In-Ear MonitorOverreview

Letshuoer Cadenza 4

A mid-first hybrid that reviewers call natural and underrated — and that splits them almost down the middle on whether it's smooth or bright, and whether its lean bass is enough.

54 sourcesUpdated
$249Typical US price

Score aggregates reviewer opinions across topics.

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Letshuoer Cadenza 4

The short version

What to know.

A 1DD + 3BA hybrid (one 10 mm beryllium-coated dynamic, one Sonion and two Knowles armatures) at $249. Reviewers broadly agree on a mid-forward, near-neutral tuning with a sub-bass lift and restrained mid-bass, whose standout is a clear, natural midrange with lifelike vocals and timbre; on above-average detail, a wide stage and good separation for the price; on a light, comfortable resin shell that isolates unusually well; and on a premium modular cable and unboxing undercut by basic stock tips. Two axes split the field almost evenly. Treble: about half hear it controlled, smooth and non-fatiguing — even a little rolled-off — while the other half hear a bright-leaning, energetic top that turns sibilant or fatiguing for some, especially at higher volume. Bass: a slight majority call it clean, textured and well-judged with deep sub-bass, while the rest find the mid-bass too light on impact and body for bass-led genres. Measurements tie both splits to setup: insertion depth swings the 4–7 kHz band by about 3 dB, a higher-impedance source tames the top and adds bass, and the two included tip types pull in opposite directions. Imaging is mostly praised, with a minority finding localisation soft; mids carry a recurring 'lean lower mids' caveat; value is strongly positive, especially at the sale prices it often hits.

About this product

The $249 'Cadenza 4' (also badged 'True Virtuoso'), launched March 2024: a 1DD + 3BA hybrid — a 10 mm dual-chambered beryllium-coated dynamic driver for the lows plus one Sonion and two Knowles balanced armatures, wired through 50 µm 3D-printed acoustic tubes and a 4-way electronic crossover, in a 3D-printed resin shell made with HeyGears and an aluminium faceplate, with a modular 392-strand silver-plated copper cable (2.5 / 3.5 / 4.4 mm plugs). It is the affordable rung of Letshuoer's Cadenza series — NOT the 12-driver Cadenza 12 flagship, and NOT the unrelated ~$35 single-BA Kiwi Ears Cadenza (a name collision; those reviews aren't interchangeable).

Letshuoer's Cadenza 4 arrived in March 2024 as the affordable entry to a Cadenza line that had opened with the 12-driver Cadenza 12 — a one-dynamic-plus-three-armature hybrid in a white 3D-printed resin shell with an aluminium faceplate, at $249. It landed in the same season as a wave of heavily hyped sets in its bracket, and "overlooked" and "slept on" became part of how people talk about it.

Its reputation is a broad respect for its midrange, timbre and technical ability at the price, wrapped around two arguments that never settle: whether the treble is safe and smooth or bright enough to turn sibilant, and whether its deliberately lean mid-bass is tasteful restraint or simply too little. Measurements across two dozen rigs suggest both arguments are partly about fit, tips and the source you plug it into.

A good fit for

  • Vocal- and mid-first listeners who want natural, lifelike timbre
  • Neutral-leaning listeners, monitoring and mixing, and acoustic, jazz, classical and singer-songwriter music
  • Commuters who want strong passive isolation in a light, comfortable shell
  • Tinkerers happy to tip-roll, adjust fit or add a little bass EQ to land on their preferred balance

Think twice if

  • You want bass slam and body for EDM, hip-hop or heavy rock out of the box
  • You're sensitive to sibilance and listen loud, or use a low-impedance source with a shallow fit
  • You want lush, thick lower mids and a warm, weighty presentation
  • You have small ears and can't try the fairly large, deep-fitting shell first

The reviewer consensus

Agreement &
disagreement.

3 / 12topics divide opinion
isolationmidstonalitysoundstagedetaildynamicscomfortbuildvaluetreblebassimaging
1 Strong agreement8 Mostly agree3 Divided opinions

Common ground6

  • The midrange is the star — clear, forward and natural, with lifelike vocals and timbre.
  • A near-neutral, balanced tuning with a sub-bass lift and restrained mid-bass — not V-shaped, not a basshead set.
  • Above-average detail, a wide stage and good separation for the price.

Points of contention3

  • Treble: controlled, smooth and non-fatiguing vs bright-leaning, energetic and sibilant or fatiguing for some at volume — it tracks insertion depth, tips and source impedance.
  • Bass: lean but well-judged with deep sub-bass vs too light on mid-bass impact and body for bass-led genres.
  • Imaging: precise and a standout for most vs a step behind its other technicalities (and weak for competitive gaming) for a few.

A closer listen.

12 topics · 3 divided
Left: criticalRight: positiveTighter lines: more agreement

Treble

Leans positiveDivided opinions
Reviewer sentiment35 supporting sources
CriticalNeutralPositive

Band: opinion spread · Dot: weighted average

Sources split almost evenly. One camp hears a controlled, relaxed, non-fatiguing top end — safe for the treble-sensitive, a little rolled-off or short on sparkle for treble-lovers. The other hears a bright-leaning, energetic, airy top that is detailed but can turn hot in the upper mids, sibilant or fatiguing — most often at higher volume, with the wide-bore 'Vocal' tips, or over long sessions. The split tracks something physical: the 4–7 kHz band moves about 3 dB with insertion depth, and a higher-impedance source or foam tips take several dB off the top octave.

Measured

Across 25 squig rigs the ear-gain peak sits at ~2.7 kHz (2.3–3.6 kHz), about 9 dB over the 500 Hz level and ~1.4 dB under Harman IE 2019 through 1.5–4 kHz; 4.5–7 kHz then dips ~4.4 dB under target (median), while 7.5–10.5 kHz sits ~1 dB over it and 11–16 kHz ~3 dB over (rigs disagree widely up there). Variant files show what moves it: a shallow fit lifts 4–7 kHz ~3.4 dB over a deep fit (A-Tech Reviews); a 15 Ω source cuts 10–16 kHz ~4.3 dB and 7–10 kHz ~2.8 dB versus a <1 Ω source (Audio Amigo); foam tips trim 10–16 kHz ~2.7 dB (boizoff).

vs. listeners — Both camps are describing the same curve: a dip at 4.5–7 kHz (where a deep fit makes it smooth and a shallow fit fills it in) beside an upper-treble lift above target. Listeners with a deep seal, a higher-impedance source or foam tips meet the relaxed version; a shallow seal, a low-impedance source, the wide-bore tips and higher volume bring out the bright one. Dracomies sums up the forum mood: some call it bright, others say it isn't.

Where it splits
Controlled, smooth and non-fatiguing — ideal for treble-sensitive ears, a touch rolled-off for those who want more sparkle.52%

“This is more of a controlled and relaxed treble, which is ideal for treble-sensitive people.”

Headfonics (Nihal)
Bright-leaning and energetic — airy and detailed, but hot in the upper mids, sibilant or fatiguing for some, especially at volume.48%

“There are certain tracks that can become a little hot in the upper mids with the “Vocal” tips but this can be remedied quite well with the “Balanced” tips.”

Acho Reviews
Link to this topic

The hardware

Specifications.

Checked

Design

Type
In-ear monitor
Drivers
1 × 10 mm dynamic (dual-chambered, beryllium-coated) + 1 × balanced armature (Sonion) + 2 × balanced armature (Knowles)1DD + 3BA
Housing
3D-printed resin chassis, anodized aluminum faceplate

Electrical

Impedance
15 Ω
Frequency response
20 Hz – 40 kHz

Connection

Cable
Detachable, 1.2 mcommunity-sourced: detachable cable
Connector
0.78 mm 2-pincommunity-sourced
Plugs supplied
2.5 mm balanced, 3.5 mm, 4.4 mm balancedmodular

Manufacturer-published figures, not measurements · from letshuoer.net, linsoul.com. Detachable cable, connector not published by the maker — community-sourced from hands-on reviews: moonstarreviews.net, head-fi.org, ichos-reviews.com.

Follow the evidence

Sources 54

1–6 of 54 sources

Read with context

Limitations & method.

As of

What to keep in mind 6

  1. This is a read of where reviews and owners land as of October 2026. The Cadenza 4 is now two years old, and the ~$250 bracket has filled with newer rivals that come up constantly as cross-shops: the Softears Volume S, Dunu Kima 2, Xenns Tea Pro, Simgot EA1000, ZiiGaat Lush and Kiwi Ears Astral.

  2. Heads up on the name: this is the Letshuoer Cadenza 4 hybrid, not the inexpensive single-armature Kiwi Ears Cadenza or Letshuoer's own 12-driver Cadenza 12 — reviews of those aren't interchangeable.

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