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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The KZ ZSN Pro is a budget-friendly choice that offers decent sound quality and build quality, suitable for casual music listening and everyday use. It has a detachable cable, which is convenient for replacement or upgrade. However, it may not perform as well in sound isolation and does not have some higher-end features, such as active noise cancelling. The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II, on the other hand, is a high-end product with superior overall sound quality, particularly excelling in music listening experiences. It has a range of drivers including BA, dynamic, and electrostatic, contributing to its high sound performance. It is also slightly better in portability and noise isolation but comes with a significantly higher price tag. If budget is a key concern and you need a set of earbuds for general use, the KZ ZSN Pro would be a sensible choice. For those seeking premium audio quality who use their earbuds predominantly for high-fidelity music listening and can afford the higher cost, the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II would be a better option. Neither option offers wireless functionality or active noise cancelling, so if these are priorities, you might want to consider other models. 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 KZ ZSN Pro
- The KZ ZSN Pro has no clear advantages over the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II.
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
7.7
9.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the KZ ZSN Pro is good.
Gaming
6.0
6.7
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II and KZ ZSN Pro are both only fair for gaming, though the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
3.1
5.1
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II and KZ ZSN Pro are both poor for phone calls, though the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.9
7.9
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the KZ ZSN Pro is poor.
TV and Video
7.4
8.8
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good for TV and video, while the KZ ZSN Pro is good.
Noise Reduction
5.3
6.0
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair for noise reduction, while the KZ ZSN Pro is poor.
Cost
$25
$999
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The KZ ZSN Pro has a price of $25 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II costs $999.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The KZ ZSN Pro and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II both have excellent build quality.
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How the KZ ZSN Pro and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| KZ ZSN Pro | Thieaudio Monarch Mk II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$25 | $999 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | KZ | Thieaudio | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2019 | October 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.2/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.5/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 4.5/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 6/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
KZ ZSN Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
PrimeAudio
David Becker | 2019
"Undoubtedly the focus and the star of the show, the ZSN Pro’s bass is big, bold and bangin’. The amount of gusto in the low end should satisfy anyone who likes a large lick of bass and even certified bassheads will probably get a kick out of this."
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 KZ ZSN Pro or the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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