EarAcoustic Audio, 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 $900, 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. The SPA Special Gift, exclusive to Keephifi is definitely different from the rest of the SPA lineup. What I have here with me is the VSA V1m the cheapest IEM in VSA linup, It uses the exactly same driver type as the SPA lineup. Housing an 11.4mm titanium diaphragm and even though it comes with a modular cable, has a slightly less premium price of just $99 when compared to the SPA lineup. Just like the SPA Special gift this comes with metal housings. I am going to call this V1. Let's dive deep!!
I will like to thank Ada from EarAcoustics Audio for this unit.
UNBOXING AND ACCESSORIES:
Even though the lineup has changed, V1 comes with exactly same kind of packaging as the SPA IEMs. Lift the upper box and we a hard paper box which has two set of tips and some documentations, under that we have the earpieces stuffed in a paper box. Below that we can find the unique looking pink carry case and the modular cable is placed inside it. The case we are getting is aptly spacious and can carry a small dongle along with the IEM.
Here is my unboxing and initial impression:
CABLE AND BUILD:
We have a dual core 408 strand SPC litz cable which has a similar kind of feel as the SPA Hi end cable but is slightly thicker, less bouncy and has slightly lower microphonics too. It does have a bit of memory but isn't exactly stiff. It complements the earpieces too. The cable guides are slightly on the fatter side but are soft and doesn't exert much pressure on the ears. It has metal jacket on the Y splitter, 2pin plugs and jack too and not to anyone's surprise this jack on the larger and heavier side.
Build wise though this is excellent. We get Zinc 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. 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. V1 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:
Vsa V1 has the exactly same kind of driver as the SAP Hi end but definitely has a different kind of tuning. While the Hi End has a more V shaped presentation, this has a slightly mid forward signature while maintaining good all round performance. It doesn't try to deliver big bass or spicy treble but focuses more on mid range accuracy and tonality. Let's expand!!
BASS:
Even though this is not a bassy IEM we get very good bass performance. Notes are full and meaty. It has class leading sub-bass depth and rumbles with very good definition. It's not heavy yet has very good slam. Mid bass is a bit more fuller with aptly clean and well defined notes. It has good area of impact and moves good amount of air too. Notes usually move inward and spread out, leaving a bit of body at the center but it's nothing serious. Decay is paced delicately, it offers the right amount of weight while keep clear of any mushiness. We get very good layered notes, it doesn't muddle up and has good distinction of notes. V1 has very good dynamics and contrast of back and foreground separation too. We get very good texture too. It has barely any issues with staying clean with upper bass notes, we get no unwanted softness to them.
MID RANGE:
Mid range is where the magic happens. V1 is tuned to deliver excellent mid range, especially vocals and it excels at this. Both male and female vocals have Lush, fuller body and smooth presentation while maintaining excellent finishing definition at the peaks, without sounding blunt or dull. Male vocals enjoy excellent throaty presentation while female vocals have very good height and slightly taller notes. We get superb mid body texture with both male and female vocals. We get some of the most organic timber and warm tonality with excellent cohesive. Instruments do take the back the seat, play the second fiddle but does that with grace. They maintain good transparency and finishing definition. Yes, they aren't the cleanest or have the bite. Upper mids are slightly more forward than the rest of the instrumental regions but still doesn't have any uncomfortable peak or sharpness to it.
HIGHS:
V1 maintains slight amount or energy gained with the upper mids up till the mid treble region. We get agile and cleaner notes with very good transparency. It has very good extension too. Yes, it doesn't have the best upper treble energy but doesn't sound dark either. Another thing to note is, just like any other mid forward IEM we do not get a lot of air between instruments yet it doesn't sound muffled up or mushy. We get good layering and separation with aptly clean instrument placements. Another point to note is, it maintains very good tonality here too, notes do not sound nasally or metallic.
STAGE AND IMAGING:
VSA V1 is a very good IEM when it comes to clarity and that can be said for the stage and imaging too. Best aspect here is the clean presentation it offers (without sounding dry) adds to the amount of air between instruments, enhancing its cue placement accuracy. VSA V1 has lovely imaging. We do get a slightly more closed in stage which is tall and wide with decent Z-axis depth, (yes, you can't except more depth for this little money). Most of the stage is placed within the head though, some of the vocal and mid range notes make it out of the head while majority of treble notes project outward. This stage is dominated by the mid range and it takes around 40% of the space yet it doesn't sound lopsided or imbalanced. Sonics are decent too, it doesn't lack with transient effects and since the background notes have the subtlety to them, it can sound a bit more 3D and holographic.
COMPARISON:
VS KBear Tourbillion Pro:
CONCLUSION:
EarAcoustics know what they are doing. They are using same driver sizes but tuning these IEMs with superior accuracy to achieve their intended tuning. I barely have any issues with the VSA V1 given that it's a mid forward IEM that offers excellent vocal clarity and resolution while offering very good bass and decent treble performance too.
