ThieAudio Prestige LTD Review

ThieAudio Prestige – Sound Quality

Testing Equipment: FiiO K9 Pro ESS, Topping G5, Chord Mojo 2, System-wide Audioquest Cables, and various IEMs.

The Prestige LTD immediately impresses with its natural, clear, and spacious sound, much like the original Prestige. Before anything, let’s get this out of the way: The new version retains the excellent tonal balance that we praised before. The Prestige LTD offers a balanced sound signature of its predecessor but introduces a more refined control over the upper midrange and the treble regions. There is also a touch of tuning in the bass region, and a welcomed one indeed. We’ll go over the details, together.

Bass

The Prestige LTD offers an agile, robust sub-bass that is both powerful and controlled. The resolution of the bass region is slightly better than its predecessor and it feels slightly punchier and tidier at the same time. The mid-bass region is finely tuned and slightly recessed, adding a sense of spaciousness that wasn’t as pronounced in the original model. This enhances the Prestige LTD’s bass tuning, resulting in a faster, tidier, and more natural bass reproduction. Rest assured that the instrument weight and overall bass quantity are not affected by this slight tuning change, so that’s very nice.

Mid

The midrange in the Prestige LTD remains as seamless and coherent as ever, a quality that was one of the highlights of the original Prestige. The vocals are presented with articulacy, detail, and realism, while instruments are rendered with excellent separation and detail.

ThieAudio’s engineers have focused their attention on the upper midrange. The Prestige LTD offers a slightly smoother reproduction in here, without sacrificing resolution or clarity. This becomes especially apparent in tracks featuring multiple percussive elements, such as hi-hats and cymbals. Compared to the original Prestige, the LTD handles these elements better; they remain clean but are not as forward or prominent in the mix.

I personally found the upper midrange of the original Prestige to be quite successful. What I appreciate here is that ThieAudio has maintained the technical prowess of this section while achieving a more refined presentation. This subtle tuning change improves the earphones’ performance in genres and tracks that are prone to congestion, resulting in a more refined and slightly more mature sound reproduction.

Treble

The EST treble in the Prestige LTD is extended and airy, just like its predecessor. There is a slight change in the top-end extension, the LTD is rendering it a tad smoother than the original. Regardless, the electrostatic drivers continue to provide excellent detail retrieval in the top region. This new version maintains the resolving, clean, and articulate treble that made the original Prestige a standout, only slightly more polite. 

Technical Capability

Both the OG Prestige and the Prestige LTD are technical marvels with their affordable (among the flagships) pricing, offering both musically pleasant and technically proficient reproduction. The LTD’s soundstage is wide and deep, with precise and accurate placement of instruments. The instruments have plenty of air to breathe and separation is relaxed. The new version also features improved transient response and handles congestion nicely, making it well-suited for complex and fast-paced music. 

Comparisons

vs. ThieAudio Prestige ($1299 USD) 

Let’s go over the differences in a more compact manner in this paragraph. The original Prestige, (referred to as the OG) set a high bar in both technical performance and tonal balance. The new Prestige LTD builds on that foundation, offering subtle but meaningful refinements.

One of the most noticeable changes is in the mid-bass region. The engineers have dialed it back slightly, creating a more open presentation without sacrificing the body/tonality of the instruments. This adjustment complements the already articulate and natural midrange, which remains largely unchanged in the LTD version. Another area of focus has been the upper midrange and the treble. The LTD version has a slightly reduced treble extension, which now aligns more closely with the upper mids. This results in a more balanced sound signature, enhancing the overall tonality.

What’s impressive is that these tweaks haven’t compromised the IEM’s technical capabilities. If anything, they’ve enriched them. The LTD version maintains the technical prowess of the original while offering a more refined and effortless signature.

In summary, the Prestige LTD comes across as a more mature and refined version of its predecessor. It excels in both technical aspects and musicality, making it a compelling option in its price bracket. If you’re not particularly sensitive to upper mids and treble, the original Prestige remains a solid choice. However, for those who prefer a slightly more natural and smoother signature, especially in complex, fast-paced tracks, the Prestige LTD is the better option.

vs. ThieAudio Monarch MKIII ($999/1099 USD)

The Monarch MKIII and Prestige LTD are both flagship IEMs from ThieAudio, but they cater to different audiophile preferences. The Monarch MKIII is another excellent option in this price range, but there are some key differences in their sound signatures. Specifically, the Monarch MKIII offers a more energetic and dynamic sound, with less focus on tonal balance.

Monarch MKIII’s bass is meaty, visceral, and impactful, featuring slightly more bass quantity. However, the Prestige LTD edges out in bass resolution and feels a bit faster in this region. While both IEMs deliver powerful yet controlled bass, the Monarch MKIII leans more towards a dynamic/punchier response, sacrificing agility.

The Monarch MKIII’s midrange is transparent, clean, and resolving. Its energetic upper midrange tuning places female vocals and upper-mid-based instruments a bit forward on the stage. On the other hand, the Prestige LTD focuses on a seamless and coherent midrange, thanks to its smoother upper midrange tuning. Both IEMs excel in detail and separation in this range.

The Monarch MKIII’s treble is expansive, adding significant height to the soundstage. In contrast, the Prestige LTD, while also extended and airy, is tuned to be slightly smoother. The difference is subtle, but the Prestige LTD comes across as more refined.

If you mainly listen to bass-dependent genres like EDM, the Monarch MKIII serves as an excellent alternative to the Prestige LTD. However, for genres featuring natural instruments, the extra $200 for the LTD is justified. It’s worth noting that the Monarch MKIII has a larger shell but offers customization options with various faceplate designs.

In summary, if you’re looking for a more dynamic and “fun” sound, the Monarch MKIII might be the better option for you. However, if you prefer a more refined, natural, and controlled sound signature, especially in the upper midrange and treble regions, then the Prestige LTD would be more up your alley. Also, stay tuned for the MKIII’s full review on Headfonia!

Last Words

After spending considerable time with the ThieAudio Prestige LTD, it’s clear that the improvements over the original Prestige are subtle but meaningful. ThieAudio has listened to its user base, fine-tuning aspects that make this version not just an upgrade but a refinement. Whether it’s the more controlled upper midrange or the slightly smoother treble, these changes contribute to a more mature and technically proficient sound signature. It’s a rare feat to improve upon something that was already excellent, and yet, ThieAudio has managed to do just that. The changes, while subtle, make a noticeable difference in the listening experience.

White these aren’t groundbreaking changes, but they do refine what was already a solid product. It’s evident that the goal here wasn’t to reinvent the wheel but to fine-tune it. And in that, ThieAudio has succeeded.

At $1,299 USD, the Prestige LTD is not a casual buy. However, in the flagship sphere, the price of the LTD is easily justifiable as it’s a solid product that makes its predecessor proud. The LTD will be replacing OG Prestige’s spot in our list of recommendations.

Pros

+ Excellent Tonal Balance & SQ

+ Excellent Technical Capability

+ Great Build Quality & QC

+ Good Cable

Cons

– Shell Size

– Limited Customization / Color Options

– Restrictive Eartips

Page 1: ThieAudio, The Prestige LTD, Packaging & Accessories, Design, Build & Fit

Page 2: Sound, Low, Mid, High, Technical Capability, Comparisons, Last Words