Creative’s Pebble V2 desktop speakers offer a powerful, yet small footprint, solution to desktop speakers with up to 16-watts of power — all powered by USB.
Video Review
Design
As the name may suggest, Pebble has a rounded design which gives it a small footprint on your desk as the speaker tapers towards the bottom. The speaker has a matte plastic finish which helps make it understated on the desk and makes it easy to dust – it also means that there won’t be fingerprints on the speakers if you need to move them around.
Each speaker has a 2-inch driver on the front with a passive subwoofer on the back that helps enhance the bass. The speaker driver is angled 45° so that it faces you when it is on your desk surface, this helps ensure for a better listening experience as the speaker drivers will be pointing towards your ears.
The left speaker is plain, with the Creative logo on the front and it is connected to the right speaker by a 4.4ft cable.
The right speaker is the hub to the Pebble system. The right speaker connects to your computer with USB and 3.5mm AUX. I would’ve liked to have seen all these cables be detachable, but that is only really a concern if you’re going to be moving the speakers around a lot.
The right speaker is also home to the volume dial and power indicator LED. There is also a gain switch on the underside of this speaker that will allow you to boost the speaker to its peak power – although this will require a 10-watt USB-C or USB-A port.
The undersides of both speakers also have rubber feet to prevent them from sliding around on your desk and remain in place.
Sound Quality
For the form factor and the price, I am very impressed with how Pebble V2 sounds. The speakers sound a little bright, but the passive subwoofers definitely help with adding that bit of bass that the speakers really need to have a fuller sound.
There is definitely more shift towards treble in regards to treble and bass balance, this is most likely due to the speakers’ small size. It would be nice to have a little more bass, but it is still impressive for the amount of bass that these speakers manage to produce for the form factor. I have found that having the volume turned up a little helps with having more pronounced bass, as this is likely due to the fact that the subwoofer is passive.
The stereo separation between the speakers is also very good and clear, having the drivers angled at 45° helps to provide a better listening experience as the speakers are pointing towards my ears.
The speakers also manage to get very loud, which is great if you ever needed to use the speakers for a presentation – or if you just want to jam out in your room.
Features and Accessories
Pebble V2 features USB Type-C connectivity out of the box, so if you have a computer or laptop with USB Type-C on-board – you can power these speakers straight from your laptop – no dongle required. This is great to see, particularly for MacBook users who have no choice but USB Type-C on their device.
If you don’t have USB Type-C on your device, don’t worry, Creative includes a USB-A to Type-C converter in the box, so regardless of what device you have – you’ll be able to power your speakers.
Unfortunately, USB only provides power to the speakers. You’ll still need to plug in the 3.5mm AUX cable into your device. It would’ve been great to see these speakers have the flexibility to work solely from USB for both power and audio – but for the price, you can’t fault them.
The 4ft length of the non-removable cables are long enough for me to connect the speakers to a desktop computer on the floor and, of course, a laptop on a table. One thing that I would’ve liked to have seen was the choice to adjust the speaker position with a switch on the speakers, as the speaker with all the connectivity is fixed to be the right speaker in relation to stereo sound.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a pair of desktop speakers to improve your listening experience on a budget, Creative’s Pebble V2 speakers are a fantastic choice. They’re fantastic value for money and manage to provide a great sound for the form factor and price.
The Creative Pebble V2 speakers are available to purchase on Amazon, you can learn more about them on Creative’s website.
