Review: Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X Gaming Soundbar

A year back, Creative unveiled an update for their most popular gaming soundbar – the Sound Blaster Katana V2. And about a year later, we have a new Sound Blaster Katana V2X. But do not mistaken the newer V2X to be an upgrade of the V2. In fact, the new Sound Blaster Katana V2X soundbar is a cheaper version of the V2, for people looking for a smaller subwoofer and a lower price. The Sound Blaster Katana V2X retails for S$419, S$60 cheaper (13%) than the V2.

Unboxing

In the box, you will find the following:

• Sound Blaster Katana V2X Soundbar
• Subwoofer
• AC Adapter
• AC Cable (3 types)
• Optical Cable (Toslink)
• USB Cable C to A cable
• IR Remote Control
• Quick Start Guide
• Wall Mount Brackets (x2) and screws

Tech specs

As you can tell, there are only 2 key differences between the V2 and V2X, and that is (1) price, and (2) overall audio output power. Although it looks like it is just the soundbar that has been switched out, the soundbar of the V2X is actually different from that of the V2. The V2X soundbar outputs combined 10W RMS on the tweeters compared to 26W RMS on the V2, despite both having same sized tweeters.

Build quality and design

Since the Katana V2X is marketed as a gaming soundbar, it didn’t go with the typical modern boxy looky such as on the Creative Stage. Instead, the Katana V2X feature distinct angled edges, as its name suggest, to resemble a katana. The size of the Katana V2X is actually quite compact. At just 6cm tall, it can definitely fit under all monitors. And the length of 60cm is roughly the same as the length of a 27-inch monitor.

The Katana V2X is slightly angled upwards, with the ends of the soundbar flared outwards. The top of the soundbar also reveals the two upwards firing speakers. There is a slight design difference on the top of the soundbar of the Katana V2X compared to the V2. Instead of the brushed metallic finish found on the V2, the V2X has a more matte finish with a dark grey colour. Personally, I prefer the look of the Katana V2X as I am not a fan of devices with brushed aluminium, but of course your preference may vary.

Since it is a gaming soundbar, you have RGB lighting on the Katana V2X which is implemented in the form of a diffused bar that will glow under the soundbar. I like how the RGB lighting is done on the Katana V2X as it offers a subtle undertone that is not in your face. You can customize the colour, brightness, and effect in the Creative App (which we will. discuss later below).

As I don’t have the Katana V2, I cannot really compare the new subwoofer size difference between that and the V2X. Creative states that the subwoofer in the Katana V2X is 40% smaller than that of the V2, and they do so by shedding thickness on the sides and depth, and adding to the height. At around 12cm thick, you should be able to find some space to slot between your TV console or under your desk. You can check out a size comparison between the 13-inch MacBook Air below.

There is a display panel in the middle of the soundbar to let you know the mode that it is in, and also houses two beam-forming microphones. I found that the panel is quite sensitive to micro-scratches. When it comes to build quality, both the soundbar and the subwoofer are pretty well constructed. The plastic used feels of good quality, and the buttons on the soundbar have a tactile feeling that does not have a mushy bottom out.

Connectivity and controls

The controls of the Katana V2X are conveniently located at the top of the soundbar for easy access, along with a headphone jack at the front. On the back, you will find a wide array of connections. You can use the Katana V2X with your TV as it comes with HDMI ARC (audio return channel) support and Optical connection. You can get Dolby Audio 5.1 playback (Dolby Digital) if you are connected via HDMI ARC or Optical.

For use with your PC or Mac, you can connect it to the AUX-in port or USB-C port. USB audio playback offers high-resolution 24-bit / 96 kHz output. There is a USB-A port which is meant for your Super X-Fi dongle of your Creative SXFI headphones so that you can enjoy wireless streaming.

You also have Bluetooth connectivity that supports audio codec of SBC, and it is activated by switching the mode to Bluetooth. The Katana V2X comes with a really useful remote control that is ergonomic to hold and has a bunch of buttons to give you quick access to main settings. The remote also adds six extra buttons (C1 to C6) which you can then use to assign customised functions.

Creative App

In order to setup these customised buttons, you will need to download and use the Creative App. You can use either the app on your desktop or download it on your phone. Some of the things you can do with the Creative app include performing audio customisation via EQ and the Acoustic Engine, and adjusting the lighting on the soundbar.

What I like about the Creative App is the ability for full control of the Katana V2X even on the phone app. Almost all the tweaks and customisation you can do on the desktop app can be done on the phone. One powerful feature of the Creative App is the ability to save your customisations as a preset, which is what Creative App deems as a sound mode. For example, you made some adjustments in ‘Acoustic Engine’, ‘Equalizer’, and even in the ‘Lighting’ which you found to be great while playing Overwatch 2. You can then save it as a sound mode and name it whatever you like, and assign to a one of the six custom buttons for quick switching.

Sound quality

Before we go into the audio quality of the soundbar, let’s talk about the headphone jack. There is built-in DAC in the Katana V2X using the Super X-Fi Ultra DSP chip, which offers pretty good boost in audio with noticeable improvements in bass. While plugging in your headphones, you can also make use of the SXFI features (read more about SXFI here) such as BATTLE mode for gaming as well.

The Katana V2X can really get very loud, so it can easily be used in a variety of setups even for your living room. Using it part of my desktop setup, I realised that I never went above volume 15 (max is 50). As for sound quality, Creative says that the Katana V2X has a tri-amplified amps design which means that each of the mid-range drivers, tweeters, and subwoofer drivers are individually driven. The soundbar also has a double-wall chassis construction to minimize disruptive vibrations internally to ensure audio output is clean.

Bass is thick and well-bodied, with good sub-bass extension which hits deep enough for that satisfying thump. If you find the bass too overwhelming, you can actually reduce the subwoofer volume using the Creative App as well. Mids have good clarity and has richness and warmth to it. It can sometimes sound slightly recessed when consuming vocal heavy content. Treble is bright and crisp, which adds a nice shine to an overall warm sound signature of the Katana V2X.

Gaming experience

Soundstage of the Katana V2X is enjoyably wide, and enabling Surround in the Acoustic Engine can add a little more width. But the wideness you experience is really dependent on the distance from you and the soundbar. At an arm’s length away, you can definitely feel the space between each type of audio, and the imaging is largely accurate. But once you sit much further back as though it is a soundbar for your living room, the soundstage will not as wide anymore, and rather happening more in front of you.

As for my experience with gaming with the Katana V2X, it really is a delight using it to play open world games to take advantage of the full-bodied sound along with its wide soundstage. Playing games such as Valorant where directional audio cues is far more tricky, but I found that turning on ‘Scout Mode’ seems to help amplify the footstep and reloading sound cues, which can sometimes feel a little blanketed without ‘Scout Mode’.

User experience

It is truly an enjoyable audio experience using the Sound Blaster Katana V2X soundbar compared to my previous 2.0 system of the Creative T60. There is just much more bass to be heard, allowing movies and open world games to feel more immersive and engaging. I also like that Creative allows you to do all sorts of personalisation to truly make the experience unique to you. For example, though the display panel is useful at displaying information. I found it a little annoying if it constantly stay lit as it is just under my line of sight. Thankfully, the Creative app allows you turn off the display after of a few seconds of inactivity.

Speaking of inactivity, the Energy Saving feature is still something that needs a firmware update to fix. If Energy Saving is enabled, the Katana V2X will enter network standby after 15 minutes of no operation. I found that the Katana V2X can take up to 10 seconds at times for it realise that audio is playing to get out of standby mode. It is a little annoying to constantly miss the first few seconds of the audio, so if you want to stop this issue – simply disable energy saving.

Conclusion

I now understand why the original Katana soundbar was so popular. The new improved Katana V2X is now even more versatile, and enables audio from games, movies/TV shows to feel more immersive and enjoyable. The added bass from the dedicated subwoofer will surely bring out more of any scene compared to using regular 2.0 sound systems. With a good built-in DAC, tons of customisability, along with a wide array connectivity options, there is just so many ways to use the Katana V2X for different uses. From PC, Mac to gaming consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, to Nintendo Switch – it is an all-in-one audio hub. For S$419, the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X is solid choice for anyone looking to upgrade their audio experience.