The headphone industry is not known for its rapid evolution. There are advances like spatial sound and steady advances in Bluetooth audio fidelity, but for the most part, the industry counts advances in decades rather than years. That makes the arrival of the headphones, the first wireless headphones with MEMS drivers, a pretty rare event. I recently wrote about what exactly it's important and why Creative is the first consumer brand to sell a product that uses it.
Creative introduced two models, the Aurvana Ace ($130) and the Aurvana Ace 2 ($150) together. Both feature MEMS drivers, the main difference being that the Ace model supports high-resolution aptX Adaptive, while the Ace 2 has top-of-the-line aptX Lossless (sometimes marketed as “CD quality”). The Ace 2 is the model we will refer to from now on.
To be fair to Creative, the simple inclusion of MEMS controllers would be a unique selling point, but the aforementioned aptX support adds another layer of hi-fi credentials to the mix. Then there's the adaptive ANC and other details like wireless charging that give the Ace 2 a solid spec sheet for the price. Some obvious omissions include small quality-of-life features like pausing playback if you remove a button and audio customization. Those could have been two easy wins that would make both models pretty hard to beat for the price in terms of features, at least.
When I tested the first in-ear monitors with xMEMS technology, the extra detail in the high-end was instantly obvious, especially in genres like metal and drum & bass. Lower frequencies were more of a challenge, and xMEMS, the company behind the drivers in both the Oni and Aurvana, admitted that a hybrid setup with a conventional bass driver might be the preferred option until its own speakers can handle more bass. . That's exactly what we have here in the Aurvana Ace 2.
However, the key difference between the Aurvana Ace 2 and the Oni is more important than a good punch in the bass (if that's even possible). MEMS-based headphones need a small amount of “biased” power to operate, this does not affect battery life, but Singularity used a specific xMEMS “mode.” Creative uses a specific amplifier “chip” that demonstrates, for the first time, consumer MEMS headphones in a wireless configuration. The popularity of truly wireless earbuds (TWS) these days means that for MEMS to catch on, it has to be supported.
The good news is that even without the expensive that the Singularity Oni IEMs required to function, the Aurvana Ace 2 provides additional clarity in the higher frequencies than rival products at this price. That is, even with enhanced bass, the MEMS drivers clearly favor mid and high frequencies. The result is a sound that achieves a good balance between detail and body.
Listening to “Master of Puppets,” the iconic chords had better presence and “crunch” than with a pair of $250 over-ear headphones I tested. Likewise, the aggressive traps of “Chop Suey!” from System of a Down. appears as expected. When I listened to the same song on the $200 model with custom audio enabled, the sounds were actually comparable. Just Creative sounded like this out of the box, but the Grell buds have slightly better dynamic range overall and more emphasis on vocals.
For more electronic genres, the Aurvana Ace's hybrid setup really comes into play. Listening to “Hip-Hop” by Dead Prez It really shows off the bass capabilities, with more oomph here than the Grell and a pair of $160 House of Marley Redemption 2 ANCs, but it never felt overdone or muddy/loose.
Despite outperforming other headphones in specific comparisons, overall the nuances and differences between headphones are harder to quantify. The only gear I tested that sounded consistently better, for me, was the Denon Perl Pro (previously known as ), but at $349 they're also the most expensive.
It would be remiss of me not to point out that there were also many songs and tests where the differences between the various sets of headphones were much more difficult to discern. With two iPhones, a Spotify account, and lots of swapping between headphones during the same song, it's possible to discover small preferences between different sets, but form factor, consumer preference, and price dictate that they all overlap to some extent. in general terms. sonorously.
However, the promise of MEMS controllers is not just about fidelity. The claim is that the lack of moving parts and its semiconductor-like manufacturing process ensures a higher level of consistency with less need for calibration and adjustment. The end result is a more reliable production process, which should mean lower costs. In turn, this could translate into better value for money or at least a potentially longer-lasting product. If companies decide to pass on those savings, of course.
For now, we'll have to wait and see if other companies explore using MEMS controllers in their own products or if it could remain an alternative option alongside technologies like controllers and headphones as specialized options for enthusiasts. One thing is for sure: Creative's Aurvana Ace series offers a great audio experience along with premium features like wireless charging and aptX Lossless for a reasonable price. What's not to like about that?
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-affordable-headphones-with-mems-drivers-review-161536317.html?src=rss
