ThieAudio Voyager 14
14 Balanced Armaturs HiFi In-Ear Earphone
- 14 Balanced Armatures Driver with 5-way Crossover and 4 Sound Bores Per Channel
- Dual Knowles Ultra-High Frequency BA x2, Knowles High Frequency BA x2, Dual Sonion Mid-Frquency BA x2, Dual Sonion Low-Frequency BA x2
- 2 Tuning Switches For 4 Tuning Options for various listening Preference
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Handcrafted IEM: Built-to-order 2-4 weeks
*Disclaimer: Please kindly note that the outcome of the wood design or colour may not be exactly the same as the images shown. They are merely for reference. Thank you for your understanding.
ThieAudio Voyager 14
Thieaudio Voyager 14
3… 2… 1… LIFT OFF!
Named after the famed Voyager 14 deep space probe, we designed our flagship in ear monitor with the aim of stretching the boundaries to what professional monitoring devices can and should be capable of. The designing process alone took close to a year as we strove to research and implement driver configurations that would achieve an unparalleled level of resolution and dynamic range. Our final product has surpassed even our wildest dreams of what we hoped to accomplish, and we absolutely cannot wait to release the Voyager 14 into the world. The Voyager 14 is our team’s finest and proudest accomplishment, and we are sure that it’ll take you on a whole new musical adventure.
Into the Unknown
The extremely wide dynamic range we shot for required he newest of ultra-high frequency and subwoofer balanced armature drivers from Knowles and Sonion. But we also did not want to sacrifice on the timbre, and getting a full, comprehensive, textured sound meant increasing the driver numbers per channel. After many combinations, we settled on 14 BA drivers per unit as the ideal for both our technical and musical goals.
The most difficult technical aspect came with the implementation of all of these drivers to prevent phase-crossing. While many other IEM companies may overlook this essential aspect, our zero-tolerance to sound quality compromise meant months in the lab, trying out different configurations and arrangements to resolve phase issues. Our compensation procedure ended up utilizing not two, not three, not even four, but five independent crossover systems, assisted by four sound bores.
Breaking it Down
Ultra-High Frequency:
The 2 Knowles SWFK-31736 Dual Balanced Armature drivers, lays out gorgeous instrument overtones and resonance. We channeled these drivers to make for a wide soundstage, unabashedly mimicking atmosphere of the renown Beijing Concert Hall. The voice is ethereal and hallowed, smooth without lacking vitality.
High frequency:
The 2 Knowles ED-29689 Driver units were tuned to maximize the sweetness of vocals and timbre of instruments. Our intricate crossover calculation makes for extremely accurate instrument positioning and imaging. We split this channel with the mids and ultra-high frequencies and focused on a full treble range that livens instruments and vocals without piercing the ears. Several rounds of testing and adjustments ensured an engaging, yet fully comfortable listening experience.
Mid-Frequency:
The 2 Sonion 28UPA01 Dual Balanced Armatures units were selected and implemented focusing on projection and warmth. By doubling this driver per unit, we achieved fuller and richer male vocals. When we tested for soundstage and imaging, we wanted the mids to project into the auditorium. We particularly envisioned our experiences listening to viola and cello solo recitals at the Beijing Concert Hall, and tried to capture the confidence, firmness, and warmth of these instruments. Believe us, you’ll find it hard to want to take these sets out of your ears!
Low-frequency:
The 2 Sonion 38AJ007 Balanced Armatures were selected as one of the newest offerings by Sonion. After trying other models and bass, we knew we had to pay the extra expenses to go with the 38AJ007. The drivers themselves are extremely fast and full of power, and sure to make your ears rumble. Then, utilizing our crossover and low-pass filter, we made a clear separation between the sub-bass, bass, and mids to reduce bleeding and make for an ultra-clean bass line. Hard-hitting, fast, impactful (it really rumbles!), and deep. What more could you ask for from bass? Dynamic driver who?
Houston, we have a solution!
We understand that musical preference is one of the widest spectrums you can find in any field. This means there is also a wide spectrum to what kind of tuning styles are enjoyed – in short, there is no such thing as an “ideal tuning”. We did not want to lie to ourselves or to our customers by coming forth and saying, “we have achieved the ideal tuning”. So instead, we let you decide!
Our decision to utilize a five-way crossover system lent us a unique opportunity to implement a tuning switch to increase or decrease the level of certain channels. This independent circuit mechanism means that the phase is not altered even as you utilize the switch, which ultimately means no worrying about bass bleeds or mid scooping. Our standard tuning on the Voyager reflects a true-referencing tuning for professional monitoring. The two tuning switches (we decided on two rather than three or four as more does not necessarily indicate proper implementation) allows for four different tuning arrangement going from the standard reference tuning so that the listener can select their desired sound based on their musical preference.
By giving the user the ability to select their tuning style, and by correctly utilizing this technology on a solid technical foundation, we wanted to make the Voyager 14 the one and only IEM you will ever need. We are confident that our belief in quality, sustainability, and excellence is reflected in the apex of our work – the Voyager 14.
Fits Like a Glove
How do you fit 14 drivers into an object that will go inside your ears? Well…it’s not easy. Believe us.
We have a huge pile of failed shell designs that we like to look at as a reminder of our process. Some were too big. Some were too narrow. Some couldn’t even fit all of the drivers inside! We went through the work of personally making hundreds of ear impressions to figure out how we can engineer a universal set that both meets the technical standards as well as a comfortable fit. Oh, and don’t even mention the sound bores…With so many drivers, the crossover, individual sound tubes hooked up to the drivers, and acoustic chambers, creating the shell was an engineering feat, if not a miracle. We also tried several brands of medical grade resins to test for durability and see how they would stand up to the test of time (yellowing IEM’s…we see you!).
We ended up going with a premium 385nm UV resin from Germany that is often used for medical prosthetic devices. Again, it was an extra to our expenses, but we want our beloved Voyager 14 to be something you will cherish for a long long time.
Our engineering team has worked hard to create the final housing design and each unit is handmade and hand polished to make sure your listening experience is as comfortable as possible. We redefined professional audiophile sound with the Voyager 14, but we also like to think we are redefining what bespoke is.
One Giant Leap for Audiophile-kind
Voyager 14. It is our beloved baby. So many months were put into research, design, and production and we could not be any prouder. We hope the Voyager 14 will bring the same smile to your face as it did to us when we first tried the final prototype in our labs. Enough of this. We’ll let Voyager 14 speak for itself.
Technical Details
- 1 x ThieAudio Voyager 14
- User Manual
Customer Reviews
One word - endgame
These are my favorite IEM's currently, based on their excellent sound quality and adequately comfortable fit. The sound signature is full and balanced, and despite the many claims out there about the inadequacies of balanced armature drivers for producing bass frequencies, the bass response of the Voyager 14 is excellent.
The one reservation I had was the curious choice of cables. I guess this was partly my own fault, as I apparently selected the QDC type recessed connection which, as it turns out, renders the connection delicate and inadequate (I actually don't recall making this choice, but somehow it was made). I was resigned at first to the disappointment of having to be excessively circumspect about wearing the earphones for fear that one or both of the connections would fail and require reconnection. Then I simply purchased another cable, a ThieAudio IEM, with an uncollared two-pin connection. It fit perfectly and it stays put. If you are reading this and considering buying this excellent IEM, do yourself a favor and choose the open two-pin connector.
I bought my set in May of 2020 and I have no complaints at all. I took a chance based on a couple detailed video reviews and it paid off.
To get the best seal in my ears, I use the large 13.5mm Ikko i-Planet memory foam tips. I also use the 14mm SpinFit CP100 XL silicone tips. I have medium sized ears but my ear canals are large. In regard to the two switches you can adjust for different sound options, I leave both switches turned off. For me, that's the best overall setting. It may be different for you. You'll have to listen and adjust them to your liking.
I highly recommend giving this set a try if you can afford it. They broke me last year but I've already got my money's worth with the MANY hours of great audio they've provided to me.
These are unbelievable. The pros that nobody can deny:
- Bass puts to shame 99% of IEMs out there regardless of price range. More importantly, BAs are doing the bass and not dynamics. Mind blown
- Widest soundstage ever heard in an IEM. Period
- Precise but warm imaging that makes these really fun to listen to
- Switches make nice bumps to bass and treble that provide for a varied listening experience
- These respond really well to many kinds of amps and are not extremely sensitive which makes pairing a relatively safe experience
- Sound separation is spotless when listening to binaural recordings from Chesky
- These go extremely well with electronic music, hip-hop and rock/metal. Even some Jazz genres are extremely nice to listen to
- Warm sound
Why you may not want to get these IEMs as far as sound signature goes:
- You need neutral monitors for recording/mixing purposes
- You require surgical detail. While these are fairly detailed, I still think there are some better (but more expensive) IEMs on the market
Cons that I wish weren't there:
- A Tripowin 20-30$ cable for a 999$ IEM. The cable on the L9 is better and the IEM costs half the price of the Voyager 14.
- Switches are hard to get at. A tool should have been added in the box
- Full body color option missing like with L9
- I would have appreciated an actual product box. I received mine in a normal cardboard box 20x20 cm with the IEMs and tips in the plastic hard case and the cable in a separate bag.
Your end game is here. nothing more to say.
My best iem atm, i even prefer it over a lot of my headphones if not all of them.
Voyager14 gives one of the best iem listening experiences at any price. Period.
The final packaging is still in development. I understand that Linsoul will send an updated packaging to people who pre-ordered.
But let's talk about the most important thing: Sound!
Treble: V14 treble is very well extended with plenty of air. Stage is wide and you can hear every single small detail. Never harsh or sibilant.
Mids: meaty, energetic and full. Voices are clear and forward.
Bass: This is where the V14 continues to excel and shows its uniqueness. Even though it's an all BA set, the bass is unlike anything I've heard before. It's like the child DD and BA bass would have together. Very impactful and full bodied yet super controlled. There is ZERO bloat and it doesn't spill into the mids. Addictive.
Technicalities: V14 is a very technical iem. You will hear everything that's on the recording, even things you never noticed before with less technical iems (even some considered totl). The only other iem I listened to that matches V14 technicalities is the Anole VX. Instrument separation is great.
One little nitpick with V14 is that the stage is wide but not very deep. There's a lack of "3d" sound but that's mostly an artificial thing in the iems that have it. I don't consider it a flaw, just something to be mindful about.
All in all, this is a technical tour de force.
I am a paying customer and I paid full price. Linsoul's customer service and experience is second to none.
Voyager 14 UPDATE:
It seems like the IEM port is a regular 2-pin connector, but the included Tripowin QDC cable is QDC's inverted cable.
When I switched the cable to a regular 2-pin cable, it made a world of a difference to the bass.
While previously, the bass felt like mid-bass was more than the sub-bass, and the mid-bass was splashy and bit mushy, the 2-pin cable change tightened everything up. Sub-bass impact is increased and is much more powerful and clean.
I didn't like the "1" bass up position before with the QDC cable, but a regular 2-pin cable made it much much more cleaner.
Wow, this is one crazy iem.
I'm even more a believer that the Voyager 14 is here to compete with the TOTL market.
Bass is more focused on mid-bass rather than subbass. It’s impactful, but not the cleanest or fastest bass i’ve heard.
Treble extension is really impressive. Treble is very smooth, and there's absolutely no piercing or harshness. The treble also makes the soundstage wide. Not Z1R wide, but wider than most iem’s. Things like clapping in the audience and peripheral sounds (background talking, tinkering, etc), and general reverb can feel quite holographic and 3D. It really depicts the stage/venue true to life.
The overall tendency is a mild V and warm, but vocals don’t seem too behind. Sometimes tom tom’s and male voice can overallap on "1" up setting, but it’s not too bad. Snares and vocals have a nice crispness to it.
Instrument separation is excellent and crowded passages sound good. Imaging can vary depending on the switch position.
Resolution is great.
Overall, the sound is full and fairly coherent.
The “1” switch seems to be more a mid-bass lift rather than sub-bass. It makes the sound warmer and gives more body to vocals and drums.
“2” switch is high treble, and mainly affects the staging. Off position makes it more intimate and smaller stage, but can make imaging on things like cymbals off. On position widens the stage and imaging is very impressive.
Overall, i think (from my memory) V14 is on similar levels with Fibae 7 and Vision Ears VE8.
In both technical abilities and tuning, the Voyager 14 is really a competitor for the highest of tiers.
