Planar Wars 2022: LETSHOUER S12 Vs 7Hz Crinacle Dioko Vs Tin HiFi P1 Max

[gadgetgod]

Okay so guys, who is up for another fight? This time between the siblings

 

[gadgetgod]

Also guys, DUNU Talos is also coming my way. So Planar Wars is going to continue by me Feel free to share your thoughts and impressions related to other Planar IEMs here too!!

 

[TIEM]

Also guys, DUNU Talos is also coming my way. So Planar Wars is going to continue by me Feel free to share your thoughts and impressions related to other Planar IEMs here too!!

Loved reading your impressions. Keep it coming. I am a newbie and have picked up a couple of IEMs. I am very interested in trying out a Planar and S12/Hook X are on the radar. Which do you prefer ? Also, I am from India too so can you guide me as a newbie on where to get the IEMs from and how to get good deals on Concept Kart etc. like you mentioned in an earlier post ? Maybe you can send me a msg. Thanks in advance and keep posting here so newbies like me can get insights.

 

[counterclockwise]

There's the Akoustyx S6 as well.
Bullet-style reference-neutral planar.

I easily prefer them over the S12. (Haven't heard any of the other recent planars to compare.)

 

[gadgetgod]

There's the Akoustyx S6 as well.
Bullet-style reference-neutral planar.



I easily prefer them over the S12. (Haven't heard any of the other recent planars to compare.)

Wow these look exciting <3 Please share more impressions mate!!

 

[gadgetgod]

S

Loved reading your impressions. Keep it coming. I am a newbie and have picked up a couple of IEMs. I am very interested in trying out a Planar and S12/Hook X are on the radar. Which do you prefer ? Also, I am from India too so can you guide me as a newbie on where to get the IEMs from and how to get good deals on Concept Kart etc. like you mentioned in an earlier post ? Maybe you can send me a msg. Thanks in advance and keep posting here so newbies like me can get insights.

Sure man check your DM

 

[jamweiser]

Received these yesterday and been giving them a try. TangZu Ze Tian Wu. They're decent, been listening to the hook-x for the past few weeks. Comparing the two, hook-x has a warm, mid focused, with vocals sometimes sounding behind the instruments. On the Ze Tian Wu, they sound a little brighter, not as warm as the hook-x. The bass is present when called upon, just not the same warmth as the hook-x. I'll be swapping between the two for a bit. This is my opinion from a day of listening to them.

 

[gadgetgod]

Received these yesterday and been giving them a try. TangZu Ze Tian Wu. They're decent, been listening to the hook-x for the past few weeks. Comparing the two, hook-x has a warm, mid focused, with vocals sometimes sounding behind the instruments. On the Ze Tian Wu, they sound a little brighter, not as warm as the hook-x. The bass is present when called upon, just not the same warmth as the hook-x. I'll be swapping between the two for a bit. This is my opinion from a day of listening to them.

How do you like the open-ness of the Hook-x. i loved its staging.


On a different note, IDK where the Talos shipment is, the tracking is showing no result But I got Gumiho with me yesterday. Gonna unbox this baby today. Looks so interesting.

 

[raymanh]

There's the Akoustyx S6 as well.
Bullet-style reference-neutral planar.



I easily prefer them over the S12. (Haven't heard any of the other recent planars to compare.)

First time seeing them. I've been looking for a bullet style IEM and never thought there would be a bullet style planar.

Got a write up of it?

 

[counterclockwise]

First time seeing them. I've been looking for a bullet style IEM and never thought there would be a bullet style planar.

Got a write up of it?

Yeah I was really surprised to see a bullet style planar too. That plus supposedly neutral tuning got my attention.
I posted a bit about them in the discovery thread when I first got them. They've been my dailies for the past 2+ weeks now.

They're fast, snappy, punchy, and clean. And recognisably "planar" in sound despite the tiny size.
Compared to the S12 I'd say these are snappier and more detailed. Also, on the S12 instruments often sound kind of jumbled together to me, while the S6 cleanly separates instruments into distinct positions. Probably has something to do with the flat mid bass and high detail level.
Sub bass has great definition and digs deeeep. Did not see that coming from a 6.1mm planar driver.

Tuning is described as "studio reference", but that is an overstatement. To me they sound neutral to brightish from about 100Hz to 8kHz. Above and below that range they go overboard to some extent. Peaks at 8kHz and especially 14.5kHz can get sharp without some EQ. Keeps better definition than the S12 in its peaks, but it's not ideal. (I have yet to hear a planar IEM without treble peaks though...)

I found it easy enough to EQ them to my (neutral) taste though. With the S12 I have to make far larger adjustments to make them work for me, and even with copious EQ I never quite managed to get the tuning to sound right to me. For people who like added mid bass the S12's stock tuning will be more suitable though.

That said, there's a squig here that makes the S6 stock tuning look pretty ridiculous:
https://squig.link/?share=Crinacle_Neutral_Target,Akoustyx_S-6

That's not how they sound to me, so I don't really know what to make of that. I do find that insertion depth affects the frequency response quite a lot, and the form factor of these does not really tell you what the right depth is, so perhaps that measurement was made with a deep insertion. Then again, it's not like I'm particularly experienced in this stuff, so take my impressions with a grain of salt.

Speaking of insertion depth, they may look like Etys, but it seems that the intended insertion depth is actually fairly shallow. They come with "EarLock" pieces that you can optionally slide on for a more secure fit, and they actually make a deep fit impossible. The resulting shallow fit is pretty comfortable and sounds great. Being used to Etys I initially went for a deep fit, but that sounded off.

The included cable is a sleek and beautiful disaster. Hopelessly springy, and (when you try to wear these cable-down) horribly microphonic. Ended up switching it out for a suppler, quieter cable, and now they wear just fine cable-down.

So, it took a bit of EQ and a cable swap, but I'm quite taken with them.

 

[gadgetgod]

Finally the Talos shipment is also here!!

 

[TIEM]

Finally the Talos shipment is also here!!

Nice! Do share your thoughts and comparisons with the other planars.

 

[rehctelf]

are the letshoure S12 pros any different from the normal letshoure S12.
also how different are planars from something like the moondrop arias

 

[gadgetgod]

Celest Gumiho has got a fun tuning. The pair has got V-shaped profile, the main attraction would be the strong lower end. Feels thunderous for bass heavy track, hits like a truck with slamming response. Initial Impressions.

 

[gadgetgod]

Nice! Do share your thoughts and comparisons with the other planars.

Sorry forgot to inform you, i have posted my review for the DUNU Talos. You can check on my profile hehe.