Creative iRoar Go Review: Mobile, Powerful Bluetooth Speaker

Creative’s Roar Series mobile speakers ensure that every output device receives high-quality sound. So you don’t just have a wired companion via jack or USB, but also a powerful sound companion via Bluetooth. After Creative launched the Roar, Roar 2, Roar Pro and most recently the iRoar, the iRoar Go Bluetooth speaker is now available.

Already the first Roar loudspeakers captivate with a rich and powerful sound. With the iRoar Go Creative delivers its own app. You can’t influence the sound indefinitely with this. However, you have the possibility to make individual equalizer settings in addition to the ROAR mode and Tera Bass. At 1.5 l, the iRoar is also slightly larger than all its predecessors. On the other hand, the iRoar Go scores with 1.0 l volume. With this, the new Creative iRoar Go is the smallest Bluetooth speaker.

In contrast to the iRoar, the small Creative iRoar Go does not have all the features. This concerns in particular aptX as transmission protocol or also the optical input. But the Bluetooth loudspeaker scores with a very low price between 169 € and 199 €, which is only about half the price of the iRoar.

Technical Data

Included with the Creative iRoar Go are a replaceable power plug, the user manual, a microphone adapter (3.5 mm), a micro-USB cable and the power adapter.

Workmanship and Operation of the Creative iRoar Go

The Creative iRoar Go comes in a cuboid design. It is equipped with three active loudspeakers and two passive radiators. These are exposed on the sides. The operating elements are divided into two surfaces, so that the latter can be operated on one side upright and on the other side flat.

All interfaces are located behind rubber flaps, which are optimally protected against rain when closed. The Creative iRoar Go can even be used in the shower without any problems. However, the speakers are not suitable for diving.

With its handy dimensions of 54 mm x 192 mm x 97 mm and low weight of 810 g, the Creative iRoad Go is the ideal companion on the go. The device can therefore easily be gripped with just one hand. We rate the quality of the workmanship as good.

The iRoar Go from Creative can be easily operated via its buttons as well as via the corresponding app. The Sound Blaster Connect App does not only offer functions of the buttons on the iRoar Go. It also includes further options for individual sound adjustment and exclusive access to connected storage media.

The iRoar Go has various coupling options for wireless connection of a smartphone via Bluetooth and NFC. In addition

• Aux-In
• one MicroSD slot
• Micro-USB

can be accessed. With the Micro SD slot, however, you should note that only memory cards up to 32 GB are suitable. With a built-in microphone, you can also use the speaker as a speakerphone or recording device. This works surprisingly well – much better than with the hands-free function of my Samsung Galaxy S7.

In addition, on the back of the Bluetooth loudspeaker are the buttons for

• Recording
• Pause/Play
• Roar
• Random playback.

The Roar key can be used to increase the complete volume. Thanks to the TeraBass function, bass loss can be prevented.

With its design, the Creative iRoar Go fits harmoniously into the ROAR series. Because of the remote pages it looks a little more kerniger.

Special Features

In addition to the outstanding IPX6 jet water protection, the Creative iRoar Go has a rechargeable battery with a capacity of 5,200 mAh. This means that a playing time of up to twelve hours can be guaranteed. With Roar mode activated in Bluetooth mode, we were able to measure a battery life of almost 9 hours at room volume. In comparison, the Roar 2 has a battery with 6,000 mAh and a playing time of eight hours.

The app supports direct title selection of all playable files available on storage media and offers additional FLAC support. Thanks to the Bluetooth 4.2 standard, high energy savings are possible.

Although the iRoar Go does not require aptX as a transmission protocol, its sound is much more open. Although it only supports SBC codec. Nevertheless, we were able to perceive a clearer detail drawing.

With USB support, the Creative iRoar Go can be used as a USB speaker for laptops and PCs.

Sound of the Creative iRoar Go Bluetooth Speaker

The sound of the Creative iRoar Go is far superior to its predecessors. The Bluetooth loudspeaker has numerous options for adjusting the sound. There are five sound modes to choose from

• energy-charged
• Neutral
• Roar
• Superwide

Thanks to the TeraBass integrated in Roar mode, a clearly audible bass boost is possible when playing quietly. In the “energetic” mode, a slight bass emphasis can be perceived when playing quietly. This makes the Creative iRoar Go sound very balanced. When playing at room volume, the fullness of the sound increases. However, the sound can also be adjusted very well in the individual EQ mode. Each preset displays the curve, which can also be changed immediately.

Regardless of the selected mode, the bass doesn’t overdrive tracks like Soulpersona’s with its speaker-specific settings. Only basses above 60 % volume will be reduced, but will remain powerful. We couldn’t find any effects that reduced a bass response immediately after playing. All modes are perfectly tuned.

In SuperWide-mode the iRoar Go has a spatial but not very wide stereo sound. When we used our smartphone’s EQ to add bass during our SuperWide-mode test in SuperWide-mode, the spatiality was completely preserved.

On the positive side, we have experienced that every setting we have done in the iRoar Go app is stored. This can also be recalled by pressing the Roar button without using the app. Thus there are always three modes available. EQ, Flat and Roar. The EQ mode is always the last one to be set via the app. This also makes sense, because it makes it easy to remember which mode is currently active even without an app. When the EQ mode is activated, a small blue LED lights up. If the Roar mode is activated, the button itself is illuminated.

Conclusion on the Creative iRoar Go

The Creative iRoar Go convinced us with its balanced, powerful sound. In addition, the mobile speaker is easy to use and offers a wide range of music playback options. Whether the Bluetooth speaker is wired or wireless, the pairing has always worked fine. Converted into a power bank for smartphones or as a hands-free system, the speaker cuts a fine figure.

In addition, the Bluetooth speaker is perfectly suited for outdoor use thanks to its waterproof properties. Thanks to the extensive functions a price of about 180 Euro seems to us to be a good price-performance ratio.