[LDude]

I am using them with a Samsung Fold 4 and enjoying them alot. I am using them with AAC.

Amazing, in my opinion.

Do they have multipoint and hearthrough?

 

[scrane]

Got the Creative Ace in and they're giving me quite some trouble. Pairing to my phone worked, but auto-reconnect seems like hit and miss. Also, the Creative App recognizes the device, but repeatedly hangs while trying to connect. Therefore I haven't been able to use any of the app functions so far, bummer.

Did you peal off the plastic film from the earpieces' stems? It's Creative's test to see if you read the fine print.

 

[james444]

Did you peal off the plastic film from the earpieces' stems? It's Creative's test to see if you read the fine print.

Yes of course, lol. Otherwise they won't even charge, no?

 

[Juturna]

Do they have multipoint and hearthrough?

Not sure about multipoint, I think not, though. Ambient Mode/Hearthrough, yes.

 

[dweaver]

Hear Through is available, they don't have multipoint.

No wireless charging either and they do not have detection sensors.

So a bit bare bones for features.

But the mic is pretty decent for calls.

They can do ANC, Wind reduction, off, and Hear through and remember which mode You were using between sessions.

They also have pretty much every function available on the buds a person needs including calling Siri or Google.

Biggest thing to realize is they definitely are tuned with clarity in mind. For anyone coming from wired IEMs that were detail oriented these will sound similar to what they are used to. Anyone who has lived with nothing but consumer oriented TWS/BT Headphones will find these brighter than they are used to and might not like all that clarity at least to start.

 

[james444]

Got the Creative Ace in and they're giving me quite some trouble. Pairing to my phone worked, but auto-reconnect seems like hit and miss. Also, the Creative App recognizes the device, but repeatedly hangs while trying to connect. Therefore I haven't been able to use any of the app functions so far, bummer.

However, I managed to connect them to my notebook and get some measurements. This is probably the first time two MEMS-based TWS have been graphed side by side.
All measurements are without ANC.

(RAW measurements: green = Creative, blue = Linner)

(DF-compensated: green = Creative, blue = Linner)

High treble actually looks better than expected on my rig, compared to those graphs that have been posted earlier. The 16kHz spike seems to be real though, since it's in both measurements, but it likely won't bother anyone older then 30 years or so. And it certainly doesn't bother me.

The Ace have a bit more energy in the upper mids and lower bass, which makes them slightly v-shaped, but not in a bad way. Overall there are more similarities than differences between these two MEMS-based TWS, the Creative's default tuning being a tad more consumer oriented and the Linner's more analytical. On listening to them side by side, the most striking difference is in bass, where the Linner sound noticeably clearer and cleaner. However, unless I can get the app to work and EQ the Creative's down, it's hard for me to say whether that difference is mainly due to tuning or due to technology (DD vs. full-range MEMS).

That's pretty much all for the moment, more to follow if I can get the app to work.

Follow-up on Creative Ace: I didn't get the app to work, but nevertheless performed a few more measurements. First, a comparison between ANC OFF and ON:

(DF-compensated: green = Creative ANC OFF, red = Creative ANC ON)

Ignore high treble, that's due to slight difference in insertion depth. Main difference is in the mids, which are clearly more recessed with ANC ON. Plus, bass is a little bit rolled-off with ANC ON. Overall, the sound signature is more neutral and less v-shaped with ANC OFF.


Second, I used Equalizer APO for Windows to get the Creative Ace close to Linner's frequency response (since I couldn't use the in-device EQ without app). This turned out to be quite simple: only -8dB low shelf @ 40Hz (Q=1.41) and -6dB peak @ 2800Hz (Q=1.41) were needed get a very close match in the range from bass to lower treble.

(DF-compensated: green = Creative, blue = Linner, orange = Creative EQd)

Then I engaged this EQ for the Creative in Neutron Player on Android and did an A/B listening comparison to the Linner. Now, even though the Creative sounded noticeably less boomy with EQ applied than without, the Linner still retained significantly more clarity and control in the low range. It really seems that the Linner's full-range MEMS driver has a technical advantage there over the Creative's hybrid configuration.

Subjective conclusion: currently, DD's higher sound pressure level in bass is needed for ANC. But if ANC is not a must, full-range MEMS seem like a better sounding solution.

 

[SynaestheticA]

Did you peal off the plastic film from the earpieces' stems? It's Creative's test to see if you read the fine print.

The old Van Halen 'no brown M&Ms'

 

[SynaestheticA]

Subjective conclusion: currently, DD's higher sound pressure level in bass is needed for ANC. But if ANC is not a must, full-range MEMS seem like a better sounding solution.

Banging my head against the desk at the moment reading Nuarls Twitter.

They are hell bent on getting anc to work on their upcoming MEMs instead of just releasing what should otherwise be an incredible sounding tws.

I know the demand is there from consumers, but it's really at our detriment.

 

[DigDub]

How are people finding the new Creatives on Samsung?

My wf-1000xm4's died a few months ago. Tried the 5s and they both didn't fit great and made me motion sick, so I grabbed the TMW3s.

I don't know what it is, but I'm just not enamoured with them. I mean, I like them but I don't love them, so looking at trying the Creatives with the Aurvanas....

The creative ace 2 connects to my Samsung s23 ultra in LE audio mode. If I turn off LE audio mode in the Bluetooth settings on the phone, it connects in basic aptx. LE audio mode sounds more spatial and refined than aptx mode. Oh and in LE audio mode, the creative app would not connect to the earbuds, have to turn off LE audio mode and the creative app will be able to connect to the earbuds.

 

[Not so fat head]

MeMs are not a panacea for anything. There are $6k IEM’s that use multiple DD’s, BA’s and electrostatics. Lots of planars too. A big nothing burger me thinks…. Meh

 

[Not so fat head]

Favorite VH song??? The Atomic Punk!!

 

[dweaver]

I really appreciate all you eager people. But am really glad I just took a flier on a 1 year old product with limited features at half price versus jumping on the new MEMS train. By next year maybe one of the MEMs will be tested a true at half price...

 

[Not so fat head]

Creative I think is $150, maybe much of that cost is the new tweeter, as I’m not sure they are competing on other features.
Could be a smart strategy, as others have the NC, call quality and pass through covered.

 

[Not so fat head]

Just like PSB, no Nc at all.. Just going for sound quality, which should roll into some guys here wheel house..

 

[cresny]

MeMs are not a panacea for anything. There are $6k IEM’s that use multiple DD’s, BA’s and electrostatics. Lots of planars too. A big nothing burger me thinks…. Meh

For sound alone? Maybe. But xmems Cypress will be able to generate enough SPL for ANC while having the incredibly fast timing and accuracy to cancel even sporadic high frequency sounds. That to me is worth waiting for.