EarAcoustic Audio Products in KEEPHIFI
I've gotten the SPA Pro MAX for quite a while and have been sitting on it on and off, only using it specifically if I need that extra zing. Nevertheless, never gave it a proper review, so here it is.

Driver - 11.4mm Ultra clear Analysis Graphene Diaphragm Dual magnetic Circuit Dual Chamber Dynamic Coil Unit
Sensitivity - 111dB
Impedance - 30 Ohms
Freq. range - 5 Hz to 40kHz
Cable - Litz Coaxial Bundle OFC SPC
Price : 219USD

My personal preference is leaning towards a neutral bright to balanced tuning and with good vocal emphasis - the best benchmark is the Spirit Torino - Twin Pulse Beryllium. I do not mind bass, something like the recent BQEYZ Ni and the ZiiGaat x Hangout.Audio Oddessy 2 are within my realms of liking. Source-wise, I use an ifi GO Bar Kensei which carries a good amount of resolution with a very slight warmth. I will also be using a Hiby R6 iii (2025) for a more transaprent evaluation.

Although everyone has their subjective bias towards tuning, I will be as objective as possible for all reviews - taking into consideration of the IEM's performance relative to the PRICE

• The EarAcoustics SPA Pro MAX is a V Shaped IEM
• Neutral to cold-ish tonality
• Upper-mid region provides very good airiness
• Unforgiving in transparency

 

Bass :

• Overall presentation of the bass comes off as very bouncy with good weight
• Subbass roll-off present, overall has a light and smooth rumble
• Lower-mid bass is the most prominent, feels plentiful but is presented in a more lean texture. This is most likely due to the graphene coated diaphragm which provides this signature
• Note definition comes off bouncy with a plush impact for bass licks
• Kicks are quite solid with more presence in terms of a weighty punch for jazz tracks

Vocals ：

• Vocal positioning is typical of a V-shape, sometimes having a flatter response
• For the SPA Pro MAX without burn-in, there is some weird incoherencies in tone for vocals, hence, burn in is extremely recommended. I burned in mine for close to 50 hours.
• Tonality and timbre of SPA Pro MAX after burn in is crisp and on the lighter side, giving overall energy of vocals a needed lift
• For ACG related songs - SPA Pro MAX does it well in terms of synergizing the mastering. No instance of sibilance whatsoever even at high volumes
• However, do take note that for songs like rap and hip hop where vocals carry the song, with the mentioned flattened feeling, it does tend to feel boring.
• Male vocals ( more specific in western mixes only, non-live sets ) tend to have a hollowness to it

Midrange :

• In a nutshell, this part is where the unforgiving part is extremely obvious
• With hip-hop tracks, the overall presentation of instruments sometimes give a weird feeling of imbalance in dynamics
• For J-pop mixes, instruments are quite engaging and provides good musicality
• For acoustic sets such as NPR and certain COLORS show, live instruments always feel more intimate and has a level of liveliness. There is totally zero instance of
• Lower-mid range provides very good resonance with bass region
• Synths overall resonate quite well with more of a digital and smooth presentation. Overall is also more forward in general than other instruments
• Guitars come off with a light-sheen to it with good airy extension

Upper-Mids and Treble :

• Upper-mids are airy and crispy as well, people who are treble sensitive might need to be aware as this might be a more fatiguing set
• Percussions are on the brighter side, which is perfect for me, but could be an issue for treble sensitive people
• Tone and timbre of cymbals are quite natural, and has a realistic level of extension
• Instruments in this region provides an aggresive and assertive approach - might not be ideal, again, for treble sensitive people - might cause fatigue

 

 

Technical Highlights :

 

• DYNAMICS of the IEM does have some weird incoherencies in the uppermids, where overall it feels dissonant, but after a period of burn-in and a proper tip change it will be mitigated
• STAGING is typical with good amount of width and average depth. Height is surprisingly good but it mainly focuses more on the low end and certain parts of midrange
• SEPERATION AND IMAGING is quite good for the price, with the average depth it still makes every element separate ideally with a distinct border
• DETAIL RETRIEVAL is alright upon first impression but does get better after burn-in. Mainly hearing more micros in vocals and airy nuances in the midrange. Upper-mids and treble possess silky recreations which feels amazing

 

SYNERGY

 

• The SPA PRO MAX is unforgiving in this aspect. If you feed it bad sources, it will definitely give you a bad time. On the other hand, this thing scales extremely well with DAC and AMPs, so on the Kensei, treble is buttery and clear.

 

Important : TIP ROLLING!!!!

 

• As pointed out by a friend (THANKS MUZ!), the Pro MAX really requires a proper tip change to allow one to tame and grasp whatever is happening at the upper mids and treble. Once I’ve used the SpinFit Omnis all the weird incoherencies are negligible unless I’m listening on low volumes and very ambient music

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I'm gonna be honest. When I started out using this IEM, I never considered nor was I a person that believes in tip rolling. But with the weird incoherencies that I had gone with just a simple change, this IEM was really an eye opener for me for me. It is a solid set, with that one part bugging me. And with that gone, I guess I have no complaints.