Thieaudio Valhalla VS Moondrop Psyche
IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side
Thieaudio Valhalla and Moondrop Psyche use 19BA and 2DD+4BA+4Planar driver setups respectively. Thieaudio Valhalla costs $2,000 while Moondrop Psyche costs $1,999. Thieaudio Valhalla is $1 more expensive. Thieaudio Valhalla holds a decisive 2.6-point edge in reviewer scores (9.6 vs 7). Thieaudio Valhalla has significantly better mids with a 4-point edge, Thieaudio Valhalla has significantly better treble with a 1-point edge, Thieaudio Valhalla has significantly better dynamics with a 3-point edge and Thieaudio Valhalla has significantly better soundstage with a 2-point edge.
Insights
| Metric | Thieaudio Valhalla | Moondrop Psyche |
|---|---|---|
| Mids | 9 | 5 |
| Treble | 8 | 7 |
| Soundstage | 9 | 7 |
| Dynamics | 8 | 5 |
| Tonality | 8.6 | 6 |
| Technicalities | 8 | 7 |
Jaytiss Reviews Comparison
Thieaudio Valhalla reviewed by
9.6
Reviewer Score
Youtube Video Summary
Thieaudio Valhalla lands as a 19-BA flagship around $2,000 that doubles down on build and ergonomics. The titanium shell is chunky but beautifully machined, skin-friendly, and the nozzle grips tips securely; faceplates are swappable for a premium if the stock look isn’t it. Accessories are basic—tips, foams, brush, the usual case—and the stock cable is comfy with a working chin slider, but the modular 3.5/4.4 plugs don’t lock and can pop off too easily. The slightly recessed 2-pin is fine, yet the ear-side barrel leaves a small gap that doesn’t sit flush; a simple aftermarket cable fixes the vibe. Taken as an object, this is world-class industrial design with a couple cable quirks.
On the ear, Valhalla hits a clean, incisive neutrality with just enough flavor. Sub-bass is surprisingly firm for BA, mid-bass stays tidy, and the mids are pristine—no glaze, no haze. There’s a tasteful dip through ~3–6 kHz that keeps the upper-mids from shouting, while a touch of 8 kHz sparkle adds air; treble extends smoothly without turning edgy. It’s a highly technical, high-resolution listen that can read “almost boring” if a colored signature is the goal—but for detail, separation, and coherence, it delivers. Unit variation appears minor (another sample showed a bit more 4–6 k energy), yet the core tuning stays intact.
Versus housemates: Origin swings bassier and “fun”; Valhalla feels cleaner, clearer, more resolute. Hype 2/4 don’t match the air and microdetail; Hype 10 gets closer up top but raises value questions. Oracle MK3 has more 4–5 k zing and lighter sub-bass; Fatfreq Grand Maestro hits similarly rich lows but brings fit hassles and module faff. Against the Elysian Annihilator, pick Annihilator for extra sub-bass and spectacle; pick Valhalla for comfort, longevity, and easy cable-swapping. Not perfect—the stock cable system is flimsy and the “air” isn’t the most crystalline—but this is a top-tier contender with a refined, broadly pleasing tuning and a shell that feels built to outlast the hype.
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Moondrop Psyche reviewed by
2025-08-09
7
Reviewer Score
Youtube Video Summary
Moondrop Psyche shoots for flagship prestige with a dual-DD, 4BA, and 4 planar array at roughly $2,400, dressed in an unusual faceplate and a metallic shell that sits large but contoured in the ear. Fit and finish feel sturdy yet quirky—visible drivers, a faint seam line around the shell, and minor scuffs on the sample. The stock cable terminates in 4.4 mm and includes a chin slider, but feels stiff and not especially premium; the familiar Moondrop case and basic tips (plus a USB-C adapter) don’t elevate the unboxing to summit-fi expectations.
Sonically, Psyche reads thin, bright, and heavy on upper-mid/air energy, yielding hollow vocals, a plasticky/cuppy timbre, and lightweight bass. Graph views normalized around 500 Hz (and at ~3 kHz) highlight a pronounced upper-mid rise that pulls the rest of the spectrum down perceptually, reducing dynamics and natural midrange body; impedance adapters don’t meaningfully change that behavior. While upper treble isn’t offensive and stage is merely okay, EQ only helps marginally. The tuning feels closer to an eastern-market flavor than Moondrop’s usual crowd-pleasers and diverges from targets like JM1, recalling sets such as KZ Symphony or NDX12 more than the brand’s own high points.
Against internal benchmarks, Meteor, Variations, and even the Dusk DSP come off more balanced and enjoyable; Daybreak already pushed upper mids, but Psyche goes further in a way that’s fatiguing rather than fun. As a collectable design piece with a very specific V-tilted emphasis, it may click for treble die-hards who enjoy that glare-forward presentation (think budget TRN Medusa tonality scaled up). For most, especially at this price, the package feels harsh, underdynamic, and outclassed by alternatives—ultimately earning a firm no-recommendation for general listening.
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Thieaudio Valhalla Details
Driver Configuration: 19BA
Tuning Type: V-Shaped
Brand: ThieAudio Top ThieAudio IEMs
Price (Msrp): $2,000
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Moondrop Psyche Details
Driver Configuration: 2DD+4BA+4Planar
Tuning Type: Neutral, Bright
Brand: Moondrop Top Moondrop IEMs
Price (Msrp): $1,999
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Thieaudio Valhalla Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
S-- The response feels meticulously dialed in, combining neutrality with inviting warmth. Dynamic swings remain tonally accurate.
Average Technical Grade
A+- It sounds refined and controlled, keeping instruments neatly separated with immersive staging. Busy arrangements remain neatly organized.
Moondrop Psyche Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
B- The tuning leans easygoing, yet occasional unevenness nudges it away from greatness. A bit of EQ polish can smooth things nicely.
Average Technical Grade
A-- It manages detail and layering well enough, even if the stage feels only moderately sized. You get a clear sense of left and right, if not depth.
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