Monarch MKIII

Scammy companies making dozens of models to confuse people so they buy lots?  What else goes on. The simplest solution is 7HZ Zero 2. Then call it a day. Don't get scammed I am saying this from experience, I got up to monarch mk3

I mean if you go by strictly measurements, Airpods Pro 2 (on rtings) and Monarchs "best of the absolute best it doesnt get better then this" 1000$ monarch mk3 (on rtings) are neck and neck, if not the Airpods Pro 2 measuring more accurately. I have zero reason to believe more expensive iems are better, and my ears dont really convince me either

It's about the balance between drivers and tuning. Combine them properly, and you achieve greatness. Such as my Thieaudio Monarch MK3's, they are exceptional. 2dd, 6ba, and 2 est of pure bliss 😊

U12t is more laidback compared to the monarchs, which sounds more exciting because of the way the treble and mids are tuned. U12t vocals are neutral and don't sound as intimate compared to the monarchs, which I do find a touch more intimate. Both have really good bass but bass nuance and quality is better on the U12t, the bass on the monarchs sound more natural. Both are detailed iems but...U12t is effortlessly resolving and more "holographic" in staging (like the music is wrapping around my head). However, I think if someone is trying to choose between the two, I would recommend the Monarch Mk3. Mainly because the U12T is something you can appreciate more after trying everything else. They don't 'WOW' you immediately, and you know what you're looking for, especially in terms of personal preference on sound and tuning.

A year ago, I switched from the Truthear x Crinacle Zero: Red to the Thieaudio Monarch MKIII and the difference was mindblowing, even though the Zero Red was really good for its price.

That's how different ears can be - for me it's the other way around, I really like the MMk3, but I didn't like both of the tuning options of the MMk4 as much.

I went from the EM6L > Kiwi Ears Quintet > Orchestra Lite > Tea Pro > Monarch MK3. I head a difference with every step up. I prefer the Quintet over the Tea Pro because the Tea Pro treble is darker and smoother and sounds less detailed imo. The Monarch MK3 is just absolutely amazing imo. I hear details in songs I've never heard before. The detail in every aspect is just amazing, and they're fun to listen to. They also do some black magic with soundstage and imaging. The MK3 sounds bigger than some openback headphones I've owned.

Disclaimer: I'm not a reviewer. I'm just an audio engineer and a guy that loves music. These are my impressions. If I left anything out, please feel free to ask. I've had several days to compare both of these IEMs. Originally, I'd bought just the MkIII, but after several days with it I contacted a rep at Bloom Audio and asked him for some advice. I asked if there were something he could recommend with less mid bass and a more open sound. Without hesitation, he recommended I try the Monarch MkIV. I asked about the Prestige LTD and Dunu Glacier, but he insisted again that I try the MkIV for what I'm after. I listened to various genres over the last several days, mainly metal, rock, classic rock, and EDM. I'm using an Astell & Kern HC4 plugged into the USB C port of my iPhone 16 Pro Max. I tested both cables on both IEMs, and used both the 3.5mm and 4.4mm tips. Cable and accessories- Cables: Both sets come with a nice modular cable. The MkIII comes with 2.5mm balanced, 3.5mm unbalanced, and 4.4mm balanced tips. The MkIV comes with only the 3.5mm unbalanced, and the 4.4mm balanced. The MkIV's cable seems a bit higher end, but is a little too bulky and heavy for me compared to the MkIII. I prefer the MkIII's cable here simply for the comfort. Tips: The MkIII comes with a set of standard silicone tips and a set of foam tips. The MkIV comes with a standard bore silicone, narrow bore silicone, and foam tips. I've tried swapping in Azla SednaEarFit ASMR, TRI Clarion, and Spinfit W1 tips. To my surprise I liked the stock silicones the best, and the standard bore silicone over the narrow on the MkIV. The stock silicone tips on the MkIV do seem to be of higher quality than the stock ones on the MkIII. Case: The MkIII wins hands down here with its semi hard zip up case. The felt covered cardboard puck of the MkIV is simply trash. My package was brand new in the plastic and the sides of the puck were already starting to collapse when I took it out of the box. I've already ordered a replacement case on Amazon. Sound Impressions- Bass: This is one of the main noticeable differences between the two IEMs. While the MkIV has less upper mid bass energy than the MkIII (a welcome change), both IEMs are what I would consider bass heavy in their sound. If I could reduce it just a little more on the MkIV I would prefer it. The bass on both sets is big and punchy, if a little undefined at times, and not as snappy as I'd like, but overall of nice quality. Worth noting that the bass quality is better at moderate volumes than the lower volumes I tend to listen to. I think if anything, these IEMs tend to highlight flaws in mixes and masters. Tracks with a well defined and sculpted low end tend to shine here, while sloppy and bloated low ended tracks are exaggerated. The main thing that turned me off from the MkIII is its mid bass that does quite often tend to dominate the sound of whatever I'm listening to. The MkIV is much more controlled here, though you do have the "rumble" switch that will give you a 3dB lift in the mid and sub bass area, giving you a somewhat more controlled emulation of the MkIII's bass if that's what you're after. It can definitely make the right track bigger and more engaging for certain genres. Mid Range: This is the Monarch's wheelhouse. There's a saying in the pro audio world that "the magic is in the midrange", and I strongly agree. Without great detail in this frequency range, you're really missing out on a lot of crucial information about the song. Both sets have a natural and detailed mid range here, with nothing to objectively complain about. The MkIII is elevated, as you can see in the FR graph, at around the 4-6khz area. And while this does give the MkIII slightly more detail with vocals, drum attack, and guitars, it can also be the source of fatigue. And in my case, irritating my tinnitus. Because of this, I found I tended to listen to the MkIII at a much quieter level than I'd like after about 15 minutes, while on the MkIV I can listen to moderate levels for much longer without fatigue or amplifying my tinnitus. Upper Treble and Air: I was a little surprised at how much more open the MkIV's sounded compared to the MkIII when looking at the FR graph (last pic in my post). The slight lift at 10k and the big spike around 15k seems to contribute a lot to the general sense of space and air in the MkIV. The MkIII sounds a little rolled off in the upper treble, the MkIV sounds open, airy, and gives you a better sense of space. These are just different flavors, and I can see some preferring the warmer top end of the MkIII. It's reminiscent of listening to a recording on older analog tape to me. The upper frequencies are slightly subdued, but all of the information is still there. The MkIII shines on recordings like David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. It sounds accurate to the recording and to the era. The MkIV makes the same album sound like it was remastered for more air, cleaner bass, and more separation. This is where a case could be made for owning both sets of IEMs. Comfort and Fit: This is another area that surprised me. I find the MkIV to fit perfectly in my ear, and for long periods of time. I was expecting a heavier and clunkier feeling IEM because of its slightly larger size and the fact that it's made from aluminum. They must have fine tuned some of the contours because I don't have to twist or push the MkIV to sit in my ear like I do with the MkIII. It also feels lighter, even though I saw a review where they actually weighed both sets and the MkIV is the slightly heavier of the two. The large nozzle of the MkIII also started to hurt my left ear canal after about an hour, whereas I haven't had that issue with the MkIV yet. In the included pics I show the fit of the MkIV, which sits very comfortably in the ear, but does protrude just a little more than the MkIII. Summary: I guess it's obvious by now that I prefer the Mk IV for my own tastes, and will be sending the MkIII back to Bloom tomorrow. I didn't see many comparisons out there when I was originally searching for a replacement for the MkIII, so I'm hoping this review can help some people that are also considering these two great IEMs. Thanks for reading.

Mest MK2 ests are hardly noticeable, there’s something about legacy iems with first gens of est that they’re not even on par with BAs . (If not mistaken current gen is 3 or 4) I would say my experience with: prestige LTD( amazing, there’s so much air and anything from mid to upper range is just magic) Monarch mk3 was not as good as Prestige Volare (I have, is good, very nice punchy bass too, but remember it’s like 649$ in retail) Worth mentioning: Fiio FX17! 8 ESTs and price is 1499$ (it’s a lot, yeah) but all the reviews and comments are extremely good.

Bruh I've tried foam tips myself on various IEMs. The second I use them no matter how strong or weak the seal is my bass just completely dies off and all I get is peaky treble. Unless my ears just hate foam or something else is wrong. I've tried them on the Arias, the Dusk, the Monarch Mk 3s, and the Oracle Mk 2s.

Yea best would be to some a really great IEM within the price range of 900 to 1200 bucks that's somewhat soft V/U shape and use PEQ cause those shells are CRAZY huge. Like trying to wear a pair of cans in the ears lol. I wore the Mk3s and it took a while to get used to them cause I have medium/large ears but the depth between the outer ear and my canal is deep af.

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

I like my MK3s but listening to older music (specifically Crooner Style Balads) I'm definitely leaning towards the Valhalla. $1k more but hopefully worth my while

They blew my mind, just in time for José José latest album too. The detail & instrument separation was beautiful...The Thieaudio Monarch MkIIIs are great.

Xenns Tea Pro, I'm still not sure yet, but how the hell are they beating my Thieaudio Monarch MKllls in sound separation + details. Used them for 2 hrs straight will be doing thr same today with my Monarch MKllls Edit: They definitely don't sound better than my Thieaudio Monarch MKllls, but the Xenns Tea Pros do put certain instruments foward which make some songs sound new. Pianos, guitars & violins. The MKllls do retain more details & balances the sound separation better in my opinion. Note: Fiio M21 with Xenns Tea Pros were used for the first test. Ibasso Dx180 with the Monarch MKllls were used for the 2nd. So I'll go back & do a vice versa since the DX180 is a warmer DAP