When comparing Sony HT-CT390 vs Creative SoundBlasterX Katana, the Slant community recommends Creative SoundBlasterX Katana for most people. In the question“What are the best soundbars?” Creative SoundBlasterX Katana is ranked 6th while Sony HT-CT390 is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Creative SoundBlasterX Katana is:
While the device seems small, it can actually get really loud, without distortion. It uses good quality speakers and external components to maintain this quality. The soundstage is quite good and the subwoofer provides a deep rumble.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Sleek and compact design
Measuring 35 x 2 x 5 inches, this soundbar is thin and doesn’t take up a lot of space in front of your TV. The slim profile makes an especially good fit when mounted to the wall as it will not seem much thicker than an average TV.
Pro Good wired connectivity
The soundbar has an HDMI ARC port, an optical port and an analog connection on the back. The inputs slots are easy to reach even when the soundbar is mounted on the wall. There is a USB port on the side of the soundbar that allows you to play music from an external USB storage.
Pro Very well suited for dialogue
This soundbar's excellent central channels ensure spoken dialogue will always sound clear and well distinguished. This makes the HT-CT390 especially well suited for content with a lot of dialogue, such as talk shows, news or sports.
Pro Controlable via smartphone
You can download a smartphone app called Songpal that allows you stream music and control the soundbar.
Pro Wall mountable
This soundbar comes with easy to install wall mounts included.
Pro Can help avoid disturbing the neighbors
There is a Night Mode that softens the overall sound, to prevent disturbing the neighbors.
Pro Bluetooth support
This soundbar supports Bluetooth, so you can stream music wirelessly.
Pro Wireless subwoofer
The included subwoofer is wireless and can be placed horizontally or vertically.
Pro Capable of overwhelming sound levels
While the device seems small, it can actually get really loud, without distortion. It uses good quality speakers and external components to maintain this quality. The soundstage is quite good and the subwoofer provides a deep rumble.
Pro Wide variety of PC-oriented ports
As a PC-oriented soundbar, the Katana has an optical input, a USB input for external storage, a micro USB port, and a microphone and headphone port.
Pro PC soundcard bypass
To take full advantage of this soundbar's capabilities, when it is connected to a PC via USB, it bypasses the computer's onboard soundcard.
Pro Has a programmable RGB lighting system
This soundbar has a programmable lighting system called Aurora Reactive, which features 16.8 million colors.
Pro Handy companion software
If the soundbar is connected with a USB cable, you can use the downloadable SoundBlaster Connect software to tweak with some sound enhancing settings. You can choose from different presets or manually control the equalizer. The soundbar's RGB lighting is fully controllable via the app, letting you choose between various effects and more than 16 million colors.
Cons
Con It noticeably lacks power
While its overall sound is clear and distinguishable, you may feel that this soundbar does not provide sufficient power and sound depth. Because of its slim speaker design, it struggles with mid-lows. Despite having a subwoofer, it still sounds subpar and lacks the power needed for a fully enjoyable experience.
Con No Wi-Fi support
The HT-CT390 has no Wi-Fi support.
Con Remote control is easy to lose
The included remote is small and easy to lose.
Con Soundstage tapers off with distance
Since it’s designed to be used up close, the Katana's soundstage tapers off as you sit farther.
Con Software is Windows-only
The Katana's companion software only works with Windows operative systems.
Con Subwoofer cable is too short
The subwoofer's cable is only 2 meters long, which can be too short for some setups.
Con No HDMI support
The Katana doesn't support HDMI.
Con Subwoofer isn't capable of handling low frequencies well
Due to its small size, this soundbar's subwoofer doesn’t handle the lowest frequencies very well.