The Creative Stage 2.1 channel soundbar, which went on the market last year, has received a lot of praise from consumers at home and abroad because of its high cost performance. Creative Stage V2 released this year brings a lot of upgrades compared to the first generation of Stage. In addition to bluetooth 5.0, Creative STAGE V2 Soundbar also has a built-in SoundBlaster sound card, supports Clear Dialogue vocal enhancement technology, and supports simulated surround sound effects. . So are these upgrades worth the cost of our ordinary consumers? After reading this review, I think you will find the answer.
Unboxing and product details
Creative STAGE V2’s packaging box is very large, and the internal items are arranged in an orderly manner. The top one is the soundbar, the bottom one is the accessory box, and the other is the subwoofer.
The contents of the box: Creative STAGE V2 soundbar, subwoofer, remote control, power cord, AUX cable, C2A cable, manual and warranty card.
Creative STAGE V2 specific parameters:
Bluetooth version: bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth operating frequency: 2402-2480MHz
Transmission range: 10 meters
Bluetooth profile: A2DP, AVRCP
Supported codec: SBC
Speaker power: satellite speaker 20W*2; subwoofer 40W. Peak 160W.
SNR: ≥75dB
Operating temperature: 0-45℃
The size of the Creative STAGE V2 speaker part is 100*680*78mm. It adopts engineering plastic shell + metal mesh cover design, which is relatively simple overall. Due to the long length, it is generally suitable for use as a TV companion. Of course, if your computer desktop is relatively large, it is also possible to place it under the monitor.
There are 4 buttons on the side, no need to explain, I believe everyone can understand the specific functions! However, this speaker supports multiple audio inputs, such as bluetooth 5.0, ARC, optical fiber, USB, and AUX. The audio source switching requires a remote control to operate.
There is a hook on the back of the Creative STAGE V2 soundbar, indicating that it can be hung on the wall, but there are no expansion screws and other accessories in the accessories, and users need to purchase them separately.
All audio output and input interfaces are relatively secretive. On the left is the USB audio, ARC, and AUX input; on the right is the optical input and SUB subwoofer output.
The TV wall in my house is tiled and it is not convenient to make holes, so I put the soundbar directly on the TV stand.
The Creative STAGE V2 soundbar is equipped with two mid- to high-frequency speakers, each with an output power of up to 20W, which is sufficient for most living rooms.
Another very important module of Creative STAGE V2 is the subwoofer. The size of this speaker is 116*250*423mm, although the volume is relatively tall, but because it is very thin, it does not occupy much space on the ground. The output power of its built-in woofer is up to 40W.
The design of Subwoofer is still a simple type, with Creative LOGO on the upper part of the panel, an inverted hole on the lower part, and the SUB cable on the back is not removable.
The included cables, except for the power cord, are AUX cables and C2A cables, but ARC and optical fiber cables are not provided.
This remote control is well made, with a thick shape and a metallic feel. The shell of the remote control is actually plastic, and the panel has special effects of drawing process. The battery is a AAA battery, and the purchase cost is relatively low.
The functions on the panel are very rich, such as the switching of various audio sources, the enhancement of high and low sounds, and the sound effects of SURROUND and CLEAR DIALOG can only be realized by the remote control, so it is a very important accessory. Pay more attention to use it. very convenient.
Creative STAGE V2 soundbar picture tour
The decoration in my home is simple European style, and the design of Creative STAGE V2 soundbar is simple and low-key, and it is harmonious with the style of my home. If your TV wall has been designed with embedded wires in advance, there will not be a wire connected to the TV exposed like ours, and the overall visual effect will be better. In addition, because the two sides of the TV table are full of daily necessities, I can only place the subwoofer on the desktop of the TV. If you want a simpler desktop, you can put the subwoofer on the ground.
Subjective sound experience
The first time I switched on the Creative STAGE V2 soundbar, the movie I experienced was “Nezha”. This movie is not new, but I haven’t watched it. So my daughter and I watched the whole movie in its entirety. I think that when using the Creative STAGE V2 soundbar to watch movies, it is highly recommended to turn on SURROUND and BASS. These two sound effects can greatly improve the listening experience when watching. When the sound effect is not turned on, the sound is relatively flat, and I can feel that the sound source comes from a speaker that is more than 1 meter away from me. However, when the SURROUND sound effect is turned on, the three-dimensional, enveloping and layering sense of the sound is instantly improved. The lines of various sounds are also clearer, and the judgment of the sound source becomes blurred, like the surround effect of a physical multi-channel speaker. If you turn on BASS at this time, the low-frequency dynamics will follow the trend, and the extension depth will be significantly enhanced, but it has not surpassed the sound pressure of the mid- and high-frequency bands, so the tri-band fusion is still relatively good.
When I turned on these two sound effects, I already thought it was good enough to watch movies with it. Later, I found that there was a CLEAR DIALOG button on the remote control. After pressing it, the mid-frequency suddenly became prominent, and the dialogue in the film became clearer. The rendering has begun to approach the effect of a movie theater. The maximum output power of 160W is enough for an area of about 30 square meters like my home. The overall effect is quite satisfactory to me.
Creative STAGE V2 is equipped with bluetooth 5.0, so if you don’t watch TV, it’s good to use it as a multimedia speaker. Even if the bass is turned on, the subwoofer of this speaker will not seriously interfere with the effect of the mid and high frequency bands, so it will not be uncomfortable to listen to music with it. I often use it to play music in ipad pro. Although the codec only supports SBC, the clarity is still very good. The low frequency extension is shallower than the use in movie scenes, so the balanced performance of the three bands Good, as long as you pay attention to the placement of the subwoofer, its low frequency will never be split. Of course, in addition to the AUX and bluetooth 5.0 connection methods mentioned above, it also supports optical input and USB input. If you have a SONY PS5 or advanced decoding amp, theoretically the sound under these two interfaces will improve again.
Summary:
The price of Creative STAGE V2 is not high. It is relatively rare to have such a rich multi-channel audio input and Bluetooth 5.0 for about 100 dollars. The overall appearance design is simple and low-key, and does not require high placement space. It can be said that it is a soundbar product with high cost performance. As a Creative technology that specializes in R&D, manufacturing and production of audio products, the sound quality of the STAGE V2 soundbar does not need to be worried at all, and it can definitely satisfy ordinary users.
Creative STAGE V2 advantages:
1. Low-key and simple design, excellent workmanship;
2. Multiple input methods;
3. Excellent sound quality, surging bass;
4. Built-in SoundBlaster sound card, supports virtual surround sound effects;
5. Support Clear Dialogue dialogue enhancement technology, clear vocals.
Creative STAGE V2 Disadvantages:
1. The soundbar is still short, and it will look uncoordinated with a large-screen TV.
2. Bluetooth playback only supports SBC.
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