Creative’s lightweight black in-ear buds rival the sound reproduction of more expensive sets but need more fit options to truly compete. High and midrange sounds are reproduced well, and bass is solid. Creative includes several silicon earbuds, but we wish the package included foam and flanged silicon pads a la Shure’s E2c, although that set costs $30 more. This gripe aside, the price/performance ratio is pleasingly close to Zen.

With in-ear headphones all the rage now, it didn’t surprise us when audio-centric Creative Labs joined the fun with the launch of its own Zen Aurvana in-ear earphones. Already available in Asia a few weeks before their U.S. launch, the $99 “anti-iPod black” pair are extremely lightweight (0.46 ounces) and low profile, and they sound quite good–if they fit in your ears properly (Jasmine’s earholes are too small for the Aurvana).

For me, that’s not a problem. You get two pairs of three different-size silicon earbuds, the rubbery kind. Though I prefer foam tips, the medium size fit quite well, passively blocking ambient noise (by 90 percent, according to Creative) and delivering clean, balanced sound. Indeed, the high-end sounds come through crystal clear. The Aurvanas have a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz and a sensitivity of 115dB and 20dB at noise blocking. Bass is surprisingly solid (for this listener anyway), and overall performance is good, or as good as a pair of $110 Shure E2Cs, which are bulkier than the Aurvanas. While we prefer the sound of the Shure E3cs, the Aurvanas cost half as much.

If you want a livelier and better-balanced sound and don’t mind looking a bit Frankenstein-ish, go with the Ultimate Ears super.fi Studio 3. If you are looking for serious bass, check out the Sennheiser CX-300. Aside from that, the Zen Aurvana provides a very good overall listening experience, with very good sound and lots of quieting, and in a very compact earphone. The cable thump and wind noise make these earphones more suitable for trains and planes than for walking around, but if you can find them for less than list price, I recommend these for their compactness and quieting ability.