ThieAudio - Monarch MKII

if the iem is strictly for gaming, then comfort is king. and you don't need to spend too much for a set. im currently using tanchjim zero ultima and its so comfortable sometimes i forgot that it was there. i use it mainly for CS and League and i dont feel any disadvantages over my monarch mk2

Only recently got back into the game, but tried a variety of new releases besides the current gen peak-fi stuff. Would say something like the Yu9 Que or Hercules Audio Noah are easily there. They're both resolving enough to easily compete with IEMs at double the price or more like the Monarch Mk2. While from personal experience I feel that he Monarch is just a tinge better at soundstage and timbre, the Que and Noah aren't far behind. In fact, they're very very VERY close. Hence for just 400USD, I'd say they set both the new benchmark for the price-range, and also are the new lowest price-point for endgame technicalities.

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 

The blank was left for my Zero red which is unfortunately not in my hands. I also had Mest mkii, Variations, S12, Hexa, and Wan'er. I've owned my U12t for nearly 2 years and am quite satisfied with it except for the throat sibilance from those 'n', 'h' etc sounds. Except for u12t, I got the ones from DUSK and above just recently. I most settled down on Monarch mkii, but... after I switch the Diva to the max bass mode, it blows me off... I am happy to answer your questions!

huh, I almost believed I didn't need mmk2 before I got it. But, lo, the mid is so fcking god on mmk2!

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.

I have some kilobucks iems coming from sub 500 stuff. The thing is while sub 500 stuff sounds good, or great value they usually just tuning good, but lack some technical performance and soundstage. At least thats how i felt. Kilobuck stuff tends to give you extra 10-20% of that like Monarch mk2 (superb vocals with superb resolution) 64 audio u4s/u6t (better instruments separation and soundstage) Westone mach 80 ( best detail retrieval and resolution under 2k usd) Etc etc.. This is just an example of course theres many other kilobucks that are good too but for me 1000-1500 is where the diminishing return start to kicks in

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

If discussing in context of diminishing returns: thieaudio monarch (2-4). Especially the mk4s, which are indistinguishable from 4-5K sets. Just tuning at that point. Anyone who says otherwise is just trying to justify their purchase. If discussing in terms of value: Xenns top pro. $500 gets you about 92-93% of monarchs.

Tried it. Still prefer monarch MKIIs

Mega5ests, monarch mk3/mk2, oracle mk3, u12t used. Really depends on what you want in a sound profile

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...)