Between the Monarch MKIII and Nova, the Monarch MKIII comes out ahead in driver count, while the Nova wins on sensitivity and impedance. Overall, the Monarch MKIII scores 72.9 and the Nova scores 73.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (72.9 vs 73.9). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Monarch MKIII if you care most about driver count. The biggest gaps in its favor are driver count.
Pick the Nova if you care most about sensitivity and impedance. Its strongest claims are sensitivity, impedance.
Both ship with comparable detachable cable, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why ThieAudio - Monarch MKIII wins
- ▲Driver count — 5.00 more. 10 vs 5.
Why Truthear - Nova wins
- ▲Sensitivity — 9.82% more. 123 dB vs 112 dB.
- ▲Impedance — 7.00 Ω less. 15 vs 22.
Spec comparison
Drivers
| Spec | ThieAudio - Monarch MKIII | Truthear - Nova |
|---|---|---|
| Driver count | 10lead | 5 |
| Driver types | 1DD + 6BA + 2EST + 1 Bone Conduction Tribrid | 1DD + 4BA Hybrid |
| Impedanceⓘ | 22 Ω | 15 Ωlead |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 112 dB | 123 dBlead |
Build
| Spec | ThieAudio - Monarch MKIII | Truthear - Nova |
|---|---|---|
| Detachable cable | true | true |
| Connector | 2-pin | 0.78mm 2-pinlead |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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