Richness And Precision Artisanship – Letshuoer Cadenza 12 True Virtuosso 2025 New Version Review
Letshuoer Cadenza 12 True Virtuosso 2025 is a $1999 USD flagship pair of IEMs powered by 12 drivers playing for each ear, with a hybrid technology, and an exceptionally sturdy shell. Today we will review the Cadenza 12 and compare them with other high-end flagships including Campfire Moon Rover (1199 USD), Sennheiser IE900 (1499 USD), Soundz Avant (1390 USD), and FIR Audio E12 Electron (1799 USD).
Introduction
Letshuoer is a company that makes both some of the most popular entry-level IEMs but also made the world turn with their Cadenza 12 a couple of years ago when it was released. Although the new 2025 version has a different package and box, it is hard to find online which version you’re purchasing, but most stores have confirmed with me that the stock they have is the new 2025 version and not the old one. It would be helpful to make a MK2 or MKII variant, but each company can choose their own strategy. This new version has a new tuning, although the ergonomics and fitting is practically the same as the original Letshuoer Cadenza 12 that we’ve reviewed in the past. The new model has a reduced price compared to the original version released in 2023, and the new 2025 version now costs 1999 USD despite inflation, so we have that as a nice advantage, the company made them sound better, but lowered the price.
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to Letshuoer for providing us with the sample for this review.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/43xBeij
Official Link – https://letshuoer.net/products/letshuoer-cadenza-flagship-12-hybrid-drivers-in-ear-headphones
Build Quality / Aesthetics
A rather big portion of the design of the new 2025 Cadenza 12 is the same as that of the original, so we are seeing an Ergonomic Titanium Chassis once again, which is much more comfortable and more bio compatible than either Aluminium or even Resin, and proves to be a better choice for both gym and casual wearing. As Letshuoer points out, the Titanium shell is lighter and yet sturdier than most metals. The sonic characteristics of Ti are also better, as it has a lower added distortion and a cleaner sound than most other shell types.
The driver configuration of the Cadenza 12 2025 features 12 drivers playing for each ear, which is one of the highest number available for a pair of IEMs, and the configuration has
- One 10mm LSS Kevlar Dome Driver
- Sonion Composite Mid Woofer Drivers
- Sonion Composite Mid Tweeter Drivers
- Knowles Composite Tweeter Drivers
- Sonion Super Tweeter Drivers
Those drivers are managed by a Six-Way Crossover with Five Acoustic Bores, and each bore is chosen to achieve the best sound and to mitigate the pitfall of the timbre between drivers. Each set of drivers has a separate acoustic bore and they have different lengths. This all achieves a perfect alignment and can achieve a perfect phase despite the large number of drivers.
Letshuoer takes pride in the cable of the Cadenza 12, and it uses a 204-Strands Cable with a 6N Monocrystalline Copper and Silver Hybrid, with a modular plug and low in-cable impedance. With a total SPL or Sensitivity of 110 dB, and an impedance of 16 OHMs, Cadenza12 is easy to drive, but also sensitive to the source noise and output impedance. Cable length is 1.2 meters, a very standard choice, and the THD is lower than 1%.
Full package includes the IEMs, 9 pairs of eartips, stock cable with 3.5, 4.4mm and 2.5mm jack connectors, the transport case which is metallic and covered in leather, the cleaning cloth, and accessories box, along with all the manuals and warranty card.
Fit / Subjective Usage
Starting from the shell, Cadenza 12 is one of the most comfortable IEMS for my ears, shells are medium in weight, but small and ergonomic with zero sharp edges, and a good design, they work well for both smaller and larger ears, and most of the weight does not rest on the ear but on the cable thanks to their smaller shape. In fact, out there you can find single dynamic driver IEMs that are much larger and less comfortable than the 12-driver Cadenza 12.
I get an exceptional seal with the Cadenza 12, but I have replaced the default eartips with ddHifi ST-35, as my ears are more accustomed to their silicone and fitting, but you don’t have to. The difference and sensitivity to tip rolling is minimal. Passive noise isolation is variable relative to the frequency, and Cadenza 12 isolates well in the midrange and bass, so you will hear less traffic noise, but high pitched sounds do not get isolated that well.
There’s no driver flex, no void and wearing comfort is top notch. Although I would generally have replaced the default cable, the one Letshuoer is using actually sounds better than most aftermarket options, but it is a bit rigid and because the cover material changes mid way, there’s some cable noise and microphonics involved.
Overall the build is simply brilliant and so is the comfort. I am using right now and on a daily basis the Cadenza 12 with FiiO UTWS5 2025 at the gym, for 1-2 hour sessions of high intensity training, so while no resistance to sweat and water is advertised, I can confirm they are very good. Also, they are resistant to drops and wear and tear. The version from 2023 is also still alive and kicking, but the tuning of the new version is much better, which is why I am using it so much. I actually delayed writing this review because I used them everyday and everyday I forgot the full review was not ready yet, Cadenza 12 is literally part of my life now.
Sound Quality
Pairings – The list of pairings includes the HeartField R1, Singxer SA-1 V2 driven by a Musician Pegasus II R2R DAC, iBasso DX340, Lotoo PAW GT2, Dethonray Listening M1, Shanling EH1 DAC AMP, Sparkos Gemini driven by FiiO K17, Rose Technics RT-5000. The list of portable sources includes TempoTec V3 Blaze, and iBasso Nunchaku.
Letshuoer Cadenza 12 2025 is just as easy to drive as the original, with a similar level of sensitivity to the source noise, you will notice the source noise if your DAC / AMP has a high output impedance. For those reasons I would recommend a fully solid state source rather than a Tube based source like the Nunchaku. Either way, it is easy to get the Cadenza 12 going with most sources, and it will sound excellent every single time.
Overall Signature – Reading the Frequency Response Graph provided by Letshuoer, the new Cadenza 12 achieves a full bass, a slightly recess in the 100 Hz – 1 kHz range, and then a fair peak that is at the same level as the bass. This peak is fairly consistent with minor peaks and dips all up to 15 kHz, above which the strength sees a minor dip until at 18 kHz it rolls off more sharply. This kind of signature is very balanced, has a strong backbone and bass, but a strong treble, all while voices and the midrange are slightly recessed and relaxed. I find the tuning to be exceptionally enjoyable, rich, organic and musical, all while having pinpoint precision and a slightly analytical presentation. With a slightly wet character, the whole sound is fatigue-free despite its high resolution and clarity.
Bass – First thing I love about the new Cadenza 12 is the bass, it has a much improved bass compared to the 2023 version, as the company made the bass driver stronger, gave it more volume, more punch and kick, and also a slightly longer decay that feels natural to my ears. Cadenza12 2025 has a deep, powerful bass, it has around 10 dB of extra presence and impact above the midrange, but with a special focus on the sub, between 20Hz and 60 Hz having the most emphasis. This creates the most desired type of bass for audiophiles, and it completely removes the 100 Hz veil that can be heard with IEMS that have a mid bass hump, or which have a sub that extends in the upper bass too.
Midrange – We get a coherent continuation of the clean bass in the midrange, which is slightly recessed, especially in the lower midrange area, where you can hear high definition and a high resolution, lots of information and details, but more surprisingly, all presented in an organic, coherent manner. If you mainly listen to music with male voices, the tuning has a slightly recessed male voice presentation, and it emphasizes female voices, so especially male voices that are bass or baritone will be lower in strength and volume compared to tenor voices and all female voices. This being said, Cadenza 12 sounds emotional, refined and slightly gentle. Compared to the original Cadenza12, the 2025 variant has a stronger male voice, less shouty upper midrange, and it is much more balanced.
Treble – Top end is sharp, detailed and clean, with a non-metallic, slightly smooth texture and fun presentation. Cadenza 12 2025 is far less fatiguing than the 2023 version, the character of the treble is smoother, more refined, cleaner and it allows you to hear more detail and information rather than harshness. There’s a nice definition to each cymbal crash, more volume and body to the treble, the signature is better for rock, metal, EDM, Pop and basically all music styles.
Dynamics / PRaT / Textures – Letshuoer Cadenza 12 is quite masterfully and artisanally created as a flagship, as it manages the textures to be slightly wet, achieving an organic, clean and musical presentation across all frequency ranges, despite the excellent resolution. Most IEMs that sound organic and music lack details, while most analytical sounding IEMS can be harsh and fatiguing, but Cadenza 12 lives exactly at the border of the two worlds, they are balanced, enjoyable with all music styles, but they render every little detail, micro textures and the final sound is plentiful dynamic and engaging. Indeed, they are not relaxed or laid back, but organic, slightly forward and fun.
Volume Control – Cadenza 12 is more detailed, more engaging, more dynamic and punchier at higher volumes. The louder you go, the better they sound, and THD is never an issue, even if you push the volume above 125 dB. Generally, the sound becomes a bit laid back and relaxed at lower volumes, and more vocal too, but the sub bass really comes alive at higher volumes, the treble splash impact becomes more obvious, and the whole sound is more vivid, more dynamic at the loudest volumes.
Soundstage – A big part of what I love about Cadenza 12 is how strong the instrument separation is, how precisely everything comes together, and how they can show the difference between a narrow and intimate song and a wide, holographic one. This is because it has a natural sound, it extends exactly as much as the song allows it to, Cadenza 12 is defined by its precision and layering, while the size of the soundstage is faithful to the recording.
Comparisons
Letshuoer Cadenza 12 2025 vs FIR Audio e12 Electron (1999 USD vs 1799 USD) – Starting with the build, e12 electric is a larger and heavier IEM that isolates quite a bit better from the outside noise. While both have a high quality cable included in the package, Cadenza 12 has a lighter cable which is more flexible. The overall comfort is better on Cadenza 12. Both IEMs are sensitive to source noise, source impedance and both are almost equally hard to drive, although Cadenza 12 is slightly harder to drive.
Sonically, e12 electron is the wet dream of a basshead, while Cadenza 12 has everything with good measure and balance. There are a few key differences, and because e12 has a lower amount of treble, it projects the midrange slightly recessed when compared to e12, which pushes voices, especially male voices more to the foreground. The overall resolution of the Cadenza 12 is higher, it reveals more information from music, but has a much lower amount of bass, and Cadenza 12 is closer to sounding neutral, while e12 is heavily colored in the tuning. I would go with e12 if you want a forward male voice and really strong, warm and big bass, and go with Cadenza 12 for a far more balanced sound, colder and more neutral midrnage, more impactful treble, and for a higher resolution.
Letshuoer Cadenza 12 2025 vs Soundz Avant (1999 USD vs 1390 USD) – We start with the comfort, and although Soundz Avant is made of resin and has the shape of most CIEMs, so a very ergonomic take, the Titanium body and shape of the Cadenza 12 fits much better inside my ears. The passive noise isolation of the Cadenza 12 is lower, while that of the Avant is better. Avant is quite a bit easier to drive and it is more sensitive to source noise, while Cadenza 12 is less sensitive to source noise, to the output impedance, but also a bit harder to drive. The default cable of the Cadenza 12 is of a much higher quality, but you can consider upgrading the eartips of both.
Sonically, Avant sounds quite vocal, without a very strong bass or a very strong treble, and it has a more mid centric, balanced and natural sound in general. The sound of the Cadenza 12 is much sharper, it reveals more details, they have a higher resolution, and generally sound wider, more holographic. Cadenza 12 is a great IEM if you enjoy a sharper treble, more sub bass, and a punchier, more dynamic, more vivid sound, while Avant is perfect for music mixing, mastering, production and it always reveals information in the midrange really well. The impulse response speed is much quicker for the Cadenza 12, and slower for the Avant, which also creates a difference in how each handles textures and micro bits of information.
Letshuoer Cadenza 12 2025 vs Sennheiser Ie900 (1999 USD vs 1499 USD) – Physically IE900 is smaller, and would theoretically be more comfortable, but it is more open, offers less passive noise isolation, and there is almost no seal effect, so it very easily falls out of my ears. While the cadenza has an excellent fit and ergonomics, IE900 needs aftermarket cables, aftermarket eartips, and it still is a few steps behind Cadenza 12 in comfort. Ie900 is also far harder to drive, needs a lot of power pushed into it to sound good, but on the flip side it is not sensitive to source noise at all. As Ie900 uses MMCX but with a proprietary recessed jacket, finding an aftermarket cable that works is a pain and most of them simply won’t fit the IE900.
Sonically, Cadenza 12 is really clean and sharp, very detailed and resolute, while IE900 is more mid centric in direct contrast. Ie900 is both harsher and more metallic, but also can sound more distant. As it is more open, it can create a wider, bigger soundstage, but this also means it is more vague and less defined, and can reveal less information than CAdenza 12. In contrast, Cadenza 12 sounds a bit colder, more focused, cleaner and reveals much more information, it feels like a fairly big step up sonically, although it has a different tuning. The sub bass of Ie900 feels like an elephant stomping all over the place, while Cadenza 12 is closer to a clean, well-defined thump, the way ThieAudio Origin handles bass, and Cadenza 12 also has a far cleaner treble with less distortion, while Ie900 has a metallic treble that can distort more easily.
Letshuoer Cadenza 12 2025 vs Campfire Moon Rover (1999 USD vs 1199 USD) – Physically, Moon Rover is also made of Titanium, so the shell is biocompatible and feels nice inside of my ears, but it is sharp and has a few corners, which I feel if I am using them for sport. The seal is better on the Moon rover, it can isolate a bit more from the outside noise, but both the package, the accessories and the actual wearing comfort are all better on the Cadenza 12. The MMCX connector of the Moon rover is less practical than the 2-Pin of the Cadenza 12.
Sonically, Cadenza 12 is much sharper, colder, brighter, has a more powerful sub-bass and they just make the Moon Rover sound vocal and mid centric. This is fairly interesting as generally I would have assumed that Moon rover is balanced and clean, but it is a fairly warm, musical and vocal sounding IEM that pushes forward the foreground layer while keeping the background relaxed. Cadenza 12 is more energetic and more fun, while Moon Rover is much more relaxed and laid back.
Value and Conclusion
Reviewing flagships is always tricky from a value perspective, because when we have such complex driver arrangements and engineering, the value is all there, but Cadenza 12 is still a very expensive pair of earphones. This being said, considering the flagship market and that it was released as a sonic upgrade from the original, but for a lower price, the new Cadenza 12 2025 has an outstanding value, and it is one of the better flagship IEMs you can purchase from the ChiFi Market. It anyways seriously overtakes most of the competition too, so it is hard to find anything that could sound better than it.
Award – The new 2025 version of the Cadenza 12 replaces the original Cadenza 12 in our Audiophile-Heaven Hall Of Fame, it is a better IEM, with a better price, better sound, and it keeps everything I loved about the original intact, so all in all, it has a top notch rating.
At the end of the day, Letshuoer Cadenza 12 2025 is one of the best pairs of earphones that I’ve reviewed this year and I love their sound. Nothing could be more of a statement about their quality, ergonomics and sonic quality than that they are right now my daily IEMS for gym, together with FiiO UTWS5 2025, and as a proof that they are well made, Cadenza 12 2025 resists really well to sweat, wear, and sounds brilliant, having the most enjoyable, dynamic and engaging signature for all music, with a rich and organic sounding midrange. They are not just fully recommended, they are a must hear if you ever visit an audio show, or if you want a really versatile flagship IEM.
PROs
- Incredible resolution and clarity
- Outstanding comfort, and resistance to wear and tear
- Removable cable that is high-end
- Easy enough to drive to work well with bluetooth adapters
- Nice package and transport case
- 12 drivers playing for each ear
- Actually a daily IEM for me, proof of its versatility and high-end sound
Cons
- Still quite pricey
- Original cable is not the most flexible one
- Low impedance and easy to drive design means it is sensitive to source noise
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/43xBeij
Official Link – https://letshuoer.net/products/letshuoer-cadenza-flagship-12-hybrid-drivers-in-ear-headphones
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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