Harman International has just announced the availability of JBL’s Creature III. The new speakers share a close resemblance to the previous version and look like ghosts from Pac Man. JBL calls them Sci-Fi inspired.
The new speakers are available in black or white colors and have a 3.5mm input for connecting to Mac or PCs. The drivers in the satellites are 40mm units and the subwoofer is a 3-inch unit. The dimensions of the satellite speakers are 3″ x 3″ x 2-3/4″ and the sub measures 9″ x 9″ x 9″. With an overall power of 25 watts, namely 5 watts per satellite and 15 watts for the subwoofer, the Creature III has a price of $129.99.JBL uses its latest Odyssey transducer technology in the speakers and the Creature II speakers are available exclusively at the Apple Store and on Apple.com.
REVIEW 15 December 2010
JBL Creature III speakers Review on Digital Versus
3/5
“That said, given the size of these speakers–the satellites fit into a cube measuring 75 mm along each side and the woofer is no bigger than 230 mm in any direction–the sound produced is pretty reasonable. You just can’t take the volume too far, or spend your whole time listening to bass-heavy music like metal, hip-hop or electro. Overall, the Creature III speakers are more fun to look at than they are to listen to. We’d certainly plump for their design, and they’ll be fine alongside a computer that you use for occasionally listening to music–but they aren’t up to anything more advanced”
JBL Creature III speakers Review on ExpertReview
4/5
Spend a little time adjusting your Mac’s audio output and you’ll be very happy with the Creature III. However, the Creature II can still be snapped up online for as little as £60. For a significant saving of 40%, we think you’ll be just as happy with them.
JBL Creature III speakers Review on E-gear.com
In conclusion, this system is not for the high-end speaker enthusiast. However, for an MSRP of $129.99, it is certainly worth a second look. It’s stylish, makes an ideal gift for any hardcore gamer or college student and is the perfect addition to any desk, dorm room or small living area. Oh, and most importantly, it produces a great sound! EG”
JBL Creature III speakers Review on TechDiggest
“The Creature III speakers are not flawless however. Volume is controlled via two “capacitance- touch” buttons placed on one of the satellite speakers which for me personally were overly sensitive, and lacked a visual prompt to measure volume levels. There was also on occasion a low hiss when the speakers should have been silent. Minor gripes though they may be, they seem to be problems overlooked that could have easily been addressed, and with an RRP of £99, you’d have expected JBL to have done so.”
JBL Creature III speakers Review on Cnet
3/5
“These speakers from JBL will not only slake your thirst for good design but will also astound you with their excellent sound quality. The JBL Creature 2.1 powered speaker system plugs into your iPod’s headphone jack or the line-out jack on its cradle and outputs to three speakers: a subwoofer powerful enough to shake your desk and two high-quality satellites that reproduce sounds at more than 180Hz. Combined, this system delivers superb sound in every register. The Creature speakers are sold in three colors: white, silver, and blue.
The BASS and TREBLE controls are BACKWARDS! Turning either knob to (+) DECREASES its effect, while turning either knob to (-) INCREASES its effect. Played around in the Apple Store for 10 minutes with this, and could not believe that this was not caught by quality control. Unbelievable (but true).
As for sound, I’d rate them a 4 (out of 5). Midrange is weak, but this can be corrected with the equalizer in iTunes. Bass had a slight buzz, too.