My 15min fling with the Creative AURVANA

[afbug 0]

Well i visited the PC show and got to see and touch the Creative AURVANA earphones this evening. So here are some of my observations and impressions.

 

Creative had the AURVANA on audition beside a Shure E2 and E3. Wow! Daring move, stacking their product against a major player in the IEM business but... IT IS A E2 and E3, NOT ER6i OR UM1.

 

The thing that struck me when i first put them on was 'Comfortable'. I like how they sit in my ears. They're very easy to put on and is designed just like Etys, wires straight down. The nozzle had a slight angle in relation to its body; just like a E3 or UM1. The tips are very similar to Shure's grey flex and feels just like them. They're mount in place just like a EX70, with a groove to hold them in place. The isolation i got was very good as well and yes the PC Show is very noisy. The cables made of similar material and texture that of the ER6i. Thin but stiff. It looks very well built, well at least on the exterior.

 

On the transducer tube, things start to look a little rough. The edges of the nozzle looks badly finished. It doesn't have a filter or anything to protect the insides of the earphone. So carefull maintainence after every use is recommended. The size of the nozzle is similar to a ER6i, so i guess 6i's tips and the Shure grey flex can be used on them. It is fitted with a 3.5mm gold plated straight mini plug. Overall on apperence and built quality, i'll say they're very well done.

 

On the Sound!

 

First impressions = Bad!! I tried them with Creative's supplied source. (Dunno what crap player) Sounds real bad! Bad! So i tried the E2 and E3 beside, BAD too! Just lousy and i will not describe its sound. So i complained to the Creative rap and told him IT SOUNDS LIKE CRAP! He was taken aback by my words, he just kept quiet and smiled at me. So i ask him to let me try out with my iPod Shuffle. So out came the plug and in it goes to my Shuffle's jack.

 

Oh what a difference it made! Just like night and day. Bass, mids and treble all suddenly made an apperence. My time with them was brieft, only 15 mins as these earphones are making quite a splash when i was there. Behind me, people are queuing to listen to them so i will not touch too much on details.

 

Tonally, they're quite well balanced but only quite as its bass is quite strong. It sounds a little like a UM1. Its bass is present and it made the E3 look really bad. But against the UM1, it can sound a little flabby, not as tight and controlled. Its midrange is not recessed or forward, just nice like a ER6i. Treble is what impressed me most. Not recessed like a UM1 or have any roll off that I can detect during my 15mins with them. On the whole, its bass is a little too forward compared with its midrange and treble. But it is not really a bad thing. In noisy an environment, bass is the first to get drown out.

 

It can sound a little honky on some tracks. I think it has a slight lower midrange bump, giving me the impression that its lower treble went MIA. I can't really tell. I had the ER4P in my pocket and I was really tempted to take them out and compare it side by side but i guess it is not really fair as the 4P cost much more. My overall conclusion and impression is that the Creative AURVANA is a mixture of a UM1 and ER6i. The lower frequency reminds me of a UM1. Its upper mids and treble sounded like a ER6i. It sounds clear but whether it has the details, clarity and resolution of a UM1 or ER6i, I cannot really tell with just 15mins. I need more time with them.

 

So this is what my 15mins with them told me. Good or not, worth the price or not, you decide! To me, Creative was clever to place a E2 and E3 beside them. I think its better than both Shures but might not reach ER6i or UM1's performance.

 

Oh yes, I finally met uncle Wilson. Told me to get 3 headphones. lol.

 

Edit:

 

I forgot to add that they're easy to drive too. Probably as easy as a UM1.

Edited June 1, 2006 by afbug

[afbug 0]

Oh i tried theory's iM716 too! Waaaa its a tough cookie! Vol max on my Shuffle and it only reaches my comfortable level. Sounds like a Ety, had the signature but it is quite easy to tell the difference. The 4P sounds just a little better and sweeter. Impressive earphone and in bass mode, it is really bassy.

[aegisofrime 0]

Hey I managed to try it out too. There was a guy beside me testing it too, I was wondering if it's a fellow sgheadphones member.

 

My impression was bad all the way. I auditioned it with my PSP. Perhaps the earbuds are just too small for me, but I found the sound totally off. It sounded hollow. The whole song just didn't sound right. However I only got to test it for 2 or 3 minutes. Thus... Your mileage may vary. Sorry my english isn't that "powderful", but on the whole, the thing isn't worth $235.

 

On the flipside, the auditioning conditions were bad, since the place was filled with random chatter and blaring loud music. Give it a spin at Stereo Electronics, you might like it.

 

My friend and I visited "Uncle" Wilson too. Gave my friend a nice discount for his MS1. Thanks Wilson Sorry I didn't buy anything, but like I said the conditions were bad so I'm not really ready to take the plunge on the UM1 yet.

[afbug 0]

There're many guys and girls testing it. lol. I had the mediums on. Trying an IEM out in noisy places can be a plus too. You get to see if the isolation is good or not and whether its bass gets drown out or not. As for the price, i'll not debate on it. Stereo Elec is going to sell it for $195? Approx $25 more than a UM1 and i think it will suit people who hate the 'over the ear' design. 6i is less bassy too and people who like more bass will love them. But then, its only 15mins! My impressions is definately not a review and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

Source used to audition is important. Their piped in music thru some player was really bad. It will make any earphone sound bad.

[Zephyron 0]

Must mod the E2 to make it sound better *lol*

 

Will go down to audition on Saturday. Anyone going to PC fair on Saturday?

[aegisofrime 0]

Haha didn't know there were so many audiophiles in Singapore. I was thinking they will be like "Wah!!! $235 dollars ah? Rather buy a iPod". So I automatically assumed that anyone trying will be sgheadphones member haha.

 

Too bad the tips were too small for me. If they were bigger and a good fit the sound quality might be improved. I didn't think to ask the guy to change, he seemed kinda arrogant to me.

 

EDIT: Wow Zephyron going on Saturday. Haha good luck Today the crowds quite bad, but tolerable. Weekend gonna be a killer man. Some places today you can hardly move at all. I didn't know got so many adults take day off to go PC Show haha.

Edited June 1, 2006 by aegisofrime

[afbug 0]

aegisofrime,

 

The booth is situated near the exits, so i guess it got easier access to people. I think people are curious about these earphones. I am too! lol But i think Creative shot themselves in the foot by putting on some lousy source. All 3 earphones sound bad with them.

 

Zephyron,

 

I might be going on Sat. My brother have not decide on his notebook.

[theory_87 0]

haa... it really comfy... nice... yup... guess if wan real audition, we need to go to SE to try out... PC show juz too much ppl... btw, my fren wking at creative too.. hee... think afbug saw me toking to a gal... iM716 and Er4 share same sound signature... but Er4 is sweeter.... iM716 really need a amp to shine... it very hard to shine... try wif Afbug PA2V2, it really make a diff in vol... time to get a amp for myself...

[theory_87 0]

aegisofrime,

 

The booth is situated near the exits, so i guess it got easier access to people. I think people are curious about these earphones. I am too! lol But i think Creative shot themselves in the foot by putting on some lousy source. All 3 earphones sound bad with them.

 

Zephyron,

 

I might be going on Sat. My brother have not decide on his notebook.

haha... acer? emm... i mayb sun go again.. to me, i think there r many ppl auditioning it as they r curious y it so ex... but i dun think alot of ppl buying it...

[aegisofrime 0]

aegisofrime,

 

The booth is situated near the exits, so i guess it got easier access to people. I think people are curious about these earphones. I am too! lol But i think Creative shot themselves in the foot by putting on some lousy source. All 3 earphones sound bad with them.

 

Zephyron,

 

I might be going on Sat. My brother have not decide on his notebook.

True true, but actually when I asked the guy if can use my source he didn't make too much of a fuss.

 

Anyway a notebook nowadays is easy. Acer 5672. About 2.5k, Core Duo proc, Radeon X1400, 1 GB RAM and 100 GB HDD. I think it's damn good value for money. Only thing is, during my time at Ngee Ann Poly, alot of my friends' Acer seem to break down easily. Maybe it's different now.

 

Maybe you want to advise him to wait a while too. AMD Turion 64 X2 based laptops are coming out, so perhaps the Intel solutions will drop in pricing.

 

Off-topic, but important: Anyone here knows anyone who has Bipolar Disorder and received treatment? Kinda urgent for me.

[yongchris 0]

afbug, if you think that putting their aurvana's next to the E2 and E3 is daring, you should've seen what they did in the press con I attended....

I've never tried the E3s, but I own E2s, and they need burning in and an amp. Having lived with the Aurvana's since last thursday, I'd still pick my E2s if I were on a 200 budget. no wait, scratch that, I'd buy the UM1s instead.

btw, I've consigned the Aurvana's to the supply cupboard in the office. Put it in this way, give me free also I don't want.

 

 

 

 

[theory_87 0]

afbug, if you think that putting their aurvana's next to the E2 and E3 is daring, you should've seen what they did in the press con I attended....

I've never tried the E3s, but I own E2s, and they need burning in and an amp. Having lived with the Aurvana's since last thursday, I'd still pick my E2s if I were on a 200 budget. no wait, scratch that, I'd buy the UM1s instead.

btw, I've consigned the Aurvana's to the supply cupboard in the office. Put it in this way, give me free also I don't want.

y is tt so?

[Zephyron 0]

I'd would have liked to go these few days, but school time XP

2D animation, 3D modelling and 3D animation all cannot skip, too important to miss O_O

 

I know about the weekend crowd, been used to it for many years of PC shows and some anime fairs held at weekends at either the Expo or Suntec.

 

Back to topic, we have 1 despairing review by iDespair (sorry, bad pun), a good impression by Master Bug and a bad impression by aegisofrime (who respectively were using a powerful source (Shuffle) and a pretty weak source (PSP)). I have a feeling that the source may have something to do with the overall quality as well, since the Shuffle can drive just about anything low to mid easily, whereas the PSP has a hard time driving even low impedance phones IMO (testbed was the CK7 and K27i).

 

Right now though, just waiting for yongchris' review about it, then next week go again to Stereo Electronics to audition to further my impressions o.O

 

ADD/EDIT: Chris, if that's the case, mind loaning me the Aurvana?

Edited June 1, 2006 by Zephyron

[afbug 0]

yongchris, give them to me! Coming from UM2/UM1, ER4P and ER6i, i'm quite satisified with it for 15mins. No doubt, UM2 and ER4 will blow the Creatives out of the water but I think tonally, it does a decent job. At least, its keeping up with a UM1. But really, like i've said many times, its only 15mins!

 

This is Creative's first foray into IEMs. If they'll to place a SHURE E2 and E3 side by side, this shows their confidence, to me at least.

Edited June 1, 2006 by afbug

[Zephyron 0]

afbug, if you think that putting their aurvana's next to the E2 and E3 is daring, you should've seen what they did in the press con I attended....

I'm pretty curious. What did they do?