Introduction
Letshuoer is a company that has proven their consistency with their sound that provides a great technical IEM with a bold, industrious design that captivates audiophiles around the globe. With mid range releases such as the D13, S12, Galileo and all the way up to the flagship Cadenza, they are praised for their amazing sound quality that showcases their talent in this industry. Letshuoer is back and they are back with a bang with an all new configuration of a never seen before triple dynamic driver with a passive radiator all in a very approachable price of 89 USD and they have kindly sent us a pair of the new DZ4 in return for an honest review. How will this new configuration perform? We shall find out here.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Letshuoer DZ4;
- Driver: 3 x Titanium coated 6mm dynamic driver + 1 passive radiator
- Crossover : Four-way acoustic tubes, two-way crossover circuit with a flexible printed circuit (FPC) crossover
- Housing : CNC milled anodized aluminium faceplate with 3D printed matte resin body by HeyGear
- Impedance: 12 Ohms
- Cable: High purity 4 core silver plated OCC Cable
- Sensitivity: 104dB
- Connector: 3.5mm stereo plug, 0.78mm standard 2 pin
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 40KHz
Retail Price & Where to Get
The Letshuoer DZ4 can be purchased at Letshuoer Official site https://letshuoer.net/
Packaging & Accessories
The DZ4 is packaged pleasantly clean with a textured white box that is jammed packed with all the accessories inside. They include a very nice matte round case, 6 pairs of eartips (vocals and balanced), a cable, some paperworks and the IEM itself. They are quite neatly packaged with a premium feel to them and very worth the asking price of the DZ4.
Design
The design here is unique to say the least even with the normal IEM style body, they are attractively designed with an orange Z vent at the aluminium faceplate along with a rarely seen matte beige body that is a joint effort with HeyGear, the leading 3D-printing supplier and they are very comfortable to wear without any pressure build up or driver flex. They are a semi open IEM that have air ventilating at the back, thus they are not great in their sound isolation but in return, users will get a more spacious, airy sound on this design.
Inside of the DZ4 is a never seen before setup of 3 6mm titanium coated dynamic driver along with a passive radiator to complement the pressure of the dynamic driver to provide extra air into the sound. The passive radiator is usually found in a compact hifi speaker setup that utilises the radiator to provide a sufficient air movement to excite a resonance that makes it easier for the speaker system to create the deepest pitches. Pretty ambitious and industrious setup packed into a small IEM.
The nozzle on the front has 3 tubes with Knowles acoustic damping material to further tune the sound.
Cable included is a 4 core OCC with 216 strands of wires at 0.05mm each that is silver plated similar to the S12 cable but they are slightly thinner and more pliable. They have a clean, clear sound with a neutral signature even when used on my other IEM.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO M17
FiiO BTR7
Questyle M15
Hiby FC6
Hidizs S9 Pro
Dunu EST112
Unique Melody 3DT
Moondrop A8
Tangzu WuZeTian Heyday
Ucotech RE2
Intime Sho DD
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The DZ4 is a very well tuned neutral to flat response that has great air all around and they lean towards a brighter side of the sound spectrum. They have amazing detail retrieval capabilities along with great clarity in all of the frequencies and they sound quite musically clinical. They do have a slight hint of warmth in their signature and don’t sound cold. Their overall flat sound does not have any colouration which makes music sound accurate and natural but in return, they do lack a fun, aggressive sound as the DZ4 is tuned towards a more technical focused sound.
Soundstage
Soundstage of DZ4 is good with their asking price and they are spacious and airy with a great extension in both ends of the spectrum. They are wider than taller in their soundstage but still able to provide an accurate 3D representation of sound that is holographic. They are suitable for all kinds of usage, be it gaming, movies or music, they are suitable.
Separation and Timbre
As being a triple dynamic driver doing the job, separation isn’t their forte but they are actually quite coherent without any major cohesion problem and the 3 dynamic driver works in tandem along with the passive radiator. Timbre is good with a fast attack pace with a slow decay at the end giving a lively performance with a great extension. They are natural and accurate with a flat and breathy timbre that is quite enjoyable.
Drivability
Rated at 12 ohms at a 104 db sensitivity, the DZ4 may seem to be driven easily, but they sure do need ample lower along with a good source to shine to their fullest. A basic dongle might not do justice to the DZ4 as their dynamics are a little suppressed along with an average resolution and the amount of volume might just be enough at maximum volume and needless to say, a more powerful dongle or digital audio player, the DZ4 will perform to their fullest. They are actually quite a forgiving IEM as they do not really show the flaws in music and do not pick up noise in the background but the DZ4 do perform better on high bitrates music files with better clarity and depth.
The Bass
One might think that with a triple dynamic driver doing the job, the bass should be an authoritative, meaty, strong bass response but instead we are treated to a neutral tone bass that has a flat response that has amazing clarity and details with zero bleed. They have a true to sound bass that is natural and accurate with an adequately tight slam of bass with a minimal mid-bass lift and that might steer off bass heads as the bass quantity along with a big energetic response is not the main agenda here. Bass extends very well and the bass has good air along with a very well extended, textured bass that is clean and clear. Sub-bass presence is good with a very well extended response that possesses a great rumble when called upon. Overall, a purist type of bass that is clean, clear and natural sounding along with a great sub-bass presence.
The Mids
Midrange present on the DZ4 is a slightly bright mids with a flat response that possesses great clarity along with a good macro detail but their micro details are quite average. They have a good balanced sound that have no coloration present and they are able to provide a natural representation of music but on the other hand, for users that might long for a thicker, coloured sound for a more fun signature might find this pure midrange a little too flat, so it’s just down to user’s preference.Transparency is great and they have no veil present in any type of situation thrown without veiling or masking present. Resolution here is average as they might struggle in the depth of certain music, mainly on lower bitrates files. Vocals and instruments sounded open, spacious with a lushness to them and they are very capable in handling all types of genres pretty well with them sounding clean and clear with a hint of sweet brilliance. Overall, the midrange is an amazing technical performer as they are accurate, natural and clear in their whole frequency but do lack some thickness for a more fun sound preference.
The Highs
The high range here is surprisingly good for a dynamic driver as they inhibit balanced armature traits of being a clean, resolving and highly detailed high range. They have a slightly forward, neutral flat tone that has great extension and possess a slow roll off, churning out a well extended presentation that is very pleasing. They have a decent sparkle along with good crisp sound that has some energy in it giving music a little more zest. They are in no way harsh, peaky or shouty, instead they manage to sound smooth even in rough, sibilant prone tracks and they incur no fatigue even for an extended period of listening. Treble here has a mild intensity to them but they are indeed breathy and lively. Treble sensitive users might find them borderlining an intense side, but I do think they are smooth and inoffensive for most users out there. Overall, the high range here really hits the spot for me as they are highly detailed with good sparkle and crispness with adequate amount of air present.
Comparisons
VS Unique Melody 3DT
Touted as one if the best price to performance ratio IEM by UM, the 3DT is a triple dynamic driver IEM encased in stabilised wood casing that cost 3 times the asking price of the DZ4 and to my ears, they do have a similar sound for their triple DD producing the sound with the 3DT sounding a little more forward.
The High region on the 3DT has a slightly bigger amount of treble with a livelier sound. The DZ4 has a cleaner presentation along with smoother, crisper response. Details and clarity here are on par with each other but the 3DT has a better extension.
Midrange on the 3DT is more forward tuned with a slightly thicker sound and they are more fun to listen to. DZ4 mids sounded slightly more accurate and natural. Details and clarity on the 3DT has the edge but the DZ4 mids sounded more spacious.
Bass on both of these units are very similar in amount and quantity which is surprising given their price difference. Bass slam is tighter on the 3DT and they are slightly better textured along with better details. Sub-bass extension on the DZ4 is a tad bit deeper.
Soundstage on both has similar width and height but airiness on DZ4 is better.
Though the 3DT has a livelier and more refined sound, the DZ4 manages to compete with the 3DT in terms of their airiness and accuracy showcasing their value in their price range.
VS Ucotech RE2
The RE2 is a rare pair of earphones from Ucotech Korea and they are equipped with a single carbon nanotube dynamic driver encased inside a brass shell. They have a similar price point but both have their own sound signature where the RE2 tuned more towards a bright neutral sound versus the flat neutral sound of the DZ4
Bass on the RE2 is sharper, tighter and has a more forward approach. Details on the RE2 bass are better and clarity on both these units are similar. Sub-bass extension is better on the DZ4
Midrange on the RE2 is mildly thicker along with a more intimate presentation. Details and clarity is similar but the DZ4 midrange has a more spacious sound. Vocals on the RE2 have a more lush sound while the DZ4 has a more natural sound.
High on the DZ4 has better extension with an airier presentation while the RE2 has a slightly more energetic presentation. Details and clarity are similar. DZ4 highs are smoother overall and the RE2 highs are more fun.
Soundstage in the DZ4 is wider but height is better on the RE2 and the RE2 has a slightly bigger headroom.
Synergy
FiiO M17
The pocket desktop DAP of FiiO, the M17 and they are packed with desktop level driving power along with all the current high end features. It is a source that boasts a powerful output along with a decent sound for their price and it is great to show the scalability of a product.
The M17 is to give a cleaner, clearer bass response with an increase in their clarity and details. Impact has tightened up and possesses a little more energy making them more enjoyable. Sub-bass seems a little deeper with a clearer rumble.
Midrange in the DZ4 thickness remains the same but they do have better resolving capabilities and the midrange have a better depth. Vocals sounded more lush and sweeter with an improved separation.
High range is smoother especially in their higher end and sounds more natural. Airiness is much more present and they have more resolution. The highs also seem to sparkle a little sharper and have a more energetic presentation.
Soundstage has improved with an improved height and a slight increase in headroom.
Overall, the DZ4 really improved with more power and a good source of music. Their scalability is rather huge as this pairing does make the DZ4 sounds better by a good margin.
Hiby FC6
The latest offering from Hiby China, the FC6 dongle that is their flagship offering in their dongle segment. They are equipped with a R2R ladder DAC aptly named Darwin in a little lighter sized body and they have a very organic sound that is slightly warm.
Bass has a stronger impact with an elastic response that makes music have better depth and a slam that is more fun. Details and clarity remain mostly the same as well as the resolution but they do have more body in the overall bass presentation.
Midrange sounded thicker and lusher with more emotions being conveyed in vocals. The mids sounded a little warmer and is slightly pushed forward a little making them more intimate than usual. Resolution is improved but details and clarity is the same.
Highs are smoother and not as strong as usual making them way more suitable for treble sensitive users. Details and clarity is the same but their energy and treble has been tamed down slightly. Airiness and extension is improved mildly.
Soundstage has a better height but only in a small margin along with a same sized headroom.
Who Is It For?
For those who want a pure, clean, accurate sound of in-ears that are technically great in their overall performance that is quite reachable in terms of their price? The Letshuoer cDZ4 might be for you. For bass lovers or bassheads, the DZ4 might fall short as they are quite lean in this region but great for one who loves an accurate bass presentation. Their treble is crisp and lovely but a little strong for extreme treble sensitive users. They are a pure sounding IEM that have a flat sound that is quite suitable for monitoring but not that great for a fun listening as they do lack some bite and energy in their sound. Isolation isn’t their strong suit as they are a semi open back IEM, so users might want to take note.
Final words
Letshuoer has again shown their consistency in producing capable products that have a high degree of technicalities in this release of the DZ4 and I do find them perform above their asking price. They are a unique configuration of drivers that implements a rather new type of passive radiator into an IEM form to give us a taste of new technology and they actually did give an improvement in terms of airiness and extension. Though they have a flat sounding tone that might be too lean for some, they are able to reproduce music in their purest form for purists out there to indulge. Treat the DZ4 with a higher quality source and you will be amazed at what they are capable of. Great job as usual Letshuoer for this innovative product!
I would rate this product a solid 4 and half stars over 5 stars.
- Great price vs performance
- Great, solid build quality
- Beautifully designed cable
- Above average technicalities
- Flat, neutral accurate sound
- Great overall airiness
- Crisp highs with good extension
- Sub-bass extension
- Superb clarity
- Spacious midrange
- Good soundstage width and depth
- Pure uncoloured sound
- Smooth overall sound
- May be too lean or lack energy
- Average micro detail retrieval
- Isolation is not good
- Bass lacks authority
- Short soundstage
- Lack excitement
- Midrange a little thin
- Mediocre resolution
- Need good pairing and source to shine
