Thieaudio Origin VS Dunu Mirai

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Thieaudio Origin brings a wild driver stack—1 DD + 4 BA + 2 EST + 1 bone conductor—inside a massive yet surprisingly comfortable shell. Build feels premium: striking faceplate, visible bone-conductor puck, proper nozzle lip, and a thicker cable than usual from the brand. The hockey-puck case is a nice touch, and for about $100 more there’s custom artwork available, making the unboxing and ownership experience feel a bit more special.

Sonically, this one swings for impact. Bass hits clean, strong, and fun, with upper mids that come across pristine. The trade-off: a hotter mid/treble band (around the 4–10 kHz region, with a notable 6 kHz glare) that can push cymbals and strings into an unnatural territory. Resolution and imaging don’t always keep pace for the price; stage is big and enveloping, but fine detail and separation can blur, making it a specialist that thrills on bass-centric tracks yet feels less convincing on metal or complex orchestral pieces.

Against its siblings, Origin sits like a more fun, bass-forward take compared with HYPE 4/10, but with a treble execution that’s less refined. Versus Oracle MK3, the latter’s ESTs sound crisper and cleaner; versus Monarch MKIII, that model’s tasteful 5–8 kHz dip lends better resolution. If pure detail is the target, sets like HiSenior Mega5 Bass or the Subtonic Annihilator may prove more satisfying. As a whole, Origin is a unique, bass-thrilled experience with excellent fit, huge space, and customization perks—great for those chasing visceral low-end and a cinematic stage, less ideal for listeners prioritizing treble finesse and microdetail at this tier.

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Build quality and presentation are the Mirai’s calling cards: a premium cable, a robust case, and those quirky little IEM booties make for an unboxing experience that feels luxury at its price. Sonically, it sketches a spacious, almost holographic stage where higher voices shine, drums hit with conviction, and guitars sound convincingly natural. The trouble starts lower down: bass and alto vocals can feel thin, with a mid-bass dip that leaves some tracks lacking body; strings on certain orchestral pieces skew sharp or plasticky, and there’s an ~8 kHz glare that can bite. Metal and electronic are a treat; well-recorded R&B is a poor match.

EQ—whether to Precog’s target or a similar in-house curve—fills in mid-bass and steadies the balance, but it raises the question of whether a pricey set should require tweaks. In context, Supernova offers flatter treble and fuller mids, Monarch MKIII brings livelier dynamics and a safer overall tone, and the Binary Chopin delivers a more consistently “fun” V-shape with fewer problem tracks. Mirai ultimately suits big-spending listeners who value build and staging panache over benchmark value; mid-tier collectors may find stronger all-rounders elsewhere. Verdict: a solid 4-star recommendation with a pure audio score of 8.9—impressive on the ears, if not the outright class leader for the money.