Letshuoer S08 Review
Intro
Hello everyone, today I am reviewing the Letshuoer S08 from the audio brand Letshuoer. The S08 is a planar magnetic earphone which comes with a $99 price tag. That price puts the S08 in some tough territory, but also a great place for people who want to experience a nice planar set for around $100. The S08 is actually a nod to Letshuoer’s 8 years of being in business, which is a pretty neat thing to see and quite a feat for any brand who can sustain relevance that long in this day and age.
This particular planar set comes on the heels of some major players in the Audio hobby and some of those major players also happen to Letshuoer planar iems. I’m talking about the Letshuoer S15 (S15 Review), Letshuoer S12 Pro (S12 Pro Review), Letshuoer S12 (Mahir’s S12 Review), etc. There are a few more offshoots of the S12 series as well which performed very nicely in the market. The point is that Letshuoer has had more actual experience dealing with planar sets than almost anyone and they are certainly the most successful at it. No other brand has made such an impact in the hobby. Hence why I was extremely excited to check out this set.
Letshuoer
So yes, Letshuoer has been in the business crafting earphones and audio devices for years now. We’ve learned that it’s eight to be exact. I cannot tell you how impressed I’ve been with this brand. I’ve reviewed a good handful of their iems and each is very well done and compete handily against the competition in their respective price points. Those are the Letshuoer DZ4 (DZ4 Review), Letshuoer S15 (S15 Review), Letshuoer S12 Pro (S12 Pro Review), Letshuoer Cadenza 4 (Cadenza 4 Review), not to mention the many reviews completed by my partners at Mobileaudiophile.com. Basically, the consensus is that Letshuoer seems to always be “at” or “near” the top of the field per whatever set they bring to market. Now, the S08 is a commemorative set which celebrates 8 years of bringing quality products to our ears and I’m more than happy to get to spend time with this set.
Let’s Go…
Again, the $100 price point is absolutely chock full of great sets which are in direct competition to the S08. I’m not only talking about planars either. Thankfully it seems that planars are in their own category to a degree as usually planar sets only really compete against planar sets. However, for those who simply want the best listening experience for their money it will be a much broader look at the market as a whole. So, in essence the S08 really does compete with all iems under $100. I will try to make some relevant comparisons and try my best to explain this set to hopefully help you in making a purchasing decision. I think I’m ready to get this one going folks. The Letshuoer S08 everyone…
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S08 Pros
-Build Quality is great, all alloy
-Design isn’t bad either
-Very comfortable once sealed well
-Accessories are better than I expected
-Organic timbre, nicely musical sound
-Beefy but well-defined bass region, great for a planar
-Nice bass extension
-Milky midrange
-Nice for vocals (believe it or not)
-Non-fatiguing treble
-Good extension up top, has some bite
S08 Cons
-Bass isn’t a DD bass. Slightly lacks the authentic slam of a DD
-Bass may be a hint too much for some hobbyists
-Not the most detailed approach
-Lacks treble emphasis and brilliance (for some)
Gear used for testing
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Packaging / Accessories
Unboxing
The Letshuoer S08 arrived at my home in a nice-looking box with a sleeve which features a large “8” on the cover, all black. Inside the box you’ll find the S08 sitting pretty in some foam cut-outs. Next to the S08 you’ll also see the carrying case. Inside the case is the cable, tip tray, and you also receive the extra modular cable adapters. I won’t go too long with this unboxing. Basically, it’s a nice set of accessories for the price with a very nice modular cable, usable tips and a cool case that is handy to have. Nice job Letshuoer.
Eartips
Inside of the packaging Letshuoer provides a total of six pairs of eartips and two different sets. The first set called the “Vocal” tips (S, M, L), is a black silicone tip with a semi-wide bore. Decent tips but not unlike many that we’ve seen over the years. I don’t like these tips for myself as the flange is very flimsy, I don’t get a good seal and they are basically limp. However, they seem made well enough and I know some people like these types of flimsy tips. The other set called their “Balanced” tips (S, M, L), is a white silicone eartips with a semi-wide bore, a rigid flange and a stiff stem. Somewhat similar to something like the KBear 07 tips. While I like those tips quite a lot, for whatever reason I could not get a consistent seal with the S08. I had to venture into my vast cavern of tips and pull out something that worked. I ended up relying on the Divinus Velvet eartips. With the Velvet in my ears the S08 fits perfectly. The sound also comes across cleaner and airier by a tiny margin. All things considered, the tips which come included are pretty nice.
Carrying case
The carrying case that comes with the S08 is the same case provided with almost all of Letshuoer’s earphones. It is the round hockey puck shaped case with a threaded (screw-on) lid. It’s a very useful carrying case. This case is lined in what feels like a soft rubber. It’s a very neat case that I’ve always liked. I would say that you can only fit the S08, and the cable inside so be aware.
Cable
The included cable is a nice addition. It is a brown 2-pin cable that has modular adapter plugs which get pushed on and then screwed in using Letshuoer’s twist- lock mechanism to hold the adapter tight. You have a choice of either a 3.5 single ended plug or a 4.4 balanced plug. I primarily used the 4.4 as most of my sources use 4.4. It’s a cool cable, folks. The braiding is very nice as well. The cable itself is a 4-core and 30 strand silver plated copper cable (SPC) which offers a nice and pleasing aesthetic paired with the S08. Of course, the bonus of a modular cable is the fact that you have some flexibility in how you listen. It’s a nice addition.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality
The Letshuoer S08 is a very well-built earphone. Nothing new to Letshuoer of course. The S08 is an all-alloy set which is obviously very durable. Most of Letshuoer’s planar sets besides the S15 have been all-alloy which is a nice thing to see. The nozzle is medium in length, nothing too large or too short. Like I said the fitment isn’t perfect for me and I did have to use better tips to get a good seal. The Shells themselves are not the largest. Does it make sense to call them medium sized? Makes sense to me. At any rate, it’s a nice build friends. It’s all metal for crying out loud. Of course, in the winter and outside the S08 will tell you it’s winter and you are outside. Watch out for humid environments as an all-alloy shell will condense if not vented well. The usual hangups with metal shells. Anyways, very well built.
Design
As far as the look of the Letshuoer S08. It’s a cool and understated design theme. The S08 is designed with an “8” which stands for the eighth anniversary (obviously). You’ll notice that it was CNC machined into the faceplates and covers the great majority of them. I suppose that’s about as appropriate as you can get. Now I don’t think that this design and aesthetic is going to change anyone’s life and it isn’t the flashiest, but it’s a nice-looking set. The S08 comes in two colorways, black and silver. Obviously, mine is the black. There’s actually something to be said for a nice looking iem that wasn’t made to attract prospective buyers solely by the appearance. The S08 is classy, it’s Utilitarian-chic, or beautifully dull. The brown cable pairs pretty well though I would’ve enjoyed a fat black cable a bit more. However, they look nice together. It’s a good-looking set.
Internals
I think we’ve already established that the Letshuoer S08 is in fact a “planar magnetic” earphone. Letshuoer actually went with a 13mm planar driver, but that’s just the beginning. They went through what sounds like an arduous R&D journey and added some nifty ingenuity to the process. This is actually a 4th generation driver with what Letshuoer calls “Nanoscopic Magnetron Sputtering Technology”, which is basically a way to put a very thin film on the diaphragm. In this case it’s a copper material that they are sputtering onto the substrate. This is said to balance the frequency and add some resolution to the highs. They also used a dual voice coil on the S08 and an elastic PTR film which surrounds the actual voice coils which is said to help with distortion, stability, balance etc. The dual voice coil helps to control the diaphragm’s vibration, reduce resonances, and basically increase the overall transient response swiftness. There’s some cool tech involved with this set folks and I can hear it every time I listen.
Fit / Isolation
I’ve already briefly spoken on how the fit was for me. That is, not perfect. I really needed tips which were much wider and so the Divinus Velvet tips helped a lot with that, and the seal is perfect. So, you may or may not need to also go tip searching to find a set that fits you well. I am one person who’s ears fit almost all iems. I almost never have fit issues. However, without question the shape of the flat front end closest to the ear made it slightly more difficult to fit my ears. I have no idea how this set will fit your ears either. I’ve said this in countless reviews that I don’t even know why I out this section in my reviews. Nobody has the exact same ear anatomy, and every set will provide at least a slightly different fit between hobbyists. Beyond fit, the isolation is about average. I get decent passive isolation from outside noises. Good, not great, which is average to me. Like any other set.
Drivability
The Letshuoer S08 is rated with an impedance of 26 ohms and a sensitivity of 105 db’s. This translates to… “Pretty easy to drive”. There was a time when driving planar magnetic earphones was a more difficult task. You couldn’t get nearly the correct dynamics from lower powered sources. Well, those days are slowly being technologically petered out with the advancements in driver tech among other parameters. So, the S08 is reasonably easy to drive. However, without question I do get better sound and scaling with two variables. First, definitely the S08 will not only scale to the quality of your source but they will also convey the tonality of your source very well too. Give this set a good source device and it’ll shine. However, with that the S08 will also slightly translate the tonality and overall sound character of your source well too. I never really felt that one source tonality was hugely better than another either. Warm, cool, bright, neutral, warm/neutral, etc. Next, the S08 will get marginally better with more power on tap. What I mean is that the dynamic range seems to grow in depth and vibrance. The low-end feels slightly less detached and more concrete in its note body. Macro-dynamics also get slightly more convex. These are all incremental improvements, but they are improvements, nonetheless.
Mobile Listening
So, I will briefly go through a couple source devices that I used for critical listening. I wrote a few down in the “Gear used for testing” section but in reality, I used about fifteen altogether. I always check source tonality and synergy. Anyways, when out and about I will usually take with me whatever set I’m reviewing. In this case it was Go Blu with the S08 and let me tell you the pairing is fantastic for Bluetooth listening. There’s this underlying velvet style vigor that the Go Blu adds. Something in those dual CS43131 dac chips and amp section just fits with the S08. Out of my dongle dacs I definitely loved the EPZ TP50 the most. The TP50 is actually closer to neutral rather than warm. What I noticed is that the S08 slightly thins out but also becomes more resolving, slightly more open with very good dynamic expressions. Maybe a hint of sibilance, but not bad by any stretch and not annoying to me. The Aful SnowyNight also gave the TP50 a run for its money as it carries even more power and the same CS43198 dual dac chips. By the same logic, the Simgot Dew4x (also uses CS43198) was slightly less authoritative and dense in note weight, but good.
More juice
Listening with my daps and dac/amps of a bit higher caliber and more talented sonically I definitely came to the conclusion that with more output the S08 agrees more with my tastes and probably synergizes the best. By the way “synergy” is a made-up word which basically just means “fits your preferences best”. There isn’t some magic synergy which just brings a set to its best ability. Sometimes we take things a bit too far in this hobby. Okay, carry on. Anywhoo, the devices I have with a much greater output are the Shanling M6 Ultra (close to 1W / AK4493SEQ dac chips), the iBasso DX240 (close to 1W / ES9038Pro flagship dac), and the Fiio Q15 (1.6w / AK4191EQ & AK4499EX dacs). The DX240 is an energetic neutral with a clean sound, the M6 Ultra is warmer, resolving, velvet, and the Fiio Q15 is a nice middle ground with amazing clarity and dynamism. I found that the S08 replayed very well on each but would tend to skew one way or another per whatever source I was using. In my mind, and to my preference (synergy), I find that the M6 Ultra is flat out juicy with a galvanizing quality to the warm presence that I hear. However, the S08 does well to play into each device’s strengths. One thing I can say for certain is that the S08 does scale to the actual increase of power on tap. Now I’m sure there’s a point where you cannot scale anymore. After all this is a rather easy planar to drive. But if I were to guess, I’d say that the S08 really begins to scale at around 150mw @32ohms. A rough guess.
What do you need?
I think that you need nothing more than a good dongle dac at the least. I don’t think that a smartphone will give you everything you are looking for and won’t bring the S08 to proper fidelity. Maybe fidelity is the wrong word. I should say that you likely won’t bring the S08 to its best ability with a smartphone. I’m sure if that’s all that you have and cannot get anything more than a smartphone will replay the S08 decently. Still, for $69 you can get the Simgot Dew4x, or for $70 you can get the Hidizs S8 Pro, for $65 you can get the Moondrop Dawn 4.4 among about 50 more under $100. So, if you can save up a bit more you will really be able to let this set shine.
Sound Impressions
Prior to any critical listening, I was so looking forward to hearing where Letshuoer was going to go with this tuning. I own the S12 Pro and S15 and both of those were worlds apart from each other. I suppose I suspected more of the same. Maybe Letshuoer would try something new. Well, that’s at least partially true. The Letshuoer S08 comes across as a subtlety warm V-shaped sound signature. I suppose. I think we get into the weeds a little bit giving these sounds a “letter” distinction. Basically, the S08 is on the warm side and the mids are only very slightly recessed while the treble is only slightly emphasized. So… Slight V. To be totally honest I find the balance to actually be quite good. You have what appears to be an 8db bass shelf in contrast to a 7db pinna rise so… balanced-V. However, even with the balance there is a slight warmth which is cast across the mix. That said, my ears tell me that the bass is lifted quite a bit which surprised me the bass shelf was only 7-8db’s.
Fluid
At any rate, the sound is very nice for a $99 planar set and once again Letshuoer is showing their skills at tuning. There are some subtle issues that some may “subjectively” not enjoy, and I will highlight those within this review. However, in the grand scheme of things the S08 is a nicely melodic iem with a more musical sound. Again, warmer, well balanced across the frequency, smooth over crisp, slightly less detailed than previous Letshuoer planar magnetic earphones (S12, S12 Pro) yet making up for it in its ability to convey emotion in a euphonic and mellifluous manner. You don’t have those hard and crisp note outlines with exact, precise, and rapid transient attack through decay. This set is more fluid. We call it smooth but really, it’s more plush.
Timbre
Now, another thing I have been enjoying about the S08 is the non-planarish timbre. There are a few areas where mistaking the S08’s planar for a DD wouldn’t be out of the question. In many ways the S08 is more atmospheric and organic than many other planar sets. At least in my opinion. Of course, when someone can tell me what “organic” sounds like I’m all ears. When I say organic, what I mean is that the sound comes across with a warmer hue, no odd timbre, no peaks, no metallic edges around notes, not too colored one way or the other and just generally more lifelike. There’s no real quantifiable way to measure how organic something is. Also, to others it may mean something different. In the case of the Letshuoer S08 it means that the sound isn’t really “planar-like” in its timbre, it does come across more lifelike and does carry that more earthy and warmer tone. I will say that the transients are a bit quick in some instances. Harmonics aren’t always as drawn out as some folks would like as at times in May seem that they come across a hair clipped, not as natural in that regard. Of course, that’s just a result of using a planar driver. Also, it really isn’t bad in this set. Letshuoer did a nice job.
Bass Region
The low-end of the Letshuoer S08 comes across meaty with enough solid boom to almost give bass bois something to look forward to. However, I did say almost. I don’t think this is a basshead set. Not quite there but this set does have an emphasized bass region that is not at all weak and does provide a very satisfying rumble for fans of a bigger bass section. But not basshead. The bass is simply prominent against the mix. Now there are some slight subjective issues with the low-end, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Without question the S08’s bass region is a very full bass which does linger over into the midrange, loitering enough to add some warmth and smoothness to the midrange. The S08 carries a bass which feels sort of heavy, and in my opinion is probably the focal point of this iem. Even with the nice balance across the mix. Turn on any bassy track and you’ll see what I mean.
Nice… Period
Now, yes, it is a bigger bass, but I feel it’s emphasized more due to the less brilliant and prominent treble. There isn’t a huge counter against the weight of the low end. Also, I feel it’s the mid-bass which sticks out more to me. This is also a smoother bass which isn’t necessarily the most defined area of the frequencies. Don’t get me wrong, it certainly isn’t bad at all. It simply isn’t that razor sharp planar style definition. In fact, the S08 almost comes across like… dare I say… a dynamic driver. It really is close. Not quite, but close. I say this because although it is a fuller bass, it still has good texture, some sort of roundness, and I can feel the rigidity and densely weighted rumble of a good and deep bassline. This isn’t a flat plane of bass in front of me and it isn’t pillowy either. There may be some lacking reverbs and harmonics, but the S08 still has all the earmarks of a solid planar bass. This is a meaty low end with some actual vivacious grunt and has a forward boom to it. It has good impact. I mean, it actually has some well textured and round bass punch which has a darker vibrance to it. It’s nice for a planar folks. Shoot, it’s nice period.
Sub-bass
I love a good, deep, and haptic type of bass that I can feel. A deep bass adds so much to my music. Another dimension in the sound field. Especially if the notes are rounded and full. The sub-bass notes on the Letshuoer S08 are such that I can feel the rumble. It’s got a chunky sub-bass which gets pretty guttural and able to provide a very low drone when needed. Songs which are recorded with deep chunky bass as the focal point of the track will definitely be mimicked with the S08 in your ears. This is a set which can reach low but with an almost constrained tightness. “Blues Worse Than I Ever Had” is a track by Marcus King which has a decently rotund bass guitar that reaches to a low-toned and rich sound. The S08 has that tighter decay and releases in a quicker manner than DD’s. On one hand the S08 can take on more complicated tracks than sets with DD’s, but it can also lose out on some of the resulting harmonics with planars. The S08 seems to buck that trend a bit better than other planar sets. There’s a little more resonant weight, and there’s a little more meatiness to the bass guitar with the S08 in my ears than on some other planar sets. Also, there’s darn good haptic and vibratory feedback with the S08.
Mid-bass
Looking at the mid bass, we have a tighter and very stoic bass in this region with the Letshuoer S08. Again, it’s fast because of this planar’s ability to attack and recover quickly and at the same time sounding very palpable and visceral with a textured slam. It isn’t completely atmospheric like a DD, or as resonant, as those two attributes are usually the main distinctions between the two driver types. But it’s very close, all the while also carrying all of the planar good traits. Again, stoic, meaty, punchy and full. Also tight, densely weighted, vibrant, & rounded. Basically, just about any descriptor which explains something that can… Bang! Yet the timbre is off, just a bit, as it isn’t perfectly authentic to life. Don’t take this as a bad thing. It’s just a different thing. On the same token, the mid-bass of the S08 can literally take on most any track in this region, no matter how complicated the track is.
Mid-Bass cont…
Now the S08 is a hair boomier than other sets which does move upon the midrange and can be a bit too present in the sound field. Depending on the track you are listening to of course. Again, especially on tracks with a dominant bass. But the mid-bass does have very nice texture and tackiness. It isn’t pillowy to me. Songs which are supposed to slam will hit very hard. Kick drums carry some authority as they have nothing flat about them with the S08. Tracks like “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects shows this quite well. It’s a hard snap and wet attack in unison with a resonant boom. So, the mid-bass has some good muscle and while it may be a hint too colored at times, it’s still got a certain quality to it that I feel is unmistakable. As far as planars are concerned and the price this set is being sold at. That’s just me though.
Downsides to the Bass Region
Of course there’s always downsides, issues, and preferential things that people don’t necessarily like. Of course there are. I’ll try to throw a couple of em’ in here. The first and most obvious thing that some may not enjoy is the boominess and quantity of the S08’s bass region. Many folks would put a mark against the S08 for not being quality in this way. The bass can overtake the mix during bassy tracks. They may also say that the S08 bleeds too much into the mids. While I don’t agree with this for myself, I do understand how some would think that. Some want that tucked bass, that clean midrange, that manicured bass without the extra fat falling into the mids. Understandable. Also, some can only enjoy an atmospheric and organic sounding bass region. Again, I get it. I was this way for a long time before I realized how nice a planar bass can be. Or a good BA bass. For the record, I love almost all sound signatures and styles so I’m pretty easy in this way. I like them all. However, the S08 has a great mix of quality-meets-quantity. It’s a polarizing place to be actually. A huge swath of the community just really doesn’t buy into it. Also, really quick, I have to judge this set against its peers and the cost to own it. I have to think about the pricing here. This set is $99 folks. The S15 from Letshuoer costs three times that price and it is only marginally better down low. Yes, it can be a bit boomy and intrusive if you are sensitive to a heavier bass, but for what it is and how it was tuned, the bass is quite nice.
Midrange
The midrange of the Letshuoer S08 has some smoothness to it. I don’t feel the S08 is 100% planar like with knife-edged contours and crisp attack. It’s a more relaxing vibe which is helped by the very slight warmth brought on from the bass region. Just north of neutral. Just barely. Enough to provide some good body to notes. This is most definitely not a thin midrange. Furthermore, there’s nothing analytical about this set in the midrange. The mids don’t sound greatly pushed back but instead are ever-present and with a fullness to them. More forward than they are recessed. Just enough elevation in the pinna to add some lift and levity to the sound, especially in the upper midrange. The S08 is also just open enough and separated enough to give a feeling of some space. As for timbre, the Letshuoer S08 is actually… decently… organic. I hear a subtle warmth. Perhaps not the most clear and clean sound on planet earth, but it is still very pleasant to my ears. I feel like the last 10 reviews I’ve done I’ve remarked about each set’s musicality over its technical talents. Well, the same can be said of the S08. It’s more musical and gripping in the S08’s ability to draw the listener in rather than create a stage in front of you.
For a planar…
I say all this with planar magnetic earphones in mind. Certainly, there are iems that are literally tuned to captivate the listener through its midrange prowess. There are many which come to mind. Think about it, there’s a good amount of great midrange sets between $75 and $125 US. However, for a planar earphone, which usually aren’t beloved for their midrange abilities, the S08 (much like the S15) is actually nicely natural in tone and has a nice midrange timbre. Now, transient attack through decay is pretty expedient and nimble, but the body to notes is wider, fuller, and “bodied-up” … so to speak. These two qualities almost cancel each other out in some respects. In the end the midrange isn’t the most resolving, maybe slightly overcast, not as crisp and glass lined as some sets we’ve seen. But it’s pretty darn musical for a planar and makes for nice sounding vocals and natural sounding instrumentation.
Lower-midrange
The lower mids carry a sprinkling of warmth. Not perfectly neutral and not highlighted and foregrounded as much as they are naturally weighted with a good note body. So, it’s a little warm here. Males come across with some decent note body, but also don’t come across with great clarity. I called it overcast in the last paragraph and I stand by that. Yet this isn’t a bad thing. Men have some authority to the inflections and intonations in their voices. To an extent anyways. For some instruments this is a good thing and for others it doesn’t help as much. However, male singers seem to do well with a hint of low-end girth and weight. Tracks like “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by Home Free is an acapella group which shows off just about every male voice type. The S08 truly helps this track to sound awesome. The blending of all of those male voices is captivating on this set. Of course, many sets can do the same, but it should be noted. Or the track “Cover Me Up” by Jason Isbell. This track does very well with this set as his voice goes from feathered and soft to resounding and emotional. That warmer and more organic timbre suits the song. The strumming acoustic guitar has a nice wet sound to the strings yet with a softer presence and paired with Jason’s vocals is a nice mixture with the Letshuoer S08 in my ears. I feel most males follow this trajectory and find a decent home in the S08.
Upper-Midrange
I listen to quite a lot of female vocal tracks and find them to be a decent portion of my music library. For females I like a hint of shimmer, some sparkle, some moist body to notes and I don’t like metallic sounding voices or too much glare. I like a natural sounding female, slightly forward and almost on a pedestal within the mix. One part emotional and one part transparent. Somewhere in the middle. I personally feel it misses just a little bit on the sparkles and shimmer but nails it with a slightly rich note body and natural tonality and timbre. I’d also say that this region is less snappy or brisk then some people would like (me included) and the upper midrange isn’t the most intricate, transparent, or detailed. Additionally, I hate to say it but, there’s an ever-so-slight touch of sibilance in more vibrant female voices. So, it isn’t perfect and not everyone will fall over themselves trying to get to this set. Despite all of those minor gripes, I’ve had a very nice time going through my “vocals” playlists with the S08 in my ears and females are a big part of that.
Upper-mids cont…
So, beyond the slight issues, the Letshuoer S08 is a very well-tuned set and the upper-mids are a big reason for that. We have a less than monumental pinna rise of about 7-8 dbs. However, the S08 actually still has a good balance of the frequency. I find the upper mids to have just enough openness and space to operate. They have enough air and separation to not sound congested. Females generally come across easy going, but also poised, fairly rich, but not bogged down or too wide in note structure and they do have just enough shimmer adding just enough of that sprightliness to female voices and instruments. Also, how nice it is to have a planar without showing any signs of planar timbre. Very much like the S15 in that regard. The S08 is a solid set for vocals in general but females seem to stand out a bit. Tracks like “Thank You Aimee” by Taylor Swift have such a delicate and flowery articulation of her voice while still being well able to infuse the sound with some lightly subdued vibrance and buoyancy. Or “Skeletons” by Suzannah. This track has a moody western vibe with her slightly dead panned vocal delivery. Her voice is sweet but solemn, all to engage the listener with the emotion of the song, and the S08 is able to convey this mood driven track quite well. Certainly, better than a dry, distant or analytical style set could convey it. Of course, this isn’t unheard of as many sets can perform such a task. Still, the S08 keeps the mood of this track whilst also authentically replaying the strumming acoustic guitar and drum beats with a tighter transient decay and great initial attack.
Downsides to the Midrange
There aren’t many outright issues that I hear other than the fact that the S08 doesn’t replay certain harmonics to their natural release point. Some of them seem a little bit clipped I suppose. This may or may not be important to you. Also, some instruments could use a hair more vibrance and snap to them. Perhaps a bit more of a bite and crispness. Like I said the mids are more smooth, slightly relaxed and not as immediate in their sense of attack. I think the S08 could use a bit more pointed and acute energy at attack as the midrange may be a hair too relaxed for some folks. Beyond that, the S08 is one of the best in pure timbre from the planars within its price point. There is the Kiwi Ears Melody which also does timbre well and a couple others. Yet for the most part the warm & subtly weighted note body, organic sound and reasonably detailed midrange of the S08 should satisfy many.
Treble Region
The one area that I would most like to see some added emphasis would be the treble region. I find that this region lacks proper bite in attack, and it doesn’t carry that hard vitreous snap and contoured crunch of a solid treble region. Of course, I didn’t expect it to either as that type of emphasis is not what Letshuoer was going for. Also, this isn’t to say that it’s a bad thing, just maybe not my perfect preference at the moment. Which I’m sure will change soon, always does. With that said, I can easily wrap my brain around this wholly inoffensive and sibilance-free sound that coast through my Playlists with a smooth demeanor, good weight, rounded notes, but also good treble extension. There simply isn’t that brilliant and energetic lift in the treble to uplift the rest of the mix, to add that last bit of sparkle, and not enough to really increase resolution to my ears. The highs on the S08 mostly come across as relaxed. Notice a theme yet? Great for chilling and just drowning in music.
Hit the target
That all said, the treble region also plays very well into the signature or target that Letshuoer was shooting for. The S15 is similar in that it too isn’t so lifted in this region. Maybe just a hint more of a treble emphasis on the S15, yet also the S15 comes with better technicalities (separation, details, transients etc.). I use the S15 a lot in this review because there are some slight similarities. FYI. Anyways, the S08 highs do have some air to them. At least the bare minimum so as not to sound congested or overly dull and bland. So no, the treble isn’t emphasized to the moon. There’s no forced resolution, no elevated peaks, and it isn’t sheened-out in treble tizz or splash. This treble exists to help with the overall musicality of this planar earphone and act as a good supporting cast member. That’s it. So, I imagine the tuning falls right in line with the target that Letshuoer was hoping to achieve. Furthermore, many people enjoy such a sound so it’s understandable why Letshuoer went this route.
Not of bad quality
I notice the treble presents instruments very well in a macro sense as they have good body, decent clarity up top and they do have a nice transient decay. Besides that, the S08 isn’t completely devoid of texture and bite. Actually, I find the lower treble to be nicely textured with some treble punch. Like I said the decay is similar to any other planar, in that it’s fairly quick with more exact recovery. Now this decay does strip some harmonics in the region, but I doubt many will even pay attention to that. However, as far as detail retrieval with the treble is concerned, the S08 isn’t bad at all. Even with the less emphasized highs. Overall, the treble on the S08 comes forth a bit smoother and less glass-lined, less precise in its articulation due to less brilliance and slightly fuller in note body. To a degree anyways. I feel that if there was just a bit more emphasis in the presence region and a bit more lift in the air region of the upper treble than the S08 would likely resolve some of those subtleties easier. To be honest, the treble isn’t of bad quality. In a nutshell, you lose out on some of those finer details because of that, among other things of course, but I’ll cover that later.
Broad strokes
I can say this for sure though. The S08 does have speedier fundamental notes, even with the slightly fuller body. It can keep up with most tracks that I use for my treble Playlists. Whether it be Billy Strings rocket fast banjo in “Secrets” (and any other of his tracks), Lindsay Stirling in “Eye of the Untold Her” off her Duality album, “Bishop School” by Yusef Lateef, or if it’s Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in Bach’s Greatest Hits playing “Toccata & Fugue in D Minor”. Whatever it was that I was listening to, the treble does recover each note well and keeps pretty rounded notes too. Again, not a bad treble but just an under emphasis which comes across a hair less sprightly, peppery, and luminant. Some will love it, others will not. That may be a very “broad stroke” way of putting it, but it is probably going to be the case.
Downsides to the Treble Region
The biggest gripe that some will have is what I’ve already spoken of through most of the treble portion of this review. The treble simply isn’t lifted enough. I believe that this will affect not just treble heads. For sure they won’t jive with it. Yet it will also likely affect moderate treble-bois or even those who enjoy a better dynamic balance across the mix. Because of this lack of intensity and energy up top what you are left with is a nice treble that just sounds a hint warmer and not as resolute as it could be. I’m not talking about forcing the resolution either with some drastic lift full of saw blade style peaks. No sir, I’m talking about just a hair more balance with the low-end muscle. More air, more openness, and more room for notes to breathe in a slightly brighter setting. As it is, the treble isn’t bad with nice treble bite, nice treble punch, nice attack through decay speed and attack energy. Not bad at all.
Technicalities
Soundstage
The soundstage to me is how the soundstage on most every in-ear monitor sounds. It’s about average to my ears. Certainly not grand in its size. But also, it isn’t congested either. The width of the sound field is average. Just like the width, the height seems about average as well. Now, one area where planars seem to have the most trouble is in depth of field and the S08 sort-of suffers the same fate. There is most certainly some depth to my ears. I can hear some front to back layering to a small degree on most any track I listen to. But for the most part the depth isn’t great. Is it a flat plane of sound in front of me? Not exactly. Let’s put it this way, it’s about average for a planar. So, while the stage isn’t super colossal or stadium-like, it also isn’t congested or constrained. There is some air to the sound, even with the warmer hue to my music.
Separation / Imaging
Separation of elements within the imaginary stage is not how most planars fare on the S08. It all depends on the track you are listening to but if you have a complicated track with a ton of moving parts… the S08 will likely not sound as though there’s a lot of space between those instruments. There’s some body to notes on this set and that fuller sound isn’t coupled with an ultra-airy presentation. So yes, you get the talented and quick speed of a planar, but you also get slightly less spacing. Again, not at all bad. I’m not saying that. I simply don’t want you to think you are getting some technicality first planar when in fact the S08 is a musically inclined iem first. Imaging follows the same pattern. Just lacking a hint of breathing room. Some tracks will fare much better than others and even some sources will make a pretty large difference. It’s all about the tuning here. I feel that Letshuoer got what they wanted and tuned the S08 in a nice way, but it doesn’t bode really well for all technicalities. Again, probably average in the world of iems but probably not as good against other planar sets. It’s a musical set boys and girls.
Detail Retrieval
As far as details goes, I’ve mostly answered this throughout my review, but I’ll couple all those words together in one paragraph. Basically, the Letshuoer S08 is tuned to be an earthy, organic and more natural sounding planar. This is something that we’ve only seen in a handful of planar sets since the “planar revolution” popped-off. In my opinion, the only planar iems which take on a more natural sound are the S15 from Letshuoer, the S08 that I’m reviewing today, the square planar sets from Celest (are they really planars?… Not really.), the Raptgo Hook-X, Kiwi Ears Melody, and that’s about it. Of course, there are some I haven’t heard so don’t yell at me if I didn’t include one. At any rate, even those tuned to have that organic quality still have some semblance of planar timbre. I find the S08 to be almost completely devoid of any of that. One more thing, I have nothing against planar timbre. At times you can hardly even notice it. The MP145 from Hidizs has a touch of it and that set is phenomenal. So, I’m not here rallying against the sonic artifacts of having a planar driven earphone.
Woopty-Doo
Why am I saying all of this? Because in seeking to tune this set more organic and musical, Letshuoer had to decrease the treble energy, add some earthy & meaty bass, and add in some driver tech that… by all accounts seems to actually work. Still, the S08 isn’t a detail monster. It just isn’t. Nor would I want it to be. Folks, we’ve heard those. We’ve heard amazing details in planars. Woopty-Doo. However, those detail monsters also sound very unnatural, tinny, metallic at times, and simply have that planar timbre that we always talk about. Now these are just my thoughts folks. Anyways, even with the more musical take, thicker note weight, less treble increase and a dialed back presence region… the S08 is still above average in detail retrieval. Maybe for planar sets the S08 isn’t up to snuff. However, in the grand scheme of things the S08 from Letshuoer is still a very talented set which can resolve quite a lot within my music. To be honest, I’ve grown to really enjoy this set for what it is. I don’t want analytically precise. I don’t want tinny. No sir. If I wanted that I’d simply listen to one of my 15 other planars that are collecting dust (besides the Hook-X, MP145, and S15). Friends, the S08 couples together good timbre with some pretty good detail retrieval and I’m okay with it.
Comparisons
Kiwi Ears Melody ($89)
The first comparison I have today is the Kiwi Ears Melody. This is a set that I meant to review, and I wanted to review. However, time didn’t allow me as too many previous obligations kept me from doing so. However, I have used the Melody in a few reviews now. Anyways, the Melody is a very well-tuned iem which houses a single 12mm planar driver made by Kiwi Ears “in-house” which is pretty cool. The Melody is about as “Plain-Jane” as a set can get, nothing flashy about it at all. But it isn’t how the Melody looks that’s nice. It’s all about the sound.
Differences
There is only a $10 difference in price between the two of these planar sets and I find they both represent the under $100 planar space very well. That said, the Melody is a bit bigger in stature while housing a smaller driver. The S08 is also lighter than the Melody which is nice. I do feel that the S08 comes with a better cable as it is modular and pretty nice for an inclusion. Beyond those things, the S08 is a hint harder to drive, not by much. However, the Melody & the S08 are decently easy to drive from most any source so I don’t find this a real “difference” per se. I do feel that the build and design of the S08 is much better than the dull looking Melody. The S08 is all alloy whereas the Melody is made out of 3D printed plastics. Real nice plastic, but plastic, nonetheless.
Sound Differences
To begin, the Melody carries a better balance across the mix leaning somewhere around neutral while the S08 is a hair more bass heavy, less trebly, and a hint warmer. The S08 also has a bit better note weight to go with that warmth. The bass of the S08 is more forward, vibrant, hardier and more concise. Whereas the Melodies’ bass is a hair flabby in comparison, with a wider note presence, flatter structure, more pillowy on attack but both have good density. The midrange of the S08 is closer to the listener, not as recessed and V-shaped as the Melody. Now, neither set is a resolution master, and both lean in on their note weight and musicality and they both have an organic and more natural timbre. However, the S08 does provide details a hair easier and its transients are better, tighter, more exact. Again, neither set is a detail master (keep that in mind). The treble of the Melody has more of an emphasis and contrasts the bass region very well balancing the mix a bit better. It has better extension into the upper treble too. I find the stage to be wider on the Melody while the S08 sounds taller and slightly deeper too. Between the two I’d say the S08 succeeds at bringing a more robust and clean sound. However, both iems really do timbre nicely and neither comes across as having planar timbre. Not to my ears anyways.
Final thoughts on this comparison
This is a hard comparison for me as I love these two sets. I really do. I love that they both have the speed and agility of a planar iem, but they try to mimic the timbre and tonality of a dynamic driver. Both of them do extremely well against most any set within their price point. However, for me, I do find the S08 to be more refined, more dynamic even though it has a warmer tilt and slightly better technically besides the stage size. Both are great and both deserve more attention than they’ve gotten.
Letshuoer S12 Pro (MSRP $169, now found at $135)
Oh, the Letshuoer S12 Pro (S12 Pro Review). I have so many great things to say about this set. It was the first best planar I heard. Better than the 7hz Timeless at the time of its release in my opinion. Better than its predecessor the Letshuoer S12 too. All are fantastic iems, but the S12 Pro simply outplayed them both in my eyes. The S12 Pro carries a massive custom made 14.8mm planar driver which sits inside of an all-aluminum housing. This set is absolutely gorgeous. That Royal Blue colorway with the shiny silver aluminum trim is one of the classiest and uniquely simple designs I’ve ever seen and still is one of the prettiest, er… tough, looking sets in the market. It’s a dope look. Anyways, the S12 Pro went on to reach Audioverse stardom making many thousands of people very happy with their purchase.
Differences
To begin, both sets are not huge. Medium in size, but the S08 is in what appears to be a pill shape, while the S12 Pro is whatever shape the S12 Pro is? I don’t know. To add to that, the S12 Pro fits my ears better, possibly a bit more ergonomic than the S08. It’s close because I can always get a good seal with both, but the S12 Pro does hug my ears better. Anyways, the S12 Pro and the S08 have a nice set of accessories as well as very nice cables. I do find the S12 Pro’s modular cable to be a hair better (for me) but they are both great included modular cables that don’t need swapped out. So Letshuoer packaged them both very nicely with a good case, good tips, and good modular cables. Both are all alloy, both built like champs, both are sweet to look at. However, again, I find the S12 Pro to be a better looking iem. I like them both quite a lot, but the S12 Pro is simply on another level in the design arena. The S08 is the tiniest of hairs harder to bring to volume but both are sensitive enough planar sets. Just a few volume clicks equal the two sound levels. Of course, the S12 Pro is also about $35 more expensive, so take that into consideration.
Sound Differences
I find the S08 to be a warmer iem with less vibrancy then the neutral/bright replay of the S12 Pro. The S08 doesn’t have the resolution of the S12 Pro and the clinical style detail retrieval of the S12 Pro. The S12 Pro has larger and more expressive macro-dynamics and dynamism to the less energetic and less offensive S08. That said, the S08 is also the more organic and realistic sounding set with less of a planar timbre at times. Not that that’s a bad thing or a good thing. Still the S08 has the more earthy and weighted sound. Which brings me to note weight and density. The S08 definitely has more note density and note body in general.
Between the 20’s compared
Now, looking at the low-end, the S08 has slightly more impact and slam, more of a crisp impact than the denser S08. Both have good extension down low in the sub-bass. Neither are pillowy and both have high quality bass. The S12 Pro is probably having a better-defined bass region then the S08 as well. The midrange of the S08 is heftier, a titch warmer, and more analog to the cleaner, more vivacious and better clarity if the S12 Pro’s midrange. I find the S12 Pro to have more shimmer, vibrance and sparkles than the S08. However, with that the S12 Pro also has more metallic timbre next to the S08’s lush and rich and earthy sound with no planar sounding timbre. Listening to both treble regions the S12 Pro certainly has the greater emphasis, much more brilliance, treble crispness, separation and treble bite. The S12 Pro has more of a contoured and extended treble. It’s just brighter. The S08 in the other hand has better note body in this area, less sibilance, and the S08 doesn’t fatigue the listener like the S12 Pro can. The S12 Pro’s treble simply colors the rest of the mix a bit more. Technically the S12 Pro wins out almost across the board, better detail retrieval, separation, Imaging is better, wider stage too. But the S08 does seem to have that better depth to it. Both are great at what they were tuned to be.
Final thoughts on this comparison
I really thought I was going to hear another S12 lineage with the S08, but really the S08 seem from the S15’s family tree. I gotta tell you guys, I love both of these sets and listen to them both quite a lot. They both offer me two different ways to listen to planar iems. One (S12 Pro) is more clinical and cleaner while the other (S08) is warm and natural with better musicality. This is a preference battle folks. Meaning, you’ll know right away which you’d prefer just by their sound signature and tonal differences. Whatever you like will be an easy choice for you. Both are fantastic and no… I don’t feel the S08 is an S12 Pro upgrade. If anything, it is a different side grade option that is also a very good sounding set. In fact, those who prefer musicality and emotion more than details, dynamism and vibrance will likely love the S08. Again, both are great at what they were tuned to be.
Is it worth the asking price?
Okay, now it is my turn to answer if the S08 from Letshuoer is even worth the $99 that Letshuoer is asking for it. I have to imagine that anyone who detest earthy and musical sound and who adores more of an electric and clean sound has already stopped reading. So, the only people still here are me and those who love some good ole’ musicality. For us, the S08 is a no brainer folks. I’m not even going to beat around the bush. Letshuoer could’ve asked for more for this set. In fact, they probably should have. $99 is a steal if you enjoy what I’ve described so far in this review.
The Why?
Because the S08 is built with quality in mind. The all-alloy shell is obviously durable and strong. No accidently crushing this under your foot, none of that as the S08 will hold up. Next, the S08 is a dope looking set. Whether you get the silver or black model, they’re both super cool looking. A unique design that is great for smaller ears. The S08 is also well accessorized with a great modular cable as well. Yet as always, it’s the sound that gives this planar iem the “no-brainer” distinction. The bass is dense, deep, and can hit a low drone as well as provide some great impact and a solid thud when needed. Yet it’s also a fast bass which doesn’t get tripped up very easily. The midrange has awesome note body for a planar with toned down vibrancy but wonderful timbre. This is a set that celebrates musicality first and does so in an organic and natural way without the usual planar timbre. Lastly, the S08 will not offer offense to anyone’s ears. It’s simply a great listen full of emotional inflections and bodied sound. This is a good set. I really mean this folks, the S08 is a solid option for anyone looking for a planar, or any other driver type iem under $99. It’s a good set against most any iem if the tuning agrees with you.
Ratings (0-10)
Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Letshuoer S08 ratings below, that would be $75-$125 planar driver iems. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $75-$125 US planar iems is a small sized scope of iems, and so it isn’t difficult for a set to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.
Aesthetic
–Build Quality: 9.5 Built well, all alloy, very nice.
–Look: 9.0 Aesthetically pleasing design.
–Fit/Comfort: 8.7 Not bad at all.
–Accessories: 9.2 Great modular cable.
–Overall: 9.1🔥🔥
Sound Rating
–Timbre: 9.8 Organic, natural, robust.
–Bass: 9.7 Big, deep, authoritative, clean, defined.
–Midrange: 9.3 Musical, no odd timbre.
–Treble: 8.5 Less emphasized but still nice.
–Technicalities: 7.9 Decent, musicality over technical stuff.
–Musicality: 9.0 Nicely musical.
–Overall: 9.0🔥🔥🔥
Ratings Summary:
To summarize the ratings above I should reiterate that these ratings are garnered against planar iems between the prices of $75 and $125 US. There’s a decent size scope of planars in this range but not nearly as many as one would think. The smaller sized pool of iems does provide some larger ratings. However, I feel that if I was a consumer, and the S08 was a possibility to purchase, and what I wanted was a planar iem, then I’d want to get a judgment against similarly priced iems. So, $75 to $125 made sense to me. Maybe not the best range but oh well. This gives you a $50 window to purchase a planar set. At any rate, I felt that made sense.
Take that back…
Actually, I take that back, ratings don’t make much sense to me at all. Ya know, I try to conduct these ratings in a meaningful and helpful way. I don’t just give blanket ratings against the entire field of iems within the Audioverse. That wouldn’t make sense. After all, this isn’t for me, it’s for you. It’s for those of you who are trying to find out if the set I’m reviewing is worth it against similar “other” sets. Thankfully after reviewing for so long, I’ve accumulated a ton of iems to compare against and I feel very fortunate and blessed for that. However, ratings don’t ever tell the whole story. A Rating can be extremely deceptive as most iems should only be graded as a whole. When you rate in individual parts or aspects of the sound than what you get is a skewed overall look at something that was tuned in a particular way for a particular sound signature. I get DMs quite a lot from folks who are only going off of the ratings and want answers for them. So please, from here on out, take these with a grain of salt folks.
Explain Yourself!
The first and only rating that I feel some would have issues with is the “Treble” rating if “8.5”. That’s a fairly high rating for a treble that is described to be less intense, not for treble heads and not as detailed or clean as other planars. I get it. However, in my mind, the S08 does have a good treble, it’s just under emphasized. The treble has great note body and structure along with good bite and attack. It’s a solid treble folks. That said, I wouldn’t argue with anyone over it. This set is pulled so far in one direction that I understand anyone taking issue with it. Maybe the “Midrange” rating too. I gave the S08 a rating of “9.3” which is actually pretty darn high. So why? Because the mids have that creamy and textured sound. They have weight to them, they’re moist, and the midrange is not far recessed but instead pretty great for vocals. Just in an under toned and less vibrant manner. I’m sure I will hear other issues but the S08 is a nice set folks and it’s “9.0” overall rating is worthy of it. Nice work Letshuoer!
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review of the Letshuoer S08, I have to first thank the wonderful and helpful people over at Letshuoer for sending me this unit in exchange for a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. Thank you so very much! Letshuoer is awesome as they never bother me with asking to change words, skew my words, offer to pay me, or pre-read any review. If they did then that’d be the last time I review for them. No way, this company is solid, and they stand behind their products. They offer up review units and let the chips fall where they may. This takes a strong belief in your product to leave impressions at the hands of a subjective reviewer. This review was a good one for the S08, but it wasn’t glowing. There are issues, there are things I’d like to see changed. However, it is a very good set and I’ve had a blast reviewing and spending time with them. So, kudos to Letshuoer and kudos to you for reading this far. I truly hope it helps you as that is my greatest hope. Anytime one of you messages me to tell me that they love a set that I personally recc’d… it just makes my day. Truly! Thank you for clicking the link and spending time here. Thank you! You doing so is what keeps us going and it also happens to be what feeds the Google algorithm.
Other perspectives
Now that you’ve read this review, go and read someone else’s review of the Letshuoer S08. I’m just one-man folks. One man, with one mind, and one set of ideals and preferences. This hobby is thee single most subjectively judged hobby in the world. Name another one. I don’t know, possibly wine tasting but that’s about it. This hobby is ridiculously subjective, and one man’s treasure will be another man’s garbage and vice-versa, this I promise you. There will be those who think I’ve lost my mind and I’m okay with that. It’s just what the hobby is. This hobby deals in likes and dislikes and incremental and subtle aspects of the sound can completely change the view that someone has of that sound. I implore you all to remember that. Please. So, check out other reviews, read em, watch em, or listen to em. With that said I am definitely done. I’ve had a great time with the S08 and now I’m ready to simply casually listen to my music with them. Before I go, I want to state that I do personally recommend this set for anyone seeking this signature in a planar form. Take good care, stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!
