Updated: Jan 24, 2021

Pros: Melodious Upper mids and Female Vocals, Clean & Tight Bass, Good separation, Sparkle and clarity in treble without sibliance, Unboxing experience and eartips galore, Beautiful shells (build quality)

Cons: Not as versatile across genres, Lower mids not as full-bodied, Sound can be source and tip dependant

Driver Setup: 2 Dynamic Driver + 1 Balanced Armature Hybrid

Price: $120 (USD)

Intro

Disclaimer: I purchased this IEM from DD Audio on Aliexpress at a slight discount and this review is written of my own accord.

The moment I laid my eyes on these earphones, I knew I had to at least try them. It has an interesting driver set up of 2 dynamic drivers and 1 balanced armature. It almost looks like sibling of the Thieaudio Legacy 3 which goes for almost the same price and you could expect to see some “sibling rivalry” in this review.

Packaging and Accessories (Score: 9.5/10)

You can tell they really went all out to impress right from the unboxing. It comes in a brightly coloured box that matches the overall colour scheme of the IEMs. Opening the box would reveal a large pleather case like the one you would get with the Thieaudio Legacy 3. The only negative thing I experienced in the whole unboxing was some black glue residue stuck to my IEMs and I spent quite a while trying to get all of it off.

I chose the “Bright Moon” design for the cable that comes with the IEMs and they look much prettier in real life than in pictures. The 8-wire cable is braided very beautifully, and both the audio jack and Y-split are made of a sleek brushed aluminium.

The IEM also comes with a whole variety selection of tips which you may need as I find the sound changes quite significantly with tips. I prefer silicone tips and just used my SpinFits which fit comfortably for me.

Build Quality and Fit (Score: 9/10)

Build quality is nothing short of amazing. I think Peacock Audio have already set a precedent and made a name for themselves in this area with their previous release of the Peacock Audio P1. The IEM faceplate design really looks like a Peacock feather pattern and the colour scheme really sticks with that “spring” vibe.

IEMs are quite small for the “Custom-like” design, similar to the size of the Legacy 3s. However, the Springs are possibly the most comfortable earphones I have owned to date. Once they are inserted, they stay there and feel almost weightless in the ear.

The only problem I faced here was the 2-pin female connection on the IEMs. They were very tight, and I had to use significant force to insert my cables and it was anxiety-inducing.

Sound (Overall Score: 8.2/10)

Frequency Response for the Reecho & Peacock Audio Spring

Sources Used

• Fiio Q1 MkII
• Shanling M3s
• Schiit Stack (Modi & Vali) (I had the best experience using this setup, I’m not sure if it has to do with the Springs performing better when better driven or just it being source dependant)

Albums and Tracks Listened to

• Andy Gibb – The Very Best Of
• Lion King’s Original Soundtrack
• Randy Travis
• Spinners – Essentials
• Randy Travis’s Forever and Ever, Amen
• Mozart Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K.622 by Martin Frost

Bass (Score: 8.5/10)

The bass is clean and tight. It isn’t the most powerful but does extend low and possesses good punch and rumble. On the Spinners’ “Cupid/I’ve Loved You for a Long Time” and Andy Gibb’s “Shadow Dancing”, the bass line remained clear and articulate throughout. The problem I have is that the upper bass sometimes feel a little weak and it doesn’t provide for a smooth transition into the mids. However, overall I still really enjoy the bass on the Springs for its clean and crisp presentation, and it keeping things interesting without getting muddy.

Mids (Score: 7.5/10)

Mids is a bit of a mixed bag for me. I’ll start with the negatives. In many instances, I was left wishing more from the lower mids. They lacked the full-bodied feeling and caused certain male vocal tracks to not feel well supported. Voices like Randy Travis in “Forever and Ever, Amen” sound smooth but could use more richness and body. However, I tried an experiment by listening to the Springs on my Schiit Modi into Schiit Vali, and it remedied this problem quite significantly most likely due to the warmth of the tube amp sound. (edit: Upon further extensive listening, the overall sound signature of the Springs smoothed out a little and become a little more enjoyable. It is said that the dynamic drivers in the Spring do benefit from some breaking in so you may want to spend a little more time with your set too.)

As the vocals move up in pitch and frequency, they start to become more impressive. Higher pitched vocals are really engaging on the Springs.

Certain instruments just make me go wow on the Springs. Clarinet, Oboe and Flute solos really serenade with a certain je ne sais quoi. It hits the sweet spot where it isn’t too glaring and not too laid back either.

Treble (Score: 8/10)

The treble picks up from where the upper mids and continues the elegance. Micro details are well preserved, and it perfectly captures the sparkle in most tracks and carefully avoids sibilance. Crash cymbals and hi-hats all come out crispy clean and the Spring just seems to be in control always regardless of what you throw at it. It’s very transparent which also means if you have poorly recorded tracks it’ll show on the Springs. That said, the technicalities of the Spring is ultimately bottlenecked in the treble and its definition is not perfect but rather acceptable for its price.

Misc

I had some issues with the tonality of the drumset at times. The ride cymbal, toms and kick drums have a certain unnaturalness to their sound in some tracks. This possibly stems from the problem with the body in the lower mids.

Soundstage and imaging are great, making this enjoyable especially when listening to wind symphonies and string orchestras.

Overall

Something important to note is that the Springs are source and tip dependent. If something doesn’t feel right immediately on your set, give it a chance and do some experimenting. I would say it seems like people who tuned it had a specific sound they was aiming for, and the Spring has done a very good job in excelling where it’s meant to. It presents details well and manages to be analytical without sounding cold or harsh, something I really enjoyed. However, it does struggle in achieving naturalness and body in the mids sometimes.

Comparisons

Thieaudio Legacy 3 vs. Reecho & Peacock Audio Spring

Thieaudio Legacy 3 (Review Here)

The comparison between the two had to be made, with both being such standout performers at almost the same price with similar form factors.

Comfort wise, I personally find that the Springs were a better fit for me, and the cable connector was more fitting over my ears too. If packaging and accessories matter a big deal to you, the winner would definitely be the Springs and it made me wish the Legacy 3 could match the unboxing experience of the Springs.

In the first few hours, I was very sure the Springs were nowhere near as good as the Legacy 3s. However, after the next few days of listening and getting used to the Springs, I felt that it has its own areas where it shines. Hence, rather than being so sure the Legacy 3 was a big step up from the Springs, they both seemed to complement each other.

Objectively, I would say if I had to choose between the two, it would still be the Legacy 3 as it is much more versatile, and I prefer the musical and mature tuning and tonality of the Legacy 3. The bass on the Legacy 3 is better than the Springs, even though I would say the bass on Springs is very much satisfactory and tasteful. The mids although not as forward as the Springs but are more musical and work for a greater spread of music. However, the times when I wished the Legacy 3 could be a little more engaging with the upper mids and treble, the Springs delivered.

These are my opinions on the two based on my musical tastes. Both are outstanding performers at their price, but the Legacy just does more things right and tips the scale in its favour for me. The Springs do have their niche and there are times that I enjoy the Springs more. However, as an indicator, those who prefer their treble a little more tame would more likely prefer the Legacy 3s. I spent a long time (and had a hard time) comparing these two sets and if you have any questions or would like me to help you test anything please feel free to let me know, I’d be happy to help.

Conclusion

I would see this making into the list of IEMs I keep around for a long time, especially one of those I bring on my daily commutes given how well it isolates and fits in my ear without any discomfort.

However, its versatility and ability to perform right out of the box without any fiddling sets it back slightly. It does sound very technically capable and has been tuned very well, and I was really thankful it didn’t disappoint for something that looks so stunning.

The standout feature of the tuning is the presentation of female vocal tracks, instruments and treble. All this is done with a very natural and clean and tight bass presentation. It keeps the image of the season of “Spring” with its bright tuning but never comes across as harsh. From its sound to its looks, the Spring is an absolute beauty.

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