Creative Sound Blaster ROAR Review

We get our hands on a compact wireless speaker that has been turning heads and winning awards since its unveiling. Will it capture your attention or will its purr be unheard?

Product on Review: Creative Sound Blaster ROAR SR20
Manufacturer: Creative
Street Price: £129 inc VAT

It has been a while since we looked at the Creative Airwave, and it would be fair to say that the portable wireless speaker market is now in hyperdrive. Meeting serious competition with serious design work, Creative have come up with the Sound Blaster ROAR. Described to be ‘the size of a dictionary’ and packing in 2x 1.5″ tweeters and a single 2.5″ subwoofer which is aided by 2x passive side radiators, the specifications are impressive for a product of this class. Clashing head on with products such as the Bose Soundlink range and the Beats Pill, Creative hope that their audio expertise and innovation will catch peoples attention.

On the surface we get a sleek polished metal mesh design that is both robust and elegant, but underneath is a monocoque chassis that tells a story of 2 years of design and precision crafting that has allowed Creative to pack in a wealth of features, hoping to deliver the best audio experience from a portable wireless speaker. It has a bi-amplified design for better frequency separation from the bass to the highs, there is a whopping 6000mAH rechargable battery that promises an 8 hour life, an integrated mini SD card slot, an intergrated microphone for voice calls and voice recording, various wireless connectivity modes, a micro USB slot for connecting the ROAR to your PC or laptop, a USB out for charging your phone and a 3.5mm jack aux input. Not stopping there, you can even link 2 of these together via a ‘MegaStereo’ cable or buy two of them in a multipack for when one just isn’t enough.

Overview by Creative

Compact Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker with NFC
Never before has such powerful and well-balanced audio come from a small compact booklet-sized speaker. With the Sound Blaster Roar, we’ve achieved the impossible by taking an impressive bi-amplified 5-driver system (including a kickass subwoofer) and shrinking it into a size no larger than a dictionary. The result: a speaker that is smaller, lighter, more stable and more powerful than any other speaker of its class. You’ll have to hear it to believe it.

Technical Specifications

System Configuration: One-piece

Dimensions
Speaker: 57.0 x 202.0 x 115.0 mm (2.2 x 7.9 x 4.5 inches)
Power Adaptor Cord Length: approx 1.9m
USB Cord Length: approx 0.75m
WeightSpeaker: 1.10kg (2.5lbs)
Power Adaptor Weight: 153g

Included Accessories
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Power Adapter
2 x Interchangeable adapter plugs*

*Supplied interchangeable plug(s) may vary according to region and country.

Recommended Usage
Wireless Streaming: Yes
Movies / Music: Yes
Outdoor: Yes

Controls / Connectivity
Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 3.0
Bluetooth Profile:
A2DP (Wireless Stereo Bluetooth)
AVRCP (Bluetooth Remote Control)
HFP (Hands-Free profile)

Supported Codecs:
AAC
aptX
SBC

Near Field Communication (NFC): Yes

Multipoint: Yes

Connector Type:
Aux-In
Bluetooth
USB

Volume Level Control: Yes

Features
Drivers:
1 x 2.5″
2 x 1.5″
2 x passive radiators

Design
Bi-Amplified Design
Microphone: Built-in

Supported Platforms for Wireless Audio (Minimum Requirements)
Mobile/Smart DevicesMobile / Smart devices with A2DP -enabled Bluetooth technology
ComputersCompatible with PC (Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1)
Apple Macintosh equipped with Bluetooth wireless stereo
USB Audio: Yes

Battery Specifications
Battery Type: Built-in Li-ion 6000mAH
Battery Life: 8 hours
Charging by Micro-USB

Proprietary
Charge mobile devices USB 1.0A Max output

Others
MicroSD slot: Yes
Supported Audio Formats
MP3 (up to 320kbps)
WMA (up to 320kbps)
WAV (16 bit 48kHz PCM)

Other features
Sound Blaster Control Panel

Packaging & Bundle

Top side of packaging

The packaging is highly minimalistic, neat and clearly orientated to display the profiles of each face of the product. Other than the name of the product and the Reddot 2014 award (and a QR code linking to some information about the product) there is little else to note.

Bottom side of packaging

Underneath we get a list of 15 features clearly arranged with information about each one, followed by some technical specifications at the bottom.

Included accessories

The accessories include everything you will need to set up, including a universal power charger with a UK and EU plug adaptor, a USB to micro USB cable as well as information about the MegaStereo mode and the ability to ‘enslave other speakers’, as well as an instruction manual, which you may want to consider actually reading due to the large number of features on this product.

Closer Look

The SB ROAR SB20A

Can you say gunmetal? The mesh is predominant in the design, with a rubberised control panel and back. The minimalistic design will fit in well with any surrounding without being garishly overdesigned, though considered alone, it is elegant and beautiful.

Side radiators

At each side there is a passive radiator that allows the audio to travel and expand from 4 faces of the device.

Rear I/O and controls

At the back you can find the power in/charging port, Aux input, USB DC out, micro USB connectivity, micro SD card slot. Then there are various other controls, including mic mute switch, record, play pause recording buttons. These are then followed by media buttons including a shuffle/repeat switch, previous/next buttons and play/pause. We then get to the Link Security (LS) swtich, the Terabass/alarm button and the arming switch.

Primary controls along the top

From right to left there is a NFC contact point, Battery life and charge indicator LEDs, Recording LED, pairing mode/answer call button with LED, volume down and up, the ROAR button with LED and the power button.

Underside of the SB ROAR

A sturdy plate of metal with rubberised strip to stop any potential sliding around.

Software

You can connect the Sound Blaster ROAR to a PC via the micro USB connection, you can control the Sound Blaster ROAR with provided software featuring the SBX Technologies. When using it this way there is a noticeable change in audio quality, being fuller and richer in presence. Though considering the price, the SB ROAR shouldn’t be considered a replacement for similarly priced desktop speakers, however, that doesn’t change the fact that it still sounds good. Paired with a Laptop or even LAN machine, this will definitely serve its purpose well.

Performance Testing

Setup, Design & Observations
As with any rechargable device it is best to leave it to charge fully before using, and is supplied at around 50% charge. Once the battery is fully charged, three green LEDs will be lit up. If left connected to the mains, it will power itself via the mains while safely pushing the battery to the background where it will be left unused or ‘trickle charged’ to ensure it remains at full capacity without destroying it. You can charge your mobile device via the USB DC out even when the speaker is turned off, either when connected to mains or by sapping power from the 6000mAH battery if you are desperate. It is recommended that you turn your phone off if you are charging directly from the battery bank.

If left plugged into the mains but remains inactive for 28 hours, the ROAR will automatically turn itself off. There is also a bedtime feature which you can enable auto shutdown by holding the REC play/pause button (not the record button), one beep for 15 minutes and two for 30 minutes.

The design is highly attractive, and construction is solid. Though there is a fair amount of weight to the ROAR, coming in at 1.1kg. however, if you are lugging around a large laptop bag or backpack this will unlikely be much of a hinderance.

You can connect to the SB ROAR either by pairing it manually by holding the Bluetooth button or by NFC and how it acts in regards to other devices depends on the position of the link security switch. The Link Security switch swaps between various wireless modes which can allow a connection free for all (off), ‘friendly access’ mode (LS1) or a multipoint mode (LS2, default) where two devices can be connected at the same time but will only swap control when the current one stops or pauses any playback. This is a great feature for when you need control or when you are in social environment where you want to share connection.

The volume buttons on the ROAR act like a master control, with any mobile volume control is confined within the set parameters. The ROAR button when enabled will provide ‘greater’ volume and loudness which is accompanied by a white LED indicator to let you know that it is enabled. Also, there is a quiet playback mode which can be enabled by turning on the the ‘Terabass’ mode. Once activated, you get a vocal notification that you have done so, this feature raises the bass frequencies making them more audible at low volume.

Playing music via the SD card slot (32GB max) is done by using the dedicated media buttons at the back, however when using with a PC via micro USB, wireless playback will play simultaneously, so you will need to stop any media playback on your PC or unplug it. When connected via micro USB it is worth noting that the ROAR will also recharge.

Unfortunately we weren’t able to test out the MegaStereo feature, despite a lengthy attempt to creative from a multitude of cables, a 4 pole to standard 3.5mm jack. Though using a standard 3.5mm jack to AUX in you can playback audio from a mobile device, it appears that the use of a 4 pole jack when plugged into the AUX enables audio out. The Creative MegaStereo Cable is fairly pricy at £12.99 though on a quick search, it isn’t easy to find a 4 pole to standard jack as a single unit so if this is a feature you think you will take advantage of, it is likely best to get one through Creative for the sake of convenience. It is a shame that it wasn’t included as part of the bundle.

Multimedia
Music playback was surprisingly awesome, in fact it was hard to believe such good sound was coming from something so small. Though it doesn’t quite have the depth you can get from desktop speakers, the fidelity certainly leaps into the realm of ‘serious’ in regards to portable wireless speakers. The bass is not as deep as some may like but it is clear and precise. The mids and highs also are very clear allowing for excellent music playback. The volume level is loud enough to fill a large room and this is aided by the ROAR button which adds a little extra openness to the audio. Certainly wouldn’t be a slouch at a small to mid size garden party or house party, (especially if you had two on the go!).

Microphone
The microphone is surprisingly good quality to which you can make voice recordings directly to your SD card, or can be used as a speakerphone. One could argue that it is competent enough to be used in a conference meeting (as long as it isn’t Bluejacked and used to start a party, God Bless that Security Switch). Answering phone calls is easy by pushing the answer button on the ROAR and the microphone does a good job at picking up voices and sounds. On the other end of the phone, it was described as ‘clear and warm’.

Conclusion

The Sound Blaster ROAR seriously impressed us, not just because of its audio fidelity, but also because of all the included features, attractive design and price point. The massive 6000mAH battery is said to last for around 8 hours though in our testing, I have managed to get in at least 4 hours of continual use at a moderate level, on top of this there has been irregular 5-30 minute use and the battery indicator was still showing 3 LEDs lit. Maybe this will settle down after more continued use but the 8 hour life is wholly believable.

The primary concern in regards to whether this portable wireless speaker is for you, is whether you will actually use it or not. If you need, want or require a portable sound system for work, play and more, the ROAR can become your best friend. The bi-amplified design works wonders in regards to the frequency seperation as you get full fledged high quality audio with no distortion or muddiness at a good volume. For when you want that extra kick, you hit that ROAR button and for when you want a low volume wind down at the end of the day, you have the bedtime mode and Terabass. Using a micro SD card you can store a library of MP3/WMA/WAV tracks ready for playback, you can connect any smart device Bluetooth or NFC and you will get high quality playback via aptX and AAC, finally you can even connect your laptop, PC or MAC via USB and download supporting Sound Blaster Software.

All that is a lot to take in, and it reflects how serious the wireless speaker market has become. Creative have made this device capable of handling expectations and smashing them with outright awesome. The only real downside to the SB ROAR is not with what it has, but what it has not; an included carry case, which are available seperately from Creative for £16.99, considering the weight a protective carry case would be very desirable. Also it doesn’t come with the MegaStereo cable to help you ‘enslave’ other speakers, again, available from Creative at an extra cost. Though the multipack bundle throws in the cases and cable effectively for free, these could be an included standard accessory, pushing the Sound Blaster ROAR to an exceptional level.

Creative prove that they are pioneers in audio with the Sound Blaster ROAR, which packs a mighty punch in a compact, elegant exterior. The audio quality owed to the bi-amplified design is nothing short of fantastic and the intelligent features will leave you questioning the worth of the competition.

Pros.
+ Compact size
+ Good quality audio
+ Loud enough to fill a room
+ Attractive minimalistic design
+ Highly versatile
+ Impressive features and controls
+ Lots of connectivity options
+ Long battery life

Cons.
– MegaStereo cable not included
– Carry Case not included