ThieAudio Monarch MKIII Review

Today we review the ThieAudio Monarch MKiii Tribrid In-Ear Monitors. It sells for $999 USD.

Disclaimer: ThieAudio Monarch MKIII was provided by Linsoul for the purpose of this review, at no cost. As always, the article reflects my unbiased opinion.

ThieAudio

ThieAudio is a company that specializes in the research & development of audiophile in-ear monitors as well as headphones. The brand was established in 2019. According to their statement, their goal is to serve as a creative platform by bringing together the best teams of engineers to design & manufacture high-performance, high-end audiophile products. Their statement continues by saying that for each project, they hand-select the most innovative and renowned engineers in their respective fields to oversee the design, engineering, and manufacturing of the products. In a very short period of time, they managed to become a great company that designs products for every price range on the market.

You can find our ThieAudio reviews, here.

Today, we are looking at the latest of their Monarch series the MKIII. It has been a while since the MKII and ThieAudio have taken the necessary steps to evaluate user feedback on the MKII to improve upon it and create MKIII. Let’s see what they’ve achieved in a year.

ThieAudio Monarch MKIII Tribrid In-Ear Monitor

ThieAudio’s latest, the Monarch MKIII arrives as the heralded successor to the fan-favorite Monarch MKII, a product that set high standards in the realm of tribrid IEMs. The MKIII seeks to improve the Monarch line further, building upon the balanced and coherent sound signature that was the hallmark of its predecessor. This new iteration promises enhancements in sound quality, technical performance, and user experience, aiming to address the market’s ever-evolving demands. ThieAudio has spent a lot of time listening to feedback and making improvements. We’ll dive into the details of the MKIII to see how it differs from the MKII and to explore the advancements made by ThieAudio. The MKIII starts from $999 USD on Linsoul. 

It has been more than five hundred days since our MKII review and our take on Monarch MKII and tribrid sphere did not undergone a major change.

ThieAudio has changed the bass setup in the Monarch MKIII, moving from one dynamic driver to two, placed facing each other in a design called IMPACT² technology. The engineers at ThieAudio say that adding another 10mm subwoofer improves the power and texture of the bass. Meanwhile, their unique design keeps the frequency and pressure steady. We saw a similar design in Blessing3, called the Horizontally-Opposed 2DD Module.

Recognizing that acoustic tuning is as important as choosing the right drivers and making crossover adjustments, it’s good to see ThieAudio focusing on all the right areas in their research and development. The team has also updated the EST design in the Monarch MKIII with the latest drivers from Sonion, aiming to expand the upper treble range. They hope this change will improve perceived resolution, stage width, and stage depth, making the listening experience even better.

Specifications

Driver Configuration: Sonion EST, Knowles DWFK 31785 (x2), Sonion 28UAP (x1), IMPACT2 (2 x 10mm Composite DD) + 4-Way Crossover

Socket: 0.78-2Pin

Housing: Resin Body, Metal Nozzle, Artisan Faceplate

Cable: 1.2m 22AWG 6N OCC Silver-Plated and Graphene Silver-Plated Cable with Modular 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm Plugs

Impedance: 20Ω 

Sensitivity: 99dB @ 1kHz (+/- 1dB)

Packaging & Accessories

The Monarch MKIII is presented in the classic ThieAudio packaging design to which we’ve become accustomed. The fully foam-padded box is divided into two compartments, ensuring the safety of the contents. The earphones are housed in a foam compartment. If you look next to it, you see the hard carrying case lined with fabric, reminiscent of the older Monarch models, but now featuring a slightly darker grey fabric finish.

Included with the IEMs are three pairs each of foam and silicone eartips, along with a modular cable equipped with three interchangeable plugs. The provided OCC cable, silver-plated and graphene silver-plated, features a modular system, and the package includes 3.5mm, 4.4mm, and 2.5mm gold-plated plugs. This cable shares its the aesthetics with those previously paired with the Oracle MKII, OG Prestige, and the Prestige LTD, featuring a 4-braid, litz structure that renders it notably resistant to corrosion, thus greatly enhancing its durability.

The interchangeable modular system, similar to a 4-pin mini XLR system, feels robust and durable. The textured/grippy connectors of the removable plugs and main connector ensure a secure grip whilst switching the plugs, preventing any unintended slippage. A small notch on the connector’s inner side aids users in aligning the correct pins, eliminating the need for manual orientation and angle adjustments. The cable’s build quality is quite nice, promising reliability and durability in the long run. You won’t need to browse for upgrade cables right away.

Design, Build & Fit

Consistent with nearly every ThieAudio IEM available, the Monarch MKIII exemplifies excellent build quality. This iteration introduces an opportunity to acquire a truly bespoke universal IEM design, with ThieAudio allowing users to select from a variety of faceplate designs and shell colors.

Depending on the chosen design combo, ThieAudio charges an additional $50 to $150 USD, and Linsoul anticipates a 3-4 week timeframe for the construction and shipment of all UIEM (custom designs). Here’s a link to the full color round-up.

The standard faceplate of the Monarch MKIII features a grey-black smoky design coupled with opaque black shells—a good choice, especially for those preferring to save the extra hundred bucks. The review unit pictured in the photos features the ”Sunset Horizon” faceplate design and a ”black bat” shell color, a combination that looks absolutely stunning, in my opinion.

The shells, meticulously crafted from high-quality, medical-grade acrylic resin, feature an opaque body that prohibits any light passage. When compared with the Monarch MKII, the MKIII reveals a slightly modified shell structure and shape, more contoured with sharper edges surrounding the inner shell.

The support for the Concha area is accentuated with a more pronounced ridge, and the overall shell is slightly thicker. Moreover, the bass reflex port in the MKIII has been repositioned to the bottom side, now facing forward. Apart from that, they offer a similar form / factor.

The Monarch MKII, naturally not a compact earphone with its 9 driver configuration, and now with its 10 driver configuration, the MKIII iteration is potentially creating a fitting challenge for audiophiles with smaller ears. Personally, I regard the Monarch MKII as superior in terms of fit—it stands as one of the most comfortable IEMs despite its size in my collection—but the MKIII does not fall significantly short.

The integration of an additional driver in the MKIII is likely the driving force behind ThieAudio’s design alteration. I have a pretty average ear anatomy and I did not feel any vacuum effect, pain, or discomfort, even during long listening sessions with the MKIII. I recommend using wide-bore tips with all ThieAudio IEMs.

In conclusion, the Monarch MKIII stands out with its custom designs. The meticulous quality and craftsmanship align perfectly with the expectations set by ThieAudio. The intricate, hard to craft areas, such as the joints connecting the nozzle to the shell and the ventilation holes for the dynamic drivers, are built well.

This thorough craftsmanship is in line with ThieAudio’s previously reviewed IEMs, and their team clearly deserves recognition for maintaining a such standard in the Chi-Fi sphere. Well done!

The review continues on the next page. Click here or use the jump below.

Page 1: ThieAudio, The Monarch MKIII, Packaging & Accessories, Design, Build & Fit

Page 2: Sound, Low, Mid, High, Technical Capability, Comparisons, Last Words