The OG Letshuoer s12 gathered lot of interest and those were valid, however the brand needed a pro update so we got it to check the comparison in Letshuoer s12 vs s12pro
Letshuoer s12 vs s12pro
First of all, S12 has more body and that body is controlled so bass guitar doesn’t bloat in live smooth jazz. But s12 had better layering in that genre with punchier basses. And that bass is punchy in other genres. The background is very dark gray in s12 pro, not black like a Final e line. s12’s background is darker. Yes, it wouldn’t change much, but this is live smooth jazz. Performed at night time under a poorly lit ceiling, the stuffed in audience with ordinary clothing watched while sitting on wooden chairs around alcohol smelling wooden tables and smell of tobacco in the air. Only a hint of warmth is needed. S12 suited that background, but S12 Pro isn’t a man of poor lighting. Rounded square basses in modern funk and other genres that have punchy rhythmic basses in s12 pro but less low end in s12 mean more room for anything else. However, you must accept the lower resolutions in S12. Extensions are fast in both, as we are used to with other planar iems. And wow! That rumbling, eyebrow-raising bass in dubstep was never possible with s12 before, although it already had some low end power. But s12pro is a beast compared to it. s12 is heading home with the shame of its incapacity to produce enough low end in genres that are needed.
As the result of bass power, upper mids are thin in s12 pro but not in s12. You know, you have to give to take. You give up body in upper mids and stock all to low end, resulting in wonderful electronic genres with s12 pro but great s12 in general. Layering is trying to make up for it. However, the S12 Pro is let down by the lack of a full spectrum of mid-segment options. I would have expected forwarder mids and a more natural treble from, say, a trumpet. BUT, in terms of instrument separation, layering, and soundstage, the new S12 outperforms the old S12. However, is it worth ditching the good old s12 (which won the contest with flying colors among 3 planar iems we performed some months ago)? We will answer in the last paragraph below.
Treble is another area where planar drivers come into play. Even though the thin upper mids in s12 pro, cymbals aren’t splashy with the pro update. And this a good sign in it’s favor. Timbre is very successful here, you can differentiate between stringed treble or percussion treble or keyboard treble to the point of %85, %90 in s12. And, because bass punch has a controlled bleeding into treble-heavy genres, you’re not alone in experiencing ear-hurting fatigue caused by trebles in S12 Pro. Its father s12 has less bass power but still the treble has managed not be so tiring.
Balanced__
s12 is pretty good in balanced cable usage. The energy in live smooth jazz is calculated, as is the bass. Has great layering and 3d imaging. That measured low end isn’t causing tremors in electronic genres, but it is keeping the layering intact so you can keep a good grip on the track. s12 is the laid back one in this balanced listening session, only to be fueled up with the power of the dap and turn into a thin beast compared to its son s12pro.
Layering is more consistent in s12 pro balanced with bass punches that are so controlled and rounded (corners). s12’s were not that tasty.
With the balanced out under control and the S12pro’s generally forward tuning, tiring is out of the question, and bass punch is weakened, allowing the layers beneath the main to shine. This is a significant improvement over previous listening sessions. The live smooth jazz performance reached out to what must have been. Scoring good enough – if not perfect – scores and it should be enough to get the most bang for the buck. You aren’t listening to a planar form of Moondrop Variations after all, punk.
Letshuoer s12 vs Letshuoer s12pro Balanced
Verdict
They always say balanced cables improve the sound you hear. Well, it is the plugs actually and they do. If they do nothing, the least they can do is smooth out the spikes and fill in the ramps on any frequency graph, making the reviewer regret what they said.
Long story short, s12pro is for general music listening if only used in balanced mode, but s12 doesn’t need that costly upgrade and will be good no matter what is thrown at it.
Letshuoer s12 vs Letshuoer s12 Pro Verdict
It has been remarked on many different occasions that younger is better. But what if the younger one has already taken the flag from its father, despite the fact that doing so isn’t strictly required? Although it sounded ripe in comparison to S12 Pro in some critical listening extensions, we absolutely adored the S12 when it was at the height of its popularity due to its not-quite-as-powerful punchy basses that were, however, bassy and energizing for the planar field. Young has to learn manners 😉 We will check its in 4.4 balanced listening with Dunu Amber.