LETSHUOER S15: Quite Revolutionary
"In music the passions enjoy themselves"
~~Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher and philologist, author of The Birth Of Tragedy, The Gay Science and Beyond Good and Evil.
As the second phase of the battle of the planars still going on and many new entrants are trying hard to win some hearts and ears of the audio enthusiasts, LETSHUOER is one of the most active and resilient audio companies out there and they are now acclaimed as the veterans of this particular competition of planar sets in the audio market. With the release of S12 regular and S12 PRO in the first phase battle of the planar sets, they were able to gain and manage to hold a substantial ground in the audio market up to this day that makes these products as one of the most successful planar IEMs in the audio enthusiast sphere.
And now, LETSHUOER release a successor model and they add some interesting features on it, knowing the core philosophy of their company, they are striving for innovation and improvement on their every product releases.
This is LETSHUOER S15, one of the latest IEMs with a planar magnetic driver in the audio market. According to LETSHUOER, this set uses a 3rd generation of planar magnetic driver and it shares similar size with the previous generation of the said type of driver which are measured at 14.8mm diameter. Aside from the latest generation of planar magnetic driver, they also implemented a new technology on this one, the 6mm R-sonic Passive Filtering Module which supports the performance of the planar magnetic driver. The R-sonic Passive Filtering Mode isn't a typical passive radiator as its working principle is quite a contrast in technical sense. It employs a membrane that functions as a filter that corresponds with the amount of pressure inside our ear canal to make it more comfortable for long listening sessons and less ear fatigue due to a reduced pneumatic pressure generated from the drivers. The module itself is quite adaptable as it has a semi-opened chamber that works in tandem with vent ports on its shells as it able to adjust itself from the volume output of sound pressure level, either it is in active or in idling mode. Thus, this system will also help the longevity of the active driver by minimising the possibility of wear and tear through lessening the constant movements of its diaphragm as planar magnetics are known to be very sensitive. For more technical details about this technology, just click here.
One of the benefits of this technology on its overall sound quality is to deliver a more resonant effect and at the same time, a deeper, richer and even darker tone on the lower octaves notes on vocals and instruments with a noticeable improvement of some of its technical aspect. Another implementation that LETSHUOER putting on this set is the dual acoustic with filter crossover for smoother transition of its frequencies for better balance sound.
The driver along with its proprietary components were encased in a composite shell chassis. The cavity base part of the shell is a medical-grade resin that was moulded via 3D-printing process done by HEYGEARS while its faceplate is a CNC-milled aluminium alloy that underwent a sand-blasting process to give that matte-finished surface. The contours of its shells are oval-shaped and they are medium-sized. There are two vent holes on its cavity base that will serve as an exhaust for excess air pressure from its acoustic chamber that was generated from the fast and uniform motion of planar magnetics. The overall design aesthetics of its shells is quite unusual as its faceplate has some angular and sharp patterns that reminds me of a claw of a raptor or a fang of a snake. Like all of their previous products, LETSHUOER continues to use a proven 0.78mm 2-pin connector for this set.
When it comes to wearing, The S15 is quite comfortable as it rests well into my lugholes with any issues at all. It has an excellent passive noise isolation as it manages to block some unwarranted noises coming from the outside surroundings.
In regards of its stock cable, The cable is of a high quality and it is also fairly thick with its braided 2-core monocrystalline silver-plated copper. This cable is also a modular one as we can interchanged its termination plug for different types of audio jack interface. There are 3 types of termination plugs we could choose from, either its a 3.5mm SE, a 2.5mm balanced or 4.4mm balanced, all options are available for its intended usage.
The packaging box of LETSHUOER S15 is quite large and how it was presented inside during the unboxing phase is remarkable as the inclusions are well-organised and the majority of the contents are in a drawer compartment.
Here are the following contents inside of LETSHUOER S15's box:
■ Pair of LETSHUOER S15 IEM transducers
■ Stock cable
■ 3.5mm, 2.5mm and 4.4mm termination plugs
■ Circular IEM storage case with rubber-like coating
■ Three (3) balanced ear tips in different standard sizes.
■ Three (3) vocal ear tips in different standard sizes.
■ Paperwork like instruction manual, warranty card and Q.C. stub.
Regarding its amplification and power scaling, S15 can be driven by sources with decent power output like smartphones or tablets but we will definitely noticed its lack of dynamics and snappiness on its overall frequency range. Amplify it with proper power output and this set will give a fullest range of its sound with a vivid quality on it.
As for its profile on its tonality, LETSHUOER S15 has a mild U-shaped sound signature with an accent of warmish-balanced tonality on it. It has a slight emphasis on low and some parts of high frequencies while maintaining a well-balanced midrange.
(The graph was provided by [USER=516219]@baskingshark[/USER] , thanks to his effort for measuring this set)
LOWS/BASS:
For a planar set, the bass quality of the S15 is quite impressive and with the implementation of R-sonic Passive Filtering Module does even further improve its bass definition that a very few planar sets are able to match its performance. The bass response of this set is indeed punchy, precise and snappy with good control and maintain a clean sound.
Both sub-bass and mid-bass are equally laid-out in the low frequency range to give a well-balanced sound while having an authoritative bass quality. There's a discernible sub-bass rumble and reverberations coming from certain instruments like low tone bass guitars, drum machines, synthesisers and octabasses. Mid-bass have suitable texture to give a more well-bodied sound on instruments and vocals. Bass guitars sound broad and resonant while cellos have warm, full and stately sound on them. Bass kick drums have sonorous, thudding and rumbling sound and it is capable of delineating the tones of fast double bass of some extreme metal tracks. Bass-baritone vocals sounds well-rendered on this one as they have these deep, resonant and rumbling voices to give that dense and wool-like sound.
MIDRANGE:
The midrange presentation of this set is noticeable a tad indented in the overall frequency range spectrum but it still maintains a well-balanced and fairly textured to project vocals and instruments in a most natural and tonally accurate manner.
Both vocals, either male or female are well-bodied and eloquently presented, as male vocals are well-modulated while female vocals have luscious and euphonic sound of them with sufficient energy on them. On baritones, the lighter ones like light baritone and lyric baritone have a mellow, sweet and smooth sound, while deeper ones like kavalier baritone, Verdi baritone and dramatic baritone have steely, richer and warmer sound respectively. Tenors vocals whether its a leggero, lyric, spinto, dramatic and even a rarer type one, the heldentenors have agile, bright, dazzling, ringing and emotive sound on them. Countertenors too have a graceful, warm and tender sound on them as I was able to enjoy listening to their falsetto voices on hitting their highest note. And then on female vocals, contraltos are able to project their distinctive vocals which sound smoky, husky and rich, while mezzo-sopranos have a musky, fiery and sensitive sound on either lyric or dramatic type. And then sopranos, this set is capable to deliver their typical sound characteristics like coloratura sopranos have a bright and tangy sound of their high velocity vocal passage while soubrette and lyric soprano vocals have bright timbre with added sweet and a hint of rich sound, and then dramatic sopranos have richer and deep resonant emotive vocala on them.
As for instruments, on string ones like guitars and violins, guitars have a balanced and fundamental sound with added articulation and crispness on them, and violins have lively, vibrant and eloquent sound on every grip and stroke in its bow strings. Then on brasses, trumpets have substantial, full and vivid sound while trombones have tense, brassy and powerful sound, and then horns have warm, resounding and intense sound on them. Woodwinds like concert flutes, piccolos, clarinets and saxophones, flutes have silvery, rich and mellow sound, piccolos have a clear and intense sound on them while clarinets have its velvety and warm sound, then on saxophones have a reedy and sombre sound on them. On percussive instruments, snare have precise, hard and bright sound, field drums have dark, sombre and full sound on every stroke, tom-toms have a warm, rumbling and orotund sound on them, and kettledrums have heavy, deep and resonant sound on them. Pianos seem to have warm, full-bodied sound while maintaining a well-balanced tone on them.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
For those who are quite familiar with the typical planar sound on the treble register, this set's treble quality is quite different compared to its peers. It manages to tame down and control those too energetic, prickly and sizzle sound that we usually encounter on planar magnetics whether it's an IEM or headphones. Therefore, the overall treble response of S15 is smooth and well-balanced while having a properly quantifying sparkle and good airy extension. In my hearing, there's an observable highlight on the upper mids and presence part that gives a well-executed percussive and rhythm instrument attack and an emphasis of projecting vocal articulation. The accented presence gives some crisper, detail and clarity of sound.
As for instruments, cymbals have a bright, shimmer and resonant sound while hi-hats have a shortened buzzing sound on them. Glockenspiels have brilliant and lustrous sound and celestas have silvery and sweet sound that gives those heavenly or aristocratic ball court vibe on their distinctive monotone sound.
SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:
Given that this is a planar set, it will have an excellent technical capabilities and S15 did inherent those qualities. It has a quite spacious sound/speaker stage as it has a fairly wide span from left to right, good height ceiling and impressive depth distance between front to rear that within my headroom, it gives me an impression of roomy and sizable auditory spatiality. This gives me an excellent head shadow on how I perceived it.
Stereo imaging projects an atmospheric and 3D-like presentation where I was able to locate the placement of instruments and vocals, and all of its elements are well-separated with considerable gaps and spacing on each other while it was placed in well-defined and precise layering of tones and frequencies in a black background of its sonic canvas. This incredible aspect will let you enjoy listening to some of the most complex multi-instrument tracks like jazz, movies scores and orchestras that you definitely hear a clean, articulate and well-furnish sound.
Coherency on this one is on a excellent mark as planar magnetic drivers are known for its precise, fast transient response and well-handle decay and this set have those qualities at all. Resolution capability on this is one is quite remarkable as it has a solid fundamental on macro-dynamics while having a clear, sharp definition on its micro-detail retrieval as it was able to extract some nuances and detail infos like note ends and notation attacks from an audio track.
PEER COMPARISONS:
LETSHUOER S12 PRO
■ This is S15's supposedly predecessor but it is way much cheaper, it uses the same diameter size of planar magnetic and it was encapsulated in an all metal alloy shell. Like all LETSHUOER products, it has a good amount of accesories and it also has a modular cable.
■ Tonality-wise, S12 PRO has a bright U-shaped sound profile which makes it tonally contrasting to S15's. It has a tighter bass response with less textured mid-bass, a more noticeable notched midrange but it sounds more transparent, crisper, a bit more energetic sound particularly on high octave female vocals and instruments like strings and woodwinds. And brighter and shimmering treble response with some occurrences of sibilance. In technicalities, S12 PRO sound/speaker stage size is more of an above average when it compares to S15 which has a bit wider sound field and has a less solid note on macro-dynamics, the rest of technical aspects are very similar after all.
AUDEZE iSINE 10 (Demo)
■ This is probably the first planar magnetic IEM from AUDEZE and it has an unusual shell chassis design that reminds me of a spaceship. It has a semi-open back design and it houses a larger 30mm first generation planar magnetic driver. To be honest, when I tested this one a few years ago, I've struggling to get a better fitting of it.
■ iSINE 10 is definitely a V-shaped sounding IEM as I vividly remember how it sounds. Compared to S15, It has a tight and hollow bass response, a very recessed and lean midrange that also give some odd timbre and tonality on vocals and instruments, particularly female vocals and some percussives, and harsh and peaky treble response that might be a problematic to treble-sensitives. Technicalities-wise, due to its semi-open back design, its projects a wider soundstage compare to S15 and it also has a good stereo imaging, separation and resolution capabilities but power scaling on this one absolutely nightmare on this one as this is definitely hard to drive that you need a desktop-grade DAC/amp amplifier just to drive this set properly.
AUDEZE iSINE 20 (Demo)
■ This was the most pricey planar magnetic IEM that I've tested so far, it still follows the design philosophy of its predecessor, The iSINE 20 also employs a 30mm planar magnetic driver and like the iSINE 10, I'm also struggling to find a better fitting on this one.
■ iSINE 20 is still a V-shaped sounding one but compared to iSINE 10, it is a bit more refined. It is a sub-bass focus bass response and bit lean mid-bass, a recessed midrange but at least it has bit warm to have a semblance of an ample texture and density on its note weight but there some instances that its timbre and tonality sounds really odd to my ears especially to female vocals sounds too shouty or a bit nasally and too much ceiling and lingering sound on acoustic guitars and somehow a smooth treble response that it dulls the shimmer and crispness on it and even subdues the airy extension. The technical performance of this set is somehow excellent just like its predecessor but I also noticed its less sharp definition of its micro-dynamics resolution. This set is also hard to drive too like the iSINE 10's so the best option is to use the Cipher cable for its built-in DSP decoder but it is specifically built for iPhones with lightning port and I don't like iPhones personally.
To summarise my review on this device, LETSHUOER S15 is indeed an upgrade from the previous S12 in terms of tonality and some technical capabilities. It really differentiates itself from its predecessors like implementation of new technology and different design aesthetics which is beneficial for better sound quality, more tonal balance and better fitting ergonomics.
As I end my assessment of this, here are some questions that really float in my thoughts. To whom is this IEM for? Is the price hike from the previous model is justified? Why did it decide to ditch an all metal shell design and choosing a composite shell one?
Here are some logical answers that I can share, the first one is if you look for a well-balanced sounding set with excellent technical capabilities, good resolution capabilities with a bit fun, engaging and enjoyable sound factor, LETSHUOER S15 is the set you are looking for. Second one is the increase of its price, With a working proprietary audio technologies that LETSHUOER developed and were implemented inside of the S15 and a bit better modular stock cable, its asking price is somehow justified in my opinion given my exposure of some older planar IEM models that were even more expensive but its tuning is quite atrocious, and last but not the least, LETSHUOER seems aware on some reported condensation issues on all-metal shell IEMs especially if you live in a temperate locality and using a newer composite shell design will minimise those issues at all.
I hope that you really enjoy reading my review on this set.
LETSHUOER S15 is now available at LETSHUOER'S official store. You can check the unaffliated link that I've provided below:
★★LETSHUOER S15 - OFFICIAL STORE★★
Here are my previous reviews on other LETSHUOER products:
◆ LETSHUOER GALILEO (First impressions)
◆ LETSHUOER CONDUCTOR (First impressions)
SPECIFICATION:
MODEL: LETSHUOER S15
IMPEDANCE: 30Ω
SENSITIVITY: 106dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm, 2.5mm. 4.4mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) PLANAR DYNAMIC DRIVER + (1) PASSIVE FILTERING MODULE
PROS:
△ Newly-designed shell chassis made of composite materials for lightweight and ease to wear.
△ Quite comfortable to wear and it has a good isolation.
△ Premium modular stock cable.
△ Proprietary passive filtering module really works on this set.
△ Two types of ear tips to choose from for our preferred isolation and comfort.
△ Stunning product packaging that makes the unboxing experience more delightful.
△ Storage case for protection of the sets
△ A likeable sound profile that will favourable to almost known type of music genre.
△ Vivacious, precise and well-textured bass response
△ Well-balanced, sufficiently dense and clear midrange quality.
△ Quite versatile on both male and female vocals.
△ Instruments somehow sounds natural.
△ Smooth, fairly balanced treble response while maintain a presence of sparkle and airiness.
△ Probably one of the most natural sounding planar as the "planar sheen" timbre was tamed properly.
△As expected, planar magnetic drivers, either old or new generation will always offer superior technical capabilities and S15 inherently has it.
CONS:
▽ Its colourway choice and overall build aesthetics is rather an ambivalent one.
▽ Might be too coloured sounding to some adherent neutral heads.
▽ Not for treble heads who wants more sparkling and shimmering treble response
▽ Well, planars, you still need an appropriate device like DAPs with high power output and DAC/Amp dongles that will drive this set properly.
Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)
Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
P.S.
I am not affiliated to LETSHUOER nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.
Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to IVY GAO for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.
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