Creative recently launched two new wireless earbuds, the Aurvana Ace and the Aurvana Ace 2. This new line, while being indifferent from most earbuds from the outside, packs a significant upgrade on the inside as they are the first to include xMEMS drivers. These promise a more immersive audio experience with wider frequency response from 5 Hz to 40 KHz. In this review we’ll take a look at the Creative Aurvana Ace.

Creative Aurvana Ace contents and specs

The Creative Aurvana Ace retails for €149.99 and comes with the following items:

• 1 x Creative Aurvana Ace
• 1 x USB-C Charging Case
• 1 x USB-C Charging Cable
• 1 x Pair of (S), (M), and (L) Silicone Ear Tips
• 1 x Quick Start Guide

Specs of these earbuds, and a comparison with the €179.99 Aurvana Ace 2, can be found below:

Quality hardware with an inconspicuous design

For better or worse, Creative opted for an inconspicuous design for the Aurvana Ace. The charging case packs a matter black finish with a discreet, barely visible “Aurvana” etching on its lower front side. On the right side is a lanyard loop and on the underside of the case is the pairing/reset button, indicator light and USB-C port.

Opening the charging case, you’ll find each earbud nested inside and charging. The earbuds pack a similar matte black finish to the case, and bear a small and barely visible logo on the lower end. Save for the small golden area on top of the touch panel, the earbuds pack a uniform matte black finish. 

This low-profile aesthetics can be appealing but I personally found it too generic. I’m all for minimalist appeal in tech products but more than attractively minimal, the Aurvana Ace felt like a low-effort design to me. I’d have preferred a more unique look, akin to Creative’s own Outlier Pro. I hope that the company puts some more effort in designing its Aurvana Ace line in the future.

Aside from the looks, the hardware is of quality. It’s sturdy yet lightweight (4.7g per earbud and 37.2g for the charging case). This makes it easily usable for extended periods of time and I found them comfortable to wear. The 52 mAh battery in each earbud and the charging case’s 470 mAh battery easily provides a whole day’s use (up to 24h). 

When in need of charging, you can plug in a USB-C charger or place the case on a wireless Qi charger (not included). I found the latter feature to be a welcome addition to make charging more seamless and tangle-free.

Being IPX5 water resistant, the Aurvana Ace can be used for sports, indoors as well as outdoors in rainy conditions while providing some peace of mind. These earbuds are also apt for work purposes thanks to the six built-in microphones that deliver clear audio for taking video and phone calls. You can also toggle noise cancellation by tapping on the earbuds to have a more focused listening experience. With Bluetooth 5.3 and Bluetooth LE Audio support, the Aurvana Ace also provide reliable connectivity. These features make this pair of earbuds an easy contender as a daily driver.

A new generation of earbuds

In addition to the hardware quality, what makes the Creative Aurvana Ace a daily driver contender is the audio output. This is of course a major factor in getting a pair of earbuds and as with Creative’s other products, the Aurvana Ace does not disappoint on this front.

Whether it’s to listen to music, watch videos or play games on your favourite handheld, the Aurvana Ace delivers an immersive soundscape. Sound profiles are rich with details, with discernible subtle audio cues that provide a natural audio experience. 

Such an output quality is thanks to the xMEMS technology embedded in the earbuds. Creative describes the xMEMS drivers  as follows:

“These specialized drivers, expertly integrated into each earbud, showcase an innovative design with tiny flaps meticulously mounted to silicon chips. What makes this technology stand out is how it replicates sound when these flaps swiftly respond to short electrical signals. In doing so, these drivers are able to generate sound waves that closely mimic the way users naturally hear sounds in the world around them. This results in an audio experience that is not only pristine but also remarkably lifelike, akin to having the performers right beside the users.”

While the difference is mostly evident by comparing other earbuds side-by-side, using the Creative Aurvana Ace alone provides a quality audio experience. However, the user experience could be improved as the touch controls tend to be hit-or-miss. They aren’t totally responsive to taps and it’s the reason I prefer physical controls over touch controls for earbuds. While you can customise the touch controls via an optional companion app, it still does not fix the touch responsiveness.

Overall, the Creative Aurvana Ace is a quality pair of earbuds that discreetly packs impressive technology that can potentially usher a new generation of earbuds. If you’re looking for an immersive audio experience from audio peripherals with a small form factor, the Aurvana Ace is definitely worth considering. I hope that Creative improves on this line with more responsive controls and a more appealing design. In addition, the xMEMS drivers could be well-suited for over-ear headphones and I hope to see Creative bring such options to audiophiles.