ThieAudio Oracle MKIII is the latest revision of the Oracle model. The Oracle MK1 or as it’s referred to by many as Oracle OG, has set a benchmark for the mid-focused tribrids back in day and is still loved by many, myself including. The Oracle MK2 was in my opinion a departure from the original Oracle tuning. But I’m glad that we now have the MKIII, that took all we loved about the original Oracle and made it even better.
In the box:
- The IEMs
- Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin modular cable
- 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm cable interconnects
- Large square storage case
- 3 pairs of silicone ear tips
- 3 pairs of foam ear tips
- And a cleaning cloth
MKIII has 6 drivers per side. Two 10mm dynamic drivers arranged in the IMPACT2 configuration that we have seen on some other ThieAudio models, two balanced armatures and two ESTs. The IEM also has a four way crossover. The impedance is 13 Ohms and the sensitivity is 99db which means you can drive them from portable sources.
Design & build
The shells of Oracle MKIII are made out of medical-grade resin and the color pattern on the face plate looks mesmerizing. The shells are on a larger side, are glossy and both face plates have a company logo. The serial number and the model name are printed on the inside part of the shell.
The shells have one pressure vent located on the side the shell and it’s covered with a mesh. The 2-pin connectors are located on the top of the IEM. Inside the shell, we have a carefully selected driver configuration – the 2 dynamic drivers working in an isobaric configuration are responsible for bass, one BA is responsible for midrange, another BA is responsible for the lower treble and two ESTs that are responsible for upper treble.
The nozzles are made from metal. The nozzle diameter is 6 mm at the widest and overall the nozzles are on the longer side. There is a metal mesh at the end of the nozzle, and a lip that helps to keep the ear tip in place. Overall, this IEM has a solid build and looks fantastic.
Cable
The modular cable that comes with it is 1.2 meters long. It also comes with three interconnects – the 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm ones. On the other end of the cable there are two 0.78mm 2-pin connectors.
The cable connectors don’t have a letter channel indication, however, there are tiny blue and red dots at the base of the connectors. The cable is soft and has a metal splitter and a metal chin slider. The pre-molded ear guides are soft too and overall I like this cable.
Fit & comfort
Like many of the ThieAudio models, the Oracle MKIII shells have an ergonomic shape. But they are large, so please take a note if you have small ears. The shells are well-polished and there are no sharp edges here. I have large ears and in my case the fit was good.
The IEM comes with 6 pairs of ear tips – 3 pairs of silicone and 3 pairs of foam. I’m not a big fan of foam ear tips, so I usually do all my tests with silicone ones. The stock silicone ear tips are okay and quite soft and I was able to get a good fit & seal with it. Still taking into consideration the price tag, I expected to see a better quality ear tips included in the package. Anyway I’ve been using the IEMs for extended periods with stock ear pads, the overall the fit was very comfortable and I didn’t experience any discomfort.
ThieAudio Oracle MKIII sound overview
Disclaimer: Please note that all sound impressions I share on my channel are completely subjective so please take them with a grain of salt.
I started my tests using my iPhone with an Apple dongle, which provided just enough power to make Oracle MKIII sound good. But this IEM scales with better sources so to fully utilize the drivers and the tuning, I recommend using a source with at least 60 mW of power at 32 Ohms that has a low output impedance as well. And pairing it with a neutral and uncolored sources can truly reveal the capabilities of this IEM.
Oracle MKIII has a very realistic & natural tuning, with a tasty amount of bass, lush and detailed midrange and a refined treble with a fantastic sense of air and texture.
Bass, midrange and treble
Two 10 mm dynamic drivers in isobaric configuration significantly enhance the bass response, it’s texture and definition. We already seen it on a number of other ThieAudio models and I’m glad the company used this technology on Oracle MKIII too. The bass is fast, tactile with a great control, note definition is great and mid-bass has got a solid punch. The sub-bass has excellent extension, rumble, and authority. The bass is quite heavy, rich and textured, but it never sounded bloaty or muddy.
The midrange is dry, revealing and quite upfront. Vocals and instruments have a good note weight and definition. The vocals sound full. Lower mids never sound thin, while the upper mids are never shouty and show an excellent character. The midrange also still has a very good presentation and timbre. It will be appealing to those who prefer a detailed, dry. yet not too sterile midrange. It’s very engaging, deep and enjoyable and I liked it a lot.
The treble extension is probably what I love about this IEM the most. In one word – it’s fantastic. It has a lot of sparkle, air, yet it’s not intrusive and and sounds very natural. In my case, it was never grainy or harsh, no matter what music I was throwing at this IEM. At the same time the additional air you get from this tuning is just ethereal and music with a complex sound design sounds absolutely stellar. If you are very sensitive to treble, you might find Oracle MKIII a bit bright, but in my books the treble here is somewhere between detailed, soft and shimmering and I absolutely love such tuning.
Presentation and sound stage
The overall sound presentation of this IEM is very open. The details and micro details are excellent, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from ThieAudio. From time to time this pair can be on the analytical side too and this is in my opinion excellent attribute to have.
The sound stage perception is phenomenal and very 3-Dimensitonal. It’s wide, deep and tall at the same time, and it feels like you are immersed in your music which is a fantastic feeling. A complex recordings with well designed soundscapes sound absolutely mind blowing. The imaging is on point, and my experience both with music and games was exceptionally positive.
ThieAudio Oracle MKIII vs Moondrop Variations vs ThieAudio HYPE 4
I was very interested in comparing Oracle MKIII with Moondrop Variations and ThieAudio’s Hype 4 so here are my conclusions.
The comparison with Variations was easy. Variations have a better and stronger sub-bass extension, but Oracle MKIII is a clear winner when we are talking about overall bass response. The bass on Oracle MKIII is richer and more textured. Midrange is also much better on Oracle – it’s more natural, full and lush. The upper mids are more shouty on Variations, while upper mids are more balanced on Oracle. Treble is just better extended on Oracle, plus it’s got more air which I liked a lot. The price difference between both models is minor, so I would choose Oracle MKIII over Variations myself.
Comparison with ThieAudio’s own Hype 4 was a bit harder and I did a lot of listening on different occasions to finalize my thoughts. Hype 4 has slightly more bass, but the separation between the mid-bass and lower midrange is executed on Oracle MKIII in a better way, and this gives the lower midrange on Oracle an advantage over Hype 4. The upper midrange on Oracle is more organic and detailed. The treble is another aspect where the major difference lies. The treble on Oracle is in my opinion better. It’s more refined, airy, crispy and natural. The difference between Oracle MKIII and Hype 4 is not a night and day but Oracle MKIII to me sounds like an upgrade, especially in the midrange and treble departments. Which means in my case the price difference is fully justified, but your milage may vary.
Comfort-wise all three IEMs are good, but both Hype 4 and Oracle MKIII have a better grip and feel much better in my ears than Variations. Again, your mileage may vary.
Conclusions
Oracle MKIII is a fantastic addition to the ThieAudio product line and I’m glad the MKIII tuning takes us closer to the MK1 or the OG Oracle. It shines with a variety of music, it’s not very forgiving, but well recorded and produced records sound fantastic.
Pros:
- Beautiful design and a good build
- Good fit and comfort
- Properly implemented 6-driver configuration
- Deep bass response with good control
- Very enjoyable and clean midrange reproduction
- Fantastic treble response with a lot of air
- Excellent sound coherency
- Good stock modular cable
- And a fantastic 3-dimensional sound presentation
Cons:
- Accessories do not correspond to the asking price
- Treble sensitive people might find this IEM bright for their liking
- And the shell size could be a deal breaker if you have small ears
Oracle MKIII is not cheap, but it has one of the most refined and detailed treble responses I’ve ever heard in a multi-driver IEM and this alone is enough for myself to justify the purchase. Coupled with an exceptional bass response, a lush and detailed midrange, and an impressive 3-dimensional soundstage, the overall performance of the Oracle MKIII is outstanding I can easily recommend it.
And that concludes my review for today. If you want to see more content like this – please consider subscribing to my channel. Thanks for joining me and see you in the next episode. Goodbye.
