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 9 ranks #720 (rated 2.6/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The ThieAudio Legacy 2 is the better-sounding choice. 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. Watch for: 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.
Why pick the ThieAudio Legacy 9: Bass is lifted about 3.7 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The tradeoff: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
Buy the ThieAudio Legacy 2. It is rated higher for sound quality; the ThieAudio Legacy 9 is no longer sold new.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| ThieAudio Legacy 2 | ThieAudio Legacy 9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.00 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #262 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones | #720 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 75 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 56 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.10 dB standard deviation | 3.11 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.33 (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 + 8 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 18 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 28kHz |
| 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 (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
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- ThieAudio Legacy 2 vs ThieAudio Legacy 4
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- FiiO FH5s vs ThieAudio Legacy 2
- ThieAudio Legacy 2 vs ThieAudio Legacy 5
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 9 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Bass is lifted about 3.7 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. Upper treble lifts about 4.7 dB for extra air and sparkle. Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 10mm dynamic + 8 x balanced armature with an easy 18 ohm load.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. Presence sits about 6 dB low with a 9.2 dB dip near 5.4 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. A 4.4 dB peak near 11.9 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp. A Harman score of 56 places it in the lower part of the in-ear rankings.
Full ThieAudio Legacy 9 review and specifications →
| Connection | Wired |
|---|---|
| Deviation From Target | 3.11 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 8 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 28kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 56 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 18 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.33 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.4 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 | -3.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 180 Hz | -3.5 dB | 0.96 |
| Peak | 4,893 Hz | +4.6 dB | 0.69 |
| Peak | 833 Hz | +2.4 dB | 1.48 |
| Peak | 1,834 Hz | -3.9 dB | 1.35 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 65 Hz | +0.6 dB | 2.16 |
| Peak | 5,028 Hz | +2.6 dB | 5.44 |
| Peak | 4,005 Hz | -1.3 dB | 5.78 |
| Peak | 6,081 Hz | -1.5 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons