Thieaudio Redefines its Tribrid IEM King with the Monarch MKII Jammed pack with a single Dynamic driver, six Balanced Armatures, and two Electrostatics for explosive performance Retuned and meticulously analyzed for improved balanced sound New soft braided "paracord" stock cable with modular plug design Includes 2.5mm, 3.5mm, and 4.4mm smart-switch plugs Read our 2025 Thieaudio Buyer's Guide! Bloom's Take Thieaudio Monarch MK2 brings a fantastic tuning with exquisite detail and strong dynamics highlighting an incredible listening experience. Monarch captures the highly resolving nature and micro-detail presentation of a flagship experience and delivers them with impressive value for your money. The Monarch MKII is easily a best-seller IEM at Bloom Audio and earned a seat at the table of Bloom Audio's "Best Bang for your Buck" IEMs of 2022. Read our full review. The King, Retuned and Refined More than a year and a half after its initial release, the most popular and praised Thieaudio Signature Series IEM is making a comeback! The Monarch, a milestone for both Thieaudio and the global audio community, has been completely redefined with driver overhauls and enhanced tuning. The original hallmarked not only one of the first IEM’s to properly integrate EST driver technology, but also firmly established Thieaudio’s place in the world of Hi-Fi audio. Listening to feedback from the audiophile community, Thieaudio has worked to refine what was already one of the most revered monitors of its class to present the ultimate form of the original: the Monarch MK II. A New Engine for New Limits The goal for the Monarch MKII: enhance its technical performance, introduce a more balanced tuning, and stay true to the original spirit of the Monarch. Thieaudio embraced the opportunity by updating the internal drivers and rearranging configurations to achieve an even more optimal performance. Dynamic DriverThe 10mm dynamic driver has been upgraded to a brand new composite diaphragm driver increasing membrane tension and magnet strength to allow for extreme responsiveness. Focusing specifically on the sub-bass frequencies, this driver becomes a subwoofer, producing tighter, more impactful punches. Additionally, 2 dedicated subwoofer BA drivers were paired with the dynamic driver, bringing about a coherency between the lows and the remaining frequency spectrum. BA DriversThe heart of the Monarch was always its precise and neutral mids that made it a capable studio monitor. To emphasize this, the balanced armature drivers were reconfigured with 4 mid-frequency drivers. Doubling down on the BA drivers yields incredible advances in technical performance with reduced distortion and enhanced resolution, clarity, and articulation in the mids and highs. EST DriversThe latest electrostatic drivers are incorporated, and rearrangement of driver location has minimized unwanted tubing resonance while extending high frequency rolloff. The result is a more even and detailed treble allowing for a greater sense of sparkly, high-resolution atmosphere in your music. The Monarch MKII continues the Thieaudio legacy of being one of the few IEMs in the world to properly utilize EST technology. Retuned for Balanced Perfection Thieaudio listened to the audiophile community's feedback about potentially over-emphasized sub-bass by slightly decreasing the volume of the sub-bass while pushing the low-pass crossover from 150Hz to 200Hz. The clean, punchy subwoofer-like characteristics of the lows are maintained without muddying the mids but introduces a slightly warm texture to low-frequency instruments such as the bass guitar. The mids between 200Hz and 1kHz are kept at a ruler-flat neutral. The mid-treble transition between 1 and 2kHz has been pushed back to 3kHz reducing any nasal or harsh vocal textures while still emphasizing the crispness of instruments. Every aspect of the tuning process has been scrutinized and meticulously tested by ear and measurement equipment. The Stock Cable of Monarch MKII Thieaudio's cable has been improved by using a soft braided "paracord" material while maintaining the ultra-pure silver plated 26AWG OCC copper litz. However, adding an additional strand provides a beefier feel and richer sound. Also introduced is Thieaudio's proprietary "Smart Switch", a new modular plug design allowing the choice to pair the 2-pin IEM cable to a balanced 4.4mm or 2.5mm, or 3.5mm single-ended termination.
