Thieaudio Legacy 2 (L2) Review
Tags: Review, Music, Headphones, Technology, Audio

The Thieaudio L2 comes in a black rectangular cardboard box with a black slipcover. The Thieaudio logo is embossed in silver on the front of the slipcover as well as the top lid of the box. In addition to the IEMs, the package includes a detachable 2-pin cable, a blue synthetic leather carry case, six conventional black silicone eartips (S, M, L), and 6 clear silicone eartips with black cores (S, M, L). The two-tone eartips are shorter and wider than the black eartips. The L2 also includes a quality control pass chit, a user manual written in English and Chinese, and a warranty card. The lid of the carry case is exterior embossed with the Thieaudio logo and has a magnetic fastener.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:

The Thieaudio L2 has translucent blue acrylic shells with pearlescent faceplates. The internal components are faintly visible through the shells. The shells have a pseudo-custom fit. The Thieaudio logo is set into the left faceplate in silver, while the right faceplate is unmarked. “Legacy 2” and the unit serial number are printed in white on the inner face of the shell. The IEMs are otherwise unmarked. The seam between the shell body and faceplate is invisible to the naked eye but can be faintly felt. The nozzles have two separate sound tubes and lack a nozzle cover. The nozzles have a lip for securing eartips. There are two circular vents just below the 2-pin connector, one with a metal rim, one without.

The included 2-pin cable is attractive and substantial. The right 2-pin connector is distinguished only by a red base. The Thieaudio logo is printed on the jack hardware. There is strain relief above the straight 3.5mm jack but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed clear plastic earguides without memory wire. There is a chin adjustment slider, and the cable resists tangling. The cable is moderately microphonic.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:

The Thieaudio L2 is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a shallow-to-moderate insertion depth. The L2 is extremely comfortable. I did not experience driver flex with the L2. Isolation is above average.

MEASUREMENTS:

Measurements of the Thieaudio L2 can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Thieaudio Legacy 2 — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

My measurements are conducted with a Dayton iMM-6 microphone using a vinyl tubing coupler and a calibrated USB sound interface. The measurements use a compensation file derived from relating my raw measurements to published measurements from Crinacle and Antdroid. There is a resonant peak at 8k. Measurements above 10 kHz are not reliable.

SOUND:

The Thieaudio L2 has a Harman-ish tuning, meaning an emphasis on sub-bass over mid-bass, a healthy but not overbearing amount of pinna gain, and a downward-sloping frequency response from 1–3 kHz down through the treble. The L2’s frequency response is very similar to that of the SeeAudio Yume. The biggest difference between the two IEMs is in the lower treble, which the Yume has more of. Like the Yume, the L2 is close to what I would call my ideal IEM tuning.

The L2’s bass is impactful, with excellent sub-bass extension and an organic-sounding transient response. The bass is cleanly articulated but one-dimensional, with limited texture.

The L2 has a clear, even midrange. The L2’s lower midrange presentation is noteworthy for avoiding the sense of clinical coolness found on many Harman-ish budget IEMs. There is a sense of midrange warmth with the L2 not found with the Moondrop Aria. The L2’s upper midrange, while elevated, drops off faster than many other Harman-inspired IEMs, avoiding any harshness in the presence region. Male and female vocals are roughly even in their emphasis, and male vocals have an equal richness to them as female vocals. Male and female vocal intelligibility are both excellent. The L2 has a natural timbre and avoids BA plasticity.

The L2’s treble presentation is exceptionally smooth and is weighted most towards the mid-treble. There is a pronounced dip in the lower treble which avoids the tinsel-like quality to cymbal hits exhibited by the SeeAudio Yume. The L2 is lacking in air and does not have the most spacious soundstage in its price bracket. Instrument separation is very good nonetheless.

Out of the box, the L2’s detail retrieval is a step behind what I would expect from a $100 IEM across the board, though I have found this is largely tip-dependent. With SednaEarfitLight eartips I felt the L2 was only slightly inferior to the $80 Aria in terms of resolution. I recommend using the L2 with the widest bore tip available. Overall, I prefer the L2’s tonality to the Aria’s.

ELEMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:

The Thieaudio L2 can be readily driven with modest sources. I did not notice hiss with any of my sources.

CLOSING WORDS:

The Thieaudio L2 has superb tonality and is a great option at the $100 price point, especially for IEM newcomers.

The Thieaudio L2 can be purchased below:

Linsoul Thieaudio Legacy 2 2 Beryllium DD + BA Hybrid In-Ear Monitor — Linsoul Audio