Page 4 - Conclusion
The reduction of the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X's subwoofer size also came the reduction in overall power from 126W RMS to 90W RMS. The soundbar is lowered to 50W from 66W and the subwoofer to 40W from 60W compared to the Katana V2. How much of a difference did this make? As it turned out, the company's claim of the Katana V2X as an "optimally designed audio system that minimizes floorspace footprint without compromising audio quality" is actually quite true. It is important to note the Katana V2X and Katana V2 are tuned slightly differently, which can be clearly heard when testing them side-by-side even though the rest of the soundbar hardware is identical. The Katana V2X sounds slightly darker, but has more lower midrange than the Katana V2, while the subwoofer's default volume is higher. What you will still get is reasonably good bass and treble along with passable midrange like the Katana V2 thanks to the tri-amplified design and Super X-Fi UltraDSP chip. I also like the Katana V2X's quality, cool-to-touch metal on the soundbar surfaces, generous input array consisting of HDMI ARC, optical, and USB Type-C in addition to the Bluetooth 5.0 wireless support, integrated beamforming dual condenser microphones, and a quality included remote control. Configuring the Katana V2X is also straightforward thanks to the apps that are available for all platforms. Like the Katana V2, there are a few key areas of improvement for the Katana V2X in my opinion. While the audio performance was passable, it still is not impressive. Significant improvements in the soundstage and midrange's thickness, saturation, and warmth will go a long way. Adding AAC and aptX support will make the sound quality over Bluetooth 5.0 better. Combining the Creative and SXFI apps together will streamline usage. Lastly, take out the registration requirement in the SXFI app. For about $280 at press time, it is $50 cheaper than the Katana V2, which is fair. However, for the performance it delivers, I still think it will be a much more compelling proposition in the $200 to $250 range, but nevertheless, the Katana V2X is a well-designed and well-built soundbar with a slim subwoofer for tight spaces.
Creative provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
6/10 means A product with its advantages, but drawbacks should not be ignored before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 6.7/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X, like the Katana V2, is a well-designed and well-built soundbar with reasonable sound quality, now with a slim subwoofer to fit in tight spaces.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Subjective Audio Analysis
4. Conclusion
