Tech Review | Creative Pebble V2

With more and more people working and studying from home, it has become imperative to have the right gear. Some assume that the right gear means the most expensive or what’s ranked the highest on every leaderboard but that’s not necessarily the case. A cutlass may be better clearing bushes but you wouldn’t use one to make a sandwich, right? It’s a similar situation with choosing hardware, and not just now but always. The Creative Pebble line of speakers is a great example of this. In some situations a 7.1 setup with a massive sub may be the best option but for a home office with limited space there’s not much better than the Creative Pebble V2.

Manufacturer Specs:

Thanks to its simple sleek stereo design, the Creative Pebble is perfect for a home office where space is limited. Those 2” speaker drivers take up very little space and their black, silver, gold colour finish fit with almost any aesthetic. Ideally it makes the perfect match for a laptop but can be used for a full sized desktop as well. Power is also not an issue thanks to USB-C along with a USB Type-A adapter powering this mini speaker.

3.5mm problems…

Though it would be nice if it also transferred the audio over USB instead of over the 3.5 mm connector. Analogue almost always introduces some sort of interference, especially at higher volumes and that’s exactly the case with the Creative Pebble V2. If the 3.5mm jack isn’t fitted just right then there’ll be an annoying persistent humming feedback sound. That being said, turning the jack in the port should minimize the effect for most setups.

For that clean modern look

Audio on the Creative Pebble V2 sounds clean and a bit punchy when properly connected. At low and mid volume it’s a casual audio buff’s dream. It’s got that nice smooth clarity you’d want with just enough base to invoke that feeling of depth most of us crave. It’s not deep or bassy by any sense of the word but if you’re using it for watching YouTube videos, playing games or listening to some nice Lo-Fi beats then, it’ll more than suffice. If the stock audio isn’t enough then changing the gain switch to high gain mode should get you what you need. By amplifying the acoustics power of 8W RMS and peak power of up to 16W, you’ll gain twice the sound without ruining the pitch.

I’m all about that Bass

In our tests the speakers exceeded at reproducing very high frequencies while unfortunately struggling with base. Despite tweaks in software with dolby atmos enabled it struggled with base in songs like Abhi The Nomad, Harrison Sands – House of Clocks and half*alive – arrow. It didn’t distort the sound as some other more expensive speakers have but it lacks that thump you’d get from having a sub. However that’s not something you should be too concerned with. This is a device for a more personal minimalist not an audiophile.

The Pebble V2 is also angled at 45°, so audio is directed to the ears of the person sitting in front of them. Having them at such an angle further emphasises it’s target towards an intimate personal listening experience while at the same time still offering a quality audio experience for groups if required. It’s not going to replace your home entertainment sound bar or 5.1 setup. That’s not it’s target. It’s a simple stereo speaker which handles that task with the ease and grace it exudes.

What helps this little companion even more than it’s low profile or ease of use is it’s price. This is a ₤23 speaker that is fully powered by USB yet sounds like something you’d expect to sport a higher price tag and be connected to a wall socket.

Final Verdict

When it comes to audio, Creative has always been a brand that I’ve trusted. So when the opportunity to review one of their Pebble V2s landed on my desk, I eagerly accepted. Over the past year it’s become a regular part of my audio mix in tandem with my Astro A50s. This has been a surprise to me most of all because as a big fan of base, a sub is usually a must. That being said, these speakers have managed to cement their position by being just what it is. It’s low surface area requirements along with convenient minimalist connection options afforded it the edge that much bigger setups lack at a time when space is most important.

The Creative Pebble V2 used for this review was provided by its manufacturer, Creative.