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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II earbuds have superior overall sound quality, ideal for immersive music experiences and offer great soundstage/imaging capabilities. However, they may not be comfortable for all users and lack a microphone if you need to take calls. The Turtle Beach Recon 70 headphones, while less expensive, have excellent mic quality, making them suitable for calls and meetings and are also rated better for gaming use. They have decent overall sound but won't match the Monarch Mk II's fidelity. If budget is a primary concern and you need built-in microphone capabilities, Turtle Beach might be the better choice. If you prioritize high-end audio for music and can manage without a mic, the Monarch Mk II would be suitable. 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 Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
- Best in class for music
- Very good for TV and video
Advantages of the Turtle Beach Recon 70
- Best in class for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
Key differences
Music
9.5
7.1
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the Turtle Beach Recon 70 is good.
Gaming
6.7
8.4
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 is very good for gaming, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair.
Phone Calls
5.1
9.6
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 is best in class for phone calls, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is poor.
TV and Video
8.8
7.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good for TV and video, while the Turtle Beach Recon 70 is good.
Cost
$999
$40
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II has a price of $999 and the Turtle Beach Recon 70 costs $40.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II has excellent build quality, while the Turtle Beach Recon 70 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
7.6
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II and Turtle Beach Recon 70 are both good for podcasts and audiobooks.
Noise Reduction
6.0
5.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Thieaudio Monarch Mk II to be only fair for noise reduction, while the Turtle Beach Recon 70 is poor.
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How the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II and the Turtle Beach Recon 70 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Thieaudio Monarch Mk II | Turtle Beach Recon 70 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$999 | $40 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Thieaudio | Turtle Beach | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | May 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.5/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 4.3/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 10/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 9 Grams | 309 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Boom | |
Shopping
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."
Turtle Beach Recon 70
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Sound Guys
Sam Moore | September 2022
"There aren’t many considerations to make here. The Turtle Beach Recon 70 sounds decent, offers solid chat audio, feels good to wear over long periods, and it works everywhere. If you’re in the market for a simple plug-and-play option, you could do a whole lot worse (and spend a whole lot more money). Regardless, if getting something cheap that works well is the only thing you care about, this is a great option."
Get a great deal on the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II or the Turtle Beach Recon 70
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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