Short answer: the ThieAudio Legacy 2. It ranks #262 of 865 in-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 4.1/5) at $99 and is still sold new; the ThieAudio Legacy 5 ranks #598 (rated 3.2/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The ThieAudio Legacy 2 is the better-sounding option. Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 75, and the median of 13 squig.link measurements keeps sub-bass, bass, low mids and upper mids within 0.7 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound clean and correctly weighted. The tradeoff: Presence runs about 2.9 dB and air about 3.4 dB below target, with a 6.8 dB dip near 11.9 kHz, so cymbals lack some sparkle and the top end feels slightly reserved.
What the ThieAudio Legacy 5 does well: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. The tradeoff: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
Buy the ThieAudio Legacy 2. It is rated higher for sound quality; the ThieAudio Legacy 5 is no longer sold new.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| ThieAudio Legacy 2 | ThieAudio Legacy 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.00 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #262 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones | #598 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 75 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 64 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.10 dB standard deviation | 2.79 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 1 balanced armature) | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 1 x balanced armature | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 balanced armature |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 23 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
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- FiiO FH5s vs ThieAudio Legacy 2
- ThieAudio Legacy 2 vs ThieAudio Legacy 9
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
ThieAudio Legacy 2: $99.00 AliExpress $99.00 eBay
Same family: the ThieAudio Legacy 4 (higher-end model, ranked higher, rated 4.8/5).
Pros: Crinacle’s measurement gives it a preference score of 75, and the median of 13 squig.link measurements keeps sub-bass, bass, low mids and upper mids within 0.7 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound clean and correctly weighted. The hybrid pairing of a 10mm dynamic driver with a balanced armature holds deep bass to 20 Hz, and 108 dB sensitivity at 32 ohms makes it easy to drive from a phone.
Cons: Presence runs about 2.9 dB and air about 3.4 dB below target, with a 6.8 dB dip near 11.9 kHz, so cymbals lack some sparkle and the top end feels slightly reserved. A 4.4 dB peak near 10.3 kHz just below that dip makes the upper treble a little uneven.
Full ThieAudio Legacy 2 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.10 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 1 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 1 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 75 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +2.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 223 Hz | -2.5 dB | 1.18 |
| Peak | 1,933 Hz | -2.7 dB | 1.52 |
| Peak | 9,528 Hz | +4.3 dB | 0.46 |
| Peak | 225 Hz | +0.7 dB | 1.37 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +3.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 858 Hz | +1.1 dB | 2.58 |
| Peak | 7,553 Hz | -3.0 dB | 5.71 |
| Peak | 6,208 Hz | +2.3 dB | 5.96 |
| Peak | 4,888 Hz | -1.8 dB | 5.37 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
ThieAudio Legacy 5 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 balanced armature with an easy 23 ohm load.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. Presence sits about 7.4 dB low with a 9.5 dB dip near 5.1 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. Sub-bass is 4.1 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble. A Harman score of 64 places it in the lower part of the in-ear rankings.
Full ThieAudio Legacy 5 review and specifications →
| Released | 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.79 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 64 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 23 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +1.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,615 Hz | -5.2 dB | 1.38 |
| Peak | 477 Hz | -2.2 dB | 0.39 |
| Peak | 4,513 Hz | +4.2 dB | 0.26 |
| Peak | 4,891 Hz | +1.9 dB | 6.00 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +3.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 71 Hz | +0.5 dB | 1.82 |
| Peak | 3,190 Hz | +1.4 dB | 3.84 |
| Peak | 8,481 Hz | -1.5 dB | 3.80 |
| Peak | 4,062 Hz | -1.6 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons