The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and wireless convenience for activities like exercising, traveling, or moving around, the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 would be the better choice given their stem design, active noise cancelling, sweatproof certification, and wireless design with battery life lasting up to 5 hours plus an additional 18 hours from their case. However, if your main focus is on the ultimate sound quality for critical listening in a quiet environment and you already have or plan to invest in a dedicated amplifier, the HifiMan Arya Stealth would serve you better with its top-tier planar drivers, though they are wired, bulky, and do not support active noise cancelling, making them less suited for portable use or noisy environments. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2
Very good for gaming
Good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Advantages of the HifiMan Arya Stealth
Best in class for music
Excellent for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.4/10
10.0/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is best in class for music, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is very good.
Gaming
8.6/10
7.1/10
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6/10
8.1/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is poor.
TV and Video
7.7/10
9.4/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is excellent for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is good.
Noise Reduction
7.0/10
2.5/10
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is good for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has 5 hours of battery life. The HifiMan Arya Stealth does not have a battery.
Cost
$150
$999
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has a price of $150 and the HifiMan Arya Stealth costs $999.
"The Creative Aurvana Ace 2 earphones deliver robust, crisp audio thanks to their combination of xMEMS and dynamic drivers. We're fans of their extensive, high-quality codec options and highly customizable EQ."
"The Arya can easily be end-game headphones for 99% of consumers, satisfying most audio desires. Priced well above USD$1000, the Arya are obviously and gloriously not for the mass market consumer; they are designed and built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts – especially those who view their expenses on this level of gear as investments."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 or the HifiMan Arya Stealth
About Creative Labs
Creative Labs is a Singaporean technology company specialized in the manufacture of multimedia products. They created the world-famous Soundblaster soundcard back in 1989 which was a staple of the gaming community for a long time. Nowadays, besides still marketing their discrete audio systems, they offer a wide array of headphones, gaming headsets and speakers that still preserve that same heritage.
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Earbuds or Headphones guides you might be interested in
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
110,900
Recommendations made
16,635
Consumer hours saved
About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.