A very good premium headphone
Creative’s Aurvana line of headphones and earphones have never failed
to impress. The company has recently added a new addition to the
line-up in the form of the Aurvana Live 2, the successor to its very
popular predecessor. The Aurvana Live 2 features an improved design,
better acoustics, in-line controls for smartphone use and of course, a
higher price tag. Is it worth the extra money? Let’s find out.
Design and Features
The Aurvana Live 2 features the same supra-aural (over-the-ear) design as its predecessor. At 255g, the headphones are very light and are a dream if you travel a lot. The ear cups also have the ability to fold inwards so it can be stowed away easily. Creative throws in a soft carry case with the Live 2 although we’d prefer a hard case as well considering the premium it comes with.
The Aurvana Live 2 features the same supra-aural (over-the-ear) design as its predecessor. At 255g, the headphones are very light and are a dream if you travel a lot. The ear cups also have the ability to fold inwards so it can be stowed away easily. Creative throws in a soft carry case with the Live 2 although we’d prefer a hard case as well considering the premium it comes with.
Excellent design and build
The metal alloy headband feels extremely sturdy and the ear cups
extend on either side with a reassuring click, for precise adjustment.
The padding on the ear cups consists of faux leather and memory-foam and
is an absolute dream on your ears. The cups provide very good noise
isolation without pressing down too hard.
The Aurvana Live 2 now features a detachable, single-sided OFC cable.
This is a tangle-free, flattened cable with an in-line microphone and a
control pod for volume and calls. This is the same unit that we first
saw on Creative’s MA350 in-earphones. Both ends of the cable feature
gold-plated connectors as well. The length is 1.2m, which is sufficient
even for a tall person using it on the go.
The detachable cable feature is great for portability
The highlight of the Aurvana Live 2 of course is the new drivers. It
uses a 40mm Neodymium driver but with a bio-cellulose diaphragm. This
natural fibre is said to deliver sound that’s comparable to an aluminium
diaphragm but still maintaining the warm signature of paper ones. You
also get a pretty wide frequency range of 10Hz to 30KHz.
Creative has paid very close attention to detail with the Aurvana
Live 2 and the result is nothing short of amazing. The headphones feel
very premium and are a joy to use for long hours thanks to its light
weight. They are very comfortable, well put together and come with some
nifty additions like the detachable cable and in-line controls.
Performance
In order to test the Aurvana, we used the Cowon D2+ as our primary source of audio but we also tested the headphones on a variety of smartphones ranging from budget to high-end ones. Right out of the box, the Aurvana Live 2 sound well balanced across the frequency range. Low frequency notes are handled very well and the unmistakeable kick in the intro of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean was faithfully delivered.
In order to test the Aurvana, we used the Cowon D2+ as our primary source of audio but we also tested the headphones on a variety of smartphones ranging from budget to high-end ones. Right out of the box, the Aurvana Live 2 sound well balanced across the frequency range. Low frequency notes are handled very well and the unmistakeable kick in the intro of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean was faithfully delivered.
Equalizers aren’t needed as the drivers are easily able to reproduce
even subtle nuances with great ease. Even after cranking up the bass for
Flo Rida’s Shone and Sugar, the drivers can produce really good deep
bass without bottoming out. This does cause a lot a listening fatigue
after a while though so we wouldn’t recommend this. The bass delivered
is tight and punchy by default and only gets better once you tweak the
EQ a bit.
The in-line remote lets you answer calls and control the volume of your smartphone
The Aurvana 2 is not just about tight bass however. The cans are very
capable when it comes to the mid-range and high frequencies as well.
The mid-range is well defined and isn’t drowned out in bass-heavy
tracks. The high frequency notes are crisp without being shrill at high
volume levels. Overall, the Aurvana Live 2 do a fantastic job of
producing great detail in audio tracks across genres. The audio
signature is well balanced across frequencies which makes it a very good
all-rounder. They don’t sound too good when paired with cheap
smartphones, which often tend to have inferior audio capabilities.
However, any good mid-range and above smartphone should be able to drive
these cans with ease.
We’d also like to highlight the capabilities of the ear cups, which
apart from being extremely comfortable, provide very good noise
cancellation. Due to this, you can enjoy your music at comfortable
volume levels without any of outside noise leaking in. The Aurvana’s
don’t leak sound either, even when you crank up the volume. The cushions
offer a very good seal which doesn’t allow sound to leak out.
The Aurvana Live 2 is worth the premium
Verdict and Price in India
At an MRP of Rs 12,999, the Creative Aurvana Live 2 feels a little expensive, especially since they don’t have active-noise cancellation. Having said that, the cans do offer some of the best passive noise cancellation we’ve come across. The Aurvana Live 2 is a worthy successor to the Aurvana Live and betters it in every way.
At an MRP of Rs 12,999, the Creative Aurvana Live 2 feels a little expensive, especially since they don’t have active-noise cancellation. Having said that, the cans do offer some of the best passive noise cancellation we’ve come across. The Aurvana Live 2 is a worthy successor to the Aurvana Live and betters it in every way.
The new design is great for portability, the build and attention to
detail is excellent and the audio quality is very good. If you’re on a
tight budget, then the Aurvana Live is still a good buy at Rs 7,000.
However, if you want the convenience of a detachable cable, smartphone
readiness and better noise isolation, then the Aurvana Live 2 is worth
the premium. We still think it needs to come down a notch in price
though and when it does, we highly recommend them.
