This morning I have used my new Monarch 2-band for the first time. Just as a frame of reference, my favorite brushes have been Simpsons best badger or 2-band badger, along with Shavemac D01 2-band and 3-band. In other words, I like my brushes like I (used to) like my women - firm and soft. 
Anyhow, let me summarize briefly at the beginning - if robust lathering without prickliness is sufficient for you to enjoy your brush, then the Monarch 2-band is indeed an excellent alternative for you. However, if you prefer a soft, luxuriously firm scrubby experience, keep looking.
The Good
The brush dug into a hard puck of Razorock 888 Eucalyptus very nicely, loaded easily, and provided copious amounts of thick lather. The production of lather was also relatively quick. The flow-through was very good indicating that it is not at all a lather hog. I easily had enough for my usual 2-pass shave. It was also easy to slowly add hot water and shake off the excess, which allowed me to build the lather slowly so I did not rush past the soap's sweet spot. I used a Super Adjustable set at 5 with a Polsilver SI, and got an absolutely great shave - i.e., no blood, no irritation, no tugging. The brush hair is very, very soft, and thin (i.e., fine) and could use more backbone (see below). Generally, the conclusion here is that the brush's performance, in regards to loading and lathering, is very nice and straight forward. It clearly does what a brush is supposed to do, and does it well. As stated at the beginning, if easy and abundant lather, without prickliness, is enough for you, then the Monarch 2-band is indeed an excellent alternative for you.
The Bad
In my view the knot is significantly "under-packed" with badger hair for a brush with 23 mm knot and a 53 mm loft. If the reasonable $75 selling price is based on the manufacturer not over-stuffing the knot with 2-band hair, they should have had enough insight to shorten the loft to about 48 mm, but not more than 50 mm. This is a serious drawback for me, not b/c of lather-generating performance, but b/c of the feel of the brush while generating the lather. For those who prefer softness with substantial backbone for a nice scrub and a knot that does not significantly splay out, the Monarch 2-band is not the brush for you. Even at $75 (shipping not included) why get a brush simply because it is a "good deal" if you don't get the experience and feel that you like. I was curious to see what $75 gets these day, but I was not satisfied. I have a TGN Finest XH knot that is almost as soft as the Monarch but with great backbone and flow through; the point being that for $75 you can obtain what I consider a more enjoyable brush.
It also bothers me to think that I may have liked the brush more and had been less critical if only the loft were shorter, which makes me wonder about the care going into planning or designing a brush of this hair density. In view of the knot lacking sufficient density, the actual fineness of the hair should have signaled to the manufacturer that it was inching into splay-land territory (however, I would not go so far to call it floppy, but it is headed in that direction). If, like me, you prefer a soft but firm scrub during your lathering procedure, I do not think this brush is for you. TGN Finest XH 2-band hair in a 22-24 mm knot, set at 50 mm or less, is a significantly better value and performer.
Anyhow, let me summarize briefly at the beginning - if robust lathering without prickliness is sufficient for you to enjoy your brush, then the Monarch 2-band is indeed an excellent alternative for you. However, if you prefer a soft, luxuriously firm scrubby experience, keep looking.The Good
The brush dug into a hard puck of Razorock 888 Eucalyptus very nicely, loaded easily, and provided copious amounts of thick lather. The production of lather was also relatively quick. The flow-through was very good indicating that it is not at all a lather hog. I easily had enough for my usual 2-pass shave. It was also easy to slowly add hot water and shake off the excess, which allowed me to build the lather slowly so I did not rush past the soap's sweet spot. I used a Super Adjustable set at 5 with a Polsilver SI, and got an absolutely great shave - i.e., no blood, no irritation, no tugging. The brush hair is very, very soft, and thin (i.e., fine) and could use more backbone (see below). Generally, the conclusion here is that the brush's performance, in regards to loading and lathering, is very nice and straight forward. It clearly does what a brush is supposed to do, and does it well. As stated at the beginning, if easy and abundant lather, without prickliness, is enough for you, then the Monarch 2-band is indeed an excellent alternative for you.
The Bad
In my view the knot is significantly "under-packed" with badger hair for a brush with 23 mm knot and a 53 mm loft. If the reasonable $75 selling price is based on the manufacturer not over-stuffing the knot with 2-band hair, they should have had enough insight to shorten the loft to about 48 mm, but not more than 50 mm. This is a serious drawback for me, not b/c of lather-generating performance, but b/c of the feel of the brush while generating the lather. For those who prefer softness with substantial backbone for a nice scrub and a knot that does not significantly splay out, the Monarch 2-band is not the brush for you. Even at $75 (shipping not included) why get a brush simply because it is a "good deal" if you don't get the experience and feel that you like. I was curious to see what $75 gets these day, but I was not satisfied. I have a TGN Finest XH knot that is almost as soft as the Monarch but with great backbone and flow through; the point being that for $75 you can obtain what I consider a more enjoyable brush.
It also bothers me to think that I may have liked the brush more and had been less critical if only the loft were shorter, which makes me wonder about the care going into planning or designing a brush of this hair density. In view of the knot lacking sufficient density, the actual fineness of the hair should have signaled to the manufacturer that it was inching into splay-land territory (however, I would not go so far to call it floppy, but it is headed in that direction). If, like me, you prefer a soft but firm scrub during your lathering procedure, I do not think this brush is for you. TGN Finest XH 2-band hair in a 22-24 mm knot, set at 50 mm or less, is a significantly better value and performer.
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