The Creative Pebble Nova Speakers Reinvent Themselves Beyond Their Budget Desktop Origins.
Creative has introduced the Pebble Nova speakers, designed to fit on shelves.
The Pebble series from Creative Technology has received near-universal acclaim as some of the best affordable computer speakers available. With models costing as little as $50 for a set of two Pebble Plus speakers with a subwoofer, it's easy to see why they're so popular. Now, it remains to be seen whether the new Pebble Nova will achieve similar recognition, despite its significantly higher price of $280 and 50 watts of power, placing it in unexplored territory of bookshelf speakers, traditionally dominated by brands like Audioengine, Kanto, and Edifier.
Despite their higher cost and larger size, the Pebble Nova retains many of the features that characterize their smaller versions. They preserve the familiar spherical shape, the drivers tilted at a 45-degree angle, passive radiators on the back, and the ability to customize the LED lighting. However, Creative has made substantial changes to the acoustic architecture. The single-cone drivers have been replaced with coaxially arranged dual drivers, an approach also used by KEF in their LS series. Creative claims that this new design provides “impeccable coherence and precision across the entire sound spectrum.”
Like other models in the Pebble series, the new speakers offer connections via 3.5mm, Bluetooth, and USB, but the major difference is that the Nova includes a USB-C PD power adapter, allowing them to operate independently of the computer's USB port for power. However, the Bluetooth connectivity only supports connections with the SBC codec.
Additionally, the Novas are equipped with their own ports for a microphone and headphones, although these will not be operational until Creative releases a scheduled firmware update. The speakers can be placed on any flat surface thanks to their integrated bases or elevated using the included stands.
Previously, Creative's app for controlling the equalizers and RGB settings of the Pebble speakers was only available for Windows, but the latest version is now compatible with Mac as well. Users can choose from several sound modes, including options like Surround, Smart Volume, Bass, Dialog+, and Crystal Voice.