The LETSHUOER S12 2024 was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the S12 2024 edition is $199 and you can buy it from dealers around the world as it is now sold out from the LETSHUOER official shop.
LETSHUOER S12 2024
The LETSHUOER S12 Pro is one of the brand’s most successful products up to date. An affordable, comfortable to wear and good sounding planar magnetic earphone with great price to performance ratio that made it a huge success among discerning audiophiles.
In order to commemorate their 8th anniversary, LETSHUOER has released a special limited edition of the S12 Pro, the S12 2024 edition that incorporates an updated design and a slightly different tuning versus the original model.
Tech and design
The LETSHUOER S12 2024 uses a large 14.8mm planar magnetic driver that is housed in a newly designed titanium alloy chamber, combined with precision CNC milled shell.
The exterior design has remained the same with the original model but the 2024 edition is more premium and luxurious looking thanks to the timeless combination of shiny gold and black finishes. Additionally, each earphone is equipped with an individual laser etched serial number, highlighting the unique identity of the product.
Wearing comfort and build quality
The LETSHUOER S12 Pro was a very comfortable earphone thanks to its lightweight, compact sized and ergonomically designed ear-shells. The S12 2024 is even more comfortable because it is less heavy and the inner part of the housing is made from a skin-friendly material. It fits like a glove and isolates very well without causing any discomfort even after hours of use. The S12 2024 is the kind of earphone that you just wear and forget about it while listening to your favorite tunes.
The LETSHUOER S12 2024 is exceptionally well made, combining premium materials and excellent craftsmanship. It is much better looking and made than someone would expect from a $200 earphone, LETSHUOER has made an amazing job that surpasses all expectations.
The stock cable
LETSHUOER has equipped the S12 2024 with a high quality 2-pin detachable cable with interchangeable plugs. It uses 392-strands of silver plated monocrystalline copper wires in a braided design. The cable is well made and has low microphonic noise but is a little stiff, tangly and slightly heavy. All aluminum parts are gold plated to match the appearance of the ear-shells and the package includes 2.5mm, 4.4mm and 3.5mm hot-swappable plugs that are a little longer than expected.
Accessories
The package includes two different types of silicone ear-tips in three sizes each (balanced and vocal), three sizes of memory foam ear-tips, a plastic carrying case with a screw lid and two special accessories. A metal commemorative keychain and a shinny anniversary card.
Power requirements
Impedance and sensitivity have remained the same as with the original model, 16Ω and 102dB respectively, so the S12 2024 is as easy to drive as the S12 Pro. However the source should be able to provide plenty of current at 16Ω loads and dead silent because the earphone is quite sensitive to background noise. The LETSHUOER DT03 is a good option for starters but you can do better with higher quality sources like the FiiO M23 and the iBasso DX180.
Listening impressions
The LETSHUOER S12 2024 has a balanced tuning with good sub-bass extension, natural bass, present mid-range and well extended but smooth sounding treble. A tuning that is suitable for listening to almost everything, from classical music to modern tunes, without serious compromises. A true all-rounder earphone that is going to please everyone as long as he doesn’t have any extreme tuning preferences. The overall tonal balance is quite similar to that of the S12 Pro with the most notable difference being the smoothening of the treble so it doesn’t sound as sharp and bright.
The bass is not only tonally correct, without significant mid-bass coloration but it is also technically competent with excellent definition and layering for the category. It is the typical planar bass that might be lacking in weight and sound a little lean, but it is exceptionally tight and controlled without any audible hollowness or bloat. Fast and precise with good physical impact and plenty of dynamic contrast, it is both suitable for critical and casual listening alike.
The mid-range balance is well realized with less upper mid-range prominence than the S12 Pro so it sounds vivid, clean and articulated while avoiding any sharp or fatiguing elements. The textures are a little dry and not as lush but the S12 2024 still provides plenty of musicality and engagement while it sounds tonally accurate and realistic with colorful harmonies.
More listening impressions
The treble is less pronounced than in the S12 Pro but it is not to be considered as subdued and has plenty of sparkling energy without sounding too bright and sharp. The timbre is much improved over its predecessor and is more natural with negligible artificiality. However there is still some taste of the so called “planar” timbre that makes high pitched instruments and voices to sound a little strange or fake if you prefer, but without affecting their overall tonality.
The S12 2024 is more resolving and refined than the previous model and ranks among the best specimens within its category. The sound is clean and well defined throughout the whole frequency range, detail retrieval is almost class-leading but the sound is melodic without any clinical sterility.
This is an open sounding earphone with ample horizonal expansion. It doesn’t win any laurels when it comes to depth layering or holography but it still sounds spacious and grand enough with excellent imaging. The S12 2024 handles busy tracks with ease and is a skilled communicator of the ambient atmosphere.
Family business
Staying for comparisons within the LETSHUOER family, the S12 2024 is not only better looking than the S12 PRO but is also better tuned with improved sonic coherency and audio performance. Users that have been complaining about the excessive “planar” timbre and the bright character of the S12 Pro should consider upgrading to the S12 2024 as it mostly solves these issues.
The LETSHUOER S15 ($329) is the next generation planar magnetic earphone of the brand that features an updated version of their driver with dual chambers this time. The S15 is more ordinary looking and slightly bulkier than the S12 2024 edition so it is not as comfortable and aesthetically pleasing as the latter.
Choose the S15 for a weightier, more impactful and slightly colorful low-end that outperforms the S12 2024 in technicalities and punchiness but is not as neutrally tuned. The S15 is also more prominent in the upper mid-range, if this is your favorite tuning, but it is also much more subdued in the treble so it sounds darker, warmer and less energetic than the S12 2024. The latter is cleaner, a bit brighter and more transparent but the more expensive S15 has solved the “planar” timbre issues forever and is more resolving and refined than its little brother.
In the end
The LETSHUOER S12 2024 edition is limited to 2024 pieces. I don’t know how many of them are left in the market but if you happen to find one then go ahead and grab it without any hesitation, not only because it is a collectors item but mostly because it is one of the best sounding earphones within its category. Actually it is so good and well priced for what it does that i plead LETSHUOER to add it permanently in their catalogue or at least produce another batch.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2024.
+ Excellent tonal balance
+ Good sub-bass extension
+ Almost neutrally tuned bass with excellent technicalities
+ Musical and melodic mid-range
+ Smooth yet extended treble
+ More coherent and resolving than the S12 Pro
+ Ideal for both critical and casual listening
+ Open and spacious soundstage with precise imaging
+ Easy to drive from portable sources
+ Premium appearance and very well made
+ High quality cable with swappable plugs
+ Plenty of ear-tips and carrying case
+ Limited anniversary edition accessories
- A bit of “planar” timbre on the treble
- The cable is a little heavy and the plug too long
- Sensitive to source noise
- Limited availability
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