It’s worth reiterating that if sound quality is your primary concern, true wireless earbuds might not be the optimal choice. This technology often prioritizes aesthetics and cable-free designs, potentially compromising audio fidelity due to bandwidth limitations inherent in the wireless connection between the earbuds. Apple AirPods remain a dominant force in the true wireless market. While the Pro model shows improvement in audio quality, its cost can be disproportionately high relative to its performance. For the same or less money, over-ear headphones can offer significantly superior sound quality. Consider the Audio-Technica M50xBT, for instance.
This review focuses on the Creative Outlier Gold from Creative Labs. Once known primarily as a sound card manufacturer, Creative Labs has evolved into a versatile audio company with a range of impressive products, as demonstrated in previous reviews. The Outlier Gold represents Creative’s initial foray into true wireless earbuds and boasts support for their proprietary sound enhancement technology, Super X-Fi (detailed in our review of the SFXI Air). However, the utility of this feature is significantly limited, potentially restricting its benefits for many users.
Design and Technology
The Creative Outlier Gold makes a strong first impression with its aesthetic design. The earbuds and charging case feature a refined gold-metallic finish, achieving a balance of style and subtlety. The clean, symmetrical shape suggests a higher build quality than typical plastic true wireless earbud cases. The case, of course, recharges the earbuds and is charged via USB-C, a standard feature in 2020.
The technical specifications are commendable. The earbuds offer a rated battery life of 14 hours per charge, which aligned with our testing. The charging case provides slightly more than two full recharges, extending the total battery life to approximately 39 hours, sufficient for most users. The Outlier Gold incorporates Bluetooth 5.0, which contributes to power efficiency and supports dual audio (on compatible devices). Dual audio allows simultaneous streaming of audio content to two separate Bluetooth devices. This feature enables, for example, audio sharing from a single phone to two pairs of Bluetooth headphones, a useful option for shared movie watching.
Furthermore, the Outlier Gold boasts an IP5 rating for moisture resistance (e.g., sweat) and supports both Apple’s AAC codec and Qualcomm’s aptX codec. While aptX is generally preferred, it necessitates a non-Apple device (such as a Xiaomi Note 10, which also supports Bluetooth 5.0).
Outlier Gold: Audio Performance
The Outlier Gold delivers satisfactory audio quality out-of-the-box. However, optimal performance is achieved by using the largest comfortable eartips and connecting to an aptX-compatible audio source playing high-resolution audio (e.g., Tidal). Under these conditions, the earbuds provide impressive sound. The bass response is warm and relatively full, particularly notable for this form factor. The midrange could benefit from improved detail, but it is well-balanced and generally handles most genres effectively. The Outlier Gold presents a viable true wireless option for users who prioritize sound quality.
The question then becomes: how much does the SXFI technology (which creates a personalized profile based on your facial and ear biometrics) enhance the audio experience? The answer is: it does improve the sound, but only with locally stored files, and not with any streaming service. This limitation significantly reduces its practical value. In today’s market, where streaming services like Spotify and Tidal provide access to vast music libraries (often in high resolution), few users maintain extensive local music collections in formats like MP3. Furthermore, video streaming services (YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video) do not support SXFI. The feature is restricted to playing locally stored audio files within Creative’s proprietary audio application. The manufacturer does state, albeit vaguely on the packaging, that SFXI is implemented via “software,” however, the implementation remains confusing and ultimately limiting. The SFXI app includes a capable equalizer (EQ) that can be used to tailor the audio to different genres. However, the limited scope of application diminishes its overall appeal. This is unfortunate.
Outlier Gold: Conclusion
Creative has delivered a set of highly competent earbuds. The Outlier Gold currently stands out as a top contender in the true wireless category, particularly in terms of sound quality and design. Its performance is enhanced by pairing with an aptX-compatible device and a high-quality audio source (Tidal is preferable), while still maintaining good audio fidelity with AAC and Spotify. SXFI offered an interesting enhancement but its severely limited usability detracts from its value. Hopefully this will be addressed in future models.
Given its attractive price point, excellent battery life, and strong audio performance, the Creative Outlier Gold earns a strong recommendation. The potential of the SXFI feature remains largely unrealized. While they may not be an absolute must-have, the Outlier Gold should be seriously considered by anyone seeking high-quality true wireless earbuds within this price range.
