Disclaimer:
The Letshuoer Cadenza 4 was sent to me as a review sample from Ivy from Letshourer, for which I’m grateful!
After the opportunity to try the S12 Pro, S15, and DZ4, I will finally tell you my opinion on the Letshuoer Cadenza 4.
The collaboration with Heygears continues; lately, Letshuoer shells are all produced by them. The aesthetics are always very minimal but I must say that the workmanship of the shells is still excellent.
Unlike the others, this is the first hybrid I’ve tried from Letshuoer so comparisons will be made with other brands.
I’m not an audiophile; I’m just a guy that likes to test out different IEMs and DACs and spends a lot of time listening to music.
So I’m not going to use super technical words to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.
Tech Specs:
Packaging:
The packaging is the one we have already seen on the Letshuoer S15. It differs in very small details that are difficult to notice. It looks like a box of expensive jewelry or a beautiful watch. In the upper part of the box, we find a small letter with manuals and QC inside and immediately below the Cadenza 4, while in the drawer below there are the following accessories:
- Hard Case
- Adapters
- Cable
- Tips
If there’s one thing I like about the Letshuoer standard equipment, it’s the modular cable (even if it’s a bit stiff). The tips are carefully chosen and give you two options. The case is not the most comfortable but certainly one of the most resistant. The quantity and quality of accessories are good.
Design/Build quality:
As you may have noticed, the Letshuoer Cadenza 4 follows the aesthetics of the DZ4 and S15. Letshuoer has been collaborating with 3D printing company HeyGears for a while now. The aesthetics are very minimal; they may not appeal to everyone, but I would like to say that on the aesthetic side, there are IEMs with superior aesthetics. In any case, the use of 3D printing allows you to create precise structures for the internal parts and probably also the tubing of the drivers. I’m not particularly interested in aesthetics but if I had to choose, it would be for the shells made from solid aluminium. The Letshuoer Cadenza 4 is still a nice sight. The faceplates are made of metal, which is very simple on the aesthetic side. We see that on the shell we only have one ventilation hole. The nozzle is massive and could annoy some but the shape is perfect as far as I’m concerned.
This time, the configuration is hybrid! We have a 10mm beryllium dynamic driver coupled with 3 balanced armatures. The first balanced armor is a Sonion, while the other 2 are Knowles. A decidedly interesting configuration already makes you understand why the price is a little high.
Comfort/Fit:
As already mentioned, the shape of the shells is one of the best so far. The most classic forms are often the best and this proves the theory. They are very light and extremely comfortable. The original tips are both fine if you don’t want to replace them but I still used the Tangzu Sancai wide-bore ones. Decent insulation but not perfect.
Initial sound impression:
At first listen, I noticed its medium-centric tendency. It’s not a bad thing but I noticed it immediately because I spent weeks with Simgot in my ears. I went from something with a certain brightness and definition to something that has a certain roll-off at high frequencies. It makes everything very safe and appealing to a wider audience.
It winks at the Harman target, rather than V-shaped, I would say it is W-shaped or U-shaped at times. The sound has a warm, lush note that is extremely pleasant. All in all, there is an excellent balance between all frequencies, with a slight preference for the mids. Everything sounds particularly natural; the sub-bass has a nice push that adds that depth that I like so much. Another very important thing is that it goes well with practically all musical genres.
Final sound impression:
Equipment was used for the testing above.
Device:
- iMac
- Redmi Note 7 Snapdragon
- Poco M4 Pro Mediatek
Software:
- Amazon music UHD 24bit 96kHz (Both)
- Spotify
DAC:
- Moondrop Dawn Pro
- Fosi SK02
- Fiio KA11
- Fiio KA17
- Simgot Dew4x (Top synergy)
- iBasso DC04pro
- EPZ TP20 Pro
- Hidizs S9 Pro Plus
- EPZ TP50 (slightly less dew4x)
- Creative SoundBlaster X5 (slightly hot cirrus/Creative signature)
My first impressions after about 20 hours of burn-in, in which I let them play without listening to them, are that the Letshuoer Cadenza 4 is a very interesting set and certainly, given the tuning chosen, many will like it. Furthermore, she goes with different musical genres. I started from EDM, D&B, R&B, Jazz, classical, and rap, and there isn’t a single genre in which I wasn’t surprised with the performance.
Letshuoer has created a good mix while remaining on the safe side. In terms of Dac/Dongle, you don’t need an exaggerated amount of power to drive them at their best but a good dongle with balanced output certainly helps them considerably. If you have something analytical and neutral, even better! Its slightly warm nature is mitigated by analytics dongles such as the EPZ TP50, Fosi DS2 or Fosi SK02. The synergy it has with the Simgot DEW4X is particular, which presents a superior soundstage. Personally, I think it is the combination that I like the most and that I will continue to use for the review.
Tips Rolling?
An upgrade of the tips is not strictly necessary but the Tangzu Sancai Wide Bore had just arrived and I thought I’d try them. The nozzle practically comes to be totally free in your ear, avoiding reductions in soundstage. Excellent combo.
The Divinus velvets, as usual, prove to be universal; every headset you mount them on will give you the perfect seal and improved comfort. In terms of sound, I didn’t notice an exaggerated change from the stock balanced tips. Maybe less bass.
The Dunu S&S I didn’t think they could be suitable for the Cadenza 4 and instead I had to change my mind. They move the IEM away from the ear a little but we remain in our comfort zone. The difference compared to the Tangzu is a slightly less full bass, brighter mids and slightly more refined highs. Obviously, the soundstage is wider and I can tell you that all in all, it has an excellent result if you are willing to sacrifice a bit of bass.
In my opinion, the included SS20 similar tips are exceptional, even the others are not bad at all for being stock. You don’t need a real upgrade but if you have some tips rolling at home, it never hurts.
Bass
I must say that with the Tangzu wide bore tips, the basses have a very pleasant level up, the sealing obtained is perfect, andthe insertion is also quite deep. The bass quantity is not high, but the 10 mm single DD returns a rich, warm, and textured bass. Let’s be clear: it’s not at a basshead level but it still makes itself felt. The one that is properly emphasized is the sub-bass, which adds the rumble and the right rich and deep vibration. Honestly, very pleasant bass in the quantity that I would have liked to hear on the Simgot. A slight emphasis, without exaggerating, is an excellent combination with the mids.
Mids
The mids are the real protagonists of Letshuoer Cadenza 4. They present themselves ahead of everything, making the vocals and instruments alive and rich in detail. Track after track, we become more and more sympathetic to this kind of choice. A silky representation of the voices, which are all extremely exciting, the instruments are particularly well sounding and natural. I only notice a very light nasal note and a very small haze on some tracks. Let’s say that it isn’t noticeable that much and perhaps it is precisely this touch that gives a certain warmth and sense of reality to the voices. The precise separation of frequencies here becomes much clearer, the tubing of the drivers is well done, and the sounds are all in their place without invading regions that do not belong to them. What is perhaps missing is a slight extra sparkle on the highs, which causes some detail to be lost.
Treble
As I already said, they didn’t exaggerate with treble extension. I can say that the choice certainly makes sense since many do not tolerate these frequencies very much, but those who tolerate them will certainly notice that some details are lost. Fortunately, the loss is not high and the highs are very fluid with good resolution, as they are not extremely high you cannot hear sharp highs. The IEM can be pushed at high volumes without reaching annoying peaks. The separation is excellent but for trebleheads, it could be considered warm and calm, even if, in the end, there is a good presence of macro and micro details. A touch more sparkle would have been perfect, however, there are DAC combinations that solve this situation slightly.
Soundstage and Imaging:
Letshuoer Cadenza 4 doesn’t reach the levels of the Letshuoer S15 but I can tell you that the result is excellent. The driver tubing and precise tuning maintain excellent sound separation which contributes to a wide soundstage with good depth. Each sound arrives at the eardrum clear and perfectly distinct from another. Following every little nuance of the track you are listening to is very simple. Good job!
LETSHUOER Nebula Cable Upgrade:
If you expect a difference between day and night, then know that this is not the case. However, against all expectations, despite being a copper cable (which usually increases the bass), here we have a very strange increase in brightness. I say strange because I doubted I would notice any differences, especially regarding the high frequencies, somehow like a sprinkling of stardust on the already excellent Lethshuoer Cadenza 4. Somehow it makes them extremely attractive, starting from the mids, which lose the very light note of warmth or nasality they had. With this upgrade, the Letshuoer Cadenza 4 seems much less mid-centric, giving a superior balance between all frequencies.
I’m very much for the placebo effect, it’s almost inevitable that our brain comes into play. There is a bit of self-conviction that the new cable is better than the old one. In any case, if there were large variations in sound it means that one of the two cables was made of non-conductive material. I am also passionate about audio systems and speakers and have already suffered from cable disease. Now I feel better and as long as we’re talking about pure copper everything is fine.
Without bench tests with measurements, my words stop at personal sensations.
Comparison:
If you prefer the bass of the DD, the Letshuoer S15 will probably not be considered. The almost $100 higher price makes them fit into a totally different budget. There are those who consider them one of the best planar IEMs to date but they have opponents like the Hidizs MP145 who question their price. What I can tell you is that the planar presents many more macro and micro details and the soundstage develops in a wider and more precise way. Personally, I prefer the bass of the Cadenza 4 but on everything else, the planar driver has a superior and more immersive performance. The rumors about Cadenza 4 are slightly better but both are very attractive.
vs Simgot EM6L
A much cheaper hybrid IEM from Simgot. One of the best examples of a successful hybrid in a price range where others have failed to achieve great results. Every time I wear them, I am surprised, even though the driver configuration does not include BA from Sonion or Knowles. Its sound is full of energy and the tuning is also suitable for gaming as it is very precise on details. The Simgot EM6L, although successful, does not keep up with the brand new Candeza in terms of technicalities.
vs Simgot EA1000
The Simgot EA1000 but also the EA500LM allow you to ask yourself the following question: “Do we really need more drivers?”
Honestly, in the case of the EA1000, the answer is that no other drivers are needed. This is not a rule but Simgot has demonstrated that it is possible with a single driver to obtain something extremely close to what we can define as high fidelity, both in terms of performance and timbre. I consider them a point of reference for those looking for something that sounds extremely faithful.
vs Hidizs MS5
The MS5 are the IEMs that decided to start the reviews. A sort of first love. A fairly extreme hybrid IEM from Hidizs with a purely V-shape nature with borderline highs, if you are sensitive, these are absolutely not for you. They go far beyond the brilliance you can experience on Simgot. In terms of bass, they are more present and emphasized. my favorite nozzle is obviously red. The others are too much, even for me. At the detail level, the macro and micro details are more highlighted.
But its biggest flaw is that it is not an IEM suitable for any musical genre. In terms of results, the Letshuoer Cadenza 4 is superior,in my opinion.
vs Hidizs MS3
I consider the Hidizs MS3 to be an excellent rival, typically more V-shaped, providing a much more robust bass and livelier highs. Sometimes they could be at the limit but I’m on balanced cable, and they are more contained than the MS5, giving that touch of brilliance that is kept more controlled on the Cadenza 4. Depending on what you are looking for, they could be an excellent alternative.
Conclusion:
Undoubtedly, Letshuoer has managed to make an extremely exciting hybrid IEM, and the Nebula cable is certainly an appreciable upgrade. Also keep in mind the importance of the eartips and, above all, the DAC with which they are combined. In my opinion, the Simgot DEW4X is the one that has the best synergy of all.
The Letshuoer Cadenza 4, aesthetically, is simple but sturdy; the design may not appeal to everyone but the HeyGears shell is of excellent workmanship. Comfort is optimal and being light, they do not cause any problems of heaviness even after several hours of listening. On long listening sessions, it does not cause any kind of problem or annoyance, whatever genre of music and listening volume you choose. I can’t say the same thing about the Hidizs MS5, on which the volume I can tolerate depends a lot on the track; the highs literally bite the eardrum despite some extra detail. I really liked it, one of the best hybrids so far.
8.6/10
Pros:
- Hybrid IEM with Sonion Knowles BA
- Modular Cable & case
- Mid-centric / Vocal focused
- Good timbre
- Sub-bass enphasis
- Soundstage, Separation & layering
- Inoffensive treble
- Easy to drive
Cons:
- Price could be high for someone
- Slightly nasal mids (really difficult to notice, fixable with tips or Dac rolling)
- Not for Bassheads
- Not for Trebleheads