Manufacturer: Creative
Price: $299
The skinny:
We didn't know these things were actually launching here in America until the fine folks from Creative actually dropped them in our hot little hands, but the flagship of Creative's headphone line integrates active noise-cancelling, simulated surround sound and the MP3-improving Crystalizer.
The good:
We have been big fans of Creative's X-fi Crystalizer since it first appeared with the Xmod (it's currently plugged into the back of the computer on which this is being written) and it translates well in headphone format.
The Crystalizer is effective and makes a very noticeable difference especially with lower quality (128 kB/s and lower) MP3s. Big cans like this almost always put out substantial bass, and the Crystalizer fills in the gaps left at the top end. The CMSS-3D surround sound kind of sucks when you're listening to music, but when watching movies it actually made a pretty substantial improvement in performance. Don't expect it to replace your home theater system, but it beats the heck out of plain old stereo.
The phones themselves feel incredibly sturdy, especially when they're in the included carrying case that zippers shut for travel. The cans are roomy enough to fit just about anyone's ears and the memory foam padding is a really nice touch. We wore them for the majority of a day at our desk and didn't get that annoying back of the skull ache so many of the other guys suffer from.
The bad:
While they are sturdy, these things are also on the heavy side. You don't notice it when they're on your head, but they won't be as easy on the bag as a set of ear buds. Or 50 sets of ear buds. Also, the noise cancelling "buzz" is definitely in effect, but it's only really noticeable if you don't have music playing and you just turned them on.
How do the stack up agains the Bose QC2s?
Take a look at the pictures, price and specs and you'll see that the comparisons are inevitable. We didn't take them into the lab to compare acoustic performance, but we have spent a pretty good amount of time with both and it's a close race. The surround sound feature gives the Creatives a slight advantage for movie watching, while quieter noise cancelling makes the Bose pair a little better for every day walking around.
The Aurvana's are definitely a little heftier, but also feel much harder to break and didn't get the motion creak that the QC2s suffer from at times. The Aurvanas also have a volume control right on the headphones and will work passively without battery power, which is a big plus if you forget to bring extra batteries like we do.
The verdict:
Don't expect to carry them around in a fanny pack, but users looking for high quality sound under a ton of different conditions probably won't be disappointed with their purchase, even for $300.