The Thieaudio brand is a brand that is well deserving of all the honor it is given buy those who are honestly interested in them and just hating because they are sick of people talking about them. The Monarch MK2 and MK3 are at the very top of the charts of IEMs. They deliver on sound and specifically, the sound of the Mid range better than anyone in the game. Their approach delivers the most realistic Vocals, Timbre, Decay, and Tonality for IEMs today.
Now yes, of course if you are not looking for realism and seeking for more exaggerated sounds frequency, then this IEM isn’t for you. But for most Audiophile, realism is the illusive four leaf clover they all seek. And it is there that this IEM has no true upgrade plan for a successor. Most will say that the MK3 is the successor, it isn’t. Even though it is a great IEM and possesses the same problems of a true upgrade step, it is a mere side grade with certain performances still falling back to the MK2 depending on what you looking for.
It has higher treble , but that same balance in the treble is what people asked for when the MK2 was made. It also has a longer barrel that sticks out of your ears vs the MK2. Now of course some could still complain that this is better than the width of the MK2 if they have small ears. But if you don’t have small ears, and the MK2 fits like a glove, like it does with me, then the longer barrel isn’t an upgrade … it’s a downgrade along with the weaker cable quality( the Monarch mk2 is the best cable ever placed in a IEM box.
Then we have brands like Empire Ears, 64 Audio, and Final audio to name a few. None of them have the frequency response realism of the Thieaudio. They are all over exaggerated in their frequency response or have very low impedance stats, basically making them useless for on the go music off your phone. Now for some, they are fine with getting IEM’s for desk use off their amp and DAC. I’m not! I have my Hifiman Edition XS for my desk. Why would I need to use IEMs over that? Personally, for me, IEM’s aren’t made for desk use. They are made for the on the go or away from your desk, in bed, or outside situations.
So for me, I looked and for one reason or another no other brand serves as an upgrade path for the Thieaudio Monarch MK2 or Mk3. It truly stands an Endgame for me. So it’s a bittersweet moment to know all is over for IEMs for my needs but at the same time, a step we all should find one day anyway.
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