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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Soundcore Life Q20 headphones offer active noise cancellation, a comfortable fit, and are suitable for causal music listening, air travel, and noise isolation; they're also foldable, making them easily portable. These are wireless and have a decent battery life, but they have limited performance for calls, meetings, and gaming. On the other hand, the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II earbuds deliver superior overall sound quality, better soundstage, and are excellent for critical listening and enjoying TV and video content. They feature a combination of BA, dynamic, and electrostatic drivers, but they do not have wireless functionality or noise cancellation, and their larger size makes them less portable than the Soundcores. If budget is a concern and you need versatile, noise-canceling headphones mainly for music and travel, the Soundcore Q20 is a great value. However, if you desire top-tier sound quality for a variety of content and can afford a higher cost, the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II might be more to your liking. 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 Soundcore Life Q20
- Excellent for air travel
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
7.0
9.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is good.
Gaming
5.2
6.7
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair for gaming, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.7
7.9
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
TV and Video
5.3
8.8
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good for TV and video, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.7
6.0
The Soundcore Life Q20 is very good for noise reduction, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair.
Battery
32.3 Hours
N/A
The Soundcore Life Q20 has 32.3 hours of battery life. The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II does not have a battery.
Cost
$60
$999
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Soundcore Life Q20 has a price of $60 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II costs $999.
Build Quality
8.0
9.0
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II has excellent build quality, while the Soundcore Life Q20 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
4.9
5.1
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for phone calls.
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How the Soundcore Life Q20 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Soundcore Life Q20 | Thieaudio Monarch Mk II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$60 | $999 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Soundcore | Thieaudio | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | October 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.9/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.3/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.3/10 | 4.5/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 32.3 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.8 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.8/10 | 6/10 | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | No | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.8/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 258.5 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Soundcore Life Q20
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2022
"As far as headphones that cost under $100 go, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a really solid option. Like any good tool, it does the job well without much guff, and it’s affordable to boot. Sure: it’s not going toe to toe with any of the higher-end models of ANC headphones out there—but the headphones do well enough for commuters that it’s a good stand-in if you were never planning on spending a bunch of money anyway."
Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
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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 Soundcore Life Q20 or the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
About Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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