The latest headphones from Creative – Aurvana Ace Series – are the first consumer TWS device to use MEMS speakers, supplied by xMEMS. This follows other devices announced with xMEMS speakers such as hearing aids and IEMs.
We are still yet to see a fully MEMS speaker based high volume consumer device and this is no exception. As stated in the Creative press release:
“For an all-encompassing audio experience, the Creative Aurvana Ace series features a remarkable two-driver system that harmoniously blends the power of xMEMS technology with custom-tuned 10 mm dynamic drivers.”
Why is this? It is difficult to say. It could be that the xMEMS solution used was not capable of providing a wide enough frequency response, which is often the criticism given to MEMS speakers, which have tended to perform better at higher frequencies. Or perhaps Creative were not quite ready to trust the MEMS speaker solution and went for a dynamic speaker back up. It’s an approach taken by other designs, especially those using balanced armatures, so it is not a big surprise.
Having a two-driver system can give a much better audio experience, hence why IEMs often have several drivers. But for a high-volume consumer device it does add additional cost and is less common.
The reason becomes clear with a look at the product page for the Creative Aurvana Ace 2.
The press release goes on to say:
“Both models also support a variety of audio codecs, including LE Audio featuring the LC3 Codec for superior wireless audio quality, SBC, AAC, AptX, and AptX Adaptive, ensuring compatibility with various devices and offering high-quality audio streaming.”
The inclusion of the AptX codecs and other Qualcomm software confirms that the device also uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound SoC.
