[SomeGuyDude]

Sedna XELASTIC incoming. I took a gamble on the ML despite usually wearing L because a lot of reviews said to drop down one and I can actually get a pretty good seal with the L and M stocks. I did notice that the stock tips turned into my go-to over the foams, and that aside from the slight isolation loss there's no actual sound change.

1u2u looks like my arrangement here. 1d2d is what I'd call the most neutral, but that teeny little boost of "fun" makes them land exactly where I want them to. I'm almost bummed I didn't spring for the CIEM version.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Quick thoughts on the Xelastic:

1. Holy hell these things are grippy. Like the material literally feels like it's got dried glue on it.

2. I have a feeling these are WAY more sensitive to being the correct size just because they don't slide around. I got the ML and might have even gotten away with M.

3. Getting them situated is annoying, but once they're in place they ain't going anywhere.

4. They're like... silicone tips that think they're foam. The stiff material has that "full" seal that foam gives, with great isolation, but none of the foam downsides (getting dirty, wearing out, needing to squish and fiddle with them).

5. They look boss on the L3.

 

[FSTOP]

Quick thoughts on the Xelastic:

1. Holy hell these things are grippy. Like the material literally feels like it's got dried glue on it.

2. I have a feeling these are WAY more sensitive to being the correct size just because they don't slide around. I got the ML and might have even gotten away with M.

3. Getting them situated is annoying, but once they're in place they ain't going anywhere.

4. They're like... silicone tips that think they're foam. The stiff material has that "full" seal that foam gives, with great isolation, but none of the foam downsides (getting dirty, wearing out, needing to squish and fiddle with them).

5. They look boss on the L3.

Yes, they are quite grippy, aren't they? But isolate and seal like nothing else I've had. I got the 3-size pack (MS/M/ML) and work well for different iems. The smaller one for L3, as it sits in my ear deeper. Glad to hear you are enjoying the L3!

 

[originalsnuffy]

Yes, they are quite grippy, aren't they? But isolate and seal like nothing else I've had. I got the 3-size pack (MS/M/ML) and work well for different iems. The smaller one for L3, as it sits in my ear deeper. Glad to hear you are enjoying the L3!

Do you have a link for the 3 pack? Sounds like a good way to go. With the JVC Spiral Dots I am a large, but with Azla the L was way too big. I went down to ML and I am wondering if I should go with M....

 

[FSTOP]

Do you have a link for the 3 pack? Sounds like a good way to go. With the JVC Spiral Dots I am a large, but with Azla the L was way too big. I went down to ML and I am wondering if I should go with M....

I got mine right on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BRBT4W7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_l7hnFbMP2NVRC
Not sure this link will work, but just look under Sedna Xelastic 3 pack, you should be able to select one of 3 selections in the Size box: SS, S, MS / MS, M, ML / M, ML, L.

 

[FSTOP]

I like it because even though Medium is generally my fit, the L3 is better for me with a slightly smaller tip, Blon03 I need a bigger tip, so I can use all 3 for different IEMs.

 

[FSTOP]

Another observation about Sedna Xelastic tips: don't let these things anywhere near a cat. My cat rubbed against my earbuds and got hairs stuck on these tips, as they are kinda sticky. They do wash off easy enough, but just make sure you do that before sticking them back in your ear if they get stuff on them!

 

[IEMusic]

Another observation about Sedna Xelastic tips: don't let these things anywhere near a cat. My cat rubbed against my earbuds and got hairs stuck on these tips, as they are kinda sticky. They do wash off easy enough, but just make sure you do that before sticking them back in your ear if they get stuff on them!

Yeah, I hate fishing hair balls out of my ears.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I like it because even though Medium is generally my fit, the L3 is better for me with a slightly smaller tip, Blon03 I need a bigger tip, so I can use all 3 for different IEMs.

So in the interest of science I picked up the Ms and hooo boy, anyone out there who is using the Ls on stock tips, try an M in the Xelastic. It's a different world. They go the whole dang way in now and I was not prepared lol. The ML (and probably L) do great with a shallower fit but now they're completely flush with the ear and the isolation has been kicked up into high gear.

 

[Toastybob]

Spoiler: Photos

I decided to get the Thieaudio Legacy 3 and I've been testing it for about a week. My unit is the clockworks version from Amazon and has the serial number 902. The switches don't protrude from the back and the QDC connectors are tight with the stock cable and my 2.5mm cable with TFZ/NX7 connectors. Driver flex is present but not nearly as bad as the BLON BL03.

On @antdroid's test tones, 3 and 4khz sound equally loud, and both are significantly louder than 4.5khz, but I don't think it's twice as loud. Based on this I believe this unit has the new/better/correct tuning.


Isolation
-------

In my ears the isolation is moderate, as is the insertion depth. A bit more isolation than the Moondrop Kanas, and less than KZ ZS3, both of which fit deeper. Significantly less isolation than Mee Pinnacle PX, which also fit deeper. The L3 has less isolation than I hoped, but it's enough for many situations at home. Comfort is good with Spinfit CP360 S or Azla Xelastec MS.


Sound
-------

I didn't spend much time comparing the switch configurations because I couldn't tell if there was any difference, which seems to be normal judging by Crinacle's graph. I mostly used 00 and 10.

The L3 seems to me to have some elevation somewhere in the upper mids and treble. Electric guitars seem a bit harsh, and some vocals seemed a bit unnatural. EQ seemed to alleviate this somewhat. Treble extension seems good to me, audible until 16khz.

The sub bass seems to have good but not great extension, and I find the sense of impact/slam/rumble/etc lacking, and I wasn't able to improve that noticeably with EQ. It's clearly better than the balanced armature models I've heard; it's just not as good as some other (cheaper) dynamic models I have. I tested extension by checking for the lowest frequency I could hear using an Android app called Frequency Sound Generator.

L3: 27hz
PX(+EQ): 30hz
BL03: 22hz
Kanas: 17hz
Planamic: 22hz

It seems very unlikely that the dynamic driver on mine is defective like I read someone experienced with theirs. I have experienced a defective on arrival dynamic driver in a similar resin filled hybrid model, the Hisenior H6, and the complete lack of any bass in the defective H6 side was extremely noticeable. (Unfortunately I no longer have the H6 to compare, since when I paid ~15$ to send it back to China for repair via USPS it never arrived, and I was only able to get a refund of 44$ of the original 139$. I won't be ordering something that expensive from AliExpress again.)

The overall level of detail sounds about as good as my two favorite earphones, the Mee Planamic with EQ intended to mimic the BL03 frequency response, and the BL03 with the nozzle filters replaced with rolled pieces of hiegi earbud foams. However, to my ears both of these have better sub bass extension and impact as well as more natural mids and treble. I wonder if this preference is due to some property of balanced armature drivers, but I don't have much evidence for that beyond not liking the balanced armature models I've heard as much as dynamics or planars.

Overall, the Legacy 3 is mostly good but it doesn't exceed my current favorites in any particular aspect or as a whole.


Notes
------

All testing done on Radsone Earstidio ES100 over LDAC, except for the BL03 which was connected to BQEYZ Z3 Bluetooth cable over aptx-hd. I used single flange tips on every earphone.

Primary test tracks:
• Radiohead - Electioneering
• Radiohead - The Tourist
• Hundred Waters - Currency
• LVL UP - The Closing Door
• Japandroids - Lucifer's Symphony
• Men I Trust - Porcelain

----------

I'm probably going to return these because I prefer the sound of other models and the level of isolation isn't much higher than those, or even close to the PX.

I think I must have a lucky match between my ears and the shape of the PX. I wish Mee had reused that shell for the Planamic. Maybe I'll try covering the PX in tegaderm film to reduce the skin irritation from the metal. It's unfortunate that there isn't any way to test isolation and fit before buying. I'm also considering the ER2XR, now that they're 100$...

 

[IEMusic]

In my ears the isolation is moderate, as is the insertion depth. A bit more isolation than the Moondrop Kanas, and less than KZ ZS3, both of which fit deeper. Significantly less isolation than Mee Pinnacle PX, which also fit deeper. The L3 has less isolation than I hoped, but it's enough for many situations at home. Comfort is good with Spinfit CP360 S or Azla Xelastec MS.

Just curious, which tips did you use? I like the sound best with SpinFit CP145 (though they don’t stay on the nozzle really well), or the medium size (which is much smaller than I usually use) ePro horn tips. I like the bass and treble best with those 2 tips. Regarding isolation, It can be great, but you would need to use smaller tips and a deep insertion. With foam tips and a deeper insertion, I was able to get near CIEM levels of isolation.

The ER2XR is excellent, and isolation is the best.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I'm a touch baffled by the claims of poor bass impact. Especially in comparison to the PX. I have the P1 which should be roughly the same (if not slightly more high-end), and the difference in "size" is just night and day. The P1 sounds rather flat next to the L3, and it's only something like the 1More Quad that beats it on bass, which makes sense because the Quad is a pretty bass-heavy product.

Taking sine sweeps, the L3 remains strong down to the 30s where it does start to lose steam particularly into the 20s, which would make sense since it's approaching the limits of human hearing and is also significantly lower than the sub-bass on about 99% of songs would ever go. Using my standard bass testers in the hip-hop world, I can't see anything falling off except in a few songs that I know from using large speaker systems start to push the limits. Switching over to stuff like especially loud death metal the kick drums are potent as hell.

Stuff like the mids... I can't really comment on. I don't hear any unnatural vocals, and electric guitars being harsh are something I tend to look for (I refer to the death metal comment), so that all hits right to me. I suspect I often don't know what is or isn't "natural" on mids, so all I can say is that I'm a-okay with that whole area.

I wouldn't call them a perfect product, compared to the p1 or other single-driver IEMs I think they're not going to have that smoothness, but for someone whose primary listening is hip-hop and extreme metal, the dynamics and impact are so strong that they tick all the boxes. That's why I get a bit thrown off by saying they lack in those qualities.

Also, with the M-sized Xelastic, for me, they seal as well as foams. If they drive deep into your canal, the only limiting factor on how well they seal and isolate is the tip. If that's not working, I don't think the housing of the drivers is at fault.

 

[Wes S]

I'm a touch baffled by the claims of poor bass impact. Especially in comparison to the PX. I have the P1 which should be roughly the same (if not slightly more high-end), and the difference in "size" is just night and day. The P1 sounds rather flat next to the L3, and it's only something like the 1More Quad that beats it on bass, which makes sense because the Quad is a pretty bass-heavy product.

Taking sine sweeps, the L3 remains strong down to the 30s where it does start to lose steam particularly into the 20s, which would make sense since it's approaching the limits of human hearing and is also significantly lower than the sub-bass on about 99% of songs would ever go. Using my standard bass testers in the hip-hop world, I can't see anything falling off except in a few songs that I know from using large speaker systems start to push the limits. Switching over to stuff like especially loud death metal the kick drums are potent as hell.

Stuff like the mids... I can't really comment on. I don't hear any unnatural vocals, and electric guitars being harsh are something I tend to look for (I refer to the death metal comment), so that all hits right to me. I suspect I often don't know what is or isn't "natural" on mids, so all I can say is that I'm a-okay with that whole area.

I wouldn't call them a perfect product, compared to the p1 or other single-driver IEMs I think they're not going to have that smoothness, but for someone whose primary listening is hip-hop and extreme metal, the dynamics and impact are so strong that they tick all the boxes. That's why I get a bit thrown off by saying they lack in those qualities.

Also, with the M-sized Xelastic, for me, they seal as well as foams. If they drive deep into your canal, the only limiting factor on how well they seal and isolate is the tip. If that's not working, I don't think the housing of the drivers is at fault.

Right there with on the bass. I am using the stock tips, and the bass is killer and hits hard and deep. I actually tried the Xelastec and they felt weird and made them bright, with hardly any bass at all. Just goes to show, we all have different ears, and often hear differently as well.

 

[Toastybob]

I'm a touch baffled by the claims of poor bass impact. Especially in comparison to the PX. I have the P1 which should be roughly the same (if not slightly more high-end), and the difference in "size" is just night and day. The P1 sounds rather flat next to the L3, and it's only something like the 1More Quad that beats it on bass, which makes sense because the Quad is a pretty bass-heavy product.

Taking sine sweeps, the L3 remains strong down to the 30s where it does start to lose steam particularly into the 20s, which would make sense since it's approaching the limits of human hearing and is also significantly lower than the sub-bass on about 99% of songs would ever go. Using my standard bass testers in the hip-hop world, I can't see anything falling off except in a few songs that I know from using large speaker systems start to push the limits. Switching over to stuff like especially loud death metal the kick drums are potent as hell.

Stuff like the mids... I can't really comment on. I don't hear any unnatural vocals, and electric guitars being harsh are something I tend to look for (I refer to the death metal comment), so that all hits right to me. I suspect I often don't know what is or isn't "natural" on mids, so all I can say is that I'm a-okay with that whole area.

I wouldn't call them a perfect product, compared to the p1 or other single-driver IEMs I think they're not going to have that smoothness, but for someone whose primary listening is hip-hop and extreme metal, the dynamics and impact are so strong that they tick all the boxes. That's why I get a bit thrown off by saying they lack in those qualities.

Also, with the M-sized Xelastic, for me, they seal as well as foams. If they drive deep into your canal, the only limiting factor on how well they seal and isolate is the tip. If that's not working, I don't think the housing of the drivers is at fault.

I definitely don't think the L3's bass extension or impact are poor, and its impact is clearly better to me than the impact on the PX, just not as good as BL03 or Planamic. Sorry for the confusion. I compared L3 to the PX only in terms of isolation and bass extension, not in terms of bass impact or overall sound quality. I do like the L3 tuning much more than the PX tuning, though with the right EQ I don't have any particular issues with the treble, mids, or mid bass on the PX. I also think the L3 is much better tuned overall than the Planamic without EQ.

Just curious, which tips did you use? I like the sound best with SpinFit CP145 (though they don’t stay on the nozzle really well), or the medium size (which is much smaller than I usually use) ePro horn tips. I like the bass and treble best with those 2 tips. Regarding isolation, It can be great, but you would need to use smaller tips and a deep insertion. With foam tips and a deeper insertion, I was able to get near CIEM levels of isolation.

The ER2XR is excellent, and isolation is the best.

I mostly used Spinfit CP360 S, often with foam from earplugs inside the flange like the Symbio tips to maximize isolation. I tried CP145 S and Final E SS and S but they weren't as comfortable. As I mentioned the L3 fit is moderately deep with my ears, and I'm comparing isolation with single flange tips only.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Right there with on the bass. I am using the stock tips, and the bass is killer and hits hard and deep. I actually tried the Xelastec and they felt weird and made them bright, with hardly any bass at all. Just goes to show, we all have different ears, and often hear differently as well.

Tips make or break IEMs and you're spot on that different ones work for different people.

I'm actually bummed I can't use my hybrid gels on the L3 because the dang things keep sliding off. I like those tips a lot.