Creative Stage Pro

Pros

• Great for listening to music
• Has near field or far field (TV) modes makes it versatile
• A great selection of inputs for the money

Cons

• The subwoofer doesn't quite gel with the soundbar
• The subwoofer is not wireless
• The Vizio SV210 is a better buy for the money

Back in the 2000s, home theater PCs were a way for digital media fans to control and play their music and movie collections through their TVs. Affordable media streamers have shifted the market toward network storage devices, but the need for a good PC audio experience still exists. Speakers such as the Creative Stage Pro bridge the gap for people who are gaming, working and listening to music on their computers and who also want the "lean back" experience of TV viewing. 

The original Creative Stage was a PC speaker that could be used as a TV soundbar in a pinch, but the Stage Pro is a speaker that is designed to be both -- and it succeeds. Whether in near field or far field mode, the Stage Pro sounds especially good with music. It's furnished with plenty of usable inputs and can go reasonably loud. 

Yet, the Creative isn't the best soundbar at this level. For the same price, the Vizio SV210M is a superior option, with a more articulate sub that integrates better with the soundbar. It's arguably better looking, too. With all of that said, if you want a PC soundbar solution, the Stage Pro is still the way to go.

Setting the Stage

Remember those beige, plastic computer speakers, the size of a pepper grinder, that you used to pick up for $20? The Creative Stage Pro is definitely not those. This is a sleek 2.1-channel soundbar and subwoofer combo system that still costs a lot less than popular systems like the Audioengine A1. Yes, the bar is made of plastic, and not wood, and the subwoofer is tethered to the main speaker by a 6.7-foot-long cable, but the system looks like it costs much more than $160.

The main unit, with its swooping, bronze-accented curves, measures 21.7 inches across, 4.4 inches deep and (a potentially TV remote sensor-blocking) 3.2 inches high. The top of the soundbar includes controls for volume and Bluetooth/input selection, while the front grill hides a four-character LED display.

If you follow that tether cable all the way, you'll find it's connected to a binder-shaped, ported subwoofer at 4.5 inches wide, 10.4 inches deep and 16.5 inches high. 

Unlike the decoding options for fancier soundbars, the Creative Stage Pro will do Dolby Audio, and that's about it. No DTS:X or Atmos here, but neither should really be expected for its price. You typically need to spend $300 or more for those. 

Earlier, when I said this was designed to be a PC soundbar and a TV speaker? The Stage Pro comes with a choice of modes for both uses: Near Field and Far Field. This means it will adjust the audio depending on how far you intend to sit from the soundbar. 

For a budget soundbar, the input list is pretty decent:

• 3.5mm AUX jack
• Bluetooth 5.3 with A2DP stereo support
• HDMI (ARC) port
• Optical 

The soundbar comes with a candybar remote that has all the functions you need, but it feels a little cheap and isn't backlit, either.

All the world's a Stage Pro

I listened to the Creative Stage Pro alongside two competitive systems: the Polk Signa S2 and the Vizio SV210M. It goes without saying that the Stage Pro is not "hi-fi," and no soundbar under $200 could ever possibly be. Even still, I found that the amount of thought that went into designing the Creative Stage Pro was readily apparent. 

I tested the soundbar's three different settings: Near Field mode, which is designed for desktop setups, Far Field mode for TV use  and simply "off." Not surprisingly, given that the clues are in the names, the Near Field mode was good for music, while the cinematic Far Field mode was good for movies. Off sounded a little flat by comparison to either, and I don't think people would use it versus the other options.

I started with the Stage Pro connected to the TV and added some Mad Max: Fury Road to get the literal motors running. What I heard was impressive -- the Charger's ignition at the start of the film growled agreeably. Yet, it was only when I compared it with the excellent Vizio that I began to see the chinks in the Creative's armor. Watching this scene, for example, the Vizio was able to fill in more of the frequencies in the handoff space between the soundbar and the subwoofer. I found that the Creative didn't quite blend with the sub -- the system went deep, but it sounded like there was a hole in the middle. 

Meanwhile, the lobby scene from The Matrix had excellent space in Far Field mode, and the sound of Trinity's gun sliding off followed the action. Yet, it didn't follow the scene quite as well as the Vizio did, which sounded "truer" and less hyped. 

I also listened to the Signa S2 with this section and found the soundbar sounded full and had plenty of the vocal sparkle I typically associate with this series. As it was also shorter than the Stage Pro, at only 2 inches high, it's potentially better for use with a TV.

I switched to music and had an enjoyable time listening to Alex G's latest album, Headlights, on the Creative -- the bass in the song Afterlife was supple and suitably deep. However, when switching to music with a bit more vigor (and volume), I noticed a bit of treble prominence, and while the presets didn't really affect the high end, I found that you can always use the dedicated treble control.

Compared with the Vizio, which has a dedicated music mode, I found that the Creative's presentation of stereo content can be a bit mixed. The left and right shakers of Dead Can Dance Yulunga would sound correct, but only at a specific distance, and in both Far and Near Field modes. I literally had to move my body to hear stereo sound. The Vizio, which doesn't use the same EQ trickery, sounded good no matter where I sat. Turning the modes off, the Creative offered no stereo separation, just mono.

Should you buy it?

If you need a versatile soundbar that can instantly switch between desktop and couch mode, then I haven't seen anything else like the Creative Stage Pro. It's attractive-looking, sounds great with music and has plenty of inputs. On the other hand, if you're looking for something to hook up to your TV and leave it there, then the Vizio soundbar is cheaper and sounds more cohesive.