Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI

Battery life

At medium to higher volumes, the Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI deliver up to seven hours of playback in standard mode. With adaptive ANC engaged, that drops to a realistic six hours. The case provides two additional full charges, giving 21 hours in standard operation and 18 hours with ANC. Charging the earbuds takes around 90 minutes, while the case can be recharged in about 75 minutes via the included USB-C to USB-A cable. Wireless Qi charging is also supported.

Bluetooth specifications

The Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI support Bluetooth 5.3 and multipoint pairing with two devices simultaneously. Switching between sources, however, was not always seamless and occasionally required several attempts. Audio codecs are limited to SBC and AAC, with no support for high-resolution codecs as found in the Aurvana Ace Mimi and Aurvana Ace 2. A low-latency mode is available for gaming and video use.

Controls

Out of the box, the touch-sensitive housings of the Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI control playback, volume, track skipping and call handling. Super X-Fi can also be activated directly from the earbuds, and users can switch between normal, ambient and ANC modes. Control assignments can be customised in the app.

Volume adjustment is reserved for press-and-hold gestures, while double- and triple-taps are configurable for functions such as voice assistant, track back or low-latency mode. Manual power on/off is also possible from the touch panels, so the case is not always required. However, there is no wear detection. Single-ear operation is supported.

Creative app

The companion app (iOS/Android) offers 43 presets for film, music and gaming, all of which can be further customised via a 10-band EQ. Access to Super X-Fi is built in, meaning the spatial processing can be used even with streamed content. For personalising the so-called “audio holography” feature, the dedicated SXFI app is still required, including a head-mapping process and registration.

Noise control of the Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI is divided into a static ANC with four levels and an adaptive mode that adjusts automatically. The ambient mode is also four-step and adjustable. Firmware updates, low-latency toggle and voice prompt settings can be managed here, though one annoyance remains: voice prompts are uncomfortably loud and cannot be adjusted.

Call quality

The Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI handle wind filtering surprisingly well, with only strong gusts producing a faint background hiss. Otherwise, outdoor speech intelligibility is clear. In noisier surroundings, background sounds are reduced during speech, ensuring the voice remains intelligible. However, pauses in conversation reveal ambient noise to the other party, which can be distracting.

ANC and ambient mode

Noise cancellation is generally low in self-noise but not particularly strong. In static mode, incremental improvements are noticeable with each level, though both the maximum setting and the adaptive variant fall short of high expectations. Low- and high-frequency noise is moderately reduced, but voices are barely affected. A boost in bass response is also noticeable when ANC is active.

The ambient mode, on the other hand, introduces a pronounced hiss from level three onwards, which can intrude on quieter listening. Otherwise, it does amplify external sounds effectively, making situational awareness much clearer. For conversations while playback is paused, the second level is already sufficient.

Sound

The Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI are tuned for fun listening, combining a 10 mm dynamic driver with a novel MEMS driver in a hybrid design. Together they deliver a strong, full-bodied bass response, particularly in the sub-bass, without sounding overly soft or bloated. This provides a solid foundation for action-heavy films, gaming and club tracks. Voices are rendered warmly and with good clarity, while the overall sound has enough directness to hold up well in mobile use. Treble reproduction is energetic yet mostly well integrated, though at higher volumes sibilants can become more pronounced and the sound occasionally takes on a slightly sharp edge.

Super X-Fi processing offers a much wider, more spacious presentation that also sounds brighter and leaner. Results vary significantly depending on source material: it works well for live recordings and cinematic soundscapes but can make modern productions sound tinny. In practice, SXFI proves most useful for gaming and films rather than everyday music.

Verdict

The Creative Aurvana Ace SXFI stand out for their ability to bring Super X-Fi processing to streamed media and their well-tuned hybrid driver system. They make solid all-rounders, although the lack of high-resolution codecs is a drawback compared to their Ace siblings. ANC performance is modest, and ambient mode comes with noticeable background hiss. Still, their waterproof build, wireless charging case and convincing sound profile make them an appealing choice for under €100.