Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP, review: Super X-Fi anywhere

I’ll be honest, I don’t really like the classic in-ear wired headphones, but when I saw the pack made up of the Creative Aurvana Trio LS and the Creative SXFI AMP, I felt an overwhelming desire to try them. The why is very simple and easy to understand, because I wanted to find out to what extent that small amplifier can make a difference, and if it really is capable of delivering a good experience using Super X-Fi technology.

This is not the first time we have discussed Super X-Fi technology. In previous analyzes, like this one dedicated to the Creative SXFI AIR GAMER , we saw that we can define it as a holographic sound system that creates a high quality surround effect and that allows, in short , make the user feel that he is receiving sounds that are broader, better differentiated and that they also come from different places , which translates into a positional effect that, in certain applications, such as games, for example, it can make a big difference.

I also remind you that the Super X-Fi technology uses a mapping of our ears, and of our head , to generate that surround sound with a full adaptation to the physical characteristics of each user. To use it, we can use a dedicated application and the camera of our smartphone, without further complication.

Thanks to Creative Spain, I was able to receive a test unit that included the Creative Aurvana Trio LS and the Creative SXFI AMP, and I have had the opportunity to test them for several weeks with different devices, applications and content multimedia, games included. Today, after putting my experience in order a little during all this time, I am ready to finally share my opinion with you, although I already tell you that it is, in general, very positive.

Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP: First look

The Singaporean company has done an excellent job with the design of the Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP. In both cases, we see a clear commitment to a minimalist profile , and we find classic and timeless lines that marry perfectly with a dominant black color. This fits in with any style , and is finished off with small shades of silver and gold that add a precious touch to the whole. You can judge yourself by looking at the images.

We now turn to build quality, and I must say that right out of the box I was pleasantly surprised. The Creative Aurvana Trio LS have a unique solidity that makes it clear, from the outset, that we are not dealing with just any headphones . On the opposite side to the rubber bands that we insert into the ear, they have a completely flat golden-colored metal finish, which is slightly magnetized and allows the faces of both headphones to be joined so that they remain attached. An excellent idea, without a doubt.

The Creative SXFI AMP amplifier follows in the wake of its “adventure companion”. Creative has used a rectangular format with rounded nuances that follows the minimalist trail of the set, and that leaves us with a compact, lightweight chassis that is very comfortable to carry . The buttons are located on the front, and allow us to perform very simple actions with a simple touch, such as raising or lowering the volume, pausing or continuing playback, and turning the Super X-Fi technology off or on. The sensations that it transmits to the touch are also very good.

Returning to the Creative Aurvana Trio LS, it is important to highlight the care that Creative has put into ergonomics . These headphones have a slight curvature that makes the area where the rubber is integrated is slightly raised, and this achieves an almost perfect support in the lower part of the ear. On the other hand. Creative has not skimped on details, in fact the cable is reinforced , which is synonymous with reliability and long life, and they come with a built-in microphone that features push buttons. playback control, and call.

My first feelings were very positive, and as you can imagine this made me even more eager to start testing the Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP. However, I did not want to do it directly, and first of all I had to take an important previous step, update the mapping of my ears and my head using the dedicated application. I already had the application installed and had made a mapping due to the analyzes that I had done previously, but I wanted to update it and refine the precision of said mapping to the maximum.

The process did not take me more than a few minutes, and once finished I was able to link the mapping that I did with the smartphone in the dedicated application for Windows 10. It is very simple, and it is essential to be able to get the most of the Creative SXFI AMP and Creative SXFI AMP, as we will see later.

Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP: Specifications

Before telling you about my experience of use, I want to share with you a complete list with the key characteristics of both devices, since this will allow us to be more clear what they offer, “on paper”, from the point of view of technical view . I also accompany the sale price so that you are aware, from the beginning, how much each product costs individually, and how much we will pay for them in this pack.

Creative Aurvana Trio LS

• Wired headphones with gold-plated 3.5 mm jack plug.
• Two sound drivers with 9.3mm Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) technology.
• Ergonomic design with silicone pads that help isolate us from the outside.
• Integrated microphone and call and playback controls.
• Reinforced cable with tooth coating.
• Super X-Fi Certification.
• Frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz.
• Impedance: 32 ohms.
• Includes silicone ear cushions of different sizes for a perfect adaptation to each ear.
• Magnetized termination that allows the headphones to be held together.
• Universal compatibility thanks to the 3.5 mm jack connector.
• Weight (complete): 18.6 grams.
• Price: $39.99 .

Creative SXFI AMP

• USB Type-C amplifier with 3.5mm jack-based headphone jack.
• Chassis made of high quality aluminum with an anodized black finish.
• Integrated control to manage volume, Super X-Fi sound and playback.
• Triples the sound gain and achieves an impedance of up to 600 ohms.
• 128 dB standalone AKM AK4377 32-bit DAC, with 120 dB signal-to-noise ratio and 0.0003% harmonic distortion (THD).
• IMD less than 0.0022%.
• Offers stereo sound, 5.1 and 7.1 (24 bit / 96 KHz).
• Maximum power: 51 mW (300 ohms), 425 mW (16 ohms), 370 mW (300 ohms) and 26 mW (600 ohms).
• Weight: 15 grams.
• Measurements: 9.7mm x 17.5mm x 67mm.
• Supports the latest generation Super X-Fi technology.
• Compatible with Android 7.0 and higher devices, PCs and laptops, macOS, Linux and also with PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
• Price: 59.99 .

The pack that includes the Creative SXFI AMP and the Creative SXFI AMP is priced at $69.99 , which means that it is much more profitable to buy them together.

Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP: User experience

As I told you in that first look, my first impressions with the Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP were very good. We can start using them without having to download any type of application, but if we do this we will be missing a lot: the personalized sound based on the particularities of our ears, and our head, the different modes of sound delivered by Creative SXFI AMP and Super X-Fi technology.

In order to enjoy all this, we have to do what we have already mentioned, a mapping of our ears and head with the smartphone. It’s not complicated, we just have to download the dedicated application , which is available for free in the Google Play Store and the App Store, and follow the self-guided process . In my case, I also downloaded the dedicated application for Windows 10 and linked the information from the mobile application. In this way, I can control the Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP directly from the PC.

Once the process was finished, I decided to first test the Creative Aurvana Trio LS simply, that is, through the 3.5 mm jack and without any type of addition. Thanks to their careful ergonomics, they not only fit perfectly, but also are very comfortable to wear, they don’t bother even after long sessions of use, and they hold perfectly.

Great Creative work in this regard, but what about the sound quality? My expectations were not very high, after all, it is a headset of less than 30 euros that is connected through the classic 3.5 mm jack. I was more interested in seeing the potential of Creative SXFI AMP, but as soon as I put on the first song I was pleasantly surprised. “The Elemental Dive”, by Vincenzo Salvia & PJ D’Atri, was the first litmus test that I chose, and the result offered by the Creative Aurvana Trio LS was very good.

That song is one of my favorites for this type of analysis because it has very marked bass that is also maintained throughout the song with a profile quite flat, but at the same time it has a background of electronic instruments and a guitar that breaks everything. It is not an easy song, but the Creative Aurvana Trio LS achieved a good punch on the bass , they separated the different sounds quite well and gave the guitar that leading role it deserves.

Another of my favorite songs on for these tests is “Rip and Tear”, by Mick Gordon, and part of the DOOM 2016 soundtrack. This is another very difficult song for all the concurrence of instruments sounding “at the top” that we have on stage, and it is one of the most complicated tests that we can put through any type of headphones. Again, the result exceeded my expectations, both for the punch of the bass (for headphones of its size, obviously) and for the good separation of sounds.

I can only put one downside to the Creative Aurvana Trio LS, in quotes because after all it is an understandable limitation for headphones of its size that On top of that, they are based on the classic 3.5 mm jack: a maximum sound peak that, in my opinion, is a bit below the ideal . It is not a problem, be careful, the maximum volume they can reach is good, but in certain situations it can fall a bit short.

To solve this problem of the maximum volume peak we have the Creative SXFI AMP, an amplifier that is very easy to use. We just have to connect the Creative Aurvana Trio LS using the 3.5 mm jack, then we connect the amplifier to a USB Type-C port, we enter the Super X-Fi application, we select the type of headphones we are using and that’s it. Through said application we can also choose if we want to activate stereo sound, 5.1 mode or 7.1 mode . Keep in mind that, although we can switch between these modes at any time, if we do it within a game we may have to close it and reopen it for the change to take effect.

As I have anticipated, the first improvement we notice with the Creative SXFI AMP is a huge gain in volume. Using the Creative Aurvana Trio LS, I could turn up the volume to the maximum without distorting it, and without it bothering me. The level was sufficient to get a good dive, and good insulation in most cases, but as I said it was a bit below ideal. Well, with the Creative Aurvana Trio LS we have such a large volume gain that when we exceed the 40% volume band it already starts to bother . I wanted to give you this specific information to better show you the difference that the amplifier makes in this regard.

When it comes to improving sound quality, the truth is that the difference is also palpable, but there are some things we need to clarify. If we use the Creative SXFI AMP with Super X-Fi activated and the Creative Aurvana Trio LS in stereo mode, we have a more artificial and clear sound , but the differentiation of the instruments decreases, so much so that, for example, in “The Elemental Dive” the guitar is too obscured by the rest of the instruments.

That problem is completely solved by activating 5.1 , a mode that, in my opinion, is the one that works best with the Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP, both when we play music and content multimedia. The sound quality in this mode is very good, there is no excessive artifice, that is, the naturalness of the audio is maintained quite well after applying that holographic effect of Super X-Fi technology, and there are specific moments in which the Instruments that are more in the background are differentiated, and appreciated, much better.

With 7.1, the sound quality is still very good, but there is a considerable loss of naturalness that changes the original sound of each song too much. In games exactly the opposite occurs, and this mode becomes the best option available, especially in those where positional sound can make a big difference. I’ve tried it on titles like Resident Evil 2 Remake, Resident Evil Village, and Diablo 2 Resurrected, and the experience has been fantastic.

I could highlight many things, but among the ones that I liked the most are the precision with which the sounds were located that came from behind or from the side, and also that “echo” effect which occurs at different locations in Diablo 2 Resurrected. There is no question, the amp greatly enhances the potential of the Creative Aurvana Trio LS.

Final notes: A very interesting pack, and at a good price

The Creative Aurvana Trio LS are, on their own, excellent headphones that offer high build and sound quality, careful design and ergonomics, and are also great value for money. It does not matter if we want to use them to listen to music, play multimedia content or to play games, on all these fronts they will more than cover the needs of any average user, and they will surprise us with a very good bass punch for headphones of their size, and their spectrum. They are not perfect, but they are close to being so.

With the Creative SXFI AMP amplifier, we have an important ally that will not only allow us to overcome the small shortcomings of the Creative Aurvana Trio LS , such as the maximum volume, for example, but we will also be able to enjoy of high quality holographic sound in 5.1 and 7.1 modes anywhere, since it only weighs 15 grams and is so compact that we can store it in any pocket.

I have it very clear, Creative has succeeded with this pack . The Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP marry, and complement each other perfectly, and on top of it they have a very competitive price. If you are looking for comfortable in-ear headphones, capable of offering high sound quality and at a competitive price, the Creative Aurvana Trio LS are a recommended purchase. If you also want to enjoy a superior sound experience, and premium positional sound in both multimedia content and games, the pack that includes the Creative SXFI AMP amplifier is your best bet.

Before concluding, I would like to take the opportunity to remind you that Creative has a campaign of offers open for Black Friday on its official website, where you will find the Creative Aurvana Trio LS and Creative SXFI AMP pack for only $69.99 , plus other interesting products with very attractive discounts.