Here are some quick impressions after a couple of days with the Letshuoer Mystic 8, a $990 all-BA IEM with 4 Sonion and 4 Knowles drivers in a small titanium shell. These were easy to drive at 18 ohms impedance and 107 dB/mW sensitivity; worked well with my various sources. Thanks to AudioGeek EU for the tour unit!
This set has great vocal clarity - voices have a satisfying bite that makes them engaging. Detail retrieval is good. Bass isn’t the focus here, but it is well-balanced with good subbass extension and nice distribution between sub and mid-bass. There’s plenty of treble sparkle, and the presentation is somewhat intimate. No big stage effect here, as with Cadenza 12.
Despite the vocal-focus and treble presence, it handled metal tracks surprisingly well (like Death’s “Moment of Clarity”) without becoming harsh. I gravitated to classic rock tracks like CSNY, Steely Dan, and The Beatles. I could also easily discern the subbass on Nine Inch Nails “Copy of A” and the bass separation was impressive throughout, despite the bass taking a back-seat to the mids and treble.
A complaint here is that vocals can feel slightly thin or lacking body, coming from bassier sets. However, there’s notably no sibilance or shout, even on problematic tracks that typically expose these issues in other IEMs (e.g. Adele - I Miss You).
The Mystic 8 should be on your list if you’re looking for great vocal clarity and detail with well-controlled bass and treble sparkle, that’s easy to drive. The top-notch build, smaller-sized shell, the fact that they’re easy to drive are pluses too.
