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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for great sports earbuds with a secure fit during intense workouts, the Beats Powerbeats Pro are an excellent choice and are often more budget-friendly. They offer a good balance of sound and have ear hooks for stability and an H1 chip for features like adaptive sound with Apple devices. However, if you're an audiophile seeking top-tier sound quality and detail, the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II, despite being pricier, provide exceptional audio fidelity with a mix of balanced armature, dynamic, and electrostatic drivers, though they lack the sports-oriented design and additional Apple-centric features of the Beats. 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 Beats Powerbeats Pro
- Good for phone calls
- Good for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
- Best in class for music
- Very good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.5
9.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro is only fair.
Gaming
5.5
6.7
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair for gaming, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro is poor.
Phone Calls
7.0
5.1
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is good for phone calls, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.2
7.9
The Beats Powerbeats Pro is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is good.
TV and Video
5.7
8.8
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good for TV and video, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro is poor.
Noise Reduction
4.6
6.0
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair for noise reduction, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
N/A
The Beats Powerbeats Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II does not have a battery.
Cost
$160
$999
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Beats Powerbeats Pro has a price of $160 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II costs $999.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.8
9.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Thieaudio Monarch Mk II to have excellent build quality, while the Beats Powerbeats Pro has very good build quality.
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How the Beats Powerbeats Pro and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Beats Powerbeats Pro | Thieaudio Monarch Mk II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$160 | $999 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Beats | Thieaudio | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2019 | October 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.6/10 | 4.5/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 24 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 4.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | No | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.8/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 11 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Beats Powerbeats Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | November 2022
"Sweat resistance, actual noise isolation, and a secure fit in your ears make these the true wireless earphones you want in Apple-land. Android users may find other options they like better, as these only support AAC."
Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
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Dig into reviews and images
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 Beats Powerbeats Pro or the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
About Beats
Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.
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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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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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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