CREATIVE HALO

Design & Construction

The Creative Halo is Creative's debut wireless portable speaker to feature a mesmerising LED lightshow. It is built with fabric surrounding the exterior and rubber for the controls on top. The front features reflective mirrors for the lightshow and firm plastics that cover the speaker drivers. The front of the speaker bears the Creative logo with the speaker drivers under it positioned to fire sound in front, while a single passive radiator fires bass toward the back. An attached carrying strap will not only allow the speaker to hook on but also doubles as a handle for carrying it around. On the top, you will find: (From Left-Right): On-Off Switch, LED indicator, Vol - button, Multifunction button, Mic, Vol - button, the light button. The multifunction button allows for users to play/pause and answer/end calls, while the light button allows users to cycle through the light presets without using the app. At the back, it has a Micro-USB port and an aux port. From my experience, the fabric on the exterior feels durable and proves to be able to withstand a beating. However, the reflective mirror is a fingerprint magnet. At the bottom, there is a tripod mount for users to mount it to their liking.

Sound Quality

The sound reproduction of the Halo is decent. At 65% volume, it can fill a medium-sized room. The bass response isn't the best I've heard from the speaker this size. It is somewhat lacking doesn't have too much depth and detail to it. On the bright side, mids have clarity and highs sound bright but are not unbearably sharp to listen to. The soundstage isn't too wide and the instrument separation isn't too good either but that is typical of many portable Bluetooth speakers. Unfortanately, users also lose the feature to double up with another Halo for stereo sound. It is great to also know that the sound quality do not drop in quality even as the speaker goes low on battery.

Connectivity & Portability

The speaker specifications include Bluetooth Ver 4.2 and support for the basic SBC codec. Of course, it also offers an aux port for wired usage. Its battery life peaks at 8 hrs; rather short compared to the competition. Using Creative Xpectra App, which is available for download on the App Store and Play Store, was a breeze. The app recognises the speaker 100% of the time and allows users to customise the lightshow colours, brightness, intensity, pulse to music and also many other features to their liking. If users are lazy, they can choose from 12 different presets which are already cool to look at. The package also includes a MIcro-USB cable for recharging the speaker.

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PROS

• Durable Construction

• Customisable Settings For Lights

• 16.8 Million Colour Infinite Tunnel Lightshow

• Modern & Futuristic Design

• 2 Way Usage (Bluetooth & Audio In)

• Tripod Mountable

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CONS​

• Carry Strap Should Be Made Detachable

• Low Battery Life

• No Stereo Pairing

• Not Water-Resistant

• Single Colour Available

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The Bottom Line

The Creative Halo is the definitely a successful debut product for Creative as it seeks to create even better ones in future. For its price, you are getting a decent 8 hours battery, Bluetooth Ver 4.2 with together with beautiful infinite lightshow and great sound. It is a contender if you are look for a speaker with lights. A recommended addition to your home or office desk!