ThieAudio V16 Divinity Review
Today, I have the pleasure of reviewing a premium IEM: the ThieAudio V16 Divinity. ThieAudio hit the scene in 2019 as a sort of branch off of Linsoul Audio, who I know from both reputation and personal experience do not play when it comes to making quality IEM’s. At a hefty $1,499, and being touted as their “summit of technical innovation,” the V16 Divinity has a lot to prove for itself.
What’s in the Box?
-V16 Divinity IEM’s
-Carrying case
-3 pairs of foam ear tips and 3 pairs of silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
-1.2 meter 26AWG 0CC silver plated cable with fabric coating
-4.4mm and 2.5mm balanced detachable cable jacks
-3.5mm unbalanced detachable cable jack
Look and Feel
ThieAudio generally has some pretty classy and somewhat hypnotic designs on their IEM’s, but they really went all in on the dazzling look of the V16: A glossy dark brown body that sparkles with what looks like silver, gold, copper and other rare metals on the back, and is complimented by a simple dark brown cable that has just the slightest sheen.
The included foam ear tips have a high quality memory texture that took the shape of my ear canal very comfortably, while the obviously carefully designed shape of the buds themselves fit as if they were a puzzle piece that my outer ears had been missing. The included cable is well insulated and braided which greatly reduced issues with tangling; it’s also detachable, which is always worthy of a big check in a box from me. All stress points on the cable (the part that wraps around one’s outer ears, the axis where the L and R wires meet, the last few centimeters before the jack) were extra reinforced with skin-friendly materials.
Design
The V16 Divinity has 16 Knowles and Sonion balanced armature drivers on each side. Wait, 32 drivers total in one pair of IEMs? This is some black magic. In all seriousness, this unit is an engineering feat that demands respect. Each driver has a precisely delegated job as the entire frequency band is divided between them. Of special note to me personally are the woofers (yes, we’re still talking about IEM’s), which are specially designed with an exact 200 Hz cutoff to provide rich subs without muddying the mix. Also of note is their low impedance which makes for perfect use with your phone, no amplification required. Their low resistance coupled with their 112dB sensitivity makes these capable of reaching high volumes rather easily without distorting.
-Impedance: 18 Ohms
-Sensitivity: 112 dB
Sound Stage
It is immediately apparent how well organized and efficient the drivers are. As promised, subs come through aggressively with sniper-level precision and response, without masking any part of the mix. All frequencies are highly distinct from one another and not even the slightest trace of bleeding can be heard. Imaging is incredibly wide and almost indescribably 3D as tracks feel like they fly and bend around the inside of your head. The heavy lows are balanced with a boost at a sweet spot right between the high mids and highs, making snares, claps and hi-hats shine gracefully.
Lows
Though I was without a doubt impressed by every frequency the V16 Divinity produced, I really could not get over the sub-woofers that have been packed into this unit. It legitimately surpasses the bass rendering capabilities of many closed-back, over-ear headphones I’ve tried over the years. What’s more, it does all of this without introducing even a drop of mud into a mix. These IEMs know exactly where the lows start and where they end and never get it wrong.
Mids
The boost in the subs slightly continues into the low-mids while still keeping the two exceedingly distinct. The mids slowly flatten out and have a very natural sound that reproduces frequencies exactly as intended within the mix. Towards the upper end of the middle range I definitely noticed some peaks that complimented and brightened acoustic guitars, hi-hats, tambourines and sawtooths.
Highs
From 8kHz to about 12kHz the highs are extra pronounced and serve as a continuation of the extra energy present in the high-mids, but begin subtly dropping off a bit in the tippy top range. It seems intentional as it by no means detracted from any track I listened to. It’s as if ThieAudio didn’t want to risk a shred of shrillness with the V16 Divinity in order to maximize the relaxing and resonant timbres they achieved on the low end.
Overall
I am sad that this review is over, as it means I will soon be forced to re-box the ThieAudio V16 Divinity and move on. But I don’t want to. I mean it when I say that the sound quality of these is so uniquely smooth, 3D and addictive that it made me enjoy my favorite tracks even more. The tone flows like water, with velvety lows serving as a flower bed for the highs and mids to naturally spring from in clear, bright detail. So, is the V16 Divinity worth its intimidating price tag? As much as I’d love to be able to say “no” and make a case for a price point that I can afford, they are absolutely appropriately priced. Even if you forget all of the ingenious tech and engineering that went into them, the unique, powerful and oh-so-clean sound you get from the ThieAudio V16 Divinity asserts these IEMs as some of the best in the world.
ThieAudio V16 Divinity can be bought at Audio46.
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