INTRODUCTION

   It's no secret that I’ve always placed 5.1/7.1 surround sound systems over soundbars, clearly because of things like positioning/surround audio accuracy, audio clarity and power output. At the same time however i'm also well aware that not everyone has room for a 5.1/7.1 surround sound system and many of the ones that do are not that eager to pass cables through their living rooms just so they can get better surround sound. This is exactly why soundbars made their debut many years ago in the first place and even though the really good Dolby Atmos compatible ones cost more or less the same as a 5.1/7.1 surround sound system (some even more) there are always more cost-effective choices, if you know where to look that is. Creative recently launched not one but two Dolby Atmos compatible soundbars, the flagship SXFI Carrier model and the Stage 360 which made its way to the lab almost a month ago.

   Creative is a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products. Famous for its Sound Blaster® sound cards and for driving the multimedia revolution - which established a user base of 400 million - Creative drives digital entertainment with cutting-edge audio solutions that include premium wireless speakers, wireless headphones, powerful audiophile-grade digital amplifiers and next-generation home-theatre systems. Aiming at the new mobile networked generation by bridging the worlds of the computer, smartphones, and tablets, Creative continues to reinvent the Sound Blaster, with its ground-breaking Sound Blaster Roar series and USB-audio class of products such as the Sound Blaster X7.

   Just like the Stage V2 model which i reviewed a while back (review here) the Stage 360 (MF8385) is also a 2.1 soundbar which consists by 2 oval custom-tuned racetrack drivers featuring a frequency response of 180Hz-20KHz (9.8x5.7cm/3.85x2.25 inches each - 60WRMS total), long-throw subwoofer (wired) featuring a frequency response of 50Hz-180Hz (roughly 13.3cm/5.25 inches - 60WRMS) and a Class D amplifier (signal to noise ratio - SNR - is reported at ≥75dB). Still thanks to its Dolby Atmos technology the Creative Stage 360 soundbar can produce immersive virtual 5.1.2 surround sound, as long as the content you're watching on your screen supports Dolby Atmos of course. As for available connections Creative has equipped the Stage 360 with Bluetooth v5.0 (AVRCP/A2DP with SBC audio codec), single HDMI 2.0 ARC output port (TV - Dolby Atmos Digital Plus, Dolby Digital and LPCM support), two HDMI 2.0 input ports (Dolby Atmos TrueHD, Dolby Atmos Digital Plus, Dolby Digital and LPCM support), single optical (SPDIF - supports up to 24-bit/96KHz stereo PCM or Dolby Digital Audio) input port and an USB port (meant for firmware updates). So, let's move forward and see what Creative brings to the table with their latest Stage 360 Dolby Atmos Soundbar.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Stage 360 is packed inside a large box that has a product picture along with the main product features at the front.

On the left side of the box Creative has placed the bundle contents whereas on the right side we find the product specifications in 7 languages.

Two more product pictures are placed at the rear of the box just under the product features in 7 languages.

Along with the Stage 360 soundbar and subwoofer inside the box you'll also find a compact remote control, two rubber feet, 1.5 meter long optical (TOSLINK) cable, two 1.5 meter long power cables (EU/UK), warranty information papers, connectivity paper, warning paper and the quick start guide.

THE STAGE 360

The 1.7kg heavy Stage 360 soundbar is made out of metal and plastic and measures 566mm in length, 75mm in height and 88mm in width.

At the front of the soundbar Creative has placed 2 oval custom-tuned racetrack drivers (frequency response of 180Hz-20KHz / 60WRMS total) and a fourteen-segment cold white display which states information like HDMI selection, near/far-field selection, bass and treble levels and of course the volume level.

Just in case some of you are wondering the Stage 360 soundbar is considerably smaller than the Stage V2 soundbar.

At the top of the soundbar we find the on/off/bluetooth pairing button, volume up/down buttons and the source button.

Turning the soundbar around we find the 3 HDMI 2.0 ports(2 inputs and 1 ARC output), subwoofer out port, power port, USB port and the optical SPDIF port.

The 3.4kg heavy subwoofer is made out of MDF and measures no less than 422mm in height, 115mm in thickness/width and 250mm in length.

Again, even though in terms of specifications the Stage 360 subwoofer is a tad better compared to that of the Stage V2 model they are both identical in size.

So once again, the vent/port is placed at the front of the subwoofer box whereas the driver is located on the right side.

The bundled remote control is very compact and made out of plastic and rubber (quality is ok but could be better).

Creative i think packed a slightly better looking remote control with the Stage V2 but that's my personal opinion.

CONCLUSION

   With many movies and series getting released with Dolby Atmos audio tracks it makes sense that Creative designed and developed compatible soundbars like the Stage 360. Now my latest LG TV did come with support for both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos but its built-in speakers were obviously no match for the ones used with the Stage 360. Now i won't lie, when watching Dolby Atmos films like The Kings Man, Spiderman No Way Home, The Adam Project and even the new Halo series surround sound (virtual at that) between my TV and the Stage 360 isn't worlds apart, what is however a lot better is audio quality/clarity and power output which means that the Stage 360 can produce far clearer sound/audio even at high volume levels. Of course don’t forget that for optimal results you also need to configure the near-far field setting by using near if you are inside 1 meter distance from the soundbar and far if you are further away. Again, features found in more expensive models like detachable rear speakers and top firing drivers are not present here and from just 2 oval shaped drivers you clearly can’t expect miracles but still the end result is quite good.

   So, I’ve been talking about price quite a lot in this review but just how much are you required to spend to get your very own Stage 360? With a price tag currently set at USD203.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and at 199.99Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) the Stage 360 2.1 Soundbar with Dolby Atmos by Creative is priced very well, always for what it offers. Yes, it’s clearly not the best Dolby Atmos soundbar money can buy but the Stage 360 still does offer very good bang for your buck and because of that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Good Audio Quality/Accuracy
- Volume Levels
- Available Connectivity (Bluetooth v5.0/HDMI 2.0 ARC/2xHDMI 2.0/SPDIF)
- Dolby Atmos Compatibility (Digital Plus & TrueHD)
- Size
- Near & Far Field Setting
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Virtual Surround Sound (Could Be Better)