Creative Sound Blaster Katana SE vs Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2

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Sound Blaster Katana SE compared with Sound Blaster Katana V2

	CreativeSound Blaster Katana SE	CreativeSound Blaster Katana V2
Overview
Released
Released	May 2023	September 2021
Sound
Type
Type	Soundbar	Soundbar
Channels
Channels	5.1 virtual	2.1
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos	No	No
Drivers
Drivers	Four active drivers: midrange and tweeter pairs, each independently powered in a one-piece enclosure; no separate subwoofer.	Two 63 mm midrange drivers and two 19 mm fabric-dome tweeters in the soundbar; one 165 mm driver in the supplied subwoofer.
Amplifiers
Amplifiers	Bi-amplified four-driver design controlled by a multicore DSP; maker rates total system power up to 90 W RMS and 180 W peak.	Proprietary multicore DSP controls a tri-amplified system. Maker rates total output up to 126 W RMS and 252 W peak, with 66 W RMS for the soundbar.
Frequency response
Frequency response	55–20,000 Hz (maker specification; tolerance not stated).	50–20,000 Hz (maker specification; tolerance not stated).
Audio formats
Audio formats	Dolby Digital decoding over HDMI ARC or optical; 5.1 USB input on supported Windows, Mac and PlayStation platforms, with virtual surround from the single soundbar. USB high-resolution audio is supported up to 24-bit/96 kHz on supported sources.	Dolby Digital decoding over HDMI ARC or optical. USB supports 5.1 input on Windows and high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/96 kHz; physical driver layout is 2.1 rather than five discrete satellite channels.
Room tuning
Room tuning	Creative Acoustic Engine, EQ and Scout Mode; SXFI Battle and personalised Super X-Fi processing for headphones. Personalisation uses the SXFI app.	Creative Acoustic Engine and EQ controls; Scout Mode and headphone SXFI Battle Mode. Super X-Fi headphone personalisation uses a profile generated with the SXFI app.
Connections
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	No	No
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
AirPlay
AirPlay	No	No
HDMI eARC
HDMI eARC	No	No
Voice assistants
Voice assistants	None	None
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0, SBC codec, A2DP and AVRCP; maker quotes up to 10 m open-space range.	Bluetooth 5.0 receiver with SBC codec, A2DP and AVRCP; quoted open-space range up to 10 m.
Ports
Ports	HDMI ARC, USB-C audio, optical input, 3.5 mm AUX input, headphone/headset output, SXFI-out and DC power; no HDMI video passthrough.	HDMI ARC, optical input, USB-C audio, 3.5 mm AUX input, headset/headphone output, SXFI-out, wired subwoofer output and DC power. HDMI is television return audio, not video passthrough.
Streaming
Streaming	Bluetooth audio from compatible devices; no Wi-Fi or AirPlay receiver.	Bluetooth music playback from compatible devices; no Wi-Fi or AirPlay receiver.
App
App	Creative app for EQ, processing, mixer, controls and RGB lighting; SXFI app creates the headphone personalisation profile.	Creative app for EQ, Acoustic Engine, mixer, RGB lighting and programmable remote profiles; SXFI app creates the personalised headphone profile. Maker lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android support with platform requirements.
Design
Weight
Weight	2.67 kg	1.52 kg (better)
Controls
Controls	Soundbar controls, front display and supplied IR remote, with RGB lighting and selectable audio modes.	On-bar controls, front display and supplied programmable IR remote; source, volume, power, EQ, bass/treble, Bluetooth pairing and lighting settings.
Microphones
Microphones	Dual front beamforming microphones for calls; no built-in voice assistant.	Two built-in beamforming microphones allow calls directly through the soundbar; no built-in voice assistant.
Mounting
Mounting	Tabletop placement or wall mounting beneath a television.	Desk placement or supplied wall-mount brackets and hardware.
Size
Size	Maker lists 650 × 109 × 78 mm; soundbar weight 2.67 kg.	Maker dimensions: soundbar 600 × 95 × 62 mm and 1.52 kg; subwoofer 150 × 367 × 367 mm and 6.4 kg. Top-level weight is soundbar only.
Colours
Colours	Black	Black
In the box
In the box	Soundbar, IR remote, power adapter and regional plugs, USB-C to USB-A cable, optical cable, wall-mount hardware and printed documentation.	Soundbar, wired subwoofer, IR remote, wall-mount brackets and kit, power adapter and regional plugs, optical cable, USB-C to USB-A cable and printed guides.