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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Razer Kraken provides good value with solid sound quality, comfort, and excellent microphone quality, making them suitable for gaming and calls. However, they are not the most portable option and may not be ideal for exercise or travel. On the other hand, the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II earbuds deliver superior overall sound quality and a more versatile form factor for portability. They also offer detachable cables and a wider range of driver types, which can contribute to their higher sound fidelity. However, they come at a higher price and do not include a microphone for calls, potentially making them less convenient for multipurpose use. If budget is a concern, the Razer Kraken might be your choice, while if you're focused on high-end audio quality and portability, consider the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II. 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 Razer Kraken
- 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
7.1
9.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the Razer Kraken is good.
Gaming
8.3
6.7
The Razer Kraken is very good for gaming, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.7
7.9
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
TV and Video
7.4
8.8
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good for TV and video, while the Razer Kraken is good.
Noise Reduction
6.5
6.0
The Razer Kraken and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II are both only fair for noise reduction, though the Razer Kraken is somewhat better.
Cost
$50
$999
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Razer Kraken has a price of $50 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 Razer Kraken has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.5
5.1
The Razer Kraken and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II are both poor for phone calls.
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How the Razer Kraken and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Razer Kraken | Thieaudio Monarch Mk II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $999 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Razer | Thieaudio | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2019 | October 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.1/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.4/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.2/10 | 4.5/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 9/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 322 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | N/A | |
Shopping
Razer Kraken
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Gamer
Rob Dwiar | March 2019
"Generally the Kraken is a very comfortable headset and there’s nothing that really identifies it as anything else. All in, the Kraken performed exactly as I’d expect a premium, designated gaming headset to perform: performing well in game audio, though not quite with the same quality of those headsets further up the price scale."
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 Razer Kraken or the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean hardware manufacturer aimed specifically toward the gaming market. They manufacture a very wide array of gaming laptops, tablets, phones, peripherals and, of course, headphones and earbuds both wired and wireless. Since 2016, Razer has owned the THX suite, aimed at quality assurance of audiovisual systems such as speaker sets, video game consoles and even movie theaters.
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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