Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI TWS Headphones Review – A Versatile Model with Excellent Sound

The Aurvana Ace SXFI is another model in Creative’s line of headphones featuring innovative xMEMS drivers, which revolutionize wireless audio technology. In this review, we’ll tell you how the new model sounds, and why xMEMS technology is worth your attention.

Technical Specifications

• Driver size: solid state driver, 10mm dynamic drivers
• Headphone battery life: up to 8 hours
• Case battery life: up to 28 hours
• Battery capacity: case – 500 mAh, earphones – 60 mAh (each earphone)
• Wireless charging: yes
• Connection: Bluetooth 5.3
• Control: touch
• Water resistance: IPX5
• Codecs: AAC, SBC
• Noise cancellation: hybrid active
• Weight: headphones – 2 x 6 g, case – 49.7 g
• Features: Wireless charging, SXFI support, xMEMS drivers
• Colors: black/gold

Equipment and Design

Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI are packaged in a small cardboard box, which shows the model, its main features and information about the manufacturer.

Inside, the owner will find a case with the headphones, a fabric carrying pouch, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, replacement ear tips of different sizes (four pairs in addition to the pair of ear tips installed on the headphones), as well as a user manual, a booklet with information about SXFI technology, and a booklet with a link to the mobile app.

The Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI case is made of matte black plastic with a subtle silver finish that stands out in the light. The bottom edge houses a status indicator, USB-C port, and pairing button, while the side edge features a strap loop. The line’s name, “Aurvana,” is printed in gold on the front. A gold border visually separates the lid from the case, and the case’s interior is finished in the same color.

The lid opens and closes with noticeable force, and stays securely in place, while both earbuds sit in their sockets like a glove and do not fall out, even if you turn the case over with the lid open and shake it vigorously.

The headphones have a classic shape: a medium-length stem, a barrel-shaped housing, and a speaker with a silicone tip. The outer housing and stems use glossy gold plastic that highlights the microphone holes and Creative logo while concealing the touchpad. The inner housing and stems use matte plastic and house the microphones and sound pipes. The charging contacts are located at the bottom of the stem.

Each earbud weighs 6 grams, and the case weighs 49.7 grams. Thanks to its streamlined shape and compact dimensions, the case fits easily into a jacket pocket or small compartment of a bag. If you tend to stash your gadgets where you keep your keys, be aware that the plastic case may scratch over time. To prevent this, use the included fabric pouch.

Connection and Setup

The model connects to wireless devices via Bluetooth 5.3. To pair, open the case and wait for the LED at the bottom to flash. Then, find the headphones in your smartphone ‘s list of Bluetooth devices and connect.

Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI support touch controls out of the box. Double-tapping either earbud accepts an incoming call, while pressing and holding for two seconds rejects it. Double-tapping the right earbud starts a music track, while double-tapping the left earbud cycles through noise-canceling modes. Triple-tapping the right earbud advances the next track. Pressing and holding the left earbud decreases the volume, while pressing and holding the right earbud increases the volume.

The button on the case allows you to manually pair with a Bluetooth device (press and hold for 2 seconds) or reset the headphones to factory settings (press and hold for 8 seconds).

To access advanced features, download the Creative app, available on Google Play and the App Store. In the app, you can activate SXFI, turn on the equalizer and select one of the presets or create your own, select a noise-canceling mode, assign touch commands, update the headphones’ firmware, and reset them to default settings.

Simply put, you’ll need the software if you want to fine-tune the device’s sound and take advantage of the proprietary SXFI technology.

Impressions of Use

We covered the innovative xMEMS drivers in detail in our review of the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 headphones . Simply put, this technology places two drivers in the headphones: a conventional driver handles low and mid frequencies, while a solid-state xMEMS driver delivers high frequencies, achieving high-quality sound without increasing driver size. As a result, listeners experience powerful bass, detailed mids, and clear highs comparable to the sound quality of large studio headphones.

As expected, the Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI sound excellent, revealing the nuances of any track , whether it’s orchestral music or a pumping hip-hop beat. You can also customize the playback characteristics using the equalizer, emphasizing the details you enjoy most. Although the model only supports AAC and SBC codecs, this will be sufficient for most users, especially if you prefer streaming audio from internet services.

Additionally, the model is compatible with SXFI technology, which allows you to create a personalized sound profile using head mapping, resulting in immersive surround sound. To do this, install the SXFI app and scan it to create a custom profile, after which you can turn it on and off in the Creative app. This spatial sound is well-suited for movies and certain music genres, but sometimes it emphasizes details that aren’t intended. Simply put, this technology isn’t always appropriate, but in certain scenarios it does reveal additional sound characteristics.

Hybrid ANC technology blocks up to 98% of ambient noise and works remarkably well. You can customize the noise-canceling level or turn it off completely. There’s also an Ambient mode, which allows external sounds to pass through, allowing you to simultaneously listen to music and hear your surroundings.

The built-in microphones perform well in both noise cancellation and voice transmission. During calls, callers reported clear speech and a lack of distortion and unwanted noise.

The earbuds’ batteries provide approximately 8 hours of battery life without noise cancellation and approximately 5 to 5.5 hours with ANC. The case provides 28 hours of battery life. These are average performance figures, but quite adequate for the model’s price range.

Additionally, the earbuds have a snug and comfortable fit. You can run and do intense workouts without worrying about the earbuds falling out. And thanks to IPX5 water and dust resistance, the device is sweat- and rain -resistant .

Conclusion

The Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI are excellent wireless headphones with dual drivers and high-quality sound. They also support SXFI spatial audio, hybrid active noise cancellation, and offer decent battery life. The model has virtually no drawbacks, making it a suitable choice for everyday use and sports. However, the final decision, as always, is yours.