The last time I used a Creative product was, well I can’t remember but it was back when computer speakers were all creme colored and bulky. I had all but forgotten about Creative until we received some of their products for review. The writers who reviewed those Creative products raved about them and were thoroughly surprised at how much they liked them. So when Creative wanted to send us the Creative iRoar Go, well, I had to check it out for myself. Read on for the full Creative iRoar Go review.
Specifications
The Creative iRoar Go has the following features and specifications:
- 5-driver speaker design
- 2.5″ Neodymium bass driver
- Dual 1.5″ premium high-frequency drivers
- Dual passive radiators
- Bi-Amplified Design: Two Amps, Not One
- Dual orientation mode
- SuperWide audio technology
- Digital Signal Processor
- TeraBass: Intelligently Boosts Bass
- Sound Blaster Connect app with EQ (Android and iOS)
- IPX6 water-resistant
- Bluetooth
- NFC
- USB Audio
- Built-in MP3/FLAC Player
- Built-in Voice Recorder
- Next Generation Personal Public Address (PA) System
- Dual Purpose Battery with 1.0A output
What’s In The Box
- Creative iRoar Go
- Power adapter
- Interchangeable adapter plug(s)
- Micro USB Cable
- 3.5mm microphone adapter
- User Guide(s)
Design
Rectangular in shape and made from super premium materials, the Creative iRoar Go is most certainly a beautiful speaker. There’s nothing on this speaker that feels or looks cheap, everything looks to be made with care and attention to detail. The speaker isn’t super heavy but it does have a substantial feel to it when you hold it in your hand. Creative branding is done nicely, not gaudy and in your face.
What I am going to call the top is where you have the majority of the action going on in terms of buttons and ports. There are a good amount of controls, buttons, and indicators on this little speaker so we’ll bullet point these for easier reading. Please note that the ports are covered with a rubber dust and water-resistant cover.
Top buttons and controls:
- ROAR button, allows for one-button switching from Creative iRoar Go EQ to custom EQ settings
- EQ status indicator
- Previous button
- Next button
- Play/pause button
- Record button/Recording status indicator
- Record-Play/Pause button
- MP3/FLAC shuffle button/Shuffle playback indicator
- MicroSD slot
- MicroUSB connector
- DC Out (USB 1.0A)/USB Flash drive connector
- AUX port/Mic in
- 15V DC in
The front of the Creative iRoar Go has some additional buttons and controls not quite as extensive as the top button and controls but still worth listing.
Front buttons and controls:
- Power button/Battery status indicator
- Volume up
- Volume down
- Bluetooth button/Status indicator
- Source button
- NFC touchpoint
- Source indicator
The five drivers and two passive radiators surround this little guy and there isn’t a place where the sound isn’t coming out. Even the bottom has a speaker grille and you can orient the Creative iRoar Go in a couple different ways to change the way the sound is projected. Overall the design here is really top notch. It’s sort of utilitarian but in an elegant way. The materials are top notch and the craftsmanship is excellent. It’s probably not going to be an artsy piece or blend into your decor like a piece of furniture but it is well done and unobtrusive.
Ease of Use
Setting the speaker up via Bluetooth or NFC is just as simple as any other device with these setup features. The included app is super simple but not needed if you don’t want to EQ your own settings. The ability to plug in a mic and use this as a portable PA system is super easy and the integrated MicroSD card is great to play music on the go without your phone.
Sound
This is what matters most and the sound here is pretty amazing. The bass is noticeably evident but not overpowering. I’ve noticed more manufacturers tweaking the low end a bit more and not going with a flat EQ. The included app gives you a bit more EQ control if you so wish, though I actually loved the sound using the iRoar button and sticking with Creative’s standard EQ. The included instructions give you some ideas on placement of the speaker to give you a variety of sounds and this thing really sounds amazing just about anywhere.
Reception/Call Quality
Reception is pretty good here as I was able to get more than the standard 30 feet away before losing connection, just about 45 feet. Of course walls and obstacles will give you varying results. Call quality is excellent on this speaker, with callers sounding crystal clear. Even the mic worked better than most and I didn’t have to shout for people to hear me.
Battery Life
The advertised 12 hours of battery life is spot on, I consistently got 14 plus at about 60% volume. Battery life will vary if you use the speaker as a power bank for your devices though, so keep that in mind.
Price/Value
The $199.99USD price tag is a bit steep but this thing packs a lot of features and I think it’s well worth the cost.
Wrap Up
Creative fell off my radar since the last time I used a pair of their computer speakers. The iRoar Go has just blasted them back in my line of sight front and center. This speaker is amazing and worth the beefier price tag for the amount of features packed into it.
[rwp-review id=”0″]*We were sent a sample of the Creative iRoar Go for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on January 23, 2017.
