The Aurvana series is Creative’s top of the line audio products, and the new Creative Aurvana Ace 2 is the first true wireless earbuds in that series. Also another first is being the first mainstream true wireless earbuds to use xMEMS solid state drivers. The Aurvana Ace 2 is Creative’s flagship true wireless earbuds, which retails for S$219.
Unboxing
Here’s what you’ll find in the box:
- Creative Aurvana Ace 2
- USB-C Charging Case
- USB-C Charging Cable
- Pair of (S), (M), and (L) Silicone Ear Tips
- Quick Start Guide
Tech specs
| Frequency response | 5–40,000 Hz |
| Driver | Type: xMEMS Solid-state x 2 Type: Dynamic x 2 |
| Battery life | Up to 6 hours per charge (ANC / Ambient Mode off) Up to 4 hours per charge (ANC / Ambient Mode on) |
| Weight | Earbuds: 4.7g each Charging Case: 37.2g |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Water resistance | IPX5 |
| Controls | Touch |
| Charging | USB-C, Wireless |
Build quality and features
Riding on the wave of see-through tech design, the Aurvana Ace 2‘s case features a smoky matte black translucent shell with copper accents to offer a pop of contrast. The copper colour is especially apparent when you open the case as it has a shiny finish to it. I quite like the design of the case as it gives it some personality to it. In fact, this striking design is special to the more expensive Aurvana Ace 2 and not on the more affordable Aurvana Ace.
As for the earbuds, they also have the same see-through tech design where you can see parts of the internals. The matte plastic does have a rather smooth texture to it which can make it a little cumbersome when trying to remove it from the case. It is slightly weird that the stems mould in the case are center aligned as this means I have to twist the earbuds after removing it from my ear to fit it in the case. Creative should look at side aligning the stem moulds in the case so you get a more fluid movement when removing/keeping the earbuds.
Build quality of both the case and earbuds are pretty good, more or less the same quality feeling as other Creative products. The earbuds are IPX5 water-resistant rated so they are good enough to be your gym buddy. Before we go further, let’s address the main differences between the Aurvana Ace 2 and the more affordable Aurvana Ace. The Aurvana Ace is S$30 cheaper because of the below exclusions/differences:
| Aurvana Ace 2 | Aurvana Ace | |
|---|---|---|
| Noise Control | Adaptive Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation Ambient Mode | Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation Ambient Mode |
| Audio Codec | LC3, AptX Lossless, AptX Adaptive, AptX, AAC, SBC | LC3, AptX Adaptive, AptX, AAC, SBC |
| Colour | Translucent Black & Copper | Black & Copper |
Controls and App
The Aurvana Ace 2 has support for the Creative app which offers some level of customisation in terms of EQ and controls. It’s a relatively simple companion app which is easy to use, which also offers and avenue for you to perform firmware updates. The EQ offers a number of ready-made presets that you can choose from, or you can make your own curve and save it as a preset.
Aurvana Ace 2 uses touch controls, which is ok and reliable enough for everyday use. Having a stem, there is very low likelihood of accidentally triggering a control while adjusting the fit in your ears. If you’re not a fan of the default touch controls, you can change them to your liking in the Creative app.
Ambient mode
Ambient mode allows the Aurvana Ace 2 to let in external sounds into the earbuds so you can be aware of your surroundings. The effect is quite similar to most of the ambient mode on other earbuds, not overly processed and rather natural with a noticeable boost in the highs so wind sounds and keyboard clacks sound louder. It is still far from the Apple AirPods Pro in this space yet though.
Fit and comfort
The Aurvana Ace 2 fits quite comfortably in my ears as the shape of earbuds are well contoured to rest naturally in the curves of my ears. The ear tips hold the responsibility of ensuring the seal you get. I found the ‘L’ size ear tips to provide the best seal for me.
The earbuds are also rather lightweight at just 4.7g each so I don’t really feel their presence when wearing them for an extended period of time.
Sound quality
Bass on the Aurvana Ace 2 has intensity but does not feel bloated such that it clouds the midrange. You get a good level of extension in the sub-bass range to feel a satisfying rumble. As for midrange, it is where the Aurvana Ace 2 shines. Instruments are clear and detailed even on more complicated songs where there are a lot going on in the mix. Not sure if this is because of xMEMs drivers, but the earbuds does give you that feeling of “responsiveness”.
Treble is balanced sounding, one that offers sufficient shine without getting sibilant. Those who are more accustomed to brighter or transparent treble may find the Aurvana Ace 2 to be on the warmer side. You can boost it up on the app get a little more airiness out of it. Soundstage is considerably wide, allowing you to feel spaces between each instruments. Even though the overall sound of the Aurvana Ace 2 leans towards a balanced sound signature versus the usual V-shaped tuning on other Creative earbuds, I found it more fun to listen music on the Aurvana Ace 2 as it is more technical and able to produce more details.
ANC performance
ANC of the Aurvana Ace 2 offers decent performance which seems to be fair enough at its price point. Low frequency noises such as engine rumble in buses and airplanes are handled well, while higher frequency noises are not removed as effectively. The ANC intensity of the Aurvana Ace 2 cannot be adjusted in the app.
Microphone quality
Microphone performance of the Aurvana Ace 2 is decent at best. In controlled and quiet environments, the microphone is able to pickup my voice clearly with some levels of depth. Despite being equipped with Qualcomm cVc noise cancellation technology, the Aurvana Ace 2 starts to struggle in noisy environments as it battles to cancel the noise and let my voice in. I’d use the Aurvana Ace 2 only in controlled environments for the best reliability.
Connectivity & Battery life
Aurvana Ace 2 uses Bluetooth 5.3 which I found the connection to be largely stable as I did not experience any dropouts during my time of testing. There is also no audio-video sync lag when watching videos from the YouTube app on my iPhone 11. You can use either side of the earbuds if you just want to wear one for usage.
ATH-TWX7 offers up to 4 hours of music playback with ANC turned on, and 6 hours if you don’t use ANC. It is surprisingly short for Creative’s standards as their earbuds are usually decked out with battery life. You get an extra 12 to 18 hours with the case. Aurvana Ace 2 can be charged wired with USB-C or wirelessly with any Qi wireless charger.
Conclusion
If your priority for a pair of true wireless earbuds is sound quality then the Aurvana Ace 2 is definitely the earbuds that should be on your shortlist as the sound quality per dollar ratio is quite high. And if you do not care too much about noise cancelling and audio codecs, the Aurvana Ace packs even more value. I like how Creative has leveraged the xMEMs drivers to produce a pair of true wireless earbuds that offers detailed reproduction that usually only comes with IEMs or more expensive earbuds.