Short answer: the ThieAudio Monarch MKII. Both are rated 4.6/5 for sound quality (#69 and #84 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the ThieAudio Monarch MKII costs $999 against $1,199 for the Lime Ears Terra, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
The case for the Lime Ears Terra: Fourteen hobbyist measurements on squig.link put its preference score at 80.8 with a smooth 1.26 dB deviation. The tradeoff: It rates below the Moondrop Dark Saber and ThieAudio Monarch MKIII, both of which cost less.
What the ThieAudio Monarch MKII does well: A preference score of 81 from crinacle’s measurement and just 1.45 dB of deviation make it one of the most accurate in-ears available. The catch: Those measurements show a 5.6 dB dip near 6.5 kHz and treble about 2.6 dB below target, which softens cymbal attack slightly.
Buy the ThieAudio Monarch MKII. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $200 less than the Lime Ears Terra.
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Fourteen hobbyist measurements on squig.link put its preference score at 80.8 with a smooth 1.26 dB deviation.
Lime Ears $1,199.00 eBay
A preference score of 81 from crinacle’s measurement and just 1.45 dB of deviation make it one of the most accurate in-ears available.
AliExpress $999.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Lime Ears Terra | ThieAudio Monarch MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,199.00 | $999.00 |
| Ranked | #84 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #69 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 81 (median of 14 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 81 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.26 dB standard deviation | 1.45 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.37 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.22 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 5 balanced armature) | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 6 balanced armature + 2 electrostatic) |
| Drivers | 1 x 7mm dynamic + 5 x balanced armature | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 6 x balanced armature + 2 x electrostatic |
| Impedance | - | 36 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 108 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | - | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Lime Ears Terra from aden, animagus, atechreviews, audioamigo, ducbloke, hbb, jaytiss, koi, melatonin, practiphile, precog, pw, recode, silicagel, superreview, theaudiostore and vsg; the ThieAudio Monarch MKII from aden, aftersound, audioamigo, bloomaudio, bukanaudiophile, dentreviews, dl, eliseaudio, gadgetrytech, harutohiroki, hbb, iemworld, jacstone, jaytiss, joshtbvo, joycesreview, lown-fi, mmagtech, musicafe, nymz, precog, recode, sai, seanwee, sl0the, smirk, superreview, tgx78, theaudiostore, therollo9, timmyv, tonedeafmonk, treblewellxtended and vsg, all via squig.link.
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