It took longer than I thought but ThieAudio once again has a Monarch that can rest on its laurels. The original Monarch is a set I will never part with and I still pull it out from time to time because it's responsible for a special memory by being the first set to showcase what IEMs are capable of. The tuning isn't for everyone and yet I still see a place for it in 2023 just because it does something different from everything else—too bad it is discontinued. The Monarch MKII released alongside the V16 Divinity and were ThieAudio's co-flagships for a while. The Monarch MKII increased in cost from $730 for the original Monarch to $999 whereas the all-BA V16 Divinity is still ThieAudio's most expensive release to date at $1499. The former was so popular owing to a few early reviews that ThieAudio could barely make enough to sell to consumers, let alone have spare review samples. I still heard it enough to know it's a well tuned set and a potential end game for many, but a nice tuning these days doesn't have to cost $1000. ThieAudio still had the same complaints about a lacking mid-bass in both quantity and quality alike. The recently released Monarch MKIII costs the same as the Monarch MKII and is a much better set for the money if I say so myself. But it is not a perfect set either and has its own separate issues to be aware of.

By having an extra dynamic driver and making it part of a dual DD isobaric setup, the Monarch MKIII offers a well-textured and dynamic bass that is engaging to the ears. It's also tuned to have slightly more mid-bass than its predecessor, thus ensuring no one finds it lean or having a pronounced bass tuck. ThieAudio manages to do this without making the bass come off bloated or affecting the clarity of the mids which is commendable. As far as I am concerned, the mids were always the strong point of the Monarch lineup and the MKIII continues this trend. We get an accurate, flat response where it matters and yet the Monarch MKIII isn't a fully neutral set at all. There's of course the elevated bass but also the tonality is deliberately colored to work well with the likes of Asian pop and acoustic jazz. At the same time, it can be a bit much for others and, between the Prestige and Monarch series, ThieAudio still needs to work on its EST driver implementation. Better yet, don't simply spend the relatively high cash on those drivers if it's not providing a meaningful return. Simply having treble extension isn't enough these days as it can be fatiguing/annoying if not executed well. Unfortunately, the Monarch MKIII is no different and this is the only place where I am not convinced it does enough to be a default contender for anyone with a $1000 budget. There are still many who will like this set though, especially given the customizable aesthetics (at an extra cost). If you like how the Monarch MKIII looks in any of the shell/face plate combinations and decide this is for you then who am I to say otherwise? It's a strong contender at least, but do weigh your options and make sure this is the set for you.