Pros: First single full-range dynamic driver from THIEAUDIO
Special burl-wood acoustic-chamber design
Naturally balanced tonality
Smooth yet resolving
Lightweight medium semi-custom form-factor
Perfect balance of transparency and fun
Attempts to sound like vintage audio gear and does
Cons: Not for folks into linear sound responses
Something New?
Nothing ever says the same:
They (the Chinese) keep making new ones! Don’t they know we have a drawer full of these suckers already! Well…….they must know, because they make them subtly different each time........just so we can tell them apart. That’s right, you had the blue faceplates from six months ago, now we have evolved to a style of wood. They keep coming up with imaginative names too.
Remember the Olina....remember the Mele? Those are like old-girlfriends in our little black book! First the IEM honeymoon...........then a quick divorce or annulment. We keep burning through these things just as fast as they can introduce new ones. You would guess that they know…………….they must know that we know? That we know they keep making new ones slightly different to get us to separate ourselves from our cash. Surely they know that we know what they’re up to? It’s a game, that’s all. And the price………it keeps creeping up. Supposedly it’s better sound for the money? And they put out this concept sales talk, you know the line about vintage audio gear.
Please…..tell me how can a brand new IEM can be tuned to sound like vintage audio gear? Still all the above really doesn’t matter does it. Because you get that new IEM in your hands, then into your ears and the little things in life, you know the little things that bug you? Those things go away. Gone. Should we drink the Elixir? Do we even need the Elixir? The word elixir is actually a medical term.
“The psychological effects of the Elixir had prolonged use in the Hindu, Ancient Chinese and Mediterranean civilizations.”
Disclaimer:
An Elixir prototype and a retail Elixir was sent to me by Kareena Tang of Linsoul in exchange for this review.
A story:
Imagine going up into your Grandfather’s attic and finding some old abandoned piece of vintage audiophile tube gear. It was a “cool” and expensive piece of equipment before solid-state came along in the early 1970s. Grandfather put it up there because he never threw anything away. Then you found it by chance. You find it fascinating! As fate would have it, maybe this piece of equipment was somehow meant for you? If anything it’s meant for you to try at least. Maybe, just maybe they were onto something way back when?
So you stumble to maneuver this giant tube amp down the stairs. It may work or it may not, that’s the adventure. Years and years of dust seem to blanket the new-found-treasure. Finally you make your way into the living-room and integrate it into your main system. With all the cables in place………you hit the on switch! Amazingly everything seems to work? All of a sudden the tubes begin to glow, and after all those years sound comes out, just like the amplifier was used yesterday!
Sound interpretation can be subjective, but this is really your gig! Somehow the amplifiers is warm yet clear, its character timeless in fact!
Timeless This is the sound of the THIEAUDIO Elixir IEM:
You do understand (besides the burl wood) that the Elixir doesn’t have any old parts inside, this story simply goes to explain the sound character goals used by THIEAUDIO during the project genesis. It all started simply as some audio engineer’s dream.
“To achieve one principal goal - capture the spirit and emotion of the sound while maintaining a natural tonality that stays true to the recording.”
Stereophile Magazine 1989
I’m joking……………..this is THIEAUDIO’s actual concept statement regarding product development.
“To achieve one principal goal - capture the spirit and emotion of the sound while maintaining a natural tonality that stays true to the recording.”
Construction/Build/Design:
In construction of the Elixir one old part is used………the burl wood block incapsulated in the aluminum bezel. So in essence this wood helps resonate the vibrational message found with-in the music. The bezel is simply a parameter encasement designed to “hold” this wood resonator.
The rest of the IEM? The 3D Velocity Transducer……………. just a fancy word for the dynamic driver…..maybe, maybe not. Yet it really is a new rendition of the dynamic driver with stronger pole magnets. Yes, it’s beryllium-coated, yes........it has layers of multi-walled carbon nanotube sheets. Actually the voice coil is pure copper instead of the traditionally used copper clad aluminum wire.
The cable, 2 core of 92 wires 0.06mm Single-Crystal Copper and 24 wires 0.06mm Silver-Plated OCC Copper Litz upgrade cable.
The shell made from a solid piece of anodized CNC routed aluminum. That’s the part that isn’t wood. An anodized shell so the paint is permanent. Also note the laser engraved “THIEAUDIO” on the housing, and the IEM plug tip. THIEAUDIO is proud to finally come-up with a full-range single dynamic driver IEM experience. Don’t know if you’re fully aware of who THIEAUDIO is? They are actually Linsoul’s in-house brand. They have built an incredible legacy in just a few short years. They started in 2016 with a goal of providing world-class customer service to the audiophile community.
Linsoul:
Primarily known for production of the Clairvoyance and Monarch IEMs, the “twins” as they are affectionately known, put THIEAUDIO on the map throughout audiophile world.
Truth to be told they actually make a whole slew of products all containing an aspect of the “THIEAUDIO Sound”.
In production as we speak:
Monarch MKII IEM $999.00
Divinity V16 IEM $1499.00
Monarch IEM $769.00
Oracle IEM $539.00
Clairvoyance IEM $739.00
Legacy 2 IEM $99.00
Legacy 3 IEM $119.00
Legacy 4 IEM $195.00
Legacy 5 IEM $299.00
Legacy 9 IEM $549.00
Excalibur IEM $529.00
Voyager 3 IEM $159.00
Voyager 14 IEM $999.00
The Voyager 3 had a wood faceplate option and the Legacy 9 was completely made of wood and that’s it.
This is not the history of THIEAUDIO, it’s a list of what they actually make right now.
They also make the Phantom full-size headphone as well as a cable line including the Thieaudio 26AWG Smart Cable (multiple plugs) and THIEAUDIO 26AWG EST cable.
Strangely they never made a single full-range Dynamic Driver before.
They never used wood exactly this way before. So to generalize here, this is truly a watershed event. The single product is full of imagination and fun. A single statement product that most everyone can afford. And.....most importantly, a single product that is both great sounding and different from anything else they ever made.
But do they sound interesting or boring?
Headphones (when tuned wrong) can sound off musicality or simply boring. Incorrect, uneven or incomplete frequency range is mostly responsible for this. Also this concept extends to guitars, pianos, violins, drums, organs you name it etc……etc. Basically everything that makes music runs the risk of sounding boring or off due to poor design, bad-construction, bad-materials, incorrect, uneven or incomplete tuning. Primarily today we will concentrate on the acoustic guitar, because I’m most familiar with it and it is a wood instrument for the most part.
Just like IEMs..............pianos, violins, cello and guitars made out of wood....................share many of the same concepts.
What this basically means is balance, tone character, tuning and color have a value metric in the world of musical instruments. Each individual instrument has its own resonant character, partially by design and partially by happenstance of individual construction.
Looking up from the driver inside of the IEM. Of course it’s slightly darker in there, just slightly. Don’t try this at home kids, as it voids the warrenty.
Normally wood faceplates are glued onto the surface of the IEM. THIEAUDIO makes the wood an integral part of the music making process. There are many types of wood IEMs, but none exactly like the Elixir.
The acoustic chamber is a concept that’s not new, some engineers call them the acoustic structure…………..same thing. Obviously these devices in theory have always been around, though at this point (now) it is taken one step further, as the wood resonate panel is hung off the bezel (suspended) much like a drum head. Such a structure holds a portion of the resonance and vibrates a different way than a solid aluminum build.
Colorations:
All the different colorations can either be heard as great, so-so or bad. To a point subtle color is actually a good thing and can’t be totally avoided. There is probably no-such-thing as a colorless IEM?
Same as IEMs, a person can be attracted to a musical instrument due to that individual instruments harmonic overtones. There are really all kinds of parameters to a guitar like sustain, color, brightness, darkness, tonal balance. Each instrument has its very own character and style. So strangely guitars are in a way just like IEMs.
What is often viewed as bad to one person, will not be always noted (as bad) by another. Even this whole tone thing may not get noticed as being wrong, until months later. Maybe due to perception? Meaning a purchase can be made either of a guitar or IEM and at first all is well, then one day stuff sounds off. This does not happen vary often, but it does happen, mainly with brand new purchases. All of a sudden (whatever it is) does not sound right. That’s what so beautiful about the true equipment you keep for life, as it is beyond the possibility of that happening. Often a performer will find “the guitar” early in their career and play in for life.
Understanding tone qualities:
Understanding of tone qualities comes from experience. Meaning you have to hear (and understand) how tone is done right, before you can judge IEM replay as wrong. This may be connected to audiophile snobbery, but it’s really basic technical and frequency range understanding. Either real-life instruments sound real or they don’t. Electronic instruments are different in that there is normally such a wide range of tones that it is more difficult to memorize them. Though the 1980 Roland 808 drum machine is a perfect example of people memorizing the sound, maybe because it’s more simplistic? For sure………it’s obvious the sound of electronic instruments don’t exist in real-life. They are recorded directly into the mixing desk and have no real-life counter part. Because of these concepts substandard IEMs will play electronic instruments great as they don’t have to replicate/reproduce anything real!
Vocal playback can also be judged for character but normally you need to hear the performer correctly to then be able to spot it when playback is off. Also Choral playback events are fully connected to how the room responds and decays. Thus if reverberations are off you can notice it…..though again you need to hear it done correctly by actually being there or good replay to learn the room character.
So IEMs are musical instruments:
The actual material that each kind is made with helps determine the character by the way it resonates. Solid steel has a vibrational quality, aluminum another, wood another and so on. In fact each IEM at times is made up of a smaller micro-musical instruments.
A single balanced armature is a miniature musical instrument.
A single dynamic driver is a miniature musical instrument. A EST driver is a single miniature musical instrument.......and so on.
Each “part” of an IEM is made up of their vary own micro-miniature individual personalities. I mean in a way this goes without saying. Each can be full frequency or replay only a small section of the audible spectrum. But more than that each style of driver reflects its individual tone and really many other characteristics.
Driver technologies available:
Dynamic driver or moving coil.
Balanced armature driver.
Planar magnetic driver.
Electrostatic or electret driver.
Piezoelectric driver.
Magnetostriction driver or bone conduction.
Every driver type has character intrinsic to the style methodology. Each finds particular IEM placement due how the character gets along with the other drivers, how they fit in with the group total sound. With the Elixir there is no need for such complications as there is only a single full-range driver. Drivers can be dampened or left to resonate inside of this acoustic chamber vessel. A guitar is actually very similar to an IEM because the driver activated puts out energy just like the strings being plucked. Such energy then vibrates the body of the guitar or IEM chamber…….resulting in decay and tone unique to the build materials.
IEM construction (believe it or not) parallels building a guitar to a point. Guitars can be bright or dim sounding. They can be even, correct and complete in tone. Guitars can have color too, in-fact all guitars have color just like all IEMs have color. If you don’t think all IEMs have their own color, I have news for you.
IEM drivers:
The driver of an IEM is actually a small individual musical instrument. And like a musical instrument it has character. It has its own individual personality. Such attributes can actually change in relation to loudness. Meaning at different volume levels the character will change, or stay relatively the same. Whole IEMs are judged by how linear they are, meaning (this is not always bad) but an IEM may have a personality at a low volume and a different personality at a high volume. But more than that each individual driver will have its own personality response to volume if a multiple driver IEM. Even each individual driver has its own sound. All dynamic drivers sound different, a Knowles balanced armature will sound different than a Sonion balanced armature. Also just like little musical instruments they will have their own decay, their own tone, their own personality. Sony is one of the few companies that make their very own balanced armatures. They are built different and respond different than what Sony could buy off the shelf. Same as THIEAUDIO, they have made procurement of this special single full-range dynamic driver and as far as I know they made it themselves. At least I’ve never heard a dynamic driver that sounds exactly like it? So I believe it’s universally different; THIEAUDIO states that it is.
So when you combine a unique driver into a unique acoustic chamber it results in a special sound, a sound that can possibly be better than what has been offered before? It seems better to me? Subjectively maybe someone will only argue that it’s just different, that the sound the Elixir puts out is simply different than all the IEMs that came before. To me it’s different and does some magic tricks. More on that to follow in the sound section.
I want to let you know I don’t view it as perfect. Nothing is perfect but that doesn’t make it bad. Basically everything is in relation to how it performs for the money. Strangely (and I don’t know how) stuff always seems to sound relative to cost. Though not always as IEMs priced at $150 sounds like $300. But it’s rare for something that costs $200 to sound like $1000. You would think it would happen? What does happen is you can match your subjective frequency response and technicalities character. There is magic to such an event. What happens then is you somehow don’t always hear the imperfections and just focus on the positive aspects. Love is blind.
You can have bright guitars which display wonderful harmonics. You can have ones that are simply low resonance. There are well done bass laden guitars or thin fast ones. Also there are people which gravitate towards one certain style too, just like IEMs.
It’s just like a guitar or violin how the Elixir uses wood as part of a resonant body. The Elixir has the vibrations due to the thin wood faceplate which in turn is left open on the inside to absorb sound energy. The coating on the wood faceplate is only on the Elixir outside. In fact, it’s totally bare wood on the inside facing the DD. Thus we are witnessing a musical instrument in design. Why to you think they are so lightweight?
Just like a thinly built guitar has a better chance of being louder and vibrating more, IEMs follow those same construction rules. Obviously the wood area vibrates the most but the aluminum body does have a resonance tone. Again each material infuses its own unique vibrational character into the tone response. Thus the actual style of wood matters. This acoustic chamber is capped with a burl wood faceplate.
Basically many of the instruments have an energy point. Meaning drums have a actual small area where the energy goes, then the sound dissipates and reverberates. Same as the Cello, violin and guitar, to name a few………this energy is first a string pluck then the vibration takes it along and resonates with-in the wood body. The Elixir is doing the exact same thing with the energy originated at the dynamic driver, then the sound energy is amplified/resonates in the acoustic chamber.
Basically all this does is give body to the sound. An energy source without a chamber sounds thin and harmonically limited. Who knows when this was first discovered? Before the invention of electricity, these were the one of the only methods to make musical instruments louder; the acoustic chamber amplifiers. There was also horn structures in use before electricity.
What about unit variations due to the use of wood? Is the relative density variable per piece of wood an issue?
Well that’s a great question. Headphones made of different types of wood do have a different sound. We know the single dynamic driver has actually been hand chosen to be with its brother, the Right and Left side are frequency response twins so to speak. As far as matching wood.......each piece is joined as identical as humanly possible. But to guarantee results the finished products are once more checked to see if the acoustic response is within acceptable limits for the design. All the components are CNC cut/created which goes the full route to standardize unit variance.
Remember here only the faceplate side is wood. The bezel is literally just like a picture frame holding-it by the edges. With guitars it’s a whole different story. Though they are starting to make guitars out of a variation of materials.......each real wood guitar sounds different. They can be built by the same person and have all the exact same specifications, yet wood variables and the complexity of construction leads to each guitar a special one of a kind tone. This feature is widely accepted by guitar players and in a way it’s kinda cool in that no two guitars sound or play exactly the same. With audio playback the opposite is the case..........wanting frequency response and technical ability to reach exacting control of being the same with each build, so that each unit parlays the sound it was designed to do. Thus we want a standardized repeatable build process. CNC is the only way known to achieve such a value. CNC is king!
The choice to use wood:
So the entire build-process is a whole affects the end sound (every part). The sound outcome is built around the characteristics of the driver and the acoustic chamber. Such a chamber emulates the resonator/construction of fine musical instruments using wood. But in reality they could have chosen any material. And in fact many materials would have offered a more streamlined construction process. Once the bezel was made they could have implemented a single thin sheet of aluminum. Or they could have used a sheet of plastic. Basically any material will resonate and result in a resulting extra “body” to the dynamic driver. Also remember this material is simply blocking the sound from leaving thus creating volume.
Wood:
But they choose wood. And not only because it looks pretty on the faceplate. The faceplate isn’t like any regular faceplate, it’s an integral part of the sound creation and tuning process. Just as the aluminum CNC shell construction offers resonance characteristics to the rest of the IEM besides the faceplate. I own an IEM that is totally CNC aluminum, and just for a special edition the manufacturer built the total shell out of brass. It actually would scratch more but did offer a further reach of sound possibilities. I never heard the edition so I can’t comment of the sound, but all this stuff is interesting none the less. There may be far more freedom in this area than we think? Meaning maybe there could be new editions of the Elixir with alternate sound resonance materials? Each attempt brings us closer to subjective perfection, key word subjective. Here the THIEAUDIO engineers are going with the fundamentals so to speak. They want the resonance chamber acoustic properties to appeal to the broadest audience.
The paradox of detail and warmth together in a single IEM:
What happens when technology takes it to a slightly a better level. Believe me this (better) change is incredibly small. But what if we were to find both detail and warmth in an IEM. Both smoothness and good definition. Would this be considered a paradox? Maybe, but if it was $209.00 it would most definitely be. At least I think so. All that matters (besides fit) is that you get that musical connection, that you are transported into the music.
The cheese scale of rating IEMs:
This may appear at first like nonsense, yet it’s absolutely a real way to rate IEMs when you get into it. Most people like cheese, though there are extreme variations, not ever an acquired taste, even after repeated attempts. Blue cheese is one that seemingly tastes wrong upon first taste, can become a favorite later. On the other hand you have variables of cheddar found which can range from extreme to boring, especially the pedestrian Kraft cheddar which may not in-fact even be considered cheese at all, it has to do with percent of ingredients? So we are provided with a bouquet of tastes and somehow some are easygoing and others intolerable. In between is found a happy medium where the IEM actually finds common likability. What this boils down to is outsider response tones or “niche” builds as well as mainstream likable response tones. Fascinating as it may be cheese and IEMs also find their acceptance being on a scale of boring or exciting, such as style of cheese. Pizzazz is an actual thing.
I rate the Elixir as comparable to the "Brie Au Bleu" due to having just the right amount of character, but generally coming off like smooth tasting Brie Cheese.
“Pizzazz”
1. Dazzling style, flamboyance or flair 2. Vigorous spirit, energy or excitement
Even your best cheese aficionados will have an example of overboard. Just too much of something………Pizazz maybe? Typically this is both a slightly deviation in frequency response, but also a “color”. And of course subjectivity is taken into account, still there are some IEMs only tolerated by a few enthusiasts for good reason. Some believe it or not are only used for a short time as an IEM that does something special for 25 minutes, still does something special. Of course only at Head-Fi do you find a nut willing to shell-out big cash for that special IEM that he can only stand listening to for under a half-hour and still say it’s good.
The Sound Review:
The Elixir treble:
Zero grain anywhere. If anything that’s the beauty. Strangely the treble can sound like it’s part of the bass during orchestral replay. Like there is this sonic soup that the treble can’t make it’s way out of. But we don’t care, as it’s glorious and fulfilling. This should be wrong the levels of bass, but the tuning allows for the treble to make its way out of the mix. My biggest wonder is how this all works out to become so musical in the end? Because the treble never gets hot or peaky, it’s just right there as the perfect balance to allow the whole gig to go down. Where all BA IEMs would offer a wider spread of treble details, even EST drivers would offer a stronger edge to it all. The main thing is the overall signature is not actually foggy or boring.
The Elixir mids:
The midrange is maybe where the term analogue comes from? Meaning there is a smoothness and a slight compression about. Because of where the midrange sits, it is allowing the rest (treble and bass) to take place. It’s never in the way, yet it’s not really forward or backwards? So vocals actually shine and have detail and depth, still I don't know how? But it’s detailed just exactly enough? At the same time it seems always in danger yet in the end stays safe. The midrange almost seems in danger of being overpowered and sonically squished, especially by the bass……but it never happens. The analogue aspect can even be enhanced by listening to older recording that are that way by nature. Don’t ask me what it is, the closest thing I can guess is it’s probably just warmth in the mids too? You find the detail due to the width of the soundstage, and the stage is not really giant but provides good imaging.
But of course you know there is definitely (some) lower midrange creeping into the mids, that is just part of the whole sound here. Such an effect causes the midrange to offer a level of servitude, yet nothing more, except the line the midrange walks seems to always workout.
The Elixir bass:
I often play KMFDM “IN DUB” and normally (with other IEMs) it almost sounds like it is not mixed right as the bass is too heavy? But the Elixir somehow makes it perfect? Really there is a super balance in all music that just seems to work. I can go down a playlist and every song sounds correct. This in a way does not make sense? As how can the Elixir be so critical of source but not be critical of song files? Really I don’t have to answer that only report it, but that’s how it is. The bass is perfectly placed into the song. If the low tones are actually coming from piano, you hear the piano and it sounds like a piano. Though I will point out there is this small area of bass tone that is actually characteristic of tube amps that the bass transient is slightly fused. Still I don’t foresee anyone having an issue with it. People didn’t have an issue with it in the 1964 when tube amps were big, and that don’t have an issue now.
The bass is big and all encompassing. It really seems like you not missing anything, but still it does offer a style of slow. Not only slow but there is an element of bombastic exaggeration at hand. Almost like your not listening to IEMs, it’s somehow outside and a part of the room you are in? That is probably the best part? Also the bass is airy and contains the lightweight imaging of higher tones that are bonded along with the bass. Maybe it’s the single DD here that everything is totally inseparable?
The Elixir soundstage:
My favorite part of this IEM. Really so much of the intrinsic value (to me) flows directly out of this spectacle of engineering. Big involving and wide. The 3D is fun too and especially electronic music will have this character where imaging takes the elements and plays some forward and some slightly rear in the soundstage. The Elixir is so real.
The Elixir detail:
The detail here comes from the fact that the single full-range driver is expanding audio elements way outside the soundstage like a hybrid. The issue though is with a phone or iPad not so much. So? It’s really expounding on what’s given to it. Also strangely it didn’t have the very best soundstage from the TA desktop? It’s probably that it’s simply working with the beautiful treble boost the 1Z is known for and parlaying the effect to the hilt? So you can get it a source with prominent bass and a nice treble boost and the detail will endlessly reward. IMO
I know I’m talking about soundstage in the detail section but that’s the thing, here they are inseparable. The detail is perfect being it walks such a wonderful line of being warm yet detailed. That was the whole goal and they achieved it with skill!
The Elixir pace:
The pace is two sided. Meaning it has that slight slowness that tube amps sometimes have. The Woo Audio 300B amp sounds almost solid-state. The classic tube sound emulated here would be from an H.H. Scott 1964 tube amp. Such a pace is not really sloppy but does not have the solid state edge to the sound.
Still it seems to never get in the way of the joy of ownership? It’s exactly like the way the older amps were tuned. So it doesn’t show up 100% of the time, but when it does the character is endearing. There is this slight doubling up of bass that’s comes and goes but ends an attribute instead of a negative. I can close my eyes and envision I’m right in front of a tube amp set-up. If you think that sounds absolutely ridiculous to write, it does! I have no other words for it. It is a facet of the Elixir experience that there is a part of you that hears the bass as slightly darker than average but it’s so much fun you simply don’t care.
The Elixir well-roundedness:
Yep, the very definition of well-roundedness, yet still dark and lush. It does so well because it plays all your music well, even poorly mastered music that normally would sound bad sounds great? The part that’s not well-rounded is the Elixir needs a good source to be it’s best. Truly only 1/4 of the magic takes place if you try and hook it up to an iPad.
The Elixir accessories:
6 tips provide enough tip coverage really. The foams are nice but I liked the provided silicones as always. The blue case is incredible reproduction of almost a style of patient leather. I know by the smell it’s not real, but none the less one of the nicest cases I have come across all year. Just gorgeously trimmed with velvet on the inside as well as sporting a magnetic clasp. Bravo THIEAUDIO……..the case is 100% first rate. Also it shows off company branding in the best of style!
The Elixir cable:
The cable, 2 core of 92 wires 0.06mm Single-Crystal Copper and 24 wires 0.06mm Silver-Plated OCC Copper Litz upgrade cable.
This cable make-up supplies an optimal warmth. The cable wrap is flexible and stays out of trouble. The cable is non-microphonic and goes where you place it. The cable doesn’t look like much from a distance but up close becomes something of a spectacle? For all it is it is pretty nice and sounds wonderful.
The Elixir tip selection:
The included tips are great, but strangely I didn’t always get a big change from tips? I mean tip matching is normally my gig. But here I went hog-wild exploring the full extent of tips with finding them all to work and sound great. Even wide-wide bore soundstage enhancers went and did there trick not really diminishing the bass all that much. I went and tried the Sony Hybrid Tips and it was OK. I ended actually using some extra long tips with medium bore as the shape seemed to offer the best air-tight fit. And there was no-way I needed tips to provide extra nozzle length, as that was fine. Also strangely the music provided the soundstage not the tip, if that makes any sense at all? Literally the way the music was mixed did more to affect the soundstage than tips……..never experienced this phenomena before?
The Elixir source response:
I have just reviewed a bunch of IEMs that are pretty much non-caring about source. Unfortunately the Elixir cares what you feed it. It really cares. In fact this is the difference involves so-so playback from a phone and dynamic involving musicality from an audiophile DAP. Phones don’t necessarily sound bad, but there is this soundstage performance that expands out the detail into a party with a good DAP. Basically the Elixir is profoundly reactive to source. I dislike to use the words night and day………but if you buy the Elixir you will understand where I’m coming from. The scalability is real.
The Elixir looks:
The Elixir looks different. Maybe just due to the anodized bezel? Also there is quite the contrasting elements with how the bezel interfaces with the black anodized aluminum shell. It has an expensive look, much more expensive than it is. The cable is also a nice touch being it’s not color coordinated but somehow matches. The dark brown of the cable complements the darkness of the aluminum shell perfectly.
The Elixir value:
I truly think it’s a value only because I compare it to the Legacy 4 and the sound is better tuned, offers a way way bigger soundstage and contains no hot or bright areas. The value is the tune. Meaning this is beyond simple subjectivity, unless you really wanted a linear response or you were a treble head I don’t see anybody not liking the magic going on here. So the value is that the Elixir has a generically lovable sound signature. And not generic due to being boring but a generically exciting sound signature.
The Elixir fit:
The fit is special being it’s a semi-custom with sloping curves. Honestly I don’t think it could fit any better than it does. Part of the feel is the anodizing, but the other thing that affects fit is the weight. Truly the photographs make it look uncomfortable. But in use it’s nothing like it looks. It’s truly a joy to use. Reason being that it’s semi lightweight which actually gives feed-back to placement. Probably the gold bezel is what throws people off to the fit, but really none of that seems to touch your ear.
The comparisons:
BGVP DM6, A 2018, Five BA IEM, priced at $199
THIEAUDIO Legacy 4, A 2020, 1 DD 3 BA Hybrid IEM, priced at $195.00
The TINHIFI Giant Panda P1 MAX, A 2022, Planar IEM, priced at $169.00
Sony IER-Z1R, A 2019, 2DD 1BA Hybrid IEM, priced at $1699.99 RAPTGO HOOK-X, A 2022, Planar Hybrid, 1 14.2 Planar, 1 PZT, priced at $239.00
The BGVP DM6 5BA Universal IEM:
From a different time and era. That era was 2018, a lifetime ago in IEM years. Always dynamic driver bass was respected and always offered more heft and physicality than we have here. But the kicker here was the elements of detail. And in many ways the Elixir is the direct opposite even though priced almost exactly the same. The Elixir comes in a 10 bucks more and 4 years younger. To cut to the chase here, the DM6 simply has an off tone/timbre combined with the steely nature the BAs provide across the board. So even though we loose top end definition with the Elixir.......slightly. Across the board the sound is more natural and pure, pure to the intended sound of the recording. It’s just that the DM6 is still great, it was a phenomenon of popularity upon release (I purchased 2 pairs). There is an element of cohesive coherence with the Elixir that the DM6 can’t begin to touch. Also the Elixir bass is way better.
The THIEAUDIO Legacy 4 Universal IEM:
Laughingly the L4 sounded way-way better today than I remember it to be. I know the goal is to not to compare it to the DM6, still the contrast was obvious. Better timbre, better dynamic driver bass. Really a better tuning across the board, better technicalities too, in comparison to DM6. Coming out in December of 2020 the L4 offered a bright future for the $195 price point, in fact I fell head over heels in love with it, and wrote a 5 star review! But later after the Honeymoon was over I did start to find a subtle issue in that there truly is a slight spike at 5KHz making it bright and slightly thin. Actually a lot of the time. Still nothing is really wrong with the L4 for what it ultimately is. The L4 is still one of the best IEMs you can possibly find for just under the $200 mark. It may be a case of some simply not finding the brightness their bag? Amazingly in contrast, the Elixir has none of that fatigue inducing energy......none. This smoothness has the Elixir easy to get down! Where the Elixir has way more lower midrange bass, as well as regular bass, in contrast making the lightning fast bass of the Legacy 4 seem almost anemic? Many are going to find the Elixir more evenhanded and generally likable.
The TINHIFI Giant Panda P1 MAX Universal IEM:
There is a lot of “MAX” IEMs surfacing at the moment. And this one is a 2022 release coming in at $169.00. The Giant Panda found its way into my heart doing everything right, but only in a way the Giant Panda could. Meaning as my list of comparisons like the DM6 and Legacy 4 lose points because the Giant Panda is more cohesive and coherent than they could ever wish to be. Though in relation to the Elixir it’s completely contrary, contrasting and different. So different that the two IEMs end-up actually being good friends as in they are complementary in sound signatures. Where the Panda is a bike that can swerve though the city, the Elixir is a big car that takes turns slower. On the straight-away the Elixir simply has more heft and ultimately is maybe more fun, with its thicker presentation. Where the Panda is on a diet, the Elixir eats and performs like an Olympic Powerlifter. The Elixir can be a little sloppy at times…….but becomes a force of nature when it comes to getting its point across. The sound is just big…..the low-end is almost as big as the IER-Z1R.
The Sony IER-Z1R Universal IEM:
THIEAUDIO has made a dark IEM, there is no way to avoid that description. The Elixir is maybe darker than the IER-Z1R. It doesn’t have quite the phase correctness of the IER-Z1R or bass sculpting for that matter, but it’s fantastic for the price and what it is. The Z1R has a Hybrid array which offers a more complex and complete treble. With the IER-Z1R musical elements are found spread out farther in those upper (soundstage) regions. And interestingly the reason I thought the Elixir was slightly darker than the IER-Z1R is because of just that, the treble involvement seems to make the IER-Z1R less dark. Where the Elixir is offering a style of coherence due to being a full-range single driver. So even though there is more midrange in the Elixir and vocals normally come-off more forward, generally the IER-Z1R seems less dark, but only by a little. Maybe if you remove the IER-Z1R upper emphasis mental focus it will become as dark as the Elixir too?
Basically the Elixir has the total sound signature I’m into, as does the IER-Z1R. Both could be ultimately looked as as dark. But once you’re under the ether, the darkness goes away and is replaced by natural tones. Still the Elixir ends up more soupy and unified in tone. Where the IER-Z1R is the ultimate Hybrid, the Elixir is the ultimate single full-range dynamic driver. Interesting too, the Elixir is actually better tuned than the DUNU ZEN as far as I’m concerned. It does not have that pinna issue to worry about.....ever!
RAPTGO HOOK-X Universal IEM:
The HOOK-X is a demanding IEM. That is if you’re not listening to it constantly, you have to readjust your hearing to its demands. It’s not that there is anything at all wrong with it, in fact it is perfect in many ways. It’s just that you need to acclimate to it’s charms for a while after not listening to it………..for even a day. It’s like your Wife rearranged the living-room furniture while you were away at work. You recognize everything but need time to get reacquainted with the basics. The bass is absolutely there but comes off reserved and thin slightly in comparison to the Elixir. No greater part of this review goes to substantiate that the Elixir’s sound is from the golden age of HI/FI….the 1960s. Where the HOOK-X is from the distant future. The Elixir has slower bass, sloppier bass and way more bass. It’s analogue where the HOOK-X is a product of the digital age. Don’t get me wrong, the HOOK-X is still a warm IEM, it’s just the Elixir is that much more………warm. Where the HOOK-X is desk-top speakers, the Elixirs are full-on floor-standers. The planar is at its worst thin and agile yet fully revealing, the worst of the Elixir is that it can possibly offer a slowness at times. It’s just the size of the Elixir sound can’t get out of it’s own way at times. Where the HOOK-X never ever has that issue. The problem with the HOOK-X is thinly recorded music sounds always like that……thin. The HOOK-X literally replays what is there, and it’s a great IEM if your dispositioned to want that sound with 1980s new wave. Where the Elixir is always romanticizing the romance. Things are more lush, more warm and bigger in size. In some ways the Panda and the HOOK-X are the same. Prim and proper, they are never sloppy or unclear. Clearly showing you what is there, but the Elixir comes off as more well rounded due to showing equal love to all files and music genres. I mean the HOOK-X needs your best tracks to sound it’s best. The Elixir makes a party anywhere anyhow.
Conclusion:
Today we learned about resonance panels and how IEMs are like small musical instruments. We talked about how each driver methodology obtains its own character. We learned about THIEAUDIO’s strategic sound goals, and how they obtained them. We talked about IEM color, frequency response and technicalities. We reiterated about the possible paradox of a warm yet detailed sound. We discussed graphs, methods of altering playback plus the idea of a flat response. And finally we compared the Elixir to other IEMs. In fact that this is not a normal IEM release………it’s special. But most importantly that THIEAUDIO cares about sound. Not only do they care about sound, but have the R/D resources to pull it off. THIEAUDIO has brought about suble shift in the IEM paradigm. The way of doing things changed a little, and that’s how progress is obtained, by doing things just a little bit different.
Disclaimer: These thoughts and ideas are of one individual, your results may vary.
Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm/3.5mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm/3.5mm
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
Apple iPad
Reviews:
Taking one reviewer’s thoughts and ideas seriously?
One single discovery is the variation between reviews of a single IEM. How is it possible to have conflicting ideas as to sound quality? To start with we can learn to understand discrepancies between the reviews. They can start with basically two things.
The DAP or player:
The cable used:
Interesting as in reality different players are used between reviewers. Some are warm, some are more detailed etc etc. So even within my realm of testing I normally gravitate towards a 4.4mm output of my DAPs. But in truth every source I use has a slightly different response. I often will use more sources even than I list, due to momentary use of random amps. All in all it’s to discover a musical response personality. Now the truth is we bring a style of expectation-bias with joining the plug to every different source. That means it ends up sounding the way we expect it to sound. Regardless a test is a test to the extent of human abilities.
Now here is the kicker!
Cables also make a difference. If you believe this to be true or not it doesn’t matter. Except that you are reading a review by a reviewer that DOES think it matters. Now the truth is due to this addition we now have the end result of both cable difference and amp difference.
So to reiterate here:
Each cable has its own intrinsic character it bestows upon the signal. Combine that with the amplifier’s own personality signature and we have two variations. These are real and previously documented variables which affect the tone of the IEMs.
The third factor tips:
An IEM is affected by these 3 major influences. How do I know? I sit around all day long and contemplate the influences (by testing) as the result of these three factors. While I know the results often vary slightly, they take place on a 24-hour-basis, there still are consistent and repeatable values. Such values I try and disclose. Still when I read about IEM judgement I try make account of the testers variables. Interestingly enough they all each have a level of importance. Can these add up to confusion? You bet they can.
But typically you can bet that every review is adding up the three variables and getting to one or two setups in which he (or she) then talks about a specific IEM character.
Some of the variables we know to be true which affect IEM character:
Wide bore tips always expand soundstage and reduce bass.
There are imaging placement realities which take place with different tips.
The human hearing is not always consistent day in and day out.
We get a different sound if the IEM is positioned near or far from the ear-drum.
The airtight fit obviously matters.
For some an IEM will only physically fit to one depth placement, to others two.
Cable build materials will affect tone.
Silver is brighter (can be the reverse also)
Copper is warmer (can be the reverse also)
Some amplifiers offer a wider soundstage.
Some amplifiers offer more bass.
Some amplifiers offer a faster pace.
Some amplifiers are more bright.
There is more, but that’s enough for now.
Variables of playback:
This ends a very small list of all the ramifications of variables of playback. Upon coming into realization that this is only the start of listing why reviews are different, it makes you somewhat question the validity of reviews. We haven’t even started to put the physical differences between ear canals as well as the brain wiring into account. Though I will say that if you read enough reviews you will start to notice parallels between reviews. The details will often be in direct opposition to one another. Does that mean that part of everyone’s reviews are half-way wrong?
It simply remains as a (single) personal subjective viewpoint. Which in fact it is always suggested as being in the first place. All listening tests are subjective, though objective concepts can come about through many people getting the same perceived response from a IEM. It just means take every review with a grain of salt, including this one!
The solution:
Simply find a reviewer whose music and playback ideas relate with your own. You may actually have good luck with buying an IEM he reviewed. It’s not that complicated when you realize that you have the same cable rolling freedom and tip freedom as your reviewers.
Also keep in mind there is always the chance of IEM unit variables. Though typically that is going to found in the ultra-budget realm of IEMs. Though there is always the remote possibility of it being found with pricey IEMs, though rare. Such variations are not beyond the chance of reason. Though easy to verify, simply by trying two side by side and comparing to other reports, or trying three IEMs to try and find variance.
Graphs:
Are IEM measurements reliable?
Measurement graphs are the single greatest objective test we have. Though at times the information is questionable. There are simply a lot of reasons for their inaccuracy. The resonance points above 10k are always debatable. Listening tests are purely subjective yet we try and learn objective truths out of them. At first it may be truly flooring to see how everyone gets a slightly different graph response for the same IEM. The way to win here is to look for similarities between graphs. Also graphs seem to be best at direct IEM comparisons using the same testing rig. This way any variations are possibly the same between IEMs. Graphs are an integral part of IEM tuning/creation as without them we may get lost.
Graphs need a declaimer:
Yet graphs are put out into the public as fact. Graphs should always be combined with a written disclaimer. Why. Because many don’t really realize that graphs are only a rough outline of how an IEM sounds. Noobs take the lined out frequency response as fact as it’s not shown anywhere that it’s not. Are not every graph presented, presented as fact elsewhere in the world? If we are shown the graph of farming crop distribution we are expected to take those numbers to heart as fact. Yet in the audiophile community is one of the few places where graphs can be an inside joke, being that often IEMs don’t sound the way they measured, yet that is not always disclosed. It is not disclosed often due to the reviewer wanting to validate his or her findings. Unquestionable facts are more valuable. Most reviewers do post that graphs are often a blurry example of how an IEM sounds and offer a warning though often they are not presented as such.
Graph differences:
A quick search of IEM graphs will show some to offer results in unison, while others differ dramatically. Still such information can go to illuminate the darkness and allow us to note things that may be confusing upon hearing an IEM. Recently I heard a pinna gain issue………..only to have the graph I was reading not show such a thing. Only to find a different graph to actually validate my subjective hearing tests. So which graph do I believe?
So what does all this mean to me?
Simply use graphs in conjunction with other sources of information. Take multiple graphs into account and look for parallels in results. Also take note that none of the technicalities show up in graphs. None! Nada.
Technicalities:
These are all the things a graph can’t see. They are transients, imaging, decay, tonality, tonal balance, timbre, temperature, soundstage and texture………everything other than frequency response. Often though a frequency response in the midrange-treble area will appear to further the actual perception of soundstage. Though it is normally a series of things that come into play to create soundstage……driver character, resonance of housing (shell) as well as the relationships to other drivers if there is more than one.
Tyll Hertsens says transient response has a close relationship to imaging, but has not gotten back to me regarding the subject. So you can see we are really in our infancy as far as learning about both frequency response and technicalities. Be aware too that there will be new (descriptive) terms at a future date to describe characteristics of headphone sound replay that we don’t even know about yet.
Instrument tone is affected by total frequency response, but actually in itself can be viewed as one of the technicalities. As as long as the frequency response is even, correct and complete.....it goes along way. Maybe 80% of finding an IEM you like IS frequency response? Though color is another variation. So think of color as another thing entirely. Color can be anywhere in playback, at times it’s the treble and at times it’s the bass or midrange. Color can be stronger in only a critical area of the treble. It’s not actually bad, except that maybe if it’s too much, it can go to color the whole tone leading to an unnatural sound. Typically the fun is if just one part of the response is colored more than the rest.
The way color is………..can be strangely subjective. So in general things can be colored and not be considered bad. Really every response is colored though some more, some less. Typically if the color is close to actual tone response then it’s looked at as a good option, though that’s subjective also. Since recording studios don’t have standardized playback of replay monitors, it’s anyones guess as to the true tone or color represented in playback. The original moment of the music taking place is forever lost in time. Meaning playback from the file may be close or it may not be close to reality.
Flat:
There is no definition of flat. That means that there are many ideas as what flat is. Truly it’s nothing to worry about. Why? Same reason as before:
Studios have no single way they standardize audio playback with their monitors. That means that a flat response wouldn’t matter anyway.
So just like individual color of IEMs, you also have individual technicalities. Some will be great at decay, some won’t. The Elixir is one IEM that has a great decay. Some IEMs will have amazing transient response some not. And remember there are variations in between too. While personal judgments fall into place here, there is also a fundamentally correct way of doing playback. Though there are limits of how far out of the bell-curve ways of doing things can go before they start not to represent realistic replay in music. Such realistic ideas of replay always falls into generalizations, these things are not set in stone but more of a way to see things as inconclusive or open ended.
Subjective listening impressions:
Now for the record Head-Fi’s main purpose is for subjective listening impressions to be written, because there is universal truth to be found in them. Also in general personal listening “tastes” are reiterated. With that said, there are basics to how sound response is generated.
Realistic response “cream” always rises to the top, just as long as the other values such as quality of build, marketing, fit and good looks are followed in creation. This is the definition of a well-rounded IEM, and the Elixir is that!
So then will all the best IEMs sound the same?
No, the reason is the subtle variation in color as well as variation in technicalities and frequency response. Add to that the fact that every (personal) perception of frequency response is different. And that’s only the start of how and why the best IEMs are the same but different. The end sound is following basic parameters, yet within those parameters is a style of leeway. Again this still all comes down to realism, or an idea of realism. Except typically we will say an IEM has replication of near-field monitors or the opposite, floor-standers speakers, and all the variations in-between.
Why do we like a response character?
It’s not known why a person has certain affinity to a response character? Somehow they bring prior playback listening ideas……in which the new IEM full-fills? So just like real instrument sound memory…….the listener does or does’t have a worked out soundstage or color designation among other parameters. Imagine there are infinite variations of these attributes! But much of the time there is a good chance they have some kind of point of reference. I myself purchased a TOTL IEM in 2017 after reading the reviews because the reviewer described the sound characteristics of the IEM to be like a full-size headphone I had 9 years earlier. In fact it was in many ways just like the full-size headphone, though even more polished and worked-out, in my opinion. But truly there are guesses but no one knows why we are attracted to certain signatures. I had a roommate who always tuned the speaker amp EQ to flat, I had to always turn the treble and bass to 10. No one is right or wrong in this regard, it’s just how we hear and are internally wired.
Your purchasing mistakes make you who you are.
Imagine such a line written in a headphone review?
It’s absolutely true. No one has purchased all winner sound signatures. At times purchases will sit as reference to a sound signature we almost moved over to. Meaning that off-purchase may have helped provide great momentary listening but at the end of the day you moved on. Though what it left with you is a form of learning and expansion. You literally learned to like a new and different sound. Why would we even buy a headphone if it wasn’t bringing something new to the table? Supposedly IEMs are getting better and they definitely are. My gosh, while doing reviews often I access one of my older and more expensive IEMs only to shake my head in disbelief. The past and the future are colliding. The reason for the amazement is due to me not realizing how much truly better this new offering is. It’s only though side by side comparison can you truly judge IEMs, as there is no way to learn the contrasting differences with out side by side comparisons.
Sometimes liking or even loving a headphone response character is a lot like understanding and enjoying food. You know, you know in the moment you try new food, if it’s for you, or not. Nothing can change that as it’s simply a part of who you are as a person.
Wonderful review. In fact one of the most educative experiences I've had in a long time. Unfortunately as of March 2024 they are now discontinued according to Linsoul's customer service team. I've found a lone surviving unit for sale this morning and hit the buy button. I'm so fed up of listening to classical music on peaky sharp V/U tuned iem's that I'm really looking forward to the experience. Thanks again for a stellar review.
@concordelover,
Thank-you. Whew, this May 2022 review seems like it’s from lifetime ago. Though good basics and a genuinely well thought-out design are almost timeless. Congratulations, I’m sure you will enjoy the after-effects of the Elixir! Cheers.
One last update. I bought the Elixir and they are simply wonderful for classical music. Perhaps my favourite iem from a selection of many. Thanks again.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
