Letshuoer D13 Review

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:

The Letshuoer D13 is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a 13mm diamond-like carbon dynamic driver. The D13 also features two different sets of swappable tuning nozzles. The D13 retails for $113 at HiFiGo, which sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:

I have used the D13 with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Moondrop Dawn

MUSIC:

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:

The Letshuoer D13 comes in a black cardboard box with a black slipcover. The front of the slipcover features a picture of the D13. The rear of the slipcover features technical specifications for the D13 in what I believe are Mandarin, Cantonese, English, and Japanese. Letshuoer’s corporate contact information is also listed on the back of the slipcover.

The D13 uses a detachable 2-pin cable. My review unit came with a 4.4mm balanced cable, but a 3.5mm single-ended cable is also available.

The D13 includes a faux-leather black zippered semi-rigid carry case with embossed Letshuoer branding and an internal mesh pocket.

The D13 includes two sets of silicone eartips (S, M, L). The clear-and-black set of eartips is shorter and wider in shape than the all-black set.

In terms of documentation, the D13 includes a manual, a warranty registration card, a product catalog, a quality control pass chit, and a card featuring quick response codes that link to Letshuoer’s social media profiles.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:

The Letshuoer D13 has aluminum alloy housings with a rounded form factor reminiscent of Dunu’s DK series IEMs. The faceplate features a single slim arc-shaped vent and three arc-shaped recessions radiating outwards in a half-circle arrangement. The recessed arcs are filled in with bright yellow paint, which would not have been my first choice to pair with the metallic cobalt housings. “LETSHOUER D13-XXX” is printed in white on the back face of both the left and right housings, where “XXX” is the unit serial number.

There are circular resin plugs on the inner face of the 2-pin connector housing which are embossed with “L” and “R” indicators. The plugs are flush with the surface of the housing. The left side plug is blue and the right side plug is red, matching the resin endcaps of the included 2-pin cable. This is a subtle but impressive example of attention to detail in the D13’s design.

There are three small round vents on the inner face of the housing at the base of the nozzle. The nozzles are forward-swept and feature extruded lips for eartip retention. The two sets of tuning nozzles are distinguished by differently colored mesh covers.

The included 2-pin cable is wrapped in a quad-braid below the Y-split and double-helix patterns above the Y-split. The wire used in the cable’s construction is gorgeous and evokes a comparison to expensive aftermarket cables.

The cable jack has a straight form factor. There is a knurled band on the jack. “LETSHUOER” is printed in white towards the top of the jack housing. There is strain relief above the jack housing but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed earguides without memory wire and an acrylic chin-adjustment choker. The cable microphonics are minor to non-existent even without the use of the choker.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:

The Letshouer D13 is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a moderate insertion depth. I found the D13 to be exceptionally comfortable. Secureness of fit is average and the housings required occasional readjustment. I did not experience any driver flex with the D13. Isolation is very poor.

MEASUREMENTS:

My measurements of the Letshuoer D13 can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Letshuoer D13 (Silver) — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

Letshuoer D13 (Gold) — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:

The following sound impressions were taken with the silver nozzle filters.

The Letshuoer D13 has a U-shaped sound signature.

The D13’s bass tuning is highly reminiscent of the Moondrop Aria. Like the Aria, the D13’s bass is most elevated in the sub-bass region and gently decreases in emphasis all the way through the mid-bass region. The D13’s bass is clean and clear-sounding while retaining some mid-bass presence. There are moderate amounts of rumble and impact. Sub-bass extension is very good. Bass texture and detail retrieval are above average for the D13’s price point. I did find myself wanting more bass from the D13. Thankfully, the driver is highly capable and responds well to equalization (EQ).

The D13’s lower midrange is quite recessed. Some midrange instrumentation, such as analog percussion and electric guitars, can come across as a bit thin-sounding as a result. The D13’s pinna gain region is centered just past 2 kHz, which is earlier than I prefer. While not sibilant, both male and female vocals are overly forward and somewhat shouty to my ears. Harsh male vocals are appropriately abrasive and surprisingly intelligible. Female vocals sound realistic if overemphasized. The presence region is well-controlled and overall midrange clarity is excellent. Midrange timbre is very natural-sounding.

The D13 has a prominent lower treble peak. Treble-sensitive listeners may want to consider using foam eartips to dampen this peak, though will come at a cost to upper treble extension. Detail retrieval is average. Treble transient delivery is realistic and not overly splashy. Upper treble extension is fair. Interestingly, the D13 has a more natural-sounding timbre than the Moondrop Aria. The Aria, while having slightly superior detail retrieval, seems to have an overabundance of upper treble, which creates an artificial-sounding sheen. The D13’s soundstage and imaging are average. Instrument separation is slightly above average.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:

The Letshuoer D13 is easy to drive. I did not notice hiss with either of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:

The Letshuoer D13 is a respectable offering at its price point but does little to stand out from the array of comparably priced and similarly competent IEMs on the market today. Bassheads comfortable with EQ and sticklers for timbre may want to take a closer look.

The Letshuoer D13 can be purchased below:

LETSHUOER D13-Custom 13mm DLC Diaphragm Dynamic Driver In-Ear Earphone — HiFiGo