Creative makes speakers across all segments, but in recent times they have focused mainly on wireless speakers. Their Creative Roar series first made its debut in 2015 and now they have the Roar version 2.0 which seems to have been slimmed down compared to its predecessor.
But does the performance justify the price?
Pros:
- Loud and crisp sound
- Lot of connectivity options
- Adds up as a power bank
- Slim and lighter than first variant
Cons:
- Low on battery
- Hands-free calling not convenient
- Priced on the higher side
The speaker reminds you of a vintage transistor radio.
What’s Good?
We love that the Creative has gone back to the drawing board for the Sound Blaster Roar 2 and made it smaller than before. This helps in making the speaker lighter and easier to carry than its predecessor. This has been done without sacrificing on the size of the sound drivers inside the speaker, and the results are worth revering.
The box-shaped Roar 2 reminds you of the yesteryear’s transistor that was the fad before we got the television and then mobile phones.
When it comes to features and performance, the Roar 2 does not make big compromises and for a speaker at this price it is the least we can expect.
Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 lets you make calls as well.
You get several connectivity options, along with the built-in power bank feature. You can also use the Roar 2 as an amplifier by connecting it to a microphone, and record the music on the device by using a memory card.
There are also various options to charge the speaker. There is a standard power adapter bundled with the Roar 2, and one can even charge it via micro-USB, albeit the slower process of the two mentioned.
Host of features available on the Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2.
The two additional sub-woofers on the sides increase the sound quality noticeably. This makes a big difference to the sound output and clarity of the music.
The Roar 2 can easily fill up a mid-sized room with sound, and you will never notice distortion, even at higher volume levels. Lower tones can be heard well, and it’s easy to register the lyrics. On the whole, the Roar 2 has enough going its way to impress us.
Connectivity options.
What’s Bad?
Let’s look at some of the downsides that continue to bother us on the Roar 2. Firstly, Roar 2’s many features doesn’t help its case with the battery life. On an average, we couldn’t get more than 4 hours performance out of the Sound Blaster Roar 2, especially on Bluetooth.
For a portable speaker costing upwards from $150, we expect more. The likes of Bose SoundLink Mini and Logitech UE Boom 2 are way better in this respect.
The Roar feature on the Sound Blaster Roar 2.
With respect to the ergonomics of the Roar 2, we didn’t like where the Power button has been placed. In most cases, we ended up turning the speaker On, even when we just wanted to pick it up and carry it, which was irritating to say the least.
Volume and power control on the speaker.
The company’s Roar feature on this speaker barely manages to make a difference. Same goes for the Treble feature, there is only so much a small device can do.
Sub-woofers added on both sides of the speaker.
Why Buy It?
The Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 is aesthetically pleasing when compared to the first iteration. It is lighter, smaller in size, and packs two sub-woofers on the side that adds to the music quality and takes it up a level.
You get a host of features and connectivity options that are hard to find on most speakers in this price range. The output is worth praising, and we love that there are no distortions on the Roar 2 even at higher volume levels.
Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2.
However, too many features and the relatively small 6000-mAh battery ruin the battery life, making too short for a portable speaker.
Would we recommend it over a Bose SoundLink Mini at this price? Only if you want more than a speaker, like a gadget that can serve as an additional sound recording medium as well.
(Photos courtesy The Quint)
