5.0 out of 5 stars HIGHEST PRAISE FOR CREATIVE LABS!

R.d.C. · 20 October 2020

20th-CENTURY STORY: I have great hi-fi in the living room, also connected to my DVD and TV. A few years ago, I retired my old amplifier to my office, adding some good bookshelf speakers and (recently) superb headphones, for listening whilst I work or just using my PC. I also have an Apple iPod touch with excellent (new) 1More earbuds. For eight years, I have been quite content with a pair of £15 little Logitech Z120 desk speakers – obviously much better sound than that built into the various computers I have owned but surely unnecessary to spend more; as you can see, I have my “serious” listening covered on all fronts...or so I thought!21st-CENTURY STORY: Over the past couple of years, I have been slowly (or “quickly and indiscriminately” as my wife would phrase it…) acquiring music and speech downloads as well as still buying CDs (surely everyone needs 58 performances of Fidelio?) I realised that it would be more convenient to listen to at least some of those purchases via my office computer, instead of always transferring files to my iPod (I am aware of some further if minimal loss of sound quality). Thus, my trusty little Logitechs - fine for general use and the occasional half-listen whilst I did my emails - were no longer adequate and must be honourably retired.Extensive research within a somewhat arbitrary price-bracket of up to £70 yielded several suitable candidates until I realised that my overflowing desk would not really allow anything larger than about 6” high x 5” wide...ideally something to tuck just below each side of my monitor. Thus the Creative Pebble series raised its head and cried (musically) “Me, me, meeeeeeee!” Reviews of the original version and V2 were mixed – whether on Bolo or elsewhere - but overall pretty positive. I was about to settle on the original version, when I started to read about the V3.I am fairly untechnical, so I was mystified by terms such as ‘High gain’, USB-C, ‘Clear dialog [sic...I’m English] enhancement’, ‘Bluetooth [alright, I do have a smartphone but still don’t get the Bluetooth thing]’, ‘8W RMS’ and suchlike. Having always connected computer speakers, earphones to iPods and similar via a 3.5mm jack [yes, I know what that is!] I was puzzled by the single USB connection required, both for power and sound. Surely a jack and perhaps a mains unit as well as USB lead were necessary? Several extensive emails to Creative Labs on puzzling points proved fruitful. The very patient and helpful OLGA (praise be to her) gave me the incentive and confidence in her company and the product to invest. The turning point was the information that USB sound is superior to that provided via a 3.5mm jack (and all the reasons why that is so, supported by further research); hence the V3 in preference to the other two models. And after all, I argued with myself, around £32 after discount is well within my budget and if necessary I can always return the speakers.So, “THEY” arrived within 48 hours, connected (using the thoughtfully-provided USB ‘A’ converter...AHA! I know what it’s for now!) and working ten minutes later. Over the past couple of days, I have carried out extensive tests on spoken word (plays, radio documentaries) and music. “My” type is mainly classical, with a very wide spectrum from solo piano to large-scale choral, orchestral and (especially) opera. I also like some traditional jazz, and “epic” film scores like Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, etc.Knowing that headphones and speakers need time to “embed” before they reach their best, I sought out a complete recording of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas (Arrau) on YouTube and simply let all eleven hours of it play through. Each time I popped back into the office to make sure that the Pebbles were settling in and weren’t homesick, I found myself very impressed with the initial quality (I read somewhere that speakers ideally need about 100 hours to reach their peak – is that true?) Yesterday and today, I let rip! Beethoven overtures (Harnoncourt), the First Piano Concerto (Brendel/Levine), the whole of Fidelio (Bernstein live)and Missa Solemnis (Karajan live), Janacek Violin Sonata, some cafe Jazz on YouTube, Third Ear Band’s soundtrack to Polanski’s Macbeth, Stravinsky’s Petroushka, Schubert string quartet music, Satie piano, Emma Barnet on Five Live, some of King Lear [love that play!], Cordell’s suite from the film Khartoum, a quarter-hour of Puccini’s Tosca and – of course – Tchaikovsky’s 1812 (Kunzel...LOUD!!)VERDICT: Well, as you can tell, I am having a wonderful time with my new acquisition! The Pebbles have stood up to my punishing regime with Honours! Very soft as well as loud sources, solo-intrumental as well as full orchestra, spoken word – nearly everything sounds good. So much of the music is full, rich and detailed (lovely sweet piano tone in the Janacek and also the Beethoven sonatas)– quite worthy of speakers costing five times the price. Truth to tell, some of the very tops are a little but not-seriously constricted, and I doubt if this set-up will handle Mahler’s 8th, but exactly how much can one reasonably demand of speakers less than 5 inches high and so user-friendly priced! On the whole, I am much more than satisfied.FINALE: Creative Labs are to be commended on taking note of most of the criticisms of their previous models, and really raising the game with the V3. I am assuming that my listening experience will just get better as the speakers “bed-in”. I am already more impressed than I expected to be – and at this price, the Creative Pebbles deserve to sweep the board!

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you love about the Pebble V2s with bigger, better sound, fewer wires and Bluetooth!

S.B. · 8 May 2025

I don't often leave a review but the CREATIVE line of speakers are worth writing one for. I have owned the Pebble V2s since around 2022, when I built my first PC. They were a cheap option after spending a lot of money on expensive components and I wasn't expecting much out of them but they ended up sounding good and lasting a good few years with daily use.Decided it was time to replace the V2s once they started to become crackly and fuzzy. So I searched Bolo for another pair of V2s and noticed that the V3s were now available. The added Bluetooth functionality was a big draw as well as the single USB-C cable to carry the audio and power the speakers. The separate 3.5mm audio jack and USB-C connection on the previous model made for a slightly more complicated setup so the single USB-C cable performing both functions is appreciated.The speakers are very easy to set up and sound impressively clear even at higher volume levels. Connect your USB-C (or USB-A with the included adapter) and change your PC input to the speakers. Volume is very easy to control with the knob on the right hand speaker which rotates smoothly and allows very small increases to find the perfect level for your space.Bluetooth is just as simple. Click and hold the pairing button to the right of the volume control to enter pairing mode and connect your laptop, phone, tablet, etc. Toggle between USB and Bluetooth audio by clicking the button again. The speakers automatically reconnect to the last connected Bluetooth device. In Bluetooth audio mode the power LED pulses slowly while solid in USB mode.Another great purchase from CREATIVE. I'll be back for the V4s in 2028.

4.0 out of 5 stars Some compromises but good for the money

R. · 11 October 2022

These are a lot bulkier in real life than I imagined they'd be. Each speaker's diaphragm and bass radiator are unprotected so they need to be protected in some sort of bag if you're planning to chuck them into a laptop backpack. The best thing I found was a padded lunch bag (need one big enough to hold a six-pack). The main advantage of these over other small speakers is that they are USB bus-powered so don't need to charge a battery or be close to a mains socket, and (new for version 3) the audio connection itself is through the same USB connection. The lack of a battery makes them very light. The addition of bluetooth and an AUX input make it more versatile and standalone. The bluetooth button on the front of the main speaker can be used to cycle between the three inputs and the power light changes colour to identify which one is active. A USB phone charger can provide the power separate to a PC or Laptop.The sound itself is very detailed in mid and high frequencies with great stereo separation - as expected when positioned as intended, on a desk either side of a monitor or laptop less than 2' away. Bass is weak despite the passive radiators but it is there. The high gain switch under the base of the main speaker increases the power output, and so loudness, at a given volume position. Apparently, this high gain mode is more reliable when powered from a USB-C socket or mains charger but worked fine for me using a PC USB3 socket with the included adapter.

Ps 5 speaker

S. · 9 March 2025

Nice sound for Ps 5

Pebble V3

W. · 17 December 2024

Rewelacyjne głośniki do PC. Umożliwiają połączenie bluetooth oraz kablowe.

Kvalitet

H. · 12 December 2025

Bra kvalite samt kopplas med bluetooth

Simplesmente fenomenais

J.d.S. · 9 June 2025

Essas caixas de som são simplesmente fenomenais. A qualidade do som é excelente, a possibilidade de usar tanto bluetooth quanto usb também.O único downside só é que se resolver usar bluetooth ou usb sem conectar numa fonte de energia (como a tomada), em certas músicas se estiver muito alto, vai acabar notando que ela perde um pouco a potência e o volume abaixa do nada. Isso é explicado no manual do produto.Excelente equilíbrio de graves e agudos e potência.

Bon rapport qualité/prix.

v.d. · 31 July 2025

Le sons est bon, vrais stéréo avec bruitage dissocier gauche/doite.Pour le pc il en faut pas plus ( gaming/vidéo)