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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prefer portability and the convenience of wireless earbuds, the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 are more suitable, with features like active noise cancelling for travel and exercise, a compact carry size, and good battery life with wireless charging. They perform well for music and have dedicated controls, but call quality is only fair and they're not ideal for immersive gaming. On the other hand, the HifiMan Edition XS headphones excel in sound quality with an open design that creates a spacious soundstage, but they are wired, lack portability, and are not recommended for active use or noisy environments. They're great for music and TV at home, especially if you're willing to invest in an amplifier to get the most out of them, but they have poor microphone quality and no built-in controls. Choose the Aurvana Ace 2 for a versatile, on-the-go option or the Edition XS for the best audio experience in quieter, stationary settings. 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 Edition XS
- Best in class for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
8.6
7.4
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6
7.9
The HifiMan Edition XS is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is poor.
TV and Video
7.7
9.5
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is good.
Noise Reduction
7.0
2.5
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is good for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has 5 hours of battery life. The HifiMan Edition XS does not have a battery.
Cost
$150
$269
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has a price of $150 and the HifiMan Edition XS costs $269.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has excellent build quality, while the HifiMan Edition XS has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
8.4
8.8
The HifiMan Edition XS and Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 are both very good for music.
Phone Calls
4.9
5.0
The HifiMan Edition XS and Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 are both poor for phone calls.
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How the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 and the HifiMan Edition XS compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 | HifiMan Edition XS |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$150 | $269 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | HifiMan | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2023 | December 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.4/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.9/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.9/10 | 4.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 18 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.7 Grams | 421 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Magazine
Tim Gideon | December 2023
"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."
HifiMan Edition XS
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Headphonesty
Eric D Hieger | January 2023
"The Edition XS easily compete with headphones in their price range with a very high price-to-performance ratio. The XS are an amazing value and offer performance not far off from headphones more than twice their cost. These will be a mind-blowing revelation for enthusiasts and music lovers who have only heard standard big-brand mainstream headphones."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 or the HifiMan Edition XS
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.
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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.
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