Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | ThieAudio - Monarch MKIII | Truthear - Nova |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity | 112 dB | 123 dB |
| Impedance | 22 Ω | 15 Ω |
| Driver count | 10 | 5 |
Between the Monarch MKIII and Nova, the Monarch MKIII comes out ahead in driver count, while the Nova wins on sensitivity / 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 is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is 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. The single most decisive one: Driver count — 5.00 more. 10 vs 5.
Pick the Nova if you care most about sensitivity / impedance. Its strongest claims are sensitivity, impedance. The single most decisive one: Sensitivity — 9.82% more. 123 dB vs 112 dB.
Both ship with comparable detachable cable, so those specs do not 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 says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: ThieAudio - Monarch MKIII or Truthear - Nova?
Truthear - Nova leads the current Mars Score by 1.0 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver count, impedance, sensitivity against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose ThieAudio - Monarch MKIII if…
ThieAudio - Monarch MKIII has the measurable edge on driver count.
Choose Truthear - Nova if…
Truthear - Nova has the measurable edge on sensitivity db, impedance ohm.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
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 |