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A couple of days ago, Creative announced the new Sound Blaster Katana V2 soundbar which is their new flagship gaming soundbar with Super X-Fi Headphone Holography and more.

This will sit above the existing BlasterX Katana, but below the home theatre orientated £900 Dolby Atmos Creative SXFI Carrier, which I somehow didn’t realise existing until now.

Price Comparison

The Sound Blaster Katana V2 launched at £299, which is £20 more than the RRP of the older BlasterX Katana, however, that has now been reduced to £199. on the Creative website, but still £279 on Amazon.

What has improved?

It comes with some decent upgrades including:

  • Larger subwoofer with a 165mm driver (up from 133mm)
  • Increased power output up to 126RMS vs 75RMS
  • Significantly upgraded connectivity with HDMI Arc allowing this to work well with modern TVs and therefore a great console soundbar
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • USB-C instead of USB-A
  • Now features Super X-Fi, SXFI BATTLE Mode, Built-in Microphone and customisable buttons on the remote.

Sound Blaster Katana V2 vs BlasterX Katana Specification Comparison

CreativeSound Blaster Katana V2Sound BlasterX Katana
DimensionsSoundbar: 600 x 95 x 62 mm (23.6 x 3.74 x 2.44 inches)
Subwoofer: 150 x 367 x 367 mm (5.9 x 14.4 x 14.4 inches)
Soundbar: 600 x 79 x 60 mm (23.6 x 3.1 x 2.4 inches)
Subwoofer: 130 x 299 x 333 mm (5.1 x 11.8 x 13.1 inches)
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.0
HDMI ARC
Optical-in
AUX-in
USB-C
SXFI-out
Bluetooth 4.2
Optical-in
AUX-in
USB-A
USB Flashdrive
Drivers2 x 63 mm (2.5") mid-range drivers
2 x 19 mm (¾") tweeters
1 x 165 mm (6.5") subwoofer driver
2 x 63 mm (2.5") mid-range drivers
2 x 34 mm (1.3") tweeters
1 x 133 mm (5.25") subwoofer driver
Power OutputUp to 126W RMS (252W Peak)Up to 75W RMS (150W Peak)
Frequency Range50—20,000 Hz50—20,000 Hz
Sound Blaster Acoustic EngineYesYes
Super X-FiYesNo
SXFI BATTLE ModeYesNo
Customizable Buttons on RemoteYesNo
Built-in MicrophoneYesNo

Full Press Release

Creative Technology today announced the release of Sound Blaster Katana V2, the successor to the original Sound BlasterX Katana which had been regarded by many as the definitive gaming soundbar. Completely redesigned with an all-new sleek form factor, it delivers 68% more power than before, features improved audio dynamics and transforms the headphone experience with Super X-Fi Headphone Holography – this new Katana is a menacing weapon for desktop and console gamers alike. 

Sound Blaster Katana V2 has sharpened the rough edges of its popular predecessor in both form and function. 

Gaming Sounds Exciting Again 

The Sound Blaster Katana V2 personifies the culmination of Creative’s best audio technologies as it brings games and movies to life through its 5.1 channel playback. Delivering the sound signature of a high-end Sound Blaster, built with more than 30 years of audio processing expertise, it retains the acclaimed tri-amplified design of its predecessor, where each of its 5 drivers is powered individually by Creative’s proprietary multi-core DSP controller. The audio quality is enhanced further through improved fabric dome tweeters for cleaner and more refined highs, and a larger, more imposing subwoofer for deeper yet impactful bass performance.

For users who prefer to shut out the world or battle away late into the night without disturbing others, Super X-Fi Headphone Holography, a multiple award-winning technology which recreates the soundstage of a high-end multi-speaker system in headphones, is the compelling solution. Built into the Sound Blaster Katana V2 with the integrated Super X-Fi UltraDSP chip, users will experience holographic audio that is personalized according to how they hear sound, and enjoy an unprecedented level of realism as they fully immerse themselves in a movie, or dive right into the gaming battlefield. 

Enemy-spotting gets easier than ever before – with SXFI BATTLE Mode, a sound mode which is specially designed to give FPS gamers an unprecedented edge in enhanced audio cues, both for directionality and distance. There is also Scout Mode, a familiar Sound Blaster feature which focuses on sound detection so that opponents are heard before they are seen moving on screen. 

With an integrated Dolby Audio decoder, users get to enjoy the cinematic experience not just while gaming, but also while movie-binging on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime. 

All-in-One Audio Hub

The Sound Blaster Katana V2 can be customized to sound and look just the way users like it. When connected to the Creative app (both desktop and mobile), users can choose from various EQ settings and tune the audio with the Acoustic Engine suite. Furthermore, the redesigned RGB lighting strip features various illumination mode selections across 16.8 million colors, which intuitively reactive to the playback content.  These settings can be saved as customized profiles on either the app or the programmable buttons on the remote control. 

It is comprehensively decked out with a multitude of connectivity options, with HDMI ARC and optical ports, wireless Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C port for USB audio support, 3.5mm AUX-in and SXFI-out for certified Super X-Fi products. It is compatible with desktops and consoles alike, including PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

All in all, the Sound Blaster Katana V2 provides a complete entertainment experience which transcends beyond what is expected of a gaming soundbar.

Pricing and Availability

Sound Blaster Katana V2 is priced at £299, US$329.99 and is available at Creative.com.

For more information, visit www.creative.com/KatanaV2.

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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