Bangalore: July 19  2016: The Singapore-based Creative has long been a respected name for  audio accessories. Sound Blaster  Roar is their Bluetooth speaker range  and the latest --  Soundblaster Roar 2--  is smaller and lighter than its predecessor but belts out the same sound from its  5 speakers.
Creative has bundled a host of useful functions that makes this the Renaissance Man among Bluetooth speakers:    a built in power source: a 6000 mAh battery; a one-touch  voice recorder;  Near Field Communication ( NFC) technology that makes  Bluetooth pairing a simple tap; a speakerphone mode that  will be useful if you do  a teleconference  and something that is always useful in a speaker-- a built-in player for MP3  and WMA formats  that plays directly from a  microSD card.
All go to make this one of the most versatile Bluetooth speakers  at this price bracket ( Rs 16,999).  And in a throwback to its PC card days, the Sound Blaster 2 also works as an external sound card to  a PC or Mac, if you connect it through USB.
But ask me what I found most useful.    the speaker's Bedtime mode, which gently reduce the volume before it switches off. Sweet dreams!   - Anand Parthasarathy