Creative Pebble Nova Review

Introduction and Technical Specifications of the Creative Pebble Nova

In the Creative Pebble Nova Review We will know the highest and highest and advanced desktop and advanced desktop speakers system.

Despite their small size, these speakers are able to offer a peak power of up to 100 W, and are accompanied by USB-C connectivity, minijack and even Bluetooth 5.3, all with a design with which they will not go unnoticed.

Technical characteristics of the creative pebble nova

• System 2.0:
  • 2 x complete range speakers with 3 “main driver and 1″ 1 ”
  • Passive radiator.
• Frequency response: 55 ~ 20,000 Hz.
• SNR:> 93 dB.
• Power:
  • 2 x 25 W typical.
  • 100 W POWER PICK
• Size: 149.2 x 150.8 x 153 mm.
• Weight: 1.89 kg each speaker.
• Connectivity:
  • USB-C for audio.
  • USB-C exclusively for energy entry (65 W with adapter included).
  • Minijack 3.5 mm Aux audio input.
  • 3.5 mm minijack 3 pole microphone input.
  • 3.5 mm minijack audio output (headphones) of 4 poles.
  • Bluetooth 5.3 (Codec SBC)
  • Cable connection to the subwoofer.
• RGB lighting configurable with dedicated button.
• Tactile physical buttons:
  • Ignition/off/mode change.
  • Volume +.
  • Volume -.
  • BT pairing.
  • ARGB Lighting.
• Accessories included:
  • 2 x USB-C cables to USB-C of 1.5 m.
  • 1 x minijack cable 3.5 to minijack 3.5 mm 1.2 mm
  • 1 x Current adapter 65W USB-C.
  • 2 x bases with removable supports.
• Price: 279.99 euros.

Design and connectivity

The Creative Pebble Nova are available in black or white finish, in this case we have tried the white variant, somewhat more striking and less discreet, with golden tones in the hoop that borders at the exit of the speakers and in the center of the tweeter.

They are speakers in a 2.0 system, that is, two speakers simply and plain, however, their contained dimensions About 150 mm high/width/length could lead to deception, since they hide a really surprising power with up to 100 w own much larger speakers.

The design of the Pebble Nova is spherical, with a flat base to which an lifting base can be attached, or simply a base of the table, and that is decorated by an argb ring of lights.

This base places them with a 45 degree angle to the user, directing the sound towards us for a better listening. While fulfilling their function perfectly, some versatility subtracts them when wanting to use it as speakers in other environments (for example with TV in the living room, to listen to music elsewhere). Keep in mind that, as we will discuss later, although they are desktop speakers, their high power far exceeds the needs of that use, and could be used without problems in other environments.

In the part that remains towards the user we have the speaker itself, with a 1 “tweeter for acute, and a 3” 3 “driver for the rest, placed in a coaxial distribution with the two pointing forward. In the back we can find the shock absorber for the bass.

In the upper part of the right speaker we have small clefts to find the different integrated tactile buttons in touch. From there we can turn on or off, change connection mode, raise or lower the volume, put them in bluetooth match mode, or even adjust the levels and effects of the ARGB Lighting. In addition to these buttons, Creative software can be used to configure more elements of the Pebble Nova.

At the connectivity level, both speakers are united by a cable in the rear. It is the right speaker in charge of offering all connectivity and controls. Thus, two USB-C at the back are responsible for food and sound per USB. One of them admits 65W of PD take through an adapter included, while the other is responsible for the audio connection. Both USB-C cables are included in white.

Next to it there is a minijack in case we want to use them with this type of cables (also included in white). We also have Bluetooth 5.3 connection, although only the basic SBC codec is supported And we would have liked to see support for APTX or even codecs with greater bitrates such as LDAC, something required in this price range.

Finally, on the right side there is a small rubber lid that can be removed and gives us access to two minijack ports, one for microphone input and another for headphone output, very practical in the case of wanting to connect headphones quickly while we use the pebble nova with USB-C. Unfortunately, these ports come with an unpleasant surprise: they don’t work.

It is not a defect of this unit, but Creative has launched the Pebble Nova with these deactivated ports, although with The promise that they will activate them later with a firmware update. As of this review, the firmware available is 1.2.241101.930 without activation of these ports.

Creative Pebble Nova Software and Software

Pebble Nova can be managed with Creative app, available for mobile devices and also for PC. It is the same app that we have seen in other Creative products reviews, including speakers or headphones such as the Aurvana Ace Mimi.

We have a main interface from which to access all available functions and menus, decorated with the name and photography of the device that we are managing:

In this part we have rapid controls to configure the pebble Nova according to their use: from music to movies, through concrete games that are updated:

Acoustic Engine gives us access to different technologies for the improvement and adjustment of the sound, such as the surround sound, Crystalizer, Graves Potentiation, Automatic Volume Control for the Night, or Voices Potentiation. In our experience, given the high power they already have as standard, especially in low, it does not compensate to activate the improvement of serious serious.

Equalizer gives us manual control over volume at different frequencies. Here you can also select specific modes according to the use or games. As standard, these speakers come with somewhat blurred acute tones, and an increase in this section (right part of the graph) manages to significantly improve the listening experience.

We have a section to control the light effects, configuring colors, speed and brightness. Was it necessary to put Argb lighting on speakers of this range? Personally I would say no, but today the ARGB lighting is present in practically all the components and peripherals of PC, so “about tastes there is nothing written.” Lovers of this type of decoration can adjust it to taste, and those who prefer something more discreet, also have the option to turn them off, so everyone won.

The Mixer section is nothing more than the general volume control, without much more to see here.

In the “reproduction” tab, the audio quality can be controlled, which in this case is 16 bits at 48,000 Hz fixedly, in addition to predeterminating the speakers or microphone (something useless at the moment, since we cannot connect any until the compatible firmware is launched).

There is A function that may seem trivial, but that is very useful according to how we have configured our desk and the PC: the Possibility of exchanging the order of speakers.

As we have said, the right speaker is in charge of having all the ports and controls. If we have the PC on the right side, we will not have a problem to use them, but if we have it on the opposite side, the cables will not arrive and we would have to use, or another cable, or the inverted speakers. With this option, you can configure any of the two speakers as right speaker or left speaker.

Finally, the Configuration tab allows us to reset the speakers to the factory, download and update firmware or even drivers. It is also possible to activate or deactivate the auditory indications (voice messages that are heard when activating some functions such as Bluetooth matching).

Analysis and conclusion

At the design level, the truth is that they are very striking speakers, especially in this white variant. Its form is clearly recognizable, and golden touches along with RGB lighting make them not go unnoticed.

The two high bases allow them to place them in a higher height, although in our case it has been more practical to use the base without the lifting bar.

As for the sound, The power of the Creative Pebble Nova is really exceptional for desktop speakers. In fact, even taking into account that Creative Pebble X Plus that we analyze In their day they have their own subwoofer, the general power, including the bass, is clearly superior in these Pebble Nova and we avoid having the subwoofer with their cable, and all this in a fairly compact format.

They are able to play sound with some impressive power levels without distortionsbut it is not clear to us To what extent makes sense in desktop speakers designed to use at a fairly short distance from the user. We will never use them 100% volume, and their inclination angle, although it allows to focus the sound towards us when we are in front of the desk, it does not allow them to use them optimally as general speakers for entertainment systems, TV or audio of larger rooms.

Creative software allows enough adjustments, including an equalizer with modes for different situations or specific games, in addition to manual adjustment. Surround, Crystalizer, Graves, Smart Volume and Dialog+ for Voices are also available.

As factory arrive, they tend to prioritize serious and even more means tones, leaving the acute somewhat forgotten. In my case, I have adjusted the equalizer manually to get a more balanced sound as follows:

As for connectivity, we have USB-C connection, Minijack and even Bluetooth, covering a wide range of situations. Pebble Nova also offer, under a rubber lid, a microphone input and a headphones output, but we have not managed to make work by no means. This function is will then activate a firmware update, No doubt a quite unpleasant “surprise” in speakers of 280 euros.

The tactile controls react very well to the touch, although they are integrated in a very subtle way and it is easy to press them unintentionally when we want to move the right speaker.

Creative Pebble Nova are speakers who surprise both their design and the great power that are capable of developing in a fairly compact format. This power, however, exceeds the needs of some speakers so focused on desktop use, and perhaps a reduction of it, accompanied by a more affordable price, would result in a much more balanced product. In fact, Its price is one of its main handicaps: 279.99 euros It is the recommended amount we can find in Creative’s own store.