This small, cheap soundbar has custom modes so you can sit right next to it, or use it to fill a room from your TV

• The Creative Stage Pro is a compact but powerful 2.1 soundbar
• Switchable near-field or far-field listening modes
• Launching "around" August 19 for £139 / $169

As much as I love a giant neighbor-frightening sound system, some of the best soundbars are too big, too powerful and too expensive for more modest spaces and set-ups or for using with a desktop PC. Creative's new Stage Pro is a compact soundbar designed for those more modest spaces and budgets, and it promises room-filling sound from a relatively small footprint.

The unique selling point here is Creative's SuperWide, which it says expands the soundstage beyond the physical limits of the soundbar to deliver an "unexpectedly expansive and spatial listening experience."

Creative Stage Pro: key features and pricing

The specification here is impressive: there's 160W of peak power (80W RMS) through a Dolby Audio / Dolby Digital Plus 2.1-speaker setup that includes a long-throw subwoofer; HDMI ARC with CEC; Bluetooth 5.3; and optical, aux and USB connectivity.

There are two listening modes: near-field for desktop/close-up listening, and far-field for living rooms and similar spaces.

That's all packed into the frame of a cereal box-shaped subwoofer that's only 42cm / 16.5 inches deep, and the soundbar itself, which is 55cm / 21.6 inches wide and 11cm / 4.4 inches deep.

This looks like a good option for gamers, student accommodation and smaller apartments, and it's priced keenly too: the official price is £139.99 / $169.99 (about AU$288) – though in the UK, Creative is currently offering it for £129.99.

You might also like

• The best soundbars: TV audio upgrade for all budgets
• The best Dolby Atmos soundbars for all budgets
• I test soundbars for a living – here are 3 Dolby Atmos models I really recommend