LETSHUOER DZ4 REVIEW

>>I am brazilian and I speak portuguese, so forgive my english, I’ll use translator tools to help<<

INTRO:

After reviewing the famous S12 and the excellent D13 (the IEM I liked the most in 2022), the Letshuoer brings us with another IEM, the Letshuoer DZ4. The IEM features the implementation of 3 dynamic drivers and 1 passive radiator.

The Passive Radiator is nothing more than a kind of dynamic driver but without the coil part, that is, it’s basically just a diaphragm. The operation of the passive radiator is made through the mass of air displaced by the back of the other drivers (dynamic drivers). So, in summary, a dynamic driver is an active driver, as it receives the electrical signal, and the passive radiator, as its name already says, has a passive operation, it needs the work performed by other drivers to function.

Previous reviews: S12, DT02, D13 (only in portuguese)
Price: $89 USD
Colors: Beige

Letshuoer store:

https://amzn.to/3QmDzUV

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DmCpRGP

SPECIFICATIONS:

4 Drivers config:
– (3) 6mm titanium dome Dynamic Driver (DD) per side
– (1) 6mm Passive Radiator (PR) per side
– Four-way Acoustic Tubes, Two-way Crossover Circuit
– Semi open design
– Frequency: 20Hz – 40kHz
– Sensitivity: 104dB
– Impedance: 12Ω @1kHz
– Distortion: ≤3% (@1kHz)
– Plug: 3.5mm (straight design) 
– Connectors: 2 pin 0.78mm
– Cable: Four cores of 216-strands silver plated copper
– Cable size: 1.2m (detachable)
– Shell: Aluminum And 3D resin.
– IEM weight: 5.3g (one side)
– Cable weight: 20g
– Total weight (iems, packaging, etc): 264g
– Packaging size: 15.7cm [H] × 10.5cm [W] × 5cm [D]

PHYSICAL ASPECTS:

I need to mention that Letshuoer has been making very interesting products in a more general context, that is, not only the sound part, but also the other characteristics of a product (accessories, fit, comfort, etc). I think that a IEM is not only the sound, the other parts also influence to the product becomes something solid for the consumer. The more accessible the price is, and the higher the quality of the product, the winners are us, isn’t it true? And that’s what Letshuoer has been doing, they are delivering quality at non-exorbitant prices.

Eartips. Well, here we have a kit of two types of silicone eartips, in sizes S/M/L. Pay attention that there’s a story coming now. So, I agree that the eartip kit isn’t bad, however, this is the second time I had a problem with these stock eartips that Letshuoer put in, the first time was with the D13.

Continuing, what happened was that I tested both types included and neither gave me the sound that I understood as the sound of the IEM should be. I had already looked at the frequency response (FR) graph and noticed that it had good activity in the bass region, just as I had also heard from some friends that this was a bass earphone… but when I went to test, where were all these bass?? So, the eartips were not giving me the necessary seal. Of course, this is subjective, another person may understand that the sound of the IEM with the stock eartips is “normal”. Only, I tested the DZ4 with a pair of SpinFit CP100 and then the sound arrived where I understood to be “normal”.

-The review was made with the SpinFit CP100 eartips in size M.

Not using the eartips provided by the company isn’t necessarily a demerit of the product, because in my understanding the supplied kit was ok, not the best possible, but ok. This is a subjective issue, I didn’t get along with these eartips, and this is the second time this has happened with the same eartips. Anyway, patience, that’s why having eartips from other companies available is always good. It also appeals to companies to pay more attention to this small detail that can make a big difference.

Cable. It starts off that aesthetically it’s a very beautiful cable, and it reminds me a lot of the S12 cable, only the S12 cable I found a bit heavier and stiffer than this one, so, the DZ4 cable I found to be light and malleable, easy to handle. On the positive side we have: it doesn’t take ‘memory’ (undulation), it’s easy to roll up to store, and it didn’t present microphony (only the trivial of all cables). On the not so positive points, I confess that it tangled a few times, but honestly this goes a lot with the moment of rolling up the cable. The cable comes with the chin slider, and the piece works 100% for what it is intended. I really liked this cable, as I said in the first paragraph, the quality of the product for the price is something very good for the consumer. I would say that in a general context I only had one detail with this cable, which I will report in the next paragraph.

Earhooks and Connectors. So, I found that the curvature of the earhooks came very curved, forming a narrow angle, and perhaps for those who have a large ear it may generate a pressure point. The tip is to try to open this angle a little more or indeed come to change the cable if necessary. I confess that when I started using the IEM I had a small pressure point on my ear, but over time I think the plastic became softer and this issue disappeared. Now about the connectors. 2-pin type connectors for me is always the best option, and here in the DZ4 the connectors are great, easy to remove and put, no problems. The indication of the right side to fit is by the colors: red side is the right side, and the transparent side is the left side.

Fit. As always, this is a very subjective part, but I found that the fit of the IEM was a very positive point. For my ears, the fit was excellent. The stability was 100%. This is really an IEM with IEM design. Letshuoer sought to make the shell of the IEM with HeyGears, same 3D printing company that made Truthear Hexa. The quality of printing is impressive, the IEM looks like it was made in ceramics. The isolation I found very good, and the insertion in I found average.

In terms of comfort, it was another very positive point, the DZ4 is a light and very well finished IEM, it has a very comfortable touch when in contact with the ear. It has no strange parts, all body is very well rounded. I had no pressure points with shells, the IEM fit perfectly in my shells. I spent a few hours without taking the IEM out of my ear and had no discomfort at all, so I think DZ4 is a great IEM for long sessions. I think DZ4 is a medium-sized IEM, neither too small nor too big. Those who have a very small ear, maybe DZ4 will be on the limit, because it has a vertical fit. It’s almost the same size as the FiiO FH3, but FH3 is still a little smaller.

Of included accessories, besides those already mentioned in the paragraphs above, DZ4 came with an excellent carrying case. At first – before the product arrived – I thought it would be a metal case, but no, it’s made of plastic with a very soft touch, it looks like a rubberized with soft texture, it’s something very different, but for the positive side. I suspect it’s an object made by 3D printing, I just don’t know if it was produced by HeyGears too. Perhaps the only point to be criticized is for having a screw thread closure, and then it takes away some of the practicality when removing the IEM from inside. But apart from that, I found the carrying case of great quality, one of the best cases I’ve ever tested, and especially among IEMs in this price range.

SOUND ASPECTS:

The sound of the Letshuoer DZ4 I understood as an IEM that follows the line of the Harman Target (compensation curve of the Harman International group). Very true, each company makes a variation of this curve and applies it to their IEMs, and here in the DZ4 I understood that there were also its modifications. I expected the DZ4 to be an IEM with a lot of bass and inclined to fun sound, however, my conception changed after I started listening to the IEM. The Harman Target has this proposal of fun and that plays the most popular genres, but here in the DZ4 the modifications that Letshuoer made ended up changing a little the original proposal of the curve (in my opinion).

The amount of bass in the DZ4. For me, the bass level was moderate. So, here it really was a surprise, I thought that because the IEM has 3 dynamic drivers and more 1 passive radiator, that the bass would be at least from moderate to high, however, they aren’t (in my opinion). And even though I made the modifications mentioned in the eartips paragraph, the sound in my understanding continues to be moderate. In terms of sub-bass and mid-bass, I found that the DZ4 presented a little more sub-bass than mid-bass, but the difference isn’t so big, on some occasions the two regions present themselves as “linear”. Still, what you hear most often is the sub-bass. I didn’t feel any roll-off, and the extension is good.

Honestly, I think the DZ4 wouldn’t be an IEM I would recommend for lovers of more prominent bass. I think a Truthear Hexa, or a FiiO JD7 presented more bass than the DZ4, or even the QoA Vesper2 as well, although the Vesper’s bass has a different proposal than the other IEMs mentioned before. If you can go up a notch in terms of price, then we have the excellent Letshuoer D13 with great bass.

In qualitative aspects, the bass here is controlled, versatile, clean, subtle, “lean, but not dry”. The definition is good, the impact is ok, the physicality is normal (neither too much nor too little), it presents few texture. I believe it was an IEM tuned with bass to accompany the presentation, instead of being its highlight. They aren’t boomy bass, they aren’t bloated bass, and they don’t invade the mids. In some situations the bass may sound leaning towards to the “muffled”, but this is known to be a characteristic of IEMs with more sub-bass than mid-bass. Reading this paragraph may give the impression that the DZ4’s bass isn’t good, but it’s not quite like that, my perspective is of IEMs with more bass, and then I enjoy having more impact, more physicality, etc. Perhaps for those looking for IEMs with more moderate bass, the DZ4 certainly enters in the list. The positive point is that even being moderate, it can play genres like EDM, POP, Hip-Hop, etc., that is, genres that go well when the IEM delivers present sub-bass.

The mids. Here I think is the region of greatest emphasis in this IEM, especially the region of the upper-mids. In quantitative terms, we have a more forward pinna gain, but without sounding aggressive, nothing goes beyond the point, just as nothing stays back. Now in qualitative terms, I confess that I felt something different here… as much as this region has good clarity and makes the presentation come alive, I also found that it lacked a last drop in transparency and resolution, it leaves a feeling that it’s missing a last touch of air for the region to reach maximum performance. Probably an ordinary person won’t feel what I reported, it’s necessary to make a comparison with another IEM that sounds exactly with this extra characteristic that I mentioned, and on the occasion I used the FiiO JD7 as the other comparison IEM. I confess that not even I could imagine something different to the DZ4 if I hadn’t already heard the other IEM. And in the end the difference is very small.

Voices. Female/high voices came out on top in the battle against male/low voices. With a more forward pinna gain, colder voices end up receiving more emphasis, on the other hand, warmer voices were without much texture, leaner, so that’s why I think the DZ4 can extract more potential from mezzo-soprano and soprano voices.

Getting to the amount of treble. The treble of the DZ4 I also see as moderate. The interesting thing is that in some situations the treble takes a step back, but in others they appear normally. It’s more or less like this, if you have a song from a Rock band, the treble there will sound more discreet, but if you have a samba song with a mandolin soloing, then you will hear the treble more easily. I think it’s a very calm earphone in terms of treble, it doesn’t present excess at any time. I didn’t feel any roll-off, and the extension is good.

In qualitative terms, the DZ4’s treble is smooth, calm, restrained, “passive”, without peaks, without coloration. They aren’t strident, not sharp, not harsh, not fatiguing, and don’t present sibilance. The sparkle is very discreet, it only really appears when requested. The treble has good definition, has good details (although not at the level of micro details), I thought it could have more airy (in my opinion). Hi-hats are consistent with reality, without harshness. Ride cymbals don’t piercing. String instruments present themselves in a calm way and with necessary detailing.

Soundstage. The sensation of soundstage I found good. It has more depth and width, already in height I found a little less, but the spatiality is good, the more frontal pinna gain didn’t reduce the sensation of sound opening. Note that I found the DZ4’s soundstage good but I have already heard other IEMs with a wider stage, the very FiiO JD7 is an example of a slightly more spacious soundstage, or the Letshuoer D13 which I think is a level above the DZ4.

Imaging. The instrumental separation I found good/ok. The IEM has a good stereo separation, and in separation of instruments it is good but not excellent, I say this because I have already heard other IEMs that I thought had a better separation, to mention, the Truthear Hexa is an example. Now so, the DZ4 didn’t do bad, no, it didn’t get congested at any time and I could hear all the instruments with good definition (remembering that the separation can also vary according to the recording and other processes during musical production).

Driver Flex Test. The DZ4 has a lot of dynamic drivers in its composition, so it’s more than necessary to check if the IEM presents driver flex noise. During the time I evaluated the DZ4, there was no sign of driver flex noise in the IEM, neither with the stock eartips nor with the SpinFit CP100. Thus, it’s assured that the IEM is free from this problem.

Amplification. In this evaluation I used the FiiO M11S DAP – review soon – connected to the 3.5mm SE output and in High Gain mode activated. The volume set on the DAP was 70%. In my understanding the DZ4 is an easy to drive IEM, and doesn’t need extra amplification. It even seems to be an expressive configuration of the DAP, but the volume scale of the equipment goes up to 120 steps. I also tested the IEM on my notebook’s audio board and found that it played normally, I set the volume at 40% and it was already loud enough.

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Music is subjective, so below is the list of some musical genres that I personally think that was better with this IEM. Remember that were only few genres and few artists tested. If I describe that one genre was better and the other don’t, it doesn’t mean that you can’t listen to your favorite music genre with this IEM and love it. So, here goes:

PLAYLIST LINK:

Graphs by Super* Reviews:

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