INTRODUCTION

   A couple of weeks ago we uploaded a review of the latest portable Bluetooth speaker by Ultimate Ears called the BOOM which although very good still was far from perfect and thus our quest for the best portable speaker didn't stop there. What followed however had little to do with the review and much to do with our readers since many of you asked about what we're looking for in a portable wireless speaker that all the models we've tested so far were obviously unable to deliver. Well the answer is really easy so aside a very good build quality we're also looking for a well-designed portable wireless speaker with excellent audio reproduction, powerful volume levels and plenty of features. Unfortunately with the exception of just a couple of models such as the TDK A73 Boombox and the Creative Sound BlasterAxx AXX 200 (both very good but still not flawless) all others fell short in at least one of the above categories. With the brand new Sound Blaster ROAR SR20A Bluetooth Portable Speaker Creative seeks to win the hearts of audiophiles and regular consumers alike but is it capable of doing so?

   Creative is a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products. Famous for its Sound Blaster® sound cards and for launching the multimedia revolution, Creative is now driving digital entertainment with cutting-edge audio solutions, premium wireless speakers, wireless headphones and portable media devices. Today, Creative re-invents the Sound Blaster, which has a user base of over 400 million, with its ground-breaking Sound BlasterAxx that aims at the new mobile networked generation by bridging the worlds of the computer, smartphones, and tablets. Creative’s proprietary technologies, innovative hardware, applications and services leverage the Internet, enabling consumers to experience high-quality digital entertainment - anytime, anywhere.

   The Sound Blaster ROAR SR20A is very much similar to the Sound BlasterAxx AXX 200 which we had the chance to review a while back so once again under the hood we find the SB-Axx1 audio processor, support for HFP/aptX/AAC (although this time over Bluetooth V3.0 was used) and several identical features including voice recording capability, built-in rechargeable battery which can also be used to recharge compatible portable devices, NFC (Near Field Communication) sensor, microSD card slot, integrated WMA/MP3/WAV player, SBX Pro Studio technology (intelligently enhances audio in real-time) and external USB sound card functionality. The ROAR SR20A however is quite improved compared to the AXX 200 since aside Bluetooth V3.0 connectivity (and its extras compared to v2.1) it also has a 6000mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery that gives the speaker up to 8 hours of music playback (the AXX 200 came with a 5200mAh one), siren function which you can use whenever you need to grab the attention of those around you, Tera Bass technology for improved bass levels at low volume levels, ROAR technology which instantly boosts the loudness, depth and spaciousness of the audio, Link Security Mode which basically allows you to setup the security setting of the speaker (open to all, open to only devices that have been paired with it in the past, open to just 2 devices), bedtime mode which gradually reduces the volume levels and shuts down by the time you're asleep, MegaStereo technology that allows you to connect two ROAR SR20A portable speakers via cable for a larger soundstage and finally it also features dual amplifiers (bi-amped) used to power the two 1.5" high frequency drivers made out of durable biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate material (AKA Mylar), one 2.5" active subwoofer and two passive radiators (the AXX 200 only featured two stereo drivers). Sounds impressive right? Well time to find out if it really is.