When it comes to immersion, visuals and audio often go hand in hand with each other. The former captures attention with alluring, eye-popping images, while punchy music and sharply detailed mids, highs, and lows serve to round out the soundstage. Homegrown tech company Creative has always excelled on the latter front, with its line of Katana soundbars offering a reliable, crisp-sounding solution for those who like to put their volume on full blast.
The Sound Blaster Katana SE is the newest addition to the family, taking its place as the middle-priced option. At S$449, it sits between the Katana V2X (S$419) and the Katana V2 (S$479), with some differences to boot – starting from its built-in subwoofers. Unlike its siblings, the Creative Katana SE ditches the subwoofer for a more compact design, resulting in reduced oomph, but a bit more emphasis on the mids and highs.
Volume-wise, the soundbar isn’t as loud as the V2X. Cranking the level up to 15 percent on the Katana SE registers a 30 percent reading on the latter, marking a 2:1 volume ratio. While its loudness may not quite be on par with the V2 and V2X, there’s no denying its excellent audio prowess – it’s everything the Razer Leviathan wants to be.
Check out the above video as we dive into the good, the bad, and everything in between about the Creative Katana SE, as well as its performance in various games like Diablo IV and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
The Baroness
