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?

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.

Under $100 Crin Red $200 S12 2024 $300+ IE600 or Dusk 2

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

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.

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. 

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

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.

My ears are small too, after trying multiple iems, this is what I think are some comfortable iems for small ears which i have owned. Sub $20 - Get Truthear Gate over salnotes zero Sub $150 - S12, ie200 Sub $200 - Meze alba (Most comfortable iem i have ever tried) Sub $600 - Symphonium meteor, ie600 Kilobuck - 64 audio

Yes, no need to EQ anymore they have tamed the treble, amazing set can even compete upto like $300 - $350, still you can get a S12 for less than $120 and EQ it.

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...)

+1 more for MP145. I couldn't get the S12 (Z12 in my case) to stay sealed. Multiple tips of foam and silicone, it would always move if I stopped pressing them into my ears. They're just too small for my ears. I sold the Z12 and bought the MP145 and love the sound they have, especially when paired with the Divinus Velvet Wide Bore tips.

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

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 got the SM4 at release as a supposed upgrade to my trusty S12s. Bought into the hype and indeed they proved to be a nice set. But after the honeymoon phase subsided I grabbed my S12 again a couple weeks ago and they blew me away. Have an entirely renewed appreciation for the Letshuoers. Nothing against de SM4, they're a proper set, especially for the pricepoint. It probably should be near the top of one's list when they're looking for a quality IEM in that range. It's just that I like the S12 better. What the SM4 has going for it I think are technicalities like soundstage and presentation. It definitely got that immersive sound going on. The S12 still beat them in terms of resolution and that happens the be what I dig most in an IEM. It may also just be that I like the S12's frequency response. Long story short, yes I think SM4 punch above their weight in terms of technicalities, but at the end of the day preferences is paramount.

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

QoA Adonis New. I just demoed them at CanJam SoCal last weekend and I thought it was quite good, L shaped tuning with powerful bass. I'm far from a basshead so it's not my favorite but it might be the one for you. I would absolutely not recommend any planar IEM to a basshead, I have heard a few planars and none of them was great in that regard. Planar bass has lots of punch but no thump, it's like an explosion that is visually imposing but lacking aftershock. Even the Letshuoer S12 2024 which managed to have a DD sounding bass and has probably the best bass among planars is still not as good as the QoA Adonis New. Some people recommended the Tangzu Fudu but not me, I had one but returned because the bass was slightly bleeding into midrange, it's not bad but you can afford more so don't compromise.

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.

-1 for mp145. I have mp145, letshuoer s12 and Supermix4, and I would rate them: S12>Supermix4>mp145. S12 is foam modded to tame 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.

s12 2024 good tuning / best technicality / good sound stage + depth s12 pro is too hot for most ppl + planar timbre and small soundstage

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.

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.

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.

S12 2024, sliivo sl41 mkii and aful explorer.

I kinda agree with you lol, they sound really good. It sucks knowing one day they won’t hold a charge though. I use my app2 more than any other in ears, especially if I want to listen at lower volume. Definitely the most natural sounding tws, and they are pretty detailed too. Still chose s12 2024 and sliivo sl41 mkii though, but app2 aren’t far behind.

If you can’t fit mp145 the s12 2024 is a great planar (it’s on sale on Amazon for like $160), or the s08. Or if you can find a deal the s15. The s12 2024 has a slightly longer nozzle than the other s12s/z12, which helped with fit for me…I had to use dunu s and s tips on my z12, otherwise they’d slide out.

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

DaVinci and B3 have similar price/performance, just different tuning styles. B3 wins hands-down on detail retrieval and clarity, while DaVinci runs circle around B3 when it comes to (sub) bass. I tried Monarch Mk2 for about 30 minutes and did not like it. The nozzles are enormous, very uncomfortable. Sound quality... is ok? Monarch didn't sound any more detailed than B3 - I couldn't really hear the praised macrodynamic. Tuning style is definitely more pleasant and ordinary. The bad fit really distracted me from enjoying it. Moondrop Kato and Truthear Timeless have similar level of technical performance - quite close to B3. Personally prefer Kato's more balanced signature. Hexa is a cheaper alternative, but it might sound a bit too neutral and thus boring (not necessarily a bad thing, easily fixable with EQ) Planar IEMs sound harsh on the treble, especially the S12 (I disliked it). I don't understand the hype around Truthear Nova and Simgot Supermix 4. I think the latter is fine for the price, about the same P/P as Kato; but Nova is just so blurry, subpar detail retrieval even when its bass is pretty light. Other IEMs under $150 are not interesting enough to me.

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 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.

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.

At the moment, I would say the S12 2024 Anniversary Edition.

You can, but it seems like the nozzle of the 2024 is a little longer, the cable is a little nicer, and the aesthetics are fantastic. I really enjoy this set, it sits up with my everyday use $200-$300 sets.

The S12 2024 Anniversary Edition while it's available. It has a nice all-rounder type tuning. Build and accessories are great for the $160 Amazon price. Techs, head-stage, and separation are all above average for it's cost. For me, this set should be competing for iem of the year.

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.

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.

S12 2024.They're my mini Arya Organic to-go with JVC Spiral Dots. Love how detailed, precise and open they sound 🙂

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 🤷‍♂️

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.

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 😵‍💫

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