Thieaudio Elixir VS CrinEar Meta
IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side
Thieaudio Elixir and CrinEar Meta use 1DD and 1DD+2BA driver setups respectively. Thieaudio Elixir costs $210 while CrinEar Meta costs $250. CrinEar Meta is $40 more expensive. CrinEar Meta holds a decisive 1.4-point edge in reviewer scores (5.9 vs 7.3). CrinEar Meta has better bass with a 0.5-point edge, CrinEar Meta has better mids with a 0.8-point edge, CrinEar Meta has significantly better treble with a 1.8-point edge, CrinEar Meta has significantly better dynamics with a 1-point edge, CrinEar Meta has better details with a 0.8-point edge and CrinEar Meta has significantly better imaging with a 1.3-point edge.
Insights
| Metric | Thieaudio Elixir | CrinEar Meta |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | 6.5 | 7 |
| Mids | 6.7 | 7.5 |
| Treble | 5.7 | 7.5 |
| Details | 6.3 | 7 |
| Soundstage | 6 | 7.3 |
| Imaging | 5.8 | 7 |
| Dynamics | 6 | 7 |
| Tonality | 5.5 | 7.7 |
| Technicalities | 5.6 | 7.5 |
Thieaudio Elixir Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
CrinEar Meta Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
Thieaudio Elixir Details
Driver Configuration: 1DD
Tuning Type: Neutral
Brand: ThieAudio Top ThieAudio IEMs
Price (Msrp): $210
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CrinEar Meta Details
Driver Configuration: 1DD+2BA
Tuning Type: n/a
Brand: CrinEar Top CrinEar IEMs
Price (Msrp): $250
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Thieaudio Elixir User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score: n/a
Based on 0 user reviews
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CrinEar Meta User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score: n/a
Based on 0 user reviews
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Thieaudio Elixir Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
5.6Gaming Grade
B-CrinEar Meta Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
7.5Gaming Grade
AThieaudio Elixir Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
B-- Generally enjoyable tonal character with some noticeable unevenness. Maintains listenability while showing room for refinement in frequency balance.
Average Technical Grade
B-- Satisfactory technical performance. Handles basic detail retrieval adequately in most tracks. Maintains reasonable cohesion in simpler arrangements.
CrinEar Meta Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
A- Well-executed tonal character. No major flaws with good technical control. Smooth presentation works with multiple genres.
Average Technical Grade
A- Good technical performance. Clear separation and decent detail retrieval across various tracks. Soundstage shows reasonable width and depth.
Thieaudio Elixir Reviews
8*
* score normalized
6
Reviewer Score
Great natural tuning. Great dynamics and transients. Very enjoyable listen. Not much else to be said, I like this a lot! Previously Owned
5.9
Reviewer Score
Solid detail pickup and clean, snappy transients with a hint of Focal-inspired treble. Precogvision Youtube Channel
5.9
Reviewer Score
Comment: Not the typical chifi sound. Warm, smooth tuning. Balanced sounding and one of, if not, the most natural reproduction of instrumentals at this price Slower bass decay may not gel well with the fastest of tracks, treble on tame side
5
Reviewer Score
Safe tuning, relatively balanced lacking treble Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
4.5
Reviewer Score
check links for more info: Crin Youtube Channel
CrinEar Meta Reviews
8*
* score normalized
Versus similar priced IEMs this is probably the IEM I would be buying. Very nice IEM and a little bit on the contrasty side.Super* Review original ranking
Super* Review Youtube Channel
7.5
Reviewer Score
Bright-leaning all-rounder with sparkly treble sauce. Great tech for price and great accessories. Good coloration that's not vanilla and safe as other crin collabs. Can be fatiguing at higher volumes, tip dependent, rec sancai wide/regular or Softear Ultra Clear/EPZ clear tips. Jays Audio Youtube Channel
CrinEar Meta lands as a clean, balanced, slightly bright-leaning all-rounder with a distinctly sparkly treble. The top end carries a “special sauce” — sharp attack, quick decay, airy cymbal splash and strong micro-detail — creating an open sense of space with tidy separation and layering at around mid-volume (~65 dB). Bass and vocals sit at a “normal” distance: clear and resolving but not emphasized; expect punch rather than deep sub-bass rumble or chesty slam. Fit is tip-dependent: stock silicones can sound peaky; clear soft EPZ tips keep the shimmer without harshness, while “white” Tongu Senai tips smooth the treble further.
Technically, Meta punches above its $250 bracket, hanging with sets like Dusk 3.5 and Estrella for resolution and imaging despite not using ESTs. Timbre stays natural and the build/accessories feel solid. Trade-offs appear when cranking volume: the treble rise can turn fatiguing past ~75–80 dB, especially on bright, electronic-leaning tracks. Genre picks lean toward pop, J-/K-pop, rock, metal, and indie instrumentals at mid-volumes, where the upper-mid cut reins in hot mixes and the sparkle makes cymbals addictive; for hip-hop/rap/EDM, some will want more rumble, slam, and note weight.
Versus Ziigaat Estrella, it’s apples to oranges: Estrella brings more low-end authority and smoother treble with vocals popping forward, while Meta counters with a brighter, sparklier presentation better for K-/J-pop and bands. Against other bright-neutral sets (Dusk, P5+2, Brain Dance), Meta sounds fuller in the low end with a more natural, less sizzly treble; compared to Canon Pro, it’s the more energetic and less laid-back choice. For pure vocals, Volume S, EPZ P50, or Cadenza 4 remain stronger. Scaling champs like Ziigaat Odyssey and AFUL Explorer take higher volumes better but trade away some of Meta’s detail sparkle. Limited-run caveat aside, this is an easy recommendation for listeners wanting a balanced daily driver with distinct, glittery treble at sensible listening levels.
7.1
Reviewer Score
check links for more info:
Z-Reviews
2025-08-29
7
* score normalized
CrinEar Meta lands as a limited-run, $250 bass-tilted collab that’s already sold out—and feels like a “little baby bass monster” in the best way. Build is clean and understated: aluminum shells with rose-gold accents, a nice interchangeable cable, and an overbuilt hard case that embarrasses most sets at this price. The nozzles are chunky (think Chronicle’s Red/Daybreak vibes), so foam or “render”-style tips help with seal and comfort. Specs are oddly opaque—driver configuration isn’t listed anywhere—yet the package still screams more value than expected.
Tonally this is unapologetically V-shaped: elevated bass that punches on cue, crisp treble that reaches in and gets attention, and a clear midrange that can read V because the ends are lively. The stage is intimate/narrow, giving a “small loud room” energy that’s exciting but can trend fatiguing over long sessions. Crucially, it passes the body-movement test—put on a groove and there’s immediate “wiggly-wigglies”—where a safer, cleaner sibling like Daybreak can feel a bit too polite. Meta sounds less filtered, more gusto, more fun; Daybreak is the seat-belted version.
Chain matters: with spatial enhancement (think soundstage wideners on a fancy DAC), the main gripes fade and the presentation breathes, though even stock the tuning remains engaging and lively. Net take: this is the version of Daybreak many wish existed—more out of the box, more toe-tapping—so it gets the nod on sheer enjoyment. New? It was a steal at $250. Used around $200? No-brainer collector keep if that energetic, bass-forward V is the target.
7
Reviewer Score
Similar to Moondrop Dusk (the non-Dusk collab with Crin) but a step down overall sonically (tonality and techs) but a step up in ergonomics and build quality. Unboxing experience is excellent and almost excessive, especially for the price. U-shaped tuning with a focus on deep and powerful bass and sparkly treble. It's an exciting listen and for a first entry from a new brand, it's quite commendable. That said, it lacks a bit of refinement and control on both ends of the frequency response. Bass quantity often overwhelms the mix and there is something odd in the treble that adds an aritificial shimmer that detracts from timbre. Mids are very nice but probably needs a bit more body to balance out the treble and bass. I'd suggest a broad eq down of the bass shelf and some toning down especially of the higher treble region. Previously Owned
Thieaudio Elixir User Reviews
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