I have the aluminium one, because carbon fibre can eat a bag of Dicks
I havn't had a bike like it so nothing to compare it directly to.
It's much faster around trails and climbs than my tracer2 26", doesn't soak up the chatter as well but also feels just as capable of taking everything I had the balls to swing at the tracer. Much more efficient ride with seemingly stuff all trade off to the longer legs.
Compared to my Titus rockstar 29er it's possibly not as good on the fire trail but beats it hands down in every other aspect. Rough climbs and switchbacks are perceptibly easier on the spider and descending is a blast.
Mines set up with a cane Creek inline rear and fox talas 140/120 ctd front. Might go a way to explaining the efficiency and the loss of small bump compliance but I don't mind because the trade off seems fair to me.
In a nutshell, the thing is a hoot to ride. Havn't had this much fun since I first went from a hardtail to my 2001 tracer :-D