Intro
Letshuoer is a company that was founded in August 2016.They are specialised in making in ear monitors for stage use but they do have in ear monitors for audiophiles as well. They were called Shuoer previously and I am very sure a lot of audiophiles are familiar with this model Tape Pro that is using an electrostatic dynamic driver.
Today I have with me their first planar in ear monitor,S12. This is my 2nd encounter with planar IEM and I have to say I really like the S12 compared to the first planar IEM that i listened to. This is not to say the first was bad,rather the S12 is more suitable for my library.
Packaging
The packaging is rather minimal,nothing too fancy but the overall design does look premium.
You will find three types of eartips in the box,two which are silicone based and another being foam tips,pretty generous. The cable is silver plated monocrystalline copper cable in 4.4 termination. I am really surprised to see such high quality stock cable at this price point. The included faux leather carrying case looks premium as well. A very good unboxing experience overall.
Build/Comfort
S12 is a full metal build and it is very solid overall. The whole iem is smooth and there aren't any sharp edges. In terms of comfort,S12 fits very well in my ears and I have no discomfort even wearing them for long listening sessions,do take into consideration that everyone’s ear is different and if it fits well for me doesn’t mean it will fit well for you,but fortunately,Letshuoer does throw in plenty of ear tips choices,so i’m sure there will be one that fits eventually.
Source
Foobar2k -> Questyle M15 -> Letshuoer S12
Foobar2k -> TRI TK2 -> Letshuoer S12
Hidizs AP80 Pro-X -> Letshuoer S12
Sound
S12 is my 2nd encounter with planar IEM.My first was TinHifi’s P1 Max,and they offered me a positive listening experience on how a planar sounded.S12 to me has very good technicalities,some might even perceive it bright,due to it being quite detailed.In terms of tonality,it is leaning towards neutral bright,but not harsh/fatigue sounding to me.To me they're very dynamic and engaging to listen to.
Bass
The bass rendition is nowhere near basshead level but it certainly provides enough "fun"
Bass extension is good and the sub bass rumble can be felt, definitely no slouch when it comes to EDM
Bass has good texture and note weight to it,it is also tight and clean
Mid bass has got thump to it and the transition between the sub and mid bass is quite balanced without sounding incoherent
I personally find the tuning of bass is done right to my preference,somewhere between fun and audiophile but not venturing into the basshead category
Mids
Timbre sounds correct to me and the midrange is actually quite lush
Vocal doesn’t sound recessed,slightly in your face but nowhere near intimate,i do find this kind of vocal positioning sounds very nice as there are some space and it kinda give me the perception of openness
Both male and female vocal has good texture to them,doesn’t sound thin at all
Bass doesn’t bleed into the mids
In general,i find that the mids are smooth from the lower mids to upper mids,on certain track where i listened with some IEM,the upper mids can be a little hot,but this is not the case with S12
Treble
Treble has good amount of air and sparkle to it,doesn’t sound congested at all
Detail retrieval is also good but not to the point where it is overly analytical
The treble is smooth and not fatigue,no sibilance or harshness at all,i like how the treble is tuned here (this is my preference,depending on your sensitivity on treble,you may or may not like it)
Soundstage/Imaging
S12’s soundstage sounds slightly out of head and quite open,but a little lacking in height to give the perception of big soundstage,but overall it is quite good considering its asking price,one can’t have it all
Imaging is good,the instruments can be pin pointed easily in busy track like Slipknot’s Duality
Driveability
S12 is very easy to drive and it does sound decently loud even from weaker source like Apple’s Lightning Dongle
Switching over to TRI’s TK2,with decent driving power,bass seems to tighten up a little and controlled
Comparison (TinHifi P1 Max)
Switching over to P1 Max for the purpose of comparison,i would say the tonality between P1 Max and S12 is totally different
P1 Max is on the warmer and laid back side while S12 is on neutral bright and energetic side,this is not something bad but more of personal preference
I will not go into details on how different both of them are,you can find out from others review or mine for P1 Max,i will put it as S12 clearly pulls ahead in terms of technicalities while P1 Max is more on the musical side and laid back
While S12’s plus point being a little cheaper than P1 Max?
Final Thoughts
S12 is my 2nd encounter with planar and again,I have a very positive experience with it and this time it is a different kind of experience in the sense of a more energetic and detailed set than my previous encounter.
S12 to me gives a balance between energetic and musicality,but some might find S12 a little too energetic for those who are sensitive to treble,but to me,it is just right and it can be alleviated by using Final Type E eartips,it made everything sounds a little more texture/thicker while still retaining that slightly toned down energy.
What else is there to say? Grab the S12 if it fits within your budget and also if the sound signature is something that you are looking for.
If you are interested in purchasing one,head over to Letshuoer’s store below: Letshuoer S12
