Letshuoer EJ07

LETSHUOER EJ07

A relic from the past….

Pros:
- Well-behaved bassline.
- Vocal-centric tuning.
- High treble refinement, smooth and clear.
- Good detail-retrieval despite its dark nature.
- Top-notch layering and separation prowess.
- Impressive imaging precision.
- Immersive head-staging.
- Exceptional level of clarity.
- Dark background. Low Noise.
- High image resolution.
- Cohesive sound.
- Customizable Resin Shell
- TOLT performance below a 1000$ USD.

Cons:
- Mid-bass presence can be lacking sometimes.
- Vocal can come across abit too forward. (tips dependent)
- Treble lacks bite and extension.
- Not the most expansive stage.
- Frontal sound projection can be abit much on a crowded tracks.
- Could worked with better micro-detail.
- Rounded attack behavior.
- Not the most engaging sound.
- Not the most organic timbre : abit too clinical and neutral.
- Not suitable for Rock & Metal/ Ochestra/Instrumental tracks.
- Potential fit issue.
- Subpar accessories and packaging.

[MY PERSONAL HEAD-FI GRADING]
1 ★ - Appalling! please avoid this!
2 ★★ Subpar offering, there are better options out there!
3 ★★★ Decent with some caveats! Not a bad pick!
4 ★★★★ Not perfect but solid choice ! This should be in your shortlist. A nice addition to your collection.
5 ★★★★★ One the best in class! You should go right ahead & buy one! A must have!

LETSHUOER EJ07 4 ★★★★​

▓▒░ SOUND-SIGNATURE ░▒▓
The EJ07 follow suits the likes of diffuse-field (DF) tuning. The overall sound is quite neutral, linear with minimal colouration to the tone. The mid-range will have a frontal image on stage. It is very vocal-centric. There is hint of sub-bass emphasis but not by much. This is a noticeably dips on the treble region which makes the highs seemingly dark. The extension on both-ends is not that high but it is more than adequate for a neutral and natural sound reproduction.

▓▒░ BASS/LOW-END ░▒▓
- The EJ07 is bass-lite set. The bassline is so close to neutral with a hint of warmish coloration to the tone. Both the subs and the mid-bass seems to have rather fast transient with a quick-ish rate of decay. Despite not having the strongest bass presence, the low-end is very well perceived. It is clear, clean and more importantly has good control, void of muddiness and bloat effect.

- The lows have noticeably higher sub-bass emphasis with a decent extension, pressure and sustain. Sadly, the rumbling texture and tactile boom isn’t the sharpest nor the tightest in definition. The sub-bass kick is punchy enough while bass-drop is kept clean and smooth. Ghetto bass replay has sufficient elasticity/re-bound rate which is good.

- The mid-bass somewhat has a linear and flatter response. The attack is fast but soft. Those sensation of kick, punch, slam and thump just missing that authority that it needs, lacking abit of physical impact on replay. It can sound muffle at times. Percussion instrument that lies in this region like bass guitar, kick drums, drum snare are most likely not going to have a satisfying replay.

- All of which contributed to an average level of bass detailing and dynamics which might not impress a true bass-head. The bass reproduction is by no means appalling but it isn't the most appealing to say the least.


▓▒░ MID-RANGE /VOCAL ░▒▓
- The EJ07 was purposely tuned for this. The vocal and instrument that lives in this region will have the biggest image resolution on stage with great level of intimacy and immersion.

- The overall tonality of the vocal is on the neutral side of the spectrum. There is almost no coloration to them. The vocal fundamental body is never lacking. They will always come across sounding lush and full-bodied.

- Energy wise, it is on the safer side, which means they will never sound shouty or honky despite the forwardness it possesses.

- Apparently, the voice still offers an adequate amount micro-contrast but not on a monitoring level. It seems to trade some of the vocal transparency for added smoothness.

- The vocal rendition is just smooth, clean and clear to a point that there is almost zero harshness, grains or edginess.

- The downside is, if you prefer the more crispy, airy, lively vocal performance, you really have to crank the volume few notches higher to bring out the best of vocal texture and engagement. Otherwise, the vocal will sound a tad too smooth and less emotional. For a low-volume listeners, it might be an issue.

- Since is there is not much bass and treble presence, the vocals, especially female vocal can sound a tad too forward in the mix.

- When it comes to vocal intonation, it may lacked that crescendo on vocal transient. it is very good when you're in the mood for relaxing session but it can get bored really quickly when you want to have some fun.

- The same can be said with instrumental like piano, violins, strings, guitars and flute. They seems to have a more rounded edge to the notes. They don't sound distinctive enough.

▓▒░ TREBLE/HIGHS ░▒▓
- For a dark treble response, do not expect it to have a proper top-end extension or you'll be disappointed. If airy, bright and sparkling treble is what you are looking for, you might want to look elsewhere.

- But you will be impressed by the sheer refinement that it can bring. The way those 4 ESTs carry the treble is remarkably smooth. There is barely any harshness, grains or any annoying peaks throughout the test. It is highly capable of taking high volume loudness without distorting it’s treble.

- Even without a high treble energy, but because the clarity is top-notch. those underlying treble elements can still be heard quite well. If you listen carefully, the treble detail is still presence but not upfront.

- Instrument like hi-hats and cymbals will sound less apparent in the mix. Percussions like drum-hits are still well define. The initial hits will have a smoother-edge to them with a precise and natural decay.

- Meanwhile synthetic noise such has electric guitar, electronic zings and shimmer could use with more bite for a crispier response.

✧ ════ •TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE• ════ ✧
- The HEAD-STAGING on the EJ is not that grand nor spacious. It has one of the smallest stage dimensions among its peers. What you’ll hear is a very forward vocal placement with instruments wrapping around the vocal closely. Everything will sound more to the fore. Having a multiple of frontal projection at the same time can sound abit too much for your eardrums especially on those chaotic tracks.

- The Left to Right IMAGING between channels is exceptional. It is very accurate and precise. Definitely one its greatest strength. It is holographic and immersive.

- Despite not having an expansive stage, it has very strong sense of LAYERING AND SEPARATION. Most of the time, it was boosted by its high level of clarity and its pitch-black background, giving those separated elements a clear-clean cut. Even in a crowded stage. Be it on poorly or well-mastered tracks, the borders of each element of sound are consistently maintained.

- Its overall RESOLUTION is above average. But when it comes to MICRO-DETAIL, it not the greatest but it is no slouch.

- TONE AND TIMBRE wise, it is not the most organic sounding I've heard. The attack can sound a bit too smooth and light at times. The overall tonality can sound a bit too clean, lacking abit of coloration to sound life-like.

- The DYNAMIC-RANGE on the EJ07 is perhaps one it’s weakness. It lacks a bit of extension on both-end, mainly on treble region. Vocal and instruments could use with wider-attack for added impact. Most of the time the elements of loud and soft doesn't have much contrast. Which makes it not suitable for some genres like instrumental/orchestra or rock and metal.

- Does it SCALE WELL WITH VOLUME? Hell Yes! It is one of the very few IEMs that can scale above medium-high volume without distorting the sound. Mind you, the EJ07 is a very terrible low-volume performer. Everything will sound flat and too smooth until you crank it.

- Overall, most of the DRIVER QUALITY that are used on EJ07 sounded high quality except for its dynamic-driver. For reason, the bass quality felt like it was held back by its DD. And many has reported to have DD failure on their EJ07. Coherency wise, its pretty good. Not much timbre contrast.

- When it comes to BUILD AND COMFORT. It’s a mixed-bag. It is decently built. The clear-resin shell may turn yellow after sometime. The resin shell is on the thinner side. Owners may have to babysit their EJ07 quite literally. If you have a small ear like me, it’s going to be an issue. The comfort issue can be mitigated by swapping to a smaller size ear-tips but it still feels chunky to the ears.

So far It performs quite well for what it's trying to be. But how does it stacks against some of the well-known tribrids?

Here's a simplified HEAD-2-HEAD
LETSHUOER EJ07M x HAKUGEI SKYRIM x TANGZU SANCAI BALANCE (M) vs
IO VOLARE x TANGZU SANCAI BALANCE (M) vs
ALPHA OMEGA x KBEAR WIDE 8C GRAPHENE x TANGZU SANCAI BALANCE (S)


<BASS>
● Bass-Shelf : RA > V > EJ
● Tonality (Warm-Neutral-Dry) : V (WN) > RA (WM) > EJ (N)
● Subs Extension/Quantity: RA > EJ > V
● Subs Attack : RA > EJ > V
- RA has the highest pressure, EJ is close behind. V softest abit loose abit a muffle.
● Sub-bass kick: RA = dung-dung > EJ = thung-thung > V = bhung-bhung.
● Sub-bass detail/texture: EJ > RA > V
- Although, the EJ don’t have the same volume as the RA, EJ subs have better clarity and detail. V rumbling detail & texture is the weakest.
● Ghetto Bass (elasticity/decay rate): EJ > RA > V
- The EJ is bounciest.
● Bass Distortion: EJ > RA > V
- The EJ’s has the clearest bass distortion.
● Bass Drop: EJ > RA > EJ.
● Mid-bass Presence: RA > V > EJ
● Mid-bass Attack (Punch/Slam/Thud): V > EJ > RA,
- The EJ hit faster and slightly deeper than RA but RA hits bigger, thicker and heavier. Meanwhile V is a mixture of the 2, it carries similar width and depth in terms of impact of the RA but slightly slower than EJ and RA.
● Mid-bass detail/clarity: EJ > V > RA
- The EJ mid-bass is cleaner and clearer than RA but RA has greater substance. V sits in between EJ and RA with a hint of more warmth than the other 2.


<MID-RANGE/VOCAL>
● Mid-Range/Vocal Intimacy = EJ > V > RA.
- The EJ has the most forward, biggest image resolution of the 3.
● Male Vocal: RA > EJ > V
- The RA just hits the right balance in terms of note-weight, clarity and energy. The EJ lacks abit of that density and overtone. On V, it can sound push-back or thinner at times.
● Female Vocal: EJ > V > RA
- The EJ performs at higher octave while the RA is better for lower-harmonic female. V is in between. Overall, EJ performs better since it has no sibilance issue, greatest clarity with decent timbre.
● Voice Range: V > RA > EJ
- The V & RA seems to have slightly higher extension. The EJ can sound a tad too safe and boring lacking that of crescendo on transient.
● Transparency: EJ > V > RA
- Nuances like breath, instruments hits can be heard a hair clearer on EJ.
● Clarity: EJ > RA > V
- Sometimes V vocals have a hint of haze/grain and the background is not as pitch-black vs the EJ or RA. The EJ is super clean by comparison.
● Tonality (Warm>Neural>Bright): V(W-N) >RA(W-N) >EJ (N)
- The V has more apparent warmth to the voice/instrument. The RA slightly less. The EJ is almost uncoloured.
● Tone & Timbre: RA = V > EJ.
- Depending on tracks the RA and V can out-performed each other, their mid-range somewhat sounds more natural and whereas EJ can sound too clean and neutral.
● Transient/Attack: RA > EJ > V
- The RA seems to have heftier note-weight. The EJ is fast but less impactful. The attack on V is the softest. These traits will become most apparent on instrumental replay such as pianos/guitars/violins/strings.
● Airiness: V > EJ > RA.
- The V sounds abit more airy-er thanks to its treble extension.
● Reverb Level: V > RA = EJ.
- Due to longer decay, elements of overtone are better on The V. While EJ and RA are night equal.
● Sibilance Control: EJ > RA > V.
- The EJ had 0 sibilance issue. The V is the least forgiving here. V has higher tendencies to get sibilance on male than female.
● Shout Control: E J> V > RA.
- The EJ the most anti-shout set of the 3. The V comes in 2nd with borderline control. While with the RA, it can get abit hot on some female vocal but it is never too shouty.


<TREBLE/HIGHS>
● Tonality (Dark->Neutral->Bright): RA (D) > EJ (DN) > V (NB)
- RA treble region is the most veiled here with V is being the brightest, the most sparkling here.
● Air-Extension: V > EJ > RA
- V have the most air presence among the 3. The EJ and RA are closer to each other.
● Evenness: EJ > V > RA
- All of them doesn't sound peaky on low-vol. but once you listen to them louder, the peaks will start to show up. Hence, the result.
● Transparency: V > EJ > RA.
- V has the best transparency here. You do hear abit more twinkly-sparkling detail with the V. But the EJ is close behind while the RA seems to have the lowest-RES here.
● Clarity: EJ > RA > V
- Quite consistently, there is a layer of haze or micro-grain somewhere around the treble region with the V and it sounds busier, RA is seemingly cleaner. While the EJ is simply the clearest and the cleanest.
● Timbre: EJ > < V > RA
- Sometimes the longer decay on V makes constant hi-hats/cymbals to linger longer than it should. RA consistently has the more natural decay with EJ being 2nd. E-guitar replay on V is the most satisfying here with its wider attack and energy it carries. The EJ’s E-guitar is abit muffle by comparison due to softer attack and less weighty. The RA does abit better due to its heftier E-guitar tone. The EJ doesn’t like rock/metal music. But with Saxophones as well as synthetic noise such as electronics zing, shimmer, twinkling, distortion etc, the EJ takes it.


< TECHNICALITIES >

STAGE-DIMENSIONS
● Width: V > EJ > RA
● Height: RA > V > > EJ
● Depth: V > RA > EJ
● Background Darkness: EJ > RA > V
● Imaging (Accuracy + Sharpness): EJ > V > RA
● Separation & Layering (Effortlessness & Consistency): EJ > V > RA
● Detail & Resolve: V > EJ > RA
● Instrument Replay/Timbre: V = RA > EJ
● Dynamic-Range/Transient: V > RA > EJ
● Ambience Level: V > EJ > RA
● Clarity: EJ > V > RA
● Build/Comfort: V > EJ > RA
● Value (As Tested): V > RA > EJ
● Personal Enjoyment: > EJ > V > RA

"If you're after for smooth bassy sound, the RA is the best choice here. Despite it's short-coming in technicalities, it is such a pleasant set to listen to. The VOLARE is the most well-balanced here, the better all-rounder and probably the safest pick of the 3, but it is kind of boring, The EJ07 on the other hand sounds the most special here. It has that X-factor that makes audiophiles long after this set. That immersive staging and high level of clarity is truly something else. though, It is not going to be for everybody. But it will my personal pick which is why I owned one."

CHECK OUT MY FULL REVIEW ON
(1) IO VOLARE : https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/i-o-audio-volare.27247/review/34531/
(2) ALPHA OMEGA RA : https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/alpha-omega-ra.27104/review/34522/



◤FINAL THOUGHTS◢
The EJ07 has been around since 2019. Even till today, it is liked and loved by many audio-enthusiast out there and for a good reason. To my ears, the EJ07 has many flaws that could become a deal breaker for some. The diffuse-field like tuning is very uncommon. It could be categorized as a niche set and may not work for some genres. And timbre wise, it is not the most organic in the grand scheme of things. But the magic of the EJ07 lies in its staging and volume scaling. It is unlike anything I’ve heard. From my limited experience, I do not recall anything that can do what the EJ07 does below a 1000$ USD. And because of that, it has become a legendary set and has been sought after by many audiophiles with acquired taste.


[IEM-SCORING-BOARD]
RATING
1: Trash (F)
2: Horrible (E)
3: Bad (D)
4: Subpar (C)
5: Decent/Average (B)
6: Good (A-)
7: Great (A)
8: Superb. (A+)
9: Masterclass/Top-Drawer (S)
10: Perfection (P)

LETSHUOER EJ07 [1DD-2BA-4EST] [3-WC]
MSRP : 699$ USD
Tuning : Diffused-Field Like.
= Quality =
Bass: 7.0/10 Mids: 7.5/10 Treble: 7.0/10
Male/Female: 6.5/7.5
= Technicalities =
Detail & Resolve: 7.0/7.0
Instrument Replay/Timbre : 6/10
Dynamic-Range/Transient : 6/10
Head-stage [W-H-D]: 6-5.5-5.5
Layering & Separation: 8.0/10
Stereo Imaging 7.0/10
Ambience : 6.5/10
Clarity : 9.0/10
Build/Comfort: 7/5
Value: 4/10 [AS TESTED]
Personal Enjoyment: 7.0/10
SETUP (As tested)
Hakugei Skyrim 4.4 PLUG
Tangzu Sancai Balanced (M)
Tanchjim SPACE

ALPHA OMEGA RA [1DD-4BA-2EST] [3-WC]
MSRP : 563$ USD
Tuning : Mild V-shaped (Sub-bass boost)
= Quality =
Bass: 7.0/10 Mids: 6.0/10 Treble: 6.5/10
Male/Female: 7.0/6.0
= Technicalities =
Detail & Resolve: 6.0/6.0
Instrument Replay/Timbre : 6.5/10
Dynamic-Range/Transient : 6.5/10
Head-stage [W-H-D]: 5.5-7-6
Layering & Separation: 6.5/10
Stereo Imaging 6/10
Ambience : 6/10
Clarity : 6.5/10
Build/Comfort: 8/3
Value: 3/10 [AS TESTED]
Personal Enjoyment: 6/10
SETUP (As tested)
KBEAR Wide 8C Graphene 4.4 PLUG
Tangzu Sancai Balanced (S)
Tanchjim SPACE


IO VOLARE [1DD-4BA-4EST] [3-WC]
MSRP : 599$ USD
Tuning : Balanced Mild V-shaped.
= Quality =
Bass: 6.5/10 Mids: 7.0/10 Treble: 7.5/10
Male/Female: 6.0/6.5
= Technicalities =
Detail & Resolve: 7.5/7.5
Instrument Replay/Timbre : 7/10
Dynamic-Range/Transient : 7/10
Head-stage [W-H-D]: 6.5-6.5-7
Layering & Separation: 7.0/10
Stereo Imaging 6.5/10
Ambience : 7/10
Clarity : 7.5/10
Build/Comfort: 7/9
Value: 3/10 [AS TESTED]
Personal Enjoyment: 6.5/10
SETUP (As tested)
Stock 6N SPC 4.4 PLUG
Tangzu Sancai Balanced (M)
Tanchjim SPACE

========================================================================
【SOURCE & GEARS】

● Native FLAC Files [44.1Khz 16bits-96Khz 24bits]​

● Foobar2000 [ROG Laptop] [Ugreen USB C Adapter]
● Huawei P20 PRO [Phone][ App- Foobar2000]

========================================================================

【PLAYLIST／TEST-TRACKS】​

1977 Fleetwood Mac - Dreams ★
1982 Chicago – Hard to say I'm sorry. ★
2003 NARUTO Original Soundtrack I – Wakiagaru Toushi ★
2008 K.will (케이윌) – 소원 (Great King Sejong OST Part.1)
2009 Maksim – Exodus
2010 Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou (OST) – Kokoro no Oku De Ha
2014 Grabbitz – Here with you now. ★
2014 BoA – MASAYUME CHASING
2014 Hyolyn – 안녕 Good bye ★
2015 KOKIA – I Found You ★
2015 K MISSING KINGS (OST) - New Kings
2016 K RETURN OF KINGS (OST) - Return of Kings
2016 K RETURN OF KINGS (OST) - If you die.
2017 Berry Goodman – Zutto (ずっと) ★
2017 SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:mizuki – ViEW
2017 Namie Amuro – Hope
2019 K SEVEN STORIES (OST) - In Pursuit Of
2019 K SEVEN STORIES (OST) - Lost Small World
2019 Blade & Soul (OST) – Half-Moon Lake
2019 CAROLE & TUESDAY VOCAL COLLECTION Vol.1 – Light a Fire ★
2020 Paradox Live Opening Show (1st E.P) – BAE – BaNG!!! ★
2020 Paradox Live Opening Show (1st E.P) – cozmez – Where They At ★
2020 倖田來未 (Kumi Koda) – GET NAKED (Kiyoshi Sugo Remix)
2020 倖田來未 (Kumi Koda) – again (MATZ Remix)
2020 premiere fleurs – プリンシパル
2020 Love Live! Nijigasaki – 朝香果林 (Karin Asaka) – VIVID WORLD ★
2020 Fujii Kaze – へでもねーよ”／Hedemo Ne-YoSeishun Sick
2020 King Gnu – 三文小説 ／Sanmon Shosetsu ★
2021 OWV – Fifth Season ★
2021 加藤 ミリヤ (Miliyah) feat. Yoshida Brothers – この夢が醒めるまで ★
2021 Aoi Teshima – ただいま★
2021 Official髭男dism – Cry Baby
2021 Chanmin BIJIN 美人 – Morning Mood
2021 門脇更紗 (Sarasa Kadowaki) – きれいだ
2021 Mirei Touyama – 美忘録
2021 SELECTION PROJECT Vol.1 – Only one yell -天沢灯ソロver.- ★
2022 Belle (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Million Miles Away (ENG vers.)
2022 rei (E-girls) – Dark Hero.
2022 rei (E-girls) – IDNY
2022 I can fly (Special Edition) – Bleecker Chrome - You will shine ★
2022 I can fly (Special Edition) – YOSHIKI EZAKI x Bleecker Chrome - UP ★
2022 BEAST TAMER (OST) – じんわり感じている幸せ
2022 Ado – 会いたくて
2022 Ado – 踊
2023 La prière – Sweet Dreams ★
2023 Bungou Stray Dogs 4th Season ED – Luck Life – しるし★
2023 UMAMUSUME PRETTY DERBY - Hat on your Head!
2023 Anna – 花のように (Hana no You ni)
2023 riria. – 貴方の側に (Anata no Soba ni)
2024 Dungeon Meshi OP – BUMP OF CHICKEN – Sleep Walking Orchestra
2024 Ernie Zakri, Ade Govinda - Masing Masing ★
2024 Paradox Live THE ANIMATION OST – 25 幻影武雷管 - Trauma ★
2024 Bartender Kami no Glass OP – Takaya Kawasaki – Stardust Memory ★
2024 Maou no Ore ga Dorei Elf ED – Sayaka Yamamoto – Blue Star
2024 Spice and Wolf Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf OP – Hana Hope – Tabi no Yukue/ Destination of the journey
2024 Tonari no Youkai-san ED – Aoi Kubo – Iro no Naka (風媒花)

★ Main-Test-Tracks/ A glimpse of what listen to 90% of the of time.


Do take my words for what it’s worth. Afterall, I am just one man. ╮(╯▽╰)╭

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! HAVE A GOOD DAY WHEREVER YOU ARE! TAKE CARE!

Disclaimer:
- This is a loaner unit. Big thanks to Andy Audio Vault and Edmund King (Facebook) for making this possible!

"Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue."

~~Plato, Greek Philosopher

LETSHUOER is one of the few audio companies that really take serious on building some of the best IEMs in the current audio market from entry-level up to the TOTL flagship segment. They make sure that the drivers and other components that were implemented on their product are of high quality and meticulously contrived.



This product review is more of a throwback, a reminisce of their humble beginning on how LETSHUOER attained its status as a credible audio company that audiophiles and audio professionals should pay attention to. This product is actually an old model that was released in 2019 and it is their first “tri-brid” set that will target the midrange segment in the audio market.



This is LETSHUOER EJ07, the very first model of the EJ Series. The EJ Series are the classes of IEMs models with three types of drivers that were implemented internally and most of them have moulded resin shells with an exception of EJ07M which is made of metal alloy. This model is actually the predecessor of the EJ07M and the difference between them is that this set has a resin shell chassis, a different take on modular cable as it relies on adaptors specific for different types of audio output jacks and a type of tuning.



As I mentioned about its driver configuration, LETSHUOER EJ07 has three types of drivers that were implemented inside, a dynamic driver, balanced armature drivers and Sonion “EST (Electrostatic)”/ Electret drivers. The dynamic drivers used on this set is a 10mm with nano-carbon diaphragm that solely handles the low frequencies to deliver a deep and tactile bass; there are two balanced armature drivers which are mid-woofers that were produced by Sonion and these are the 2389 models which will handles the midrange and some parts of high frequencies which offer a good clarity and detail on instruments and vocals with excellent tonal reproduction. And then the Sonion EST65QB02 “EST”/Electrets will handle the majority of high frequencies as it is very capable of delivering a shimmer, sparkling and airy treble response. These drivers were connected in acoustic tubes in a three-way passive crossover in tandem with electronic frequency crossover to achieve that low distortion, well-segregated frequencies and cleaner sonic output.



The drivers and some of its components were encapsulated in a high quality, medical-grade hypoallergenic resin shell chassis in a UIEM-style form factor to achieve that 26dB passive noise isolation. The shells’ dimensions are on medium size and its overall aesthetics is rather minimalist and looks quite a professional tool as it has black resin faceplate with some glittering multi-coloured design on it and a clear and transparent cavity base which you see the drivers and some of its methodical innerworkings. It has a vent hole at the top of the shell as an outlet for excess air pressure generated from the dynamic driver. Like all LETSHOUER products that I've tested so far, it uses a proven 2-pin receptacle as its detachable cable connector system.



As for fitting and comfort, LETSHUOER EJ07 offers a very comfortable wear and excellent isolation into my lugholes as it manages to block some unwanted external noises from the outside surroundings. I can even wear it and didn't encounter any discomfort during my usual long listening session.



LETSHUOER EJ07 stock cable is of a high quality and it offers a different kind of modularity as it relies on adaptors for its 2.5mm balanced termination plug. The composition of its cable is a 6N OCC copper wiring and it was sheathed with nylon fabric for strength and flexibility. As for adaptors, it includes a 3.5mm single ended and a 4.4mm balanced adaptors for versatility on different types of audio output and all of the plugs were gold-plated for corrosive-resistant.



To think that EJ07 is supposedly a “high midrange” set but its product packaging is rather quite simple and minimalist for a midrange set. Despite the plain appearance of its packaging box, it actually offers many inclusion of accessories that are quite useful.



Here are the following contents inside of LETSHUOER EJ07's packaging box:

• Pair of LETSHUOER EJ07 IEM transducers
• Stock cable in 2.5mm termination plug
• 3.5mm single ended adaptor
• 4.4mm balanced adaptor
• Oval-shaped IEM storage case
• Cleaning tool
• 2 pairs of memory foam ear tips
• 3 pairs of balanced bore silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• 3 pairs of wide bore silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• Paperwork like product certification stub and instruction manual.

Regarding its power scaling and amplification, LETSHUOER EJ07 can be driven decently from device sources with decent power output. But putting this set into the sources with better power output will deliver a more vivid and a full range sound that truly unleash its full potential of its dynamic sound.



As for tonality, LETSHUOER EJ07 has an unusual and uncommon type of tuning in which I only encountered it on a specific audio brand which usually adhere this type of target tuning curve, The Etymotic and also the Sennheiser's HD800 albeit a bit modified on the treble part. It sounds pretty neutral, well-balanced and somewhat linear sounding across its overall frequency range as it has that DF(Diffuse Field) - like presentation on its intended tuning style.



Diffuse Field Target Curve is described as it is more of an ideal sound quality of specific target frequency response based on a multiple speaker set-up in a very reverberant and well-treated room where the sound waves bounces off from all angles and all direction through the head centre. The reasoning and idea behind this tuning concept is that it can be also applied to headphones and IEMs as it gives an even, linear and almost flat frequency response which can be described as an ideal neutral sound acoustically perceived by our auditory senses.




LOWS/BASS:

It has a tight, precise and articulate bass response like most DF-tuned sets either IEMs or cans that share almost the same characteristics. The sufficient amount of bass quantity is quite satisfying for a neutrally-tune bass response as we will definitely hear a good sub-bass presence and a reasonably textured midbass.

In my ears, I audibly felt its sub-bass rumble reverberation that were generated from instruments like low tone bass guitars, synthesisers, drum machines and octabasses from music genres like rock, synth-pop and older Hip-hop or RnB tracks.

As this set won't deliver that slam or authority that will be more favourable to bassheads as it focuses more on precision and less colouration. The bass guitars have a rasping and resonant sound from them in every pluck and strumming of its strings, while the bass kick drums have a good rumbling and thudding sound on every hit that it can show the precision and speed of double bass kicks from extreme metal tracks, and the bass-baritones vocals have sufficient vocal weight and tonal colour on them though it seems that they sound less darker and less voluminous but somehow, it has a fairly depth with a little bit vibrato on their particular voices.


MIDRANGE:

The midrange presentation of this one is quite well-balanced and neutral sounding that this is probably one of the best midrange responses that I've ever listened to in the midrange IEM segment. Clean, sufficiently textured and well-detailed that vocals and most instruments will sound quite natural, clear, vivid and crisp while maintaining an almost correct timbre.

On male vocals, baritones have those fairly smooth, evenness and plush sound from their voices as I'm enjoying to listen on light and lyric baritones although on kavalierbariton, verdi and dramatic baritones, we might find it less powerful but it still has some semblance of fullness and richness on their vocal quality. Meanwhile on tenors, they have an agile, clear and dazzling on their sound quality while having an ample vocal weight on them either its leggero, lyric and spinto types, but it should be also address that while dramatic and heldentenor vocals might have less depth and less darker tone on their vocals but still retain that rich and emotiveness on their voices. And then on countertenors, they have these soft, tender and ethereal qualities on them. On female vocals, they all give me that euphonic, comforting and mesmerising voices as contraltos have rich, husky and smoky vocals that this set is able to capture that realistic timbre that I'm quite familiar with while the mezzo-sopranos have velvety, a tad warmness and fiery as I find captivating and sweet, and then on sopranos, they have these silvery, creamy and crystal-clear vocals on them whether it is dramatic, lyric, soubrette or coloratura type that this set almost perfectly to project them quite accurately as intended as possible.

As for instruments, it seems that EJ07 will deliver an even, natural and almost accurate tone on them that I even consider as quite correct and well-balanced sounding. On string instruments, acoustic guitars have a balanced sound with good presence of overtones as I don't hear it either too warm or too bright while violas have a full and stately sound and then on violins, they have that eloquent and pureness of their sound quality that I find it very pleasant. Woodwinds like piccolos, concert flutes and clarinets, a clear and brilliant sound on piccolos, an ethereal, mellow yet silvery sound on flutes, and a melodic and expressive sound on clarinets. As for brasses, trumpets have full and brilliant sound while trombones have solid and dramatic sound, and then on horns, they have a sonorous, mellow and velvety sound. Then on percussion, snare drums have clear and precise sound on every stroke while tom-toms have penetrating and resonant sound, field drums have sonorous and venerable sounds, and then kettledrums have substantial and somewhat velvety sound from them. Pianos sounds quite well-balanced and has that naturalness of its tone.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

It appears that EJ07 has a neutral yet smooth treble response with just a sufficient amount of brightness on it. This type of treble response might be less appealing to the majority of treble-heads (I'm a bit of a treble-head too) who want more shimmer and energy but in my opinion, this one sounds quite almost perfect for its intended target curve that despite of its a bit relaxed tuning nature, it actually delivers a lot of details and quite resolving.

Upper-mids up to presence part of treble were just a bit accentuated just to give a presence and definition on vocals and instruments. Definitely, It won't give that harshness or sibilance that we usually encountered to some over boosted upper-mids and presence IEMs that in a long run it will definitely give you that listening fatigue.

While this set doesn't have the airiest treble in the midrange segment that I've tested and its sparkle is more than enough to give a sheen quality, the presentation of instruments are quite natural and very pleasant to listen to. Cymbals have a glistening and lustrous sound while hi-hats have a shortened buzzing sound to give that chicky sound. Then, celestas have bell-like and sweet sound, and glockenspiels have those lustrous and silvery sound either in keyboard form or mallet-type in an orchestral ensemble.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

The overall sound field dimensions that this set is able to project within my aural perception is quite spacious as it has excellent height and depth while its lateral width span is moderately wide. Its imaging presentation gives me that atmospheric-feel that I can certainly pinpoint the exact position of vocals and instrument in a soundscape. It has remarkable separation and the layering is quite transparent and well-defined on how these instrument and vocal frequencies and dynamic tone are quite well-arranged in a sonic canvas. In that matter, it is very capable to play the most complex multi-instrumental tracks out there like orchestral ensemble and jazz easy peasy.

It is also noted that cohesive performance of its multi-driver set-up is also remarkable as it has responsive fast transient and decay on its dynamic driver and no distortion and unwanted resonance sound from its balanced armatures and “ESTs”.

Resolution capabilities of this set are quite excellent as it has a substantial note texture on its macro-dynamics and a fairly sharp micro-detail retrieval as I was able to hear clearly some nuances and subtleties like vocal end pitches, perceived room reverberations or reverberating effect from a drum stroke.


PEER COMPARISONS:

LETSHUOER EJ07M

● EJ07's successor model and a more affordable one. While it still retain the tri-brid set-up, it has a metal alloy shell and a stock cable is different and quite similar to other LETSHUOER product stock cable, EJ09. It doesn't have any modular option as it has only 3.5mm SE on its terminal plug.

● EJ07M's sound profile is also neutral but it takes a different type of neutral type of tuning compared to its predecessor. It has more sub-bass presence and a slightly elevated upper-mids to presence treble with more airy presentation. Overall, in terms of neutrality and uncoloured sound, if I compared both sets, the EJ07M is a bit more coloured in my opinion.

● Technicalities of both sets were quite similar as EJ07M also had a fairly spacious sound field, an atmospheric stereo imaging presentation, excellent separation and well-defined layering. As for resolution capability, EJ07M has a bit more sharper micro-detail retrieval.


KINERA IMPERIAL URD

● A tri-brid driver set-up IEM from Kinera. Like EJ07, it also has medical-grade resin shell albeit a bit more larger size. It also has a modular stock cable but its uses a detachable termination plug system rather than adaptor-type that EJ07 utilizes.

● IMPERIAL URD has a “warmish-neutral” sound profile that makes it more coloured sounding compared to EJ07 as it has more texture on its mid-bass, a warmer and meaty midrange and a quite similar treble response as it is also smooth and relaxed sounding, though if I compared it to EJ07, its a bit darker as there are some instances that it sounds too smooth in my liking.

● As for technical aspects, while IMPERIAL URD has a moderately spacious headroom, its stereo imaging presentation is rather two-dimensional and also, I'm struggling a bit on pinpointing the placement of instruments and vocal in a perceive soundscape. On resolution capability, this set is more focus on macro-dynamics than micro-dynamics as the latter's micro-detail retrieval aspect is quite average and its definition seems to be blunted and less sharp.


EMPIRE EARS VALKYRIE MK.II (DEMO)

● One of the sets with tri-brid driver set-up that I've tested from a more established international brand and not part of Chi-Fi sphere. This is the most expensive one in this comparison segment. Like the EJ07, its shell construction is also made of medical grade resin material and it was also implemented with their own anti-resonance technology inside along with its choice and custom drivers. Like most EE sets that I've tested, it has a driver flex on every insertion into my lugholes.

● The VALKYRIE MK.II has a more coloured tonality as it presents me a more U or V-shaped sound profile compared to the more balanced, almost uncoloured and neutral sounding EJ07. This set is definitely has more authority and slamming bass response, a noticeable notch midrange presentation as it has some instances of leaness on its note weight and a sudden accentuated on the upper-mids to give a crisper and bright tone on female vocals and some string and percussive instruments. Treble response of this one is indeed on the brighter side and quite very sparkling with similar treble airy extension of EJ07. Overall, its tonality sounds a bit artificial and less organic sounding that it will more appealing to more digitally-oriented modern tracks.

● In terms of technical capabilities, VALKYRIE MK.II has a quite spacious sound/speaker stage and a concave-like stereo imaging presentation. Its separation and layering appears to be good enough but if I compared it to EJ07, its performance a bit inferior and less refined in my opinion given for its asking price. Coherency-wise, that Weapon IX dynamic driver that gives the VALKYRIE MK.II more authority and a tad boomy bass response somehow gives more sluggish transient and decaying takes some time to dissipate that affect the overall cohesive performance with other drivers. On resolution capability, it has a solid macro-dynamics and a quite sharp definition micro-detail retrieval.


As I conclude my review about this set, this set is truly impressive as it take me some time to put up a review on this one as I really enjoy the sound quality of this one. This is probably the defining moment of LETSHUOER, as this product truly eclipse its previous ones with leaps and bounds. It also uncommon to encounter a set with similar target tuning curves that aligns with Etymotic's tuning and make it even better. The eloquence and refinement of LETSHUOER EJ07's tonality and technical performance truly leaves an indellible mark on the annals of the portable audio history.

LETSHUOER EJ07 is still available in online store vendors, check out the unaffiliated links that I've provided below.

★★ LETSHUOER OFFICIAL STORE★★

★★ LINSOUL ★★

★★ HIFIGO ★★


And also check out my previous reviews on other LETSHUOER products:

◆ LETSHUOER GALILEO (First impressions)

◆ LETSHUOER CADENZA 12

◆ LETSHUOER EJ09

◆ LETSHUOER CONDUCTOR (First impressions)

◆ LETSHUOER D13

◆ LETSHUOER S12 PRO

◆ LETSHUOER EJ07M

◆ LETSHUOER DZ4

◆ LETSHUOER S15





SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: LETSHUOER EJ07
IMPEDANCE: 17Ω
SENSITIVITY: 104dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2m
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78mm)
PLUG TYPE: Modular (Adaptor-type) 2.5mm, 3.5mm, 4.4mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): 1 DYNAMIC DRIVER + 2 BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS + 4 ELECTRET DRIVERS


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.

Overview:

Up for review today is LETSHUOER’s EJ07 IEM. I feel like I just yelled a lot in that last sentence – hmm. Anyway, this is supposedly their flagship IEM, despite the existence of the more expensive EJ09. I don’t get that, but whatever. The EJ07 retails for $899 from Linsoul or directly from Letshuoer Here for the same price. SOWE is also somehow involved, though I’m not sure how and some of the EJ07 come with SOWE written on the faceplate, which kinda ruins the looks, which must be why they sell for less.

The EJ07 comes with a Quad electrostatic tweeter, a custom 10mm Dynamic Driver, and a dual mid-Balanced Armature driver. The focus of the IEM is detail and clarity and it really does succeed in this mission. It is also built for classical and symphony music – these are not made for your EDM, though they aren’t bad at it either. These are supposedly professional musician IEMS. So, how do they sound?

Accessories/Earpads/Eartips (10/10):

For the price range, the EJ07 comes pretty well-equipped. There is a slew of ear tips in the box, though finding them is a surprise since they are hidden behind a flap in the top of the box. There’s also a modular cable connector for 4.4mm and 3.5mm. It’s more ear tips than I’m used to seeing, and they are good quality tips with lots of options. The box itself is pretty plain other than the large silver S on it. It holds the carrying case snuggly inside, which is a nice-looking leather-ish type case. So, overall, this is one of the better-appointed IEMs I’ve seen, despite the missing brush and replacement filters. This was picked up in a trade, so I’m still going to use my Spinfit W1s because they just work great for my ears and I use them on everything (Here if you want some.)



Cable (5/10):

Please, I beg of you, stop making IEM cables with paracord – it’s SO BAD. I can’t stand the microphonics of this cable, which according to Letshuoer is an upgrade cable. Sure, it’s modular which I love, it’s also 6N OCC copper, which is great, and it has 4 cores, though it’s not braided, so that’s meh. But geez, do audio companies really not realize that paracord is the most microphonic material you could put on the outside of a cable? Sandpaper or velvet are the only things I can think of that would be worse. Every time I moved my head, there was a scraping sound in my ears – I can’t imagine a professional musician using these without going insane or just buying a $20 cable from Linsoul to replace it (Here if you want one.) Good job on it not being tangly or memory retentive, and on it being modular, but the microphonics make it basically unusable. If I was keeping these and needed a modular cable, I’d just buy an extra Kinera Leyding or Ace (Here or Here.) Cable rant complete.

Build Quality/Comfort (10/10):

Good, really good. The faceplates pick up fingerprints like it’s going out of style, but the build quality is fantastic and the single-piece resin is great. The nozzles are somewhat large, but my W1s fit just fine on them if a little tight. The faceplates have small shiny pieces of foil built into them and it’s a cool look, though you never know what colors you’re going to get.

The IEMs are not huge by any stretch, but they are also nowhere near the size of the Symphonium Meteor, which are tiny. The Meteor are actually too small and don’t fit as well in my ears due to the short nozzle. That could just be a me problem, but the EJ07 takes top marks for both build quality and comfort.



Sound:

Looking at the EJ07 and Meteor squig.link, we can clearly see more bass and lower midrange from the Meteor. The mids are pretty similar on paper, though not in actuality, and the highs are similar until 8k when the EJ07 drops it like it’s hot while the Meteor continues on relatively neutral. I will be powering both IEMs with Tidal HiFi from my Shanling M6 Ultra (Here if you want one) with a balanced 4.4mm cable at volume level 32-35/100 for the EJ07 and 47-50/100 for the Meteor (dang that thing is hard to drive.)



Lows (14/20):

Starting off with the Mid-bass/Sub-bass test I’m using David Guetta’s “I’m Good (Blue).” The impact of the bass drums is there, but it feels flat and uninspired with more bass bloat than I’d like. The sub-bass is slightly above average, but nowhere near the levels of the Thunder or Multiverse Mentor (MM), both of which cost a ton more. Still, this is not a bad showing in the under $1k price bracket, but it can’t compete with the Meteor when it comes to bass quantity, though the quality is higher.

Up next is Demon Hunter’s “I Am A Stone,” which I use to test whether the bass is too strong and overwhelms the mids. The EJ07 passes this test with flying colors. The bass is still strong but without overwhelming the voices or other string instruments. This is a very good representation of how strong the bass should be on this song, but still not quite at the W900 level. The Meteor completely overwhelms the mids with its strong bass here.

Mids (15/20):

Weaving The Fate’s “The Fall” is a test song for guitars and vocals. The clean guitars sound really good in the intro, but the distorted guitars sound pretty rough, a bit sharp, and overwhelming. The vocals are forward and sound really good if a little flat. The overall impression here is of a 2D soundstage without a lot of imaging, or instrument separation. Again, not bad for the price range, but not impressive either. Compared to the Meteor, the Meteor sounds a bit better on this song with more breadth and body, though less clean and more distorted.

Staind’s “Something to Remind You” has clean electric guitars and wonderful vocals – this song tests vocal quality and background noise. The EJ07 really excels on this song. The vocals come in clearly and forward with the clean guitars placed nicely in the background. It’s definitely the type of music these were made for. I got chills from this song, which hasn’t happened in a long time. Beautifully done without the bass overwhelming the mids. The only complaint I really have here is a tinge of metallic sound, but that can be a common issue on this song. The Meteor has a warmer presentation of this song without the hint of metallic, but it feels less special as well. The bass can be heard more clearly but doesn’t overwhelm the mids. The vocals are pushed further back on the Meteor and there’s some bass bloat in the lower registers of Aaron’s voice when he goes low.

To test classical instruments in the mids, I’m using The Piano Guys' “Code Name Vivaldi.” That metallic presentation of the strings returns for the intro here. After that, it disappears and we end up with a solid presentation of this song that won’t offend most people. It’s definitely a colder presentation of the classical instruments than the Meteor provides, but more accurate and clean. It’s like the difference between autotune and a normal person singing. The Meteor is definitely muddier here and the presentation, while warmer, is nowhere near as good as the EJ07.

Highs (12/20):

To test sibilance on headphones I use Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes. The EJ07 is OK on sibilance here. It’s not perfect, but it’s above average with just a touch of sharpness. The Meteor is pretty close here, which the freq graph actually shows at well since both are about the same in the 3.5kHz range. Obviously, graphs aren’t everything, so it’s good to listen, but neither IEM gets hard knocks here, and neither is perfect either.

The first highs test song I’ll be using is Dream Theater’s “The Alien,” which I use to test and see if the cymbals/high-hats/snare can be clearly heard and distinguished from the rest of the music. I’d expect the EJ07 to have good treble on this song, and while it’s decent, and you can hear some of the high-hats and symbols, it’s nowhere near the DUNU SA6 or The Aroma Thunder level of treble. I’d almost describe it as the baseline for average. The Blessing 2 even might be better. Heck, the Meteor is slightly better, likely because the highs don’t just fall off after 3k as they do on the EJ07. So, if you love your treble, don’t get the EJ07 – if you hate hearing cymbals, get the EJ07.

Michelle McLaughlin’s “Across The Burren” is another of my favorite highs/sharpness test songs as it can easily sound painful on some headphones. There’s a touch of sharpness to the song here, but it’s nothing horrifying that makes me want to rip the IEMs out of my ear – definitely above average. There is a bit of clangy background noise though I need to mention, so it’s not MM level. That little bit of drop at 3.5kHz on the Meteor helps it even more on this song. It sounds even less harsh and almost perfect. Bravo Symphonium, that’s surprising.

Soundstage/Instrument Separation/Imaging (5/10):

I use MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” to test soundstage, instrument separation, and imaging. The soundstage of the EJ07 is OK, it’s not completely flat, and it’s not MM or Kublai Khan-level of massive. The instrument separation is also middle ground and so is the imaging. A bit underwhelming here, especially since the Meteor is better in all three areas at the expense of clarity, which I’m not testing here.

Comparisons:

The Meteor is a solid competition for $300 less. If you want more bass, more treble presence, and a bigger soundstage with more instrument separation and imaging, at the expense of clarity and detail, the Meteor is a better fit for you. You will get more bass bloat and lower quality with the increased quantity and it will overwhelm the mids sometimes. It just comes across as more distorted than the EJ07, which is very clear. Also, the fit might not be for everyone since the nozzles are pretty small and it’s harder to get a good seal with the Meteor. You could also just get the Final A5000 if you want to pay half as much as the Meteor and don’t need the bass, or even the Truthear HEXA for only $80.



Conclusion:

The EJ07 is an odd duck – and I’m not sure it’s worth the asking price. It isn’t designed for people who like bass, but it doesn’t have the treble you’d expect from a less-bassy headphone. So, less bass, and less treble, but good clarity, and good detail, but a touch of sharpness still in the highs. It’s not how I would have tuned an IEM, but no one has asked me for a collab IEM yet haha. It comes down to your priorities really – are you someone who hates bass bloat, large soundstages, distortion, and highs? Then the wonderful vocals and clean instruments of the EJ07 might be perfect for you. I imagine these are designed for folk and instrumental music (Yes, Gordon Lightfoot and the Beatles sound good with these – so that’s who these are made for.)