Creative Stage is the budget desktop sound bar to beat
Speakers
If there's one thing I would've told you was impossible for a sound bar under $100, it would've been a separate subwoofer and HDMI ayassi.
Okay, two things.
Hearing that the creative stage is able to incorporate both of these features and not sacrifice sound quality is quite a feat.
Creator stage is also unusual in that it's designed to be used Just part of a desktop system or to accompany a smaller TV.
Unlike many desktop systems, it won't act as a USB sound card.
You'll need to use an auxiliary output from your computer.
Apart from HDMI and the 3.5 millimeter input, the sound bar also includes Bluetooth, an optical input, and a USB port for playing MP3's from an external disk.
This is a very compact system.
The sandbar itself is only 21 inches wide, and the 41 subwoofer is only a foot and a half tall.
The sub isn't wireless though is it's connected by an eight foot umbilical cable.
The system comes with a comprehensive remote control, but you can also control it via the three button panel on the side of the sound bar.
Tapping the power button changes the input.
Due to its small size, the creative system is best suited to listening while at arm's length.
It has a forward sounding nature which is complemented by fairly deep bass.
This makes it ideal for both video games and movies.
If you're after a desktop system the Creative Stage makes an excellent case that 90 bucks is all you need to spend.
As a TV soundbar it's a little too small.
From a normal viewing distance, there's no real sense of stereo.
And the competitive Vizio SB-3621 offers a wider sound stage as well as better performance with music.
However, the Vizio is a lot more laid back and lacks a subwoofer.
So it's not as great with action titles of shoot ' up games.
If you need something that can double as a desktop system, and a TV sound bar, the Creative Stage is the best and cheapest option I've seen to date.
