Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X vs JBL Bar 2.0 All-in-one (MK2)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CreativeSound Blaster Katana V2X | JBLBar 2.0 All-in-one (MK2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | September 2022 | 2022 |
| Sound | ||
| Type | Soundbar | Soundbar |
| Channels | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No |
| Drivers | Two 63 mm midrange drivers and two 19 mm tweeters in the soundbar; one 133 mm driver in the supplied wired subwoofer. | Two racetrack drivers in a stereo 2.0-channel soundbar; no separate subwoofer or dedicated centre/rear speakers |
| Amplifiers | 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. | 80 W maximum total output at 1% THD, 2 × 40 W; maximum, not continuous RMS output |
| Frequency response | 50–20,000 Hz (maker specification; tolerance not stated). | 70 Hz–20 kHz, maker specification without a stated tolerance |
| Audio formats | 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. | Dolby Digital with JBL Surround Sound processing; Les Numériques also confirmed Dolby Digital Plus and stereo LPCM, but no DTS, Dolby TrueHD or Dolby Atmos |
| Room tuning | 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. | Smart mode applies preset EQ and JBL Surround Sound; Standard mode available through the remote, with Smart mode re-enabled on power-up. Audio/video sync adjustment; no adjustable bass level or automatic room calibration |
| Connections | ||
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| AirPlay | No | No |
| HDMI eARC | No | No |
| Voice assistants | None | None |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 receiver; SBC codec, A2DP and AVRCP. Maker quotes up to 10 m in open space; walls and structures affect range. | Bluetooth 4.2; A2DP 1.3 and AVRCP 1.5 profiles |
| Ports | 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. | HDMI ARC connection to the TV, optical input and USB-A for service/updates in the UK. USB music playback is US-only. No HDMI source input or eARC |
| Streaming | Bluetooth audio from a compatible source; no Wi-Fi or AirPlay receiver. | Bluetooth stereo streaming; no Wi-Fi, AirPlay or network streaming services |
| App | 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 | 1.52 kg (better) | 1.6 kg |
| Controls | Soundbar buttons and supplied IR remote; six customisable remote buttons, source selection, volume, bass/treble, EQ and RGB lighting presets. | Top power, volume and source buttons; LED status/volume indicator rather than a text display. Remote with two AAA batteries, HDMI CEC and IR TV remote learning; no built-in voice assistant |
| Microphones | Dual built-in beamforming microphones for calls; this is not a built-in voice-assistant system. | – |
| Mounting | Desk placement or wall mounting with the supplied mounting hardware. | Included wall-mount bracket kit and screws |
| Size | 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. | 614 × 56 × 90 mm (width × height × depth), 1.6 kg. Packaged weight: 2.6 kg |
| Colours | Black | Black |
| In the box | 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. | Soundbar, remote with batteries, region-specific power cables, HDMI cable, wall-mount kit and documentation |
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