Introduction

ThieAudio is the brand that started it all for my IEM reviews, at least in terms of providing a more objective take combined with my subjective preferences and listening experiences. The ThieAudio Legacy 5 is a set that didn't quite hit the mark in longevity, but remains a fairly accurate and neutral offering for those who prefer it. The more budget-oriented Legacy 2 impressed me more, but neither compared to the signature tribrid ThieAudio Monarch, which was the first time I just had to simply turn off "reviewer mode" and enjoy the music. The Monarch was recently supplanted in ThieAudio's tribrid lineup with the seemingly impressive Monarch MKII, at least if other reviews are anything to go by. I have not heard it yet, but something else was in the making around the time the Monarch MKII was being teased by Linsoul.


ThieAudio has always prided itself on catering to different folks with different strokes, which it does with two different concurrent flagship IEMs this time around. The Monarch MKII is the current tribrid flagship from the Linsoul house brand, and the ThieAudio Voyager series with its all balanced armature (BA) lineup was surely not going to be left behind. Enter the equally new V16 Divinity, a 16-BA driver set that costs even more than the Monarch MKII and is described by the brand as "not only Thieaudio's summit of technical innovation, but also one of the world's most capable in-ear monitors." Those are bold words, especially when facing the likes of the 64 Audio U18t we recently saw. Let's thank Linsoul for providing TechPowerUp a review sample as we aim to test those claims and begin by taking a look at the product specifications in the table below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

ThieAudio has continually updated its product packaging over the few months I have been doing audio reviews, and this current formulation for the V16 Divinity appears to be a winner. This is a two-piece packaging with an outer sleeve that is all about aesthetics, and where ThieAudio's and Linsoul's in-house art director showed why he's employed. The front employs an artistic photo of the IEMs with the brand logo and product name, and the back has a larger version of the logo, contact information for the brand, and product specifications. The inner box slides out from either the top or bottom, and this black cardboard box is more in line with what we saw with the ThieAudio Monarch. ThieAudio is written on the front in a silver font, and the box opens up from the side to a foam underlining for further protection of the contents inside.


A branded microfiber cloth handy for cleaning the IEMs has been put over them. The foam piece underneath holds the IEMs with the cable attached, the shaped cutouts snugly holding the IEMs and the cable. The carry case no doubt contains other accessories. It's an updated case that is on the larger side for IEMs and comes off as classy as the packaging. A gray fabric case with ThieAudio on the front, it has a rectangular cuboid form factor with rounded corners. It's very well built, including for the branded zipper and loop for a chain, and opens up to reveal plenty of room for the IEMs, cable, replacement ear tips, and even a few other accessories, including a portable DAC/amp. The case has a divider on the inside helping this, and the soft felt lining prevents scratches to anything put inside.


Two sealed pouches are found inside amid bubble wrap, and one happens to contain all the ear tips included with the ThieAudio V16 Divinity. We get both silicone and memory foam tips in sizes S, M, and L, but I admittedly wanted more. This is an assortment of ear tips I expect to see in a $100 set. In fact, the less expensive ThieAudio sets we saw before came with these exact foam tips, and SpinFit silicone tips, too. Not a dealbreaker by any means, it just does not make for the strongest of impressions.


The other bag almost instantly improved my mood, however. This is where the three ThieAudio "Smart Switch" plugs come in, which are modular connectors that work with the cable to make for a 2.5/4.4 mm TRRS or 3.5 mm TRS connector with balanced or single-ended sources. I am a big fan of modular cables, with the likes of DUNU and FiiO coming out strong in the last few months. The plugs are substantially built and sized, with carbon fiber accents in the housing and placed between two accent rings. The plugs are gold-plated for additional oxidation resistance and come with plastic covers to keep unused plugs tidy.


The last thing to do here is to detach the cable from the IEMs for a closer examination. It's no surprise that ThieAudio is going with 0.78 mm 2-pin connectors, so all you need to do is carefully pull the connector out of each side. Don't wiggle horizontally much lest you bend the thin plugs, although this is more likely to occur when pushing them back in place.