Short answer: both are discontinued, so this only matters if you are buying used. Used, the ThieAudio Legacy 5 is the better pick: it ranks #598 of 865 in-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 3.2/5), against #720 (rated 2.6/5) for the ThieAudio Legacy 9. If you want one new, the ThieAudio Monarch MKIII ranks #1 at $999.
The ThieAudio Legacy 5 is the better-sounding option. Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. The catch: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
The case for 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 5 only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two. For a new speaker, start with the ThieAudio Monarch MKIII instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| ThieAudio Legacy 5 | ThieAudio Legacy 9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #598 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones | #720 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 4 balanced armature | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 8 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 23 ohms | 18 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz | 20Hz - 28kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 64 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 56 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.79 dB standard deviation | 3.11 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.33 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to ThieAudio Legacy 5:
- ThieAudio Legacy 4 vs ThieAudio Legacy 5
- ThieAudio Legacy 2 vs ThieAudio Legacy 5
- ThieAudio Legacy 4 vs ThieAudio Legacy 9
- ThieAudio Legacy 2 vs ThieAudio Legacy 9
- Shure Aonic 4 vs Shure Aonic 50
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 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
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