Letshuoer DZ4 review (Pavan’s take)

Letshuoer DZ4 here…Hello everyone!!! Today I’m reviewing and writing about the Letshuoer DZ4 – A triple dynamic driver configuration with a single R-Sonic passive filtering module. The same PFM that was later adopted in their excellent Letshuoer S15. The 3 dynamic drivers are 6mm each with Titanium built. The PFM although not a mechanical driver connecting to the 3 DDs, however, works in tandem with the drivers boosting the overall frequency response. The IEM comes with a beautiful shell design and a color that is hard to find with many IEMs these days, which I find to be very attractive in the first place. Letshuoer is in collaboration with HeyGearsfor 3D-printing and they did a terrific job with this IEM. DZ4 appears more attractive in terms of color, design, and aesthetics than the S15 – just my opinion. For the price, you will get a well-built and attractive cable with a 3.5mm termination only. 

The case is like that of S15 in a round resin-coated box but comes in Black – For the price, it is more than just decent. The case size is adequate for the IEM and the tips, which are neatly assorted within the case – well done. 2 varieties of tips included – Vocal and balanced. I tend to use the balanced tips the most including Softears UC tips. I did not notice a big difference between the two and stock tips do the job very well – Most of my impressions are based on stock-balanced tips only. At the time of this writing, I spent around 80 hours of listening. The IEM has a neutral tone with a moderate sub-bass boost. Before diving in, I would like to thank Letshuoer for arranging this review sample for which I’m very thankful and greatly appreciate their gesture. Lastly, the DZ4 has already been reviewed by my colleagues and friends at MBA – Mahir Efe Falay, Chris Love, and Pietro. You may tap/ click on their names to read their views on this IEM. As always, to the best of my abilities and intentions, I will be as honest as I can be. So here we go:

Specifications

• Three 6mm Titanium Dome Dynamic Drivers and one “R-Sonic” passive filtering module.

• Four-way Acoustic tubes, two-way crossover circuit

• Semi-open faceplate design – A fusion of metal and Resin

• Drivers connected to a dual-pin receptable via a flexible printed circuit (FPC) crossover board.

• Four cores of 216-strands, 0.05mm in diameter silver-plated copper cable.

• Standard 0.78mm dual-pin design with 3.5mm single-ended termination.

• CNC-milled anodized aluminum casing with a semi-open design

• Sensitivity: 104dB

• Frequency response: 20Hz – 40KHz

• Impedance: 12 Ohms

Disclaimer:

• The review is my own based on extensive and critical listening and was not influenced by any written or video review. 

• The review is subject to unit variance and my personal listening preferences.

• The review is subject to the gears I used for testing – DAC/ DAP/ Tips/ quality of the track 

• Last but not least, I have no affiliation with the supplier of the IEM.​

Gears/ Audio used for testing:

• S24 Ultra

• HPZ x ddHIFI 3.5mm USB dongle DAC

• Tempotec V6

• Cayin RU7

• Topping NX7 Amp paired with the above 2.

• Spotify premium

Test Tracks:

This is a representative sample of some of my favorites – An inclusive list and not exhaustive. There are a lot more that keep increasing day after day.

• Here We Divide – Dead Letters Circus

• Landslide – Fleetwood Mac

• Make My Move – Oliver Micheal

• Astronaut In The Ocean – Alok Remix

• Code Name Vivaldi – The Piano Guys

• Shout – Tears For Fears

• Sandusky – Uncle Tupelo

• Cornflake Girl – Tori Amos

• Ice House – Ray Montford

• Dandelions – Ruth B

• Champion – Bishop Briggs

• Psychofreak – Camila Cabello

• Can You Hear The Music – Ludwig Goransson

• Beat – Tingvall Trio

• Strict Machine – Goldfrapp

• Fountain – Iamamiwhoami

• You Broke Me First – Tate McRae

• Titanium – Sia

• You Need To Calm Down – Taylor Swift

• Vachindha Megham – A R Rahman

• Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon

• Rihaayi De – A R Rahman

• Megham Karukatha – Anirudh Ravichandran

• Udi – Sanjay Leela Bhansali

• Danga Maari Oodhari – Harris Jayaraj

• Nan Pogiren (James Vasanthan).

• Naatu Naatu (RRR) – Keeravani 

• Kurchi Madathapetti (S S Thaman)

• Agar Tum Saath Ho (A R Rahman)

• Caribbean Blue – Enya

• Roygbiv – Boards of Canada

• Electric love – Borns

• Take Five – The Dave Brubeck Quartet

• Rapid As Wildfire – Genshin Impact

• Battlefield 4 Warsaw theme – Rami

• At The Speed Of Force – Junkie XL

• Back In Black – AC/DC

• Becoming Insane – Infected Mushroom

• Chain Reaction – Cloud Cult

• Hot Girl Bummer – Blackbear

• Memories Of Dust – Nier Automata

• Pan – Plini

• Stress – Pain Of Salvation

• Love Is Gone – Slander

• You Don’t Own Me – Saygrace

• Angel Of Death – Slayer

• Somebody I used to know (Gotye, Kimbra)

• Leave Them All Behind – 2001 Remaster (Ride)

• Unity – Royksopp

• Unfinished sympathy – Massive Attack​​

Driveability/ Scalability

The DZ4 is a fairly very easy-to-drive IEM. It played well with all my sources from ddHIFI dongle to pairing with V6+NX7. All the sources that I have are neutral ones. But the best-sounding dongle with the DZ4 was the Cayin RU7. RU7 provides a little more body/ note weight to the slightly thin-sounding DZ4 complementing and turning it into a more musical and engaging listen. For the Indian audience though I would suggest the HPZ x ddHIFI dongle which is more than sufficient to drive this IEM at its best. In fact, for this review, I did not for the most part switch over to any other source. It was that efficient. The only problem was the lack of independent volume controls. Fiddling with the volume controls on the mobile can be tiring and exhausting on certain tracks – the volume can be either too high or too low due to a lack of precision and control on the Mobile volume levels. Aful Snowy Night was very neutral and transparent and sounded in line with the Tempotec V6 – Not a big difference but excellent, nonetheless. The best-sounding one goes to RU7 but the cheapest dongle in the Indian market is equally pleasing as well.

The Sound Impressions:

Bass

Sub-bass has the quantity, physicality, rumble to it, and a good depth but does not touch the lowest of the lows. However, the sub-bass has a good texture and I find it to be very adequate giving a satisfying and engaging listen when the track calls for it. Mid-bass has a decent body, slam, and very good tone to it and PFM performs its job boosting the bass region, however, at times it does sound inadequate in the overall body. It’s kind of hit and miss – In certain tracks, it is very good, and at times not so impactful. It is not a bad-sounding bass by any degree, but I wish there was more quantity and consistency to it. Overall, the bass region lacks a bit of authority in the overall sound profile. The IEM has a decent bass profile with quality sub-bass over mid-bass, but I wish the mid-bass could have been more authoritative. This results in a super clean and clear mid-range, and this is what this IEM is all about where things start to fall in place. Sample test tracks – Battlefield 4 ‘Warsaw’ theme (Rami), Sorry (Royksopp), One Right Now (The Weeknd), Let Me Love You (Rita Ora). Overall, a decent bass performance but left me wanting for more at times.

Mids

The note weight is slightly on the thinner side of things at times due to the tamed mid-bass but not recessed by any means. Don’t expect much warmth here as the tuning intentions are very clear now – keeping the midrange as clean as possible without sacrificing the musicality – I would say Letshuoer has achieved it with precision. The clarity and details from the vocals are fantastic. These are vocal-centric IEMs where vocals are not way forward nor pushed back as well. The male vocals have good energy, clear sounding, and do not sound dry. The instrumentation in the mids sounds crystal clear with excellent tone, timbre, and details. Female vocals have a very good energy and are not shouty for the most part. On very rare occasions in certain tracks, I did notice the aggressiveness, but I don’t call them shouty. Lead instruments do not get aggressive in their presentation as well. Upper mids to lower treble transition is well controlled here. However, getting a grip on the correct volume level for your ears is still important here as the sudden increase in volume can be piercing – upper mids are still elevated in the overall mix. Sample test tracks – Caribbean Blue (Enya), Believe (Cher), The Logical Song (Supertramp), Sunrise (Simply Red), Wretched Machinery (Nier Automata).

Treble

The upper treble is less boosted compared to the lower treble. There is a Letshuoer house sound with the treble that I find with all their products (S12 and S15) and DZ4 is no exception. The upper treble lacks full extension to the sound however there is smoothness and openness in the treble region making it a very good-sounding treble. The airiness present is decent and makes the overall presentation smoother and engaging, however, with moderate spaciousness in the treble notes. The treble still sounds moderately energetic in its presentation without any inhibitions and can be very good for treble-sensitive listeners. Overall, I liked the treble performance with DZ4 being open-sounding with very good details. Sample test tracks – Lux AEterna (Metallica), Shout (Tears for Fears), Neruppu Da (Santhosh Narayan).

Technicalities

Resolution and details are a highlight of this IEM at the given price point. Excellent resolution and fantastic details here. Dynamic transients are seamless and play a part too. Layering is again done excellent considering the price point – very adequate and can’t think of more for the price. The soundstage is spacious molding to the venue and has a very good height and width. The depth is lacking though making it more of a 2-dimensional sound. Stereo Imaging is very good at the price point with a decent accuracy. Following the audible trail isn’t an issue here. Finally, the tone and timbre appear very natural sounding. Sample tracks – Sandusky (Uncle Tupelo), Shokilla (A R Rahman), Bubbles (Yosi Horikawa), Africa (TOTO).

Pros:

➢ A very good all-round performer at the price point

➢ A musical set

➢ Decent bass profile with good impact and emphasis on sub-bass with good depth

➢ Natural and excellent tone and timbre

➢ Excellent vocal rendition and clarity

➢ Overall, very good treble performance – detailed and open-sounding

➢ Excellent details at the price point

➢ Very good overall technicalities

➢ Very good quality cable

➢ Good accessories at the price point

➢ Good fit and an excellent-looking IEM.

➢ Very easy to drive

Cons:

➢ Not for the bass heads

➢ Sub-bass doesn’t dig very deep

➢ Mid bass sounds thin at times and is not very authoritative overall

➢ Boosted lower treble could be tiring for some (subjective – not a con for me)

➢ Upper treble lacks a bit of extension

➢ Airiness in the treble could have been a tad better

➢ Lacking in stage depth

Comparisons:

Letshuoer DZ4 (89 USD) vs Hidizs MS3 with Bass filter (119 USD)

Fit, comfort, looks, and accessories:

➢ Both will fit like a glove for most people and are excellent for me. Comfort is excellent on both however, I should mention that the thick cable of the MS3 tends to pull the IEM a little out. It happens to me but, I don’t see it as a big issue in terms of overall comfort.

➢ In terms of looks, they are contrasting but excellent in their own way – Both are champs in the looks department. The build quality of both are very good. Honestly, I liked the cable quality of MS3 by a notch above. It’s kind of bulky, textured, and a looker. DZ4 is not bad and is excellent at its very good-looking price point, matching the IEMs, sleek, and comfortable for long wear. Both have a good assortment of tips. MS3 has 3 tuning filters but I tend to prefer only the bass filter. DZ4 comes with an excellent round carry case whereas MS3 comes with a decent-sized pouch – easy to fit in the pockets.

Sound:

The comparison is done with HPZ × ddHIFI dongle only – It is sufficient to drive both crazy good. I preferred only the bass filter on the MS3 as the upper mids elevation on balanced and treble filters is too much for my tastes. The only con with the Bass filter is that the resolution is not so crispy, and details are muffled in comparison to the other 2 filters. Stock-balanced tips are used for both the IEMs.

➢ Hidizs MS3 has more sub-bass quantity but is less focused whereas DZ4 has a good control and has a focused sub-bass and texture, but less quantity in comparison. Depth wise both do not go very deep.

➢ Mid-bass is strong and slamming on the MS3 with more quantity and great authority but is slightly less resolving. Comparatively, DZ4 has a lesser Mid-bass impact, slam, and authority, again focused but more resolving. I think Bass heads enjoy MS3 more than DZ4 even though MS3 is a tad less resolving and bleeds into lower mids. I liked both for their respective traits in various use cases.

➢ Instrumentation in mid-range is more resolving on DZ4 but is thin-sounding in comparison. MS3 sounds warmer and there is a slight bass bleed with bassy tracks that makes the instrumentation slightly bloated, less resolving, and not so crispy – probably due to the Bass filter.

➢ Male vocal clarity is excellent on both sets. Can’t say which I prefer more. Female vocals exhibit good energy and are not shouty on the DZ4. Upper mids/ lower treble is more elevated on the MS3, and female vocals do sound very energetic and at times shouty. But with the Bass filter, it is much more manageable. The lead instruments do sound on your face with MS3 and can be fatiguing for a longer listen in comparison to DZ4.

➢ Treble is more open sounding, smoother, and airy, with better resolution and detail on the DZ4 compared to MS3. However, the energy on treble is more with MS3 compared to DZ4 but better controlled with DZ4. For treble, it is a very easy pick.

➢ Tonality is very good with DZ4 compared to MS3. MS3 is good but there is a slight BA timbre which isn’t very natural. Timbre is better on the DZ4 with more clarity to the notes.

➢ The soundstage is open and spacious on both sets. Imaging appears accurate but not pinpoint accuracy on both sets. Both do a good job here. Stereo separation is slightly better with the MS3. Height is a bit better on the DZ4 and both the IEMs lack the stage depth.

➢ Resolution is better on the DZ4 with crispy note weight definition and better detail retrieval compared to MS3. Layering is the same, but the resolution in the bass-heavy tracks makes a difference. DZ4 maintains the better crispiness among the two resulting in a better layering overall.

Conclusion:

“To sum up, DZ4 is better than the MS3 in most of the aspects and is relatively cheaper as well. I would go with the DZ4.” 

Letshuoer DZ4 (89 USD) vs Aful MagicOne (109 USD)

Fit, comfort, looks & accessories:

➢ Both the IEMs have an excellent fit. I don’t have issues with either of the IEMs but I’ll slightly lean towards the MO as it is relatively small and gives a deeper fit of the two. Comfort again goes to MO as it stays snugged in my ears and provides more isolation from outside noises as well.

➢ In terms of looks, I would go with DZ4 as I find them more attractive compared to MO. I’m specifically fond of the color of the DZ4, often not so used/ found. Accessories that include tips, cable, and a carry case are decent for both sets. We get a balanced cable with MO and single-ended with DZ4. It is justified as DZ4 is quite easy to drive when compared to a Mamooth-like MO. I find the cable quality similar, but I will slightly lean towards DZ4 – Better looking and textured. Tips are better with the DZ4 as I used their stock-balanced tips for most of my listening whereas I can’t say the same for MO. I use the third-partytips W1 from Spinfit which suits the MO quite a lot better.

Sound:

The comparison is done using the V6+NX7 combo as MO is a power-hungry IEM and I’ll be dishonest if compared otherwise. DZ4 is also tested at the same power output of 1400mw at 32 ohms in medium gain. So, both are at their absolute best as far as the driving power/ scalability is concerned.

➢ I perceive better depth and texture of Sub bass from MO compared to DZ4. Also, the bass execution and decay are exhibited faster on the MO making it more focused and clean compared to DZ4. Even in the quantity, I find the DZ4 slightly behind the MO. One thing the DZ4 has is the physicality in sub-bass which is more felt compared to MO. In the other aspects of the sub-bass, DZ4 is not lacking but MO is slightly better overall.

➢ Mid-Bass is weightier, impactful, and fuller on the MO compared to DZ4. PFM helps the bass performance of the DZ4 trying to keep it very clean, but it sounds on and off at times. Sometimes fuller, weightier, and sometimes not so much. Whereas MO has been consistent with the mid-bass, I liked the DZ4 mid-bass performance at times on par with MO, and at times not so much. Not a full-bodied mid-bass on the DZ4 in comparison.

➢ Instrumentation has better note weight and body to the MO than DZ4. Mid-level instruments sound fuller in comparison to MO. The instrumentation on DZ4 is slightly crispier and more detailed at the cost of slightly lesser note weight if that’s your preference.

➢ I can’t say which I prefer more for the vocals as they both excellently render the vocals. But I very slightly prefer the MO as I find them slightly more emotive compared to DZ4. Female vocals have very good energy and can be more aggressive on DZ4 compared to MO. The lower treble is way better controlled on the MO compared to DZ4.

➢ Treble is slightly more energetic, airy, detailed, and extended on the MO compared to DZ4. Other than that, both are treble are smooth sounding in general for me. MO tops the treble here but the DZ4 has a very good treble performance as well. Honestly, DZ4 comes close here.

➢ Tonally I prefer both. They both sound natural to my ears. Both sound very crispy with good separation and have a very good timbre. Musically I prefer MO slightly over the DZ4. DZ4 is excellent here however, I feel the MO has great consistency across the frequency range due to the single BA cohesiveness.

➢ The soundstage is almost similar on both sets. There is adequate spacing in both the sets and the width is almost similar. Height is very good and similar on both sets. There is more depth to the stage on MO compared to DZ4. Depth on DZ4 is kind of lacking. Imaging is more precise pinpoint accuracy on MO compared to DZ4.

➢ Resolution is kind of similar on both sets. Slightly better on each of them at times. I slightly prefer the MO over DZ4 since MO is comparatively fuller sounding especially in the mids producing better details at times. Both have crispier note weight but less bodied mid-bass on DZ4 favors more details at times as well, but not by much in comparison to MO. Layering is excellent on both sets. I don’t notice a big difference here as well. Since both have adequate spacing throughout, details can be easily perceived on both.

Conclusion:

“To sum up, I prefer MO over the DZ4 for most of the aspects but DZ4 has come close to MO in most such cases. Also to note, MO is my favorite IEM reviewed in 2023. This makes me conclude that DZ4 is an excellent value for me at a 40 USD lesser.”

Letshuoer DZ4 Review Closing Thoughts:

DZ4 is an excellent all-rounder at its price point. I found them a little boring and not so exciting to listen to, initially, but it has grown on me over time, and started loving them the more I listen to them. DZ4 is an engaging and musical set with excellent details and resolution. It is different from the sets that I previously owned at this price point like the Moondrop Aria, and it is a good thing to have a different perspective to your listening. DZ4 comes with a new patent technology that has been well-translated to the sound. The same proprietary technology that was later implemented in their excellent S15. I recommend the DZ4 for what it is, and I trust you will not be disappointed. Give it some time to grow on you.