ThieAudio - Monarch MKII

I own Monarch MK2 and UM Mest MK2. Ive owned $100-$200 IEMs as well..I did notice a difference when I first got the Monarchs but to say mind blowing not really. The Mest on the other hand are kinda mind blowing to me because of the Imaging and Soundstage, which I personally love since I listen to so many Instrumentals.

Monarch mk2+project daybreak (or epz p50)+truthear Nova. Combined price should be less than 1.5k and I think these 3 would essentially give you 95% of what this hobby is really about 

Amongst the thieaudio iems I’ve tried  Valhalla > prestige Ltd > v16 divinity > monarch mk3 > monarch mk2 

I didn’t find MMK2 that great either, if anything it was incredibly bassy. But, I have a preference for very clean, bright IEMs, so that’s probably why I don’t like the Monarch line.

Happy it helped! I think pro gamers double up to block out crowd noise haha. I'm just thinking of CS pros, so my knowledge on that is limited. >Drivers, what are the pros and cons of single, dual, hybrid, etc.? I'll give the **pros** for each first. So the most common driver for IEMs out there is the balanced armature (BA) driver. It was the first major alternative to dynamic driver (DD), and allowed makers to put multiple drivers into a small form factor like the IEM. Each driver than concentrate on a specific frequency range instead, given the manufactured cared enough to put enough crossovers and tune them. Otherwise you have a bunch of drivers doing the exact same thing, defeating the purpose of having a multi-driver setup. These days it's hard to find an IEM without BA involved. Hybrids typically refer to a combination of BA and DD. One *seemingly* weakness of the BA design is its bass. Actual "weakness" is interesting and not an actual auditory weakness: [/u/oratory1990 made a great post about it](https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/comments/nk243a/comment/gzdlw80/). DD is far more forgiving, so you can have it handle the bass while the BAs handle the rest. Tribrids are usually DD, BA, and electrostatic (EST) drivers. EST on paper is very accurate which translates to great detail retrieval. DD for bass, BA for mids, and EST for highs. More recently we have quadbrids. Uncommon so multiple flavors. Usually begins with the tribrid, then adds bone conduction (BC), piezo (PZT), etc. All have their quirks in terms of sound, but I wonder if that's inherent to the drivers themselves or not. The outlier is planar magnetic drivers. On paper planars are extremely fast, can reproduce the entire spectrum very well. These days they're typically packaged in tribrid and quadbrid flavors. Of course there are other driver combos, but these are the most common. Now, the **cons** of each. In terms of sound? Nothing. There are fantastic IEMs for every driver configuration out there. 64Audio U12T is all-BA, Sony IER-Z1R is a hybrid, ThieAudio Monarch Mk. II is a tribrid, and ThieAudio Origin is a quadbrid. I think it has less to do with what kind of drivers and more to do with how the manufacture designed/tuned it. Also it depends on your preference of sound. In terms of fit? All BA tend to have few fit issues because the drivers are tiny. Hybrid/tribrid/quadbrids can have fitment issues due to the large DD--some of the most uncomfortable IEMs feature the DD (IER-Z1R, Monarch Series, etc.) Planars are large, too. Single DD IEMs tend not to have fitment issues, either. Price is an issue. EST and planar drivers are more expensive, and it reflects in the price. **Original post category examples:** Not a comprehensive list, just rattling off the top of my head. - neutral tuning: Etymotic ER4XR/ER4SR, Hidition NT6 - mild-V/U+V/U tuning: Sony IER-Z1R, ThieAudio Monarch Mk. III, Symphonium Crimson, UM MEST Mk. II - bassheads: Sony IER-Z1R, FatFreq Maestro SE, FatFreq Grand Maestro - trebleheads: Letshuoer S12 (I think people don't like "spicy" sounds...)

This will be a very quick review. About me: I am coming from the Moondrop Variations as my daily driver. I just wanted something non-harman/meta-tuned which does not break the bank. I tested many IEMs in different price ranges. After I daily used the Odyssey now for a few weeks, I feel confident enough to write a short review. The best thing about the Odyssey is no doubt the tuning. It's rooted on the new meta with adding a bit more excitement in the bass and treble, but really just a bit. It sounds very different as my last daily driver, which have a much more colorised tuning (harman IE 2019) - which can sound great, but they are really hit and miss depending on the song. That's the reason why I decided I need something more versatile which works with all sorts of content (basically all music genres, movies, gaming). I consider this a "common sense endgame", because if someone wants to enter the expensive world of IEMs, the Odyssey can be reasonable advised as an one-and-only purchase because of it's sound signature. This can be of course also said about other meta-tuned IEMs in that price range. They don't really differ a lot in how they sound. If you looking at higher price ranges, there is the Monarch MK2 with a similar tuning but much better technicalities. I A/B tested both while testing and can say with confidence that the difference here is not worth the decreased comfort and increased price for the MK2. Maybe I am not "audiophile" enough to hear a big difference or I had not enough time to test the Monarchs. Another thing is how easy the Odyssey can be driven. Connected to the 3.5 Audiojack of a Macbook 16% of audio volume is a sweet spot. You basically have no volume problems on any source. Connected to a Qudelix 5K DAC/AMP they sound the same. Using a DSP/EQ to normalise the sound to JM-1 - I like the native sound signature more than the original new meta (JM-1) - it just adds some excitement without being too much. It can be still considered as neutral with bass boost. One drawback is how sensitive they seem to be. Connected to a "poor DAC" (e.g. Playstation Portal 3.5 Audiojack or DualSense Controller 3.5 Audiojack), there is a noticeable background hiss and noise floor when a sound is played. This is not so noticeable when gaming, but I would definitely not advise the Odyssey if this is a use-case for you. Compared to that, the Variations do sound absolutely clean connected to the DualSense or PS Portal. In it's price range, I would easily give the Odyssey a 10/10 Score with the Label "Endgame for most". If price doesn't matter, maybe a 8/10.

I realized you're thinking of the monarch mk2, which does graph pretty similarly.

If price is really no problem, get yourself a pair of the ThieAudio Monarch MKII or MKIII. I am pretty sure you will like them. Why not?

As a fellow Hexa shill, I couldn't agree more. I've had the pleasure of owning the pilgrims, the zetian wu heydays, the monarch mk2 and a bunch of others but nothing beats the hexas. I've even eqd some of my other iems to the fr of the hexas just for fun

I agree to this! Definately really special! Defo must try for all audiophiles!!

To me the best you could find are used MMK2 or MEST MK2, those are absolutely phenomenal for classical music and is endgame already.

i see… do take other iem into consideration. If you are like me who target “perfection” in sound, then i would say Xenns top and Mega5 in your consideration. Other IEM are more exciting in their sound signature, can’t go wrong with them but personally not my kind of IEM. I’d like it to be as close to perfection and neutral as possible instead of having what i call “unnatural” sound signature I main Monarch Mk2 incase you are curious.

of all the characteristic of the 3 iems you had, i personally feel like thieaudio Monarch Mk2 have all of it except the fit. I personally own the Final A5000(after demo A4000 and prefer the A5000 instead) For Monarch Mk2, some people will argue there’s this lack of bass, slightly recessed vocals. If you have the chance to demo out stuff, go ahead because only whatever that please your ears matters. I’ve recently ordered a ciem from 64audio, it doesn’t really matter about diminishing return. I like what i hear and that’s the sound i like. Not a single iem out there i’ve demo sound the way it is, thus this makes all iem different.. you pay a premium for certain models if that’s what you like

Understand your situation and is completely valid. My advice to you is to set your goal on a iem, let’s say the monarch mk2 Hold your current iems till you have save enough or justify the money on spending it. Reason i say this is because purchasing with price upgrades are one of the dumbest thing one can do, not only you are potentially collecting Ewaste, you are spending more than what you should Example monarch mk2 : $999usd Buy now at $999usd You decide to follow a upgrade path: you buy a $250 iem , then $400 , $500/$700 then finally you pulled your trigger on the monarch mk2 at the end Do you see how much money one would have wasted in the process just to obtain their desire iem? For now, you may go through lots of review. It’s really challenging to find a set you like without hearing them. everyone likes the sound differently, so any advice will be bias. Me telling you monarch mk2 fits the characteristic you are looking for is somewhat objective yet bias pov so just take note ya

The Monarch mk2 would probably pull that off as long as you your ears have enough room to fit it. Honestly though the advice I generally give is once you get past the three hundred or so range you have to try before you buy. I'd look into going to the closest Canjam in your area.

In my opinion, these are the best value in IEMs. They have a friendly warmish low end and a little sparkle up top, complimented by smooth mids. I wish the soundstage had more depth, and I wish the bass slammed a little bit more, but for under $200 there isn't a better IEM for me. I kept them over my Monarch MK2, Top, Up, and others. Also selling my Dusk at this point since they're redundant for me.

DaVinci and B3 have similar price/performance, just different tuning styles. B3 wins hands-down on detail retrieval and clarity, while DaVinci runs circle around B3 when it comes to (sub) bass. I tried Monarch Mk2 for about 30 minutes and did not like it. The nozzles are enormous, very uncomfortable. Sound quality... is ok? Monarch didn't sound any more detailed than B3 - I couldn't really hear the praised macrodynamic. Tuning style is definitely more pleasant and ordinary. The bad fit really distracted me from enjoying it. Moondrop Kato and Truthear Timeless have similar level of technical performance - quite close to B3. Personally prefer Kato's more balanced signature. Hexa is a cheaper alternative, but it might sound a bit too neutral and thus boring (not necessarily a bad thing, easily fixable with EQ) Planar IEMs sound harsh on the treble, especially the S12 (I disliked it). I don't understand the hype around Truthear Nova and Simgot Supermix 4. I think the latter is fine for the price, about the same P/P as Kato; but Nova is just so blurry, subpar detail retrieval even when its bass is pretty light. Other IEMs under $150 are not interesting enough to me.

Demoed Monarch mk2,3. Mega5est, Aful7. Gotta say that the Mega5 with the Jm1 tuning is a game changer.

To each their own I guess, to me the MMk3 is just overly shrill in the mid-upper treble that it comes off as messy and crunchy. The MMk2 is better tuned despite not being as good in terms of bass quality and note separation IMO.

Mega5EST probably has the best mids according to the reviews though I have yet to hear it myself. The Studio 4 is a bit leaner/has less lower mids than what I consider neutral but it does have a relatively detailed and correct sounding midrange. On a side note, if you have a chance to try and demo the Monarch Mk2, it takes the cake for mids IMO. I'm legit impressed by how much instrument separation it has while being midrange focused and having great timbre all at the same time with a smooth treble.

Xenon 6, Kr5 , Dunu luna, zen pro, Dita Dream XLS, Thie Monarch 1 and 2, ... Too many at this point.

I only own and enjoy my THIEAUDIO Monarch MKII. Best blind purchase I've yet to make.

I love my THIEAUDIO Monarch Mark II.

If you're a vocal lover, it is one of THE sets to try. HD600 has nothing on it.  Although bass impact is a bit tame, it's mostly enough. Sub-bass is quite good. I'm not a big fan of sharp treble and I have nothing to complain there at all.  Soundstage is good, but it is a reminder that this is just an IEM. It's not even as impressive as a Blessing 2, which can be had far cheaper.  To sum up, it's a safe, refined, vocal focused set that will be satisfactory enough if you fall in the vocal lover group (which I am). 

The Monarch MKII is still by far my favourite Thieaudio IEM and it's not not even close. Even after listening to the Prestiges, Valhalla, V16, origin, hypes and oracles, I still put the MkII right at the top above all of them. It's personal preference which monarch you like more but for me, it's MKII >>> MKIII anyday

Grand maestro is goated. I’d pick that over the Z1r considering both as benchmarks. The fit, the modules, the rumble feeling just hits special on the GM. I recently bought the FatfreqxHBB Deuce and in that price range ($220) it eats up almost any IEM even some of the $400 ones. The bass is absolute sensational. You could also look into the Hisenior - Mega5EST Bass+ and Thieaudio MK2. I have tried these and can def vouch for it. But for bass I can’t suggest any other than Fatfreq since they specialize in bass. Their lineup from Scarlett mini to Maestro mini are spot on !!

I find it rather muddy, bass quality and quantity isn’t there and a lack of upper treble sparkle. However I do agree with you that the LTD punches above its price bracket and I love its tuning as well. I’ll take the LTD and Mk2 over the V19 any day.

For years, my audio journey was anchored in the vibrant world of Chi-Fi IEMs—budget-friendly gems like the KZ ZS 10 pro, Moondrop Arias to Multi kilobuck killer - Monarch mk2/3, Mest, QDC VX. These in-ear monitors delivered thrilling soundscapes with their bold price to performance value, punchy bass, and sparkling treble. Yet, curiosity led me to the Westone Mach 80, a flagship renowned for its clinical precision and studio-grade neutrality. The transition wasn’t just an upgrade; it was a paradigm shift—a rediscovery of what music could be. Build and Comfort: From Plastic to PrecisionMy audio journey and experience, while impressive in sound, often felt utilitarian in build—oversized shells, hefty cables, and fit that demanded frequent adjustments. The Mach 80, by contrast, felt like a bespoke instrument. Its SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT (Yes in Caps), ergonomic design, molded from lightweight medical-grade resin, disappeared into my ears. The over-ear cabling and deep-seated fit provided a seal so secure and isolating like a Custom IEM that subway commutes became silent even without music playing. Westone’s decades of expertise in pro-audio ergonomics shone through; these were IEMs built for marathon listening sessions, not just casual use. Sound Signature: Chaos to ClarityThe first listen was… jarring. Gone was the bombastic bass slam or the polished midrange bloom. The Mach 80 greeted me with a stark, unapologetic neutrality. Bass was lean and taut, not thunderous. Treble was detailed but never sibilant. Mids? They weren’t “forward” or “recessed”—they just were, pristine and uncolored. It felt like swapping a neon-lit carnival for a sunlit art gallery. * Bass: The Mach 80’s 8 balanced armatures delivered bass with surgical control. Sub-bass rumble in electronic tracks like Jacques Greene’s “Feel Infinite” was textured and articulate, not bloated. Double kicks in metal tracks retained their speed but lacked the visceral “thump” I’d grown accustomed to. This wasn’t a deficiency—it was accuracy. The Mach 80 revealed how much of most of the iems was bass boosted. * Mids: Vocals and instruments emerged with startling realism. On Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why,” her voice floated with breathy intimacy, free of the midbass bleed that muddied my Chi-Fi sets. Acoustic guitars on John Mayer’s “Neon” showcased string plucks and finger slides I’d never noticed—a masterclass in microdetail, its surgically incredible! * Treble: Cymbals on TOOL’s “Pneuma” shimmered without piercing, and orchestral highs in Holst’s “The Planets” retained their airiness. The Mach 80’s treble wasn’t “exciting,” but it was ruthlessly honest, it’s very very smooth to listen. Soundstage and Imaging: From 2D to 3DThe Mach 80’s soundstage felt expansive and holographic, a stark contrast to the intimate, head-filling presentation of my Chi-Fi collection. Listening to Hans Zimmer’s “Blade Runner 2049” soundtrack, synths swirled around my head with pinpoint placement, while the decay of reverb tails in a jazz club recording felt almost tactile. Instruments weren’t layered—they occupied distinct spaces, like actors on a stage. The Adjustment Period: Learning to Listen AgainFor days, I mourned the loss of “fun.” Tracks that once felt anthemic now sounded restrained. But gradually, my ears acclimated. The Mach 80 didn’t impose its personality—it revealed the recording’s personality. Well-mixed tracks (think Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories”) became transcendent, while poorly mastered songs laid bare their flaws. This wasn’t an IEM for mindless head-bobbing; it demanded engagement, rewarding critical listening with revelations. The Chi-Fi Rat raceNowadays everyone is chasing the best of the best while many companies are releasing new items week in and week out, and we often forget to slow down and appreciate music more. And often with massive waves of iems releasing we often overlooked some of the brands that do not come out new model very often. Conclusion: A New BenchmarkThe Westone Mach 80 isn’t for everyone. If you crave bass heft, WOW factor or euphonic coloration, it might underwhelm. But as a tool for understanding music—for dissecting mixes, savoring acoustic textures, or simply hearing your favorite albums anew—it’s peerless. The is the most resolving IEM I have ever heard in any price range and I have heard a lot; and it’s redefined what I expect from them—and from music itself.

7th Acoustics Supernova, AFUL Cantor, Monarch Mk2/3, Moondrop S8, Used Campfire Andromeda are some of my favs under $1000

If equal tier: Speakers > headphones > IEM Its just really hard to use my Hifiman Arya Stealth on the go and I look like a goofball, and even harder with my speakers. Good IEM like my Monarch mkII are excellent on the go however

I think most of the modern iems chifi or not come with large shells that make them somewhat uncomfortable. I still prefer my z1r over the monarch mkii so I'd say that they still hold up really well. z1r actually has decent mids even when I compare it to the monarch mkii. However the z1r is still annoying when it comes to the fit. When testing them out go with smaller tips than you're used to and go from the smallest tip up till the seal/noise reduction doesn't improve and you've found your size. I use the smallest/second smallest tips on them and ensure that they go deep into my ears, they'll sound like they have no mids when you don't shove them deep enough.

Long useless post, TL;DR reached endgame. MH334SR good. Started with the KZ ZS1 a long time ago, with many incremental upgrades until I landed on the 7Hz Timeless. Then, after moving to Japan, I replaced it with the Variations paired with a DT990 for gaming. Somewhere along the way, I became that guy who kept making a fuss about cables, claiming they made everything sound so much better. I turned into a file format snob, only wanting to listen to FLAC and DSD. I kept talking about it to my friends (damn, I must have been really annoying). Ultimately, I purchased a used LCD i4 as a reward for enduring all the hard work of labor and finally landing a much better job. It stopped me from wearing headphones entirely since the soundstage and sound quality were more than enough. The bass and soundstage were incredibly addicting. At this point, I started to realize that cables were just snake oil, Bluetooth was a godsend, and my ears didn’t even care when listening to 128kbps audio. Qudelix is life. Recently, I got myself a pair of Diamond 220 speakers. However, they ruined my i4 in a sense that listening to speakers became so enjoyable that I spent less and less time with the i4. It felt like the entire area in front of me was a sound field. It was quite wild to be able to "see" (or feel) sound moving in front of me. The speaker itself looks like "muted", I don't hear sound from the speaker itself. Idk how to describe it haha. I still needed an IEM for outdoor use, though. Demoed the Z1R, Monarch, and others. They were okay, but it was hard to justify their sound when my main IEM was the i4. So, instead of deciding based on sound, I thought, why not prioritize comfort? That’s when I started looking into custom IEMs and came across the MH334SR on sale for 200k yen. Checked the frequency response, Immediately pulled the trigger and went to their clinic the next day to get ear impressions. It took about a month from there until the IEM was completed and delivered to my apartment. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting great bass (I thought it might be bloated) since it’s just a BA. But damn, maybe it’s the seal. It’s definitely not on the same level as the i4’s airy bass, but it’s good enough to satisfy my ears. The mids, highs, and technicalities are fine. At this price point, they’re as resolving as expected, just tuned differently. I listen almost exclusively to Japanese songs. Specifically, those leaning more into vocaloid, UTAU, visual novel OSTs, etc. If I see weeb art, I play it. Artists like DAZBEE, Nanami Urara, and Isekaijoucho are my daily dose. Below is just me trying too hard to explain the sound of the MH334SR: The highs are slightly above my preference (not that the IEM is harsh, but I butchered 4kHz in my i4). However, I got used to it pretty quickly in few hours. All instruments have presence. I don’t have to try hard to distinguish them (which is different from being able to hear all instruments). I can clearly hear vocal harmonies, which is a big plus. Can’t hear the sub-bass (drum) sound in the Aster Lore song at 3:37 - 3:50 though, which is a bit of a bummer (though so far, I’ve only been able to hear it on the Timeless). The beats are satisfying, most likely due to a bump at 200Hz. It’s not bloated, just a nice, punchy drum sound. I love that I don’t have to use EQ at all. I might even replace the Qudelix with something that looks nicer and has a knob in the future. But damn, the comfort is just peak, and the isolation is awesome. It’s close to Etymotics-level isolation without violating my ears. I desire nothing more for IEMs now (more like I don't care that much anymore), but I’ll still visit the shop regularly to demo IEMs since friends often ask for recommendations, especially in the budget range. Hopefully this doesn't make me plunge into speaker rabbit hole which is many times scarier. But so far satisfied since I only listen in very-very low volume anyway.

I tried TheAudio Monarch and Oracle (don't remember Mk numbers) some time ago and wasn't impressed really. The do sound good, and have good technicalities but nowhere near the headphones at this price (Arya or LCD-2C) or substantially better than good quality $200-300 planar IEMs. Tonality is different but that's taste more than anything else. Timeless (1 or 2) is where IEM peaks for me personally, and diminishing return is hitting hard after that. At least based on my hearing abilities.

Honestly for an entry level iem just save up some more for the supermix 4, skip the timeless soundstage is so narrow. Then the next upgrade with honestly be either the Variations or Xenns Top. Final endgame will be the Thieaudio big boys (Monarch, Prestige, Origin). Alternatives would be Elysian endgame range iems too.