Look this is not going to make some people happy but it is something that needs to be said. Since its launch the Monarch has been on top of the world of IEMs. Everyone that got a chance to listen to them all came away with the same conclusion even when they wanted to believe otherwise. That conclusion was surrounded by the realism and timbre it delivered on. The Monarch MK2 simply put is the most realistic ever placed into an IEM thank’s to that amazing frequency response DNA Thieaudio stands on.
They created a frequency response that removes all harshness in the treble and smooths out all the peaks and spikes found in other IEMs. Its ruler flat mid range is the reason for the amazing realistic tones and timbre in voice and instruments. The tonality it delivers with all this in place creates imaging and soundstages that more believable than anything you have heard. So it is this very thing that is responsible for the win against the U12T’s.
Yes the u12T has the most resolutions thanks to its all BA set of drivers. Their treble, while higher, it is not natural. It recreates treble that isn’t exactly what it intended to be by the artist and while this may be pleasing to experience for some, for others that seek the most realistic interpretation of the songs they listen to will sense the absence of the realism from the Monarch MK2 when listening to the U12T. They also recess the vocals, pushing them back into the mix and not up front and personal like the Monarch, which is absolutely huge for me.
Another thing they will feel or should I say, not feel, is the realism in the bass and sub bass that only high-end Dynamically drivers can produce. You see, despite the need to brag about the U12T, even the fans all say the same thing and that is that the U12T is the best BA driver bass they have heard. Notice though, the statement, “ Best BA driver”. All that means is that it “comes close” to dynamic drivers. Well, the Monarch doesn’t just come close, it is what a high-end $1000 dynamic driver should sound like. It doesn’t come close to being what it needs to be, it is what it needs to be. All genres, all types of needs from ASMR, to Podcast, to music. It all is exactly what it was intended to be and its delivery is the most realistic on the market today.
The ESt drivers absolutely delivers the treble without any sibilance while delivering on crisp clear and details in every aspect and all the while being perfectly balance with the Bass, sub bass, and mids without trying to overdo anything or come up short in any area. And when you finally see this and factor in that not only does the U12T fail at beating them, they also want $1000 more it.
So let’s recap…. timber, realism tonality, intimate vocals, mastery of the sub bass, and treble done exactly like it supposed to be deliver without harshness or artificial structure, all prove that Monarch MK2 as the superior IEM, despite the hype and push for the U12T. And finally the price difference as the icing on the cake. As long as the Monarch MK2 fits your ears, you have no better realistic IeM on the market today and is the reason why it’s the ONLY $1000 IEm to gain the S ranking on Crinicle’s list.
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