considering their bass-emphasized tuning.Comfort is also subjective. I find the Hype 4 to be perfectly comfortable in my ears over long periods of time. But they are big, so if you have small ears, these may be too much for you. They're far from the biggest out there, mind you. I would think the vast majority of people could use them comfortably with the right tips.The cable is fine. I replaced it with a Tripowin cable purely for aesthetics. Oh, speaking of aesthetics, they look really nice. I bought the white/pink/purple sparkly ones and they look and feel very premium.All in all, I think the Hype 4 are excellent neutral-warm IEMs and an easy "blind buy" recommendation. I think they're worth the price - they're not "twice as good" as the KE4s, for example, but that extra $200 really does get you another level of clarity and spaciousness. To me, that's worth the premium.My recommended IEMs per price bracket:$25: 7hz x Crinacle Zero 2$50: Truthear x Crinacle Zero: RED$100: 7hz x Crinacle Dioko$150: Truthear Nova$200: Kiwi Ears KE4 or 7hz Timeless 2$300: DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci$400: Thieaudio Hype 4

This is an excellent piece of audio technology. I hesitated to buy this for a bit because I own the Dusk and I also have the monarch mark 3. But let me say I’m blown away by these. The fit and comfort is very good with no issues whatsoever. The cable is high quality and very functional. The audio quality is excellent for my use case. I very much enjoy the sound signature. There is very good bass impact and slam. The mids are very well placed and the treble extension is very strong. Overall bass boosted and bright leaning sound. The item got delivered quick from the seller as well. Overall I’m happy with the 3.5 mm audio jack that’s not swappable. The clarity these bring is outstanding.

Sounds vert clear. All round tuning but not vocal forwardThe unit itself is great but its packaging is just OK.. compared to other iems brands.Also one of the ear tip was defective that It was torn when I received so I may have to return it...