You’ve completed building your powerful, RGB-lit gaming PC; got yourself a comfortable, fancy new gaming chair; and purchased a large, ultra-fast, TV-like gaming monitor. Now, aren’t you forgetting something? Yes, a killer audio gear to tie up your setup.
Sure, a generic Php3,000 computer speaker should do just fine. But after spending that much money on everything, why not go all in and get a fancy 5.1-channel soundbar for your setup as well?
Now, we’re not saying that you have to spend an unreasonable amount of money. In fact, the one we’re taking a look at today may be more expensive than traditional computer speakers, but boy does it sound much better. And it looks great, too.
But enough talking, let’s start our Sound Blaster Katana V2 review.
Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Specs
- 5.1-channel soundbar
- 2x 63mm 2.5-inch mid-range drivers
- 2x 19mm 3/4-inch tweeters
- 1x 165mm 6.5-inch subwoofer
- 50-20,000Hz frequency range
- Built-in microphone
- Black-and-white display
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- HDMI ARC
- Optical In
- AUX In
- USB-C In/Out
- SXFI-out
- up to 126W RMS, 252W peak power output
- Packaging: Remote control, power adapter, optical cable, USB-C to USB-A cable, 2x wall mount brackets
What’s in the box?
The Katana V2 arrived with a pretty enormous box, but not like the L-shaped ones that most soundbars come with. It has the standard square box that’s easy to carry and is printed with all of the product’s features and design to get you excited to get it out right away.
Inside, there’s the main soundbar, the large subwoofer with the cable to connect to the main unit attached, a remote control, power brick with three different socket options, 1x optical cable, 1x USB-C to USB-A cable, 2x wall mount brackets with screws, the user guide, and other documentations.
We appreciate how Creative included three different outlets to cater to different countries. No need for adapters.
It would’ve been nice if Creative included free AAA batteries for the remote. However, it’s not a big deal since you can still operate the system entirely using the buttons on the soundbar and via the PC, Mac, and mobile apps (more on that later).
Design and Build Quality
Unlike other peripherals, soundbars don’t really have to stand out. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It should only have to look clean, subtle, and well-built, so you’re eyes are focused on your monitor, as it should be.
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 is just that. The front has grills for the three speakers blasting audio right at your face.
There’s a display in the middle that appears to be only protected by plastic and not glass. It’s a fingerprint magnet and we’re already noticing hairline scratches after a few days of using it — all of which are not noticeable, though, since the surface is predominantly dark.
The display area is where you’d find the 3.5mm headphone port, which is conveniently located, so you can easily plug in a pair of headphones if you’re gaming at night and don’t want to bother other people. It also has two tiny holes in here for the microphones.
On the top, we have a brushed metal surface, which means it stays clean from fingerprint markets every time you touch the buttons. We also have the Sound Blaster logo here.
Also on top are the two rounded grills on each side for the other two speaker drivers. These two speakers are responsible for the surround sound.
As for the buttons, the first one is the power/Bluetooth pairing button with an LED indicator on top. Next to it is the volume down, volume up, Source switcher, Mode, and SXFI with its own LED indicator on top. These buttons are clicky and easy to press.
The material on the back is plastic, which continues at the bottom. There’s a notch to hide all the ports. There are also cooling vents on the back and the bottom for some airflow.
Of course, the RGB panel is also here at the bottom, which spans the width of the soundbar. It provides a clean glowing effect that can spruce up your desk setup. There are pre-installed RGB modes that you can shuffle through using the remote, or customize them using the app. In addition, there are RGB modes that can react to music.
Creative has also added angled rubber bumpers on the bottom, so it stays still on your table. The said bumpers already have holes in them to easily put the screws on if you decide to use the included wall bracket.
Meanwhile, the subwoofer unit is noticeably large and heavy. It’s 14 inches tall and wide. The speaker driver is on the left, while the outer frame is really clean and only has the attached RCA cable to connect to the main unit. Rubber feet at the bottom to prevent unnecessary vibrations.
The subwoofer is made out of wood with a textured surface around it. Make sure to place it under your table for better bass response.
Creative did a good job at designing the exterior of the Sound Blaster Katana V2. It looks clean, subtle, and durable while adding the right amount of flare to your setup thanks to the RGB light.
The Katana V2 will look good in your gaming setup sitting on your desk or wall-mounted below your TV in your living room.
Interface and Ports
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 is straightforward and easy to operate. Simply plug the AC adapter and the subwoofer in the back, turn the power on, and you’re good. If you want to pair a Bluetooth device, press and hold the power button and wait for the LED indicator to blink in blue.
It comes with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. It’s fine for playing music and watching movies, but there’s a noticeable delay when playing games. If that’s your primary purpose, it’s better to use a wired connection.
If you want a more reliable connection, there are a bunch of ports on the back. From left to right, there’s the HDMI Out ARC that’s great for living room setups, SXFI Out, USB-C Audio in, AUX IN, Optical In, SUB Out (for the subwoofer), and the 24V/3A port for the power adapter. There’s also the 3.5mm headphone port on the front if you want to easily plug in headphones for private listening.
You can easily switch between inputs via the “Source” button on top of the soundbar, the remote, or the app. The screen on the front will perpetually display what source you’re in: Bluetooth, TV (HDMI ARC), Music, USB, Optical In, or AUX.
This is where you can really appreciate the display. Unlike other display-less speakers, it lets you easily know what source you’re in, and what Audio mode (Gaming, Movie, Music, etc.) you’re in when switching and also shows the percentage progress when you update the software.
Oh, and if you’re not familiar with SXFI, it’s Creative’s proprietary technology that allows you to improve your basic headphones for better audio. It can be configured via a dedicated app you can download on both Android and iOS.
Remote Controller and App
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 has a pretty elaborate remote. We appreciate how you can easily control the soundbar with it, but honestly, they could’ve designed it better to be less intimidating and more straightforward.
Still, we love it. You can easily control the volume, switch modes, sources, play with the RGB lights, and even control the music so you don’t have to go back to your computer desk to change music if you’re mingling while having house parties.
It also has custom keys labeled C1 to C10 in the last row. Each of their functions can be assigned via the dedicated app.
For finer control, you can download the accompanying app available on iOS, Android, PC, and macOS. Here, you can really customize the equalizer, RGB lighting, and mixer, play with the Super X-Fi, enhance your voice with the built-in microphones, assign custom buttons on the remote, and more. You can check them out below.
Also, make sure you periodically check the app for software updates. During the 1 week of testing, we received two software updates via the app. This is a good sign that Creative has great support and is committed to updating it in the long run.
The update process is fairly fast, especially when connected via the USB-C port. You’d immediately get a prompt that an update is available when you open the app. Then, all you have to do is press Download, and wait for the process to finish. A progress indicator can be seen on the soundbar’s display.
Sound Quality
If you’re an audiophile who likes a clean, accurate, balanced sound, then this one is not for you. But if what you want is powerful, mind-blowing, expressive audio for gaming, music, and movies? Then you’re looking at it.
This 5.1-channel system offers a lot of detail in the lows, mids, and highs. The main soundbar provides detailed treble and vocals that are great for musical instruments and dialog, while the large subwoofer provides thumping bass. The bass is so strong you can hear rattling around the house, so be careful with it.
In addition, the surround sound is audible. It’s great for watching action films and, more importantly, for hearing footsteps and gunshots in shooter games, similar to what you’d get from gaming headphones.
We also didn’t notice any distortion or crackling even when we maxed out the volume. In fact, it’s when you hit 60% to 100% volume that you start to really appreciate its power.
However, you may have to play with the different audio profiles or Modes (as what Creative calls it). By default, it’s set to “Effects Off”. We tried different profiles and settled with the “Movie” profile as it offered punchy treble and bass that’s great on anything: music, Netflix and chill, and gaming.
Bottom line is, that we really enjoyed the sound quality we got out of the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2, whether it’s for PC gaming, watching movies, listening to music on Spotify, having house parties, and even just watching YouTube videos or playing mobile shooter games with no delay via the USB-C input.
Verdict
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 is undeniably one of the best desktop speakers on the market right now. The elaborate 5.1 channel setup is crammed in a tight package to provide a powerful, thumping, and rich sound that’s great for playing games, listening to music, and even watching movies if you decide to place it in your living room.
Pair that with a clean design, a customizable RGB light that can spruce up your setup, a bunch of I/O options (even HDMI ARC), and a detailed remote and mobile/PC/Mac app, and you have a robust audio gear that not only sounds great, looks good, but is easy to operate on a daily despite all its features.
Still, it’s definitely not perfect. For one, you have to play with the sound effects/modes to get the best audio, the panel that’s protecting the screen is of poor quality, and the bulky package feels unnecessarily large.
Still, the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 is easily one of the fanciest yet reasonably-priced audio setups around, whether it’s for your gaming PC or entertainment area.
Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 price and availability
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 is available in Creative Philippines’ official stores in Lazada and Shopee for a price of Php20,500.
Pros
- Clean design
- Customizable RGB lights
- Powerful, detailed sound
- Plethora of I/O options
- Comprehensive remote and app
Cons
- Unimpressive sound quality without Sound Modes enabled
- Front display prone to fingerprints, hairline scratches
- Bulky subwoofer