Letshuoer (Shuoer) - S12 Series

I will get the S12 2024 since I am upgrading from a Dunu Kima Classic. I feel like, based on all the reviews, especially yours, it is definitely worth the money to go the extra length for the S12 2024. For the tips, would you recommend using the original tip or the S&S from the Dunu? Also, I would like to thank you for taking the time to review the S12 2024!

Hi again, not sure if you can help me but, I purchased the S12 2024 and the left side is not working. At first, it works but after a few minutes, it stopped working. It does work again, but the same thing happens again, it stopped. Do you know what issue might this be?

ew200 is quite a bright signature. if you like that then i'd go for a more traditional planar like s12 which will give you some of the most detial and separation in the price s08 is great but could also sound way too mellow in the treble if you liked ew200

This was a brilliant read/ review. Thank you very much. I just bought this and am very excited to try it out once it arrives as it would be my very first IEM. I got it basically for mixing music on the Mac and will hook it up to my Fiio K7. Here’s hoping it will work splendidly for my usage.

I just got the S12 2024. It’s not the best looking one but it definitely sounds really good.

sorry for the late comment, I don't get the hype behind these? I got them around a month ago and to me they sound really bad? some things, they sound super nice to listen to but anything with a little bit of bass and heavy drums everything just blends together and it gets all muddy? maybe I'm missing something, using them for gaming is even worse, if I'm doing something wrong let me know, I have them hooked up to a fiio k11 r2r.

I compared a bunch of IEMs at audio shops. While I don't remember which IEMs sounded brighter to me, I can recommend the Letshuoer S8 for its clarity and balance of bass and treble. I listen to a lot of EDM and pop (US, K-pop, J-Pop, Eastern European, Latin/Spanish), and one of the things I compared was the, for lack of a better term, drop in Zedd's Spectrum ("we'll RUN where lights won't chase us"). The S08s had that IT factor in Spectrum, and the sounds did not bleed together. I found it was similar to the Simgot EW300, but I chose the S08 because it wasn't as bass heavy, felt more balanced, and I presumed I wouldn't be as fatigued listening to them. That being said, I do not like my music too bright. I think the S12 might have been brighter than the S08, but I felt the S08 had a crisp, clear sound that accentuated what I was looking for. I'm told my preference is V-shaped.

I love my S12 2024, love for you to compare them. I am waiting for my 50 dollar giftcard from Linsoul to buy this set, I was considering the Odyssey but I’m a big fan of planars and this will be my 3rd.

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.

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

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

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

I've just listened to them for 10-20 hours, so below are just tentative comparisons. Both have great vocals as you know. The Diva vocal leans more on clarity and energy, while the mmk2 vocal is smoother and more intimate. I feel mmk2 has more forward vocals. But these might be due to the overall balance. Diva has a slight emphasis on female vocals and is overall brighter (particularly in the mid (bass) mode). Many ppl feel female vocals are better on IEMs with an elevated upper mid, bc then female vocals are more forward. Not me. In particular, Harman tuning is a bit dry and shouty for me. I prefer mmk2 vocals a bit. I guess the magic of mmk2 mids is that the vocals are forward yet neutral. But, overall, Diva has more wow points, particularly micro-dynamics in bass and treble. The soundstage on Diva is also a bit larger and more even-spaced. *Do try all the 3 modes of Diva*! They are different and all good for some ppl. I saw each of them was deemed best by different ppl respectively. For me, the max mode is so much better than the mid one; the mid mode sounds no better than sa6 mk2 or DUSK, while max mode might sound the best in my collection. I need mid-bass! (NOT the mid bass mode lol)

Truthear Zero red, non-flawed tuning, smooth vocal, and fun! S12 has more wow points (e.g. soundstage and treble) but is unnatural. Hexa is more Harman tuning, if u like Harman, get it. Harman is always lean and dry and a bit dead for me.

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.

That's probably my biggest gripe with the S12 2024 is that it's a shallow fit.

Full written review of the Letshuoer S12 2024 Edition can be found here: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/letshuoer-s12-2024-edition-review/ Letshuoer S12 2024 Edition Hello, today I have with me one of the latest iems to come from the audio brand Letshuoer named the Letshuoer S12 2024 Edition. I'm sure you already know, but the S12 2024 is another “8th Anniversary” commemorative set. Really a wonderfully put together package. More importantly, it's a very well done planar iem, pretty much any way that you spin it. Very well built, made completely of titanium alloy. Just gorgeous too! With its gold colorway, an awesome unboxing, but most of all the S12 2024 comes through in the sound department. Honestly, it's just a solid buy at $199 (my opinion). But nothing is for everyone, so if you'd like, check out my thoughts at the link above and I do hope it helps. Have a great week everyone and take care. Comparisons: Letshuoer S12 Pro / Raptgo Hook-X 🎧🔥S12 2024 pros🔥🎶 -The build is top notch. -What a beautiful set of earphones. -Fantastic Unboxing -Modular cable is great -Same comfortable fit as other Letshuoer S12 series sets -Very nice musical/technical balance -Timbre is very nice for a planar -Deep, rich, flexible, textured and full bass -Midrange is great for vocalists, good clarity, resolution, good texture, detailed -Treble is mostly non-offensive, yet still has some crispness and extension -Details rise to the surface well for the tuning -Largest stage of the S12 series 🥶🥶 S12 2024 Cons 🥶🥶 -Bass may be a hint much for snappy bass lovers -Analytical-Heads will want to pass on this -Those who enjoy loads of treble brilliance may not get that here Full written review of the Letshuoer S12 2024 Edition can be found here: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/letshuoer-s12-2024-edition-review/

Without question the S12 2024. Females sound wonderful on both sets but the S12 2024 has just a hint more shimmer for female voices in my opinion. Both fantastic iems but the price increase is worth it on the S12 2024.

I can tell you straight away that yes, the S12 2024 is all of those things. I take nothing away from the Cadenza, as it is a fantastic $35 iem. It truly is. However, the S12 2024 is a special set. Really a well done iem.

S12 2024 is the most tonally correct

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).

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.

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.

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.

Thanks for the clarification. Super helpful reviews - recently got a hexa since my S12's been having issues, but I find its imaging weird when distinguishing footsteps approaching from front compared to behind. Might return it and give one of your recs a shot. G1's out of stock on Amazon rn though, unfortunately.

Same here. I have the s12 24 and mp145, pilgrim isn't better by a long shot. I guess a big part of our brains processing of sound is based on perception. If enough people say the pilgrim or other iems have the best in-class clarity, everyone else will also hear it for themselves because they are committed to believing it. Same goes for ridiculously priced dacs and cables. 

Also the mp143 and s12 2024 🤣. Kefine klanar. There's so many options. I don't have a problem with the mp145 fit and it's also a vented IEM. My only gripe with the mp145 is the cable doesn't wrap around my ear well. I don't notice its weight or think it's a bad fit shell wise. I still want more bass out of it but I just EQ. It does sound better than anything I have but I'm more interested in its bassier brother the mp143. I'd choose for bass first, then treble spikes. Sometimes a treble peak is good for detail but can be too hot. The mp145 has never been sibilant though even with a peak around 8khz. I use the bass filter with balanced tips. 

Fair tbh. My least favorites have been the S12 and Waner and those are some of the most lauded sets out there. These definitely aren’t for everyone

Wonder bow this will compare to my s12 2024. The vocal details beats the Performer 5+2 and a general all round iem once I tipped rolled

The letshuoer s12 2024 is one of my favourite iems and the planar doesn't sound fake to me. The Aful Performer 5+2 is my current end game and the sound for me is pretty much there, that for me there is no need to spend any more because of diminishing returns. As always it's personal preference but it's not indicative of planar and hybrid technology for alot of people. 

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.

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've had s12 and have MP145. I like the sound of the MP145 better and it has a better soundstage. As for the size.....I sold the s12 because it was so small I could not listen to it unless I was physically holding them in place, if I didn't do that they would just fall out. The MP145 fits me beautifully so I guess I have large ears because they are one of my most comfortable IEM sets.

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.

Hi Jay! Great review(s) Looks like I won the Letshuoer game by sticking to the OG S12, I wouldn’t really want smoother or bassier.

Consistently enjoying the og S12 makes me feel like an old ear-worn elder at the age of 28 I never even listen to music past 70dB but this subreddit makes me feel like my hearing is aged by 30 years

I didn’t really have IEMs that could play auditory subbass until these crappy Sony buds over 5 years ago. I do listen to a *tiny* bit of EDM and rap and pop, so it was nice to be able to hear those songs how they were meant to be. Now I didn’t get high quality subbass-capable IEMs until my Airpods Pro 2, then the S12. And yeah it’s still quite nice to have. But when I go back to my HiFiMan RE-600, rock and metal and real instruments sound so crisp and clean. Basically I just like having multiple IEMs for different purposes.

s12 pro is not good for gaming, s12 2024 was great better than any of these but that's discontinued and it was more money, new s12 ultra might be but that's $170 haven't tried it yet it's rly new

I went from the Timeless to the S12 to the Artti T10 and I honestly prefer the T10 for metal. They're all very similar, but luckily I like the cheapest one the best.

i'll second this, they're like a slightly better sounding letshuoer s12 at half the price

Depende de que jeito você gosta de ouvir metal. Tem quem prefira focar na parte rítmica e goste de fones mais escurinhos, onde a bateira e baixo têm mais destaque, e os pratos não tem muito ataque. Tem quem goste de um som um pouco mais brilhante, pra pegar mais detalhes e ouvir melhor os pratos. Essa é a minha preferência. Escuto muito metal, principalmente metal extremo, e os meus fones favoritos pra isso são em V. Se o seu gosto se alinhar com o meu, recomendo pegar um planarzinho em V, tipo T10, S12, Timeless etc.

EQing the S12 treble well is pretty tricky and the bass isn't the most tactile no matter how you EQ it so I'd say for as a platform to EQ there benefits to be had at around $200-300. Past that not so much.

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.

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.

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 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.

I hope you won’t find offence in me referring to your age, but I’ve noticed that quite a lot of the ‘older’ IEM reviewers like a bright sound, and many of them also like the planars, likely due to natural hearing degradation in the upper frequencies. So I’d look at the S12 or the T10 to start. For higher end stuff, maybe the Dita Project M would be a good fit, but honestly I’d recommend starting with a $100 set, as there’s so many variable to preferences in IEM that it’s risky getting an expensive one from the get go. I can’t suggest many bright IEMs as I prefer the complete opposite tonality :) My personal favourite is the Yanyin Mahina at the moment. But anyway, I’d definitely learn to use Auto-EQ to learn what your tastes are exactly, and try try out the signature of different IEMs. Also, investing in decent tips (stock ones are usually mediocre) is essential, my vote goes to Spinfits

I’ve tried the s12, Melody, and Aether. Aether was the best and most balanced of the three. It’s got the most current planar driver tech. There should be more sets coming out that use that particular driver. No idea when the s16 is coming out, but I’m looking forward to it

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.

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.

i would 100% recommend the kb02, it’s super cheap and so worth the money, i actually have them in right now haha ive tried the s12 2024 and the kz prx, so not that many, but the aether definitely cuts down on the planar sharpness that’s signature of the other two

I had both. I prefer using the pro when I’m commuting or doing stuff just because I don’t have to have an app or dongle to eq the treble. But it’s the exact same driver as the OG s12 so if the treble doesn’t bother you or you’re fine with EQ, saving the money might be smarter. If money isn’t an issue, consider the 2024 version. It has a really nice warm sound that I would say caters to most genres well, has almost no planar timbre (except for some on brass instruments), and is really easy to listen to. I will say it isn’t as good for any type of metal music though.

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.

Lets gooo! Bravery AE Twinnies, glad you're enjoying it as much as I do! And that's interesting, radius deep mount was it? I'll give it a try. But I've actually noticed how easy or comfortable Deep Insertion is with Bravery AE, and any Tips I throw at it just works compared to my S12 24 which has a shorter nozzle.

Mhm, was a bit annoyed since I can't use one of my "quirky" tips since it has a short stem to begin with.

It's not commanding per se, it's more small leap in price especially above $100+ tend to result in a not too drastic improvement i.e a sidegrade rather than upgrade. I jumped from my S12 2024 to Bravery Wae which is a 100$ difference and while the S12 can match and even beat the AE in a lot of aspect, if I don't focus on trying to find differences theyre so-so in differences. It's when I jumped to 3x the price of the S12 where I don't even have to focus to notice the differences, it was outclassed completely. That said there are good offering at 300$ like BGVP DMA if you like details and want to jump into an IEM with Bone Conduction Drivers, but whether it will be major or minor improvements I wouldnt know. You'll soon realize diminishing return hits hard at these ranges.

Only you can answer that question. Because to some people especially ones that prefer Headphone, the answer can simply be never. They're two completely different experiences. Especially if you're someone that prefer headphone for that wide Soundstage or that Airy feeling, because you will not find that in IEM whatsoever due to its inherent design of being in-Ear and having smaller Drivers. But if we're purely talking about micro details, that's where IEM shine. At 200$ there's already fantastic options like the S12 24, but starting at 300 and above I'd say is where wow factor would start. Since at that price point you start to get IEMs that uses Hybrid Driver that uses like 2 Bone Conduction and so on. Or just a purely well done Tuning like the Etymotics, which is probably the closest thing to a HD600.

I like how people just started recommending away without even knowing what exactly you didn't like about the SM4 and what are you trying to look for? Like Best in what? Best at being Harman Tuned? Best at being Neutral? Best at having wide sound stage? Best Bass? Or maybe best implementation of Bone Conduction drivers in an IEM under 600 dollars? Then there's Pula Anvil 114 and BGVP DMA, latter having dual Bone conduction driver though 50$ higher than your budget. Because my favorite IEM atm is the S12 24. It's a bit Bright and took me a bit to get used to, but Vocals are really fantastic with it. Separation and Micro Details are phenomenal. Bass isn't it's strong point but it is impressively good for a Planar.

Ive only just recently dipped my toes in IEM's I started with Chu 2 then Wan'er SE to see what type of sound I would lean to Then upgraded straight to S12 2024, here is how I realize just how much I love excellent Technicalities and Vocals. Everything just sounds so incredibly Clean. I dont think Im that big on Bass, but whatever Bass the S12 has is just the right amount to me. That said ive never tried any Bass cannon so i dont know how much bass is too much bass. From there I Side-grade or maybe rather still in the same level as S12 24 to the Bravery AE. I would say the S12 has more Oomph to it or body as some say and better Technicalities, but I just cant describe or pinpoint what it is about the Bravery AE that make it sounds a lot more Fun. Vocals are fantastic on this thing too.

From the sound of it looks like you prefer Planar and BA bass? I'd look into all BA IEM if I were you. Or maybe that new Kiwi Ears Aether. I love my Butastur bass but that's in the 600$ range. And my S12 2024 has really good bass too.

I have hidizs mp145 and don't like them. Have s12 too, love them (with foam mod to decrease treble)

I have the OG Letshuoer S12 and also the MP143. They have a very similar sound signature. I think perhaps a tad more bass with the MP143. I think the S12 is a tad more comfortable to wear. Andy (the Dongle king) seems to like the Letshuoer S12 2024 limited a lot. He also liked the MP145 and this year named the MP143 the successor to the 145 in the under $100 category. Never owned a Tinhifi but they have a good reputation.

Yeah, I’ve tried them both. When I bought my current IEMs (Moondrop Kato) a couple of years ago, I tried the Aria, the IE200, CCA CRA+, and the S12. The IE200 were the most comfortable, but they come with an awful cable and sounded worse than everything else I tried besides the CRA+. The Aria were more comfortable than anything else I tried besides the IE200, including the Kato that I ended up keeping and sounded better than everything except the Kato.

So I have owned the s12, currently own MP145 & MP143, S12 is super duper bright and might be confused for being overly technical but I found it can be overly fatiguing and the bass response does not even compare. Meanwhile mP145, you can get it much bassier on the red nozzle but the quality of the bass is not quite as weighty and objectively can't compete as the Tri uses a Dynamic driver for the bass despite measuring bass light and the treble on 145 can come across metallic and tinny whereas it's super smooth on the Tri i3 MK3, MP143 on the other hand is the closest in terms of cohesiveness with solid bass response, not as fatiguing upper treble as 145 and quite solid, and the nozzle options are solid too. I would say the Tri i3 takes the cake with treble and overall tonality, amazing accessories and tips but the mp143 does offer 3 different sound profiles with the nozzle system despite having worse accessories.

I have S08 , and they are pretty amazing. Warm tuning, easy to listen to. S12 I tried but was bit harsh to my ears given the treble. S15 is supposed to be good, though haven’t heard them yet. Their price have also dropped recently so you can check them out.

i just go the explorers and they are nothing speicial the s12 is still the best sub 100 iem

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.

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

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.

Hell yeah the s12 2024 is hard to beat imo. The only planar I own that I like more is the s15 (got it for $160 only!). Aether is on my radar considering it’s on sale for $135 right now……but I DO have an odyssey coming lol.

I’d say the et142 is a fantastic choice, same with timeless 2, but since you like the lm the et142 would be closer. Both have 4 different nozzles to tame or boost the upper mids/lower treble. Timeless 2 also has those bullet nozzles that create a spacious sound…a little different but spacious. Ea1000 is pretty much the lm with red nozzles (or the og ea500) but slightly better. I prefer the dunu falcon ultra and tanchjim origin for single dd in that range (also fiio fd15, which is $150). Rather than those 2 planars I’d get the s12 2024, imo it’s still the best planar aside from s15

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.

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

If you don’t mind a large shell and neutral low-end, then the orchestra lite might be for you. (Haven’t tried this one though) Otherwise I would say the s12 2024. I liked this set but with that planar you do notice a slight emphasis in the 5-8khz range but it’s the most refined of the s12s. If the Arete is on sale for $200 then that’s another to consider though the build quality of the other 2 are better. And is the best with detail retrieval out of those others I’ve mentioned. In general for directional audio IEMs from all budgets are going to give you a decent experience granted they are not very poorly tuned and even something cheaper like the Tripowin Vivace should give you a generally good experience.

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.

i tried it at a store, i feel like it has much better bass extenstion and treble extension than my kiwi ears cadenza, and was airier. it also felt like it had more detial, but that was most likely placebo.

I like them very much but I have two concerns here: firstly these are not that good for gaming specifically, secondly the S12 (2024 tuning) from Letshuoer is only marginally more expensive in most place right now and provides both much better detail for gaming and arguably a less warm sound which many users will find more agreeable for music listening as well (though there's certainly also plenty of folks like me who love warm signatures), so that would be my recommendation to still stay close to the original idea of the S08 but improve on it in the regards you were specifically looking for, unlike pivoting to a completely different type of IEM. If you're looking purely for a good gaming performer in that exact price range the Truthear Hexa would be the only model I'd otherwise recommend looking into.

Dude, I really couldn't agree more. I feel like you get good value but objectively compromising performance on the super low budget below $50. Then the 50-250 is just a huge mixed bag of roughly equal performers that all do different things but sound like a complete product with little to no drawbacks (especially because in that tier you can usually fix them really easily with just a small EQ effort or something) and then the $250+ tier you just start getting a higher quality version of the sub 50 market again where the IEMs usually do one thing exceptionally well for the price but the rest of their performance is mediocre but now you're not even talking about great value because "you're only spending 20 bucks, what do you have to lose?" anymore. I do think there's stuff in the $2k and beyond tier that can, under very specific circumstances, be worth its price. I am a big fan of the Maestro line for example. Would I spend the monthly paycheck it would cost me to buy them? No, I still need to pay rent 😃 but are they technically a good deal for someone who has that money "lying around"? Probably. I just don't see the value proposition as working out in my favor here. Me personally, I think while certain IEMs will always have that "aspirational" quality about them, that "one day, maybe if I work hard" kind of thing, my endgame model will be around $200 bucks. Because like you said, the increase beyond that is just so marginal and you're paying so, so, so much more that in my world, for my listening habits, it just doesn't make sense to get anything beyond something like the MP145, the S12 or maybe the Tea Pro if I want to go really apeshit or have a Christmas bonus I want to blow on something fun. Like right now I just want to get my hands on my own pair of Tangzu FUDUs and not gonna lie, if they are as good in my daily life as they have been when I had them on loan from someone, then I might just leave it at that.

I have supermix4 and quintet, can't say about others but for me I pick quintet from those two.. Edit: I forgot to add I also have s12 old/ori ones not the new pro one.

This combo is shure the best choice for the price. You'll never regret. I have both wan er and this szkoston dac. And believe me this dac is all you need. I have more expensive sets like letshuoer s12 2024 and kinera Celest İgniteX and some more expensive dacs like ja11 ka11 ka15. But I use ja11 and this szkoston dac more than the other ones. İem matters yes. But don't upgrade the dac and you'll be good 👍🏻

S12 2024 these days. But I think ignites were real bang for buck sets. Of course you cant compare 50$ and 200$ set.

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

S08 are one of Letshouer's best planars; very DD-like in its timbre and tonality. I own much of their lineup and this remains in my rotation to this day, alongside sets that are far pricier (including other planars). That said, I wouldn't necessarily recommend these for gaming. Upper mids and treble are the two major areas of the frequency range that are critical for gaming cues; the S08 has a warmer, more relaxed presentation, with more forward sub/mid bass. Lower frequencies narrow the soundstage and will typically make IEMs sound more intimate and "in the head," and emphasized sub/mid bass can cause some masking higher up in the frequency range. The S12 2024 is a better option and not much more expensive. I also still regularly recommend the EM6L (and while I own the S12 2024, the EM6L is what I run 90% of the time while gaming).

Depends on personal preference, of course, but for metal and classical the S12 2024 would probably work better for you. The incisiveness, speed, additional detail and clarity in the treble, there are several areas where the S12 2024 are going to outperform the S08. That said, I see those two IEMs as compliments to one another. I run the S08 for hip hop, EDM, some classic and hard rock -- especially albums I would typically listen to on over ear DDs, through an OTL or tube amp, where the added warmth enhances the track; and I'd use the S12 2024 for metal, progressive, modern rock, classical, etc.

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.

To be fair, it's the same driver in both sets but sits in front of the 2024 because of value (if you're willing to EQ). If you don't want to EQ, I'd recommend saving a bit more to grab the 2024. Letshuoer nailed the tuning of that set; The S12 2024 and the S08 are the best sets they've released in years. I've said this in other threads, but those two IEMs are getting more play time than even some newer kilobuck and midfi sets in my rotation. Not that any of those sets are bad performers, by any stretch, I'm just enjoying the hell out of both of them.

If you want an all ‘rounder, the Mangird Tea Pro is the best option in your price range. That said, even with dozens of IEMs, from budget to summit-fi sets, I run the EM6L 90% of the time. The Tea Pro is markedly better when it comes to media consumption, but the EM6L is no slouch there either, being somewhat mid-forward, but with excellent bass and treble and very strong imaging for a budget set. Whatever you choose, it’s best to avoid sets with emphasized lower frequencies as it will narrow staging and impact the clarity of your mids. Upper mids and treble are where most gaming cues live and is thus the most important area of the frequency range for gaming — hence why the EM6L is such a good option at its price. Other sets I’ve run for games that I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed; Thieaudio Hype 4, Crinicle Dusk, Xenns Top Pro, Meze Alba, Truthear Blue and Blue 2, Letshuoer S08 and S12 2024.

Beats my tsmr armor and mest mk2. I LOVE my s12.

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

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.

https://imgur.com/a/bLehuV0 a chap on a YouTube video for the S12 2024 version commented with it. Darthraven2. Absolutely amazing sound with it

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

S12 2024 for me

Don't get an S12 2024, it's a S12 but twice as expensive with a slightly warmer tuning because of a foam piece, just EQ the S12 to it imo

I also have S12 and APP2 (and also some other stuff, since I am gear-junkie audiophile) and I like the APP2 more. Sound signature is a matter of taste, but the S12 is heavily v-shaped with elevated treble, whereas the APP2 is a warm-neutral with a tasteful little bass boost. It sounds way better than the S12 And the S12 has not a good fit, the APP2 is the most comfortable and secure fit I have experienced in an IEM (and I have tried a lot). And that does not even factor in the amazing ANC and portability of the APP2. My Thieaudio Oracle sounds better than the APP2, but costs twice the price (and definitely does not sound double as good) and is not wireless and does not have ANC

I have one on hand for review but early impressions are not very favorable. The Letshuoer S12 2024 is much more engaging and I might even prefer the Hidizs MP143 to the Aether as well, but I'll need to do more testing. So far I'm not seeing what all the hype is about 🤷‍♂️

HIDIZS MP145 with the silver nozzle. I prefer them over my Letshuoer S12 2024

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.

S12 2024 is the general consensus. For me, I like the artti t10 pro the most atm. Not as technical as standard planars but bass sounds natural and playback is non-fatiguing.

I have had the S12 OG since release and its such a legendary IEM. Introduced me to planar IEMs

I've tried Cadenza, Pure, S12, EM6L, Kiwi Ears Astral and ZiiGaat Arete. The jump from cadenza to em6l is larger than em6l to astral/arete. So something in that 125-175 will be good. I use fresh reviews tier list as a rough guide. Everytime I have put more money in and gone higher up tier list I generally find meaningful improvements and I've settled now on the Aretes. The highest scoring one in your budget is the ZiiGaat Lush. (I can't link the spreadsheet but its in his youtube description)

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.

**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!

For technicalities i would look at planar, such as Tangzu Wu Heyday, its better than S12 and accessories are very nice. Tbh im currently cannot decide between them and Aful P5+2. Aful is probably better and more expensive but Heyday is like glued to my pocket 😵‍💫

I just cheked out, i can get S12 for ~80$ rn, i guess thats the way to go ?

Depends on tuning, S12 are IMO, leaps and bounds ahead of the APP2 (I have both and some others) while being cheaper. Even the S12 2024 which I also own is cheaper and the fancier limited version of the S12, tho I had to EQ the non-2024 S12s to a tuning of my liking. The APP2 have a safe, easy to like tuning. Cheaper planars can likely beat them at 120ish USD, other hybrid configurations with Dynamic Drivers (such as on the APP2) will be a kinda substantial upgrade past 200-250ish USD

Depends on tuning, S12 are IMO, leaps and bounds ahead of the APP2 (I have both and some others) while being cheaper. Even the S12 2024 which I also own is cheaper and the fancier limited version of the S12, tho I had to EQ the non-2024 S12s to a tuning of my liking. The APP2 have a safe, easy to like tuning. Cheaper planars can likely beat them at 120ish USD, other hybrid configurations with Dynamic Drivers (such as on the APP2) will be a kinda substantial upgrade past 200-250ish USD

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.