By: Jonah Chow
June 23, 2023
A few weeks ago, I watched the critically acclaimed Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse. I personally thought the movie was very solid, from the visual animation to the writing. The film took many twists and turns and took me to unexpected places, which was pleasantly surprising. One of the most interesting things I found out was one of my friends who I watched the film with had not seen the original movie, Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse. Despite this, he still had a fun time watching the film and did not feel too confused at any point. To me, this is the mark of a inclusive sequel, that being a movie that does not require the viewers to watch the previous film to understand the follow-up. I do understand that a sequel is a sequel for a reason and people should go into the movie with at least a general understanding of the first movie. However, it is pleasant to see a something that does this differently. There are also many other Spiderman movies out there that can serve as a background to the latest one, even if they are not related. Today, we look at the Creative Stage Air V2. My colleague Aaron has already reviewed the Creative Stage and Stage V2, but we have never covered the original Stage Air. Like with Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse and the multitude of other Spiderman movies out there, there are those who have seen them, and those who have not. How does the Stage Air V2, a compact USB speaker with Bluetooth capabilities and a built-in battery, stack up regardless of where you are coming from? Let us read on to find out!
Today’s unit of the Creative Stage Air V2 arrived from a logistics firm in Lachine, Quebec, Canada. Traveling with Purolator Ground, the shipping box arrived in great condition with no scratches or tears to us here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The "Handle with Care" label was clearly acknowledged. Creative also sent us their Sound Blaster X5 and Live! Cam Sync V3, which were reviewed last week by my colleagues Aaron Lai and Jonathan Kwan, respectively.
When it comes to retail packaging, the Stage Air V2 is similar to what has been seen on previous Creative packages. The box contains a mainly white background with an orange strip at the top left marking the Creative brand. Below is the product name along with text indicating the nature of this soundbar, that being an under-monitor USB speaker with Bluetooth capabilities. The sound bar is shown on the front towards the right side at an angle. Different features of the speaker can be seen on the bottom right, with these features being USB audio capable, Bluetooth 5.3 support, aux compatible, six hours of playback, 20W peak power, and powerful bass. Additional product details can be found around the box.
Before we move on, here are the specifications from Creative's website:
Speaker Configuration: One-piece, 2.0 system, Soundbar, Computer Speakers
Connector Type: USB-in, Bluetooth®, Aux-in, Battery
Operating Temperature: 0—45°C
Recommended Usage: Movies / Music, Gaming, Wireless Streaming, Portable
Dimensions: 410 x 94 x 75 mm / 16.1 x 3.7 x 2.9 inches
Weight: Soundbar: 1.23 kg / 2.71 lbs
Cable Length (End-to-end): 3.5 mm AUX-in Cable: 1.2m (47 inches), USB-C to USB-A Cable: 1.2m / 3.94 ft
Battery Life: *Actual battery life may vary with usage and settings., 6 hours
Type: 2200 mAh
Charging Type: USB-C, 5V 2A
Drivers Configuration: Full-range racetrack drivers
Frequency Response: 80–20,000 Hz
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR): ≥ 75 dB
Power Output: Satellites: 2 x 5W RMS
Bluetooth® Version: 5.3
Profiles: *Stereo Bluetooth or A2DP profile enables wireless transmission of full stereo sound to other Bluetooth devices. To determine whether your device (notebook, PC, or mobile device) is equipped with A2DP-enabled Bluetooth technology, refer to your device manufacturer's documentation / website for more information., (AVRCP) Audio / Video Remote Control Profile, (A2DP) Advanced Audio Distribution Profile
Operating Frequency: 2402–2480 MHz
Operating Range: Up to 10m / 33 ft*, *Measured in open space. Walls and structures may affect range of device.
Wireless Codecs: SBC
Controls - Volume: Yes
Color: Black
Looking at the contents, we have the soundbar itself inside a plastic bag along with two cables, specifically a USB-Type A to USB-Type-C and a 3.5mm audio jack cable. Unlike previous Creative soundbars we have reviewed, the Stage Air V2 did not come with a subwoofer. This is more of a mix between a under-monitor and portable speaker, and thus did not come with a remote control or AC power adapter either.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Subjective Audio Analysis
4. Conclusion
