Mark Up
1000+ Head-Fier
The smaller / less expensive ones on MassDrop now have an original retail close to the Creative Live! Aurvana 2. Same size driver and material with identical frequency specs. I suspect they've put that driver into a set with separate wires, wood cups, a sturdier head band, and potentially longer cups with thicker ear pads. I do own the Aurvana 2. My large head demanded I replace the pads with www.nvx.com/xre100s-comfortmax-standard-cushions (very slightly thinner, more comfortable versions of the Brainwavz HM5 headphones, that preserve more bass) and I upgraded the wire to one without a volume control, made for Sennheiser Momentum.
The longer pads let them reach my ears. The thickness gave it a wider sound, with a bit less sub bass unfortunately. They're now the best closed cans I have besides the Sony MDR-Z7, that are a bit smoother in the high end, with a bit more sub bass. The fact that the price is almost the same as the Creative - and the pads seem more like the NVX, with dual cable, less cross-talk, and no volume control (hopefully) in line to reduce sound quality these are a really good deal. Also, if the ear pads are thicker than stock Aurvana 2, but not as thick as the NVX, it will likely have better sub bass. The overall shape seems more like the Aurvana 1 cups.
The longer pads let them reach my ears. The thickness gave it a wider sound, with a bit less sub bass unfortunately. They're now the best closed cans I have besides the Sony MDR-Z7, that are a bit smoother in the high end, with a bit more sub bass. The fact that the price is almost the same as the Creative - and the pads seem more like the NVX, with dual cable, less cross-talk, and no volume control (hopefully) in line to reduce sound quality these are a really good deal. Also, if the ear pads are thicker than stock Aurvana 2, but not as thick as the NVX, it will likely have better sub bass. The overall shape seems more like the Aurvana 1 cups.