The Jalopy Journal

My everyday in-ear headphones are made by Shure and cost me almost $300 a couple of years ago. They are magnificent instruments with sound quality second to no headphone I’ve ever owned. Hell, I might even go as far as to say that they are worth every penny I spent on them.

However, recently id America sent over a set of their Spark headphones and asked if I would give them a shot. They came in really nice packaging and even featured a little leather case for the unit that not only stores the headphones, but also includes space for additional ear inserts of various sizes. The headphones themselves are housed in aluminum and the design is inspired by a spark plug… Yeah, a spark plug. And, of course, they feature a microphone module that allows you to pick up calls, play or pause a song, and skip to the next or previous track. Standard headphone features these days…

What got me with the Spark headphones is how damned comfortable they are. Typically, in-ear headphones leave you feeling a bit “stuffed.” These, however, do not. They are light and not at all abrasive to your ears. The sound isn’t bad either…

I guess the easiest way to label them is to compare them to other units. Up against my Shure headphones, the highs aren’t quite as crisp and the lows aren’t quite as deep. However, the mid levels are right there. Up against stock Apple headphones? We are talking two different leagues here. The Spark units present a much more natural sound stage at all volume levels. No contest.

Here’s the kicker. The Spark units are only $60. I feel like a complete idiot for owning the Shure headphones now. Seriously.

In any case, more info here.