[AFidelity]

My custom monarchs are in. I still need some time to test them out but a few quick songs show nothing out of place. Everything sounds really clean and soundstage is quite good. Probably close to my z1r. I'll update once I get some more time in. If anyone has some songs they want reference let me know.

Very cool! I would love more comparisons to the Z1R once you've got some time on the Monarch. That was going to be my choice before ordering the Monarchs. I've heard both the MDR and IER Z1R briefly at a show that I was working in the same booth as Sony. I really liked both and still might get the MDR Z1R. I didn't know if I'd get used to the fit and size of the Z1R and unfortunately didn't pay enough attention to the comfort at all. I'm glad to report I love the fit of the Monarch.

 

[Dolores Dolomites]

More and more people are going to be buying/belatedly receiving (owing to the month+ lag between purchase and delivery) Monarchs on the basis of glowing reviews online. I think it might be important to signal boost that experience a lot of people have had with the Monarchs sounding frankly... kind of crappy and weird (to my ears and apparently others') out of the box, but beginning to dramatically open up with time logged.

That or EST drivers need burn in too. But it could just be the imbalance of the DD before burn in.
Really digging them now. The first night I thought I made a mistake.

Seriously, gentlemen... This question is puzzling me so badly every now and then. And I'm sure it'll never be solved anytime soon.
Her Majesty The Monarch sounded "wow" just out of the box to me because I wasn't used to such an abundance of clarity in an IEM set.
Second day, I started questioning my choice and thinking it sounded too thin and weak in the mid-bass area. I thought of swapping it with a pair of Clairvoyance, just to be set back by Linsoul's return policy which doesn't allow that. (...)
In the next few days, totalling more or less 30 playing hours, I started to think the Monarch was way more balanced than I thought before... Much like this:

Now they are coming around after 30 hours or so of continuous play. Much more balanced and 3D sounding.

Went on and bought the 20Ω HiBy adapter anyway, out of curiosity, and loved the added thickness with rock music but hated the mess it made with positioning and stage in basically any other genre.
Oh well...
Ends up, as You may understand, that I truly love the way the Monarch sounds now, although I can't get any listening session to last more than two hours because it's a real tough load for my mind more than for my ears to take for how much they drag your attention to every little detail.

Brain burn-in? I tend to think so. Drivers burn-in? Might be, but in my opinion. for how they're built, it shouldn't take more than a few power hits across every frequency for that to happen. Matter of seconds, or minutes... IDK
Uh... The Unholy Grail of all things head/earphones. *shrugs*

 

[granularclouds]

Brain burn-in? I tend to think so. Drivers burn-in? Might be,

I'm willing to grant that burn-in on virtually every other audio equipment I've tried can be attributed to psychological/psycho-acoustic factors rather than physical properties changing in the hardware. I still believe physical burn-in exists, but it's been so marginal that I really can't say for sure that the process that had occurred wasn't just my ears acquainting themselves to the tech in question.

With the Monarchs, I went through a pretty dramatic arc of honestly seriously lamenting and regretting my purchase to loving them. I mean I'm not going to push back after this message, and it's a pretty moot/worthless thing to get in a tangle over, but I don't believe the Monarchs sound so significantly better because my brain is better able to assimilate the bass/details/etc. I also didn't even listen that long in my initial sit-down with them, because I just disliked them that much. Let them play on my desk, and viola. Now they might be my favorite IEM.

Anyway, no one's going to be able to come to a conclusion on the burn-in question, particularly because I doubt there's enough knowledge on tribrids... But the point stands: it'd be great if some reviewers could note that the thing might sound like ass upon first listen. It'd really save people a bumpy first day or two, and maybe even some mistaken/uninformed returns-resales. Would help temper/qualify the near-universal effusive praise they've been getting. Because they definitely didn't sound like the S-tier IEMs I'd read about right out of the package.

 

[wizzman121]

Having some fun A-B-C-ing these tonight. My setup for this listening session was my PC FLAC collection into a Topping D90 into a THX 887 balanced output. Some running thoughts:

• As previously discussed the Monarch sounded very peaky and not cohesive at all out of the box. After 3-4 days this completely changed for the better. This was not just brain-burn
• Very interesting that the Clairvoyance does not exhibit the "burn-in" effect
• The S8 is still the smoothest and best balanced of the three although slightly less dynamic and lacking the boosted frequencies of the other two
• The Monarch is not for passive listening. It is not fatiguing to me but it is hard to put the music in the background with these in your ears- a good thing most of the time!
• The Monarch is hands down the my favorite for electronic music (Aphex, Autecher, Max Cooper, Skee Mask, Daniel Avery, Four Tet, Tipper etc...)
• The Monarch can sound just a smidge thin on some 90s rock and alternative music
• The Clairvoyance definitely warms up the less dynamic and bass-light classic rock recordings
• Going back and forth the 2.5k peak is a bit sharper on the Clairvoyance than the Monarch (can see this on the graph here)
• The S8 has the best stock tips, they work great!
• The new lip at the end of the Thieaudio nozzles have a pretty pronounced lip now. This may not be a problem for most but it has made most of my tips unusable. You can see how it flairs out the inner bore of the tip. The only tip that works for me now is the Spinfit 360 because it has a step inside the bore (right above the blue ring) to latch onto a lip (meant for true wireless applications). Personally I wish they had not added this lip:

• The Monarch has the best soundstage and imaging
• The Clairvoyance has the most full and warm sound
• I love the stock EST cable that comes with the Thieaudios. It is a little thicker and heavier and has just the right amount of spring so that is does not tangle like the Ali Express wet spaghetti cables that are soft but tangle like crazy
• All three can be used with most genres without feeling like you have the wrong gear
• The Monarch is a magnifying glass into the source recording quality (don't confuse that with file type and quality). It has revealed how poor some of my favorite tunes were actually recorded
• The S8 has the least quantity of bass but the best bass texture. It is certainly enough for most recordings it just isn't boosted the way the twins are
• The bass boost in the Monarch and Clairvoyance are quite different but are executed very well
• The Clairvoyance has the most natural sounding bass that enhances any kind of string and drum instrument music
• The Monarch's sub bass is just awesome on modern recordings (>Y2K). I love how when there is no bass, their is NO BASS on the Monarchs... zero bloom/bleed into the mids
• It is almost impossible to capture how cool the twins look in person in a photograph
• I still think the S8 is the best looking (resin filled shell ftw!)
• The Clairvoyance does require a little extra turn of the volume knob to drive them compared to the Monarch and S8
• If I could trade just a tiny bit of bass quantity for some additional bass texture the Monarch would be just about perfect

Sorry for the random train of thought. I do not have the time or patience to organize my thoughts into a formal review. This is just the result of comparing these three for an evening. I will likely only keep two of these and I would say I am leaning towards the S8 and Monarch at the moment but will enjoy all three for the foreseeable future.

12/14/2020 Updates:

• Along the lines of what I previously stated it is very clear that the Monarch is the easy choice for electronic-based music.
• On the Monarch I will occasionally notice the pretty sharp bass shelf with some rock/alternative/classic rock music and it sounds a little strange where the bass tones will seem a little cut off. I will try and list some song examples in the future. The Clairvoyance is definitely the most balanced of the two and is easily more preferable for rock/alternative/classic rock genres.
• The Monarch has superior sub-bass but the Clairvoyance is much more balanced and warms up the mids in a more satisfying way.
• If you never heard the Monarch bass the Clairvoyance is still a very tastefully boosted bass experience that works with more genres overall

And finally a few important hardware observations:

• On my first Clairvoyance set the left side 2-pin connector could rock a little bit when fully inserted and over the course of a lengthy listening session the 2 pin connector would slowly work it's way loose of the IEM. It was such a problem that the set was returned and kindly replaced my Linsoul. The replacement Clairvoyance did not seem to exhibit the same issue.
• On my Monarachs I experienced the exact same issue however the 2-pin connector would stop working its way out once it was maybe 1-2 mm "loose".
• I did however end up with an extra stock cable due to an error in my order request and the 3rd cable seems to have a much more snug fit and not be working its way out.
• What does seem consistent though across all three units (Two Clairvoyances and one Monarch) is that the 2-pin holes on the IEMs seem to be just a tad wider than the 2 pins on the cables. Depending on small inconsistencies in the manufacturing of these cable connectors this results in the 2 pins being slight stretched apart as you insert them causing some outward pressure the further they are inserted. This is really nitpicky stuff but a little concerning given that I experienced this on two of the three units I had.
• Lastly and maybe one of the most surprising observations was how different the shell and more specifically the nozzle length and angle are between the Monarch and Clairvoyance. They are definitely not "identical" twins. The short summary is the Clairvoyance has a shorter nozzle and the angle is more perpendicular to the face of the IEM. The Monarch has a slightly longer (deeper fitting) and more ergonomic (for my ear canals anyways) angle to the nozzle. Unfortunately since they added the lip on the nozzle to better grip the tips I am just unable to easily get a good fit with the Clairvoyance. I am pretty disappointed because I likely would have kept both if not for this issue. I am able to just pop the Monarchs in without even thinking and they are seated and sealed perfectly. After trying 8 or 10 different tips I still had to tinker with the insertion depth and angle of the Clairvoyance to get that perfect seal which just wasn't going to work for me. I think this will vary from person to person so do not assume my experience will be yours. But do consider the physical differences of the IEMs (compared to some IEMs you might already own) pictured below when making your decision:

Conclusion- I am keeping the Monarchs and they are are one if if not my favorite IEM or headphone for listening to electronic music which makes up about 80+% of my listening these days. They are just awesome!

 

[nastypoker]

I am enjoying the Monarch so much I might need to sell some of my other IEM's and get the Clair as well.

 

[AFidelity]

I am enjoying the Monarch so much I might need to sell some of my other IEM's and get the Clair as well.

I was thinking the same thing for a minute. But I don't think I'd be willing to give up some of what the Monarch can do for the extra upper bass.

Luckily i don't listen to much rock at all. I was listening to Lee Ritenour last night thinking some of the tracks would sound better on the Clair. But then I figured the wonderful separation and imaging would take too much of a hit.

Depends on your listening habits I suppose. For myself, I'd rather just have one or the other and i belive i made the right choice since i listen to a lot of electronic, jazz and some ambient and indie stuff.

 

[nastypoker]

I was thinking the same thing for a minute. But I don't think I'd be willing to give up some of what the Monarch can do for the extra upper bass.

Luckily i don't listen to much rock at all. I was listening to Lee Ritenour last night thinking some of the tracks would sound better on the Clair. But then I figured the wonderful separation and imaging would take too much of a hit.

Depends on your listening habits I suppose. For myself, I'd rather just have one or the other and i belive i made the right choice since i listen to a lot of electronic, jazz and some ambient and indie stuff.

I listen to a lot of rock and metal so it seems like it would be good to try the Clair.

 

[HanselPA]

Having some fun A-B-C-ing these tonight. My setup for this listening session was my PC FLAC collection into a Topping D90 into a THX 887 balanced output. Some running thoughts:

• As previously discussed the Monarch sounded very peaky and not cohesive at all out of the box. After 3-4 days this completely changed for the better. This was not just brain-burn
• Very interesting that the Clairvoyance does not exhibit the "burn-in" effect
• The S8 is still the smoothest and best balanced of the three although slightly less dynamic and lacking the boosted frequencies of the other two
• The Monarch is not for passive listening. It is not fatiguing to me but it is hard to put the music in the background with these in your ears- a good thing most of the time!
• The Monarch is hands down the my favorite for electronic music (Aphex, Autecher, Max Cooper, Skee Mask, Daniel Avery, Four Tet, Tipper etc...)
• The Monarch can sound just a smidge thin on some 90s rock and alternative music
• The Clairvoyance definitely warms up the less dynamic and bass-light classic rock recordings
• Going back and forth the 2.5k peak is a bit sharper on the Clairvoyance than the Monarch (can see this on the graph here)
• The S8 has the best stock tips, they work great!
• The new lip at the end of the Thieaudio nozzles have a pretty pronounced lip now. This may not be a problem for most but it has made most of my tips unusable. You can see how it flairs out the inner bore of the tip. The only tip that works for me now is the Spinfit 360 because it has a step inside the bore (right above the blue ring) to latch onto a lip (meant for true wireless applications). Personally I wish they had not added this lip:

• The Monarch has the best soundstage and imaging
• The Clairvoyance has the most full and warm sound
• I love the stock EST cable that comes with the Thieaudios. It is a little thicker and heavier and has just the right amount of spring so that is does not tangle like the Ali Express wet spaghetti cables that are soft but tangle like crazy
• All three can be used with most genres without feeling like you have the wrong gear
• The Monarch is a magnifying glass into the source recording quality (don't confuse that with file type and quality). It has revealed how poor some of my favorite tunes were actually recorded
• The S8 has the least quantity of bass but the best bass texture. It is certainly enough for most recordings it just isn't boosted the way the twins are
• The bass boost in the Monarch and Clairvoyance are quite different but are executed very well
• The Clairvoyance has the most natural sounding bass that enhances any kind of string and drum instrument music
• The Monarch's sub bass is just awesome on modern recordings (>Y2K). I love how when there is no bass, their is NO BASS on the Monarchs... zero bloom/bleed into the mids
• It is almost impossible to capture how cool the twins look in person in a photograph
• I still think the S8 is the best looking (resin filled shell ftw!)
• The Clairvoyance does require a little extra turn of the volume knob to drive them compared to the Monarch and S8
• If I could trade just a tiny bit of bass quantity for some additional bass texture the Monarch would be just about perfect

Sorry for the random train of thought. I do not have the time or patience to organize my thoughts into a formal review. This is just the result of comparing these three for an evening. I will likely only keep two of these and I would say I am leaning towards the S8 and Monarch at the moment but will enjoy all three for the foreseeable future.

Awesome A, B and C!! Agree with you on the Monarch!! Some times I have the impulse of buy Clair and close the door for a while, but Monarch goes with my musical preferences and $700 for a secondary IEM for 20% of my listening times is a lot right now for my wallet.
Thanks for taking the time to write your impressions !!

 

[HanselPA]

Awesome A, B and C!! Agree with you on the Monarch!! Some times I have the impulse of buy Clair and close the door for a while, but Monarch goes with my musical preferences and $700 for a secondary IEM for 20% of my listening times is a lot right now for my wallet.
Thanks for taking the time to write your impressions !!

 

[Dolores Dolomites]

Awesome A, B and C!! Agree with you on the Monarch!! Some times I have the impulse of buy Clair and close the door for a while, but Monarch goes with my musical preferences and $700 for a secondary IEM for 20% of my listening times is a lot right now for my wallet.
Thanks for taking the time to write your impressions !!

You took the words right out of my mouth!
My percentage would be probably closer to 10%, but yeah... Now I'm sure I made the right choice between the two Twins.
And that burn-in... That 3-4 days burn-in... It's making me question myself, for that's right about the time when I started to hear the Monarch get "cohesive", although I've never believed in hardeware burn-in!
@wizzman121: Lovely comparative review! Much better than some lenghty reviews I've stumbled upon here and there... Thank you!
Listening to just about the same kind of stuff, by the way, and loving how the Monarch presents it.

 

[Vrodnenok]

since i already have one 'balanced' IEM CA Andro 2020, and i wanted some with fun tuning for jazz and electronic kind of music, so decided to buy Monarchs. Hope they will pair good with my QLS-QA361 DAP. Anyone tried such combination? (i also have Fiio M11 pro).

 

[nastypoker]

since i already have one 'balanced' IEM CA Andro 2020, and i wanted some with fun tuning for jazz and electronic kind of music, so decided to buy Monarchs. Hope they will pair good with my QLS-QA361 DAP. Anyone tried such combination? (i also have Fiio M11 pro).

No idea about the QLS DAP but the monarchs with my M11 pro are good. I don't have any other decent DAP's to compare to though but they require less volume than all of my other IEM's.

 

[AFidelity]

since i already have one 'balanced' IEM CA Andro 2020, and i wanted some with fun tuning for jazz and electronic kind of music, so decided to buy Monarchs. Hope they will pair good with my QLS-QA361 DAP. Anyone tried such combination? (i also have Fiio M11 pro).

I also don't have and haven't heard the QLS, but I work for a Cayin, Shanling, FiiO dealer and tried the M11 Pro and Cayin N3Pro. I have an AQ Cobalt that I would say is closer to the M11 Pro sound, so I got the N3Pro for flavour. The M11 Pro or Cobalt are dead ass quiet and really good depth and inner detail, but slightly smaller soundstage. N3Pro in UL is larger soundstage, more texture and spacious overall, but loose the tiniest bit of depth and inner detail. Also the Cobalt and M11 Pro are a cooler tone, N3Pro is a touch warmer.

 

[Vrodnenok]

in fact this is the first time i am buing IEMs over internet without hearing... and these 30-40 days of waiting is very frustrating i must say. i wasnt sure if i like the sound etc... any now i found this out on Crincle side. Monarch vs Hifiman RE400, they do look very similar. this comparison means a lot as i liked RE400 very much when i owned them and actually never complained about bass quality/quantity.

p.s. still too long waiting ahead.

 

[Wanny]

Does Linsoul charge your card when you order or when it ships?

I'm guessing when you oder because they have to make it, correct?