Creative Stage V2 Soundbar Review - Great TV Audio Under $150 Isn't Just Feasible, It's Here
Creative Technology recently sent its latest soundbar, sold as the " Creative Stage V2 two.1 Soundbar and Subwoofer with Articulate Dialog and Surround by Audio Blaster for Tv set and Desktop Monitor", out for review. Priced at only $109, information technology'southward easily going to be one of the least expensive soundbar solutions on the market.
Bearing that in listen, my hopes weren't likewise high for this particular audio solution. In fact, I expected that it would autumn utterly apartment, fifty-fifty compared to my TV speakers. And I'll be the outset to admit that I was wrong.
That, of course, leaves several questions to be answered. Not least of all, why should you spend the money on this soundbar rather than simply using your Boob tube speakers? And tin this soundbar and subwoofer solution really amend your feel all that much? Put simply, the reply to both questions is yeah. Simply the answer to such questions is rarely that simple.
So let's take a closer await at what makes Creative Stage V2 such a neat offering.
This is hardware with only a few complaint-worthy pain points and a lot to dearest
On the hardware front, I was immediately impressed by the quality of this soundbar and subwoofer with only a few exceptions. For instance, I noted when opening the Creative Phase V2 for this review, that the textile on the subwoofer does non experience as high-quality every bit it looks. The covering on the speaker does experience incredibly premium. So that was a bit of an annoyance.
The company also didn't pack in an HDMI cable or an Optical Cable.
But, setting those matters aside, this is really a peachy-looking system. The soundbar and subwoofer are primarily composed of plastics. But Creative opted for a two-tone blueprint combining matte and sleeky finishes. And it left all fasteners exposed and out in the open also.
The upshot is a somewhat industrial look that actually kind of fits with the brand.
In terms of quality, there'southward no flex in any of the plastics. And they all have a house feel to them, helping give the sense that this soundbar is going to terminal a long time. The ports and plugs, all tucked neatly along the back, are firm as well. Cables snap satisfactorily into place and don't wiggle at all. And that's exactly what I wanted to see since that means connections volition be solid and should stay that mode for the life of this speaker.
Also around the back of this soundbar, Creative has included mounting holes. And then, with a couple of fasteners and/or drywall anchors, information technology would be easy enough to position the soundbar upwardly and straight underneath a wall-mounted TV.
When discussing the hardware here, it's also going to be important to talk over the included remote control. Not only does that characteristic a comfortable-to-concur and comfortable-to-reach-buttons blueprint. And not simply is it aesthetically pleasing thanks to its wood-grain finish. It offers easy admission to some of the best features of this hardware.
For instance, there'south a talk-bubble-shaped icon on the remote for kicking off Clear Dialogue mode. That, as its branding implies, makes speech within the media being played easier to hear. And beyond that, the remote provides an easy way to switch inputs on the fly, turn on or off surround mode, control playback book or playback itself, and adjust bass or treble. Besides as an easy way to mute or reset the soundbar.
Of grade, there's too a learning curve to the fashion each mode is portrayed on the speaker. Artistic includes an LED brandish that simply shows a couple of letters. And yous'll need to cycle through those to detect what they all mean. But that'southward hardly a massive issue since it's something most soundbars bring to the table.
The remote buttons, conversely, are nice and soft without feeling too squishy. Although a bit more clickiness would be appreciated. And that remote serves equally the only fashion to modify modes or suit the speaker too. Which can be a bit of a problem for those that tend to lose remotes. Just the hardware here is yet an infrequent value for the cost.
Getting connected is easy with Creative Phase V2 and there are plenty of options
When information technology comes to getting connected with Creative Phase V2, this speaker and subwoofer setup was one of the easiest I've had, review device or not. There's a power cable to plug in on the soundbar itself. And then users just need to attach the subwoofer — which is wired — via the included cable. Creative provides plenty of cable length here too. So I could feasibly have fix this subwoofer much further from the soundbar than I did. At least ten-feet away, in fact.
Once all of that was done, it was simply a matter of choosing which connectivity method I wanted to utilize. Creative Stage V2 provides options for HDMI (ARC), Optical Cable, three.5mm audio jack, and USB-C. And, of course, Bluetooth 5.0 is available as well. In case you'd similar to use Phase V2 as an oversized Bluetooth speaker — or integrate information technology into your Google smart home setup since that's supported to some extent.
I opted for Optical Cablevision for my installation since I already had one of those cables and neither HDMI nor Optical Cablevision is included in the box. But I besides hooked up the included USB-C to USB-A cable to my Playstation 4. And that could have simply as easily been hooked upwardly to my Nintendo switch or a PC if I'd chosen to use it that manner. I besides left the included 3.5mm audio cablevision hooked in for phone users in my domicile. And hooked up to my Pixel v via Bluetooth.
While HDMI (ARC) is easily going to exist the best way to connect to this soundbar, I found no complaints in any of the other connectivity options. The plugs are each snug and feel durable. And the quality of audio over those plugs was on-betoken also. Which, information technology almost goes without proverb, is a massive bonus for a soundbar priced at under $200, permit alone nigh half that cost.
Is the quality from a $100 speaker actually going to beat your new Tv set'south speakers?
We've all been at that place at one bespeak or some other. We purchase a make new television, plough it on, and beginning playing some media to examination it out. The picture, of course, is better than ever. So is the sound. In fact, the sound is incredibly adept for a television's stock speakers. There's no way information technology's going to exist worth it, spending several hundred dollars more on a soundbar or speaker system.
But, every time that path is taken, it turns out to be incorrect. TV speakers are still just nowhere near as adept equally a dedicated sound system. Or at least that'southward typically the case equally long as one doesn't inexpensive out on their audio arrangement. Creative Stage V2, based on my review, changes that.
Unless you're planning a home theater of epic proportions or have several hundred dollars to spare but laying effectually, this speaker volition get the job done. And then some. While audio quality volition vary based on the connectivity pick chosen, and that variation is entirely predictable since those work exactly as expected, this little soundbar gear up out with something to prove. Namely, you don't need to double downwardly on the cost of your Telly or spend one-half every bit much at to the lowest degree to get good sound.
Generally speaking, in fact, at that place are but a few complaints worth noting. Start, Creative Stage V2, in a examination I performed, only seems to work down to effectually 40Hz.
So the very lowest of low tones isn't going to polish through. But you'd be difficult-pressed to discover any vocal or movie that really utilizes the range below that point. And human hearing only goes to 20Hz. The audio is still clearly aural and powerful all the way downwards to around 45Hz. And it stays that way all the way up to 20kHz, at the upper end of the human hearing range.
Looking past that, Artistic Stage V2 really excelled under review. While I take used sub-$200 soundbars in the by, Creative includes its Sound Blaster technology in this ane. And although y'all won't get home-shaking bass from this sound arrangement, it offers crystal articulate, accurate audio with great balance and plenty of 'thump' — where that'southward appropriate. Just like the company's well-reviewed headphones. And without any muddiness to speak of.
Should you buy Creative Phase V2?
No Tv, old or brand new, should be without a quality soundbar. Tv audio components merely aren't upwardly to the job of creating an immersive, wide audio feel. And that's going to agree true whether y'all've purchased 1 that costs $200 or one that's priced a $2,000 or more than. In fact, merely about any soundbar will do for the purpose of making the audio better.
The upshot at mitt, of course, is that soundbars can exist almost every bit expensive every bit TVs. So spending the extra greenbacks can seem frivolous, at best. Especially since there are dozens of offerings at below $200. Most of those are going to only marginally improve the sound quality and volume. And some of those could improve volume simply dethrone audio quality.
If my review of this gadget has shown me annihilation, it's that if you desire the well-nigh bang for your cadet and don't have a lot to spend, Artistic Stage V2 is a improve solution than many others. Or at the very least, better than but about anything you'll detect in its price bracket. And that's including soundbars costing all the way up to around the $300 to $350 range. At a fraction of the price of those devices.
Equally already covered here, there are definitely some quirks to Phase V2.
Not least of all, at that place'southward a learning curve when it comes to figuring out exactly which audio mode you lot're really using. And the quality of the materials used in the subwoofer encompass isn't the best. The audio itself, on the low-end of the spectrum, isn't quite as rumbly every bit might be hoped either. Just information technology does still thump well enough to be felt rather than just heard. All in a compact package that can exist wall-mounted or left on a Tv set stand with equal results.
If you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a soundbar solution but desire a truly neat experience for the coin, Creative Stage V2 has y'all covered.
Source: https://www.androidheadlines.com/2021/06/creative-stage-v2-soundbar-review.html
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