The Creative Aurvana Ace might look like another minimalist TWS to hit the market. But under its unassuming looks claims a long battery life plus a new technology called xMEMS that promises a better audio experience.
Creative Aurvana Ace
| Drivers | 10mm Dynamic Drivers, xMEMS Solid-State |
| Form Factor | TWS |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz – 40,000Hz |
| Connection | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Microphone | 6x Microphones (3x per earbud) |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 hours, Up to 24 hours (Charging Case) |
| Charging | USB-C, Qi Wireless Charging |
| On-Board Controls | Volume Dial, Mute, RGB Controls, Pairing, Power, Quick-Switch, Mute |
| Wireless Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC, LC3, AptX Adaptive |
| Weight | 4.7g (per earbud), 37.2g (Charging Case) |
| Others | IPX5 Water Resistance, Haptic Controls |
| Colors | Black |
| Accessories | USB-A to USB-C Cable, Charging Case, 3x Silicone Tips |
Unboxing
The Creative Aurvana Ace ships in a sleek, minimalist black box. Encased inside is the Creative Aurvana Ace earbuds, a charging case, three sets of silicone tips (small, medium, and large), a quick start guide, and a USB-A to USB-C cable.
Design and Features
Creative is using a minimalist design language on the Aurvana Ace. The earbuds themselves are clad in black with copper highlights and the creative logo near the bottom of their stems. Each earbud weighs in at just 4.7g making them light on the ears – perfect for extended use.
The earbuds are IPX5 water resistant, which allows them to be used in light showers or for sports. They support Bluetooth 5.3, Bluetooth LE, touch controls, AptX Adaptive, and active noise cancelling.
Both buds come with haptic touch. Its controls consist of double tap, triple tap, and long tap. Functionality can be customized via the Creative app, which we’ll discuss later.
Much like the earbuds, the charging case is relatively light weighing at 37.2g. Its profile is slim and there are no bulges that allows them to fit into slimmer pockets without any issues. It does support wireless Qi charging on top of its USB-C charging. Creative claims that the charging case can extend the earbuds’ longevity by up to 24 hours.
Software
The Creative app is available for iOS and Android. It’s as basic as they come, but most of the functionalities are present. The app offers equalizer adjustments from 20Hz to 14.7KHz and sliders for bass and treble. If you’re not up for customization, it offers presets ranging from gaming and music genre-focused.
Its active noise cancelling settings can be adjusted here as well. You toggle from On, Off, and Ambient Mode. You can also set the aggressiveness of the noise cancelling in three steps.
As mentioned, its controls can be customized via the app. Both earbuds can be controlled independently, but there are certain limitations to binding controls. Double tap and tripe tap can be bound to playback controls, ANC, and Voice Assistant; while long tap can only be bound to volume up or down.
Creative Aurvana Ace Review – Performance
The Creative Aurvana Ace is powered by 10mm dynamic drivers and xMEMS technology from the eponymous Californian company. Its micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) uses inverse piezoelectric effect that allows its flaps to create sound waves using voltage. xMEMS claims that this enables the TWS’ to have detailed sound while being more durable compared to traditional armature drivers.
This relatively new technology sounds great in our ears. The Aurvana Ace delivers detailed and clear audio. Listening to Lovebites’ EPILOGUE brings out the soulful guitar solo and vocals of the track. Performance is also the same on Jaded by Spiritbox where the pumping bass and drums, as well as the contrast of the harsh and clean vocals really comes through. There’s a well-spaced soundstage on the earbuds allowing you to experience music much better compared to a tight soundstage like other TWS offer.
Though it supports AptX Adaptive, we found using can be inconsistent. Using the codec does bring better audio overall, but quality occasionally drops even when listening to local tracks on our device.
Active noise cancelling performance is decent. It will be able to reduce most noise especially in public transit, but louder uproars will be able to come though. There are also moments that the ANC simply goes out for a moment when the TWS experiences bumping or any strong electronic sounds.
Battery life is simply one of the better ones in the TWS market. On average, we were able to get 3 – 4 hours of use on the earbuds at higher volume with ANC turned on. The charging case fills up the buds quickly and the addition of Qi Wireless charging means that it can be charged with a reverse wireless Qi-compatible smartphone anytime.
Creative Aurvana Ace Review – Conclusion
Though xMEMS is a rather new technology on TWS’, the Creative Aurvana Ace makes them work by offering a good audio experience and on a lightweight formfactor. Its battery life is impressive, making them an option for those who have long commutes or just want to listen to tracks for a long time.
There are kinks on the TWS like the active noise cancelling occasionally giving out, but those only happen at very specific moments. Its software also has limitations when it comes to binding controls. We would have liked the freedom to attach any of the controls to any of the haptic combinations.
The Creative Aurvana Ace stands out as one of the better performing TWS in the market, though at a cost of PhP 8,290 in the Philippines. If you’re looking to upgrade your audio experience from stock earphones or entry-level TWS, then the Aurvana Ace might be one worth considering.
Price and Availability
The Creative Aurvana Ace is priced at PhP 8,290 in the Philippines. It is now available through Shopee and Creative authorized retailers nationwide.
