Firstly I would like to thank Creative for sending me this sample to review, they have had well over 50hrs of burn-in before reviewing.
*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings
Gear Used:
Audio Opus #2 > Trio
PC > Yulong DAART Aquila > Trio
Tech Specs:
Weight – 19 g
Color – Gun metal
Frequency Response – 5 Hz – 40 kHz
Cable Length – 1.2 m / 3.9 ft
Cable Style – MMCX Detachable Cable with Inline Mic and 1-Button Control
Driver – Dual Balanced Armature Drivers, 10 mm Bio-Cellulose Dynamic Driver
Inline Microphone with Controls – 1 button for music playback and calls, Supports iOS and Android phones
https://uk.creative.com/p/headphones-headsets/aurvana-trio
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The Aurvana Trio come in a nice plastic box with a clear upper section that shows off the IEM’s held on little hangars, along with a bottom card sleeve with detailed info. On the front of the card sleeve you have the brand and a picture of the IEM’s, on the sides you have info and on the back you have the specs. Overall a really nice box, not the easiest to unpack though as there is a technique to removing the IEM’s from their plastic holders (luckily it shows you how to do this). Build quality overall is great with a detachable MMCX cable, metal and plastic housings and great strain relief all round. The small microphone and single button on the remote are sleek and with some care this IEM should last you a long time.
The Aurvana Trio come with S, M and L regular silicone tips, a pair of M foam tips and a nice little carry case. You also get a flight adaptor, so pretty much everything you need is already included, although more tip selection is never a bad idea.
Comfort and Isolation:
The design of the Aurvana Trio means they are only suitable to be worn with the cable straight down, but they are extremely lightweight and comfortable once you find the right tips. I have no issues with the comfort of the Aurvana Trio, and I can wear them for hours at a time.
Isolation is fairly average though, due to the vented housing. Fine for general day to day use, but not really suitable for noisy commutes. I will note that there is some cable noise when using these, a simple cable clip should help here, as due to the design they cannot be word with the cable behind your ear.
Sound:
Lows: The dynamic driver takes control of the lower frequencies on the Trio, and this gives them a good sense of impact but without sounding overly bloated. There is a little bloom in the mid-bass, and kick drums do sometimes sound a little flat, but overall there is a nicely balanced quantity of lows. Nothing to take away from the rest of the sound, but enough to satisfy most peoples needs. The lows are actually fairly well controlled here and they are more than capable of keeping up with most tracks.There is good extension, but as described earlier there is a little more emphasis on the mid-bass range.
Midrange: The midrange does sit a little further back in the mix compared to the lows and highs, giving these a very mild U shaped sound signature. Saying that, the midrange is pleasantly detailed and comes across with a fairly neutral tone. There is no real noticeable bleed from the bass in to the lower midrange, yet the upper midrange never becomes strident or sibilant. There is good separation and imaging in the midrange, guitars are well placed within the soundstage. Nothing really stands out in the midrange.
Highs: The transition from the midrange in to the treble is smooth and sibilant free, but there is a little bit of a peak just after that, accentuating cymbal crashes. This is quite a narrow peak, and is not too overbearing, only the most treble sensitive people would have a problem here. The treble is a little forward in it’s presentation, and can sound a little unrefined from time to time, with a hint of metallic tone. But it’s nice to see they haven’t made these dark sounding, they are actually fairly well presented across all frequencies.
Soundstaging isn’t particularly spectacular, but there is enough separation and air between everything to prevent them from sounding congested.
Conclusion:
The Aurvana Trio are a fairly good buy for their price, they lend their hand to slightly more energetic music best bringing out the groove and fun in tracks. The bass is dynamic and punchy without being over the top, the midrange is detailed and the highs are well presented without being dulled down. These are fun albeit lacking a little refinement overall.
Sound Perfection Rating: 7/10 (good build and comfort, energetic and lively sound)