[Athos]

My unit just arrived today, after 42 days of patiently waiting. At least it came in perfect condition. No driver flex noted or anything wrong.
Listening now and what caught my attention the most until now was the clarity, detailing and refinement of the sound, without being thin or boring. Very nice and controled bass and subbass.
No EQ for now, later will try some.

 

[kanett]

First impression:
S12 with Abigail. I am not a musician. Take this as a grain of salt.

Clarity and Detail, and image size is much better than blon03, zex, cra. But, If you are not a serious analytical listener who knows who Hanz simmer is, I think you can be satisfy with the 3trios, Zex for Bass, Blon for mid, and CRA for High . Blon03(filter mod) has similar timbre and clarity, and image size in the mid, If you are listening to casual poprock, I think you dont ever need the extra detail of S12. Zex has Bass euphoric seperation and airiness, quite as satisfy as S12, altough not extended and detailed. And CRA has same High detail and airiness. But these 3trios are not clean and clear and big of image compare to S12 in all frequency, but quite close in its respected strength. But comparing to buying 3 of these, the price will be about 80$ which is near as S12 100$(+30$ cable) So, I suggest you buy S12 rather than buying these 3 iems. It is worth it either way.

Edit 1
I'm shouldering cca cra with s12, they are quite on par. I think ridukoku rates it as S rank is not mistaken. Will do more AB later.

 

[dharmasteve]

So I promised a comparison of the Letshoer S12 with the 7hz Timeless. I spent a lot of time listening side by side. With the S12 I've got a lot of hours in and it is burned in. The Timeless will take more time to fully burn in, so bear that in mind. Both have 4.4mm cables, stock cables, which are both good. Both are 2 core. I used large Azla Sedna Earfits on both and the HiBy R5 DAP. I decided to use a keyword comparison. What I have mostly written is purely a comparison and towards the end I will give my thoughts on how they sound up against the world of IEMs. Although both can be driven fairly easily I find that on some sources they don't sound so good and the bass on both responds to a good amount of juice from a balanced output especially the S12 which I have tested on a good few sources..

I've been giving a lot of Time to the Timeless (oh my what a terrible oxymoron) and S12. I decided to do a comparison from their relative sounds rather than a review style. To start with I just wrote keywords...so these are purely relative to each other

So their commonality is Planar, which is very noticeable and makes the comparison special. Planars have their own soundfield and many prefer them to other types of drivers when done well.


Letshuoer S12:
Airy
Energetic but life-like
Lots happening
Generous
Liberated and free sound
Lots of separation on violins
and strummed instruments
Makes it sound like there are more instruments than there are, and a sense of being surrounded.

Timeless:
Dark black background
Smooth
Analogue
Reserved
Focused
Condensed
Makes it sound like there are less instruments but quite holographic and voices and instruments suddenly pop out of the dark background.


Listening to Morton Gould Orchestra...1812 Overture, Tchaikovsky

S12:
Expansive
Orchestra all around
String section great separation
Awareness of individual strings
Big forwards experience as if being surrounded by the orchestra. Fairly round and wide soundstage, everything everywhere

Timeless:
Orchestral instruments much more focused with good richness
Orchestra more in front of me.
Good spacial location in a holographic stage but instruments much less airy yet condensed. Voices rich and thick.

The Timeless can get mildly congested in some pieces but vocals and pieces with less instruments are great because of the effortless background. Like a dark moonlight sky with the instruments as stars and planets. Nice holographic feel. Improving with listening time. Voices on the Timeless are substantial, rich, condensed, and smooth, and occasionally minor glare at higher volumes.

S12
Big sense of space. Much more daylight, clear, Strings all doing their thing as part of a collective...but breathing instrumental air. Amazing resonance and vibration on drums and bass strings that I have never heard before. Noticeable textures on wound strings and drums...amazing sub-bass reverb most of the time on most recordings. Voices on the S12 are broad airy and bigger than the Timeless. On some tracks, just a couple, the S12 may be a bit bright for those with younger acute hearing.

This list is true of most recordings. The Timeless darker, more condensed, but rich, holographic instruments suddenly appear out of the soundstage ether. The S12 spacious, full of width and air. The S12 is just a bigger sound, but the Timeless with voices like Michael Bublé or Chet Baker is rich and luscious. The S12 does drums and wound strings and airy pieces wonderfully.

S12 sounds like being in the band space, surrounded by music. The Timeless is a few rows back with a holographic, spontaneous field in front.

All this is in comparison as a pair. Both are great. Score draw 9/10 each, because I like Planars. Both are comparatively very different though. Planars make a family sound, but these two can comfortably live with each other in the same collection. They are actually complementary and not that alike...to me. They sound different.

The Timeless is more mid bass orientated and all vocals can sound rich and lush.....quite unique. The S12 has a sub-bass that gives a slight background rumble to lots of tracks and is uncanny in it's presentation of reverb and textures of drum skins and wound strings and the spacials of orchestras....quite unique.

Two of the best IEM's that suit my listening and the Timeless has not even broken in properly yet.

 

[rarewolf]

So I promised a comparison of the Letshoer S12 with the 7hz Timeless. I spent a lot of time listening side by side. With the S12 I've got a lot of hours in and it is burned in. The Timeless will take more time to fully burn in, so bear that in mind. Both are 4.4mm cables, stock cables, which are both good. Both are 2 core. I used large Azla Sedna Earfits on both and the HiBy R5 DAP. I decided to use a keyword comparison. What I have mostly written is purely a comparison and towards the end I will give my thoughts on how they sound up against the world of IEMs. Although both can be driven fairly easily I find that on some sources they don't sound so good and the bass on both responds to a good amount of juice from a balanced output especially the S12 which I have tested on a good few sources..

I've been giving a lot of Time to the Timeless (oh my what a terrible oxymoron) and S12. I decided to do a comparison from their relative sounds rather than a review style. To start with I just wrote keywords...so these are purely relative to each other

So their commonality is Planar, which is very noticeable and makes the comparison special. Planars have their own soundfield and many prefer them to other types of drivers when done well.


Letshuoer S12:
Airy
Energetic but life-like
Lots happening
Generous
Liberated and free sound
Lots of separation on violins
and strummed instruments
Makes it sound like there are more instruments than there are, and a sense of being surrounded.

Timeless:
Dark black background
Smooth
Analogue
Reserved
Focused
Condensed
Makes it sound like there are less instruments but quite holographic and voices and instruments suddenly pop out of the dark background.


Listening to Morton Gould Orchestra...1812 Overture, Tchaikovsky

S12:
Expansive
Orchestra all around
String section great separation
Awareness of individual strings
Big forwards experience as if being surrounded by the orchestra. Fairly round and wide soundstage, everything everywhere

Timeless:
Orchestral instruments much more focused with good richness
Orchestra more in front of me.
Good spacial location in a holographic stage but instruments much less airy yet condensed. Voices rich and thick.

The Timeless can get mildly congested in some pieces but vocals and pieces with less instruments are great because of the effortless background. Like a dark moonlight sky with the instruments as stars and planets. Nice holographic feel. Improving with listening time. Voices on the Timeless are substantial, rich, condensed, and smooth, and occasionally minor glare at higher volumes.

S12
Big sense of space. Much more daylight, clear, Strings all doing their thing as part of a collective...but breathing instrumental air. Amazing resonance and vibration on drums and bass strings that I have never heard before. Noticeable textures on wound strings and drums...amazing sub-bass reverb most of the time on most recordings. Voices on the S12 are broad airy and bigger than the Timeless. On some tracks, just a couple, the S12 may be bright for those with younger acute hearing.

This list is true of most recordings. The Timeless darker, more condensed, but rich, holographic instruments suddenly appear out of the soundstage ether. The S12 spacious, full of width and air. The S12 is just a bigger sound, but the Timeless with voices like Michael Bublé or Chet Baker is rich and luscious. The S12 does drums and wound strings and airy pieces wonderfully.

S12 sounds like being in the band space, surrounded by music. The Timeless is a few rows back with a holographic, spontaneous field in front.

All this is in comparison as a pair. Both are great. Score draw 9/10 each, because I like Planars. Very different though. Planars make a family sound, but these two can comfortably live with each other in the same collection. They are actually complementary and not that alike...to me. They sound different.

The Timeless is more mid bass orientated and all vocals can sound rich and lush.....quite unique. The S12 has a sub-bass that gives a slight background rumble to lots of tracks and is uncanny in it's presentation of reverb and textures of drum skins and wound strings and the spacials of orchestras....quite unique.

Two of the best IEM's that suit my listening and the Timeless has not even broken in properly yet.

Did you find that these planar drivers were more sensitive to proper fit than, say, dynamic drivers?

 

[dharmasteve]

Did you find that these planar drivers were more sensitive to proper fit than, say, dynamic drivers?

So for my ears I do think that it's important to get a good fit with these two IEM's, probably a little more so than DDs. The S12 is easier to get a good fit than the Timeless, but without a good seal I think the bass will get a bit lost. The reason I used Azla Sedna's is that the Silicone dome is quite firm and keeps it shape in my ear and creates a good bass response. Without the right seal and tip any IEM can sound like it's missing some part of the sound spectrum.

 

[Oscarilbo]

So for my ears I do think that it's important to get a good fit with these two IEM's, probably a little more so than DDs. The S12 is easier to get a good fit than the Timeless, but without a good seal I think the bass will get a bit lost. The reason I used Azla Sedna's is that the Silicone dome is quite firm and keeps it shape in my ear and creates a good bass response. Without the right seal and tip any IEM can sound like it's missing some part of the sound spectrum.

Did you use the regular Azla Sedna Earfit? I mean the black/white tips. Great review BTW!

 

[dharmasteve]

Did you use the regular Azla Sedna Earfit? I mean the black/white tips. Great review BTW!

Yep, the ordinary black dome with white barrel. They have a very firm silicone dome.

 

[Oscarilbo]

Yep, the ordinary black dome with white barrel. They have a very firm silicone dome.

Oh good to know. I coincidentally ordered both the S12 and the ML regular Azlas (I already have the L and sound and feel truly amazing, but a bit large for a confortable fit) So I guess I'm set for a great combination then.

 

[dharmasteve]

Oh good to know. I coincidentally ordered both the S12 and the ML regular Azlas (I already have the L and sound and feel truly amazing, but a bit large for a confortable fit) So I guess I'm set for a great combination then.

I know a lot of people on these threads do not believe in burn-in, but I can say that the S12 improves over time. I didn't burn them in by leaving them just playing, I burned them in through use, by listening, and although I have a lot of IEMs I'm drawn to the S12. I'm a bit older and for younger people with sensitive acute hearing they may notice the very detailed treble more.

 

[rarewolf]

Yep, the ordinary black dome with white barrel. They have a very firm silicone dome.

I received the SednaEatFit Xelastics today. The work better than the Spinfit CP145s, but haven’t had them in my ears for long…

 

[dharmasteve]

I received the SednaEatFit Xelastics today. The work better than the Spinfit CP145s, but haven’t had them in my ears for long…

I'm a great fan of the Xelastecs. Very good tips.

 

[Krucoz]

I know a lot of people on these threads do not believe in burn-in, but I can say that the S12 improves over time. I didn't burn them in by leaving them just playing, I burned them in through use, by listening, and although I have a lot of IEMs I'm drawn to the S12. I'm a bit older and for younger people with sensitive acute hearing they may notice the very detailed treble more.

For these S12 burn in does something. I still compare them to my other iems (not that much since i use S12 all the time now).
They sound as natural (even more) than the ones that sounded the more natural. It was not the case just when i got them.
I do not use EQ anymore, (just a bit of elevation on 16khz, 3db).
They also sound cleaner (stellar now).
Bass, but not only, are fantastic.
In fact everything have improved other time (around a hundred hours listening to them).
Just give them a bit of power and a clean source, sounds great with a phone and a good dac (got shanling UA2).

ps: for an exemple of a bass trip, just listen Skip the Use "the one two" and "les sables d'or"(high res)

 

[deformographist]

Yeah, I've never noticed a big difference with burn in but I noticed these definitely sound better over time so I threw a pink noise burn in track at them for 6 hours and they came out sounding so good.

Really, I just can't get them out of my ears. I want to listen to every album I've ever liked through them, lol. I've probably been averaging like five hours of music listening a day thanks to how much fun they are to listen to.

 

[rarewolf]

Yeah, I've never noticed a big difference with burn in but I noticed these definitely sound better over time so I threw a pink noise burn in track at them for 6 hours and they came out sounding so good.

Really, I just can't get them out of my ears. I want to listen to every album I've ever liked through them, lol. I've probably been averaging like five hours of music listening a day thanks to how much fun they are to listen to.

I go to bed promising myself just one album… it’s usually 3 or 4…

 

[crushmachine]

My unit arrived yesterday and I barely took them out of my ears during my shift, it's the clearest, most detailed IEM i have used up until now. Currently I own: KZ ZSX, Blom BL03, Moondrop Quarks and a SSR. The S12 was a huge price leap for me but I am finding it well worth it.

I was following this thread for a long time looking for opinions on genres i am used to listening, and now having used it for a couple of hours i must say it is a pretty well rounded IEM. The only Sound-wise complaint i can make atm is that it tends to shout with electronic higher frequencies if that makes sense... heavier Venetian snares tracks (i.e. pressure torture), xanopticon's Liminal space and some elements on Igorrr's Spirituality and distortion did made me turn down my volume a little bit, something i never did before so i think it's worth mentioning. Haven't found issue on things like drum snares even on some busy metal bands like Nile, Dying fetus, Behemoth, Odious mortem... who feature fast tempo drumming and a lot of snare hits (especially Behemoth).

Confort-Wise, it didn't fit me well. While i do get near perfect isolation with the stock medium silicone tips, it sits very uncomfortably in my ear. I'm using it in a very weird position but since the cable is extremely well done and the thingy-behind-the-ear is thick and firm, i don't lose the isolation, even in the bus, which is where i am right now and where i do most of my listening. This is also the best isolating IEM i currently have. Not only i can barely hear the bus engines, but i can hear a fair amount of details without having to blast the volume to compensate for background noise.
So far I'm very satisfied with my purchase.