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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones offer active noise cancelling and wireless connectivity, making them ideal for air travel and use in noisy environments. They are designed for comfort and have built-in controls, but have moderate latency which is not ideal for gaming or TV. The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II earbuds provide exceptional sound quality and are wired, with a focus on music listening. They lack features like a microphone, active noise cancellation, and wireless capabilities. If you are seeking lower-cost, versatile headphones for all-around use and travel, consider the Bose; but if sound quality in music is paramount and you don't mind a higher price and wired connection, the Monarch Mk II could be your choice. 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 Bose Quiet Comfort 45
- Very good for phone calls
- Best in class 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
6.4
9.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Gaming
5.5
6.7
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair for gaming, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.0
5.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is very good for phone calls, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
7.9
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is good.
TV and Video
5.8
8.8
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
6.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair.
Battery
22.5 Hours
N/A
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II does not have a battery.
Cost
$260
$999
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II costs $999.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II has excellent build quality, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | Thieaudio Monarch Mk II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $999 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Thieaudio | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | October 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 4.5/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 22.5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort 45
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | November 2022
"If you want a set of wireless over-ear headphones you can put on, deploy noise-cancelling on your commute or at your desk and largely extinguish the outside world for up to 24 hours, the Bose QC 45 has the edge over most of the competition at the price."
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 Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
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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