Creative Sound Blaster Katana SE vs Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X

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Sound Blaster Katana SE compared with Sound Blaster Katana V2X

	CreativeSound Blaster Katana SE	CreativeSound Blaster Katana V2X
Overview
Released
Released	May 2023	September 2022
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 tweeters in the soundbar; one 133 mm driver in the supplied wired 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.	DSP-controlled tri-amplified design. Maker rates total output up to 90 W RMS and 180 W peak: 50 W RMS soundbar and 40 W RMS subwoofer.
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 via HDMI ARC or optical; USB supports 5.1 input and high-resolution playback up to 24-bit/96 kHz on supported platforms. The physical system is 2.1; surround presentation is virtual.
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.	Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine, EQ, Scout Mode and headphone-only SXFI Battle Mode. Super X-Fi headphone personalisation uses a head-and-ear profile made in 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; SBC codec, A2DP and AVRCP. Maker quotes up to 10 m in open space; walls and structures affect range.
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, headphone/headset output, SXFI-out, subwoofer connection and DC power. HDMI is for television return audio, not video passthrough.
Streaming
Streaming	Bluetooth audio from compatible devices; no Wi-Fi or AirPlay receiver.	Bluetooth audio from a compatible source; 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, audio processing, mixer, RGB lighting and programmable controls; SXFI app for headphone personalisation. Maker lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android application support, with functions varying by platform.
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.	Soundbar buttons and supplied IR remote; six customisable remote buttons, source selection, volume, bass/treble, EQ and RGB lighting presets.
Microphones
Microphones	Dual front beamforming microphones for calls; no built-in voice assistant.	Dual built-in beamforming microphones for calls; this is not a built-in voice-assistant system.
Mounting
Mounting	Tabletop placement or wall mounting beneath a television.	Desk placement or wall mounting with the supplied mounting hardware.
Size
Size	Maker lists 650 × 109 × 78 mm; soundbar weight 2.67 kg.	Maker dimensions: soundbar 600 × 95 × 62 mm, 1.52 kg; subwoofer 116 × 250 × 423 mm, 3.3 kg. Listed weight is the soundbar alone, not the combined system.
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, power adapter with regional AC plugs, USB-C to USB-A cable, optical cable, wall-mount brackets and mounting kit, plus printed documentation.