[Danx3k]

Oh thank you. I didn't realise that this place was in London. Well that blows my mind for today. So I take it you can contact them and arrange a demo if need be? I'm guessing it probably depends on the product and if they have demo's available.

Yeah it’s in London. I would contact them to ask. Ahmed is great, he’ll get back to you.

It’s not the sort of place you can just walk in to off the street. You’ll need to pre-arrange a visit.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

Just been comparing the Prestige LTD to the Elysian Acoustic Annihilator 2023. To my surprise, the LTD takes the edge. Thieaudio seriously know how to give good bang for the buck. The Annihilator had bigger lows. But the texturing and detail felt lackluster in the lows for the price of $3000. It was good, but not 3k good. Mids and treble though were great. Heaps of dynamic swing. Heaps of detail. Great clarity and depth. And nothing ever felt fatiguing. Overall, a beautiful iem, amazing build with great sound quality and technicality but very expensive. The Prestige LTD on the other hand felt more controlled, much more balanced/neutral and didn't give that wow factor immediatly. It took a few songs to get used to that sudden change. But the more you dug deeper, the more the Prestige LTD has to offer. More texturing and detail in the low end, may not be as hard hitting, but I could hear and feel the extension. There was depth, layering, detail, amazing texturing in the low end. I could feel it coming from down low, side to side, above me. Imaging in the low end? Mids were slightly pulled back a touch. But still clear and highly detailed. They felt effortless and this gave that sense of space and air between vocals and instruments. I could hear things separated so clearly and overall everything felt clean, crisp and clear. Yet soo smooth. Nothing jumped out at me yet everything was there. Male vocals and female vocals has enough weight and never felt thin, but there was an instant snap to the mids that made things feel and sound super crisp and clear. With heavy metal and rock, percussive drum&bass, hard edm etc. Everything just was super clear and separated. No mud, no bloat, no harshness. Never muffled or congested. Just very separated, pin point and clear. Sounded more like a 3k iem to me. Treble compared to the Annihilator 2023 is smoother, a touch more mellow. Yet just as extended and as detailed, maybe more so. Again, effortless, detailed, very airy and smooth. No fatigue at all. No complaints. An extremely well executed treble and iem. Soundstage felt larger compared to the Annihilator 2023 and imaging felt more pinpoint. Overall, the more I keep listening to the LTD. The more I love them. Some of the best all rounder iems. The Sony IER-Z1R has more low end and better texturing. Slighty more stage size. But overall tuning, smoothness and effortless goes to the Prestige LTD. I can see some people preferring the Z1R. But that's just a preference thing. Overall, the Prestige LTD is truly a potential endgame iem. Expensive yes. But considering it can compete with iems nearly double the price at $3k..... I say it gives high value.

@Alkamei

The Prestige LTD is an exceptional iem. But I agree with everyone else. You could be willing to spend the cash. And that's fine. 100% your choice . But I'd first make sure it's the sound signature you are looking for. Spending $1k up on iems. First thing. Make sure it's a signature you know you love and enjoy. I will say though, it's a very safe a good tuning. Big bass. It has plenty of low end. The Monarch MK3 and anything else that has more. You must be a basshead and really love low end. Yet, the Prestige LTD has low end that digs deep and hits hard with great detail and separation. Treble also is smooth and non fatiguing. Yet again, highly detailed. The next thing though would be fit. The Prestige LTD is on the smaller side in the Thieaudio line up. But it still is a slightly larger iem. So comfort truly depends on the individual. Thirdly, I do find the Prestige LTD to depend on source slightly. It's not as picky as some other iems. And it plays well even on cheaper dac/amps like an E1DA 9038s. But overall experience such as stage depth, clarity, bass slam and dynaimcs can change a bit. But it does scale highly with better sources. If you do decide it's the iem you want. I can happily say, you made a great choice and goodluck. I love the Prestige LTD and many others do to. But just take your time, ask around, and if possible. Maybe try them out for yourself before you do the purchase

Also, you mentioning the Sundaras. It's been a while since I've heard them. But I have the Hifiman Ananda Nano. They have more treble compared to the Sundara. I can whole heartedly say the Prestige LTD is no where near as bright and cold sounding compared to the Ananda Nano and Sundara. The Prestige LTD has much more smoother treble with more detail and much more low end with better texturing. 110%. I haven't listened to my Ananda Nano ever since getting the Prestige LTD.... Maybe I should give them a little love haha, it's been a while now that I think about it

 

[Alkamei]

Just been comparing the Prestige LTD to the Elysian Acoustic Annihilator 2023. To my surprise, the LTD takes the edge. Thieaudio seriously know how to give good bang for the buck. The Annihilator had bigger lows. But the texturing and detail felt lackluster in the lows for the price of $3000. It was good, but not 3k good. Mids and treble though were great. Heaps of dynamic swing. Heaps of detail. Great clarity and depth. And nothing ever felt fatiguing. Overall, a beautiful iem, amazing build with great sound quality and technicality but very expensive. The Prestige LTD on the other hand felt more controlled, much more balanced/neutral and didn't give that wow factor immediatly. It took a few songs to get used to that sudden change. But the more you dug deeper, the more the Prestige LTD has to offer. More texturing and detail in the low end, may not be as hard hitting, but I could hear and feel the extension. There was depth, layering, detail, amazing texturing in the low end. I could feel it coming from down low, side to side, above me. Imaging in the low end? Mids were slightly pulled back a touch. But still clear and highly detailed. They felt effortless and this gave that sense of space and air between vocals and instruments. I could hear things separated so clearly and overall everything felt clean, crisp and clear. Yet soo smooth. Nothing jumped out at me yet everything was there. Male vocals and female vocals has enough weight and never felt thin, but there was an instant snap to the mids that made things feel and sound super crisp and clear. With heavy metal and rock, percussive drum&bass, hard edm etc. Everything just was super clear and separated. No mud, no bloat, no harshness. Never muffled or congested. Just very separated, pin point and clear. Sounded more like a 3k iem to me. Treble compared to the Annihilator 2023 is smoother, a touch more mellow. Yet just as extended and as detailed, maybe more so. Again, effortless, detailed, very airy and smooth. No fatigue at all. No complaints. An extremely well executed treble and iem. Soundstage felt larger compared to the Annihilator 2023 and imaging felt more pinpoint. Overall, the more I keep listening to the LTD. The more I love them. Some of the best all rounder iems. The Sony IER-Z1R has more low end and better texturing. Slighty more stage size. But overall tuning, smoothness and effortless goes to the Prestige LTD. I can see some people preferring the Z1R. But that's just a preference thing. Overall, the Prestige LTD is truly a potential endgame iem. Expensive yes. But considering it can compete with iems nearly double the price at $3k..... I say it gives high value.

@Alkamei

The Prestige LTD is an exceptional iem. But I agree with everyone else. You could be willing to spend the cash. And that's fine. 100% your choice . But I'd first make sure it's the sound signature you are looking for. Spending $1k up on iems. First thing. Make sure it's a signature you know you love and enjoy. I will say though, it's a very safe a good tuning. Big bass. It has plenty of low end. The Monarch MK3 and anything else that has more. You must be a basshead and really love low end. Yet, the Prestige LTD has low end that digs deep and hits hard with great detail and separation. Treble also is smooth and non fatiguing. Yet again, highly detailed. The next thing though would be fit. The Prestige LTD is on the smaller side in the Thieaudio line up. But it still is a slightly larger iem. So comfort truly depends on the individual. Thirdly, I do find the Prestige LTD to depend on source slightly. It's not as picky as some other iems. And it plays well even on cheaper dac/amps like an E1DA 9038s. But overall experience such as stage depth, clarity, bass slam and dynaimcs can change a bit. But it does scale highly with better sources. If you do decide it's the iem you want. I can happily say, you made a great choice and goodluck. I love the Prestige LTD and many others do to. But just take your time, ask around, and if possible. Maybe try them out for yourself before you do the purchase

Also, you mentioning the Sundaras. It's been a while since I've heard them. But I have the Hifiman Ananda Nano. They have more treble compared to the Sundara. I can whole heartedly say the Prestige LTD is no where near as bright and cold sounding compared to the Ananda Nano and Sundara. The Prestige LTD has much more smoother treble with more detail and much more low end with better texturing. 110%. I haven't listened to my Ananda Nano ever since getting the Prestige LTD.... Maybe I should give them a little love haha, it's been a while now that I think about it

What headphones are they equivalent to if you don't mind me asking? It's great that they aren't bright like the Sundaras, I really had to returned my pair of Sundaras because they were too fatiguing for me.

I'm trying to grasp the sound signature, what exactly is this sound signature that the prestige LTD offers?

I'm pretty convinced at this point but won't be pulling the purchase until maybe another month or 2..

 

[ext23]

Don't take this the wrong way but I personally don't think the LTD has a unique sound signature. FOR ME, it's well-balanced right across the board and is a legit all-rounder. It just does everything right. Good bass but not basshead, it rumbles hard when it needs to but it's never overwhelming. Good treble and good extension but never fatiguing. Like never. Lush mids for guitars and strings. Immaculate imaging.

The Monarch Mk3 for example are a more pronounced V-shape. The Monarch Mk2 are a "mid-centric" sound (although I personally hated it). The LTD is the best of both worlds, I've never owned a headphone or an IEM that just does every genre well without compromise. It's not "dry" or "analytical" (lacking body or warmth). It's very musical and a pleasing, easy listen.

 

[Brooding Sonata]

Looking for a little guidance, guys. I've been spending more time than is sensible researching an IEM purchase to complement my new iBasso DX320. My two main pairs currently are Moondrop Arias and HiFiMan RE600s V2. Despite being much cheaper, I prefer the Arias. As such, my research has focused on a set which would be an upgrade to those which seems to mean a pair with Harman tuning.

There are so many options in the IEM market that it's a bit overwhelming. I had arrived at the Monarch mk3 as a possibility, but the more I read about the Prestige Ltd, the more I'm wondering if they're the ones. I listen to a lot of prog rock, as well as classic/blues rock, musical theatre and classical. Plenty of other genres too, but they're the main ones, and prog gets the most playtime for me.

I don't like overly thin, bright or bass-light headphones, but I'm big on detail too, so want to avoid too much darkness or the muddiness that can result from too much bass. Desirable traits are smoothness yet with high detail level (avoiding harshness) so I can hear all that proggy detail and be carried on a journey by a blistering guitar solo, and bass which can punch you in the face when called for, but not be overwhelming or obscure any detail, with mids that can give you a tingle when listening to an incredible vocal performance.

As such, based on comments I've read, I feel like the Prestige Ltd might be a better fit for me. Would those of you with experience of both sets agree with this? Is the Prestige Ltd closer to a Harman tuning than the mk3? Are there any other sets (from other manufacturers) I should consider?

edit: a little more info: I tend to listen to music, rather than have it on, which gives me pause on the Prestige Ltd over mk3, as the latter are meant to be a bit more engaging. Sometimes I'll have listen to music when doing other stuff, but normally I'm being quite attentive.

I did get to try Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea and Ara recently. I liked the Andromedas and found them fun, but lacking something... areas of the sound were just not quite there. Ara sounded pretty great (smooth yet detailed), but maybe a little thing - wouldn't mind hearing those again actually.

 

[Knale]

Looking for a little guidance, guys. I've been spending more time than is sensible researching an IEM purchase to complement my new iBasso DX320. My two main pairs currently are Moondrop Arias and HiFiMan RE600s V2. Despite being much cheaper, I prefer the Arias. As such, my research has focused on a set which would be an upgrade to those which seems to mean a pair with Harman tuning.

There are so many options in the IEM market that it's a bit overwhelming. I had arrived at the Monarch mk3 as a possibility, but the more I read about the Prestige Ltd, the more I'm wondering if they're the ones. I listen to a lot of prog rock, as well as classic/blues rock, musical theatre and classical. Plenty of other genres too, but they're the main ones, and prog gets the most playtime for me.

I don't like overly thin, bright or bass-light headphones, but I'm big on detail too, so want to avoid too much darkness or the muddiness that can result from too much bass. Desirable traits are smoothness yet with high detail level (avoiding harshness) so I can hear all that proggy detail and be carried on a journey by a blistering guitar solo, and bass which can punch you in the face when called for, but not be overwhelming or obscure any detail, with mids that can give you a tingle when listening to an incredible vocal performance.

As such, based on comments I've read, I feel like the Prestige Ltd might be a better fit for me. Would those of you with experience of both sets agree with this? Is the Prestige Ltd closer to a Harman tuning than the mk3? Are there any other sets (from other manufacturers) I should consider?

edit: a little more info: I tend to listen to music, rather than have it on, which gives me pause on the Prestige Ltd over mk3, as the latter are meant to be a bit more engaging. Sometimes I'll have listen to music when doing other stuff, but normally I'm being quite attentive.

I did get to try Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea and Ara recently. I liked the Andromedas and found them fun, but lacking something... areas of the sound were just not quite there. Ara sounded pretty great (smooth yet detailed), but maybe a little thing - wouldn't mind hearing those again actually.

I'll say that I'm not a "critical listener" in the way that many folks here are, so I went with the Monarch. I like fun, and for games, it's an absolute friggin beast.

That being said, I don't think I'd label the LTD as "boring" in relation to the Mk3, maybe just less exaggerated. Both sets are capable of producing pretty astonishing levels of detail. Despite the thumpy bass, the Monarch low-end never feels like it's pushing the midrange around personally, but I know other people have experienced that type of thing.

 

[GDunlop]

Looking for a little guidance, guys. I've been spending more time than is sensible researching an IEM purchase to complement my new iBasso DX320. My two main pairs currently are Moondrop Arias and HiFiMan RE600s V2. Despite being much cheaper, I prefer the Arias. As such, my research has focused on a set which would be an upgrade to those which seems to mean a pair with Harman tuning.

There are so many options in the IEM market that it's a bit overwhelming. I had arrived at the Monarch mk3 as a possibility, but the more I read about the Prestige Ltd, the more I'm wondering if they're the ones. I listen to a lot of prog rock, as well as classic/blues rock, musical theatre and classical. Plenty of other genres too, but they're the main ones, and prog gets the most playtime for me.

I don't like overly thin, bright or bass-light headphones, but I'm big on detail too, so want to avoid too much darkness or the muddiness that can result from too much bass. Desirable traits are smoothness yet with high detail level (avoiding harshness) so I can hear all that proggy detail and be carried on a journey by a blistering guitar solo, and bass which can punch you in the face when called for, but not be overwhelming or obscure any detail, with mids that can give you a tingle when listening to an incredible vocal performance.

As such, based on comments I've read, I feel like the Prestige Ltd might be a better fit for me. Would those of you with experience of both sets agree with this? Is the Prestige Ltd closer to a Harman tuning than the mk3? Are there any other sets (from other manufacturers) I should consider?

edit: a little more info: I tend to listen to music, rather than have it on, which gives me pause on the Prestige Ltd over mk3, as the latter are meant to be a bit more engaging. Sometimes I'll have listen to music when doing other stuff, but normally I'm being quite attentive.

I did get to try Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea and Ara recently. I liked the Andromedas and found them fun, but lacking something... areas of the sound were just not quite there. Ara sounded pretty great (smooth yet detailed), but maybe a little thing - wouldn't mind hearing those again actually.

Well I'm a fan of Coheed and Cambria and apparently they count as prog rock. I don't have the Prestige Ltd unfortunately but I do have both the Monarch Mk1 and Mk3. The tonality on both I think are great. The Mk3 has more mid bass than the Mk1 but the Mk1 has a ton of sub bass which is surprisingly good sound wise.

I am in the same boat as you when it comes to not liking bright IEM's and I prefer to have a bit of bass in my music. If you are anything like me then with the Mk3 all you have do is EQ the 2k region down a little tiny bit and they are fantastic (alternatively the right tips also work I think). The Mk1 I didn't need to change at all when it came to the EQ. However the Mk3 definitely has better detail and the bass is smoother thanks to the Isobaric twin design.

 

[ext23]

Looking for a little guidance, guys. I've been spending more time than is sensible researching an IEM purchase to complement my new iBasso DX320. My two main pairs currently are Moondrop Arias and HiFiMan RE600s V2. Despite being much cheaper, I prefer the Arias. As such, my research has focused on a set which would be an upgrade to those which seems to mean a pair with Harman tuning.

There are so many options in the IEM market that it's a bit overwhelming. I had arrived at the Monarch mk3 as a possibility, but the more I read about the Prestige Ltd, the more I'm wondering if they're the ones. I listen to a lot of prog rock, as well as classic/blues rock, musical theatre and classical. Plenty of other genres too, but they're the main ones, and prog gets the most playtime for me.

I don't like overly thin, bright or bass-light headphones, but I'm big on detail too, so want to avoid too much darkness or the muddiness that can result from too much bass. Desirable traits are smoothness yet with high detail level (avoiding harshness) so I can hear all that proggy detail and be carried on a journey by a blistering guitar solo, and bass which can punch you in the face when called for, but not be overwhelming or obscure any detail, with mids that can give you a tingle when listening to an incredible vocal performance.

As such, based on comments I've read, I feel like the Prestige Ltd might be a better fit for me. Would those of you with experience of both sets agree with this? Is the Prestige Ltd closer to a Harman tuning than the mk3? Are there any other sets (from other manufacturers) I should consider?

edit: a little more info: I tend to listen to music, rather than have it on, which gives me pause on the Prestige Ltd over mk3, as the latter are meant to be a bit more engaging. Sometimes I'll have listen to music when doing other stuff, but normally I'm being quite attentive.

I did get to try Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea and Ara recently. I liked the Andromedas and found them fun, but lacking something... areas of the sound were just not quite there. Ara sounded pretty great (smooth yet detailed), but maybe a little thing - wouldn't mind hearing those again actually.

Your initial post makes you sound like you want the LTD, but then your edit suggests you might enjoy the instant "wow" factor of the Mk3 more. Is there a way you can audition them?

I spent a good two or three hours A/Bing the LTD and the Mk3 in store and eventually decided (with trepidation) that the LTD would be the better all-rounder, despite the "wow" factor of the Mk3. One of the reasons was that I liked the way distorted guitars shone through more on the LTD, whereas they were slightly scooped out on the Mk3 due to its V-shape. YMMV, I know others don't hear things this way. But yeah I got the LTD and for a few days afterwards I was wondering if I had made the right decision, but now I'm confident that I did. The LTD are far from boring IMO, and if I was listening to mainly rock, musicals and classical, I'd say they are a sensible choice.

EDIT: My confirmation bias is absolutely showing through. Remember that everything you read here is all just subjective opinion!

 

[DunninLA]

Your initial post makes you sound like you want the LTD, but then your edit suggests you might enjoy the instant "wow" factor of the Mk3 more. Is there a way you can audition them?

Right. Also, It seems to me OP can't audition anything outside where he/she will be using it and get meaningful results ... speakers, amps, anything. And as odd as it sounds, auditioning in the exact position in which they listen... which could be laying down on a couch or bed.

OP, It also seems to me that you need to try five or six different tips (supplied, Spinfit, Final E, Foam, hybrid foam/silicone, Azla, etc.) with an IEM to know whether it will work for you. Tips are exactly like room treatment for speakers.

All that to say, audition both in your own environment, using the tips that best suit you. Hard to do either in somebody else's space. -- be that at a Canjam, a retailer's space, a friend's place, etc. Just find where you can buy both, audition both at different times in the day, in different mood states, for several days, in your most used space, and return one.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

What headphones are they equivalent to if you don't mind me asking? It's great that they aren't bright like the Sundaras, I really had to returned my pair of Sundaras because they were too fatiguing for me.

I'm trying to grasp the sound signature, what exactly is this sound signature that the prestige LTD offers?

I'm pretty convinced at this point but won't be pulling the purchase until maybe another month or 2..

It's tricky as honestly, a headphone with the sound signature of the Prestige LTD?... Well maybe it's a mix of different headphones... It has bass like a ZMF, yet clarity like a Hifiman with dynamics like a mini Focal. But tuning is overall very smooth. Nothing sticks out and is very well balanced. Low end is no where near lacking. Again, bass like a ZMF. It has clarity for days yet being smooth. And has great dynamics from lows to highs.

 

[OhmsClaw]

It's tricky as honestly, a headphone with the sound signature of the Prestige LTD?... Well maybe it's a mix of different headphones... It has bass like a ZMF, yet clarity like a Hifiman with dynamics like a mini Focal. But tuning is overall very smooth. Nothing sticks out and is very well balanced. Low end is no where near lacking. Again, bass like a ZMF. It has clarity for days yet being smooth. And has great dynamics from lows to highs.

Like an Atrium or an Auteur?

 

[Knee Deep In Epoxy]

Like an Atrium or an Auteur?

As an owner of the atrium and the LTD, the LTD has more bass and Sub bass impact, texture and rumble. Best bass I've heard on any transducer l

The kids and highs have different timbres, the atrium being more coloured and analogue sounding. The LTD sounds neutral/natural to warm, without sounding analogue.

The LTD separation is ridiculous for an iem. But of course the atrium stage is huge compared to most headphones let alone compared to iems.

 

[Brooding Sonata]

Thanks for the comments re Prestige Ltd vers mk3s. Auditioning is hard, but I will see if I can make it happen. On paper, based on reviews, it sounds like the Prestige Ltd might be better for my proggy needs, but I suppose at that level either is going to sound great. As long as the sound isn't thin, has enough bass when needed, natural timbre and has smoothness yet tons of detail, I will be happy.

For my info, which is closer to the Harman tuning on my Moondrop Arias?

 

[Rayon]

I'm missing certain things of IEM world occasionally and I've been thinking about Monarch mk3 or Prestige LTD. I have Susvara and 1266 TC already, but IEMs have certain "closed-in accuracy" that full-sized cans can't provide. I wouldn't want to have "mini-Susvara" nor "mini-TC", as I rather want to use the originala. I want something different, something where IEMs excel: studio level ultimate accuracy.

I've heard that Prestige is more refined and better fit for jazz and metal for example. However I'm kind of afraid that they would be too close to Sus or TC in presentation. Also comments that praise Prestige's more distant presentation kind of rings some alarm bells as I already have headphones with good soundstage.

I've been listening to these sound demos from youtube with Susvara and in these Prestige sounds a bit boring, while refined. However, I have a feeling that Prestige loses something more in the process as they sound so incredibly different. Monarch sounds more hypnotic.

How accurate picture do you think I would get from these sound-demos with Susvara and what other comments would you have? Especially if someone has TC or Sus, would be lovely to hear some comparisons.

As a (somewhat exotic) reference point: I had SoftEars Cerberus previously and I loved it. However it was a bit problematic with powerful desktop systems as it was so incredibly low impedance (5ohm) combined with high sensitivity (105db). That was my main reason for selling them. However, I also wouldn't want to have another Cerberus 2 with higher impedance, but instead something more "hypnotic" or "romantic". If Prestige is very analytical, that is likely not what I'm searching for at this point. However, I'm also fan of flat (measured) midrange between some 200-1000khz and not Harman midrange, which is kind of unnatural with acoustic instruments. However, both Monarch mk3 and Prestige look like they have flat midrange, so I'm not overly worried about that.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

Like an Atrium or an Auteur?

Atrium but quality closer to Caldera. The Prestige LTD has extremely high quality low end. For an iem, it's extremely impressive. But again, main thing you will sacrifice is soundstage compared to headphones that stage on the larger side. But again, for an iem. It's still extremely impressive and what the Prestige LTD can do as an iem is WOW. Just how @ext23 said, it does everything well balanced across the board straight out of the box. Nothing sticks out. And at first, it may not give that wow factor. It's a very safe, neutral, natural and enjoyable tuning. But it is a unique sounding iem. Because it's extremely hard to get an iem to sound just right and never make you want more from it. That's what is unique about the Prestige LTD. Truly an amazing all rounder. Great bass, great mids, great highs, great resolution, great soundstage, great dynamics, great texturing. Great tuning. Everything about the sound is great. Personally for me, I can't fault it. I feel treble is perfect. Do not want anymore. And I love treble. But the Prestige LTD delivers it smoothly yet with plenty of energy. Same with the low end. It has heaps. To some. It could be considered basshead.... 10db??????????? From dead flat/neutral. That's heaps!!! Mids. Can't fault them. Some say they are pulled back slightly. And yeah... I can hear that, but yet, they are crystal clear. Some of the clearest and cleanest mids I have ever heard in a iem or headphone. The mids are amazing is all I can say. Pulled back? I don't know. Yes and no. Maybe due to the low end, it gives that impression. But the separation between lows and mids is so good, I never feel the low end getting in the way and the mids shine through beautifully. Anyways. Amazing tuning. If someone wants more low end though... You're a basshead. 100% no doubt.