Thieaudio v16 Divinity VS Sony IER Z1R
IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side
Thieaudio v16 Divinity and Sony IER Z1R use 16BA and 2DD+1BA driver setups respectively. Thieaudio v16 Divinity costs $1,500 while Sony IER Z1R costs $1,700. Sony IER Z1R is $200 more expensive. Sony IER Z1R holds a slight 0.4-point edge in reviewer scores (7.8 vs 8.1). Sony IER Z1R has significantly better bass with a 1.8-point edge, Thieaudio v16 Divinity has better mids with a 0.5-point edge, Sony IER Z1R has better treble with a 0.5-point edge, Sony IER Z1R has significantly better dynamics with a 1.3-point edge, Thieaudio v16 Divinity has slightly better details with a 0.4-point edge and Sony IER Z1R has significantly better imaging with a 1.6-point edge.
Insights
| Metric | Thieaudio v16 Divinity | Sony IER Z1R |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | 7.7 | 9.5 |
| Mids | 7.3 | 6.8 |
| Treble | 7.3 | 7.8 |
| Details | 7.8 | 7.4 |
| Soundstage | 8 | 8 |
| Imaging | 7 | 8.6 |
| Dynamics | 6 | 7.3 |
| Tonality | 7.7 | 8.1 |
| Technicalities | 7.8 | 8.1 |
Thieaudio v16 Divinity Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
Average Reviewer Score:
7.8Strongly Favorable
Sony IER Z1R Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
Average Reviewer Score:
8.1Very Positive
Reviews Comparison
Thieaudio v16 Divinity reviewed by Yifang
8.5
Reviewer Score
Buy Thieaudio v16 Divinity on Linsoul
Ad
Price: $1,499
Buy Thieaudio v16 Divinity on Linsoul
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Yifang
8
Reviewer Score
Thieaudio v16 Divinity reviewed by Crin
8
Reviewer Score
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Crin
8
Reviewer Score
Youtube Video Summary
Sony’s IER-Z1R goes full luxury flex: an over-the-top unboxing with nested boxes, a ring-case display, two stock cables (3.5 mm SE and 4.4 mm balanced), and a mountain of tips. The shells are solid metal and surprisingly heavy, feeling like they could survive a drop—or crack a desk. Driver count is “only” three, but the focus is on large dynamic drivers rather than BA stuffing; build and presentation scream premium from the first lift of the lid.
Sonically, the headline is the bass: deep, rumbly, clean, and fast, delivering both sub-bass rumble and well-separated hits—described as the best bass heard from a universal IEM. The midrange has a thicker, weighty character that plays nicer with brighter voices and pop than with male vocals or cello, which can feel a touch heavy. The treble is fit-dependent: a deep seal nets a smooth, extended top end; a shallow fit can tilt peaky and splashy—so ear anatomy and tip choice matter more than usual.
On source pairing, the IER-Z1R scales on a beefy amp but runs just fine off an Apple dongle, undermining fears that it’s a diva. As for value, the verdict is blunt: performance is stellar, but not cost-efficient; similar results can be had for half or even a quarter of the price. This set targets listeners chasing the last 10–20% of performance (or those who simply want the full Sony flagship experience), with the caveat that fit decides whether the treble sings or stings.
Crin Youtube Channel
Thieaudio v16 Divinity reviewed by Shuwa-T
7.9
Reviewer Score
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Shuwa-T
7.9
Reviewer Score
Thieaudio v16 Divinity reviewed by Tim Tuned
7.5
Reviewer Score
Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Tim Tuned
7.5
Reviewer Score
Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
Thieaudio v16 Divinity reviewed by Precogvision
6.2
Reviewer Score
Precogvision Youtube Channel
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Precogvision
7.9
Reviewer Score
Youtube Video Summary
Sony’s IER-Z1R puts on a proper flagship show from the jump: an exquisite unboxing, hefty zirconium shells, and faceplates with a watch-grade finish that scream luxury. Sonically, the focus is the sub-bass—massive extension, physical rumble, and satisfying decay that together form a true basshead endgame. Compared to the 64 Audio U12t, the Z1R’s low end is clearly superior in slam and texture, while avoiding plasticky BA timbre; resolution is strong overall, even if the U12t keeps a slight edge in microdetail.
The tuning skews moderately V-shaped: male vocals can sound a touch hollow from a dip around the lower mids, whereas female vocals pop with presence and clarity—ideal for J-/K-pop and anime OSTs. Treble carries good extension but emphasizes stick impact that can draw attention over the air up top, a preference call more than a flaw. Staging is notable: among IEMs, the Z1R projects a “speaker-like” scale with one of the widest head-stages heard—still IEM-bound, but grander than most peers, and paired with a warm, engaging timbre.
The catch is fit and ergonomics. The shells are large and unforgiving, and for many ears comfort collapses within minutes; seal is extremely sensitive, with a poor fit turning the treble peaky around ~6 kHz. It’s the single biggest caveat: audition first rather than blind-buying. When the fit cooperates, this is a phenomenal-sounding flagship—arguably preferred over U12t for the right genres—yet its brilliance is undercut by comfort risks that will be a deal-breaker for some.
Precogvision Youtube Channel
Thieaudio v16 Divinity (more reviews)
Thieaudio v16 Divinity reviewed by Head-Fi.org
8.5
* score rescaled + normalized
Sony IER Z1R (more reviews)
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Super* Review
9*
* score rescaled + normalized
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Jays Audio
9
Reviewer Score
Jays Audio Youtube Channel
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Nymz
8
Reviewer Score
Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Smirk Audio
7.9
Reviewer Score
Thieaudio v16 Divinity Details
Driver Configuration: 16BA
Tuning Type: Neutral with Bass Boost
Brand: ThieAudio Top ThieAudio IEMs
Price (Msrp): $1,500
Support our free service! Buying through our affiliate links costs you nothing extra:
Sony IER Z1R Details
Driver Configuration: 2DD+1BA
Tuning Type: V-Shaped
Brand: Sony Top Sony IEMs
Price (Msrp): $1,700
Support our free service! Buying through our affiliate links costs you nothing extra:
Thieaudio v16 Divinity User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score: n/a
Based on 0 user reviews
No user reviews yet. Be the first one who writes a review!
Sony IER Z1R User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score: n/a
Based on 0 user reviews
No user reviews yet. Be the first one who writes a review!
Thieaudio v16 Divinity Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
6.8Gaming Grade
B+Sony IER Z1R Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
6.6Gaming Grade
B+Thieaudio v16 Divinity Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
A- Tuning feels well executed, keeping a natural flow across the spectrum. Switching genres feels seamless.
Average Technical Grade
A- Overall technical control is strong, presenting instruments with clarity and sensible staging. Textures are portrayed with satisfying clarity.
Sony IER Z1R Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
A+- Expect a tasteful, well-judged response that feels both musical and true to the source. Great synergy with a wide range of genres.
Average Technical Grade
A+- You get an articulate, polished performance with immersive stage depth and great control. There's a sense of polish across the whole spectrum.
Thieaudio v16 Divinity User Reviews
"This is an example review"
Pros
- Example pro 1
- Example pro 2
Cons
- Example con 1
- Example con 2
Share your experience and build your personal ranking list.
You need to be signed in to write your own reviewSony IER Z1R User Reviews
"This is an example review"
Pros
- Example pro 1
- Example pro 2
Cons
- Example con 1
- Example con 2
Share your experience and build your personal ranking list.
You need to be signed in to write your own reviewFind your next IEM:
IEM Finder Quiz
newIEM Comparison Tool
newVS