The ThieAudio Elixir came very close to winning the top award but for some things that can't be swept under the rug. The treble response isn't bad by any means, but the relatively excellent bass and mids make it seem overly worse by comparison. Most other things are ThieAudio's fault and could have easily been addressed, including the penchant to use the same ear tips across the product portfolio regardless of MSRP, which hurts the Elixir more than most others as the short and stubby nozzle almost demands a deeper seal for everything to be executed properly. However, this visibly changes the ear canal resonance depending on how it fits your ears, and changes the bass response slightly. I am fine with ThieAudio using the same faux leather case as for the $100 Legacy 2, though—it is functional and looks and feels fine.

That having been said, I do have an issue with ThieAudio setting in motion a big marketing campaign about the Elixir without even providing basic specifications, such as impedance or sensitivity. More importantly, there are errors on the product page of the Linsoul website and aaAmazon store, especially where it has one believe the Elixir comes with a modular cable for both single-ended and balanced connectivity out of the box, which is clearly not the case. This could lead to some upset customers, and I have let Linsoul know about it, so they will hopefully address it before this review is published.

These complaints may come off as minor given the pros clearly outweigh the cons, which is why I have no hesitation about recommending the ThieAudio Elixir. It's one of the first times ThieAudio has combined its tuning strengths with excellent technical performance at a price that will be far more amenable than the $1000 Monarch MK.2 and $1500 V16 Divinity. While I don't exactly know how the driver works, it does enough impressively well for ThieAudio's foray into a single dynamic driver IEM to grow the good will the brand has built up over the last few months. It more than justifies the slow months leading up to it. If anything, I am happy more brands are not just pushing out tiny iterations and upping the price each time to instead take the time to put out something more meaningful that is more than just flavor of the month material forgotten thereafter. The ThieAudio Elixir has enough staying power to where it's an excellent choice for many looking to spend ~$200 on their first pair of IEMs. In fact, it's class-leading in bass performance, competing favorably with many more expensive single DD and hybrid IEMs. If you are not too bothered by the comparatively lacking treble response, you will have a great time with the ThieAudio Elixir.