Short answer: the ThieAudio Legacy 4. It ranks #28 of 865 in-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 4.8/5) at $50.99 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 4 is the better-sounding option. The Legacy 4 pairs one dynamic driver with three balanced armatures, and the median of twelve hobbyist measurements on squig.link shows bass essentially on target, slightly above it at 30 Hz. Watch for: A 4.3 dB dip near 3.75 kHz and a presence band about 2.3 dB low can push vocals back and soften the attack of guitars and snares.
What the ThieAudio Legacy 5 does well: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. Watch for: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
Buy the ThieAudio Legacy 4. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the ThieAudio Legacy 5 is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| ThieAudio Legacy 4 | ThieAudio Legacy 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $50.99 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #28 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones | #598 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 84 (median of 12 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 64 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.19 dB standard deviation | 2.79 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.10 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 3 balanced armature) | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x 8mm dynamic + 3 x balanced armature | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 balanced armature |
| Impedance | 9.4 ohms | 23 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to ThieAudio Legacy 4:
- EPZ G20 vs ThieAudio Legacy 4
- ThieAudio Legacy 4 vs Ooopusx OP24
- ThieAudio Legacy 4 vs CCA Rhapsody
- ThieAudio Legacy 2 vs ThieAudio Legacy 4
- ThieAudio Legacy 4 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 4: $50.99 Amazon $50.99 eBay
Same family: the ThieAudio Legacy 2 (lower-end model, ranked lower, rated 4.1/5).
Pros: The Legacy 4 pairs one dynamic driver with three balanced armatures, and the median of twelve hobbyist measurements on squig.link shows bass essentially on target, slightly above it at 30 Hz. With about 1.2 dB of unevenness and a preference score of 84, its bass, mids and treble sit within half a dB of target on average. It rates higher than the less expensive CCA Phoenix, and 108 dB sensitivity makes it easy to drive.
Cons: A 4.3 dB dip near 3.75 kHz and a presence band about 2.3 dB low can push vocals back and soften the attack of guitars and snares. There is no microphone, and the EPZ G20 and EPZ Q1 Pro both rate higher while costing a little less.
Full ThieAudio Legacy 4 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.19 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 3 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 8mm dynamic + 3 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 84 (median of 12 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 9.4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.10 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- 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