The MUVO 2C is a lightweight portable Bluetooth speaker that can be taken with you anywhere, and thanks to its IP66 weather proofing, you can be confident using it at the beach, by the pool, or during the British summer.
Product on Review: Creative MUVO 2C
Manufacturer: Creative
Street Price: UK: £39.99, US: $49.99 (Promo Twin Pack for £59.98)
Creative are no stranger to packing in big sound in small spaces, and this is exactly what Creative are promising with the MUVO 2C. Weighing just 159g, and measures 67.0 x 93.0 x 38.0 mm, you could be forgiven for underestimating what has been packed into this portable Bluetooth speaker. At is heart, it features an in-house tuned 1.5″ full-range speaker driver, and to help boost the bass, there is an oversized passive radiator at the rear. For flexibility Creative has included a mini SD card slot, a 3.5mm port for analogue connection, as well as a microUSB port for USB connectivity and charging. To take it to the next level, you can also pair two MUVO 2C speakers together for wireless stereo playback.
Coated in an easy-grip soft finish along with its IP66 certified weather sealing (splash and dust proof), mean that it will be an ideal companion for outdoors use at pools, beaches, or general day to day use in variable weather.
Overview by Creative
The Creative MUVO 2C is perfect for life’s adventures with its IP-66 rating and portable easy-grip design. Connectivity is simple, and you can even connect two MUVO 2c speakers together wirelessly! The MUVO 2c is IP66-certified, which means splashes won’t ruin your fun at pool parties, nor will dust interfere when you’re off the beaten track.
Technical Specifications
System Configuration
One-piece
Dimensions (H x W x D)
67.0 x 93.0 x 38.0 mm (2.6 x 3.7 x 1.5 inches), USB Cable Length: Approx 0.6m
Weight
Speaker: 159g (5.6oz), USB Cable: 23g (0.8oz)
Bluetooth® Version
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth Profile
A2DP (Wireless Stereo Bluetooth), AVRCP (Bluetooth Remote Control), HFP (Hands-free Profile)
Supported Codecs
SBC
Connector Type
Bluetooth, AUX-in, USB
Color
Black, Blue, Green, Red
Battery Type
Built-in Li-ion, 650mAh
Battery Life
6 hours
One-piece
Dimensions (H x W x D)
67.0 x 93.0 x 38.0 mm (2.6 x 3.7 x 1.5 inches), USB Cable Length: Approx 0.6m
Weight
Speaker: 159g (5.6oz), USB Cable: 23g (0.8oz)
Bluetooth® Version
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth Profile
A2DP (Wireless Stereo Bluetooth), AVRCP (Bluetooth Remote Control), HFP (Hands-free Profile)
Supported Codecs
SBC
Connector Type
Bluetooth, AUX-in, USB
Color
Black, Blue, Green, Red
Battery Type
Built-in Li-ion, 650mAh
Battery Life
6 hours
Packaging & Product
The MUVO C2 is packed in a crystal plastic container, with the said product itself in clear view. The base of the packaging gives some information about the product and its features including its connectivity and the IP66 weather proofing.
The MUVO 2C itself is available in 8 colours, (Black, pink, red, orange, blue, Teal, purple and green), here we have the Teal version. It measures a mini 67.0 x 93.0 x 38.0 mm, and weighs just 159g. The front is completely made up of metal mesh with the Creative logo adorned across it, sitting behind the mesh front is the 1.5″ speaker driver.
The reverse side has a large passive sub-woofer (approximately 35 x 60mm), which will help add a deeper bass.
There is a silicone flap that prevents water and dust from entering the I/O ports. On opening the flap, we find 3.5mm port for analogue connection, a mini SD card slot, and a microUSB port for charging/USB connection.
The buttons and indicators along the top are also silicone covered, we find a power button alongside a power LED indicator, a Bluetooth pairing button, a mode button (multi-function) alongside a mode LED indicator, as well as volume up/down buttons.
software
The software side is an nice touch, giving extra control over the audio properties via both mobile and desktop applications. The mobile app will also allow you to browse the stored audio files on the SD card. However, we run into problems at every turn. We could not get the mobile app working, nor could we update the firmware (manually or via the app). This is unfortunate as we assume that the firmware update likely fixes the issues with the app.
Mobile app, not connecting as it should
Performance Testing
Setup, Design & ObservationsTo charge the MUVO 2C, connect to a powered microUSB supply, or via a USB port on a laptop/desktop system. There are 4 modes that the MUVO 2C can be used in, and each has a corresponding colour on the LED indicator; Blue for Bluetooth, yellow for SD card, Green for aux-in, and magenta for USB. Connecting to the MUVO 2C via Bluetooth is fairly straight forward, press the Bluetooth pairing button, and connect via the detected device lists on your mobile or compatible system. In the SD card mode, the Bluetooth button doubles as Play/pause, while holding the M + volume up/down act as skip back/forwards. Finally, while in USB mode, you can use the MUVO 2C as a speaker for your laptop or desktop system; for further convenience, if you leave it connected via USB but turn the power off, it will act as a storage device (if you have a SD card installed) allowing you to manage the files from your system.
The most striking aspect of the MUVO 2C is its size/weight, along with its fantastic build quality and finish. The buttons feel nice, and have a tactile feedback without being too easy or difficult to press. Though, the silicone covering the I/O area can be a pain to open for when you need access, though considering its IP66 rating, it is a necessary evil.
As stated on the previous page, we were disappointed with the software issues we encountered, and we hope that our situation is a one off, or that it is promptly fixed. Though not necessarily an important aspect to its day-to-day use as a wireless speaker, the software does make life a lot easier, especially in regards to controlling the playback vis the SD card.
Testing out the battery, we had it running for several hours, and found that by the 5th hour that the audio volume started to dip a little bit before it died. Up to 6 hours lifespan is fairly optimistic, but you will likely get 4-5 hours of strong playback before having any issues with the battery.
Multimedia
Considering its size, we weren’t expecting miracles in regards to audio quality or volume, however we were positively surprised by the MUVO 2C. Unlike many others this size, it doesn’t suffer from a tinny, mid-high orientated audio signature that gives a distinct location to the speaker, the kind of that literally sounds… small. In fact, we found the opposite to be true! Sure, it isn’t very loud in comparison to say the Roar series of speakers, but it is loud enough for casual listening outside, or as a portable boost to your laptop audio. The way it expertly handles complex audio, presenting smooth bass and the clear highs that are so well defined, it was hard to believe that this big sound came from this tiny speaker. If we were to be ultra critical, the mid-tones were slightly outshone by the treble, but we didn’t really perceive this to be a real downside. The only thing we did notice, was that low quality compressed MP3s showed significant deterioration in audio quality, so always use high quality audio sources if you want to avoid awful sounding music.
Microphone
When paired to your phone, the MUVO 2C can act as a speaker phone, and while the microphone quality isn’t specifically anything special, it is a welcome feature that functions well without any problems.
Conclusion
It is difficult not to be impressed by the MUVO 2C. Its audio defies its small body and it has a whole load of features that help make it a versatile, and attractive proposition compared to others in its category. The MUVO 2C ticks many boxes for people looking for a real lightweight, portable speaker that can be used in any situation, outdoors, indoors, and can easily be carried with you every day. Though there are some inevitable limitations due to its size, these can be partially overcome by pairing two of these together for a wireless stereo experience, overcoming said limitations
The downsides to the MUVO 2C are greatly outweighed by its market pricing, where at £39.99, the MUVO 2C makes for a great all round product where one could almost consider them disposable, where the fear of wrecking your expensive Bluetooth speaker outdoors in the rain or at the beach, is simply non-existent. Still, we believe these points are are worth noting. Firstly, the battery life could be a little better, though as it is, it should easily last an afternoon of continuous use. Secondly, Creative need to address the software issues, as we encountered problems with trying to update the firmware, and with trying to connect the Sound Blaster Connect (MUVO Control Panel) Mobile APP.
In short, the MUVO 2C is a fantastic, well-balanced product that will appeal to many people. Though not entirely perfect, there is a lot to love, and we would have no hesitation to recommend it due to the amazing value it represents.
Though ultra lightweight and portable, the MUVO 2C sounds incredibly good, the passive radiator enhances the bass, while the full-range driver creates a dynamic audio that is larger-than-you’d-expect from something so small.
Pros.
+ Solid construction
+ IP66 Certified (Splash/dust proof)
+ Small and lightweight (159g)
+ Bluetooth, SD Card, aux-in, and USB connectivity
+ Clear audio with deep bass
+ Features a microphone
+ Easy to use controls
+ Can pair 2x MUVO C2 together
+ Available in 8 colours
+ Price
Cons.
– Only 6hr battery life
– Software issues
+ Solid construction
+ IP66 Certified (Splash/dust proof)
+ Small and lightweight (159g)
+ Bluetooth, SD Card, aux-in, and USB connectivity
+ Clear audio with deep bass
+ Features a microphone
+ Easy to use controls
+ Can pair 2x MUVO C2 together
+ Available in 8 colours
+ Price
Cons.
– Only 6hr battery life
– Software issues
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