Lear’s dynamic-driver model kept me curious for a couple of years, since some fellow head-fiers who were aware of my tastes strongly recommended to try it.
Happily, the company released an updated version at the same (HK$ 1488 which is ~USD 190) price point. According to the manufacturer, the driver is improved and so is the internal acoustic structure (especially the front part which is now made of metal, not plastic).
The uniqueness of LHF-AE1d lies in two options: first of all, the bass level can be customized not via filters (like in a number of models such as LZ A4 or FLC 8S) but using an attenuator with 9 fixed positions regulated with a screwdriver. This does allow to alter the lows from warm to monitor-like level for better pairing with a source as well as one’s sound preferences (more on that later).
Secondly, Lear does have advanced or custom nozzles sold separately. It means that you can order custom tips at a very reasonable price, yet still be able to use (or sell) your pair as a universal-fit one. While it’s not a CIEM in a full sense (where shells are also customized in accordance with your ear profile), you still get a solution allowing to get the idea of custom IEMs without the need to reshell later.
I’d like to thank Lear for providing a unit for this review, which will be honest and as objective as possible.
Not sound
The earphones come in a black cardboard box (nothing too fancy, but very practical). Inside you’ll find a selection of eartips (three sizes of silicons and two types of foams) along with earhooks and adjusting screwdriver-like tool. What I personally like is a rounded carrying case (something like a can for cream or other cosmetics). While not very pocketable, it gives some kind of a premium feel and is convenient for storage either in a backpack or on your desk.
As for the units themselves, they’re not too small (due to a 10mm dynamic driver) yet feel lightweight thanks to their anatomical design and over-ear wearing style. I’m not sure how people with smallers ears will find them, but I can personally wear these IEMs for hours without a hint of discomfort.
Speaking of cable, it is nicely textured and feels sturdy and lightweight at the same time. From my experience, it’s also not really tangle-prone. The only complaint that I have is the 2-pin (0.78mm) connection which at times felt a bit weak. However, some extra soldering has completely eliminated this issue and the connection became more secure.
I’d say the isolation is more or less average and is fine for everyday walks around the city. While it may be insufficient for subway or airplane, in most cases it feels just fine allowing to hear loud outside noises and focus on music for the rest of the time.
Sound
At 32 oHms, Lear is not hiss-prone yet at the same easily driveable even from a smartphone or a PC audio output. Still, at its resolution level it really does scale well along with the source. For this review, the listening was performed with iBasso DX80 player and Encore mDAC/mDSD portable DACs. All pairings were fine and reflected the overall tonality and sound character of LHF-AE1d MKII.
Although bass level can be altered significantly (from monitor to neutral and warm), its strong point is the absence of interference with the midrange which even at high levels does not become muddy on uncontrolled. After some tuning, I’ve personally settled on 6/9 level (where lows, to my ears, are just slightly elevated). Your own perception may vary, so please take time to make some adjustments in accordance with your tastes.
Overall tonality could be described as neutral, clean and transparent but not harsh at all (which to me is very good for long listening). Timbres do sound natural, so music with live instruments sounds really life-like. Speaking of overall resolution, it’s not too far from BA models yet at the same time has bodyness and dynamics reflecting the strong side of dynamic drivers.
Lows are punchy where necessary, but well-controlled and not boomy or exaggerated. They’re natural and detailed, dynamic but textured at the same time. Although the quantity can be added at one’s convenience, I’d personally recommend not to go overboard (especially with warm/dark sources) so you could perceive the whole range of frequencies at their best.
Mids are clear, resolving but non-agressive. Lear provides excellent resolution and instrument separation, they are clearly positioned but at the same time music is heard solidly, as a whole and not the sum of its parts.
To my ears, treble is slightly softened for comfortable listening, yet all the details are well-defined and not overly warm or metallic-sounding. High hats and percussions are sparkly even on complex tracks, yet there’s not a hint of sibilance (which I’m quite sensitive to). Just note that LHF-AE1d MKII might be more revealing than some ‘simpler’ dynamic models, therefore, with poorly recorded tracks they are slightly less forgiving.
Comparison
Shozy Zero (USD 60)
From my impressions, Shozy is warmer and more analog-like sounding. Bass resolution is quite close, but Lear wins in midrange/treble quality.
Meze 12 (USD 80)
Meze is a bit more U-shaped (mids slightly rolled off, although treble is perceived on a similar quantity level). Lear feels a bit clearer, more resolving and dynamic, yet Meze is slightly smoother.
KEF M200
KEF was originally priced around USD 200, but its current street price is much lower.
Tonally, KEF is more U-shaped and its low range is more prominent and punchy. In comparison, Lear is a bit more resolving, clean and even-sounding across all frequencies.
Please also not that KEF’s housings are larger and it may be harder to fit (especially if you have relatively small ears), while Lear is overall more lightweight and comfortable (especially with its over-ear wearing style).
Blue Ever Blue 1200EX (USD 130)
BeB has a brighter, more ‘audiophile’ sound signature. Resolution is more or less or par, but 1200EX has more prominent upper mids (which may sound more revealing for some but a bit peaky for others).
The choice will depend on your preferred tonality and source synergy, although I personally prefer Lear as an all-rounder for everyday listening.
Conclusion
Although multi-BA and hybrid models gained popularity in recent years, dynamic-driver sound has kept its pros: coherence, naturalness, bass character and smoothness. LHF-AE1d is a truly refined example of this sound concept, combining resolution with true to life representation.
It is versalite, easy to drive (yet scalable) and customizable while being able to keep its own characted. I highly recommend to try it should you have an opportunity.
Happily, the company released an updated version at the same (HK$ 1488 which is ~USD 190) price point. According to the manufacturer, the driver is improved and so is the internal acoustic structure (especially the front part which is now made of metal, not plastic).
The uniqueness of LHF-AE1d lies in two options: first of all, the bass level can be customized not via filters (like in a number of models such as LZ A4 or FLC 8S) but using an attenuator with 9 fixed positions regulated with a screwdriver. This does allow to alter the lows from warm to monitor-like level for better pairing with a source as well as one’s sound preferences (more on that later).
Secondly, Lear does have advanced or custom nozzles sold separately. It means that you can order custom tips at a very reasonable price, yet still be able to use (or sell) your pair as a universal-fit one. While it’s not a CIEM in a full sense (where shells are also customized in accordance with your ear profile), you still get a solution allowing to get the idea of custom IEMs without the need to reshell later.
I’d like to thank Lear for providing a unit for this review, which will be honest and as objective as possible.
Not sound
The earphones come in a black cardboard box (nothing too fancy, but very practical). Inside you’ll find a selection of eartips (three sizes of silicons and two types of foams) along with earhooks and adjusting screwdriver-like tool. What I personally like is a rounded carrying case (something like a can for cream or other cosmetics). While not very pocketable, it gives some kind of a premium feel and is convenient for storage either in a backpack or on your desk.
As for the units themselves, they’re not too small (due to a 10mm dynamic driver) yet feel lightweight thanks to their anatomical design and over-ear wearing style. I’m not sure how people with smallers ears will find them, but I can personally wear these IEMs for hours without a hint of discomfort.
Speaking of cable, it is nicely textured and feels sturdy and lightweight at the same time. From my experience, it’s also not really tangle-prone. The only complaint that I have is the 2-pin (0.78mm) connection which at times felt a bit weak. However, some extra soldering has completely eliminated this issue and the connection became more secure.
I’d say the isolation is more or less average and is fine for everyday walks around the city. While it may be insufficient for subway or airplane, in most cases it feels just fine allowing to hear loud outside noises and focus on music for the rest of the time.
Sound
At 32 oHms, Lear is not hiss-prone yet at the same easily driveable even from a smartphone or a PC audio output. Still, at its resolution level it really does scale well along with the source. For this review, the listening was performed with iBasso DX80 player and Encore mDAC/mDSD portable DACs. All pairings were fine and reflected the overall tonality and sound character of LHF-AE1d MKII.
Although bass level can be altered significantly (from monitor to neutral and warm), its strong point is the absence of interference with the midrange which even at high levels does not become muddy on uncontrolled. After some tuning, I’ve personally settled on 6/9 level (where lows, to my ears, are just slightly elevated). Your own perception may vary, so please take time to make some adjustments in accordance with your tastes.
Overall tonality could be described as neutral, clean and transparent but not harsh at all (which to me is very good for long listening). Timbres do sound natural, so music with live instruments sounds really life-like. Speaking of overall resolution, it’s not too far from BA models yet at the same time has bodyness and dynamics reflecting the strong side of dynamic drivers.
Lows are punchy where necessary, but well-controlled and not boomy or exaggerated. They’re natural and detailed, dynamic but textured at the same time. Although the quantity can be added at one’s convenience, I’d personally recommend not to go overboard (especially with warm/dark sources) so you could perceive the whole range of frequencies at their best.
Mids are clear, resolving but non-agressive. Lear provides excellent resolution and instrument separation, they are clearly positioned but at the same time music is heard solidly, as a whole and not the sum of its parts.
To my ears, treble is slightly softened for comfortable listening, yet all the details are well-defined and not overly warm or metallic-sounding. High hats and percussions are sparkly even on complex tracks, yet there’s not a hint of sibilance (which I’m quite sensitive to). Just note that LHF-AE1d MKII might be more revealing than some ‘simpler’ dynamic models, therefore, with poorly recorded tracks they are slightly less forgiving.
Comparison
Shozy Zero (USD 60)
From my impressions, Shozy is warmer and more analog-like sounding. Bass resolution is quite close, but Lear wins in midrange/treble quality.
Meze 12 (USD 80)
Meze is a bit more U-shaped (mids slightly rolled off, although treble is perceived on a similar quantity level). Lear feels a bit clearer, more resolving and dynamic, yet Meze is slightly smoother.
KEF M200
KEF was originally priced around USD 200, but its current street price is much lower.
Tonally, KEF is more U-shaped and its low range is more prominent and punchy. In comparison, Lear is a bit more resolving, clean and even-sounding across all frequencies.
Please also not that KEF’s housings are larger and it may be harder to fit (especially if you have relatively small ears), while Lear is overall more lightweight and comfortable (especially with its over-ear wearing style).
Blue Ever Blue 1200EX (USD 130)
BeB has a brighter, more ‘audiophile’ sound signature. Resolution is more or less or par, but 1200EX has more prominent upper mids (which may sound more revealing for some but a bit peaky for others).
The choice will depend on your preferred tonality and source synergy, although I personally prefer Lear as an all-rounder for everyday listening.
Conclusion
Although multi-BA and hybrid models gained popularity in recent years, dynamic-driver sound has kept its pros: coherence, naturalness, bass character and smoothness. LHF-AE1d is a truly refined example of this sound concept, combining resolution with true to life representation.
It is versalite, easy to drive (yet scalable) and customizable while being able to keep its own characted. I highly recommend to try it should you have an opportunity.
Thanks again.
Cheers