Inventive Katana SE: Two-minute evaluate
The Inventive Katana SE is an excellent, virtually nice all-in-one audio answer for PC players. It has a bunch of options that set it other than lots of the finest laptop audio system. And, despite the fact that the Inventive Katana SE is the one mannequin among the many firm’s Katana soundbar choices to not function a subwoofer, it nonetheless supplies a stunning quantity of rumble that you just’re not more likely to discover in sub-less options, whether or not you’re contemplating audio system, a soundbar, and even the finest gaming headsets.
In case you’re searching for one of many finest soundbarsit’s vital to keep in mind that the Inventive Katana SE is particularly geared in the direction of players. Although it has performance past that, lots of the fine-tuning is barely out there by the app so that you’ll be considerably restricted utilizing it with a TV.
The Inventive Katana SE isn’t a radical departure from the soundbar design. At first look, it simply seems to be a barely extra ergonomic take with its slanted sides and barely upward-angled entrance grill, which I can solely guess is as a result of Inventive assumes that it’s extra possible for use with a pc setup the place your ears are located above the soundbar.
Nonetheless, there are fairly just a few touches right here that not solely set this soundbar other than lots of different choices but additionally justify its barely increased price ticket.
As a substitute of simply two forward-facing drivers, there are additionally two giant tweeters going through upward from the highest of the unit, giving the Inventive Katana SE some bodily spatial audio capabilities. There are additionally two passive radiators on the again that give this soundbar its outsized bass response.
And, lastly RGB lighting traces the underside of the grill for a little bit of shade. My favourite a part of the RGB lighting is its capacity to regulate brightness in line with the precise quantity of no matter media is presently taking part in. After all, you must set that up by the app.
So far as the port choice goes, it’s respectable with an optical, Aux, and USB port going into the unit. It additionally has a headphone jack on the entrance and an SXFI and ARC-capable HDMI out within the again with the opposite ports.
I do want there was an HDMI in as effectively to permit for a single passthrough connection from the pc to a monitor or TV. There’s additionally no subwoofer out, so that you’re restricted to the admittedly ample bass response that the unit supplies.
Relating to really utilizing the Inventive Katana SE, setup and use may be very straightforward. It comes with a USB and optical cable and is mainly plug-and-play with quite a few buttons on the highest of the unit to undergo sources, modes, and modify the amount. There’s a distant that does that as effectively. Downloading the Inventive app affords much more management (extra on that later).
As soon as in use, the Inventive Katana SE supplies a ton of quantity, sufficient to make use of for a small residence theater setup. The sound high quality, whereas not audiophile high quality, is sort of good.
Probably the most spectacular half is the bass response. Due to these two passive radiators on the again, the rumble is there. Whereas not on par with an precise subwoofer, the low-end is sort of substantial. Whether or not it was the oomph from explosions in video games or the bass in music or films, I used to be initially shocked by how good the low-end is.
The mids are full and wealthy, possibly even a little bit an excessive amount of, whereas the high-end has sufficient element to listen to every little thing clearly however with out the crispness that extra Hello-Fi items of apparatus would supply. In essence, the sound high quality is nice for the worth but it surely’s not a recreation altering soundbar.
The soundstage is decently extensive for a soundbar and the sound imaging is pretty exact. However, you’re nonetheless experiencing a stereo picture on the finish of the day. And, since you may’t modify speaker placement the way in which you’ll with precise laptop audio system, it’s not going to match the soundstage of correctly positioned laptop audio system.
What does add to the sound, nonetheless, are these upward-firing tweeters. Whereas not really offering encompass sound, they perform the identical approach that Dolby Atmos does by sending the audio up, giving a obscure dimensionality that makes every little thing sound higher. One of the best ways to explain the expertise is that the audio sounds taller. Nonetheless, you’re nonetheless getting a stereo picture. That mentioned, I desire this over digital encompass sound as that often simply feels like there’s some reverb on the audio sign.
Apparently sufficient, the soundbar has a built-in mic that, whereas handy, sounds a bit skinny and nasally. Whereas there are some notable and helpful in-app changes like background noise discount, I’d counsel investing in one of many finest USB mics as an alternative. That’s, except you need your voice to sound prefer it’s coming by a rotary cellphone circa 1998.
Concerning the Inventive app, it’s pretty intuitive to navigate although there’s a little little bit of menu diving. When first opened, you’re introduced with principally a bunch of containers and clicking on any of these will open a selected set of choices. As soon as I received the hold of it, I discovered that there’s lots of fine-tuning out there from a ten-band EQ to quite a few presets together with ones for particular video games – I used to be capable of strive those for Cyberpunk 2077 and Rocket League.
There’s additionally a scout mode that makes sound components like footsteps come out in addition to the power to make use of the SXFI function, which personalizes the audio to you by utilizing head monitoring. This does imply you additionally should obtain an app in your cellphone to set it up. And, that’s simply the tip of the iceberg of what’s out there by way of the Inventive app.
Inventive Katana SE: Worth & availability
- How a lot does it value? $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$509.95
- When is it out there? Accessible now
- The place are you able to get it? Accessible within the US, UK, and Australia
Calling a soundbar just like the Inventive Katana SE, which retails for $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$509.95, mid-range may appear a bit odd since one thing just like the Inventive Stage Air V2 prices $49.99. However, that 20 watt soundbar has only a couple varieties of connectivity and doesn’t examine in lots of methods. In any case, the Inventive Katana SE affords 180 watts peak energy in addition to much more bass due to the passive radiators in addition to extra immersive sound due to the upward-firing audio system that present some spatial audio.
As a substitute, a greater comparability is a soundbar just like the Razer Leviathan V2 Professionalwhich matches for a bit extra at $399.99 / £399.99 (about AU$600). As spectacular as that soundbar is, it prices extra and doesn’t embrace a bodily spatial audio part just like the Inventive Katana SE.
That mentioned, when you don’t care about all of the extras, you may spend a lot much less on an audio answer that may present loads of quantity and bass such because the Drop BMR1 laptop audio system. Whereas they’re clearly not a soundbar, they’re petite sufficient for many gaming setups with loads of quantity and low-end, although you’re skipping out on all of the spatial audio and app-related options amongst different issues.
Inventive Katana SE: Specs
| Frequency vary: | 55–20,000 Hz |
| Drivers: | 2 x 4.3-inch mid-range drivers, 2 x 2.1-inch tweeters |
| Supported Connectivity: | USB, Optical, HDMI Analog, Bluetooth |
| Audio Inputs: | Bluetooth 5.0, Optical-in, AUX-in, USB-C |
| Outputs: | HDMI ARC, SXFI-Out |
Do you have to purchase the Inventive Katana SE?
| Worth | Although it’s not low-cost, its value is fairly cheap contemplating all that’s on supply. | 4 / 5 |
| Design | Upward firing audio system, passive radiators, and RGB lighting are all welcome additions. | 4.5 / 5 |
| Efficiency | Large bass and spatial audio elevate the audio on this soundbar, although the ultimate end result isn’t fairly HiFi degree. | 4.5 / 5 |
| Common ranking | quantity of options together with strong audio at an inexpensive value make this choice for anybody searching for an all-in-one gaming audio answer. | 4 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Inventive Katana SE: Additionally take into account
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Inventive Katana SE | Razer Leviathan V2 Professional | Beyerdynamic Tygr 300 R |
| Worth: | $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$509.95 | $399.99 / £399.99 (about AU$600) | $129 / about £98.54 / about AU$188.62 |
| Frequency vary: | 55–20,000 Hz | 40Hz – 20kHz | 80Hz-24,000Hz |
| Drivers: | 2 x 4.3-inch mid-range drivers, 2 x 2.1-inch tweeters | 5x 2-inch full-range drives, 1x 5.25-inch downward firing sub | 2x 2-inch balanced mode radiators |
| Supported Connectivity: | USB, Optical, HDMI Analog, Bluetooth | Digital, Analog, Bluetooth | Analog, Bluetooth |
| Audio Inputs: | Bluetooth 5.0, Optical-in, AUX-in, USB-C | USB | 3.5mm stereo jack, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Outputs: | HDMI ARC, SXFI-Out | 3.5mm | 3.5mm headphone jack with passthrough, Aux out / Sub out |
How I examined the Inventive Katana SE
- Used recurrently for every week
- Examined with all kinds of video games
- Examined all included options
I used the Inventive Katana SE recurrently for every week. I used it with quite a few video games together with Cyberpunk 2077, Management, Far Cry 6, and Rocket League. I additionally used it to look at some streaming video and take heed to music.
I checked out different facets past efficiency, after all. I performed with its customizable options together with the completely different modes, spatial audio, and RGB lighting.
I’ve examined lots of tech gear over time from laptops to keyboards and audio system, and so have been in a position to make use of my experience in the direction of giving an trustworthy and truthful opinion, to not point out a vital eye, to any product I check.
Learn extra about how we check
First reviewed November 2023
