Firstly I would like to thank Letshuoer for sending me the S12 for review.
*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings
Gear Used:
- iBasso DX200 > S12
- JDS Labs Atom DAC+ > Singxer SA-1 > S12
Tech Specs:
- Driver type: 14.8mm planar dynamic
- Impedance: 16Ω±1%.
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz.
- Distortion: 0.5%±0.1%.
- Connector Type: 2-pin 0.78mm.
Letshuoer S12 Planar Magnetic IEM
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories
The S12 come in a white box, its attractive with a picture of the earphones on the front of the outer sleeve and information on the back. Slide this outer sleeve off and you’ll find a branded white box inside – slide the top off and the earphones are neatly placed in an inner foam insert. Overall, the packaging is minimalist yet looks quite professional and slick.
Build quality wise the S12 has a CNC machined aluminium housing that feels sturdy and is very well finished with smooth corners and seams. The cable uses the convention 2-pin connector and is thick yet flexible – I really like the stock cable, it feels well-built and the pre-moulded memory wire is of perfect length and flexibility for my personal preference. The jack, splitter and 2-pin connector housings are all aluminium and add to the premium feel, and there seems to be good strain relief all-round – these are built to last.
Accessory wise you get lots of eartips, S, M and L in 2 different types of silicone tips along with S, M and L foam tips too – most people should be able to get a good fit out of the box. You will also find a leather oval clam-shell case to keep them safe when not in use, overall they included the basics and the quality of the carry case is very good.
Fit, Comfort and Isolation
The fit is excellent in my ears, the smooth housing and good nozzle angle contribute to a snug and secure fit.
Comfort is a strong point, I decided on silicone tips as I like to try and retain as much of the original sound signature when reviewing. With the right tips I found these easy to wear for prolonged periods of time, the housings are well shaped and the cable isn’t too heavy, leading to a very comfortable pair of IEMs in use.
Isolation however isn’t such a strong point for the S12 – they have 2 separate vents on the housings which does mean they don’t isolate quite as well as some sealed models. They don’t really leak too bad, but the level of isolation is certainly lower than most IEM’s in this range.
Sound
Lows: The S12 sport a single planar dynamic driver, now in full size headphones these tend to produce a very flat bass response but here in this IEM I am noticing a bit of a sub-bass lift which can make the low end sound quite full on certain tracks. The low end is relatively tight and impactful, there is good punch that never sounds hollow and it’s backed up with body and effortless extension. This is very impressive from a small planar driver, and the low end sounds great both from DAPs as well as desktop amps. The low end is engaging and enjoyable, and it slopes off towards the midrange, leading to no noticeable bleed into the lower midrange.
Midrange: Whilst there is a lack of bass bleed into the lower midrange, the whole midrange itself does lack a bit of body and warmth. I’ve found a few models recently to have a very crisp and clean midrange that focusses on detail, but they are lacking in timbre – sounding too thin and a little unnatural. Whilst accuracy isn’t too off here, the midrange isn’t as natural as it could be, and I would like to see more companies striving for a more natural reproduction of sound over micro-detail. Transient response is never an issue, there is a ton of detail and excellent separation of instruments, I would just like a tad more body to make these sound more natural.
Treble: The treble is excellent on the S12, it’s detailed and crisp but never at the forefront of the music, it quietly does its thing without any nasty intruding spikes or unwanted harshness. I would say that the treble is very responsive and perhaps is a little quick in terms of allowing notes to decay softly, however this is a minor gripe as it is very well presented overall. The S12 extend well and there isn’t any noticeable early roll-off, there’s plenty of air and sparkle up top without harshness.
Soundstaging and Instrument Separation
The S12 doesn’t have a huge soundstage, instead they have quite an intimate presentation but with great separation to avoid them sounding congested. The placement of instruments within the soundstage is accurate, and the transient response ensures they are always well separated.
Conclusion:
I like the S12, and I like them a lot, however when it comes to their overall sound there are a few little niggles that can be improved upon. My main issue with them is that the midrange is slightly too lean, which robs the sound of an overall natural tonality. The excellent bass response means the overall sound isn’t thin though and the treble is always presented in a clean yet fatigue free manner.
I feel this segment of the market is highly competitive and Letshuoer are on to a winner with the S12 – if you don’t mind the slight downsides listed above. There are perhaps a few other models that might be better all-rounders, but if you fancy something punchy and fun without sounding too unnatural the S12 is well worth considering.
Sound Perfection Rating: 7/10 (Impressively punchy sound, a well implemented planar driver in general)