The $399 Hype 4 is an IEM from Thieaudio released in 2024. It has gotten some serious recognition, being regarded as a high-value option. This also applies to the $499 Penon 10th Anniversary Edition, which was released in 2023.
They are both made of medical-grade resin and are light and comfortable to wear. The driver configuration is a combination of dynamic drivers and balanced armature drivers, and in the case of the Penon 10th, electrostatic drivers as well.
Starting with the Hype 4, the bass driver is called IMPACT², a subwoofer technology featuring two 10mm composite diaphragm drivers arranged in a configuration that works with an isobaric chamber to secure constant pressure and an even frequency response.
Further, the Hype 4 uses two Sonion 26A balanced armature drivers for the midrange and two Sonion E50 series “Hummingbird,” a dual ultra-tweeter balanced armature driver, for the treble.
The Penon Audio 10th Anniversary IEM was, as mentioned, released in 2023 as a special release in celebration of Penon Audio’s 10th anniversary. When it comes to driver configuration, the main difference between the Penon 10th and the Hype 4 is that the Penon 10th has two electrostatic drivers. The 10th’s complete driver configuration is as follows: two Sonion electrostatic drivers for the ultra-high frequencies, one Knowles balanced armature driver for high frequencies, one Sonion balanced armature driver for the midrange, and two 6mm crystalline plated biofilm dynamic drivers for the bass.
THIEAUDIO HYPE 4 SPECIFICATIONS
- Drivers: 10mm dual diaphragm dynamic driver + two Sonion 26A and two Sonion E50 balanced armature drivers
- Impedance: 17 Ohm
- Sensitivity: 105 dB (±1dB) @1kHz
- Frequency Response Range: 10Hz-22kHz
- Nozzle Diameter: 6.2mm
- Inner Nozzle Diameter: 5.0mm
- Earphone connectors: 0.78mm dual-pin
- Cable material: silver-plated OCC
- Cable termination: 3.5mm jack
- Cable length: 1.2 m
Check the current price here:
PENON 10TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIFICATIONS
- Drivers: 2 electrostatic + 2 balanced armature + 2 dynamic drivers
- 4-way crossover, 3 tube channels
- Impedance: 9 ohm±10%
- Sensitivity: 110dB
- Frequency response: 15Hz-70kHz
- Connector: 2Pin 0.78mm
- Cable material: silver-plated OCC
- Cable length: 1.2M
The Penon 10th is unfortunately out of stock at the time of writing.
COMPARISONS
Associated equipment: Topping A90 amplifier with the RME ADI-2 DAC FS as the source. I used Azla Xelastec ear tips on the Hype 4 and SpinFit CP145 on the Penons.
Compare Manuel by Vincente Amigo
The Hype 4 and the 10th are very similar sounding with this flamenco guitar track. They both present lots of detail, great imaging, and a very balanced listening experience. The 10th might be a tad more dynamic sounding.
For Himmerigs Land Maa Man Kjempe by Flaten, Kornstad and Christensen
I love this improvisational interpretation of an old Psalm. Again, they sound very similar. The 10th might have slightly more air with more treble presence. It’s also got more midbass fullness.
Muggen Fallskjerm by Jøkleba
Another improvisational favorite, extremely dynamic, and the Hype 4 doesn’t disappoint in any way. The bass is solid and punchy, the percussion is snappy, and the imaging is very good. Here it is obvious that the 10th has more midbass, and in this case it isn’t a very positive thing. Otherwise, it sounds slightly cleaner with more air and a little bit more space between instruments, but I prefer the Hype 4 overall.
Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 III by Paavo Järvi
They perform very similarly, but the Hype 4 has better deep bass and the kettledrums have more body. Again, the 10th has slightly better instrument separation, but the Hype 4 is close.
Eye of the Day by Marta del Grandi
The 10th renders this female vocal-oriented song beautifully. The guitar and bass sound warm, and the vocals are crystal clear and natural sounding. The Hype 4 delivers a similarly beautiful rendering, with much in common with the 10th. The difference lies in the thicker midbass off the 10th, which also has slightly better instrument separation.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
This might be the ultimate male vocals and bass test track. Both perform very well, but the bass is even better with the Hype 4 than the already good 10th. With this track, I do not feel that the 10th has better instrument separation, but rather the opposite.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The sound signatures of the Hype 4 and the Penon 10th are quite close. It feels very natural with both. The 10th has a bit more mid-bass and treble sparkle, and the Hype 4 has a bit more deep bass.
Treble
The treble is very good and clean with both, but I tend to find the 10th to be slightly better in general but not always.
Midrange
The midrange is very similar on both and feels very natural and well balanced.
Bass
In terms of quantity, the 10th has slightly more midbass, and the Hype 4 has slightly more deep bass. When it comes to the quality, the 10th is good, but the Hype 4 is better.
Soundstage and Imaging
Both earphones have a very wide and open soundstage and excellent imaging. The 10th usually has better separation between instruments, but not always. They are very much alike also here.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
When it comes to detail retrieval, they are very similar. However, I would say that the 10th is slightly more detailed in the mid-range and treble, while the Hype 4 has better definition and texture in the bass. They are both very dynamic-sounding earphones, but I feel the 10th often comes across as slightly more dynamic, with the exception of the bass. I find both to have a very nice and natural timbre, and in the big picture, they are very close in terms of tonality.
CONCLUSION
The Penon 10th Anniversary is easily one of my favorite IEMs under $500. The Hype 4 comes remarkably close to matching the 10th’s many strengths and even surpasses it in bass performance. Both models share a similarly tuned, well-balanced sound signature and deliver a natural tonality. They both feature a spacious soundstage and excellent imaging.
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