Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Multi-Channel Gaming Soundbar Review

Testing audio quality is very subjective and cannot be measured without thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment.  Even then, no two people hear sound quite the same way.  Still comparing audio provides a way to determine how clearly you might hear different instruments on a music track or how well you can identify direction in a surround sound game. 

For comparison I set the Katana V2 up the same way I tested the original BlasterX Katana. The testing setup will be via USB from my gaming rig, this time using USB C and the latest application version (1.5.9.0).  The sub-woofer is under my desk and about four feet directly from my seat.  The sound bar is under my monitor and unblocked at about 4 feet from my primary listening spot. This puts the distance to the primary sound stage at about 4 feet.  The office is about 14x14 and completely closed to let the sound bar work with the acoustics of the room.

I always start my testing with some of my favorite FLAC recordings. I like to start with a little Pink Floyd using the 5.1 mixes to get a good impression of the richness of the sound stage. The added power really seems to flesh out the sound at lower volumes and adds clarity in the mids and highs.  The Katana v2 is like a trusted old friend encouraging exploration of all my musical favorites from Gary Numan to Imagine Dragons with sound quality that rivals a good set of book shelf speakers. As with the previous Katana, I found some tweaking to the EQ was needed to bring out the bass. The new, larger subwoofer is crisp and eager to perform if limited to more of a mid bass range.

For Gaming I plugged my favorite set of Sennheiser HD 6xx headphones directly into the Katana and enabled the Super X-Fi Battle profile.  Strangely, when I open the Super X-Fi widget and log in the software does not detect a compatible device.  Hopefully this is a bug that will get quickly resolved as it makes my custom headphone profile unavailable for the Super X-Fi modes through the onboard port.

Unlike the BlasterX version, there is no preset for the Battlefield series so choosing the default gaming setting sets the processing to onboard and enables the Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine.  For gaming the Katana brought incredible clarity to my Senn’s providing an almost clinical sound quality that took some getting used to.  Once I dialed in the admittedly poor EA sound options, I found the directional sound quite good considering the source.

I should also mention the new remote design.  Gone is the credit card style remote we found with the original Katana.  Now we have a full featured remote that controls nearly every feature with ease, no PC software required.  Once your Super X-Fi settings are stored onboard you are set to migrate to a console or home theater setup if you desire.

When I first reviewed the BlasterX Katana I questioned if a soundbar had a place in my PC gaming setup. I am happy to say I quickly found the Katana a centerpiece in my gaming setup and have used it extensively on my PlayStation gaming setup ever since. My Katana even did a stint as my primary home theater solution during a move and handled it like a champ!

I am happy to say the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Multi-Channel Gaming Soundbar improves on the original Katana in nearly every way. The sound quality is so much fuller and the Super X-Fi functionality is like magic when used with a supported headphone set.  It looks great and is so easy to use. I honestly find the Katana V2 a strong one size fits all solution for both your gaming setup and any smaller home theater solution.

It is simply hard to think of anything more I could ask for in a small gaming soundbar.

Built in Sound card functionality
Great Amp/DAC solution
Class leading sound quality
Improved Remote
RGB looks great

Super X-Fi requires phone/PC setup
Stand height is not adjustable
No Mic-in for gaming headphones