ThieAudio Signature Series Tribrid IEMs
Dec 2, 2020 at 4:43 PM Post #931 of 4,723
Have you tried the UIEM yet?

I think you'd be better to try them and see if you like the sound and fit. You may not need CIEMs. For me, the Monarch is the best fitting IEM I've tried and I don't think there would be any major benefit to the CIEM. Plus, if you like the UIEM, you'll almost definitely like the CIEM. I can't see committing to a CIEM you haven't heard yet, regardless of what any very few individuals might say about it.
Sounds like you won't be selling them :beyersmile:
 
Dec 2, 2020 at 10:09 PM Post #932 of 4,723
Dec 3, 2020 at 2:07 AM Post #933 of 4,723
Does anyone knows the noise isolation specs of Clairvoyance/Monarch? Is it 26db like QDCs?

I often use IEM outside (Massdrop Plus has 26db noise isolation). In streets/restaurants/malls/subways/airport, how's the isolation of Clairvoyance/Monarch?
 
Dec 3, 2020 at 9:59 AM Post #934 of 4,723
Sounds like you won't be selling them :beyersmile:

Not immediately or anything. I have to try some tips that are on the way. I have small ears but bug ear holes lol. So the medium spinfit are being replaced with large.

Also, out of the box they were an odd mix of detail laser and boomy sub bass with no mid bass. Now they are coming around after 30 hours or so of continuous play. Much more balanced and 3D sounding. I'll have to give them a real fighting chance when more ear tips arrive to try.

So, if I do sell them it won't be this month. And it won't be simply because I dont care for them. 😁
 
Dec 3, 2020 at 1:52 PM Post #935 of 4,723
Got these bad boys late yesterday. Been burning in for nearly 20 hours. Definitely sound better than fresh out of the box. Detail and separation was great straight away, but bass is much better integrated after some constant play.

I'd be interested in learning a bit about this phenomenon... I frankly didn't love, or even honestly like, the Monarch right out of the box. Lows were just pretty overwhelming and highs were shouty, uncomfortable (and that's speaking as an owner of the DT 1990s...). Sound just felt a little disjointed, as though the extremes of the frequency response belonged to two different IEMs, with the mids sounding weird and unengaging.

But after logging some hours (and tip swapping some), the sound feels a lot more cohesive. Highs and lows beginning to sound more refined and integrated.

It'd be natural to assume this is all just brain burn-in, but I heard the same from someone else - that their Monarchs responded really well to some burn-in. Does this have something to do with the tribrid nature of these IEMs?
 
Dec 3, 2020 at 2:31 PM Post #936 of 4,723
I'd be interested in learning a bit about this phenomenon... I frankly didn't love, or even honestly like, the Monarch right out of the box. Lows were just pretty overwhelming and highs were shouty, uncomfortable (and that's speaking as an owner of the DT 1990s...). Sound just felt a little disjointed, as though the extremes of the frequency response belonged to two different IEMs, with the mids sounding weird and unengaging.

But after logging some hours (and tip swapping some), the sound feels a lot more cohesive. Highs and lows beginning to sound more refined and integrated.

It'd be natural to assume this is all just brain burn-in, but I heard the same from someone else - that their Monarchs responded really well to some burn-in. Does this have something to do with the tribrid nature of these IEMs?

I have lots of experience with speakers (I work at a hifi shop) and over ear headphones that employ a single driver unit. But admittedly not much with IEMs, let alone hybrid/tribrids. I can say that from my experience with different speaker types that mechanic break in is a very real process. I would attribute some of it to "brain burn in" but honestly not much. I listened to the Monarch for a little less than an hour out of the box and disliked the disjointed sound and loose bass a bit. I really didn't care for the lack of any midbass or upper bass. I left them playing all night, morning and afternoon and got back to them about 20 hours later and they certainly did not sound the same. I cannot attribute any of that to my brain adjusting to them, as I wasn't listening to them prior to that for any amount of time to become acclimating with the sound and left a huge gap in between listens. Also, the difference I heard was noticeable right away when returning to them.

The following night I did the same thing and probably have over 40 hours on them now and they are actually quite smooth, despite having a fair bit of detail. The bass is much more controlled than with 0 hours, and actually has pretty good definition. How it all comes together is actually their strong point, as I think their bass technicals are about average (really a bit above average if you account for the depth of the bass however), and their tone and technicals are above average in the rest of the range, in my experience with headphones and IEMs that is. When they were fresh, there was no "comes together" about them at all. The detail was impressive, but not very agreeable or well integrated with the rest of the sound.

I feel like they started as an intense V shape with muted mids, over emphasized treble, lean bass, too much sub bass that was poor quality. Then came around to a very mild U shape with only slightly recessed lower mids, but just enough to keep a bass guitar or drums sounding convincing, with great sub bass quality and quantity, and even more impressive treble extension in it's quality and layering while remaining smooth.

Any of my listening has been with an iFi Pro iDSD and a Cayin N3Pro DAP. Both have tube options and I do prefer the tone of the Cayin N3Pro in Triode Tube Mode with the Monarch, and the Pro iDSD sans tubes for pure fast, fun and great technical ability with the Monarch (althought the N3Pro balanced SS mode or Ultralinear Tube mode is not terribly far behind).
 
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Dec 3, 2020 at 2:33 PM Post #937 of 4,723
I'd be interested in learning a bit about this phenomenon... I frankly didn't love, or even honestly like, the Monarch right out of the box. Lows were just pretty overwhelming and highs were shouty, uncomfortable (and that's speaking as an owner of the DT 1990s...). Sound just felt a little disjointed, as though the extremes of the frequency response belonged to two different IEMs, with the mids sounding weird and unengaging.

But after logging some hours (and tip swapping some), the sound feels a lot more cohesive. Highs and lows beginning to sound more refined and integrated.

It'd be natural to assume this is all just brain burn-in, but I heard the same from someone else - that their Monarchs responded really well to some burn-in. Does this have something to do with the tribrid nature of these IEMs?
I have never experienced that burn in is a thing with iems. But brain burn in is definately a thing. This hobby is very subjective. Personally i try to avoid most subjective impressions and focus on the few objectives that exists- unless there are someone i have the same as.
 
Dec 3, 2020 at 2:54 PM Post #938 of 4,723
I have lots of experience with speakers (I work at a hifi shop) and over ear headphones that employ a single driver unit. But admittedly not much with IEMs, let alone hybrid/tribrids. I can say that from my experience with different speaker types that mechanic break in is a very real process. I would attribute some of it to "brain burn in" but honestly not much. I listened to the Monarch for a little less than an hour out of the box and disliked the disjointed sound and loose bass a bit. I really didn't care for the lack of any midbass or upper bass. I left them playing all night, morning and afternoon and got back to them about 20 hours later and they certainly did not sound the same. I cannot attribute any of that to my brain adjusting to them, as I wasn't listening to them prior to that for any amount of time to become acclimating with the sound and left a huge gap in between listens. Also, the difference I heard was noticeable right away when returning to them.

The following night I did the same thing and probably have over 40 hours on them now and they are actually quite smooth, despite having a fair bit of detail. The bass is much more controlled than with 0 hours, and actually has pretty good definition. How it all comes together is actually their strong point, as I think their bass technicals are about average (really a bit above average if you account for the depth of the bass however), and their tone and technicals are above average in the rest of the range, in my experience with headphones and IEMs that is. When they were fresh, there was no "comes together" about them at all. The detail was impressive, but not very agreeable or well integrated with the rest of the sound.

I feel like they started as an intense V shape with muted mids, over emphasized treble, lean bass, too much sub bass that was poor quality. Then came around to a very mild U shape with only slightly recessed lower mids, but just enough to keep a bass guitar or drums sounding convincing, with great sub bass quality and quantity, and even more impressive treble extension in it's quality and layering while remaining smooth.

Any of my listening has been with an iFi Pro iDSD and a Cayin N3Pro DAP. Both have tube options and I do prefer the tone of the Cayin N3Pro in Triode Tube Mode with the Monarch, and the Pro iDSD sans tubes for pure fast, fun and great technical ability with the Monarch (althought the N3Pro balanced SS mode or Ultralinear Tube mode is not terribly far behind).

I'm not nearly at the 20 hours mark, let alone 40, but so far, this mirrors my experience pretty well. Almost bizarre how significant a difference even a handful of hours has made - and that taken with your experience, as well as others noted here and elsewhere - leads me to believe this definitely cannot be brain burn-in, no matter how enthusiastically some might make vague appeals to science and assure us burn in is fictitious across the board.

I was honestly really disappointed (all the moreso owing to Linsoul's "return policy") with the Monarchs upon receiving them yesterday. Was regretting not just stepping up from my Blessing 2's (which I adore) to the Moondrop S8, which I hear is for the most part a serious refinement of the B2.

But I'm beginning to change my tune. I bought the Monarchs chiefly for their technicalities - clarity, detail, imaging - and I feel I'm beginning to really get what I wanted out of them, after being put off by uncontrolled sub-bass and shouty treble, as well as overall disjointed sound, at first.

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.
 
Dec 3, 2020 at 2:56 PM Post #939 of 4,723
Have you tried the UIEM yet?

I think you'd be better to try them and see if you like the sound and fit. You may not need CIEMs. For me, the Monarch is the best fitting IEM I've tried and I don't think there would be any major benefit to the CIEM. Plus, if you like the UIEM, you'll almost definitely like the CIEM. I can't see committing to a CIEM you haven't heard yet, regardless of what any very few individuals might say about it.
I will not be able to try it before buying. I live in Norway where there is 0 shops who sell/have these kind of IEMs or interesting IEMs where u can try or buy. So i have to import them myself. Therefore i want to be as sure as i can with fit issues. And mostly the CIEM's is better than UIEMs. Ciem for Monarch is just 100 usd more. Is a nobrainer for me if i have to buy new. Ive tried ciem and the fit cant be compared to uiem. Atleast for me
 
Dec 3, 2020 at 7:17 PM Post #940 of 4,723
I'm not nearly at the 20 hours mark, let alone 40, but so far, this mirrors my experience pretty well. Almost bizarre how significant a difference even a handful of hours has made - and that taken with your experience, as well as others noted here and elsewhere - leads me to believe this definitely cannot be brain burn-in, no matter how enthusiastically some might make vague appeals to science and assure us burn in is fictitious across the board.

I was honestly really disappointed (all the moreso owing to Linsoul's "return policy") with the Monarchs upon receiving them yesterday. Was regretting not just stepping up from my Blessing 2's (which I adore) to the Moondrop S8, which I hear is for the most part a serious refinement of the B2.

But I'm beginning to change my tune. I bought the Monarchs chiefly for their technicalities - clarity, detail, imaging - and I feel I'm beginning to really get what I wanted out of them, after being put off by uncontrolled sub-bass and shouty treble, as well as overall disjointed sound, at first.

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.

Yes I would suggest if you have a source to play them on 24/7 I would do that for 2 days before coming to conclusions.

They are more detailed, but more open, smooth and natural with a little time. I suspect that mainly the DD is thin in the upper crossover region and boomy until it has some time to settle in. After a while it integrates better and really benefits the whole range.

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.

TBH my single DD Moondrop Starfield sounded smoother and more detailed after a very short burn in period (over night) but being single DD it was nothing like these, where they sound out of wack at first.
 
Dec 3, 2020 at 7:22 PM Post #941 of 4,723
I will not be able to try it before buying. I live in Norway where there is 0 shops who sell/have these kind of IEMs or interesting IEMs where u can try or buy. So i have to import them myself. Therefore i want to be as sure as i can with fit issues. And mostly the CIEM's is better than UIEMs. Ciem for Monarch is just 100 usd more. Is a nobrainer for me if i have to buy new. Ive tried ciem and the fit cant be compared to uiem. Atleast for me

I get you. I would fully consider getting these in a CIEM. So far I just sont have fit issues. I know the shell can be a bit much for some.

I was simply suggesting you purchase the UIEM Monarch and if you like them, sell them for CIEM. If not, sell them in favour of something else. It's a direct sale company, so only way it can really be done to make the most informed decision imo.
 
Dec 3, 2020 at 9:47 PM Post #942 of 4,723
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.
 

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Dec 4, 2020 at 1:24 AM Post #943 of 4,723
Any of my listening has been with an iFi Pro iDSD and a Cayin N3Pro DAP. Both have tube options and I do prefer the tone of the Cayin N3Pro in Triode Tube Mode with the Monarch, and the Pro iDSD sans tubes for pure fast, fun and great technical ability with the Monarch (althought the N3Pro balanced SS mode or Ultralinear Tube mode is not terribly far behind).

I have the N3Pro as well, I got it like a week before Clairvoyance. Before getting the Clair, I preferred the tubes in triode mode (with Thieaudio Legacy 3 for instance), but with Clairvoyance it's been like 90%+ ultralinear mode (the rest being mostly 70s soul music which I prefer with triode mode).
 
Dec 4, 2020 at 5:55 AM Post #944 of 4,723
My custom color UIEM is on its way - 2 weeks after order. That's really fast. I was told the wait time is at least 20 days, and they did it in 10 working days!
 
Dec 4, 2020 at 8:15 AM Post #945 of 4,723
I have the N3Pro as well, I got it like a week before Clairvoyance. Before getting the Clair, I preferred the tubes in triode mode (with Thieaudio Legacy 3 for instance), but with Clairvoyance it's been like 90%+ ultralinear mode (the rest being mostly 70s soul music which I prefer with triode mode).

Yes, the stage, speed and definition are definitely best in UL mode. I only prefer the TR mode for tone. Keeping in mind the Monarch is lighter on lower midrange, the TR mode evens things out and bring the stage in a bit. So, it's nice for listening to small scale jazz or vocals at bed time :ksc75smile:.

But UL is the better performer if I'm not purposely trying to smooth out the performance.

I seldom use SS mode so far. I prefer the Audioquest Cobalt for that. Even though the Cobalt with the Monarchs can be clinical with lesser recordings.
 

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