Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 soundbar is available now from Creative, although stock does seem to crop up at a few other tech retailers, but it’s sporadic at best. It’s currently priced at £299.99, which is a lot, but then again, it’s still very competitive for what it is. You can spend more than that on a TV edition soundbar from the likes of Samsung, and I’d be this Creative one will outpace them all.

Overview

If you want a decent set of PC speakers, the Creative T60’s are likely more than enough for a lot of people, actually, they’re what I use and I’m very happy with them. However, the Katana V2 just takes everything to the next level. It’s a bigger sound, a wider sound, and oh my god, it’s a louder sound. Want to fill your room with whatever movie or game you’re playing? Not a problem. Need some thumping bass and powerful sound for a party with your friends (having it at Downstreet is optional), you got it.

Connectivity is king here, and it’s certainly a big upgrade from the old Katana. The addition of HDMI Arc is huge, as it gives you Dolby processing, although you get that to a lesser degree with Optical input too. USB C is certainly nice, and makes hooking up your PC a breeze, and no need for a soundcard to get in the way then. Then you have the SXFI USB port and the headphones jack that’s now on the front. It’s basically fixing everything that made the old model a little clunky to use.

The new drivers sound great, as does the bigger sub. However, it’s how the power is handled that has changed the most. The old model was very aggressive between each volume step and didn’t sound great at lower volumes either as the sub practically turned off. Thankfully, that’s all fixed in the new model, it sounds great turned down low on an evening, and has a nice warm bass tone that isn’t obnoxious. Volume curve feels smooth and you can always find the sweet spot you need.

Overall, the build quality is great, and it looks and feels like a premium quality product. The price certainly reflects that, but I wouldn’t say it was overpriced. You’re paying a good chunk of money, but you get something that looks and feels very well made, and I’ve nothing to feel about the performance.

If I had the old one on my desk, I’d be pushing it to one side already and replacing it with this new one. Admittedly, it’s not a cheap upgrade, but the difference between them is night and day. The new one looks better, sounds better, has more features, better connectivity, and even the RGB is cooler. The only thing I wish Creative did was release this soundbar sooner, it’s fabulous.