Letshuoer has built a solid reputation in the IEM scene by constantly releasing innovative and high performing IEM’s. The company is founded by Danny To and Jeff Wong and reflects a blend of technical precision and thoughtful design. 

Danny To’s extensive background as a senior engineer at Panasonic and his leadership experience across various tech industries have given him a deep understanding of what defines true audio excellence. He believes that long-term success in audio can only be achieved by going beyond expectations, both in sonic performance and in maintaining customer confidence.

On the creative side, Jeff Wong shapes Letshuoer’s distinctive design philosophy. Drawing on his experience with major companies and his lifelong passion for hi-fi, he strives to create products that not only stand out visually but also deliver exceptional comfort for extended listening sessions.

The company is recognized for pushing technical bounderies; great examples are the ‘just’ released s12 Ultra and the in 2023 released Cadenza 12. I personally had the change to experience that model at High End Munich. In this review we will take a close look at the new Cadenza 12 2025 edition, although the exterieur may look quite similar there are significant key improvements. 

Design
The 2025 Cadenza 12 continues to build on the core qualities and design of the original version, featuring the beautiful and ergonomic titanium chassis. It offers a very comfortable fit for both smaller and larger ears. The balanced distribution of weight and the lack of pressure points make long listening sessions a true pleasure. Most of the weight is supported by the cable rather than the ear itself, due to the shell’s refined proportions.

The well-constructed(modular) high-quality cable further enhances the overall experience. It’s build up of 204-strands cable 6N Monocrystalline copper silver hybrid. The lower section of the cable feels a bit stiff. The stiffness comes from the black material used for the outer jacket. A better flexibility would enhance the cable usability without compromising its structural integrity.

Three pairs of different sizes (S, M, L) ear tips are included, each designed to emphasize different sonic characteristics. The green tips focus on vocals and midrange clarity. The orange foam-filled pair adds a touch more weight and warmth to the low end. The third (black) pair offers the most balanced and neutral presentation. I find the quality of the included tips very good.

The Cadenza 12 houses an impressive number of drivers. A high driver count, by itself does not promise a top-tier audio performance. In this instance it does! The drivers integrate seamlessly, resulting in a highly balanced overall presentation from the Cadenza 12. The Letshuoer team clearly had a vision. The Cadenza 12 does not make use of an EST driver, you could easily be fooled into thinking it does, the treble quality is simply outstanding.

The drivers are managed by a six-way crossover with five independent acoustic bores, each carefully tuned to achieve an optimal balance sound signature. Every driver set is routed through its own acoustic bore of varying length, ensuring precise phase alignment and seamless integration.

According to the frequency response graph provided by Letshuoer, the new Cadenza 12 (2025) delivers a full-bodied bass with a slight recession between 100 Hz and 1 kHz, followed by a well-controlled rise that matches the bass level. This elevation remains fairly consistent, with only minor peaks and dips extending up to 15 kHz, after which the energy gradually tapers off and rolls off more noticeably around 18 kHz.

This tuning results in a balanced sound signature, strong in both the low end and treble, while keeping the midrange relaxed. The presentation feels rich, very organic and musical. The Cadenza 12 sound remarkably precise and detailed. Even with its high level of resolution and clarity it delivers, it is never analytical.

Specs

• 1 Dynamic driver (10 mm LSS Kevlar dome), handles the low frequencies

• 7 Sonion BA drivers

  • Mid-woofer drivers
  • Mid-tweeter drivers
  • Super tweeter drivers

• 4 Knowles BA driver tweeter drivers
• Crossover: 6-way electronic crossover with 5 acoustic precisely cut bores
• Sensitivity: 110 dB / mW (±1 %)
• Impedance: 16 Ω (±1 Ω)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 30 kHz
• Total harmonic distortion (THD): < 1 %
• Cable: 204-strand hybrid cable (6N monocrystalline copper and silver)
• Cable length: 1.2 m
• Connector options: Modular plugs: 2.5 mm / 3.5 mm / 4.4 mm
• Shell material: Titanium chassis
• Premium case (also usable as storage case), cleaning cloth
• Titanium statue plate
• Documentation

Test equipment:
– Chord Mojo2+Poly
– Chord TT2 + Mscaler
– The ‘new’ Luxsin X9
– Shanling M8T

Sound Quality
The Letshuoer Cadenza 12 is carefully tuned to deliver a organic quality while maintaining excellent, subleme resolution and clarity across the entire frequency range. Most IEMs that aim for a musical and natural tone tend to lose fine details and becoming too smooth, while analytical ones often sound harsh or fatiguing. The Cadenza 12 strikes an impressive balance between these two extremes.

Its presentation is organic, slightly forward and dynamic, making it an enjoyable listen across virtually any genre. A rare quality in itself. The Cadenza manages to remain highly detailed and revealing, capturing micro-textures and subtle nuances without ever sounding clinical or sterile. The result is a sound that feels genuinely musical and effortlessly addictive. It maintains composure even at high listening levels, with no audible distortion.

They have a largely neutral tonal balance with a tasteful lift in the bass that adds definition, impact and warmth without bleeding into the lower mids. Upper bass and lower mids retain excellent clarity, while a mild lift in the lower midrange gives male vocals extra presence without pulling them unnaturally forward. A gentle emphasis in the upper midrange helps female vocals stand out, they remain integrated with the ensemble.

Stringed instruments are rendered with sharp articulation and natural decay. Violins in particular exhibit lifelike tone and energy. Piano notes carry convincing weight and realism without dominating the mix, even in denser material like jazz.  Choral and a cappella recordings benefit from strong focus and definition. Despite some mild treble shaping for comfort and long listening sessions, the Cadenza 12 maintains excellent detail retrieval, speed and control. The tuning works exceptionally well across any genre. 

Treble
The treble is tuned for refinement and long-term comfort rather than drama. There is enough upper-frequency air to keep the stage open and to preserve the harmonic structure of strings, cymbals and vocals, without harshness. A controlled rise in the lower treble provides clarity and articulation, followed by a smoother, more relaxed upper extension that avoids glare. Detail retrieval remains excellent even with the gentler top–end contour, delivering information without forcing it. The result is a treble presentation that feels believable, elegant and easy to listen too over extended listening sessions.

Midrange
The midrange of the Cadenza 12 is where much of its musical character unfolds. It carries a natural warmth and density that gives instruments and voices a lifelike body without sounding thick or veiled. Male vocals benefit from a mild lift in the lower mids, gaining presence and weight without stepping ahead of the mix. Female vocals are slightly elevated in the upper mids for articulation and emotional clarity, but they remain smoothly integrated and never come across as shouty or detached.

Acoustic instruments, strings and piano exhibit convincing texture and timbre that feel true to the source. Transients are rendered with precision, followed by a realistic decay that prevents the mids from feeling sterile or analytical. The balance between weight, detail and neutrality makes the midrange one of the Cadenza 12’s strongest achievements. Expressive and refined, but never intrusive.

Bass
The bass tuning on the 2025 Cadenza 12 strikes a rare balance between authority and restraint. There is a tasteful lift that gives the low end both physical presence and strong definition, without ever clouding the midrange. Sub-bass reaches deep with convincing rumble when the music calls for it, yet remains controlled and free of bloom. Mid-bass notes are textured and quick, allowing bass guitars, drums and electronic passages to retain shape rather than turning into a soft cushion of sound. This gives the Cadenza 12 a realistic foundation that enhances any genre without drawing unnecessary attention to itself.

Soundstage
The Cadenza 12 portraits an impressive a soundstage. The stage extends beyond the ear with a convincing sense of width and a notably deep front-to-back layering that gives recordings structure rather than a flat spread of sound. What stands out most is not just the size, but also the precision: instruments occupy defined, stable positions with nothing smeared or floating vaguely in the mix.

There is a clean separation between sections of an orchestra or layers in dense blues or jazz tracks. This level of positional and clarity gives complex passages a three-dimensional and almost holographic character.

While the Cadenza 12 is not tuned to exaggerate space artificially, its combination of air, control and detail retrieval results in a presentation that feels realistic. This balance of scale and accuracy makes the 2025 edition one of the more convincing examples of reference-grade staging in the IEM market.

Pairing

Chord Mojo 2 + Poly
On the Mojo 2 the Cadenza 12 sounds clean, controlled and well-balanced. The pairing keeps the presentation neutral-musical, the synergie is amazing. There is a good grip in the bass and a stable center image. Crossfeed and EQ on the Mojo 2 allow small refinements without upsetting the IEM’s natural balance. It is a surprisingly capable pairing for a portable stack. One of the best ‘portable’ synergies I’ve heard in a long time.

Chord TT2 + M Scaler
With the TT2 and M Scaler the Cadenza 12 clearly scales upward. The background becomes quieter, micro-detail becomes easier to follow and the sense of separation increases without thinning the tone. Stage feels more ‘settled’ and layered, transients gain more refinement rather than extra edge. This stack brings out the Cadenza 12’s flagship character effortlessly. No matter what track or genre I played, everything sounded effortless.

Luxsin X9
Paired with the Luxin X9 the Cadenza 12 presents a tidy, unforced and highly coherent sound. There is a sense of order and ease: instruments are placed clearly, decay is clean and the tonal balance remains natural. When crossfeed is engaged the stage leans slightly closer to a loudspeaker-like image without losing definition. It is a musical and controlled fatigue-free match.

Shanling M8T
The M8T adds a touch more physicality and liveliness. In transistor mode the pairing feels quick and decisive with good drive, while tube mode introduces a bit of warmth and roundness without blurring detail. This gives the Cadenza 12 a slightly more emotive and relaxed tone when desired, making the M8T a versatile and musical partner for long listening sessions.

Listening impressions
When evaluating a high-end IEM, the key is to hear how well it exposes nuance, spatial depth and tonal balance across different types of music.
I chose this selection of tracks to examine micro-detail, imaging, rhythm and texture. Each one highlighting a different aspect of the Letshuoer Cadenza 12. All listening was done with the Chord TT2 + M Scaler to minimize source limitations and allowing them to be judged on its own merits.

Myriam Alter – It’s all there
When I listening to, the Cadenza 12 showed how well it can handle more delicate, acoustic arrangements. The piano had believable weight and a natural sense of body, without becoming thick or overshadowing the rest of the ensemble. The clarinet lines came through with a smooth and realistic tone, enough air to sound alive. No glare or edge at the top. The double bass sat low in the stage with a controlled resonance that anchored the piece without clouding into the mids.

The accordion added a warm, breathing layer to the arrangement and the Cadenza 12 reproduced its expressive swells and subtle dynamic shifts with great control. You can clearly hear the gentle push and pull of the bellows without blurring transients. Even when several lines overlapped, the stage stayed organized and easy to follow.

What stood out most was the calm precision: each instrument occupied its own space and even at moments where multiple lines overlap, nothing became congested. The timbre accuracy made the ensemble feel coherent and recorded in a real space rather than stitched together. The Cadenza 12 presented the track with clarity, warmth and order. Not romanticized, not clinical, simply true to the performance. Amazing with a capital A!

John Lee Hooker – Baby Lee (feat. Robert Cray)
When I played this track, the Cadenza 12 immediately showed its strength with decent blues recordings. Hooker’s voice came through with the right amount of grit and weight, never softened or polished in a way that would take away character. Cray’s guitar lines sounded great and had a natural body and a realistic fade-out that made the performance feel close and physical. The bass line supported everything with impact and definition, without creeping into the mids. It sounded raw, clean and controlled, exactly how this kind of track should be reproduced.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five
Listening to Take Five confirmed how well the Cadenza 12 can organize space and keep instruments separated. The opening drum pattern had clear skin texture and snap. The saxophone entered smoothly with no harsh edges. The piano sat slightly deeper in the stage but stayed perfectly intelligible. Seperation of instruments were almost unreal. Even during more energetic sections, the IEM never lost track of placement or timing. Every element stayed locked in without blur or overlap. 

Stacey Kent – Ces Petits Rien (Live) / Waters of March (Live)

Ces Petits Rien (Live)
This live recording revealed how the Cadenza 12 handles intimacy without exaggeration. Stacey’s voice had a natural closeness, with breathing and articulation clearly audible but never sharp. The accompanying instruments stayed behind her with proper distance, so the focus remained on the vocal line. The sense of air from the venue was present in a subtle, believable way, enough to remind you it is a live take, but never pushing into the foreground. 

Waters of March (Live)
On this track the midrange quality really stood out, following Stacey’s phrasing and soft dynamic changes with ease. Guitar notes had a natural bite that quickly settled into a warm, realistic body. Nothing sounded boosted or forced, instead; everything fell into place in a way that made the performance easy to listen to over time. It had balance, coherence and a calm presentation that fit the music perfectly.

Yasmin Levy – Olvidate de mi (feat Concha Buika)
This duet was a good test for emotional and tonal control. Levy’s more lyrical tone and Buika’s rougher, deeper  voice stayed clearly separated, yet they blended musically instead of competing. Percussion hits landed with authority but stopped cleanly, leaving space for the vocals. The bass stayed tight and never clouded the midrange. Even during the more intense passages where both voices rise in power, the Cadenza 12 kept the structure intact. Nothing collapsed or smeared.

Letshuoer Cadenza 12 product page