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Creative Stage Pro soundbar
ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- The Creative Stage Pro soundbar is disposable connected Amazon for $170.
- This cost-effective soundbar excels astatine producing wide dialogue.
- The Stage Pro subwoofer won't stroke you away, but it does adhd immoderate extent to voices.
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This space-saving soundbar/subwoofer combo from Creative mightiness not conscionable the lofty demands of an audiophile, but for anyone who wants much dependable from their movies oregon television, it ticks a batch of boxes.
Selling for $170 connected Amazon, the Stage Pro is simply a midrange soundbar that does 1 peculiar happening precise well: guarantee you tin perceive each connection of dialog spoken, an contented that frustrates immoderate to the constituent of watching with subtitles on. Thanks to this soundbar, though, you won't person to bash that immoderate longer.
Let's chat astir what this soundbar tin do.
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My experience
First off, the barroom has been acceptable precise precocious for soundbars successful my house, acknowledgment to the JBL Bar 1000. That soundbar produces amazingly close and affluent sound, and I've yet to travel crossed 1 to champion it. Of course, the Bar 1000 sells for $1200 connected Amazon, which is beyond the fund of many.
Thankfully, determination are plentifulness of low- to midrange soundbars to take from, and though the Stage Pro resides successful the precocious low-end spectrum of devices, it sounds importantly amended than its terms would suggest.
Also: One of the best-sounding speakers I've listened to is not made by JBL oregon Klipsch
As soon arsenic I received the Stage Pro, my contiguous thought was, "This is small." Because of the "Pro" name, I assumed it would beryllium astatine slightest arsenic ample arsenic the Bar 1000. Alas, the magnitude of the dependable barroom is simply a specified 21 inches long. You mightiness deliberation that would preclude it from producing capable measurement to beryllium usable, but you'd beryllium wrong.
I connected the Stage Pro to my TV via HDMI/eARC port, connected the subwoofer (via the attached cable), and plugged some the soundbar and subwoofer into a powerfulness outlet. I past opened Netflix. I'm presently re-binging "Travelers," truthful I pressed play and sat backmost to spot however this tiny talker did.
Left: the JBL Bar 1000; Right: the Stage Pro subwoofer.
Needless to say, I was impressed. Now, fto maine beryllium specific.
What instantly impressed maine was the dialogue, which was precise crisp, clear, and large enough. Kudos to Creative, due to the fact that we each cognize however overmuch of an contented dialog successful modern movies and TV tin be. The Stage Pro delivered each connection spoken truthful intelligibly you mightiness deliberation the characters were lasting successful the country speaking straight astatine you.
What a enactment of caller air.
On apical of the wide dialogue, the setup and usage were incredibly easy. In fact, I would accidental that this was the easiest soundbar I've ever connected to a TV. Plug it in, crook everything on, and you're bully to go.
The Stage Pro distant is precise casual to use, but doesn't see AAA batteries.
On the remote, you'll find a fastener labeled "Super Wide," which allows you to power betwixt acold and adjacent fields, enabling you to set the region from the source. If you're watching successful a tiny room, usage the adjacent tract option. If you're successful a larger country with plentifulness of abstraction betwixt you and the source, prime the acold tract option. Believe it oregon not, it does marque a quality successful the clarity of the dependable based connected your watching position.
There's besides the Mode button, which allows you to prime from movie, TV, audio, and gaming. I urge you usage this feature, arsenic it besides makes a quality successful the sound.
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As acold arsenic the bass is concerned, it's not booming, but it surely does bring retired the debased extremity of what you're watching. This subwoofer is obscurity adjacent the prime of the Bar 1000, but astatine $170, I wouldn't expect it to be. That being said, the sub did impressment me, particularly for TV.
With the sub cranked up (you tin summation bass and treble connected the remote), it gave overmuch much extent to the voices. I've tested different soundbars that either don't see a subwoofer oregon don't usage it properly, which equates to hollow-sounding dialog (a favored peeve of mine). The Stage Pro avoids that pitfall and delivers affluent dialog and a spot of low-end "thump" erstwhile needed.
ZDNET's buying advice
Do I urge the Creative Stage Pro soundbar? It depends connected what you're looking for. If you're successful the marketplace for a soundbar that produces sonic booms connected the debased end, crisp highs, and a massively wide soundstage, the Stage Pro isn't for you.
Also: What is EQ and wherefore is it an important origin successful improving sound?
If, connected the different hand, you privation a cost-effective soundbar that puts dialog beforehand and halfway and elevates it with a spot of affluent bass, this soundbar is close up your alley. The Creative Stage Pro is an inexpensive soundbar that volition marque you deliberation you're listening to 1 doubly the cost. Because it's truthful casual to acceptable up, anyone tin bask this babe wrong minutes of unboxing.
Creative Stage Pro 2.1 soundbar tech specs
- Frequency effect - 50–20,000 Hz
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio - > 85 dB
- Power Output - 2 x 20Wrms (L/R), 1 x 40Wrms (Sub) (Total 80Wrms, 160Wpeak)
- Connectivity - HDMI 2.0, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Audio, and optical.
- Dimensions - Sub: 4.53 × 10.43 × 16.54 inches, Soundbar 21.65 × 4.41 × 3.18 inches
English (US) ·