Check Availability At
Description
I happen to be one the few people who owned the Monarch MK3. But recently I came across Crinacle’s review of the MK3 where he mentioned that he’d still prefer the MK2 over the MK3.
So it got me thinking about what did I miss and so I ordered the MK2 as well. And ever since it has reached my hands, I’ve been unable to put it down. The timbre of the MK2 is better that the MK3 and because of the lower bass, subjectively at least to me, it sounds more natural. Tonality is definitely superior to the MK3 but it’s not a day at night difference. I still do enjoy my
MK3 for R&B, Hip-hop kind of music, but every time I have to listen to something classic, I’d rather pick up the MK2 because the timbre is so correct and beautiful.
Thank you for your fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear that you're enjoying the ThieAudio Monarch MKII IEM. We also appreciate your insights on the comparison between the MK3 and MK2. We're glad to know that the MK2's timbre and tonality have exceeded your expectations. We hope you continue to enjoy your listening experience with us.
Build Quality and Design
The Monarch MK2 stands as a testament to meticulous craftsmanship. Its resin construction feels both substantial and refined. My piece features textured gold on the faceplate, emphasizing functionality over flashiness. In an era where aesthetics often overshadow true merit, the Monarch MK2’s practical design is a welcome change.
Comfort and Fit
The fit of the Monarch MK2 can be challenging for those with smaller ears. Initially, my left ear struggled with discomfort. However, I am of a generation accustomed to enduring initial pain for lasting comfort, much like old shoe bites. Within a month, my ear adapted, bruised, and healed, allowing me to wear them comfortably for hours on end. This willingness to endure discomfort speaks to my affection for these IEMs.
Sound Quality
Overall Sound Signature:
The Monarch MK2 is remarkably well-balanced, providing a perfect blend of bass, mids, and treble. They accurately represent the mix, making stellar recordings shine while rendering even poor mixes more listenable.
My signal chain is straightforward: Audirvana Studio (Tidal and local lossless and hi-res FLAC) -> RME Babyface Pro -> Optical input of a Mojo2 -> Monarch MK2.
Bass:
The bass is adequately textured with a fantastic presence. Sub-bass is full and satisfying, while mid-bass delivers tight, fast punches with remarkable clarity. The Mojo2 enhances the bass, making it well-layered and distinct. Contrary to some reviews, I found the bass separation excellent, reflecting the mix accurately without spilling into the lower mids. The bass has superb natural timbre, with fast transients and articulate heft.
Mids:
The mids are the highlight of the Monarch MK2. Vocals and instruments sound stunningly realistic, each note resolving with breathtaking accuracy. The timbre is the most lifelike I have encountered. Using my Moon Audio Dawn Pro, Nat King Cole’s “L.O.V.E” revealed an abundance of vocal detail and fullness with the Mojo2, showcasing the Monarch MK2’s scalability. These IEMs, hailed as the king of mids at any price, make Diana Krall’s voice feel present and thrilling. Whether it’s Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Stratocaster or Steve Vai’s tender “Surrender,” the Monarch MK2 captures the essence of each instrument with fidelity.
Treble:
The treble was a deciding factor in choosing the Monarch MK2 over the MK3. As a drummer, I crave the authentic timbre of cymbals and snares, and the Monarch MK2 delivers. Each ride and splash carries a heft that feels accurate, making Keith Carlock’s performances a learning experience. Despite their detailed treble, these IEMs avoid harshness or sibilance, even in poorly recorded tracks.
Performance with Different Genres:
The Monarch MK2 excels across genres, a rare feat due to its balanced nature. Thie Audio has truly struck gold with this creation. I revel in natural music—electric guitars, organs, and other mic’d instruments sound superb. While I don’t listen to EDM or similar genres, the Monarch MK2 performs exceptionally well with classical, rock, metal, and jazz. The soundstage, while not expansive, is deep and rich with detail. Each silence brims with resolving information, the details astonishing with the Mojo2. Imaging is precise, offering sharp clarity and depth.
Accessories and Packaging
The provided accessories are more than adequate. The silicone ear tips included are of good quality, though I found the AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal Standard tips to offer a better fit and build. The cable, with its vintage aesthetic and cloth texture, is functional and covers all plugs save for a 6.5mm one. The case, though pedestrian, reflects Thie Audio’s focus on investing in the IEMs themselves rather than extras—a philosophy I appreciate.
Value for Money
The Monarch MK2 offers exceptional value for its price. After extensive research on head-fi.org, I concluded that no IEM above this price point matches the Monarch MK2’s balance of bass, mids, and treble, combined with perfect tuning and timbre. Though some may find this balance mundane, it is precisely this equilibrium that sets the Monarch MK2 apart, making it an exceptional value at any price.
Final Thoughts and Recommendation
The Thie Audio Monarch MK2 IEMs exceeded my expectations. Their remarkable balance, timbre, and tonality make them a must-have for audiophiles. Should fate befall them, I would replace them without hesitation. For anyone considering IEMs in this price range, the Monarch MK2 is an obvious choice over the MK3 and other competitors. These IEMs deliver an unparalleled music experience that doesn’t require any additional enhancements ;)
In the end, the Monarch MK2 offers a journey through sound so profound that it leaves one in awe, craving for nothing more than to bask in its pure, unadulterated musical beauty.
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed and helpful review of the ThieAudio Monarch MKII IEM. We truly appreciate your kind words and are delighted to hear that you are enjoying the product. We take great pride in the craftsmanship and design of our IEMs, and we are glad to hear that it has met your expectations.
We apologize for the initial discomfort you experienced with the fit, but we are happy to hear that it has improved over time. As you mentioned, sometimes it takes a little time to adjust to new earbuds, but we are glad that you found them comfortable after some time.
It's wonderful to hear that the Monarch MK2 provides a well-balanced sound signature and accurately represents the mix. We are thrilled that you are enjoying the bass, mids, and treble, and that you find the mids to be the highlight of the product. Thank you again for your review, and we hope you continue to enjoy your Monarch MK2 IEMs.
Any song will play effortlessly. Mids are clear and treble is also good, Bass is good.
I connected it with questyle m15 bang on.
Thank you for your review! We're glad to hear that you are enjoying the ThieAudio Monarch MKII IEM's all-around performance, with clear mids, good treble, and strong bass. It's great to know that you have also found a perfect match with the Questyle M15. Happy listening!
Just the right amount of treble...extra clear mids(u can hear each n every instrument...it is a detail expert)...and right amount of boosted bass to make it enjoyable !!! Does justice to all fenres of music. Using it with fiio KA5 which just gives it a wider soundstage and textured bass...makes it better than with ibasso dc06 which is more clearer...but very close n intimate which i dont prefer. Using it with spinfit w1 which gives better fit and comfort... as the stock tip are quite stiff causing discomfort. Love the monarch mk 2 :D
Wow, thank you for your great review of the Thie Audio Monarch MKII IEM! We're glad to hear that you're happy with the sound quality of the IEMS and that they tune perfectly to your personal preferences. We think that they're great for all types of music - from classical to metal - and would be happy to hear your thoughts on other genres too!
This is probably the best iem I’ve ever heard
20 hours of burn in will open up the drivers,
The sound is neutral, feels airy, I’m totally happy with the purchase .
Thanks to Pritham for suggesting me this gem🙏
Thank you for your kind words! We're so glad you're happy with your purchase of the ThieAudio Monarch MKII IEM.
This IEM will stay with me for a very long time. Superb for daily listening and also an excellent refrence point for premium IEM's.
You may also like
OUR HONEST REVIEWS FROM THE CO-FOUNDERS & AUDIOPHILES
View all
TRUSTED BY OVER 25K+ MUSIC ENTHUSIAST
Let customers speak for us
This is a great little nifty adapter for iPhone users, its connectors are high quality and fit snug without any wobble, it’s a well made product. The quality of output is fantastic, I am using it with Truthear Gate IEMs in iPhone 14 Pro Max and it doesn’t heat up at all. The 90 degree design works well for normal day to day use without hampering the usage of the phone. Tried them with Apple’s EarPods too and works like a charm.
Best part is that it supports the microphone and the buttons on the cable, which is difficult to find on quality Lighting DACs. Easily switch between music and calls.
The parcel came in quickly and well packaged, thanks to the Audio Store.
This is a fantastic IEM at this price for beginners like myself, extremely clear and detailed sounding pair. Super comfortable with the right eartips from the provided options in the box.
Additionally, I must say that the cable is quite amazing with a clear and high quality microphone.
They came in super quick well packaged, thanks to the Audio Store.
This is the first IEM I ever bought,Quality and delivery are all excellent, thank you very much
Love this beast IEM
This was recommended to me by Mr Pritam last year but I went ahead with a Hype 4 as it was cheaper. I recently got a chance to listen to this and it blew me away. I purchased it a week later as it was on my mind. It has a nice thick sound signature with ample bass. Its also real smooth to listen to and I ended up listening to it for 2 hours without skipping any track. It just makes you want to listen to music. Its ultra light weight and comfortable. The stock tips are also great and help with comfort and bass. The IEM was a bit unstable with the default cable and I changed it to an Ares S copper cable. It also requires a bit of power to sound its best. I had no issues listening to it on my phone with a cayin ru7, ifi go blu and Hiby R4. Highly recommended for EDM and bass heavy tracks.
Moral of the story - Dont ignore Pritam's recommendations.
This IEM has a great energetic sound signature. It was slightly on the spicy side in the beginning but an upgrade to a copper cable and tip rolling made it perfect. The shell is slightly on the larger side so I'm having to adjust it once in a while. The shells are super light though. It comes with 3 different types of tips but I found a perfect fit with symphonium tips. The stock cable is decent but the lack of ear hook guides made it unstable for me. I moved to a copper cable which helped in getting better bass and reducing the treble spikes. Its really easy to drive and efficient with most sources and doesn't need a lot of power to sound its best.
Best product from AUDIOCULAR to carry all my expensive audio devices in one compact sized carrying case.
Its perfectly designed to keep DAP, DAC & IEMs in one single case. Looks small but comes with adequate space to arrange all required devices in an easy way.
Its have 3 individual compartments divided by two racks placed inside which are easily removable or usable if required.
Case's inside Material is soo soft that we can feel with touch, so with that all our audio devices will be very safe and scratch free.
At initial when I saw the price, thought like bit expensive but after getting that in hands and using it got a feel like its worthy at that price.
See my attached picture for your reference.
Thanks to TheAudioStore for making this case available.
Regards
Surya.
Those IEMs have most crisp sound in such a low price.. also very durable. Cable and connecting pins are also durable too. Best for enjoying old bollywood songs. I’m happy with this.
It is best earphones in budget
This is my first IEM, still I am very much satisfied with the sound quality. Meets my expectations. A little bit Eq tweaking would bring you best listening experience. Overall good product, build quality is good.
The only thing I wish could have been better is the wire quality.
A lot of space for your iem and others stuff like DAC, tips etc. and the best stuff is it soft and well padded from inside.. I loved it
I've been running my Kiwi Ears Quintets directly from my MacBook, and looking for a DAC to improve. Saw good reviews about the Onix Xl1, and ordered from TAS as soon as it was available. The DAC is a solid to hold and looks well made. Bit larger than others, but it's mostly for use with my laptop, so no issues for me. Switched my IEM's to 4.4 balanced, and the sound is great, with a distinct improvement from running it off the Mac 3.5 earlier. With my limited judgement I would say it adds a bit of warmth to the bass, and also tames a bit of the higher end for the Quintets. I find in high gain mode, the imaging and separation seem to get a slight boost, but maybe that's just me. Very happy with my purchase and would totally recommend!
I personally would recommend these for anyone who wants a balanced a sound with thumping base it’s simply awesome
These are the best ear tips that I've ever experienced! I've bought the ML size, and they fit perfectly in the conchas of my ears. The velvety smooth finish of the tips is sublime to the touch and feels super soft when put inside the ears.
The sound impression of these tips caught me unawares! They startled me! This is the first time I felt that a pair of excellent ear tips can make an IEM sound better. Much better, in fact. It makes the sound holographic and well-rounded; both the width and the height increase significantly; I had to turn the volume a couple of notches down in every music source I use: DAP, desktop, laptop, mobile phone, or tab with a DAC, etc. Most of the IEMs I used with these ear tips sounded superb in low volumes. They didn't distort sound on high volumes as well.
I used them with FiiO FD5, Final Audio A5000, Meze Alba, Dunu Titan S, Shure Aonic 215, and Pixel Buds. (In the case of the Pixel Buds, I could not close the case after putting these on; so I guess a smaller size is needed.) It's too bad I couldn't use them with Westone Audio Mach30 because of improper fit.
Versus the Dunu S&S: The Dunu S&S has similar characteristics. But the Velvet has a much more impactful sound. It has a thicker note weight that enhances the natural timbre of both male and female vocals and most instruments. The Velvet also has a much bigger soundstage than that created by the S&S. Contrarily, the S&S has more accurate imaging than the Velvet.
Versus the Symbio W (Silicone with foam inside): The Symbio W makes sound more intimate than the Velvet. It has a smaller soundstage than the Velvet and hence it is less holographic than Velvet. But it is more transparent than Velvet with light note weight; so I prefer to listen to singers like Tracy Chapman or P!nk with these ear tips on.
I must say that the shape of the Velvet ear tips is exquisite! Add to that the perfect choice of materials and finish and you have a winning combination. (Please see the pictures of the top and bottom of the three ear tips in the photo I've uploaded.) At almost INR500 a pair, these are the best ear tips among all the ear tips that I've ever tested! I'll surely get more of them in the future. I highly recommend them to everyone!
I carry the following items in my office bag.
1. Fiio BTR7
2. Fiio BTR7‘s type-C to type-C cable
3. Fiio BTR7‘s type-C to lightning cable
4. A 4.4mm (F) to 3.5mm (M) converter
5. Hifiman RE400
6. Type-C to 3.5mm dongle
7. Lightning to 3.5mm dongle
See the attached pictures. Earlier, I used to carry these 7 items in 2 separate cases. With this case coming in at just Rs. 250/-, I have now perfectly fit all these 7 items into one case. It’s made my life easier as i no longer have to carry and pack-unpack two separate cases each time.
I also love the fact that this case fits the Fiio BTR7 like a glove.
For me, this case has the perfect length, breadth, and more importantly width.
The case’s in-hand feel is also very good and it’s zip is super smooth.
200% recommended.