REVIEW: Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 - Portable Bluetooth-column, which breaks physics

On Layfhakere published review of the first version of RoarAnd then the column is the size of an ordinary book really impressed by untrained listeners a clear mismatch size, audio quality, and the power output. The second generation of Roar has inherited the power of its predecessor, got some new cool chips, has lost 100 grams and was 20% smaller without sacrificing performance.

Size is a major problem for any portable device that plays sound. The designers wanted to create the most compact and lightweight Soup, but physics does not allow small speaker, able to qualitatively reproduce and transmit a sufficient distance the entire audible range. Creative engineers managed to squeeze without prejudice and without that little monster.

There is nothing surprising, because Creative - this fathers audio electronics with 34 years of experience in the creation of the coolest things. The distant 1992, I had only to go to the first class, and the Sound Blaster sound cards had already taken over the world. Knowing and remembering the history and heritage of the company, refer to its products other than the elite, it is impossible.

So, Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 - Portable Bluetooth-speakers weighing one kilogram. Dimensions 51 × 188 × 109 mm. Materials used - predominantly metal. Roar 2 comes in two colors. Available black model and white model with dark inserts on the sides and on the keypad.

My hands hit the white device, and the first had the idea to put it in the Apple-interior. It seems that the device is inscribed beautifully.

At the beginning of Roar 2 it was called multifunctional, and the fact there are at least seven reasons, but I'll start with the main purpose of the device.

Portable Bluetooth-column

Important in a speaker system - it's the sound. No matter how powerful you are or were sounding portable speaker, Roar 2 surely surpass your expectations.

In Layfhakera edition of this happened because man hears music, suitable to power for a long time looking at the column. On the face at the same time clearly read the surprise and even confusion. Absolutely all of the subjects talked about the fact that such purity, volume and sound incredible richness to such dimensions. So to play a full stereo system with subwoofer, but not this box!

To understand how a portable speaker produces sound so rich, you need to look at Roar 2 inside.

To begin with, what's five speakers. Five! The first - the one that centered. The large 2.5-inch speaker covers most of the range with the emphasis on the average frequency. Beside him are two tweeters 1.5 inches each.

On the sides you can see and even touch the two low-frequency transducer. These shimmering metal plates with beautiful texture and Creative inscription are in fact part of the sound system.

They say you can endlessly look at three things, but I would add to it the fourth - a fluctuation speakers with low frequency reproduction.

Hypnotizing, right? Roar want to put a 2 in front of him to include something measurements with lush bass and a few hours to get out of reality. It relaxes and soothes the best meditation, honestly. :)

By the way, for contemplation fluctuations do not need to add sound. Creative engineers added to the system even more brains, and now suddenly raising the power button Roar sound has a second function - switching mode TeraBass.

TeraBass is an intelligent bass boost at low playback volume. Usually we used to hear the bass, or to increase the volume, or in any way. With the included TeraBass bottoms heard even at a minimum, with the other they are not jammed frequency. Column always gives evenly balanced sound.

About Roar function can only say one thing: in the standard scenarios, listening to music in the premises it is simply not needed. If only in front of you is not a task to sound noisy party or to wake the whole neighborhood fauna while enjoying the outdoors. When Roar inclusion of an instantaneous increase in sound power, but without wheezing, distortion and other disadvantages of the art portable working in extreme conditions.

Following the speakers and sound intelligent control are amplifiers. Two of them are here. What for? Meet techies Creative:

Most portable speakers, only one amplifier is used for reproducing the entire audio spectrum. In designs with a single power amplifier consumes a significant portion of the reproduction of low and medium frequencies. Transfer the high frequency thus suffers. In contrast to such designs, two amplifiers are used in the Sound Blaster Roar 2 models: one is dedicated to medium and low frequencies, and the other - only to high. This enables the driver to provide impeccably clean, high-quality and well-balanced sound.

Our designer Vadim Marin, whose hobbies include music and more, for a long time and persistently tries Roar 2 different styles and directions. He tried to find a composition with which the column would not have coped. Here's his verdict:

This thing sounds magical. Most impressive balance on the entire range, regardless of the genre of music, and the playback volume.

Against this overview of the musical component Sound Blaster Roar 2 can be completed and go to additional functions.

Desktop speakers for computers & laptops

In the vast majority of modern laptops have Bluetooth. Buy an adapter for the desktop as it is possible. through Bluetooth pairing procedure is identical for any type of device, and therefore Roar 2 can play music and a smartphone, and a tablet, and from any computer.

Wired speakers for PC, Mac and PlayStation 4 with further improved sound

In addition to Bluetooth, you can connect Roar 2 to a computer or console via USB. The product's website has links to download the firmware from Creative, smoothing disadvantages too buzzer solutions in desktops and laptops.

External battery

Inside Roar 2 is a lithium-ion battery capacity of 6000 mAh. You can connect to the column mobile device even while the music is playing and in parallel to charge your smartphone or tablet. In column mode, no additional battery power consumption Roar 2 lasts for 7-8 hours.

Speakerphone

Roar 2 is connected to the smartphone as a complete set. When an incoming call to the user is sufficient to press the corresponding button on the top of the keypad, and the column to start operating as a device for handsfree.

Smartphone while it is not necessary to extract, as the Roar 2 has a built-in microphone. After a call, the speaker system will automatically return to music mode.

Player

The side panel 2 located Roar microSD slot for memory cards, and playback controls.

Supports cards up to 32 GB inclusive. In this mode, the column itself becomes a stand-alone player.

Dictaphone

The built-in microphone and memory cards allow you to use Roar 2 as a standalone recorder. Appropriate control buttons are also located on the side panel.

external drive

The user can access the contents set in the Roar 2 memory cards without the card reader. It is enough to put the system in the external disk mode and connect to a computer via USB.

All the rest

Other features Roar 2 is not directly related to the job function, but they do sound system with convenient operation.

For example, two charging modes - the ability to charge the unit through both the native cable or via universal USB. The second option, of course, requires more time, but it is not necessary to carry another plug with a wire.

The last thing worth mentioning - is a slight change in design compared to the first generation of Roar, allows you to set the speaker vertically. Thus the sound of mid and high frequency speakers are talking not up, and directly towards the listener.

conclusion

I am happy achievements of modern acoustic engineering. Technology to circumvent seemingly insurmountable constraints certainly change the way we listen to music in the future. Box, which sounds like a full desktop system with a subwoofer. Is not that cool? Of course, cool, that's just the price tag... The cost in dollars, which a year ago seemed to be somewhat overstated, but it could be justified processability, in today's ruble began just unreal. Sad, sad, but if you are willing to pay 17 thousand rubles for a really high-quality portable speaker system, then find a decent alternative to the Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 will be difficult.

Buy Sound Blaster Roar 2 can be Creative's official store.