Sound performance
My main sources were: FiiO KA3 / ddHiFi TC44Pro / Astell&Kern CA1000T , trusted sources from trusted brands that I used extensively for the past months.
Files were played from either Apple Music / Spotify or my own music library. Some tracks will be highlighted, just so you can try them at home too!
Overall signature
So, what can you expect from the Letshuoer S12 Pro, sonically speaking? Some (very) nice things quite actually!
First and foremost, despite its rather modest price tag – sub $200 for a planar – The S12 Pro delivers a full-bodied sound marked by clean, powerful lows that make a solid impact, outpacing many models in its price range. Whether you’re immersed in modern pop tunes, the sultry notes of jazz, or the soaring melodies of classical music, the S12 Pro demonstrates a striking mastery in its mid-range reproduction.
The proprietary planar driver, the “piece of resistance” of this in-ear, averts any conspicuous flaws across the frequency spectrum. The result harmoniously blends potent mid-tones with robust lows, coupled with a surprisingly wide soundstage and excellent respect for sound timbres. I tried some of my favorite techno tracks, and the tightness of the bass, never ceased to amazed me – planar is almighty in that regard.
Paired with a good source, I think that you’d be impressed by how full the S12 Pro sounds, pushing an outstanding level of sound pressure, without any harshness or audible distortion. Overall sonic capabilities manage to deliver an exceptional level of subtlety and detail without ever becoming harsh or displaying noticeable distortion. Of course, it isn’t flawless, and the high-mids could use some tightening up – something that I miss in almost all my planar – especially with classical tracks. However, the speediness of the lows ensures that this shortcoming rarely becomes a noticeable issue.
Compared to the Kinera Gumiho that I also had prior this year – another low-priced planar IEM – voices were quite a few levels above: better accuracy, smoother transients, the S12 Pro completely outshines the small IEM, in every regard. And where the Gumiho could drown with technical tracks, that was never the case with the Letshuoer, which managed to amaze me once and every time. When paired with a modest audio source, like the FiiO or the ddHiFi TC44A, it already provides an impressive output. But once connected to a higher-grade source like the TC44 Pro or the A&K CA1000T – an amazing device, if only too slow – the IEM truly comes alive, offering an engaging and detailed sound that rivals many pricier alternatives.
But let’s talk about the elephant in the room: like every planar, the Letshuoer S12 Pro requires to be paired with a robust and pretty powerful source for optimal results. With a low-powered source, the in-ear might sound a bit harsh in the upper-range, requiring adjustments around the 8kHz frequency on your EQ, but once paired with something a bit punchier, “a veil is lifted”.
Whether you’re listening to contemporary pop artists, jazz crooners, or classical sopranos, the S12 Pro was particularly proficient at delivering a warm and engaging mid-range, making it the perfect companion for tracks with rich vocals and complex instrumentation. I tried Mo Ergaste Forn from John Murphy, Venezia from AKKI (DE), and Moonshine from Young Gun Silver, and each time the IEM pushed the same smile on my face. If you want to go even further, go balanced tough, it gets even better: the transition between low, mids, becomes even more seamless and paired with a balanced source like the TC44 Pro, the S12 Pro mids become more defined and the lows gain more substance without overshadowing the vocals.
Instrument separation is impressive, kicks are massive, and those ears definitely crave powers. The IEM displays nicely controlled bass response and impact, magnified by an excellent level of layering and compared to your usual single DD IEM, the planar transducer gives a much more compelling result. Techno/jazz lovers, like me, with a limited budget will be hard-pressed to find an IEM as dynamic as this one – under 200 bucks.
Finally, out of curiosity I also plugged the Letshuoer into my MacBook Air headphone port, and found the matching downright dismissive, even if the result was not supposed to astound me by any means. But, once more, the fun factor remained so for a quick trip, or just a quick Netflix, those ears are a good solution nevertheless.
A very nice surprise, that I’d definitely recommend for any newcomers.
Tonality
Highs: impressive. Not the best highs you could get but definitely not the worse. There is no sibilant and you can confidently raise the volume never to encounter any harshness. The highs/super-highs difference didn’t strike me, but if you prefer highs over lows, you’ll hear a real difference/improvement.
Good test-track : Through and Through – Leaving Laurel
Mediums: rich and full. Exceptional soundstage and clean mids make for a very pleasant experience. For my first Letshoer experience, the S12 Pro has done an excellent job in this regard: voices are bliss, and the earphone can fully immerse you, in just a few seconds. It lacks the 3D openness of high end solution, but quite honestly, that’s just me being picky.
Good test-track: Money – Pink Floyd
Bass: amazing, for the price. Compared to the Gumiho I reviewed last time, the Letshuoer S12 Pro makes a worldy difference, but that’s not surprising. The S12 Pro can go super deep, even more when plugged through a potent source, thanks to their high-sensitivity. It even tackles hybrid IEM in some aspects : amazing.
Good test-track: Sacrifice – Sara Landry
Sensitivity / Hiss
Impedance is low, sensitivity is low and isolation is good, so yes, you could easily drive those IEM on paper. Yet, in real-life conditions, you’ll really need to push those ears to enjoy them to the fullest. Paired with the ddHiFi TC44Pro, the IEM gave me really good bass, but with the A&K CA1000T things even became bombastic.
My top choice? Save some money and extend your budget, so you can get a FiiO KA5 or an iBasso DC04 Pro.
And for the hiss, I encountered a slight level of hiss on bad grounded sources, but on a DAC or DAP, you should not encounter any issue.
Conclusion
For $159 USD, the Letshuoer S12Pro is more than a pleasant surprise, it’s a winner IEM.
Build quality is great, design is mild but comfort is very good, and for less than two hundred bucks, you get a very compelling sound, with solid lows, clean mids and great staging, in a life-lasting shell. If I didn’t expect much from those ears at first, I became immediately hooked the moment I put them in my ears. It outperformed the Gumiho and my old TinHifi P1 by far, and even out matches the FD5 my previous reference in this price range..
Lovely!
Pros :
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impressive sound quality
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great build and solid shell
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affordable price, for a planar
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low to none distortion
Cons:
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hard to drive
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not the nicest design IMO
