LETSHUOER DZ4 Review: Great Sound At An Affordable Price

Curious about this IEM? Read our LETSHUOER DZ4 review to discover why this affordable earphone offers impressive sound quality and value for money.

In business since 2016, China-based LETSHUOER is mostly known for its capable yet affordable Planar IEMs. That said, their models run the gamut from simple single dynamic driver earphones all the way up to a twelve hybrid driver flagship.

Our favorite has been their sub-$200 S12 Planar IEM, alongside its Pro variant with an upgraded cable that includes swappable jack plugs. They are comfortable earphones with a rich, spacious sound that has pleased many an audiophile.

Today we’re looking at their latest creation, the $89 LETSHUOER DZ4. Officially released on July 15th, it is an entry-level IEM designed to offer excellent performance value via a novel “3DD+1PR” driver array. This driver complement consists of three 6mm titanium-coated dynamic drivers and a single 6mm passive radiator. The design is said to deliver excellent high-frequency performance, rapid transient response, and deep bass.

The DZ4 also features four acoustic tubes plus a two-way crossover design, which according to LETSHUOER, “allows for a smooth transition among all drivers while delivering smooth and accurate frequency response across all octaves”. Knowles acoustic damping material is included to clean up the sound.

The 3D-printed rear chassis of the DZ4 is designed with an emphasis on ergonomics, and according to the company, its shape is based on extensive data and research involving tens of thousands of ear molds.

This isn’t anything new, as most IEM manufacturers include similar statements in their marketing, but the DZ4’s shape fits the ear quite comfortably, regardless. That comfort is augmented by a special resin material used for the rear housing that prevents skin irritation.

The earpieces are a little on the large side, which may affect the fit for those with smaller ears. They also sit somewhat deep in the ear canal, so if you’re sensitive to that feeling, that could be an issue. I found the depth of fit just right for me, as it helped the IEMs stay in my ears.

The DZ4’s faceplate is crafted with CNC-milled anodized aluminum and undergoes sandblasting for a subtle matte finish. In addition, it’s semi-open to release pressure created by the four drive units. Despite the open cavity, passive isolation is good nonetheless.

The LETSHUOER DZ4 comes with a robust (and removable) 216-core 0.05mm silver-plated copper cable, which not only looks good but is also tangle-resistant and flexible. The earpieces feature standard 0.78mm dual-pin connectors, allowing users to upgrade the cable easily.

Along with the cable, you also get a durable soft-touch plastic storage box for earphone protection and six pairs of high-quality ear tips in two different styles (vocal and balanced). That should please the tip-rolling crowd out there. Speaking of tip rolling, keep in mind the DZ4 nozzles are wider than average, so some standard-sized ear tips may not fit.

The DZ4’s overall build and quality of accessories is really good, so I don’t have any complaint there. As I said before, there may be some minor issues with fit due to the nozzles’ depth and the housings’ size, but neither was a dealbreaker for me.

LETSHUOER DZ4 Review: Sound Quality

For my review, I plugged the LETSHUOER DZ4 into the $49 FiiO JadeAudio KA1 portable DAC Amp and played many tunes from my Tidal “Test Tracks” playlist. With its high sensitivity rating, you can drive it with just about any device, but I recommend a quality DAC Amp in the $50-$100 range to get the best out of them.

As I said earlier, the DZ4 comes with two sets of ear tips. You get a translucent “balanced” set with a smoother, more laid-back sound and a black “vocal” set with a more forward mid-centric sound. The earphones come with the “balanced” tips pre-installed, and all my sound impressions come from that pair unless I mention otherwise.

With the pre-installed tips, the overall sound signature with a laid-back perspective is decidedly warm. The bass is deep yet relatively tight and well-controlled, and the top end is smooth yet detailed. The mid-range is sweet with good detail as well, but it could use a little more presence on the upper end. Overall, the balanced tips provide a natural and balanced presentation that is rich and nuanced, even though it lacks a bit of top-end detail.

Regarding Timbre, I liked the natural presentation of instruments and vocals. That said, while the toned-down midrange removed some harshness, it also removed some of the breathiness I want to hear in an earphone. Because of this, some female vocals and instruments residing higher in the spectrum seemed a little “boxed-in,” for lack of a better term. That somewhat impacted the musicality, but as you will read, the DZ4 made up for this in other ways.

For example, by using multiple drivers and a quality crossover, the DZ4 produced some beautiful separation and layering not present on other sub-$100 IEMs. This added a nice bit of realism to the sound, as I could hear all the elements of the mix precisely placed throughout the soundstage. Not only that, the depth I heard in this $89 earphone was genuinely remarkable.

In addition, by using multiple quality drivers and blending them so well, the dynamics were good for an earphone at this price point. The bass has a nice punch and definition, plus the attack and decay of instruments are pretty sharp, popping out vividly from the black background.

Resolution is on par with other quality earphones in this price range, like the Salnotes Dioko and the TINHIFI T3 Plus. You will get a little more detail moving up to the $200 price point, but the DZ4 is not far behind earphones in that range. I found the presentation to be quite satisfying.

On the other hand, all is not perfect, which is to be expected from an earphone costing less than $100. First of all, the soundstage is not the widest, which is actually on par with the competition. Additionally, I would’ve liked to hear a little less coloration and more spaciousness throughout the midrange.

In comparison, the mids on the TINHIFI T3 Plus, one of my favorite IEMs under $100, sounds much more airy and spacious than the midrange on the DZ4. Conversely, the T3 Plus is a little harsher in the midrange, sounds a little colder, and has nowhere near the depth and separation of the LETSHOUER earphone.

The “Vocal” ear tips will add some presence and spaciousness to the DZ4’s sound, but to me, it comes at the expense of too much “shoutiness” in the upper mids, which is too steep of a price to pay.

LETSHUOER DZ4 Review: The Wrap Up

In conclusion, the LETSHUOER DZ4 is a great entry-level IEM with a unique, innovative design and excellent build quality. It also offers high-quality sound performance with remarkable depth and separation for a sub-$100 earphone and a relatively comfortable wearing experience. It seems to be a great value for money and is suitable for audiophiles on the go who want to experience high-quality sound without breaking the bank.

Specifications

Sensitivity	104dB
Frequency Response	20Hz〜40kHz
Impedance	12Ω
Chassis Material	3D printed resin
Cable	1.2m 0.05m*216 silver-plated monocrystalline copper
Driver	3 * 6mm titanium dome dynamic driver + 6mm passive radiator

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