Thanks amigo. Input much appreciated. Both were also on the shortlist so I have feeling my wallet is going to take a hit lol 
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I know you might find it an odd question, but does anyone know if both 700$ Monarch and Drop Elex are on the same level of detail retrieval? Iāve been wanting to step into the more expensive stuff and Iām not sure which type (IEM or over-ear) I would prefer without knowing the answer. I lean towards the Monarch, because itās cute, but only if the Elex doesnāt beat it by a lot in that area.
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Have been looking at these for a while now ,and canāt make up my mind on which set to get. Monarch or the Clairvoyance.
Do enjoy bass a lot so am I best going with Monarch?
Appreciate any feedback 
Why do you prefer the Monarch?
To be honest flying blind really, but with a a bit more reading Iāve decided on the Clairvoyance now
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First of all sorry to resurrect this old topic, but I guess this is the most appropriate place to ask this question.
This weekend I was about to pull the trigger and buy the Monarchs when I saw that the Excalibur and Oracle have been released, now is it worth to wait for reviews to come out before doing the purchase? Or are those products supposed to compete in a different category instead of replacing the Clayrvoiant/ Monarch ?
From my experience always wait for reviews ideally for more that one or two. It is not that cheap to throw money at them. I am sure reviewers will compare them directly with clair/monarch.
Afak those are not going to replace clairvoyance or monarch but provide similar signature for a bit cheaper.
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I was also aiming at the Monarch, but want to see reviews of the two first (and the Cayin Fantasy), before I make a decision on which to get.
With IEMās I think it is always good to wait for a review from a reviwer, that you trust and you can relate to. The FR graph may look good, but you never know if the sound follows.
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So, Iāve done a lot of research the past few days and Iām kind of stuck now. Iām still very much starting out and looking to round out my repertoire with different kinds of IEMs and headphones and what I most want to buy right now is:
a fun IEM that has both great bass and treble. The two Iām looking most closely at is the Monarch and the MEST MkII.
Any input would be greatly appreciated! Also hearing about other ones Iāve overlooked would be nice 
Get the MEST MKII
Monarch has a stuffed up bass that does not play well with bass guitar and even drop hits on EDM/Trip hop and hip hop
MEST MKII Nails that.
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Iāve been sitting on the fence post for ages 
I guess my main uncertainty is that in some reviews the Monarch seemed to be comparable or preferable to the MEST (for example on Crinacleās ranking list or from The Headphone Show).
Is there another perspective I could consider to help me decide or am I at the point where I just need to bite the bullet and buy one to find out?
Monarch is my favorite IEM - havenāt so much as considered upgrading in this area for an instant since settling in with these. I donāt concur with the above comment calling the Monarchās bass stuffed up. I personally havenāt heard an IEM that strikes the balance so well - as detailed up top (while still being very pleasurable and not at all shrill or bright) as it is impactful and articulate down low. Usually itās more of an either/or, in my experience. But then again I havenāt tried the MEST MKII.
If money is no object and the fact that one IEM is >twice as expensive as the other youāre considering doesnāt bother, then your curiosity about what the far more expensive IEM can deliver will probably win you over in the end. And if you get the Monarch you might have second thoughts about what more $ wouldāve gotten you even if you are well satisfied with the Monarch. Sometimes buying nice beats buying twice. Were I in your shoes - Iād happily pocket the Monarch (againā¦ my favorite IEM) and save the cash.
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There are several tribrids coming out right now or in the next 2 weeks.
Waiting, getting more info or even a better price because of the competition would be wise
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You raise an impressive point. Could I ask you a little more about your preferences to make a judgment?
- What music do you like to listen to?
- Are there songs which you feel the Monarch handles particularly well?
- Have you ever considered the MEST?
That is legit advice and I will follow it! Which tribrids are coming out?
Also, what do you think about the highs on the MEST? Iām chasing after this really sparkly, stunning experience (it might not exist, but still).
I suppose Iāll throw in my experiences here as I was in the same boat not too long ago. Monarch is really detailed set; all aspects of its tonality is great with the expectation of the lean mid-bass. Itās probably my biggest issue with it.
Took me awhile to appreciate the differences at first from the FiiO FD5, was initially disappointed but I think my expectations were far too high and was expected to blown away by them. After a some 40hrs of listening, itās pretty clear how much better they are over the FD5. It also makes the Airpods Pro seems just mediocre to my ears now. I feel like vocals really shine here on this; some tracks are just addictive on it. An example would be something like this:
Emperors Heist - YouTube
Noisestorm - Crab Rave (Official Music Video) - YouTube
California Dreaminā - YouTube
Cinnamons x Evening Cinema - Summertime (Kan/Rom/Eng Lyrics) - YouTube
But the thinness in tracks like these are a bit of a deal breaker for me:
Two Steps From Hell - Victory - YouTube
Two Steps From Hell - For the Win (SkyWorld) - YouTube
Castle of Ice - YouTube
Marcus Warner - To Build An Army (Official Audio) - YouTube
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl (Audio) - YouTube
Josh Groban - You Raise Me Up (Official Music Video) | Warner Vault - YouTube
Of course you make like the way these sounds on them but they lack fullness to me that volume doesnāt solve. The clarity is really nice though, really good imaging and doesnāt seem to get choked up by busy tracks at all (provided the recording is good quality ofc).
Hope this gives some help.
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Thank you so much, @Smue! This did help me decide on the MEST for the fuller bass experience.
I guess like @granularclouds said, Iāll be curious about what more money can get me
But like @hawaiibadboy suggested, Iāll wait a little and sleep over it.
Thank you, this helped a lot and tipped the scales ever so slightly towards the MEST
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