Soundbars are a great way to upgrade the TV viewing experience, but they have also made their way into the console and PC gaming environment. One example of a dedicated gaming soundbar that has gotten attention is the Razer Leviathan V2. There are also other options available, including the latest entry from Creative Technology, the Sound Blaster Katana SE.
Katana SE Overview
With versatile connectivity options, the Sound Blaster Katana SE is intended to be a great soundbar for gamers, movie lovers, and music enthusiasts without taking up a lot of space.
The Katana SE features a bi-amplified four-driver system and Creative’s proprietary multi-core DSP, which is designed to provide room-filling sound with clarity and volume, without the need for an external subwoofer.
The Katana SE speaker complement includes 0.75-inch fabric dome tweeters and dual up-firing 3-inch mid-bass drivers.
The Sound Blaster Katana SE also has a Dolby Audio decoder. This allows users to recreate the cinematic audio experience within the home environment.
The Sound Blaster Katana SE also incorporates Super X-Fi technology. This allows users to experience immersive audio through headphones, which is great for late-night gaming without disturbing others.
Gamers can also activate the SXFI Battle Mode and Scout Mode to gain a competitive advantage in FPS (First Person Shooter) games by pinpointing their enemy’s location with enhanced in-battle audio cues and sound detection.
By pairing the soundbar with the Creative app (iOS/Android), users can also personalize their audio experience with the Acoustic Engine suite and choose RGB illumination modes.
These customized settings can be saved as profiles on either the app or the programmable buttons on the remote control. This gives users access to several sound and lighting configurations.
For setup convenience, the soundbar can be wall-mounted, which saves desk or shelf space.
The Katana SE functions as an audio hub with several connectivity options such as USB, HDMI ARC, optical port, headphone jack, and Bluetooth.
The Katana SE works well with gaming consoles (PS5, PS4, Xbox series consoles, and Nintendo Switch) as well as PCs, Macs, and smartphones.
The Katana SE features a built-in beamforming microphone. This allows users to jump on calls directly from the soundbar and is handy for video conferencing.
Specifications
- Total System Power Output: Up to 90W RMS, Peak Power: 180W
- Frequency Response: 55–20,000 Hz
- Input Connections: HDMI ARC, USB-in, Optical-in (TOSLINK), Aux-in, DC-in
- Output Connections: Headphone, SXFI
- Bluetooth® Version: 5.0
- Bluetooth Profiles: A2DP. AVRCP
- Bluetooth Codec: SBC
- Dimensions: 650 x 109 x 78 mm / 25.6 x 4.3 x 3.1 inches
- Weight: 2.67 kg / 5.90 lbs
System Requirements
Here are the ways that users can access audio with the Katana SE.
- Analogue Audio (Stereo): Devices that support a 3.5mm stereo-to-stereo connection.
- Wireless Audio Streaming (Stereo): Compatible Bluetooth devices that support the Stereo Bluetooth Profile (A2DP)
- Wireless Audio Control: Compatible Bluetooth devices that support the Bluetooth Remote Control (AVRCP)
- For 5.1 Surround Audio Playback over USB: Windows PC, Mac OS, PS4, PS5
- For Dolby Audio 5.1 Audio Playback: Dolby Audio (Dolby Digital) source connected to Optical-in or HDMI-ARC
- For USB Audio and High-Res Audio 24-bit 96kHz Playback: Windows PC, Mac OS via USB Connection
- For Headphone Out: Supports 3.5mm headset 4 pole output with mic
- For SXFI Out: SXFI Theatre Headphone
- For Creative App: Microsoft® Windows® 10 32-bit or 64-bit, USB 2.0/3.0 port, iOS 11.0 or later, Android 7.0 and above
Package Contents
- 1 x Sound Blaster Katana SE
- 1 x Remote Control (batteries not included)
- 1 x Power Adapter
- 1 x Mains Cables
- 1 x TOSLINK Optical Cable
- 1 x USB-C to USB-A Cable
- 1 x Quick Start Guide
- 2 x Wall Mount Brackets
Pricing and Availability
Sound Blaster Katana SE is priced at $299.99 and is available at Creative.com.
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