Letshuoer (Shuoer) - S12 Pro

Since you didn't really give much info I say safest bet is the people's choice popular pick: [https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1la65kr/top\_5\_iems\_in\_every\_price\_range\_chosen\_by\_you/](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1la65kr/top_5_iems_in_every_price_range_chosen_by_you/) For you that's probably the explorer over the Hexa: [https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1lgughc/truthear\_hexa\_or\_aful\_explorer/](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1lgughc/truthear_hexa_or_aful_explorer/) Best way to get the best value for the price range, IMO is often to go one price range up and buy from the most competitive retailer, right now that might mean waiting until 11.11 through AliExpress, or just generally learning how to maximize your $ on a platform like that and getting a deal. For example I took a screenshot (didn't pull the trigger) of the performer5 at $120 last 11.11 all in w/tax delivered. Just an example. You can get explorer around $87 right now, probably under $80 if you're patient for a sale. I also almost considered the tea pro for $260 at that time. S12 pro was 75 at that time.

oh ur good drivers for most of them are generally pretty similar just tuned diff. s12 pro, timeless 2, kiwi ears aether, even the cheaper artti t10

I have the S12 Pro (using it with the Spinfit W1 tips). It performs really well across all the genres I listen to (I listen to a lot of Rock/Metal but also Blues, Jazz, Classical Music - both Indian & Western, JPop, Pop, Hip Hop, Trip Hop, Electronic - house, techno, acid, garage, d&b, big room, progressive) However, I would say the treble does seem to attack me sometimes here and there. This is a small nitpick of mine.

TinT2 still have them, my current favorite iem that I have is the S12pro

For me it's the S12 pro, i love them not only because of the sound, but for durability They don't have tuning filters at the nozzle so condensation has never been an issue compared to every other iem I've owned, easily repairable (replaced the 0.78mm plug on them), they take eq really well, the aluminum body is just durable as hell; I've dropped them countless times and the paint has come off (not chipped since they're anodized) but from the sheer impacts they've received over time If you plan to eq and want them to look the best over time, get the normal s12 and the light gray version, as it'll hide damage better compared to the other ones

S12 2024 if its available, unless you like the spicy treble and punchy mids of the s12 pro.

Kz zs10 pro, gifted them to a friend since buying my letshouer s12 pros

If you're going to use this iem only on a single device and not switching around multiple iems, do not disregard the S12 Pro with eq.

Sgor luna if you want a budget set. Think people now recommend the Timeless 2 most now. Maybe the MP145 or Letshouer s08 if you like a warmer sound. These are based on peoples recommendations though. My choice would be to see if you can get the s12 or s12 pro for cheap used. Where im from, people are selling them for about $50-60. Sometimes even cheaper. I think they are perfect for busy songs like rock and jpop. If you are willing to, they take pretty well to EQ too. Edit: Forgot to mention that yes I own these and the Kz Pr1 Pro and think the S12 pro is miles better tuned and detail wise.

So its not miles ahead of the supermix 4 then. I'm currently stuck in the budget-barely midfi price bracket with S12 pros, TE Nova, Ziigaat Arcadia and I can't convince myself if its evem worth going higher in price especially since I got all of these at big discounts.

I've listened to all except KE4, and base on what i thought: 1. If you like bass than the others: Aful Explorer with "L-shape sound signature" (on small volume). If you crank up volume to medium-high, sounds will much better but still focus on bass, especially subbass. 2. Harman enjoyer: Truthear Nova/Supermix 4 with "Harman/U-shape sound signature". SM4 will have more subbass than midbass, but doesn't bleeding to mid. Uppermid/female vocal sounds really good. Treble also, and feel it somehow better than Nova. If you like the "rumble" in your ears, you'll prefer SM4 than Nova, although both of them are Harman sound signature. 3. Less bass, vocal more sparkle than Harman: KE4 with "Meta/JM-1". Although I said I haven't listened KE4, but I experienced some higher "kinda" have same sound signature, like Softears Volume S/Thieaudio Hype 4. Sounds nearly perfect to me, not too much or too less bass, but vocal really shines overall. Treble reached enough height to not become too harsh like the name "meta". 4. Least bass of all with higher treble is S12 Pro. Cuz of Planar driver, the bass isn't really have much quantity, but it has good control, hit really tight, and decay very fast, which is not good for basshead. Treble is what it did best, it perfectly fit if you like listen to some genres with treble focus like orchestra or sth related. But if you like, you listen to many different genres, I recommend you choose Ziigaat Odyssey. Unboxing experience/packaging is very bad cuz they spent all money to the iems itself. Thats why it sounds good. If this will be your first iems then I recommend you should buy few cheap iems first to find out your liking. Tangzu Wan'er 2 for Vocal, Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss/Wyvern Black Remaster (will release soon) for Bass, and Moondrop Lan for Treble. From what I learnt, the number of drivers is not the factor decides that iems is good or not. Look at the KZ, dumped in a hell lot of drivers, and it still sounds like dogshit to me. Compare to Aful Magicone, which uses only one BA driver, but it can make none of the bullshit KZ with the same, even higher price range can mess up with Magicone. Or higher we have Softears Twilight which is my future target, have only one Dynamic Driver at price 800$, but it still have a lot of respect from many audiophiles. Even higher? Sennheiser IE900, 1500$, still 1 Dynamic also.

I have and use the Letshuoer S12 Pro. I got it purely cause it's a planar, and had generally good reviews, and got it on sale for 160 ish Canadian. All that said, whatever iem you use, make use of EQ and tune it to YOUR PREFERENCE. ...and because Sleep Token was mentioned prior by u/Witty_Cobbler4542, WORSHIP.

I got them 2 weeks ago from aliexpress for 84$

KiwiEars Airoso. Get it while its still under $100. >Truthhear Gate, Tanchjim Bunny, and KZ Klean for a blind buy or the Truthhear Hexa, Truthhear Nova and Letshouer 12 Pro (but my friend said the 12 Pro has weird bass) Gate = No. Plastic shell resonates. Feels like garbage. People that love the gate, i question all of their listening tastes. Bunny = Fantastic. Probably one of the best $20 IEM's available. The USB DSP and app make it more fun. KZ Klean = Uh... Kefine Klean, maybe? Kefine Klean is a great choice at $50. But i think the Inawaken Dawn is better. Hexa = Good, but very dull to someone who is new to the hobby, and used to V shaped tunings (i.e. boosted bass and treble, Hexa is very flat) Nova = Tuned to the popular Harmon Curve. Which is very V shaped. THe Simgot SuperMix4 is a common alternative. S12 Pro = Planar. Fantastic IEM. BUT...and this is probably why your buddy said ti had "weird bass", it will require you to use a higher powered Dongle DAC/Amp, because Planars need a lot of power to push around. If you underpower them, they sound muddy, thuddy, and dead. With enough power, they have amazing tactility and speed. But they do suffer from a somewhat metalic timbre that can be off putting to some people, as they are not "natural" sounding. But very fun. Overall, like i said, i think the KiwiEars Airoso is your best bet. It is a hybrid IEM that plays very clean, provides tons of detail, and bass when you need it. And seems to play about every genre of music you throw at it, without feeling like its lacking. Its not a neutral tuning, but it plays naturally. If that makes sense?

Og Timeless and S12 pro

If you change your mind and tinker with EQ, letshuoer s08 or s12 pro. If you like good subbass and tame upper mids, Aful Explorer.

Get the s12 pro and a good dongle.

I too cannot stand my S12 Pro. They sound like hearing damage. Awful. Try the Truthear Pure. I also have the Volume S but prefer the Pure. Stock sound is very good, but if you can apply parametric EQ you can also try -2db at 200 Hz with a Q of 2.0 to give the low end a bit of separation.

personally I would go for either the quintet or s12 pro. reason : the supermix 4 and quintet are quite similar. the quintet has the better tuning for my taste. The nozzle of the blessing is too big at 6,5mm . The s12 pro is a Planar (takes eq well and Crin has it in his measurements. Easy EQ with squiglink). wouldn't spend the 45 bucks extra for the heyday. can't comment on the P1 max or Myer CKLVX Edit: I somehow missed your text (only saw the pic). If you are treble sensible, I wouldn't go for the quintet or s12 pro. the CKLVX seems the most reasonable to me. Another Option would be the Letshuoer S08 has a a smoother treble and a pretty comfortable shell/nozzle.

Yes, S12 Pro or MP145. Planar is second to none when it comes to clarity. S12 Pro is cheaper, but has better clarity and slightly less bass. MP145 has better bass, but slightly less technicality. MP145 has filters though. If you’re afraid the S12 Pro is too sizzling bright then go for the S12 2024 version (sounds similar to MP145). Me personally I prefer the S12 Pro over the MP145.

Hi OP, they're all in the same range, more or less. The most popular ones mentioned in the comments are the most "Safe" options. ie. Harman/Meta tuned. I live near my local IEM store and I personally did not like anything in this list except the S12 Pro. Not because of the sound signature but because they all lacked detail retrieval and clarity. While the S12 Pro is pure planar, it is a bit "sharper", but being planar-driven means it will be very receptive to EQ. Everything else will not be as receptive. I have the S12 Pro and I daily the 64Audio U12T so I place immense emphasis on detail retrieval and clarity more so than quantity of bass. Quality > Quality in my case. If you're an analytical listener, the S12 Pro is your top pick. If you need more bass or less treble, jus EQ it away. I have a written a piece on the S12 Pro here [https://www.reddit.com/r/inearfidelity/comments/1h1w33s/100\_vs\_2000\_iem\_shoot\_out\_letshuoer\_s12\_pro\_vs/](https://www.reddit.com/r/inearfidelity/comments/1h1w33s/100_vs_2000_iem_shoot_out_letshuoer_s12_pro_vs/) and [https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1g7bxsi/letshuoer\_s12\_pro\_qdc\_anole\_v14\_64\_audio\_u12t/](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1g7bxsi/letshuoer_s12_pro_qdc_anole_v14_64_audio_u12t/)

Well, you asked about the the best IEM in our personal opinions. But, a serious answer: If I were you I'd steer away from the IEMS in the 5-6k INR range. They're mostly just meta/harman tuned and sound more or less identical. If you want something that lasts really long, has impeccable sound and build quality, easy to drive, and will play just about any genre really well, go for the Letshuoer S12 Pro. It's about 13k INR, more than twice your budget but packs more than twice the quality of IEMs in the 5-6k INR range. I daily the 64A U12T, and despite the S12 Pro being more than 10x cheaper, it's about 90% of the U12T. I have both, and in many instances I would reach for the S12 Pro. I use it for gaming and various listening.

Tried all 4 options. I have 2 local headphone stores within 20 minutes. SuperMix 4: Warm, nice rumbly bass. Moderately detailed. Not the cleanest sounding. Overall, mass-marketed signature with passable sound. 6.5/10 Hidizs MP145: Good signature, warmer, slightly darker treble but flat sounding. Above average technical performance. Versatile pick. Would be my pick if it were brighter. 7.5/10 S12 Pro: My pick. Bright, clear, punchy and detailed. Best clarity of the bunch. Incredible performance to price ratio. Very resolving. Only issue is the ear hooks on cable, they suck because of the inflexible shape and create fit issues. Cable swap fixes this. 8/10 F1 Pro: Warmer, bass focused planar. Abit of an oddball. Good performance for the price. But lacking detail, expected at this price. 6.5/10 I lean towards brighter IEMs, with more clarity and technical chops. Suitable for very busy tracks. S12 Pro is my pick. For $120 it’s unbeatable value.

Yes, S12 Pro is still the recommendation of my choice! Performer 5 and EA500LM are similar to the SM4s. Sidegrade, if you ask me. Just another bassy IEM.

From a business standpoint of view, Letshuoer is pandering to the larger market. The original S12 was a unique release that pleased many trebleheads. But knowing that the market is filled with bass-heavy sets (as demanded by the market), Letshuoer must stay competitive by releasing their own sets to compete with the bass-hungry options, or die out. Which each iteration of the S12, the treble that made the S12 famous is continuously scaled back, with it's bass cranked up. I personally own the S12 Pro. At the time, I demo'd the S12 OG and 2024 edition. OG was too shrilling for my liking, and the 2024 edition was too expensive for a slightly warmer version of the S12 Pro. It seems that the Ultra is an even warmer version of the 2024. Will Letshuoer release a S12 Max next year that are planar bass cannons? I agree with u/The_Only_Egg, Letshuoer has definitely milked the shit out of the S12. I doubt the S12 Ultra will be able to relive the (short-lived) glory days of the S12 OG and S12 Pro. 2024 and Ultra are such far deviations of the S12 OG and Pro that Letshuoer should just come up with a completely different SKU for the Ultra.

S12 Pro. I tried all the S12 variants, and that one just hits. I'm still yet to add a mainstay planar to my collection, though.

If only the form factor wasn't dog water (for my ears). I owned the S12 Pro, and the fit was really awkward.

I found out about IEMs and this whole community last month, so I still have 0 clue what everyone is talking about most of the time, but what I can say is that I got myself the S12 Pros recently and I like them very much :)

I found my S12 Pros open box for a very nice $100 that I EQ and feel little need to upgrade, there are a couple models I'm intrigued by (DUSK, Pilgrim, Moondrop Meteor, Reference(?)), but they have a significant price jump, so I'm not exactly craving an upgrade any time soon.

If you're coming from Sony XM4's, as few other said - Aful Explorer is one of you better bets if it's still on sale. Currently 95.99$ on HiFiGo. As for Planars and "being best" is very, very subjective. Coming from Tin T3+ and TRI Starsea (single DD and 1 DD + 2 BA) i am definitely not "blown away" by the S12 Pros that just arrived few days ago. I've watched Michael Bruce, i've seen the hype around Planars and don't get me wrong, they're not bad by any means but there is just something weird about it. I can play a bit more with eartips, EQ, dacs but im not sure Planars fit my library or ears. There is just something "metallic" and inauthentic/colored about it. Or it could be my expecations? Or maybe that i come from already decent IEM's that were once popular for a reason? Anyhow, i think i prefer hybrids/BA the most so far. [https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1e9290a/comment/ledx5b3/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1e9290a/comment/ledx5b3/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) \^ This guy explains it best how i feel about it so far. And another thing (more of a nitpick) the S12's are foooooking small. And i have small-medium ears mind that.

Absolutely. As i said, they're ***not bad*** by any means but that metallic timbre i can't get rid off is just not my cup of tea and on graph they are more exciting than in actuality, they're a bit "veil/dark" as some call it. S12 Pro's build quality is fantastic, details/clarity/separation are good so they do sound better than Tin T3+ overall but that really doesn't say much considering T3+ is just a single DD that was once good 4-5 years ago for 60$ so there is that. If you really want to try Planar, Artti T10/Shozy P20 (70$ on Linsoul) are much better value than Timeless. Hifigo has the regular S12's for 109$. And Shenzhenaudio has the Tin P1 Max MK2 for 99$ if you prefer resin shell over metal. So there are definitely options around your budget so you can experience Planar driver yourself which is crucial as my opinion is just that - my opinion and you may not hear what i dislike about it or you may even like what i dislike.

I got S12 Pros and can't stand that metallic planar timbre. Bought it because of hype and simply wasn't my cup of tea, from the tuning to how the driver itself sounds. Tried EQ and i don't think they handle EQ as good as anything else (DD, Hybrids, Tribrids), tried tip rolling and everything.

I love the EA500LM also though treble sensitive I'm not as I also have the S12pro and my favorite Estrella.

I have the s08 and the s12 pro. I like the s12 pro, they sound very similar to the 7hz Timeless, and the Timeless are one of my favorite headphones of all the ones I own. I haven’t heard the MP145, but they are supposed to be incredible if they fit. The normal T10 is an amazing value. I’m not sure how good the T10 Pro are, but if you want value, the T10 is the way.

I had the S12 Pro, and based on my taste, i'd say the treble is too sharp on some music and it is lacking some bass I EQ mine to be more bassy and i'm really satisfied with it, the bass are clear and not muddy while you still can hear the vocal and instruments clearly

I have both of these and they have basically complete opposite sound signatures. The MagicOne isn't bright. It's more midrange focused, slightly warm (but not bassy) and quite soft-sounding. It also has very good imaging despite not having fairly subdued treble. The S12 on the other hand is v-shaped with quite a lot of bass, which is very clean because of the planar driver, and a *lot* of treble. Overall it's very bright and highly resolving, but can get a bit fatiguing after a while. The MagicOne is very relaxing and neutral-sounding without being boring. The only reason it's not in my top 5 IEMs is that it's unvented, so can have some issues with air pressure in the ear canals. It's my 3rd unvented IEM and out of the 3, it's the least problematic. I find it generally comfortable, but I wouldn't use it walking around outside, as that would most likely cause issues with the seal leading to constant channel imbalances (which is what I've found with the other 2). On a graph, the MagicOne looks fairly similar to the Truthear Hexa, but the Hexa is simultaneously more of a boring-neutral sound, a bit peaky in the treble and lacking in bass incisiveness. The MagicOne is much smoother sounding, but it has a very noticeable "softness" to its timbre that isn't unpleasant, but does make it sound more coloured. The Hexa isn't a bright IEM either, but it's more incisive in the treble than the MagicOne is. If you're specifically looking for bright, the Moondrop Stellaris is like the S12 with flat bass, and sounds a bit more resolving. This is the one to get if you want a resolution beast and don't care about anything else. But it's far too bright for most people. Another good bright IEM is the Simgot EA500 (the original, not the LM), but again it's a bit too bright for most people, though more balanced than the Stellaris. It's also doesn't have any planar timbre, so it sounds a bit more organic and correct for acoustic music, but it's still a very fast and resolving driver for a dynamic. It has excellent soundstage and imaging. The Moondrop LAN is perhaps a more sensible all-rounder bright-neutral option that's bright without pushing it into fatiguing territory, although it doesn't get close to the technicalities of the Stellaris or EA500.

S12 Pro could be a good option but it's quite v-shaped and timbre can be a bit metallic. I find it gets fatiguing to listen to after a while because of all the treble energy. If you're used to a v-shaped tuning like the CRA then it won't be a million miles from that, but the S12 is much more resolving. Legato is very bassy and sounds quite muddy. Probably not a good choice unless you plan to always use EQ. The Aoshida E20 might be a better 2DD option as the stock tuning is more bright-leaning and would likely work well for monitoring, and supposedly (I haven't got around to trying with mine yet) it takes EQ really well and can turn into a serious basshead IEM. The driver architecture is similar to the Legato but the stock tuning is different; with EQ it should be possible to make either one sound almost identical to the other. The only issue with the Aoshida is that it looks & feels quite cheap. The Legato build quality is nicer, but IIRC the shell is quite large. I wrote a bit about the Hexa in [my other comment](https://old.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1kkjodo/best_iem_under_100/mrv8h1g/) replying to OP.

S12 Pro is a lot more v-shaped and has a very idiomatic planar sound. So it's very resolving but there's a lot of treble. Planar bass doesn't sound the same as DD bass. It has more detail to it, but not as much "slam". That said, the S12 is tuned with a lot more bass than any of these, especially the Hexa (which I'd say is a bit below neutral), so it's going to sound a lot more hard-hitting and dynamic. I have the S12 Pro but there's also the original S12, which is on average slightly brighter. But there's a lot of unit variance with these, so a lot of both sets fall somewhere in the middle, with some Pros being brighter and some S12s being bassier. If you want to know more about those or planars in general, Audio Amigo on Youtube has a good planar roundup video where he talks a bit about how some of his S12 variants aren't the same as other people's.

you just saved me money. i have s12 pro and wanted to "upgrade" to supermix 4. i've read some reviewer rank list and they've put supermix 4 higher than s12 pro

it's exactly what i wanted to comment. seems like it's hard to get noticeable detail upgrade without spending a lot of money. which is why i decided to upgrade my s12 pro in a different way: i made rotating usb c extension for my dac so the phone port gets some relief when i have it in my pocket. next step is to integrate dac in that usb c extension. or even make an interchangeable connector for the cable so i can have either 3.5mm audio or rotating usb c with built in dac

you will pry s12 pros out of my cold, dead hands! i don't mind the treble or bass. just don't like vocals being in my face. had dunu titan s before them and i just couldn't. titan s was very lean to me and s12 pro feels like i'm on the stage with the musicians

In this range I've have the Simgot SM4 and the Letshuoer S12 Pro, been really happy with both and would recommend either! I would probably suggest the SM4 though as it has a bit more of an exciting tone structure

Hey y’all, I got a review copy of the Kiwi Ears Aether in from Linsoul and I wanted to share my thoughts. The Aether has gained a lot of hype since its release, so I was really happy to get the chance to try it out. However I was a bit tempered in my excitement as I absolutely fucking hate single planar driver IEMs. Ok, hate is a strong word, but I hadn’t met a single planer driver IEM yet that competes with any of my other single dynamic or hybrid/tribrid/quadbrid driver configuration sets. The original 7hz Timeless was my first hope but I found the sound thin, V shaped, and fatiguing. The huge 14.5mm driver of the Hidizs MP 145 was another contender, but that harsh V shape destroyed my ears in a way you can’t understand. No nozzle change could tame the planar timbre, that certain “zing” that most single planar driver sets have a lot of trouble shaking. I thought I needed something with a confirmed smooth tuning, so I gave the Letshoure S08 a shot. And sure, it has a lot of low end, but I personally found a lot of boom and not as much texture. Resolution is supposed to be a strength of planar drivers but I found the sound digital and grainy. I tried the Letshoure S12 Pro and its bright tuning had me tearing them out of my ears. Still feeling like I needed to find “my” planar, I demoed a Letshoure S15. The S15 has a more neutral tuning that I thought would be to my liking, but the dreaded hiss of planar timbre and sub-par bass response followed me even to this price range. I liked the S15 at first, but my ears were ringing after 20 minutes of listening, and I found myself giving up on single planar driver IEMs. That is, until the Kiwi Ears Aether came along with its 15.3 mm planar driver, unique design, and pretty faceplate to pique my interest once more. The Kiwi Ears Aether comes with a simple but elegant and functional black cable. Alongside we have hard case and 3 sets of eartips (Bass, Balanced, and Neutral). The simple accessory package is a stable of Kiwi Ears, and I do think that’s an effort to put more attention into the development of the IEMs themselves. The IEMs themselves are fairly large and feel a bit light in the hand. I believe this is partially what leads to the Aether’s ethereal soundstage; the planar driver needs room for its sound to resonate around in the larger space on its way to your ears. This gives us a vast, open soundstage that feels dynamic and lively, not flat like most of the single planar sets I’ve heard to this point. The bass response was the standout improvement over other single planars. Not only was it well resolved, it didn’t have the same unnaturally fast attack and decay that planar sets normally have. It still has a quicker attack and decay than a typical single dynamic set, but not as abrupt and unnatural as many of the planars I’ve tried to this point. Plenty of subbass immersion and midbass kick to satisfy many bassheads. I have a need for natural, lush male vocals, and Aether is the first planar set that’s been able to give that to me. The tuning allows vocals to be forward and present without ever becoming shouty or overbearing. The only con I can give to the sound is the slightly smoothed out treble. While resolution is a strong point for the set, the 6k tuning dip may mask some of a songs microdetails. This is easily mitigated with EQ, but I personally enjoy the smooth sound and don’t feel the need. Finally I have a planar set with a stock tuning that’s well resolved, balanced, and comfortable. Overall I feel like the Aether easily punches above its weight in the world of single planar driver IEMs. It has a smooth, balanced sound that never becomes harsh or fatiguing, even at louder volumes. In fact, the 6k dip allows me to crank the volume a little more. It’s nice to see Kiwi Ears bringing us an innovative product at a relatively modest price when you consider that this is the largest planar driver on the consumer market. I think the hype is real. The size of the driver is doing a lot to kill planar timbre as we know it. For that, I am thankful. And to you as well, thanks for reading.

If you don’t want to spend a fortune and want some really good ones especially if you love sharp treble and deep lows, I suggest the Letshuoer s12 Pro. They are extremely worth the price; they are planar magnetics

Also, look into the S12 pro. It is a planar, and gives you that nice, detailed, crisp sound that can get fairly bright. The bass is far from overwhelming, and is pretty much the standard for a planar in its price range. It does provide almost exactly what you’re describing.

If your goal is to spend a lot of time EQing an IEM, you don’t want a neutral IEM. You want an IEM that’s flexible enough to handle EQ manipulation, especially if you’re trying to make large changes. A single planar driver is the easiest to EQ a significant amount. This is especially true if you’re trying your approximate the sound signature of other IEMs (you will approximate the sound, you can never precisely reproduce the sound of a different IEM). You can go from the ~$50 USD with an Artii T10, higher around $100-120 the Letshuoer S12 or S12 pro. You can go a bit more expensive to an Aether for $160. But if you’ll be EQing these IEMs significantly there’s not much of a benefit to spending that much.

It’s funny, I bought a ZS12 Pro X when it first came out just to give KZ a chance, figuring their “higher end” might be worth a listen. I buy from Amazon in the US where you have 30 days to return policy. Even if it’s a bit more expensive than say Aliexpress, I like knowing I can demo an IEM for a week or two to see if it’s really good for me. It’s the only IEM I’ve ever returned the same day I received it.

What do you think of s12 Pro? I know they are a bit over 100$ but I am thinking of getting those, the package feels amazing, with the modular jacks, case, tips and cable. I am more into the Bass area, would they be good for that? Thanks 😊

No, I didn’t had the chance to try them, I was very close to ordering them, but I checked some reviews and everyone says that they’re all about Bass and nothing else, that’s why I will get the s12 Pro, a bit over my budget but I heard only amazing things about them.

Ok, I just ordered the Letshuoer S12 Pro. I can’t wait to try them, I am also very excited to try the 4.4 BAL jack I have on my iFi CAN that I never used before, and also because they come with the modular cable I want to see if I can hear any difference betwin the 2,5 3,5 and 4,4 jacks.

I recently tried the S12 Pro, S12 Anniversary, Timeless II, Timeless AE, Simgot ET142, Artti T10, Hidisz MP145, and Zetian Wu Legend. It's tough to pick a personal favorite since they all have their pros and cons, but if I had to choose, my top picks would probably be: * Timeless II or Timeless AE (whichever is cheaper). I like the Timeless II, but it can be prone to sibilance. The Timeless AE isn't as sibilant, but its upper treble is definitely a bit too much for me. * Simgot ET142. These are actually really good. The bass reminds me of the Timeless II/AE and the treble isn't as harsh as, say the S12 Pro. My only issue is the apparent peak in the upper-mids. * S12 Pro. Mostly because they're one of the cheapest options and the fit is easy as hell. They don't lack in technicalities compared to the rest either but yeah, the treble can be a bit too much for me. * Lastly, the MP145. The fit can be tricky, but when I get a good seal, they're good. Plus in my country they can be cheaper than the S12 Pro. As for the Artti T10, I had a hard time getting a good fit so I'll probably pass on that one. Still haven't tried the Zetian Wu Heyday or the Kiwi Ears Aether tho.

I recently tried the S12 Pro, S12 Anniversary, Timeless II, Timeless AE, Simgot ET142, Artti T10, Hidisz MP145, and Zetian Wu Legend. It's tough to pick a personal favorite since they all have their pros and cons, but if I had to choose, my top picks would probably be: * Timeless II or Timeless AE (whichever is cheaper). I like the Timeless II, but it can be prone to sibilance. The Timeless AE isn't as sibilant, but its upper treble is definitely a bit too much for me. * Simgot ET142. These are actually really good. The bass reminds me of the Timeless II/AE and the treble isn't as harsh as, say the S12 Pro. My only issue is the apparent peak in the upper-mids. * S12 Pro. Mostly because they're one of the cheapest options and the fit is easy as hell. They don't lack in technicalities compared to the rest either but yeah, the treble can be a bit too much for me. * Lastly, the MP145. The fit can be tricky, but when I get a good seal, they're good. Plus in my country they can be cheaper than the S12 Pro. As for the Artti T10, I had a hard time getting a good fit so I'll probably pass on that one. Still haven't tried the Zetian Wu Heyday or the Kiwi Ears Aether tho.

I have seasoned ears and I don't like the S12 pro at all. Just because someone likes a different sound signature doesn't mean they aren't seasoned. Also not all music works with a brighter, neutral sounding iem. I listen mainly to metal and a bright sound signature is not what I need at all.

You're right, I use the s12 pro, its sound is transparent, but the ringtone ruins everything!

First you need to find "your" tuning. There is no better phone, there is what suits your taste. For example, I think my Sgor Venus is infinitely better than my Titan S, even though it is much inferior in technicalities. I like my Artti T10 more than the Letshuoer S12 Pro... I like the Samson SR850 more than the Philips SHP9500, and it costs half as much.

Oh, you should have purchased the S12 Pros instead. I don't own the vanilla S12s but there are a lot of review and comparisons online. Thats why I went with Pros. Low end is more emphesised with them.

I don't like ear piercing highs, so it was worthy for me. And Im using it without the need to EQ. Technically all the difference between the two are better cable + different tuning and color. Afaik planar drivers are exactly same.

I have them and the S08s. Love them both. Most iems I’ve tried sound really harsh, but I find the Letshouers to be quite nice.

S12 pro has the best technicalities

I do have a pair of S12 pro IEMs. They sound good and I like the form factory of IEMs. Nice to switch it up and give me ears a break. Want to upgrade the sound card from g6 but everywhere I look i cant find something that would be a significant improvement over what I got currently.

I also has Letshuoer S12 Pro with bluetooth Hiby R3 Pro DAC but I played it with my Pixel 9. My question is, how is the comparation between it and IPhone with their Airpods with their Spatial Audio?

s12 pro gives you a lot of flexibility they work wonders on EQ and they are just super comfy.

o s12 pro toca ridiculamente facil, vai ficar legal no ipod

I had the S12Pro which I returned for the Supermix 4 after testing both. I did like the S12Pro, but I liked the SM4 better. I do plan on revisiting the S12 perhaps with the 2024 model when I can find it on sale. You can also currently get the Artti T10 for like $38 on Ali which sound very close the S12 Pro. For music reference, I typically listen to metal.

Of this list, my pick would be the S12 Pros. They can do the ethereal and detailed sound for things like small ensemble jazz or classical and then crank it up to 10 for harder metal and rock styles with equal aplomb. The S12 series have been my favorite ever since the introduction of the OG S12s which quickly replaced my OG Timeless. In the years since I've owned or tried most of the major players in the planar market and they have remained my favorite single planar until you get to the CFA Supermoons.

A little bit yeah. Wouldn't be much of an issue with the foam tips since they'd absorb it (and smell the part) but they also dampen the sound a little so the silicone seems to give a straight path. That being said, it's more about prevention at a very low cost/maintenance so it's more just being aware. They still are worth it and I can't really listen to my s12 pros liekt hat anymore, they sound flat and dull in comparison. Definitely buy them, you'll enjoy them a lot

Been super impressed with Letshoer S12 Pro, they were a bit bright for me at first but after EQ on fiio BTR15 I was able to shape them in a way that was to my taste. Cut 7.5-8k, bit of low mids and add some sub. I’m sure there’s something better suited to my taste but I can shape these to suit whatever I throw at them. Single Planars are defs cool.

Hello, i have trouble deciding on an IEM. I listen to alot of Rock, Blues, Pop and Jazz. Sometimes I even like to listen to EDM, House and Classical depends on the mood. So I guess I am looking for a versatile, all around iem. I also play electric guitar on stage, so I guess instrument separation is also a must. I have quite sensitive ears, i tried the s12 pro but it was too irritating for my ears. I usually eq the bass to be more of presence, then lower down the treble while upping the mids a little. It was my first IEM so I was still trying to figure out what kind of sounds that i like. Comfort is also very important as I main earbuds for everything including light gaming. Soundstage wouldn’t be that concerning to me. I guess thats all, thank you in advance.

How do you think it compares with the s12 pro? Also how does female vocals sound? Sadly I lost the right side of my s12 pro hence now on the hunt for a new iem, and am interested in the fudu 2!

What makes the HD600 wonderful is their natural organic timbre, non fatiguing signature, rolled-off treble (and sub bass). The suggestions in your title are very different. My personal favourite under 500 so far has bene the Aful Explorer, I prefer it to other Afuls, as well as all IEMs mentioned in this thread. It doesn't wow with detail or clearness, but is just so enjoyable, and has a very small shell and nozzle. It may or may not be too warm for some, as it has quite a bit more bass than HD600 though. (for me personally) S12 is harsh, SM4 is unbalanced (I don't like harman), and MP145 is too V shaped and has a horrible fit. Good luck!

A cheaper IEM being my most favorite? No. No cheap IEM cam come close to the expensive sets I have, but I do rotate through most of my collection over time. There is no comparison between listening to music on my Diva or my Glacier to any of my cheaper sets though, the gap is pretty significant. But, if you would ask me to choose a single cheap set and get rid of everything else, it would be the Letshuoer S12.

Save yourself some money and get the S12 Pro instead, it's better tuned IMO. The S12 Pro is slightly bassier (especially in the sub-bass) and quite a bit more airy compared to the Aether which leads to a larger soundstage. The S12 line has always been an EQ champ too so there's no issue making them sound the way you want as well, if are into EQing.

The whole S12 line is excellent. I've been in the hobby for more than 15 years and own quite a few very expensive IEMs and after I bought the OG S12 I was obsessed with it for a couple of months. It's that good. Now, personally I like the S12 more than the pro because I tend to favor brighter sets but that's not how most people feel, especially younger people because the treble can be harsh. The S12 Pro on the other hand is has a milder treble profile so it's more friendly to a lot more ears. So, my advice is to not buy the hype cause its always overpriced, the Aether is just not worth the asking price, should be around $100 max.

Love my S12 pros

I don’t know what kind of metal you listen but a DD will never outperform a planar for metal, especially extreme metal. The drumming, guitar riffs, and instrument separation are unmatched with a planar. It’s the reason why the s12 pro is a metalhead’s dream come true.

Allow me to introduce myself, the extreme metal fan who endlessly praises the s12 pro as the king of speed. No IEM I’ve ever tried has handled double kicks or instrument clutter better than these. The stock tuning is also quite metal friendly as opposed to a lot of the harman/meta or popular-focused tunings. What sort of bands are you listening to?

I absolutely love my S12 pro planar the sound from it is soooo clean when I swap to use it from anything else it always shocks me. Beautiful iem I'll never get rid of my S12 pro ever.

That's why you try and fix it once the modifications is done these are absolutely fantastic. Here's what a little easy work does and believe me the timber sounds absolutely perfect now. 👇👇 The Blue is a standard S12 pro and the Red is the frequency graph after all the modifications have been done. https://preview.redd.it/e317lwhs84yf1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=8b4740ef10319698331a76c94e366afd31712864

Yeah a 2 minutes work with parametric eq just change the 7800k frequency -5 with Q value of 9000 fixes the unrealistic timbre it's that peak.

My go to recommendations are planars iems around this price with EQ. S12 pro, F1 pro, Artti T10 etc. Around 150, SuperMix 4 is great. I have done a [full review](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/XFgncg3VpJ) here if you want to check.

The Timeless 2 and the S12 Pro performance fit in that bracket too though they were cheaper (compared them all)

arti t10 also I've seen S12 Pro priced $100 they perform at the level of higher priced IEMs especially at handling complex music with lots of sounds playing. They sound effortless no distortion

I also enjoy Rock/Metal/Nu Metal And my current daily drivers are the S12 2024, really appreciate the superb Instrument separation and clarity. Though this thing is 200 bucks. There's the S12 Pro which is a lot cheaper you can consider that, and you can always EQ it to sound like the 2024 since Planar takes EQ well.

S12 Becuase of details and bass. And details.

I have both. Mp145 has the better sound. Note that it's "semi open", so... has larger soundstage, more air and is bright, but not as aggressive as the s12. And it looks sturdier. Another thing: the shell is heavy.

(amongst the iems have I owned) s tier: kiwi ears ke 4 and truthear hexa a+ tier: Ikko OH10, Pula PA02, Shuoer s12 pro, Sennheiser ie200, Kefine Delci, Dunu Titan S OG a tier: Dunu Titan s2, Tanchjim One, pre revision CCA CRA+ A- tier: Binary Chopin, Tangzu Waner Studio, KZ PR2 pre revision, Tripowin Olina SE B+ tier: Kiwi Ears Quintet, Tangzu Xuan Ji, Simgot EW 200, Truthear Gate and Hola, Tangzu Wan'er SG B tier: Moondrop Chu 2 and OG, KZ EDA Balanced, Kiwi Ears Quartet, Moondrop Aria Snow, FiiO Jade Audio JH3, Tripowin Lea B- tier: 7hz zero OG, Truthear Zero Blue, Whizzer BS1 C tier: KZ CRN D tier: Moondrop Quarks honorable mentions: Koss KSC75 in A minus, Porta Pro in B, Moondrop Space Travel in B-, Galaxy Buds Plus and 2 in A minus along with Airpods Pro Gen 1, and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in A plus.

They take eq really well so if you find the treble a bit much you can reduce it or increase the bass, other than that you can find all the info you need by searching for reviews on here about it there’s already countless. I mostly listen to hip hop and these are my go to

1/ Aful Explorer / Juzear Defiant --> Adorable set. Loved by all the community, I bet you'd like it to, it's really beginner friendly, and the warm sound is really good. It's a must have, to me. Both of the sets are a really safe option if you don't know what you like. 2/ Letshouer S12 Pro / Artti T10 (a bit cheaper) -> S12's are probably one of the best budget iems rn, in this segment, they are wonderfully well rounded, treble, bass, and the mids. Well I might be a bit biased, but I absolutely adore Planar bass. Fast, composed, impactful. 3/ Myer Audio Sliivo SLA3 -> One of the best tribrids in this segment, wonderfully done, quality is top notch. But may not suit to your taste. It's quite underrated. 4/ Sivga Que UTG -> it's a really good set, good at analytics. Almost performs like planars that I've heard of, despite it fundamentally being a diddy. (DD) There's also CKLVX CK2V, Kiwi Ears KE4, Simgot Supermix4 and yada yada

Good question — and it depends on what kind of gaming we’re talking about. If you’re mostly playing **competitive FPS games** and want to maximize things like **footstep clarity**, **positional awareness**, and **layer separation** under pressure, then I’d prioritize IEMs with: - **Excellent transient response** (for clean attack and fast decay), - **Low distortion under complex loads**, and - **A tuning that emphasizes the upper mids and treble** (for spatial cues) without being harsh. Planar IEMs tend to shine here due to their speed and clarity. A few solid picks (as of 2024-2025): - **Letshuoer S12 Pro** – Fantastic transient clarity and wide stage for the price. - **Artti T10** – Slightly leaner, more analytic planar with great layering. But, if you're into **story-rich or cinematic games** and want immersion more than edge detection, something with a warmer, fuller low-end and wider soundstage might be better.

Letshour S12 pro good for footsteps with a decent dac. Better than the hexa ( have both). I really love the aful p 2+5 (and regret not paying up for it initially) and its superb for valorant as it doesn’t give directionally miscue in valorant in game sounds which other iems tend to do (inc s12 pro)

Ok. I’ve tried s12 pro and aful p 2+5 , the footsteps naturally sound better on s12 but the overall sound quality and directional audio sound better on aful. You can also lower the vandal sound frequency using equalizer

OP how do u use your airpods pro 2? with spatial audio on or spatial audio off? if spatial audio off, like i do, and u want similar sound quality, i thinking dunu davinci fits the role, soundstage is narrow same as APP2 spatial audio off, with alot tighter bass and thumpy sound However the dunu davinci price is $299 usd, and the nozzle is big AF Personally i think Letshouer S12 pro is 90% the way there on par with APP2 similar soundstage and imaging, for $170 but slightly peaky treble i heard S12 2024 limiter edition is better tune, but i don’t have it to confirm, price $199, it has the least planar timbre of the S12 line, according to many reviews online

S12 pro, but i only have access to S12 pro, i am very biased points gun, you better be joining the S12 ~~cult~~ club now!

Tried these on my Letshuoer S12 Pro, works really well! I think it actually cuts a tiny bit of treble but that actually works great in my case. For casual listening, go for it. Just know that quality will take a very minor hit (wont notice unless A-B testing), but for the convenience, it is fantastic. Also battery lasts surprisingly long..

S12 Pro looks good. Just got one for my partner to listen to POP and Females Vocals

+1 on S12Pro

I also like S08 more . I have s08 / s12pro / s12 2024 and et142 . I tried explorer at audio store but i dont buy it

It depends on your budget. I do recommend spending a little more and being done. With IEMs, and true wireless earbuds, it’s easy to get caught up in spending $20-$40 over and over again. Since you have a DAP, you can use FiiO’s settings to apply a system-wide EQ. Any details in sound signatures between lower priced IEMs could be made up for in the EQ. Instead, if you spend more money upfront, you’ll likely be happier in the long term and not want to keep buying IEMs. You can either spend $200 over time or $150-ish and be done, as someone entering the market. I have the FiiO M21 and paired it with the Letshuoer S12 Pro. I specifically wanted a planar driver IEM, I have a tri-brid IEM already and wanted to see what the fuss was about. I leave my tri-brid at my desk as a backup in case I forget my bag at home. The level of detail, the room for EQ, and the wide sound stage (especially for an IEM) have me completely satisfied. I’ve since listened to even more expensive hybrid IEMs and just don’t hear much of anything to make it worth buying them over what I currently have.

This thread made me rethink everything: https://old.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1mirks1/upgraded_from_moondrop_variations_to_kiwi_ears/ I’ve spent ages comparing IEMs to find a sound I like. But if I’m going to EQ every pair anyway, does the stock signature even matter? Shouldn't I just buy the most affordable IEM that offers: - the best technicalities, ie. features EQ can’t magically create - great EQ-friendliness, ie. how well it takes adjustments I’m currently using S12 Pros. If those already sit at A-tier around technical detail, what would even be a legitimate upgrade path? S-tier resolution or a wider, more holographic soundstage could be worth it, but are there any other tangible benefits that actually justify shelling out more?

Yes, that's is a legitimate point. The S12 Pros are planars, so using different builds like DD or BA/ES/whatever could justify an upgrade. That really comes down to how well they handle EQ. Very few IEMs can take low-end EQ well enough to compete with the FatFreqs. Maybe none.

I'm a decades long audiophile, and my final home stereo/surround system includes an Audio Research all tube amp, Audible Illusions preamp, and Mirage M3 chin high speakers. A high end Lexicon surround processor feeds the side and rear speakers through separate amps. Back in the mid-90's I purchased the Sennheiser HD580 and Beyerdynamic 990, but these were considered just 'accessories' those days. I enjoyed them with the portable devices available at the time, but my main stereo system got the spotlight. In 2020, during covid, I became more interested in headphones. I was struck by the huge community of hobbyists and all of the DACS, amps, and headphones available. So I entered the headphone world and became an enthusiast. Over 4 years and many DAC/amp/headphone combinations I settled on a recent mid-level Topping DAC, an excellent XDuoo hybrid amp, 5 Beyerdynamic headphones (including the DT 1990) as my favorites. And then I added the Arya Organic. At that point I figured the bang to buck ratio precluded the need for any further improvements. You know what happened next-- I kept seeing articles, comments, and videos about IEMs and had to see what all the fuss was about. I bought the KZ Terminator and had problems getting a good seal. I had to work with the over-ear cords to get them right. Had to purchase different tips-- and then it all started working right. I soon got the s12 pro, Simgot EW200, 300, and EA1000. I've now added the Ziigaat x Fresh Arete and Hidizis mp 145 and Aful Explorer to my favorites. So is it all hype? No, IEMs can really sound great. It's more of an intimate, in the head experience than headphones, and the sound is immersive. Are they 'better' than headphones? No. They're different, but not necessarily better. My DT 1990's and Arya Organic's still reign supreme, overall. And my home stereo system is still the best in terms of a more realistic, big-scale sound. The difference between a large speaker home setup, and headphones, and IEMs is all about the scale of the sound. IEMs just can't match the scale of the Organics, and the Organics aren't replicating music in the scale of a speaker system. But the IEM experience is very addictive. I think that part of the attraction, after the immersive quality, is the simple novelty of it all. I'm putting these tiny things into my ears and I'm getting this relatively huge experience And they're so comparatively cheap. Back in my home stereo days a component could cost 2-3K or more. The Organics cost $1300. My EA1000's cost $225, and I think of these as equal to my DT 1990's, although at a smaller scale.

I was after a pair of planar Iems as even though I have a load of headphones, nothing really beat my Hifiman Edition XS. I did have a pair of BASN Mix-PD and they were my best IEMs until I got a pair of Hidiz MD4, as the Hidiz have great upper frequency resolution. Enter the Letshuoer S12 Pro.... The S12 pro are without doubt the best IEMs I've heard, and I have barely touched the Hifimans for weeks. They have a solid bass with the same upper clarity as the hidiz, they sound better than the SM4. The build quality is amazing and when paired with a decent cable (a tripowin zonie) they look great too. OK you are not getting the super wide sound stage that over ears give you, but they are holographic in thier own way. Layers open up and you can easily get lost in the music. I flip between a simple EQ that makes them a bit more Harman like and also the stock sound depending on what I'm listening to. I got them used, and at £45 they were an utter steal. At full price they would still be worth it. I have tons of other headphones and buds, and the only thing that comes close are the edifier stax spirit s10, or the edifier neobuds plus. OK they are not going to beat my hifiman edition xs for sound, but as an IEM alternative they fit the bill.

The sets I have right now are: Hype 4 Aful Explorer Letshouer S12 Pro Simgot E6ML Letshouer Z4 Of those the Hype 4 and Explorer get the most use for music but I don't really like them as much for gaming. The Hype 4 holds its own, but is almost too detailed for gaming (also a lot more expensive). The Explorer has too much sub bass and ruins gaming IMO, but it is extremely comfortable and a lot of fun for music. I prefer the S12 Pro for music over the E6ML, but the E6ML is slightly better for gaming. Mainly I find the difference to be with gun shots and vocals (especially the main character in Destiny Rising) the S12 Pro can sometimes exhibit simbiliance-type effects. That said, if I was buying only one set of those two, I like the S12 Pro better (comfort is better, build quality is better, and generally the details are outstanding). The z4 works very well for gaming, is great for vocal and live audio, but it is not a great general set (though I paid 28 USD for it so I don't mind too much, as it is a niche specialty set in my mind). The only other I have been eyeing is the s08, which has a decent reputation for gaming and is supposedly a more detailed/speedy Explorer - that sounds like an interesting combination to me.

Except for Comfort/Accessories/Build quality(that can be either better and sturdier materials or branded drivers) what you often get is a more fine tuned Iem. A single DD Driver is often limited to a certain degree what is possible with the tuning. If you check out some graphs you often see these peeks in the treble which can't be fixed with only one DD.  With more an different drivers you can tune it easier and make it smoother. You can eq and make it better but you have to do it by ear (up until 6k you can use AutoEq and it works pretty good). The treble on the graphs are not correct therefore AutoEq  won't help. You can in general increase or decrease the amount of treble (with a highshelf filter) but its harder to fix the peeks, add more treble energy in the parts where it lacks (which can sometimes be in the 10db range but it's not necessarily recommended to that because drivers have limitations -especially cheaper ones - and adding more and more will cause distortion) and still make it sound smooth.  Is it worth it though to spend 5x more compared to the chu 2? If you want a better executed Treble, better build quality and accessories than definitely yes ( I'm thinking about the letshuoer S12 pro for a more exciting and detailed treble which you u can get during sales for around $100 or something like the Truthear Pure which has a smoother and more relaxed treble.) Is it worth it though to spend 25x more compared to the chu2? Now we are in a territory where value isn't really a factor anymore. Up until 200-$300 you can still argue in some cases that the value is still decent. But at $500 no Iem is worth the price if you can get the Moondrop chu2 for $20. Dont get me wrong. No $100 Iem sounds 5x better than the chu2 but like I said in the paragraph above the other things make it worth it. At the $500 price tag you don't get that much better better build quality, accessories or Soundquality compared to the $100 price tag. It will be definitely be better overall but it's not a good value (if we only think about Soundquality). Something like the Xenns top pro ( 2 DD and 8Bas)  has noticeably higher r&d costs as well as material and labor/packaging costs.  You are paying for let's say 20% better Soundquality $480 more.  Not great value but its better. The $200-300 range is where you can get close enough to the endgame territory and is only slightly behind the behind the $500 price bracket. Everything above $500 is the last 1% (excluding the tuning preferences. Only talking about technical performance)

I'm considering purchasing one of three sets of in-ear monitors (IEMs): the DZ4, Klean, and EW200. My listening preferences lean toward lo-fi and vocal-forward music; while I don't primarily listen to bass-heavy tracks, I do appreciate them occasionally. The DZ4 is currently on sale for $30, while the Klean and EW200 are priced at approximately $25 and $30, respectively. I am drawn to the DZ4 because of its intriguing 6mm triple titanium dome DD configuration and 6mm passive radiator. I recently purchased the Letshuoer S12 Pro IEMs, and I value their detailed and impactful sound, but find them uncomfortable for extended listening sessions. My Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro remain my most comfortable option. Would purchasing any of these three IEMs represent a step down or a comparable experience in terms of audio quality? Finally, would my Letshuoer DT01 DAC be suitable for use with both the S12 Pro and a new IEM purchase? I'm not particularly well-versed in the technical aspects of audio equipment. I would appreciate your assistance in choosing between these three options.

Also took its trace and compared it with S12 pro on crin's 5128 squig.link: [https://i.imgur.com/vC51PMn.png](https://i.imgur.com/vC51PMn.png)

The thing with KZ is that: 1. They're all BIIIGGG, so big that for a lot of ears it can be quite difficult to get a good fit and seal. They always advertise that they have a gazillion drivers in them, but I honestly could not care less. I'm personally running a pair of Letshuoer S12 Pro's, which have 1 driver and are BY FAR the best IEMs I've ever heard. This allows them to be really nice and small, so they fit wonderfully. 2. The stock tips are TERRIBLE. It's basically impossible to get a nice seal with them, even if the actual IEM fits good. I recommend trying out Sedna Earfit, Dunu S&S, Symbio Peel Hybrid tips, or double/triple flange tips. They are on the more expensive side but once you have a solid fit it's a worlds difference

Fellow metalhead and passionate s12 pro lover here. Completely agree

S12 Pro (w/ EQ) > S12 2024 > MP145 > S12 Pro. This will always depend on preference, as there are some that swear by the S12 Pro in its stock tuning.

Indeed; and the Q5k has access to the entire AutoEQ database, so you can just load up EQs and try them out. Because the S12 drivers are such EQ sponges, there's a ton of great presets out there already that completely retune that set.

I own some of those $1200 IEMs, and I use none of them for gaming. Many of them make poor gaming sets, with a few exceptions. The IEMs I have used most often are the Simgot EM6L, Supermix 4, Crinicle Zero Blue/Blue 2, Thieaudio Hype 4, Xenns Tea and Top Pro, Meze Alba, and Letshuoer S08 & S12 Anniversary. The one I recommend most is the EM6L. It has consistently been my go-to for competitive gaming most of the time. Coincidentally, it's one of the cheapest sets in my rotation. Unfortunately, recency bias often often plays a major role in what is recommended in the community, which is why you don't see it as often in these types of recommendation threads, but a good tuning remains good forever -- which means many budget sets may be getting more attention recently, but they haven't necessarily dethroned the EM6L. The most critical areas of the frequency range for gaming is the upper mids and treble. The EM6L excels in these areas, offering great detail and clarity, with enough bass extension and emphasis to round out the tuning, but without losing detail in the mids. Imaging and soundstage is solid for an IEM, and they're comfortable enough for long periods of time, with the exception that the nozzle can be challenging for users with smaller ear canals. The other sets I often fall back on for immersive/single-player gaming is the Letshuoer S08. Up from there, the Hype 4; both are warm and fun, with the Hype 4 providing stronger bass performance, albeit typical Thieaudio "rounded" bass, and not as incisive as the S08's faster, more immediate planar slam. On the higher-priced midfi side, as mentioned above, the Hype 4 is one of my go-tos for immersive games, and the Top Pro is my competitive set of choice. It is like the Tea Pro, but with more controlled lower frequencies, and better detail and clarity. The Tea Pro is often recommended for gaming, the Top Pro improves on that tuning. It doesn't quite hit Volur-levels of "holographic" soundstage and imaging, but it is an exceptional set for its price. TL;DR: do not spend more than $500-$600 on a gaming IEM, and to be honest I wouldn't even recommend spending that much. I have dozens of IEMs in my collection, and my favorite gaming sets are on the budget side. Do I still use the Top Pro and Hype 4? Yes, but not as often as the EM6L and S08, and you could get by using the former for every use case -- I just like the S08 enough that I enjoy weaving it into my day-to-day as much as possible.

I would not recommend any as first buy. I would start with Cadenza or a new KZ because super cheap disposable trash. But sure, you have to know what to expect: KE4 has a new style tuning, pretty good, but there are better options. Nova is an absolute beast, some find it tinny sounding, super EQ-able and you can turn it 99% into a Hype 4 easily - but is huge - do you have large ear holes? SM4 is 0.5% better than Nova stock, but is not as EQ-able, is source dependent, and some may find it a bit too spicy. S12 Pro is nice all rounder, planar, EQ-able, no complaints from me - but I prefer the Nova over it. Explorer is different, so you may not be able to appreciate it if you start with this one - or it's the best one for you, who knows? In conclusion, if you EQ and have loose holes, Nova.

I think a lot of the fancy tech like multiple drivers, planar magnets is becoming cheaper as it becomes more common. The cheap IEM market is full of these bang for buck Chifi IEMS. I'm so overwhelmed every time I look at something to buy. Right now I am happy with my Letshoer S12 Pro's

I'd argue with a bit of eq and a higher listening volume the s12 can be pretty fun. I have the s12 pro which is supposed to have slightly more bass and smoother treble, and they're my favorite V-shaped iems, but when I made my friend try them he said he heard just treble, until I raised the volume up a bit. Sure they're not for everybody, but I guess it's easy to look past them before discovering their actual potential

I'd argue with a bit of eq and a higher listening volume the s12 can be pretty fun. I have the s12 pro which is supposed to have slightly more bass and smoother treble, and they're my favorite V-shaped iems, but when I made my friend try them he said he heard just treble, until I raised the volume up a bit. Sure they're not for everybody, but I guess it's easy to look past them before discovering their actual potential

I have the S12 Pros and I cannot find a tip for them that fits my ear canals correctly. This might just be a me problem, but my Momentum 3s definitely fit better.

This isn’t going to be a technical breakdown talking about graphs or fancy terminology. I don’t fully understand those yet (though I can piece some things together). Instead, this is just a random write-down and review from someone who enjoys music, and appreciates the experience, and wants to share my impressions that might help others starting out. It’s a long one, since I’ve gone through a LOT of IEMs in a short time. Firstly, I listen to all sorts of music. Classic, rap, rock, punk, pop but mostly vocal ballads and pop. I can probably also say I'm not "treble sensitive" (never tested whether I am or not) but as long as the IEM fit comfortably, didn't have a problem with fatigue. For reference, I’m using a JDS Atom 2 stack. Whether that matters much, you can decide for yourself. I started with a HyperX Cloud headset for gaming and music. Then I bought into the open-back headphone hype and got a Sennheiser HD6XX. Loved the sound, but big-head problems made them super uncomfortable after a while. That’s when I decided to try IEMs. My first real IEM was the Oriolus Finschi. Bought it on a whim, no research. Turned out great: comfy, clear vocals, decent instrument separation, and even worked well for tactical FPS games. I used them for years until the plastic wrapping on the shell started peeling. And so my budget IEM collection starts. Also if you're asking why buy so many, I just have a bad habit of making a collection. Now a quick review of these for anyone who also don't understand the graphs and want a general idea. Budget IEMs I’ve tried (ranked best to worst for me). **Kefine Delci AE:** These became my favorite as they had clear vocals and instruments with good separation and resolution, similar to the Oriolus Finschi but just a bit more lively. They sounded slightly brighter/livelier than neutral (I’ll put the Finschi and Hexa as the neutral-sounding baseline). These were fun and enjoyable—everything sounded clear and lively without being piercing. Even the bass was clear and sharp, not boomy, which I liked. **Letshouer S08:** This was my favorite until the Delci AE arrived. They were just pleasing to listen to—fun but also relaxing. Definitely a step down in clarity from the Delci AE, and probably less clear than the Simgot EA500LM, but still more enjoyable to listen to than the EA500LM. The bass wasn’t too much either; it was clear and sharp. It felt *fast*—like you could feel that it came out quickly and clearly. I’m guessing that’s the “speed of planar” people keep talking about? **Aful Explorer:** This one I didn’t like much stock, but once I applied EQ through Peace, they got significantly better. Stock, they were too dark and heavy sounding—everything was a bit muffled and muddy sounding. After EQ, they definitely improved. They were still dark sounding, but less so. Darker than the S08, but brightened enough for me to enjoy them. Vocals still felt clear, just not as clear as the Delci AE, maybe about the same as the S08. The Explorer had more of a boomy bass compared to the sharp, clear bass of the IEMs mentioned above. **Simgot EA500LM:** These had very clear vocals, which made me enjoy them for vocal ballads and pop tracks. But the background instruments weren’t as clear or well separated, and the soundstage seemed small and recessed compared to the vocals. This made vocals stand out but instruments felt like they all came from the same area, which wasn’t great for classical music. These probably had the most bass out of all the budget IEMs I got. It was boomy—the opposite of the sharp bass of the Delci AE and S08. With the Delci AE and S08 I could hear when the bass started and stopped, but here it just boomed and sort of rolled off instead of “stopping.” **Truthear Hexa:** Mediocre for me—nothing really stood out. It had clear vocals, instruments, and bass, but not to the point that it was clearer than the IEMs above. Very neutral and "boring". **Dunu Kima 2:** These had really good vocals, probably on par with the Delci AE. However, I found the background instruments very recessed, even more so than the EA500LM, making them unclear. The difference between forward, clear vocals and recessed background instruments felt weird to me. Otherwise, I think I would have really liked these—especially since this IEM comes with the best accessories by far. It’s like Dunu added the Kima 2 IEMs to their accessory set, instead of the other way around. **Letshouer S12 Pro:** Personally, I don’t understand the hype behind these. They sounded a bit unnatural and artificial—not relaxing or fun for me. They were bright, and I couldn’t EQ them properly. Toning down the brightness made them muddy. They were decent in clarity and had sharp, fast bass, but the overall tonality was just too bright and artificial for me. Still, I would pick these over the next two, just because they were clearer in both vocals and instruments which I value highly. **Kefine Klean:** These were okay, just average all around. Similar to the Truthear Hexa, but toned down evenly in all categories. Average clarity, separation, bass. Nothing wowed me, and they were a bit boring. Personally, I’d save up for the Delci AE or S08. **Simgot EW300:** Very slightly less clarity than the Klean, but a bit more bass and a livelier sound signature. If you listen to more rock or EDM, you would probably enjoy the EW300 more than the Klean. Just to quickly add: I also got the Moondrop Starfield 1 when they were popular back then, but they were heavy, uncomfortable, and mediocre. I didn’t use them for long and honestly can’t remember them well enough to describe beyond that. Currently, I’ve upgraded to mid-level IEMs and rotate between the Aful Explorer 5+2, Kiwi Ears Astral, Aether, and Ziigaat Odyssey. I found that the mid-level IEMs are definitely better than all the entry-level ones—I can clearly hear a difference when swapping back to the Delci AE or S08 in terms of clarity, resolution, and soundstage. However, the upgrade isn’t *huge*, so whether that’s worth the extra price depends on you. Maybe if people enjoyed reading this long post, I can do another crappy review for the mid-level IEMs I’ve collected.

If you're open to eq the S12 pro is a possible endgame. They respond to eq ridiculously well. Extremely comfortable too

I liked the stock tuning a lot but with the eq I'm using now they're the best I've heard. Incredibly good technicalities at 10 times the price.

No worries. Its the only eq I've used, to my ears, that when i A/B'd back and forth everything sounded fixed and very natural. And I really liked the stock tuning

I own the Explorer, which is an exceptional set at price, but keep in mind it has a colored sound signature, requiring higher volume to avoid sounding rolled off and too dark. Although details will remain soft, I prefer it over the S12 Pro, which emphasizes details and clarity but can sound a bit metallic and unnatural. I would still take the S12 Pro over the Aful P5, as it can sound congested and has a hot treble to my ear. You should also consider tips, they significantly impact an IEM's presentation and sound. Consider getting a full set of KB Ear 07, Divinus Velvet Wides, and foam tips to experiment with. Aful includes awful tips, so factor that into your decision. Regarding the Aether, it's too early to tell, as initial hype can influence opinions. I haven't tried the Supermix 4, but it appears well-regarded as an all-rounder. Lastly, all these IEMs will benefit from EQ adjustments. Even a simple low and high shelf, adjusting those ratios can make a huge difference.

Ill separate my answers/tips. - Comfort is 100% all about eartips, I found myself liking the kiwi ears flex in most of all my iems the other options is the divinus velvet. - Klean and the DZ4 should be ur way to go. - Ur Dac is more than enough to drive 98% of available iems in the market. - S12 pro is 2 leagues above the Iems ur trying to buy. Planars IEMs handle EQ really well, before purchasing budget iems to replace them try other eartips and EQ. Your going to be surprise by that driver prowess.

Tried Dusk, sent it back after a week. I don’t see the appeal at all. If you have an android and don’t have a Q5k, maybe, but the cable is like €25 separately so I don’t see how it justifies a €350 purchase. I’m currently waiting for my Tea Pro, meanwhile enjoying S12 Pro.

Interesting. I’ve got the s12 pro. Wonder if it’s worth picking these up

The S12 pro is probably the “safer” bet in that case. The SM4 is fantastic but there COULD be too much treble if you’re not used to it. The Nova is wonderful but maybe a bit more “niche” and less of an allrounder. The Explorer are super enjoyable but a bit warmer, so if you’re trying to stay a bit more neutral and not have to much emphasis on anything the S12 pro is a great choice. And in case it would be necessary for you to change the sound because it is not 100% to your liking, you can EQ the S12 Pro quite easily.

No mostly less expensive than this, this was my splurge. I’ve had the Explorer (still love these), the Nova, Supermix 4, Performer 5, S12 Pro, T10, IE200, Hexa, EA500 LM, and a host of the popular budgets, like the Cadenza, Wan’er, Zero 2 (still use these with a Bluetooth adapter), and EW200. Before switching tips I was about to return them and just stop at the Explorer.

I prefer the S12 Pro to the MP145, but didn't love either. the 2024 version (it's kind of pink/rose gold) apparently tamed some of the treble and increased the bass, so I think I would potentially like it the best but haven't heard it yet. There's also good reports on FiiO's new planar, the FP3.

Personally I think the Supermix 4 is over-rated. It has 2 fatal flaws in my opinion (went through 2 sets and gave up). The first flaw is its super slow attack on bass notes. Bass notes are almost slurred into. The second is distinct lack of dynamic range. Listening to the Rain Song by Zeppelin at about the 6:02 mark and Satyam Shivam Sundaram by Thievery Corporation at about the 2:52 mark distinctly show that lack of dynamic range. The Letshuoer S12 PRO is a good option in this price range, but does have tiny bit of that planar metallic sound now and then, but no fatal flaws!

I have the exact same trio, and I agree with ygzb! I found that you can pick out the subtle details of a song easier on the SM4 compared to the s12 pro which sounds slightly more congested.

S08 gets my vote, comfort is great, accessories check, sound, slightly warm, easy listening for long session, like it more then Zetian Wu Heyday, and my S12 pro, I do like the Aether a bit more, but it is a fair bit more expensive, not as comfortable, and accessories could have been better.

I have the following planar sets listed from favorite to least favorite: Kiwi Ears Aether, Letshuorer S08, Letshuoer S12 pro, Tangzu Zetian wu HeyDay. Hybrid sets: Dunu BrainDance, Punch Audio Martilo, Simgot EW300

i had the supermix 4 and s12 pro, also the 6xx. but not an audiophile. I feel that the supermix's vocal performance is on par with the 6xx for me, and the detail is very good, and it has a lot of bass and lot of depth. The s12pro is very clear and detailed but it was to metallic compared to supermix 4, maybe the sm4 is more consumer level tuned, bc thats what i liked🤣.

I listen to Pink Floyd alot too. I got myself the S12 Pro, Kiwi Ears Aether and Hidizs MP145. All sound good to me but the Aether sounds more balanced and less fatiguing due to the better control of the treble extensions. Also it has little to no planar timbre compared to the others. The Aether also had very little to no sibilance. I use the intro of "Time" to compare. The alarm bells sounded the most pleasant compared to the S12 Pro and MP145.

I had tried P5 in a meetup. I liked them a lot but in comparison I think the s12 Pro 2024 edition are much better that P5. Again this is very subjective

If money is not an issue tea pro. But on a limited budget you can’t go wrong with s12 pro 2024. Infact, when I went to an audiophile meet-up. I tried around 30-40 iems. Ranging from couple hundreds to thousands of dollars iems. Out of all these if I remember how the s12 2024 sounded then it must be good. Other most notable iems that day were hexa, mystic8, u12T, performer8 there was one from campfire but I don’t remember it clearly. Some iems that didn’t live upto my expectations were supermix4, davinci, butterfly 61T may be i was expecting too much. I liked the performer 5 but it was a bit underwhelming after I listened to perfomer 8. I hope this gives you perspective on how subjective this hobby is

I'm on a similar boat, but I'd dare to say that they sound lifeless to me. I do own the wu heyday and other half a dozen non planar iems and, honestly, I need to sell the s12s. The source doesn't matter, being it a desk amp or a usb dongle, they sound thin, weak and way too bright.

I got these a few months back and they are my new daily. Love them

Truthear Hexa might be good but I personally recommend the Letshuoer S12

Under 50$: Tanchjim Zero Ultima DSP, KZ Saga Under 100$: Sliivo SLA3, Letshuoer S12/Artti T10, Kiwi Ears Airoso, Under 200$: Kiwi Ears Aether It is really hard not to love these!!

Letshuoer S12 but it is a little bright, but it is very fun! Letshuoer S08 for warmer tuning

I got my S12 from letshouer and i really like em. An aluminum build, good planer driver, natural sound. Or other wise maybe the nick ick ft1pro?

Hifigo on aliexpress is currently doing a clearance sale [here](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006856772123.html). consider finding another 10$ and buy one of the 8 remaining s12s. i guess if you *really* love bass you can get the 7hz Legato. absolutely no clue on the other offerings. Actually now that i think of it. You might as well get a artti t10 if you are interested in the s12s. basically the same expect cheaper.

Yeah, that's what it is for me, too. I listen to the Letshour S12 a lot, and it has a metallic timbre, especially on acoustic guitars. Great iem other than that, though. I like planars because I listen to a lot of busy, progressive rock, and they are fast enough to handle it with alacrity. I'll try this new one and see if it can replace the S12, but I run mainly with the iFi Go Blu. Hopefully, that will be enough power. It drives the S12, but that's a smaller diaphragm. I have desktop amps that will surely drive it, but I listen to headphones at the desktop, where the Edition XS is my go-to planar.

Moondrop Chu, and no. The Kato is the only Moondrop iem I still have and use. I liked the Aria but gave it to a friend to try to get him into iems (I failed). The Chu was good enough to get me into iems, but not good enough to keep me listening. I don't even know where they are now, lol. Of the early iems that I bought, I only have and listen to the Truthear Hexa (lifeless but decent, with wonderful imaging) and that Truthear Harmon-tuned one that Crinacle did with the subwoofer (I forget the name). It is fatiguing, but it is exciting until it wears me down. Good for techno. I listen mostly to the Aful P5, the Chopin, the Letshour S12, and the Kato now. Sometimes at home, I listen to the P8 and the Xenn Mangrid Top (they are too expensive to lug around with me--I have a $200 limit on iems that I'm willing to take in my backpack).

Letshueor s12 is what I would get for around 100$

Since I eqed my s12's midrange to elysian tuning, I struggle to tell a difference.

I used stock silicone before. Now I use fiio hs20. Eq still the same. https://imgur.com/a/mDmjjM3 Might be too much midrange, because this eq is inspired from elysian gaea.

Happy it helped! I think pro gamers double up to block out crowd noise haha. I'm just thinking of CS pros, so my knowledge on that is limited. >Drivers, what are the pros and cons of single, dual, hybrid, etc.? I'll give the **pros** for each first. So the most common driver for IEMs out there is the balanced armature (BA) driver. It was the first major alternative to dynamic driver (DD), and allowed makers to put multiple drivers into a small form factor like the IEM. Each driver than concentrate on a specific frequency range instead, given the manufactured cared enough to put enough crossovers and tune them. Otherwise you have a bunch of drivers doing the exact same thing, defeating the purpose of having a multi-driver setup. These days it's hard to find an IEM without BA involved. Hybrids typically refer to a combination of BA and DD. One *seemingly* weakness of the BA design is its bass. Actual "weakness" is interesting and not an actual auditory weakness: [/u/oratory1990 made a great post about it](https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/comments/nk243a/comment/gzdlw80/). DD is far more forgiving, so you can have it handle the bass while the BAs handle the rest. Tribrids are usually DD, BA, and electrostatic (EST) drivers. EST on paper is very accurate which translates to great detail retrieval. DD for bass, BA for mids, and EST for highs. More recently we have quadbrids. Uncommon so multiple flavors. Usually begins with the tribrid, then adds bone conduction (BC), piezo (PZT), etc. All have their quirks in terms of sound, but I wonder if that's inherent to the drivers themselves or not. The outlier is planar magnetic drivers. On paper planars are extremely fast, can reproduce the entire spectrum very well. These days they're typically packaged in tribrid and quadbrid flavors. Of course there are other driver combos, but these are the most common. Now, the **cons** of each. In terms of sound? Nothing. There are fantastic IEMs for every driver configuration out there. 64Audio U12T is all-BA, Sony IER-Z1R is a hybrid, ThieAudio Monarch Mk. II is a tribrid, and ThieAudio Origin is a quadbrid. I think it has less to do with what kind of drivers and more to do with how the manufacture designed/tuned it. Also it depends on your preference of sound. In terms of fit? All BA tend to have few fit issues because the drivers are tiny. Hybrid/tribrid/quadbrids can have fitment issues due to the large DD--some of the most uncomfortable IEMs feature the DD (IER-Z1R, Monarch Series, etc.) Planars are large, too. Single DD IEMs tend not to have fitment issues, either. Price is an issue. EST and planar drivers are more expensive, and it reflects in the price. **Original post category examples:** Not a comprehensive list, just rattling off the top of my head. - neutral tuning: Etymotic ER4XR/ER4SR, Hidition NT6 - mild-V/U+V/U tuning: Sony IER-Z1R, ThieAudio Monarch Mk. III, Symphonium Crimson, UM MEST Mk. II - bassheads: Sony IER-Z1R, FatFreq Maestro SE, FatFreq Grand Maestro - trebleheads: Letshuoer S12 (I think people don't like "spicy" sounds...)

I’m not you but I fucking love my S12s. The gold standard for me. Listening to my new headphone amp: FT1s, HE400se’s, Lunas…this is geometrically better. My never sell pair.

But that's not to say you won't notice a difference!! It just isn't overly dramatic imo and it seems like you have high expectations. I recently purchased the letshouer s12 and grabbed the chu2 shortly thereafter to sort of compare the two but also to have a decent set of buds for on the go. The planar s12's definitely have some very nice clarity and sharpness, the crisp bass response is definitely interesting - but it's not some revelation of newfound sounds I've never experienced before 🤷‍♂️ maybe I had my initial expectations a little bit high as well

I choose planars and DDs. With EQ they can be great! DDs are super cheap, as for planars, I've owned the s12, and KZs PRX, as a platform for EQ, is super close, if not the same, just way cheaper. I could be outta the game with a cheap huaynxin DD, or a KZ pr2 I got for 8 bucks, and EQ.

S12 may seems not wide enough for be, if you ask for more rounded details with space, the kbear Kb16 is a better choice. i have both, S12 very V share for vocal, KBear has all characteristic of S12 but the local a bit far aways so you can hear more details

I'm just a budget guy, but empathizing with the basshead stuff. I add a +15 ( or more) shelf to my S12s and still not satisfied. Never heard the deuce, but use it as a baseline target on various sets. For $15 you can pick up an 80 ohm, which should make a big difference. I'm assuming you prefer avoiding eq for convenience. 15 ohms doesn't do it for me. Personally I add a couple DB of sub bass over the Deuce target together with a 75+ resistance adapter (eq and plugs are sonically different and not interchangeable). W/ this setup, bass on the E20 and Castor Pro is absolutely ridiculous, leaving the Legato w/ shelf and Rosefinch w/shelf in the dust. Both sub and mid.

if you stretch they will be better, but there are decent options in that range. the s12 is a very good planar for the price (slightly over $100 typically), extremely good value especially with an eq. I own the simgot ew300 and it sounds quite similar to the s12 with some tonal differences. imaging is about the same, sound stage a little better on the s12.

haven’t tried it but I’ve heard great things about it. on the ew300 the treble is quite loud and same with the s12 and most other planars in general but the ew300 comes with different rubber rings / gold nozzle that makes it noticeably tamer. with the s12 you’d just have to eq it probably, but it wasn’t super harsh just a bit much for me personally.

I was going to mention that, planars do have a sort of tone difference. sometimes a nice DD is what you need lol. the ew300 has 3 drivers including a planar but it should be mainly for the mids while the dd does the bass and pzt for higher treble (\*\*\* I am assuming \*\*\*) so I don’t hear a metallic sound like the s12 but it didn’t bother me personally, I liked them both a lot.

thanks! though, might i ask if theres a sub 100usd set that has good details and bass? im looking for a different flavor from my usual s12. or should i probably wait for future releases(?)

i wonder how good will the Letshuoers s12 be, which i got for 95eur & still waiting for the delivery in few days.

I just got my second iems. Letshuoer s12, which i got for 95€ on sale. i expected them to have more bass, sometimes it is just not present, at other times it is decent. Overall i'm happy with their quality so far, they are great addition to my KZ's & ATH-MSR7b's, both on the bassy side. It's the first head/earphones that i own to not tire my ears in busy songs, especially with more trebbles. They sound fine with cx31993 dac, but there is no problem with driving them by phone alone. No hiss, no noise from the normal source. I used EQ by oratory1990, in some songs it helps a lot, in other i prefer the natural tuning. At some point i will change the tips & maybe cable. I'm looking for more EQ presets for powerAMP 10 band. If someone has good personal presets, let me know.

UPDATE : next day they started playing even better. I lowered the preamp in EQ and now instead of 30% of volume i'm running it on 65-70%. More power helps a lot. Listening to more bassy songs and it's a lot better than it was yesterday. My guess is that the foamtips get more adjusted to my shape. Cables & speakers warming up is bordering on audio-voodoo, but let's say they settled in better. They are definitely my favourite go-to earphones now and i barely feel them in my ears even eith largest foamtips. İ may actually prefer them over my ath-msr7b's at the moment. At some point i will try to find a dac/amp i could use for both. Maybe a dap. But i'm happy with them and excited for morr potential in the future.

ofc, but imho it's not worth 35Eur difference. i can always mod them later for that money.

Yeah, s08 & z12 were my go-to's but s08 were the same price & z12 are twice as expensive for whatever reason. 200€ before sales on ali, none available locally. And i heard s12 (especially pro's, which just have a foam filter over s12) can be tuned to s08, so i decided to go the cheapest route.

Me and my mate got into iems around the same time. I got CCA hydro, he got s12, we were both disappointed with the s12. I don't understand how they are so often reccomended.

I like the S08 a lot, but there are some things going in to a purchase to be aware of. 1: As a planar, they have a particular sound signature, aside from the tuning, that I would describe as 'responsive attack'. The driver just has this timbre and responsiveness that is immediate. It contributes to both the 'fatiguing treble' and 'weak bass' that some people complain about when discussing planars. Notes that would decay, bloom, or bleed into other regions just don't do that as much. They pop and disappear and leave space for the next note, in my opinion. I personally love the responsiveness - it's great for music with quick bass lines, or if you like a 'bump', rather than a 'boooooooom'. Now, you can tune some of these things in or out of planars and other drivers (DD's specifically, for that loose and thumpy bass), but it's just how planars start as a default. Speaking of the tuning.... 2: The tuning on the S08 tries to avoid some of the 'planar negatives' while leaning into the note attack. Specifically, the treble harshness is tuned down a little (when compared to something like the 7hz Timeless, or Tangzu Zetian Wu, or the Shuoer S12), but that mostly lends to an easier listening experience by reducing fatigue, imo. The treble is still crisp and lively because of the driver, but slightly reduced in overall db (like 2db when compare to the S12). This does leave some people to just say 'just get a DD' when comparing graphs, but that take completely discounts the timbre of a planar. 3: ...and despite the reduced treble, you can still open it up a little if you're willing to spend a couple bucks on top of the iems for tips. The S08 take REALLY well to short-barrel, wide-bore ear tips that raise and open up the treble a little, specifically tips like the Moondrop Spring Tips or Tri Clarion. It's not much, maybe a couple db max, but that's the difference between the S08 and the S12 in tuning across most of the treble range. The thought of 'well if you have to buy tips on top of the S08 to make it sound more balanced, just get the S12' is fair and valid, but there are some peaks on the S12 that the S08 doesn't have; if you don't like those peaks specifically, the S08 and a set of Spring Tips is a better option. I decided to put my S08 in as a wrote this up - they really are a stellar set of iems, specifically for the price. I personally love that responsiveness of a planar, without some of the harsher peaks that others might have. The S12 is also a good option - it's treble really isn't that much more intense overall than the S08, but it does have some real peaky spots that stick out that I personally see as a negative. The S08 aren't really all that 'dark' in the treble, just much more 'flat' when compared to a Harman curve.

I really like the Letshouer S08 myself for that range, even over the S12. Pair with some Spinfit W1(more bass) or Moondrop Spring Tips (open them up a little, more treble) and they really compete. They have all the best attributes of a Planar (immediate punchy feeling responsiveness) while avoiding a lot of the bad parts (none of the peaks that can be fatiguing for some people, like the S12 has). There is a lot of personal preference to this though. S12 are also really good, but people tend to recommend the S12 pro or 2024 editions, which break the price boundary by a bit.

I am in love with the Letshuor S12

For around that price, for balanced i guess Check the truthear nova. as for neutral, i mean, if you really want a neutral sound, the Dunu Kima 2 is pretty neutral, but check them well, as a neutral sound usually comes with some adjustments in the sound that people often dont enjoy for music. Now, if you dont want an specially neutral sound, the S12 works fine but remember that it is planar and that it also has a bit foward treble area, so you should not be too sensitive to treble and have a decent dac to power them. if you want something less treble foward, check the Kefine klanar. those arent strictly neutral, but wont be too colored in the sound eirher.

Is fairly good, a technical planar, but the treble is somehow foward, so, as long as you like that, is s nice, well build set, and thats a nice price too.

I have both Kiwiears Aether and Letshuoer S12. Both are great but i prefer Aether by far, sounds so good. Both take eq really well. The Aether is weirdly also more comfy even if the shell is huge, the contours on it probably helps alot.

Letshuoer S12. They made like no fun at all.

I have a pair of £80 iems Lestshoer s12s I’ve had AirPods and even some high end TWS and the sound doesn’t compare. However I’ve also owned £450 sets of iems and to me the difference in sound quality isn’t worth the price. I went down a rabbit hole and wasted months of my life doing research. I ended up with a DAP Hiby m300 and my s12s and I’m happy with that . I do also love plannar open backs like the hifiman Sundaras they are quality for such a reasonable price.  But every single person on this planet has different hearing, different expectations and different sound preferences. Most people who have Bluetooth headphones probably love the bass. But audiophiles love little details , I also love hearing noises or instruments that I’ve never heard before and you just don’t get that with most Bluetooth headphones. 

Letshouer S12 Are absolutely amazing sound and very small think you can you get them for around $80 .

I've tried the KZ PR2's, Letshuoer S12 and Kiwi Ears Aether. Of the three, I enjoyed the sound of the Aether the most and the comfort of the S12 the most. The PR2s are an absolute banger at their price.

Letshouer S12 is still my favourite and hard to find better for the price

You should give the Letshuoer S12 a go, good punchy bass and a balanced treble. I love mine.

I brought the S12's first. They were too screechy for me. Then I got the MP145, and thought they sounded really, really good. I then got some Crinacle Zero 2's as a travelling set, they are okay, but, you know, budget, so for me weren't in the same league, but I'd have gotten over it if they went missing or got damaged. Can't really remember what I went for after, but did realise the £200ish area is where the action is for me. It's all about the tunings now. I generally like a "warmer" profile, so the Septet were a bit of a risk, but I love them, in the right circumstances (they're not an out and about set). I'm not sure what advice to give really, graphs don't mean that much to me, they give a clue to the sound, but aren't going to tell you whether you'll like it. I have different sets for different moods, where I am, type of music etc. One and done? That's tough. More than likely the Martilo for it's versatility, but I'm on holiday at the moment and grabbed the KE4. Guess I'm lucky I can return home to the rest of the kit! For the record I use a BTR15 Bluetooth dac or M21 dap when I'm out, and a FIIO K7 as my desktop.

I have letshuoer s12 and if it is for competitive use and the treble damages your eardrum, I would not recommend it. However, you have the FiiO fh3 for around $90-$95 on aliepxress. They are IEMs whose normal price is $150. Its soundstage is a little above average. Treble well detailed and informative but not tiring or damaging. Bass present and full-bodied, sub bass accurate and the mids somewhat retracted. What I like about the FH3 is that they perform well in any video game just by changing the tips. However, for competitive purposes, the balanced ones work very well.

Letshuoer S08 are excellent but if you liked the brightness of the EW200 then you might prefer the Letshuoer S12 instead.

used to spend thousands on audio gear. Not worth it ultimately. Yes, I absolutely loved my Focal Utopia, but I enjoy my HD660S and cheaper IEMs just as much. My recommendation is to buy a selection of cheaper IEMs, it will help you discover sound signatures, as well as what fits you best. The LetShuoer S12 and other planar IEMs like NiceHCK F1, Artti T10 are crazy value for the level of sound quality. Refer to [https://squig.link/](https://squig.link/) for frequency curves.

I dont have many but listening to metal feels great with letshuoer s12 by my experience

Currently enjoying the Punch Martilo. Managed to get a good discount. Very comfy too. My favourite pure planar was the S12 with eq.

I love the Letshuoer S12s for metal and rock. Super clean sound even without EQ. Love love love, I was hunting for a while too. These are the last IEMs I’ll buy lol

Not a lot to be completely fair. 7hz zero ($20 iem), dunu titan s, letshuoer s12, moondrop chu. Either way I just feel like they don’t do what headphones do.

After 2 weeks of waiting, my Elysian Pilgrims from HiFiGo finally arrived. And BOY were they worth the wait. I am still relatively new to the IEM hobby, but I play a few instruments and had dabbled with many audiophile level speakers and file formats. Two years ago, I purchased my first serious IEM, the Letshouer S12 for about 150 USD. These Planar magnetic IEMs were frankly amazing, and they served me incredibly well for 2 years until i felt i was ready for the further step. I seeked more technical detail, more detailed and better bass and treble response. I don't know if its from constant use but my S12's would feel a bit "muddy" and lacking something. The black friday sale on hifigo had these at 343$. https://preview.redd.it/rhcavnocdq4e1.png?width=1893&format=png&auto=webp&s=a5dc1c6f4df8d7cb3bb0bb856ee74176586b9cb0 # Shipping Frankly, slightly disappointing but they handled it really well after contacting support. They get a solid 3.5/5 for this. It seems hifigo actually didnt happen to have the IEM in stock at first. I asked support to try their best and they managed to ship it a week after I ordered them. After that, shipping took no more than 6 days and was smooth with no issues. Maybe its just how the chi-fi industry works but I was shocked initially when they told me it could take up to 2 weeks to get the product in stock despite them having it on display in the website saying it was available for sale Moving on. # Build The Pilgrim comes with a very well made case, 3 pairs of spinfit tips of varying size and a very nice 1 year warranty card. The IEMs and cable themselves are very well built. The pilgrim has a well built Metal body (1DD+2BA drivers) with a fairly large nozzle. The body of the IEM has slightly sharp edges but nothing too much to worry about. The cable has these pentaconn ear connectors - I'm a fan of these. One irritating problem you will face if you get these is that the stock eartips provided with these IEM's are a little small for the big nozzle of the pilgrim. They took me SIGNIFICANT effort to actually install the spinfits on the pilgrim (a good 15 mins actually). 5/5 # Sound These frankly blew me me away with how good they are (using lossless audio). The tuning is a very balanced somewhat (?) of a V shape and is a little safe and warm. I thought I was hearing minute details on songs with my S12's - I WAS WRONG. I put these on and I can hear even more details on songs Ive listened to 100s of times. The small buzz from the recording mics, little nuances used in beats that now show up. Instrument seperation is fantastic. The technicality on this thing is A+. The bass is probably my favorite part about this IEM - and im NOT a basshead. Its done almost perfectly. Its not overimposing, tiring or too low. Its just at the level where you can enjoy it and not get tired at all. The bass compliments and doesnt impose itself where it isn't barging its way through other sound features. The mids and treble can both be described as somewhat "bright" and "well rounded" they both work well together and allow the bass to have a presence as well. The soundstage while above average, can be a little better imo. Overall, an incredible product at the 350$ range. This isn't my endgame, but i'm not moving to another one for atleast a year. Thanks for reading this review. Final score: 4.5 ⭐️ out of 5.

I got the s12s last week and the lack of bass surprised me coming from the Sgor Luna and Artti T10, but have now dialled them in to a level I absolutely love. I use the FIIO JA11, which I use to increase the bass, but found even then some songs lacked bass where I would have expected it. I only normally use medium tips, but tried large and this improved things considerably too. The great thing about these and planar drivers in general is that they'll respond really well to EQ to get the sound you want

I've tried Letshuoer S12, Simgot EM6L, Kiwi Ears Astral, Ziigaat Arete and briefly the Softears Volume S. In terms of ability to pinpoint enemies the Astral, Arete and Volume S are the best but EM6L is close. So any of those will generally do you well. Imo the S12 and Volume S are too treble leaning and just makes it generally unpleasant to listen to most the time. The Astral is very V-shaped and has a tonne of bass which can be fun for some games but in competitive ones gets annoying (I had to EQ them to bring the bass down). For me the Arete and EM6L is more subtle and simple and I have no desire to EQ it. Also the tea pro is probably just not worth that amount of money, from my testing after £200 you really hit diminishing returns fast. I personally use the Aretes.

I bought the s12s on sale and had slight buyers remorse not getting the pros or 2024/ultra on sale instead but now I'm good with it. S12s were a nice upgrade from 7hz zero:2s.

**Update**: today I received Letshuoer S12, I think this is my end game all things considered. It's like a HD 6xx, beyond that I probably cannot tell a difference. Sound and tonality wise S12 is exactly what I need -- at least I don't know what else I need. All the albums that I played today were awesome, not in the sense of "wow! it's so different with so much bass vocal so forward" but the feeling of immersive, and forgetting the existence of the earbuds. I've never tried "better" IEMs, my only reference device is HD 6xx as an amateur music lover, not an audiophile. I feel it's natural or neutral, not too much bass, but when it's there I can strongly feel it. Treble isn't suppressed or boosted artificially, and I don't feel ear-piecing or fatigue after a few hours. In the metaphor of drink, this is like a spring water, not a coffee or vodka or wine. I like it, not like just the device itself but I feel it's not getting in the way of enjoying music. It's quite comfortable. I picked the small black silicone eartips. I didn't try the foam ones -- supposedly it gives better bass but I don't need more bass. By the way, what's the difference between black and white set of tops? Only for cosmetic reason? The quality seems good to me. The connection from wire to buds are metal, all my previous devices are plastic. The 3.5mm plug is metal, the buds are also metal, I like all metal stuff. The shape of the buds are "traditional" and not weird, it's low profile. The wire is thick and sturdy and flexible enough. It even has a nice looking carry box. I don't feel I need anything extra, other than extra eartips it doesn't have anything extra either. Compared with Tanchjim Bunny, S12 is better. I cannot say it's 4-5 times objectively better, probably in 80-90% of scenarios Bunny is no worse, but in some "tricky"/challenging tracks I enjoy the music and don't notice anything else, that's the difference brought by extra $80 - which is less an hour of salary, totally worth it. On the other hand, Bunny is awesome too, I will not leave it behind. Thanks everyone for your precious opinions to guide me find this IEM. It's truly satisfying to find what I really like. Your guys rock!

Any Planar set along with mid range DAC. My all time favourite setup is"S12(planar)+AP7(DAC)" Also my main genres are Rock/Goth/Alternative and I'm more inclined towards and prefer songs with female vocals with the above said setup. Songs like these as example https://preview.redd.it/n3y2c2kuj0bf1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea48e20336300772efe6137d9cdda01f031d83cf S12 kinda separate the vocals in a decent way but only issue is it's bit flooded with the high frequency section. So far the I can bare it up when S12 is using with Jcally AP7 DAC because AK4377CEB chip on the DAC cuts-off little range from high frequency section.

I won't recommend using in-line microphone with IEMs. Its still better to separate your microphone from the IEM. And for the IEM, I usually recommend going for Planar IEMs * SGOR Luna \* * Artti T10/T10 Pro \* * NiceHCK F1 Pro \* * Letshuoer S08/S12/S12 Pro \* * Kiwi Ears Aether \* * Kiwi Ears Melody \* * Shozy P10/P20 * Kefine Klanar * Moondrop Stellaris * TinHiFi P1 Max II * KZ PR1/PR1 Pro/PR2/PRX Or planar hybrids * Rose Technics/Roseselsa Aurora Ultra \* * Simgot EW300 \* * Simgot SuperMix 4 \* * Kinera Celest Plutus Beast \* * Kiwi Ears Canta * Moondrop May \* * Moondrop Rays \* * TRN White Tiger (\* recommended)