If you enjoy gaming in a console on a regular basis, then one of the best gadgets that you can currently get for your console-gaming setup would be a soundbar. That’s essentially because nowadays, most soundbars are designed to offer you a much better audio-quality than the audio-quality that you’d be able to get from most TVs’ built-in speakers. That goes especially for soundbars that come equipped with speakers that feature support to Virtual Dolby Atmos Surround Sound. Moreover, soundbars can also be a great addition to any PC gamer’s setup, as they can be a great audio-output alternative for long gaming sessions, particularly for times when you need a break from wearing a gaming headset. So, if you’ve been looking for a decent soundbar for your console (or PC) gaming setup that’s capable of bringing you a high-quality sound, then the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 is a great soundbar model for you to go with.
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 is a tri-amplified multi-channel gaming soundbar equipped with 5 sound drivers which are all individually powered by a DSP controller that makes it capable of delivering a natural and realistic sound via true 5.1 channel hi-res playback with a certified Dolby Audio decoder, while also coming together with an external subwoofer unit, and also integrating dual built-in beamforming microphones for Voice Call support, Super X-Fi Technology for mirroring its multi-channel speaker sound directly to your headphones, a Scout Sound Mode for immersive gameplay, and a SXFI BATTLE Sound Mode for playing FPS Games, along with multiple connectivity options including an HDMI Out ARC port, a SXFI Out port, a USB-C Audio In port, an AUX In port, an Optical In port, a Subwoofer Out port, plus Bluetooth 5.0 Connectivity, as well as customizable EQ Settings and customizable RGB lighting via the Creative App.
Thanks to its game-changing tri-amplified multi-channel design, this newly released gaming soundbar can bring you an elevated sound experience for all of your gaming sessions on console or PC, and it can also offer you an amazing sound-quality for times that you’re watching movies or series on your TV.
Now, let’s have a more detailed look at the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 and check out everything that this tri-amplified multi-channel gaming soundbar has to offer you.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the soundbar’s size, the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 features a sleek and slim profile, measuring exactly 23.6 inches long by 3.74 inches wide by just 2.44 inches tall / thick (600 x 95 x 62 mm). It’s subwoofer also comes at a compact and slim size, measuring exactly 14.4 inches long by 5.9 inches wide by 14.4 inches tall (367 x 150 x 367 mm).
Regarding the system’s design, both the Sound Blaster Katana V2 as well as its external subwoofer unit feature an elegant and ultra-modern design that allows this soundbar setup to easily blend in with any living room setup as well as with any console gaming / PC gaming setup.
Moreover, both the soundbar and its external subwoofer unit also feature a very durable construction, as both devices are built of aluminum and constructed with superior engineering materials.
In sum, the whole system features an excellent build quality all around.
Moreover, just like most other soundbar models on the market, the Sound Blaster Katana V2 also supports Wall-Mounting, as it also comes together with a set of two (x2) Wall Mount Brackets in its package that can be used to ultimately have the soundbar neatly mounted on a wall beneath (or above) your Smart TV.
AUDIO SPECS & AUDIO QUALITY
Moving on to soundbar’s audio specifications. For reproducing its high-quality and immersive sound, the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 utilizes a set of 5 sound drivers that come arranged in a revolutionary tri-amplified multi-channel design.
To be a little more specific, the soundbar’s 5 sound drivers consist of a set of two (x2) mid-range drivers, a set of two (x2) all-new improved fabric dome tweeters, and 1 large subwoofer driver, which are all individually powered by a DSP controller that makes it capable of delivering a natural and realistic sound via true 5.1 channel hi-res playback with a certified Dolby Audio decoder (meaning it fully-supports Virtual Dolby Atmos Surround Sound).
This ultimately allows its 2 dome tweeters to deliver cleaner and more refined highs (i.e. treble / high-frequency sounds), its mid-range drivers to deliver powerful and precise mids (mid-frequency sounds), and its subwoofer driver to deliver a deeper and more impactful bass (low-frequency sounds).
Furthermore, the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 also comes together with an external subwoofer unit that makes it capable of delivering an even more punchy bass that what the fairly impressive bass that the soundbar can already deliver alone.
The soundbar itself features a Rated Output Power of 66W RMS (Root Mean Square). The entire sound system (meaning when using the soundbar together with its external subwoofer unit) features a Rated Output Power of 126W RMS, with a Rated Maximum Output Power (i.e. Rated Peak Power) of 252W RMS.
On top of its tri-amplified multi-channel 5 sound drivers, the Sound Blaster Katana V2 also integrates a set of dual built-in beamforming microphones that make it capable of being used for Voice Calls without you even having to grab a pair of headphones.
OTHER NOTABLE SOUND FEATURES
Super X-Fi Technology
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 also comes integrated with a truly revolutionary Super X-Fi sound technology (configurable via the SXFI App for iOS and Android), which is used for mirroring the soundbar’s multi-channel speaker sound directly to your headphones.
In other words, the soundbar’s Super X-Fi sound technology captures the listening experience of its high-end multi-speaker system in a professional studio, and then recreates that same expansive and immersive listening experience by playing it directly into your headphones, which is a great sound functionality to have available for times that you need to be more quiet (such as for playing your video games with the soundbar’s immersive listening experience specifically at nighttime).
Special Sound Modes
Scout Sound Mode
The soundbar’s Scout Sound Mode is used for an immersive gameplay experience, as it focuses on sound-detection through enhanced audio cues, highlighting each and every in-game detail that could make or break the game. Whether it’s the sound of your enemies’ gun reload or the slightest sound of a footstep, Scout Mode is sure to bring any important sound cues right to your ears.
While the soundbar’s Scout Sound Mode is available for both speaker and headphone modes, note that it is more optimized for headphones.
SXFI BATTLE Sound Mode
The soundbar’s SXFI BATTLE Sound Mode is the best sound mode for when you’re playing FPS Games, as it allows you to hear realistic audio cues that not only highlight the direction of bullets, but also the distance from which those shots are taken in-game as well, which ultimately makes you capable of accurately pinpointing your enemies’ location down to the millimeter.
INTERFACE / CONTROL PANEL
We’ll now take a look at the soundbar’s entire interface. Starting at its front-side, integrated directly at the center we have a built-in LED Display Screen that informs users about the soundbar’s currently selected connection method.
Then, at the back-side, we have the different connection ports the Sound Blaster Katana V2, which, as said earlier, features multiple connectivity options.
Going from left to right, the soundbar’s connection ports include an HDMI Out ARC port, a SXFI Out port, a USB-C Audio In port, an AUX In port, an Optical In port, a Subwoofer Out port, and finally, the soundbar’s dedicated Power Input port.
Lastly, at the top-side of the soundbar, there’s also a set of LED Status Lights that represent which connection method the soundbar currently has selected.
CONNECTIVITY
On top of all of the soundbar’s connection ports, the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 also boasts Bluetooth 5.0 Connectivity, for which it features a wireless range that can go up to 33 ft. (10 m) while working on a Operating Frequency that varies between 2402–2480 MHz, while also featuring support to SBC wireless codec, plus support to both A2DP and AVRCP Bluetooth Profiles as stereo streaming protocols.
THE REMOTE CONTROL
The Sound Blaster Katana V2 comes with a comprehensive remote control that allows users to access all of its different settings.
Other than its basic audio controls, users can also change the soundbar’s audio source, as well as switch RGB lighting presets, or even access a custom function that’s saved on one of the remote’s six (x6) customizable buttons.
THE SMARTPHONE COMPANION APP – The Creative App
The soundbar can also be configured via Smartphone by resorting to its dedicated Smartphone Companion App, called the Creative App, which is available to download for free for both iOS and Android devices, as well as for Windows and MacOS.
Via the Creative App, users can customize all of the soundbar’s EQ Settings, including the soundbar’s volume, as well as multiple audio effects.
Moreover, via the Creative App, users can also customize the soundbar’s RGB lighting, for which they have a total of 16.8 million colors to choose from.
What’s more is that users can even save multiple custom RGB lighting presets to any of the programmable buttons on the soundbar’s remote control.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside their package, users will find: their Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Soundbar, the soundbar’s included Subwoofer unit, the soundbar’s Power Adapter and its Remote Control, as well as an Optical Cable, a USB-C to USB-A Cable, a set of Wall Mount Brackets, and a Quick Start Guide.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 is a tri-amplified multi-channel gaming soundbar equipped with 5 sound drivers which are all individually powered by a DSP controller that makes it capable of delivering a natural and realistic sound via true 5.1 channel hi-res playback with a certified Dolby Audio decoder, while also coming together with an external subwoofer unit, and also integrating dual built-in beamforming microphones for Voice Call support, Super X-Fi Technology for mirroring its multi-channel speaker sound directly to your headphones, a Scout Sound Mode for immersive gameplay, and a SXFI BATTLE Sound Mode for playing FPS Games, along with multiple connectivity options including an HDMI Out ARC port, a SXFI Out port, a USB-C Audio In port, an AUX In port, an Optical In port, a Subwoofer Out port, plus Bluetooth 5.0 Connectivity, as well as customizable EQ Settings and customizable RGB lighting via the Creative App.
To summarize, this is a high-end gaming soundbar that can bring you a truly immersive sound experience for gaming on console and on PC, and it can also offer you an amazing sound-quality for watching movies and series, as well as any other TV (or video) content.
If you’re interested in buying it, each unit is currently priced at $329.99, and each purchase is also accompanied by a 1-Year Warranty (for non-EU countries), or a 2-Year Warranty (for EU countries). You can order yours online right now, either directly from Creative’s official shopping page, or alternatively, you can instead get it from Amazon, if you’d prefer.
