Creative Sound Blaster ROAR SR20 User manual
®
USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE
CONTENTS
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR:
AN OVERVIEW
Get acquainted with the Sound Blaster Roar’s controls, connectors,
and connectivity options. We’ve also included a brief description of
the speaker’s architecture and the technologies found within it.
EXPERIENCING
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR
Find out how the Sound Blaster Roar brings your audio
experience to a whole new level.
APPENDIX:
ENHANCING AUDIO PLAYBACK
Learn how to easily enhance your audio with the Sound Blaster
Control Panel.
page 6
page 15
page 20
Introducing the Sound Blaster Roar:
the new concept booklet-size, portable
5-driver home stereo system that combines
multiple advanced audio technologies to
deliver powerful, spacious, precise audio
and other features – way beyond the
capabilities of portable wireless speakers.
THE AUDIOPHILE
SOUND BOOKLET
THE AUDIOPHILE SOUND BOOKLET
Mind-Shattering Performance • Precision-Tuned Fidelity • ROAR Audio™Power
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 6
ARCHITECTURE, CONTROLS & CONNECTORS
Controls
• Largesiliconetactilebuttonsforeasycontrol
Battery level indicator
• Quickbatterylevelcheck
NFC sensor
• JusttapandplaywithanyNFC-enabled
device for wireless playback
Opposing passive radiators
• Side-ringfrombothsides
• Enhancebasslevels
• Widensthesoundstage
Active high excursion driver
• Pumpsoutimpressivebass
• Directsaudioupwards
• Stabilizesthespeaker
• Widenssoundstage
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR: AN OVERVIEW
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 7
Dual 1.5” premium drivers
• Compact,powerfulhighfrequency
drivers
• Provideforfar-eldhigh-frequency
dispersion
Acoustically optimized design
• Rigidmonocoqueendoskeletalchassis
• Fewerinternalcomponentsreduces
vibrations
• Lessenergywastageforbetteraudio
Mic On / Mute
• Fliptheswitchtoturnonormutethemic
Micro-USB port
• ConnecttoaPC/Macforenhancedaudiolistening
• PlayaudioandchargeyourSoundBlasterRoar
atthesametime
MicroSD card slot
• Built-inWMA/MP3player
• Storesyourvoicerecordingstoo
USB port
• Chargeyourmobilephonesanddevices!
Previous track/folder
Next track/folder
• Pressduringplaybacktoskiptracks
• Pressandholdduringplaybackto
skip folders
Siren button
• Pressandholdtoactivatethesiren
DC input
• ChargeyourSoundBlasterRoar
Aux-in jack
• Playbackmusicfromaportabledevicevia
audio cable
Voice recording
• Simpleaccuratevoicerecordingontothe
microSDcard
Voice playback
• Immediateplaybackofvoicerecordings
Bedtime Mode
• Audioplaybackthatgraduallyfadesout
Loud Sounds Switch
• Stayalertwithrandom
loud sound bites
Play / Pause
• Fuss-freemusicplaybackcontrol
Shuffle / Repeat All
• Toggletheswitchtoplaytracksonthe
microSDcardinrandomorderorto
repeat all tracks in continuous order
Siren On/Off
• Armyourselfwithan
insanely loud siren to
grab attention
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR: AN OVERVIEW
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 8
Multifunction button
• Pressandholdtoenter
Bluetooth
pairingmode
• Pressoncetoanswerincomingcallsorendcalls
Bi-Amplified Design: Two Amps, Not One
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 9
SPEAKER TECHNOLOGY
TheSoundBlasterRoarisasoundsystemdesignedforPERFORMANCE and PORTABILITY.Thoughbantam-sized,
theSoundBlasterRoarpromisestodeliverapowerful,mind-blowingaudioexperience,andprecision-tunedaudio
delity.The5-driversystemispackedintoonesleekstructure,andwillredenethehomestereospacewithitsability
topowerfullyreproducetheentireaudiospectrumwithaccurateimaging,allfromasmallbookletsize.Beyondits
impressiveaudioperformance,itstillhasawholelotmoretooffer–suchas
Bluetooth
andNFCwirelesstechnology,
anintegratedWMA/MP3player,arecorder,alargedual-purposebatterythatalsochargesyoursmartphoneanda
built-inmicrophoneforcallsandrecording!
NFC sensor
• JusttaptoconnectwithanyNFC-enableddevice
Battery level indicator
• Letsyouknowthebatterylevelofyour
Sound Blaster Roar
Recording indicator
• Lightsupwhenrecordingisongoing
Volume Up/Down
• Adjustthevolumeofyouraudio
button
• Increasesoverallloudnessand
spaciousnessformaximum
audio output
• Pressoncetoexperiencethe
ROARPower
Power button
• Pressoncetoswitchonorgo
intostandbymode
Internal microphone
• Forcrystalclearvoice
communications
ARCHITECTURE, CONTROLS & CONNECTORS (cont.)
Mostportablespeakersutilizeasingleampliertoreproducetheentireaudiospectrum.Withasingleamplier
design,mostofthedemandgoesintoproducingthelowsandmids,whichcompromisesthedeliveryofthehighs.
Ontheotherhand,theSoundBlasterRoarutilizestwoampliers–onededicatedtodrivinglowsandmids,andanother
whichissolelydedicatedfordeliveringthehighfrequencies.Thisallowsthespeakertoproduceuncompromisingly
clear,highdenition,wellbalancedmusic.
VS
Oneamplier driving high,
lowandmidfrequencies
PASSIVE SYSTEM
High
Frequency
Low/Mid
Frequency
A
Twoampliers, one dedicated to high
frequency,theothertolowandmidfrequencies
forimprovedfrequencydistribution
ACTIVE SYSTEM
A
A
High
Frequency
Low/Mid
Frequency
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR: AN OVERVIEW
TheSoundBlasterRoarisdesignedtoproducebalanced,highdelityaudiobydefault.Ontopofthat,inscenarios
where sheer audio power is needed – such as in large parties and social gatherings – simply pressing the
button will instantly boost the loudness, depth and spaciousness of your audio.
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 10 THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 11
CONNECTIVITY
4 Simple Ways to Connect
Mids/ Bass
Bass
Highs
Highs
Bass
Space-Filling Dispersion
Thefar-eldhighfrequencydriversintheSound
Blaster Roar are designed to project audio
further than most other speakers in its class.
Complementedbythe top-ring bassand mid-
level driver, the Sound Blaster Roar delivers
a room-lling, non-sweet spot-specic audio
experience. The top-ring bass and mid-level
driver is also laid horizontally, reducing the
speaker’scenterofgravity,thusstabilizingit.
FindouthowtoenhanceyourPC/Macaudioand
personalizeit.Go to page 20.
SPEAKER TECHNOLOGY (cont.)
: Instant Additional Audio Power
Connect to
Bluetooth
devices with
robusthigh-qualityaptX®andAAC
musicstreaming.
WIRELESS
Connect a portable audio device
viaanaudiocabletotheAux-in
jacktoexperiencepowerful
analog audio playback via
the Sound Blaster Roar.
ANALOG
DIGITAL USB
Play all your favorite songs
continuouslyfromamicroSDcard
withthestandaloneWMA/MP3
player.Avoidthehorrorofaat
phone battery after draining it to
playmusic,ortheawkward
silence after that.
STANDALONE
MODE
12
LS
12
LS
Connect to a laptop or desktop for a
fully digital USB audio experience.
TogetintoUSBAudiomode,
press and hold until you
hear a tone.
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 12
CONNECTIVITY (cont.)
Advanced Wireless Connectivity
Theadvanced
Bluetooth
wirelessfeaturesontheSoundBlasterRoarmakeconnectingeveneasier!
NFC Technologyallowsforone-touchpairing.SimplytapyourNFC-enableddeviceontheSoundBlasterRoartoinstantly
pair and connect.
Creative Multipointtechnologyontheotherhand,letsyousimultaneouslyconnectTWO
Bluetooth
devices and easily
togglebetweenthem!Thisisespeciallyusefulforuserswithtwo
Bluetooth
devices (phones and tablets) in their kit.
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 13
MOBILITY
Integrated WMA/MP3 Player
TheSoundBlasterRoarcomeswithabuilt-inmediaplayertogive
youdirectseamlessaudioplaybackwiththeconvenienceofwireless
portability. Play up to 32GB of MP3/WMA/WAV les on microSD/
microSDHCcard*.There’saShufeorRepeatAlloptiontoplayyour
songs randomly or continuously. For quick playlist navigation, you
can even sort your songs according to albums by organizing them
in folders.
Dual-Purpose Internal Battery
The Sound Blaster Roar is designed to the keep the audio alive
whereveryougo.Thebuilt-in6000mAhlithium-ionbatterydelivers
up to 8 hours^ of playback per charge.
Plus,itcanalsochargeyoursmartdeviceorotherUSBdeviceviathe
USB port on the rear of the unit.
^Actualbatterylifemayvarywithuse,settingsandenvironmentalconditions.
Ever-Ready Audio Entertainment
Withitsbuilt-inbatteryandbookletsize,theSoundBlasterRoaris
abletodeliverawesomeaudiowhereveryoudecidetomakecamp.
Thesiliconecontrolpanelandmetallicgrillearenotonlysolidand
durable; they protect the drivers and other components against
bumpsandknocks.
*EachfolderonthemicroSDcardshouldonly
containamaximumof999lesandfolders.
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR: AN OVERVIEW
8hrs
12
LS
SINGLE / DUAL
BLUETOOTH
CONNECTIONS
NFC TECHNOLOGY
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 15
Asthesayinggoes,don’tjudgeabookbyitscover.TheSoundBlasterRoarmaybeabooklet-sizedspeakersystem,
buttheaudiopoweritcangeneratebeliesitssize.
EXPERIENCING THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR
MIND-SHATTERING PERFORMANCE
Dual Amplification
Mostportablespeakersutilizeasingleampliertoreproducetheentireaudio
spectrum–thiscompromisesdeliveryofthehighsasmostofthefocusgoesinto
producingthelowsandmids.Ontheotherhand,theSoundBlasterRoarhastwo
ampliersthatallowittoproduceaudiothat’spowerfulonalllevels.You’llnotice
howuncompromisinglyclearyouraudioisatallpartsoftheaudiospectrum–
youcanevendistinctlypickoutthebassatlowvolumes!Theadditionalamplier
dedicatedforhighfrequenciesandaseparatedriversolelyforlowsandmids
worktogethertodeliverawell-balancedaudiothatisaccurateandfaithfulto
the original source.
Space-Filling Dispersion
AnoutstandingaspectoftheSoundBlasterRoarisitswidesoundscape.While
manyotherportablespeakersstruggletoproduceaconvincing“stereo”sound,
theboxer-stylelayout of theSound BlasterRoar producesspace-lling audio
easily.Thepowerfulfrontleftandrightdriversdoanamazingjobofdispersing
high-frequenciesforwardwhiledeepbassisredupwardsfromtheactivebass
driver in the middle and two side passive radiators. Sounds are delivered so
thatanentireroomistrulylled–younolongerhavetomovearoundtond
thatelusivesweetspot.Feelfreetowalkaroundtheroomandstillexperience
optimalaudiowithaccurateimaging.
Extremely Stable at High Volumes
Unliketop-heavy,front/rear-designedspeakersthatvibrateandmovepositions
athighvolumes,theSoundBlasterRoarisstableasarockevenwhileblasting
atmaximumvolume.Designedforacousticperformance,thetop-ringbassand
mid-leveldriveroftheSoundBlasterRoarislaidhorizontallywhichincreases
stability while its rigid monocoque endoskeletal chassis reduces internal
componentsthatcanvibrateindividually.Sowhatyouhearispuremusic,freeof
annoying vibrations and rattling.
Notice how
uncompromisingly
clear your audio is
at all parts of the
audio spectrum.
Walk around the
speaker and still
experience optimal
audio with accurate
imaging.
When you pump
up the volume,
your speaker
stays in place
and doesn’t rattle.
PURPOSEBUILT PERFECTION
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 16
Connecting the Sound Blaster Roar to
the power adapter gives your music
addedvolumeboost.
ROARs above the Noise
Isn’titdisappointingwhenyourmusicgetsdrownedoutjustasthepartygetsgoing?
NowwiththeSoundBlasterRoar,allyouhavetodoissimplypressthebutton
andyourmusicgetsampliedabovethenoiseinstantly!Thebuttonbooststhe
loudness,depthandspaciousnessofyouraudio–givingyouthemuchneededsheer
audio power when you need it. So when the party gets loud, press the button
sothatyourmusicdoesn’tdrownout.
Independent WMA/MP3 Player
Oneofthemainconcernswith
Bluetooth
-poweredspeakersisthebatterydrainthey
causeonpairedsmartphones.There’salsothelimitationofdistanceandinterference
betweenyoursmartphoneandthespeaker.Withthebuilt-inWMA/MP3playeronthe
SoundBlasterRoar,youcanplaymusicdirectlyfromthespeakerwithouthavingto
dependonyoursmartphone–savingyouthehorrorofaatbattery.Simplyinserta
microSDcardlledwithyourfavoriteMP3/WMA/WAVlesintothespeaker.Unless
you’re planning a music marathon, 32GB of songs should keep you entertained
for days.
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 17
Performanceaside,theSoundBlasterRoaralsohasmanyaddedfeatures.
PLUS A WHOLE ARRAY OF MIND-SHATTERING FEATURES!
One-Touch Siren
IfyouthinktheSoundBlasterRoar
is loud, you haven’t heard it at its
loudestyet!TheSoundBlasterRoar
comes with a built-in one-touch
siren that lets you instantly grab
attentionwhenyouneedto–likeat
acamporinanemergency.
Bedtime Mode*
InBedtime Mode, the Sound Blaster Roar plays audio
lesfromthemicroSDcardandgraduallyreducesits
volume before automatically shutting down. This is
a useful feature for you to record yourself reading a
bedtimestoryandplayitbacktoyourchildrenasthey
are about to sleep.
EXPERIENCING THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR
Hear your music
above the noise
instantly.
Play music
directly from
the speaker.
*Patentpending
1Armthesiren.
2Press and hold ALARMfor3secondstotriggerthesiren*.
3Switch off the siren.
Press ALARM again.
Slide the switch to OFF.
*Thesirencanbetriggeredevenwhenthespeakerisswitchedoff.
Here’showyoudoit!
OR
Thesirenfeaturewasnotdesigned,
manufactured,orsoldforusein
emergencies.Creativeisnotliablefor
anylossofordamagetolife,healthor
property as a result of the use of this
product feature.
1InsertamicroSDcard.
2Start audio playback.
To play music files:
Press .
To play voice recordings:
Press(REC).
3ActivateBedtimeMode.
For 15 minutes:
Press and hold (REC)untilyouhear a beep.
For 30 minutes:
Press and hold (REC)untilyouhear two beeps.
OR
To deactivate Bedtime Mode:
Press .
REC
REC
Here’showyoudoit!
MIND-SHATTERING PERFORMANCE (cont.)
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 19THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 18
EXPERIENCING THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR
Loud Sounds Mode*
TheuniqueLoudSoundsfeatureisahandylittlefeature
thatisdesignedtokeepyoualert.Remember the times
when you were losing focus studying and you wished you
hadabuddytowakeyouup?Well,theSoundBlasterRoar
can’t guarantee it will help you ace your history test, but it
doespromisetohelpkeepyoualertthroughtheagonizing
times.Loudsoundbiteswillbeplayedatrandomtimesto
keep you on your toes.
Here’showyoudoit!
1SwitchontheLoudSoundsMode.
Loud sound bites will be played
at¾ofmaximumvolume.
Loud sound bites will be played
atmaximumvolume.
Sudden,loudandunexpectedsoundsmaykeeppeopleawake.However,theLoudSounds
featurewasnotdesigned,manufacturedorsoldtobeusedinsituationsthatrequires
absolutealertness;forexample,drivingandoperatingmachinery.Creativeisnotliablefor
anylossofordamagetolife,healthorpropertyasaresultoftheuseofthisproductfeature.
*Patentpending
Speakerphone
Breakawayfromansweringcallswithyourphone!
With Sound Blaster Roar, you can now have your
callsonthespeakerwithitsbuilt-inmicrophone
foranabsolutelyhands-freeexperience.Youcan
evenrecordyourcalls!
1Connectyoursmartdevice.
(Ensurethemicrophoneison)
2Presstoansweranincomingcall.
3Press again to end a call.
Here’showyoudoit!
To reject a call:
Pressandholdformorethan2seconds.
Voice Prompts
TheSoundBlasterRoarfeaturesanintuitivevoice
promptsystemthathelpsyousetupa
Bluetooth
connectionwithyourdevice.Onceyou’refamiliar
enough with the speaker, you have the option to
disablethevoiceprompts.
To disable voice prompts:
When the speaker is powered on, press
and –together.
Here’showyoudoit!
To enable voice prompts:
When the speaker is powered on, press
and +together.
MicroSD Card Reader
Easily modify contents of any microSD on your
computerviatheSoundBlasterRoar.Itfunctions
asamicroSDcardreaderwheneveryouconnectit
toacomputer.
12
LS
Audio Recorder
Youcanuse the Sound BlasterRoartorecord aphone conversation,a discussion,orevenasongplayingvia
Bluetooth
.Afolderlabeled“VOICE”willbeautomaticallycreatedonyourmicroSDcardbytheSoundBlasterRoar
to store all your audio recordings.
To skip recorded tracks:
Press or during playback.
microSD
Card
1InsertamicroSDcard.
2Select source.
Here’showyoudoit!
Press (REC)againtostoprecording.
From built-in microphone
Switchonthemicrophone.
–Recordsvoiceandsounds
pickedupbythemicrophone.
From Aux-in /
Bluetooth
source
Mutethemicrophone.
–RecordsAux-inaudio
directlyfromyourmedia
player or
Bluetooth
device.
3Press (REC)tostartrecording.
4Press (REC)toplaybackrecordings.
REC
REC
PLUS A WHOLE ARRAY OF MIND-SHATTERING FEATURES! (cont.)
APPENDIX: ENHANCING AUDIO PLAYBACK
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 20
The Sound Blaster Control Panel software works in tandem with the Sound Blaster Roar to give you real-time
enhancedcontroloveryourPC/Macaudio.Visithttp://www.soundblaster.com/downloads/SBCP to download the
Sound Blaster Control Panel.
SOUND BLASTER CONTROL PANEL FOR PC/MAC
Switch the Sound Blaster to USB Audio mode before
you install and run the Sound Blaster Control Panel.
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 21
SBX audio settings
• Showsthecurrentaudioproleloaded
• Selectanotherproleormodifysettings
PRE-DEFINED AUDIO PROFILES
Aselectionofpre-conguredSBXProStudio-enhancedaudioproleshavebeenoptimizedformostofyour
playback needs.
Click the SBX Profile menutoviewandselectanSBXProlethatmatchesyourplaybacktype.
Resources link
• TolearnmoreaboutCreativeproducts
THE SOUND BLASTER ROAR USER EXPERIENCE GUIDE 22
IntheSBX Profilescreen,clickthe[Edit]buttononthetoprightcornerandmodifytheoptionsasdesired.
SBX Surround–Movethesliderhigherto“open”upalargersoundeldandsimulateasurroundspeakersetup.A
lowerpercentagegivesamore“centered”audio.
SBX Crystalizer–Ahigherpercentagemeansalargeramountofaudiodetailsrestored.
SBX Bass–Slidetheslidertoadjusttheenhancementofbasssounds.Moreharmonictoneswillbeaddedthe
higheryougo.YoucanalsoadjusttheCrossoverFrequencytosetthetransitionofbass.
SBX Smart Volume–ActivateSmartVolumetonormalizevolumelevels(Normal),pumpupthevolume(Loud),or
reduceloudburstofsoundsforthoselatenightsessions(Night).Movetheslidertoadjusttheintensityaccordingly.
SBX Dialog Plus–Toheardramaticallyclearerdialog,slidethesliderhigherformorevoiceenhancement.
CUSTOMIzING PRE-DEFINED AUDIO PROFILES
TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS
Youcanalsoconfigure EqualizersettingsoftheactiveSBXProle.
IntheSBXProlescreen,click[Edit]andthenclick[Equalizer].
APPENDIX: ENHANCING AUDIO PLAYBACK
®
CorporateHeadquarters
CreativeTechnologyLtd,31InternationalBusinessPark#03-01CreativeResourceSingapore609921
Tel:+(65)68954000Fax:+(65)68954999CreativeWebsite:www.creative.com
FormoredetailsonSoundBlasterproducts,visitwww.soundblaster.com
©2014CreativeTechnologyLtd.Allrightsreserved.Creative,theCreativelogo,SoundBlaster,SoundBlasterRoarandSBXProStudioaretrademarksorregisteredtrademarksofCreativeTechnologyLtdinthe
UnitedStatesand/orothercountries.iPod,iPadandiPhonearetrademarksofAppleInc.,registeredintheU.S.andothercountries.AndroidisatrademarkofGoogleInc.Windowsisaregisteredtrademarkof
MicrosoftCorporationintheUnitedStatesandothercountries.The
Bluetooth
®wordmarkandlogoareownedbytheBluetoothSIG,Inc.andanyuseofsuchmarksbyCreativeTechnologyLtdisunderlicense.
aptXisatrademarkofCSRplc.Allothertrademarksarethepropertyoftheirrespectiveownersandareherebyrecognizedassuch.Allspecicationsaresubjecttochangewithoutnotice.Actualproductmay
differslightlyfromimagesshown.
Rev B
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