Creative Stage V2 speaker system review – Small but packs a punch

REVIEW – The Creative Stage V2 speaker system packs a powerful punch in a sleek, two-piece design with several connectivity options.

What is it?

The Creative Stage V2 is a speaker system with a soundbar, subwoofer, and remote control. It has an impressive sound quality and attractive design for the $110 price tag.

What’s in the box?

• Soundbar
• Subwoofer
• Remote control
• 3.5 mm AUX-in cable
• USB-C to USB-A cable
• Power cable
• Quick start guide

Hardware specs

• Dimensions: Soundbar 78 x 680 x 100 mm (3.07 x 26.8 x 3.94 inches); Subwoofer 423 x 116 x 250 mm (16.7 x 4.6 x 9.84 inches)
• Cable length: Subwoofer approx 2m; USB-C to USB-A cable 1.2m (47 inches); 3.5 mm AUX-in cable 1.2m (47 inches); Power cable 1.5m (59 inches)
• Weight: Soundbar 2.0 kg (4.4 lbs); Subwoofer: 3.3 kg (7.28 lbs)
• Operating temperature: 0 to 45°C
• Power output: Main unit 2 x 20 W; Subwoofer: 1 x 40W; Total system power up to 80W RMS; Peak power 160W
• Drivers: Dual 2.25″ soundbar speaker driver; 5.25″ subwoofer speaker driver
• Frequency response: 55–20,000 Hz
• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) ≥ 75 dB
• Bluetooth operating frequency: 2402–2480 MHz
• Operating Range for Bluetooth: up to 10 meters/33 ft
• Bluetooth version 5.0

Design and features

Setup

After removing the packaging on your Creative Stage V2 speaker system, you’ll need to put triple-A batteries into the remote. Then plug in the soundbar and subwoofer. But that’s about it. For the most part, we’d consider this plug-and-play.

We prefer to keep our soundbar sitting on the entertainment center in front of our TV, but the built-in wall mounts are handy for a sleeker look, especially if your TV is wall mounted.

The sound system offers multiple ways to connect to your devices:

• ARC TV connection
• Optical connection for TV or PS4/PS4 Pro
• USB connection for your computer, PS4 or Nintendo Switch
• Bluetooth connection for your phone, tablet, computer or MP3 player
• AUX connection for your TV, computer, Nintendo Switch, phone, tablet or MP3 player

There’s a digital display on the front of the soundbar that confirms which connection you’re using.

Our only hiccup was when connecting the soundbar to our TV. However, we’ve had that issue with the TV when trying to connect to other devices… and since we didn’t have trouble connecting the soundbar and any other device, we assume it was the TV’s fault. After a few attempts, Mason got it connected and then we were in business.

Performance

The soundbar is a bit smaller than some, at 26.8 inches across by 3.94 inches deep and 3.07 inches high. That’s convenient if you’re tight on space or you’re using it with a computer monitor. It’s certainly just as powerful as our other, bigger soundbar.

We connected it multiple ways with multiple devices, including with Bluetooth to an iPhone, using the optical port with a TV, and connecting with the AUX to a laptop. It was very easy to connect.

We’ve used it primarily for listening to music and watching movies and TV. It gives a clear, crisp sound, and there’s a setting for “clear dialogue,” which is especially nice for movies and TV shows.

There’s a decent base quality from the subwoofer that you can certainly feel. At the same time, it’s not overpowering—my house isn’t shaking, my husband’s meetings aren’t being interrupted, the base doesn’t drown out the words. It’s a very nice balance.

The remote is intuitive and gives you lots of options so you don’t need to get off the couch to play with the sound. It comes with buttons to increase volume and move forward/back/pause. You can easily toggle between outputs. Or turn the surround sound or clear dialogue on/off, which is a nice option when watching movies. You can also adjust the bass and treble without having to move.

What I like

• Easy to install
• Good sound quality
• Sleek design

What I’d change

• Nothing

Final thoughts

The Creative Stage V2 speaker system is a nice-looking, good-quality speaker system, especially for the price. 

Price: $109.99
Where to buy: Creative Labs website and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Creative.