https://theheadphonelist.com/earacoustics-spa-special-gift-review-yes-its-special/
EarAcoustic, maybe an evolution of TFZ have raised their head and like what!! They have a lot of IEMs under their belt. Starting as low as $20 to as high as $650, they have around 30+ IEMs in nearly every price range inbetween, especially up till $400. They have a handful of lineups too. Their SPA lineup takes care of the higher end IEMs, STA is for the budget segment while the newly announced VSA lineup is more about mid range.What I have hear with me is something not readily available anywhere else but Keephifi. The SPA Special Gift is definitely different from the rest of the SPA lineup. It uses a slightly different 10mm Peek-PU diaphragm and comes with a less premium price tag of just $82. Making it the cheapest SPA series IEM but interestingly it can be bought with both 3.5mm and Type C terminations. Like the VSA V1 this comes with metal housings but has a black cable which looks different. I am going to call this SG in this article. Let’s dive deep!!
You can get one from here:
I will like to thank Keephifi for this unit in exchange of my honest review.
UNBOXING AND ACCESSORIES:
Unlike the other SPA IEMs this has smaller box and comes with a different case too. Lift the top and we have the case in front of us and everything is placed inside it. We get same type of white wide and narrow bore set of eat tips. This case though doesn’t feel as premium but definitely has enough room to carry a dongle inside it.
CABLE AND BUILD:
This has a hybrid of SPC and OCC cores in this dual core black cable which definitely has a similar kind of feel as the SPA Hi end cable but this is suppler, less bouncy and has lower microphonics too. It does have a bit of memory but isn’t exactly stiff. It doesn’t compliment the earpieces like the silver cable but this does have a good contrast. If I have to guess, I think we are getting an OCC copper cable here. Cable guides are slightly on the fatter side but have are soft and doesn’t exert much pressure on the ears.
Build wise though this is excellent. We get alloy metal shell with glass/acrylic back (back material not mentioned explicitly) in a semi custom like shell that offers excellent fit and stability inside the ear. Yes the nozzle is a bit on the shorter side but the elongated inner shell makes things comfortable. Yes, its size is a bit on the bigger side and the weight is slightly heavier but I did not have any issues with these.
PAIRING WITH SOURCES:
The best thing about this IEM is that it barely needs a powerful source to sound good and that’s a boon. SG sounds perfectly fine out of my Infinix GT 10 pro and when I introduce a proper USB dongle like Hidizs S9 Pro+ it offers slightly improved micro details and depth with the stage. If you aren’t critical about details, put this though anything and it will feel stress-free and aptly engaging.
SOUND QUALITY:
This 10mm DD has a definitely different kind of tuning than the others. I have no doubts that these guys have an excellent tuning team working behind the scene. SG has a well balanced IEM that maintains excellent imaging and clarity across the spectrum without getting busy or aggressive. We get a proper neutral tonality with a hint of mild warmth smoothness across the spectrum, making it sound more engaging.
I have used a mobile phone and various USB dongles for this review.
BASS:
I don’t know how these guys are doing this but this definitely has a different kind of bass performance than the VSA-V1 and that’s interesting. SG has a slightly better bass impact and sounds fuller meatier overall. It has slightly better sub-bass depth too. We get very good rumbles. Mid bass is marginally fuller with a sizeable area of impact and the fullness or you can say it’s richness comes from here. It moves good amount of air too with very good control over directional projection and intensity. With “Arabella – Arctic Monkeys” We get a more focused, heavier punch while “Architects – Rise Against” has a more spread out notes with faster decay. This IEM can definitely offer very good contrast and dynamics. Layered delivery is good too, there is no muddle to worry about. Upper bass is very clean too, without any annoying softness. Kick bass and bass guitars have the natural air and timber to them.
MIS RANGE:
Believe me when I say this, this might a slightly W shaped signature to it but it’s barely perceived. I can easily label this as a nicely balanced IEM that offers very good energy across the spectrum. There is no obvious dips in the lower mids either. Vocals are superb with very good reverb (slightly slower decay) to them, when a note fades into the background it creates a more 3D like depth in the stage. Both male and female vocals have very good texture and organic tonality to them. We get very good finishing definition and right amount of energy there. While Hozier sounds thick, grunty and more textured, MS MR has taller and aptly sharp finishing to them. Instruments around the vocals are marginally less forward but definitely offers right amount of energy and clarity. No aggression or sharpness to worry about even with the upper mids.
HIGHS:
We get very good agility and sparkly notes with the highs up till the mid treble region and the energy gradually drops from there. Okay.. Hmm.. This IEM is excellent up till now but might feel slightly less clean at the highest of highs (which only a very few IEM can pull off at this price). We get very good layering and separation too with clean air between instruments. Yes, the cue placements are excellent too but the stage has rounded corners which slightly hampers it’s imaging.
STAGE AND IMAGING:
Now now, unlike the V1, this has a more rounded stage that is wider and has a different kind of projection. SG has a stage that has more presence below the ear while the notes do not go much up. It has most of the instruments wrapped around the sides and back of head so it doesn’t feel like it’s on the face yet it’s excellent cue placements and tight, clean definition grabs attention. Most of the stage is placed inside the head and some of the vocal and treble instruments make it out of the head unless I run it though a desktop AMP. Which is an overkill for an IEM like this.
COMPARISON:
Vs VSA V1:
V1 has similar kind of shell but has a different driver and comes with a more premium set of accessories and a modular cable too and is just $18 more than this but the question here is is the V1 better? And the short answer in my opinion is no. somehow, even though I am big fan of mid forward IEMs, I feel, VSA V1 has a bit too much focus on the mid range and vocals as the lows and highs tend to get slightly neglected.
SG on the other hand doesn’t have the grandness with the vocals or extra texture but has more balance, evenly dense and intensity across the spectrum. It has slightly fuller lower end, bigger area of impact with a bit better body while the V1 can sound slightly tighter and less airy. Highs too are more spread out on the SG with better back and foreground separation and air between instruments. It resolves more details too. V1 has a taller stage while SG has a wider and more developed stage with better subtlety with background instrumental movements. In short, go for V1 if you want better vocals, but Special Gift is the better all round performer.
CONCLUSION:
SPA Special Gift is one of those rare IEMS that strikes a superb balance if clarity, musicality, imaging and tonality. It doesn’t sound like other SPA IEMs either. SG has excellent control across the spectrum and barely has any weak points. It offers very good bass performance, mid range has impressive tonality and texture while the highs are clean yet fatigue free. What else can one ask for? You can even opt for a DSP cable too, that will eliminate the need of a dongle or source.
The first thing that at times puts off consumers is the monotonous design and color schene of all these EarAcoustics IEMs. They need to change the design and add a few more colors too. Or else SPA SG is an excellent IEM under $100.
Spend Less Enjoy HIFI
