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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize versatility for occasions like TV and video consumption, the Sennheiser IE600 offers an excellent sound quality with a fair performance for gaming and is suitable for those situations. However, it comes with a poor microphone quality, so it may not be the best choice for calls and meetings. On the other hand, Thieaudio Monarch Mk II also provides top-notch sound for music lovers and performs similarly in gaming and video. Neither are ideal for exercise, and both come with a cable instead of wireless functionality. The Monarch Mk II has the unique option of balanced audio with additional cables sold separately, which may appeal to audiophiles seeking more high-fidelity sound. Consider your primary use cases when choosing, as well as the importance of microphone quality, and potential interest in high-fidelity audio options. 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 Sennheiser IE600
- Excellent for TV and video
Advantages of the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
- Best in class for music
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.3
9.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the Sennheiser IE600 is very good.
Phone Calls
3.5
5.1
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II and Sennheiser IE600 are both poor for phone calls, though the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
7.9
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
6.0
The Sennheiser IE600 is good for noise reduction, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair.
Cost
$600
$999
$300
$320
$340
$360
$380
$400
The Sennheiser IE600 has a price of $600 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II costs $999.
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Key similarities
Gaming
6.7
6.7
The Sennheiser IE600 and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II are both only fair for gaming.
TV and Video
9.3
8.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sennheiser IE600 to be excellent for TV and video, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Sennheiser IE600 and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II both have excellent build quality.
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How the Sennheiser IE600 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser IE600 | Thieaudio Monarch Mk II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $999 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | 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 | 8.3/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.3/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.6/10 | 4.5/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 2.5/10 | 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) | 6 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Sennheiser IE600
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"If you've got the bucks, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a nice, upscale set of in-ear monitors made of a lightweight metal with an unusual texture. It comes with a suite of extras, and performs well at virtually every task."
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 Sennheiser IE600 or the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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
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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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