Featuring the classic bi-amplified speaker design in a rigid monocoque chassis, Creative return with a sleek, minimalistic take on the Sound Blaster Roar Bluetooth speaker.
Product on Review: Creative Sound Blaster Roar Classic Lite
Manufacturer: Creative
Street Price: UK: £139.99, US: $149.99
Creative have somewhat taken a step back with the Sound Blaster Roar Classic Lite. By taking away a shed load of features and presenting the market with a more elegant version of the Roar, cut down to its bare essentials. Fortunately it retains the bi-amplified design in a solid monocoque chassis. The two 1.5″ high frequency drivers are powered by a dedicated amp, and is supported by a powerful 2.5″ subwoofer for the mids/lows, and to add a little richness, there are two large passive radiators on each side that help to widen the audio.
To touch on some of its features, connectivity is limited to just Bluetooth (with NFC pairing), and 3.5mm jack AUX-in, and it retains the built in microphone for use as a speaker phone. Creative have made the Terabass feature automatic (with the ability to switch it off), and of course you will still find the Roar button for that extra kick of power.
Overview by Creative
The Sound Blaster Roar Classic Lite is a marvel of acoustic engineering. It features a design that has defied the laws of acoustic engineering. The compact booklet-sized form factor houses 5 high-performance speaker drivers, including a built-in subwoofer. It utilizes two amplifiers – one dedicated to driving the lows and mids, and another, solely dedicated for delivering the high frequencies.
The Roar Classic Lite features the same electrical design and the same 5 drivers as the Roar Classic. With its minimalistic approach in design and features, the Roar Classic Lite focuses on delivering the best audio performance in it.
The Roar Classic Lite features the same electrical design and the same 5 drivers as the Roar Classic. With its minimalistic approach in design and features, the Roar Classic Lite focuses on delivering the best audio performance in it.
Technical Specifications
System Configuration
One-piece
Dimensions (H x W x D)
Power Adaptor Cord Length: Approx 1.9m, USB Cord Length: Approx 0.75m, 57 x 200 x 115 mm
Weight
UK Interchangeable Adaptor Plug*: 19g, CE Interchangeable Adaptor Plug*: 17g, Power Adaptor: 153g, USB Cable: 26g, Speaker: 1.06kg (2.3lbs)
Bluetooth® Version
Bluetooth 3.0
Bluetooth Profile
AVRCP (Bluetooth Remote Control), A2DP (Wireless Stereo Bluetooth), HFP (Hands-free Profile)
Supported Codecs
SBC
Connector Type
Bluetooth, AUX-in
Color
Black
Near Field Communication (NFC)
Supports NFC
Design
Bi-amplified Design
Battery Type
Built-in Li-ion, 6000mAh
Battery Life
8 hours
One-piece
Dimensions (H x W x D)
Power Adaptor Cord Length: Approx 1.9m, USB Cord Length: Approx 0.75m, 57 x 200 x 115 mm
Weight
UK Interchangeable Adaptor Plug*: 19g, CE Interchangeable Adaptor Plug*: 17g, Power Adaptor: 153g, USB Cable: 26g, Speaker: 1.06kg (2.3lbs)
Bluetooth® Version
Bluetooth 3.0
Bluetooth Profile
AVRCP (Bluetooth Remote Control), A2DP (Wireless Stereo Bluetooth), HFP (Hands-free Profile)
Supported Codecs
SBC
Connector Type
Bluetooth, AUX-in
Color
Black
Near Field Communication (NFC)
Supports NFC
Design
Bi-amplified Design
Battery Type
Built-in Li-ion, 6000mAh
Battery Life
8 hours
Packaging & First Look
The packaging of the Roar Classic Lite from the get go gives the impression of a clean, elegant and minimalistic product, with an image in the centre on a white background with only the essential branding, and product description present (and a QR code).
On the underside we are given a description and a diagram of the product, along with its specification in small print.
Inside the packaging we get the power adaptor with various plug adaptors (Japan/EU/UK).
The Roar Classic Lite Bluetooth speaker looks significantly sleeker than the original Roar, and is slightly smaller/lighter, but not to the same extent as the Roar 2, or the iRoar GO.
Closer Look
As with the original Roar, the passive radiators are protected with steel mesh at the sides.
Just the two of us, side by side we find the charging port and AUX-in port for 3.5mm jacks.
The top lining is a black rubberised material, and it features the NFC point, battery charge indicator LEDs, Bluetooth pairing LED alongside the pairing/answer/end call multi-function button, volume up/down, Roar button (with LED indicator), and the power button.
The base is mostly flat with large running rubberised feet to prevent vibrational interference.
Powered up we see some green LED indicators, along with the Bluetooth pairing button flashing away, looking for a device to connect to.
Side by side comparison of the Roar Classic Lite vs the MUVO 2C, one is a pocket friendly ultra portable device, while the Roar is more of a booklet size that packs a considerably more powerful punch.
Performance Testing
Setup, Design & ObservationsConnect via any compatible Bluetooth 3.0 device, or via the AUX-in jack. Charge it up and play music. Another feature it seems to have retained is that, if you play music while plugged into the power adaptor, it will play even louder!
Aside from that, the simplicity of the Roar Classic Lite will make it popular with many people. As the Roar Classic Lite has shed many of the innovations we have found in the other Roar models, but thanks to this, Creative have managed to make the Classic Lite a little lighter, and smaller than the original Roar. I would liked to have seen a few more features retained, including the ability to use that huge 6000mAh battery to charge your phone, maybe a microUSB port to connect via PC, and maybe a microSD card slot. It would be rather epic if the Classic Lite also had the same feature as the MUVO 2C and have the ability to pair 2x Classic Lites together via Bluetooth. As it is though, it is certainly ‘Lite’, and certainly the sleekest, most beautiful Roar speaker we have had the pleasure of viewing.
Multimedia
Once we powered up the Roar, it was instantly clear that Creative did not compromise on the audio quality. The Classic Lite is completely capable of delivering well balanced, high quality audio at a good volume. The Roar mode gives the audio an extra kick to the audio signature, widening the sound, while boosting the volume a little. The bass could be a little deeper, but it is well accounted for without sounding boomy, or muddy, while the clarity of the mids and highs make for a highly pleasurable listening experience. The most important factor about the Roar’s performance, (something we also observed with the MUVO 2C) isn’t just about its powerful audio, but its ability to sound LARGER than it is. Having experienced many competing products (some very good ones too), it is hard to dispute that other products may have a better bass response, or another might be a little louder, but few (if any) match the presence of the Roar in a similar sized package. This gives the Roar a wide, and distinguishing ability to be heard with clarity up to a fair distance, without loss in quality of the overall audio presence, while other speakers, as you move further away, start to sound, small.
Microphone
The Roar Classic Lite still acts as a very clear, loud speakerphone that can easily act as a conferencing device, maybe not the best, but certainly no reason to not use it if available. The microphone picks up voice from a fair distance away and sounds reasonably decent through mobile devices.
Conclusion
The Creative Sound Blaster Roar came as a huge innovation to the Bluetooth speaker market, and is widely regarded as the ‘Swiss Army knife’ of Bluetooth speakers because of its abundance of features. Many of these features can however seem a jumble for some, added frills that may simply be unneeded that ended up being more of a burden scattered with confusion. The Roar Classic Lite addresses this. Connect your device via NFC/Bluetooth or by AUX-in, and reap the benefits of the award winning Bi-amplified drivers and its awesome, high quality audio.
The Roar Classic Lite is a minimalists dream in regards to features and aesthetic, though maybe too much so? At time of writing, Creative have some great deals on their Roar Speakers 1 2, which kinda puts the £139 speaker to shame, especially as there are some, very useful features that the Classic Lite has unfortunately foregone. Such as: using that 6000mAh battery bank to give your mobile device a battery boost via the USB power-out port, a microUSB charge/connection port, even the microSD card slot would still be appreciated. Right now, with an MSRP of £139, you would literally be paying more for less. Despite that, some people may find the simplicity and elegance of doing away with that fluff may be invaluable, and if that is the case, then the Roar Classic Lite is a fantastic choice for you. Connect your device and listen to it Roar!
The Roar Classic Lite simplifies the Roar Bluetooth speaker, cutting out all the extras that many may not need or desire, allowing you to get down to business; pumping out high quality audio.
Pros.
+ Sleek aesthetic
+ Easy to use (NFC/Bluetooth or Aux-in)
+ Solid construction
+ 5 drivers
+ Bi-amplified design
+ Clear, well balanced audio
+ Built-in microphone
Cons.
– Lacks a few too many of the features found in other models
+ Sleek aesthetic
+ Easy to use (NFC/Bluetooth or Aux-in)
+ Solid construction
+ 5 drivers
+ Bi-amplified design
+ Clear, well balanced audio
+ Built-in microphone
Cons.
– Lacks a few too many of the features found in other models
– No included carry case
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
