When the Creative Pebble V3 landed on my desk about two years ago, I fell in love immediately. Surprisingly powerful and yet compact, they were just ideal for my office equipment. Although we usually have a headset on anyway, the compact speakers were great for sophisticated gaming or a little music - there simply isn't enough space for a fat sound setup. But now the replacement is here because the new variant Creative Pebble Pro is simply better in all respects.
The range of 2.0 speakers for the PC is almost unmanageable and there is something for every budget. At 79.99 euros, the Creative Pebble 2.0 are pretty much in the middle at the moment (by the way, the predecessors Pebble V3 are now available for less than 40 euros). In order to be convincing in this price range, a lot has to be offered and at first, you underestimate the playfully designed sound balls. But that's changing fast because Creative has thought of pretty much everything.
It starts with the idiosyncratic look. While most manufacturers pack boring boxes out of the table, the Pebbles convince with their round and extremely compact shape. With 123 x 123 x 118 mm, they take up very little space and thanks to their moderate weight of 415 or 365 grams, they are definitely a mobile option when you are out and about with a notebook. A new feature is the RGB ring on the underside, which can be easily configured in three modes (static, pulse, cycle) and the volume control for color selection using button functions.
Compared to the Pebble V3, it is immediately noticeable that Creative was significantly more generous with the cables. The connection cable between the two speakers has been extended to 1.8 m, the USB connection cable (either USB-C to A or USB-C to C) has been increased from 1.2 to 1.5 m. A 1.2 m long 3.5 mm jack cable is also included. That brings us straight to the connectivity options. In addition to USB operation and the jack connection, the new Pro version also supports BlueTooth 5.3, so you can basically connect almost anything that belongs on a desk.
The controls are across the board on the right speaker. There is a volume control with secondary functions for color selection, power, and microphone mute. Yes, both a microphone and a headphone jack are available, and headsets with two-blade connectors work perfectly. There is a button for selecting the sound source, although Creative has also thought of an LED light to indicate the mode. However, parallel operation of two sound sources is not possible. The second button is used for RGB configuration. Easy, the enclosed instructions are almost superfluous.
You might not expect much from the size of the speakers, but the Creative Pebble Pro provide a big surprise. The 2.25-inch full-range drivers pointing upwards at a 45-degree angle have a surprising amount of power. Both power and frequency range have been increased, and a digital amplifier with audio processing replaces the previous analogue amplifier. The result is a frequency range of 80-20,000 Hz (V3: 100-17,000 Hz). The power in USB mode has increased from 8W/16W to 10W RMS and 20W peak. If you want even more power, you can also operate the Pebble Pro with a separately available power pack and tickle 30W RMS or 60W peak out of the membranes.
Of course, you shouldn't expect any thunderstorms of low frequencies due to the size, but Creative has at least managed to get significantly more boom out of the membranes than in the V3. The crystal-clear highs and the balanced mids, which also allow very good speech intelligibility, are extremely pleasing. Thanks to the orientation of the speakers, you get a surprisingly spatial stereo sound image when set up correctly, which is actually well suited for all areas of application from music to gaming to films or series.
CONCLUSION
Big sound in a small format
My love for the little Pebbles hasn't broken, even grown. Sure, if you want really powerful gaming sound, you'll only grin wearily at Creative's sound marbles, but if you have little space and want solid stereo sound at a fair price, you can't go wrong with Creative Pebble Pro. The sound balls convince in all respects and surpass their predecessors by far. More power, wider frequency range, better amplifier, longer cables...Creative has mercilessly eliminated pretty much every weak point.
In addition to the sound, which is remarkable for the size, the connection options with USB, Bluetooth, and a 3.5 mm jack as well as microphone and headphone connections are also convincing. And if you want even more power, you can use the optional power pack. I can't help it, I just think the parts are great and don't want to be without them anymore. There may be cheaper speakers for the desk, but the overall package is just right through and through.
PROS
- extremely space-saving
- surprisingly good sound for the size
- sensible connection options including connections for microphone/headphones
- simple operation
- pretty RGB lighting
- longer cables
- more power than its predecessor
- optional power supply for more power
- attractive, original design
CONS
- slightly weaker in the low tones due to size
- no parallel operation of USB/Aux and BlueTooth
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