Creative Aurvana Ace EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Creative Aurvana Ace, the specs that matter, and what changes when you use them with a Mac. Copy the settings and apply them in one click.
The short answer
- Lowers the bass below 250 Hz by about 1.5 to 3.5 dB, most near 180 Hz.
- Adds about 1.5 to 2.5 dB from 1 to 4 kHz.
- Leaves the treble above 5 kHz close to flat.
Aurvana Ace at a glance
True wireless earbuds with xMEMS drivers and hybrid ANC. Official specifications from Creative:
- Drivers
- xMEMS solid state plus 10 mm dynamic, per earbud
- Noise cancelling
- Hybrid
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- Battery
- Up to 6 h (ANC off), 4 h (ANC on); 24 h total with the case
- Water resistance
- IPX5
- Weight
- 4.7 g per earbud
Sources: Creative: Aurvana Ace.
Using the Aurvana Ace with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not aptX or aptX Adaptive. The Aurvana Ace support SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive and LC3, but macOS doesn't support aptX or aptX Adaptive. On a Mac they play over AAC, which carries the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at standard sample rates (44.1 or 48 kHz).
Calls sound worse than music. As soon as an app uses the earbuds' microphone (Zoom, FaceTime, a dictation shortcut), Bluetooth switches to hands-free mode, which has much lower audio quality. Pick your Mac's built-in microphone as the input to keep the Aurvana Ace in stereo music mode.
Noise control. TuningMac can't switch Creative's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the earbuds or Creative's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the Aurvana Ace. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the earbuds closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Lowers the bass below 250 Hz by about 1.5 to 3.5 dB, most near 180 Hz.
- Adds about 1.5 to 2.5 dB from 1 to 4 kHz.
- Leaves the treble above 5 kHz close to flat.
Fit, ear tips and your own ears all change what you hear, and neutral isn't everyone's favourite sound. Use this as a starting point, then adjust by ear.
Apply it in TuningMac (parametric EQ)
TuningMac's Advanced EQ imports this format directly. Copy the settings, then:
- Open TuningMac ▸ Settings ▸ Advanced EQ with your Aurvana Ace connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for Aurvana Ace (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your Aurvana Ace and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -2.9 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 2394 Hz Gain 2.3 dB Q 0.56 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 198 Hz Gain -3.4 dB Q 1.23 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 754 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 1.23 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 460 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 1.04 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -0.2 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 65 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 2.05 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 34 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 1.60 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 4914 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 5.95 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 3870 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 3.81
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −1.7 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 2.39 kHz | +2.3 dB | 0.56 |
| 3 | Bell | 198 Hz | −3.4 dB | 1.23 |
| 4 | Bell | 754 Hz | +1.4 dB | 1.23 |
| 5 | Bell | 460 Hz | −1.2 dB | 1.04 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −0.2 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 65 Hz | +1.3 dB | 2.05 |
| 8 | Bell | 34 Hz | −1.0 dB | 1.60 |
| 9 | Bell | 4.91 kHz | −2.3 dB | 5.95 |
| 10 | Bell | 3.87 kHz | +1.3 dB | 3.81 |
Preamp: −2.9 dB. It lowers the overall level so the boosts don't clip.
Prefer simple sliders? The 10-band version
No Advanced EQ needed: AutoEQ also gives values for a standard 10-band equalizer, the same bands as TuningMac's main EQ. In the menu bar popover choose Custom, set each slider, and set the preamp to about −2.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Which codec do the Creative Aurvana Ace use on a Mac?+
AAC. The Aurvana Ace support SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive and LC3, but macOS doesn't support aptX or aptX Adaptive, so on a Mac they play over AAC. That carries 20 Hz to 20 kHz audio at standard sample rates.
What are the best EQ settings for the Creative Aurvana Ace?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, lowers the bass below 250 Hz by up to 3.5 dB and adds up to 2.5 dB from 1 to 4 kHz, with a preamp of -2.9 dB. The exact values are on this page, ready to copy. Treat it as a neutral starting point and adjust to taste.
Why do my Creative Aurvana Ace sound bad on calls on a Mac?+
When an app uses the earbuds' microphone, Bluetooth switches from stereo music mode to a hands-free call mode with much lower audio quality. To keep music quality during calls, choose your Mac's built-in microphone as the input instead. TuningMac's Input list does this in one click, and its Device Info shows which mode you're in.
Can I control the Creative Aurvana Ace's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Not yet. TuningMac can't switch Creative's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the earbuds or Creative's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
Should I turn off the EQ in Creative's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Creative's app is applied inside the earbuds, so it also affects your Mac and would add to this correction. TuningMac's EQ only changes sound from your Mac, so it won't affect your phone.
Tune your Aurvana Ace on your Mac
Parametric and 10-band EQ, noise control and battery in the menu bar.
EQ data from AutoEQ by Jaakko Pasanen (MIT licence), measurement by oratory1990. Specifications from Creative's published specifications. Creative Aurvana Ace is a trademark of Creative; TuningMac is not affiliated with Creative.