ThieAudio Prestige LTD VS Symphonium Audio Helios SE

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Explodes with a grand, hall-sized soundstage, a sense of space that feels like giant speakers in a living venue—wide, towering, and immersive. The tuning hits a sweet spot of aggressive low end with smooth, creamy mids that remain musical rather than clinical, trading microscopic edge for sheer scale and emotional sweep. Compared against Monarch Mk3, technicalities may be tidier on the Monarch, yet Prestige LTD delivers the “big room” presentation that steals the show; versus Monarch MkII, it’s the more thrilling, cinematic listen. Vocals lock center with vivid placement while ambient details bloom far beyond the ears, turning familiar tracks into rediscoveries.

Specs and quirks matter here: a 1DD + 4BA + 4EST array around $1,300–$1,400, and it’s impossibly hard to drive—expects medium to high gain and rewards power with scale. Fit is large like the Monarch line; getting a tight seal is crucial. Accessories are minimal, stock cable is fine, and tip choice won’t tank the tuning. Aesthetics impress with that shimmering back-ring and numbered “Prestige Limited” plate. Measurements be damned—depth pushes some micro-edges “farther away,” but the payoff is size, drama, and romance. As a statement of taste, this is the GOAT for those who crave vast staging, chesty kick impact, and a show-stopping, overwhelming musical experience that can make other IEMs feel small.

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Limited to 50 units and co-signed with Elise Audio, Helios SE shows up as a 4BA oddball with a vibe: ultra-relaxed, non-aggressive, almost like every track sits one gain click lower than expected. Vocals sit nicely centered, instruments hang back, and stage/separation can flip between muted and “whoa” micro-split moments. Tip rolling swings the personality hard—silicons keep it chill, foam-style tips shove vocals forward and magnify the weirdness; think “interesting” more than “reference.” It’s an experience-first tuning that doesn’t try to punch for attention and can feel almost too polite on energetic songs.

Build is simple, soft cable, occasional twist mismatch, and some units in 3.5 mm that don’t scream “kilobuck.” The pitch here is rarity and flavor: graph glued to the box means nothing about how it actually feels—this is human-ear stuff, not squiggle worship. As a collection piece for lovers of unusual BA staging and “just chill” listening, it charms; as a $1k+ value play, not so much. The verdict: likeable around $500–$600 on novelty and tuning alone, but at four-figure pricing it’s more “own something rare and weird” than a slam-dunk daily driver.

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Prestige LTD prioritizes an airy, open stage with standout layering and separation. Bass is more pushed back than on the Monarch MK3—lighter slam and impact, but cleaner integration that supports the sense of space. This balance suits busy genres like rock, metal, and classical where instrument delineation matters more than sheer punch. Against the Hype 2, the LTD feels similar in overall bass quantity yet is clearly more resolving and controlled.

In the mids and treble, the LTD steps forward with sharper note definition, micro-detail retrieval, and noticeably better extension. Vocals sit a touch further back versus MK3 but gain sparkle and air, making female voices especially captivating. Treble is both smooth and well-extended, anchoring the image within that wide, breathable stage. All three sets handle moderate listening levels well, but the LTD’s top-end finesse and staging coherence are its calling cards.

Value-wise, the LTD delivers a bigger technical jump over Hype 2 than MK3 does (roughly 25–30% vs. 15–20% by the video’s framing), and earns an overall S-tier verdict. For listeners seeking an “endgame” that favors air, detail, and stage organization—and who don’t need a bass-forward tilt—the Prestige LTD makes a compelling centerpiece. Pairing it with a more all-rounder-leaning set (e.g., Hype 2/Red) covers bass-centric moods while letting the LTD shine where it’s strongest.

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ThieAudio Prestige LTD sits near the top of the pile because it just doesn’t do anything wrong. Bass has real weight without bloat, the mids stay clean, and treble keeps it crisp without getting sharp. It plays a broad library without tripping over genres or recordings—no weird peaks, no sucked-out zones. Call it a true all-rounder: balanced, controlled, and reliable.

Stacked against the rest of ThieAudio’s hits, Prestige LTD holds its own. For hip-hop, rock, and R&B, it pairs with Origin as the go-to because it delivers punch and texture while keeping vocals—male or female—front and center. Monarch MK3 might trace a bit more mid-bass on paper, but the LTD/Origin combo simply replays better. If the brief is ultra-clean mids for classical or lighter bass needs, OG Monarch takes that lane; for value, Oracle MK3 is strong. But for one set to cover almost everything with confidence, Prestige LTD is the pick.

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Symphonium Audio’s collaboration with Elise Audio turns the original Helios into a more wearable Helios SE without rewriting its sonics. The shell is smaller, cleaner-looking, and finished in teal, moving from “bulky and awkward” to a still medium-large but more secure fit. It remains unvented, so insertion technique matters, and fit security is improved rather than perfect. Accessories include a metal puck case, cleaning tool, and even a per-unit frequency response slip; the thin stock cable behaves well (4.4 mm on the loaner, 2-pin without earhooks). Power needs are modestly higher than average for an IEM but nowhere near full-size headphones. Only 50 units are being made at roughly $1,200.

The tuning mirrors the OG: a lean, bright-neutral balance with a midrange-forward center, very extended treble, and a sub-bass boost atop lean mid-bass/lower mids. Vocals pop with clarity and texture, and the treble is unusually incisive yet smooth, contributing to a stage that’s wide for the price. Despite using only four balanced armatures, sub-bass notes hit with convincing physicality—surprisingly close to a DD—when the track has true low-end content. The flip side: kick-drum-centric or classic-rock mixes can feel dry, the stage depth varies with bass content, and ride cymbals trade some metallic “ping” for a slightly swishy decay.

Versus peers, 64 Audio’s U4s reads as bassy-neutral with thicker mids and the most inherently tactile bass (it’s a DD, after all), while 7th Acoustics’ Supernova sits closer to neutral with fuller lower mids, sharper imaging, and a vented shell that locks in securely. Helios SE’s value is crystal-clear: keep the Helios’ stellar treble performance and wide headstage, fix the ergonomics, and leave the core tonality intact. It’s a set to respect more than love for those craving warmth, but for enthusiasts chasing clean, airy resolution and vocal focus, it’s a confident 4/5.