Letshuoer DX1 Long Term Review: A Neutral IEM That Still Impresses
After a long time with warm, musical sets, this Letshuoer DX1 was a bit of a surprise for me with its uncolored, natural tuning. My first impression was, 'Oh no, it's not for me.' But as time passed, I found myself loving it. And the tuning is almost like the legendary Dunu Zen Pro! After 60+ hours of burn-in, the low end shows the same tight presentation, and the top end remains shiny as well, but the upper mids seem a little tamed. That's okay with me.
BUILD & DESIGN
In one word, it’s ‘awesome.’ The shells are CNC-machined from stainless steel with a mirror polish finish. They are comparatively heavy in hand but not noticeable when you wear them. The faceplate exactly looks like the head of a bolt with cut edges, while the center is brushed silver, surrounded by a champagne-colored ring. The shape is a compact teardrop and looks cool. There are three air vents: two near the two-pin connector, and another one is closer to the nozzle. This is to prevent extra pressure buildup while in use. Somewhat, the shape will remind you of the Artti T10 & T10 Pro design aesthetics, except for the cut edge on the DX1.
FIT & COMFORT
Fitting is top-notch, and it’s really comfortable even in longer listening sessions. Though a bit heavy, the small, rounded shape helps the DX1 to sit flush in the ears. I’ve worn them for 4-5 hours straight without any discomfort. They are even comfortable for side-sleeping since they don’t stick out (I wouldn’t recommend sleeping with your IEMs, though). The weight won’t bother you that much. There’s a downside to being compact-sized IEMs when it comes to proper fit. A tip roll-off will help you in this regard. I will cover it in a different part of this review.
SOUND IMPRESSIONS
As I mentioned earlier, it’s uncolored and natural with a good flow. It’s detailed yet not analytical. The music is glued together very well and not congested. As a natural tuned IEM, the DX1 shows less warmth in the lower end. It has a fuller presentation in the midrange section, and the treble is airy, extended with a bit of energy, but there’s no fatiguing spark.
BASS
Sub-bass in D1 is really present, though it stays a bit backward. There is good controlled decay, while the texture is of high quality and audible. That kind of presentation adds depth without overwhelming other frequencies. The quantity is less than you expect from a dynamic driver, but I must say the sub-bass in this IEM is of good quality. The mid-bass in DX1 stays clean, controlled, and slightly relaxed. It stays rounded and doesn’t spread to any other frequencies. The thump you will hear with kick drums is so satisfying. And the texture of the bass guitar? Ah, it comes through with good body and texture. The bass notes have a good timber, and the decay feels natural. Like the sub-bass, the mid-bass also shows the lacking of a bit of weight and impact compared to warmer IEMs.
VOCALS
The male vocals have a fantastic weight and body to them; it’s something that’s definitely noticeable and highly satisfying. Deeper male vocals come through with just the right weight; they never feel light. They’re actually thicker than that of some balanced tuned IEMs. The slight shift in the upper-midrange makes the female vocals on the DX1 shiny and have fantastic clarity. They remain open, airy, and sweet throughout without crossing the line into being sibilant or fatiguing. They have proper energy, but not the kind that overshadows the mix. Female vocals feel intimate and genuine with a good richness. But if you love a bit brighter, ear-biting kind of female vocals, they may sound somewhat smooth. Though personally, this kind of presentation is a blessing to my ears.
SEPARATION & STAGE
The Dx1 does a good job in instrument separation. Due to the fantastic midrange presentation, the separation between different instruments and vocals stands out clearly, and it’s easy to pick out individual instruments without much effort. In a different scenario, when the music gets relatively busier, like in full orchestral climaxes or layered prog-metal, the separation starts to feel congested. It’s not like a messy presentation, but it’s not the cleanest either. The stage in the DX1 is somewhat fine, if not the best in this budget range. You can call it ‘intimate’ but not ‘claustrophobic’ anyway. I think the main focus is the width, and it extends a bit past your ears. The entire presentation will give you a decent sense of the space, left to right, which is enjoyable. The front-to-back layering, which we used to call ‘depth,’ is good here, especially in well-recorded tracks. But the height is just average, nothing special.
TREBLE
It is smooth and extended. But to my ears, they are a hair bit away from being sibilant. I’m a treble-sensitive person, but I think this kind of treble presentation is not a big deal for most of the people. It sounds lively and fine due to the gentle lift in the upper treble region. Cymbals and hi-hats come through clearly: no sibilance, no sharp peaks. There is a slight trade-off for that smooth presentation, and that is the micro-detail retrieval! It is just ‘OK’ here. For that, you may lose the ultimate resolution if you are a high-resolution hunter.
TECHNICALITIES
The DX1 has good macrodynamics, with a strong ability to handle volume changes and intensity variations. In the midrange, vocals breathe and swell in a natural way, while kick drums hit with authority when the music demands it. Microdynamics- the small, subtle dynamic variations- are there but not particularly outstanding. You won’t hear that extra level of detail, but the dynamic range is still good for the price.
The transient response is fast and agile for a dynamic driver. The aluminum-magnesium diaphragm gets the job done quickly, with a clean and precise attack that doesn’t smear. It’s not the fastest DD on the market- there’s a slight softening on very fast passages- but it’s more than capable of handling most types of music.
Detail retrieval is good but not outstanding. The DX1 has no problem unearthing midrange detail- vocal expression, guitar texture, the singer’s breath- but it does so in a musical, holistic manner that doesn’t call attention to each individual detail. In the treble, detail gives way to smoothness. You won’t hear every little detail, but you’ll hear enough to keep you interested.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For a single-DD setup, this is a serious mark from Letshuoer. It has a good, natural tone and timbre, with very good vocal presentation. This can be a good piece for listeners who value realism over excitement. In this price range, it has the best midrange, with outstanding overall coherence. But there are still some trade-offs, of course! It lacks ultimate extension at both the high and low ends, and it also struggles with dense tracks. The resolution is also on par with a 'just good' type of stage.
You're welcome to watch this review video and let me know your thoughts.