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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize overall sound quality and a superior music listening experience, the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II would be the better choice, despite being significantly more expensive. However, if you're looking for a more affordable option with good comfort and sound quality for a variety of uses, including gaming and watching TV, the Antlion Kimura Duo may suit your needs, as they are more budget-friendly while still delivering respectable performance. Neither model offers wireless connectivity, active noise canceling, or optimization for sports use, so your decision should be based on sound quality, usage preferences, and budget constraints. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Antlion Kimura Duo
- Very good for gaming
Advantages of the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
- Best in class for music
- Very good for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.0
9.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the Antlion Kimura Duo is very good.
Gaming
8.5
6.7
The Antlion Kimura Duo is very good for gaming, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.0
7.9
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Antlion Kimura Duo is poor.
TV and Video
7.8
8.8
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good for TV and video, while the Antlion Kimura Duo is good.
Cost
$150
$999
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Antlion Kimura Duo has a price of $150 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II costs $999.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.2
5.1
The Antlion Kimura Duo and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II are both poor for phone calls.
Noise Reduction
6.0
6.0
The Antlion Kimura Duo and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II are both only fair for noise reduction.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Antlion Kimura Duo and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II both have excellent build quality.
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How the Antlion Kimura Duo and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Antlion Kimura Duo | Thieaudio Monarch Mk II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$150 | $999 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Antlion | Thieaudio | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | October 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.1/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.8/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 4.5/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 21.5 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | N/A | |
Shopping
Antlion Kimura Duo
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Addict
Peter Susic | February 2023
"Antlion Kimura Duo aren’t packed with features, but the ones they offer, work incredibly well. Especially the boom mic delivers very clean call quality with no distortion. If you explicitly look for gaming in-ear monitors with a reliable microphone, Antlion Kimura Duo are your best option."
Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
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Audiophile On
Audiophile On | August 2021
"No other earphone I have listened to in the past 12 months has given me as much joy as the Thieaduio Monarch MKII. One of those IEMs will make you question where we can go from here. The sound is jaw-dropping, leaving you wanting more and more. It makes you want to run through your entire music library and reevaluate. It makes you not feel bad about paying full price for them, especially in a hobby where buyers' remorse is genuine. For me, it's top tier, rivaled by a few but not surpassed."
Get a great deal on the Antlion Kimura Duo or the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
About Antlion
Antlion Audio is an American company based in Oregon. Founded in 2011 by Jimmy Console, an engineer and physician, in order to create and offer better solutions for voice communication, specifically a microphone which could be used with any set of headphones which materialized in the very popular ModMic. The company has since expanded to include a wide variety of wired and wireless products.
About Thieaudio
Thieaudio is the in-house brand of Linsoul Audio, a Chinese earbud and headphone retailer specializing in what the community lovingly calls Chi-fi, that is high fidelity brands out of China. Thieaudio was established in 2019 as the creative engineering branch of Linsoul. As of today, they market three different lines of earbuds, Voyager, Legacy and the extremely well-received Monarch.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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