Creative Pebble Nova Speakers Promise Premium Sound In A Puny Package
Audio for the home and your PC setup can produce some complex and large speaker systems that can quickly become overwhelming. Creative Labs has a solution with its Pebble Nova, a small but high-end speaker system. Featuring a 2.0 speaker design with the now industry standard USB-C, it also packs coaxial drivers for 100W peak sound. The MSRP is $279.99, which puts it squarely in the higher-end category of typical USB-C speakers. But it brings its unique size and impressive audio hardware to the table to try and justify the price.
As an owner of the Creative Pebble X Plus, I can vouch to the excellent sound quality those produce for the diminutive size, for anyone looking for a point of reference (or anecdotal testimonial). The coaxial drivers in the new Pebble Nova align the tweeter and woofer, and should create a strong, balanced sound. According to the specs, these new speakers have a peak power rating of 100W, and each speaker has an RMS rating of 25W for a total of 50 RMS.
As an owner of the Creative Pebble X Plus, I can vouch to the excellent sound quality those produce for the diminutive size, for anyone looking for a point of reference (or anecdotal testimonial). The coaxial drivers in the new Pebble Nova align the tweeter and woofer, and should create a strong, balanced sound. According to the specs, these new speakers have a peak power rating of 100W, and each speaker has an RMS rating of 25W for a total of 50 RMS.
Each speaker also houses both a 3-inch driver, and a 1-inch tweeter. It doesn't come with a subwoofer like the Pebble X Plus, so this is a 2.0 stereo system rather than a 2.1 setup. For what it's worth, I initially used my Pebble X Plus speakers without the sub attached and still enjoyed the sound output.
The speakers are also naturally angled at 45 degrees, which makes sure the sound goes to your ears. You may have bought speaker stands that put your speakers in this same 45 degree angle, widely regarded as one of the best ways to position them.
If you're a fan of RGB lightning, it appears tastefully done here with a nuanced, almost mood-lighting feel (from what we can tell of the press renders). You'll also have the option of either a black or white version (supposedly -- Creative lists white as an option in its datasheet, though we're only seeing black right now), and we think it looks pretty good (again, from the renders), with a very space-age design.
In terms of connection, you have a few options, starting with Bluetooth for a wide range of devices. This will give you a solid blue light, and a wired connection via 3.5mm will be a solid green. If you connect via USB, you'll get a solid purple to indicate the connection type.
You'll be able to connect to Windows, Macs, and PlayStation (PS5 and PS4) consoles, along with the Nintendo Switch amongst popular devices. This is done via USB-C for many devices, and Bluetooth for others that support it.
A power adapter is included, which is rated at 65W and USB-C PD. Creative Labs also has its Creative App, which has its audio engines and other tweaks that you can make to the audio. Unlike Sonos, which depends on its troublesome app for functionality, the Creative App is merely an extra tool that can tweak some settings and allow the Pebble Nova to function without any accompaniment.
The biggest selling point for the Pebble Nova will certainly be in its high-end quality paired with its small size, and sleek design.
Audio enthusiasts can often be buried in a mess of cables and components, so it's refreshing to get great quality audio with a more minimalist approach for a laptop or a more minimalist desktop setup that prizes an efficient presentation with great sound. The Pebble Nova is available now for $279.99 on the Creative Labs website.
The speakers are also naturally angled at 45 degrees, which makes sure the sound goes to your ears. You may have bought speaker stands that put your speakers in this same 45 degree angle, widely regarded as one of the best ways to position them.
If you're a fan of RGB lightning, it appears tastefully done here with a nuanced, almost mood-lighting feel (from what we can tell of the press renders). You'll also have the option of either a black or white version (supposedly -- Creative lists white as an option in its datasheet, though we're only seeing black right now), and we think it looks pretty good (again, from the renders), with a very space-age design.
In terms of connection, you have a few options, starting with Bluetooth for a wide range of devices. This will give you a solid blue light, and a wired connection via 3.5mm will be a solid green. If you connect via USB, you'll get a solid purple to indicate the connection type.
You'll be able to connect to Windows, Macs, and PlayStation (PS5 and PS4) consoles, along with the Nintendo Switch amongst popular devices. This is done via USB-C for many devices, and Bluetooth for others that support it.
A power adapter is included, which is rated at 65W and USB-C PD. Creative Labs also has its Creative App, which has its audio engines and other tweaks that you can make to the audio. Unlike Sonos, which depends on its troublesome app for functionality, the Creative App is merely an extra tool that can tweak some settings and allow the Pebble Nova to function without any accompaniment.
The biggest selling point for the Pebble Nova will certainly be in its high-end quality paired with its small size, and sleek design.
Audio enthusiasts can often be buried in a mess of cables and components, so it's refreshing to get great quality audio with a more minimalist approach for a laptop or a more minimalist desktop setup that prizes an efficient presentation with great sound. The Pebble Nova is available now for $279.99 on the Creative Labs website.
