Thieaudio is a well-known Chinese manufacturer that makes some of the best IEMs available today. The Monarch MKII is considered the best overall option under $1,000. In addition to his flagship IEMs, Thieaudio has sub-$200 options in its Elixir and Legacy portfolios that offer great value for money.
With Wraith, Thieaudio has taken everything they’ve learned over the years and created an outstanding pair of planar headphones. The Wraith launched late last year with his 97mm planar driver. Currently available at audio retailers such as Linsoul for $549. The retailer sent the product in for review, and after using the Wraith for two months, it’s easy to see that there’s a lot to like here.
Let’s start with the positive. Thiaudio he did a great job with the Wraith design. The headphones are the most comfortable I have ever used. They’re not necessarily light — that’s due to an all-metal chassis — but the headband’s suspension-style design ensures that the weight is evenly distributed. But I didn’t feel tired.
The headband is made of stainless steel, topped by a faux leather cover with the Thiaudio logo embossed in the center, and the headband’s suspension mechanism is also made of the same material, ensuring no pressure points. There is a lot of metal in the , and the visible bolts on the side highlight the Wraith’s industrial design. The cup also folds completely flat, and while the Wraith wasn’t designed with portability in mind, it’s the design choices that make a difference.
The grille has a striking aesthetic, with a distinct emphasis on the Thieaudio logo. The default ear cushions come with a breathable perforated design and are made of leather. The logo and bolts are white, adding a bit of contrast to the overall design. increase.
The ear cushions are easy to replace as they are secured with Velcro. My review unit came with his two additional sets of cushions in non-perforated velor and leather. A velor cushion provides better isolation and I’ve used it most of the time.
The earcups connect to the cable via a 2.5mm jack, with the cable inside the box, with two 2.5mm plugs on one side and a balanced 4.4mm port on the other. The paracord style cable is tangle free and the 1.2m length is suitable for most home users.
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With a 23Ω input and 101dB sensitivity, the Wraith is quite undemanding and can be driven by most portable sources. It was paired with the Fiio K9 Pro and Fiio M11S players for the majority of our testing and used with the R7 network streamer.
The Wraith sounds very different from other planar headsets with large drivers such as the Moondrop Venus. It’s clear that Thieaudio has tweaked these headphones to produce a warmer sound with a clear focus on the mid-low frequencies. These frequencies have a lot of presence, which makes up for the fact that the sub-bass is a bit low. I’m here.
That said, Wraith sounds very appealing thanks to its exaggerated mid-bass and works well with most mainstream music. , very well conveyed. Vocals are rendered at the very front of the mix, with some grit as you hit the upper frequency limits. The treble is handled well, has good extension, and has a good overall presentation.
The soundstage can be summed up as intimate, with the Wraith failing to deliver the same level of airiness as other planar headsets in this category. , resulting in a much wider soundstage with a more refined sound overall.
Overall, Thieaudio did a lot of things right with Wraith. The build quality is excellent, and the included ear cushions make it easy to change the tone balance. A warm, relaxing sound isn’t to everyone’s taste, but there are plenty of headsets in this category with analytical sounds.
It may not have the best sound quality in this category, but with its unique tuning, the Wraith is a pleasure to listen to and the chassis is virtually indestructible.
