Yes ! AND he doesn’t come off as a douche while doing it. Like, it’s not « my taste is objectively better » but rather « I tested it as scientifically as I can in the hour I’ve got with it, here is what I think about it »
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.
I disagree with the "7.1" for a different reason. There is a midrange, tweeter, and passive radiator for each of the left and right channels. It's 2.1. They are probably just doing virtualization like they do with headphones to make them "7.1".
I think only someone who works in or has grown up knowing marketing from the last 10 years would respond passive aggressively to you. I 100% agree. the X.1 has always been, the number of channels, no matter how many speakers you slap on a channel. left and right is 2 channels. Left and right with a tweeter, woofer, and sub in each cabinet, 6 speakers total, still 2 channels. Three pairs of speakers with 3 drivers each is not 18.1, its 2.1 (assuming there is a dedicated sub channel and not just a crossover in the cabinet, then its simply stereo.) Rather then killing the messenger, the most useful thing I learned today was when faced with "users want more channels" instead of investing in making a good product, Razer bought THX so they can change the naming convention and standard. Like the soundbar they made, the THX branding is now worthless to a consumer.
@@JayDDubbleyuh THX doesn't make the standards or naming conventions for surround audio and hasn't meant anything since 2002 when creative bought them, they bought THX for the same reason creative did, so they can imply their product as compliant with the THX quality assurance system by slapping the logo on it
You only have two ears yet you don't hear in stereo. Your brain can figure out where sound is coming from based on delay. You can also trick your brain into thinking sound is coming from somewhere else. That's why you only need 2 speakers in a headphone for true surround sound. The better the algorithm, the better it also works for a soundbar. Simple as that.
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.
I love everyone from LMG equally but I dunno now. Dan is really becoming my favorite. I love his audio reviews because I know NOTHING about it but he explains everything so eloquently. Please keep up the audio equipment and please give some great audio recommendations.
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.
Could listen to this guy talk for hours on end. As an audio fan myself, this is the best we've gotten so far from the LTT family at reviewing audio products in detail. HUGE kuddos.
Dan called THX spatial audio "Dolby Atmos" and proceeded to say dolby atmos requires speakers around the listener in order for it to work, when dolby atmos is basically upwards firing speakers to simulate a "surround Sound" effect, previous people from LTT don't make errors like that, i wouldn't call him the best and i'm surprised they didn't re shoot that section
@@boxposed3855 sometimes people slip up, I think the editor caught it. If they do the same thing over a longer period of time? Okay then i'm right there with you.
i have a feeling between scenes they must of been talking about dolby atmos vs THX spatial or something since he never made the mistake then all of a sudden started calling it dolby atmos. just my guess.
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.
I doubt a true audio nerd would confuse passive radiators for audio channels and would be able to deduce that 7.1 in this kind of system means it's virtualized surround coming from a 2.1 setup.
@@TheDeltaMoo he literally says several times "there's no way this is a 7.1". This whole script is basically throwing it in the face of this shithouse product, being dumb and buying dumb
@@iHasCaek You don't even have to spend more... For less than $100 you could get a set of Mackie CR3's or PreSonus E3 monitors that will blow this soundbar out of the water and at least give you proper left & right separation
I have had this for a few months now, and I don't think it's that bad at all. From a basic everyday consumer stand point (if you have the money for it, it is too pricey) I have noticed that the "surround sound" type feeling is heavily effected by the angle of the sound bar. My chair height allows the angled sound bar to be aimed at "the center of my head" (I guess) and it really does sound like it's behind me as well. Especially with movies, more so than games (which I totally understand as an issue). I did notice, like in the video, the software randomly gets hiccups when adjusting the eq, I have also noticed all of the lower sounds drop randomly (when I first got it, hasn't happened in a while). I'm by no means an audio expert, or even an audio novice, in fact I know nothing about audio. Just figured I would toss in my "everyday consumer" opinion!
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.
@@OpptimusPrime1 you do need the razer software (which is free, no purchase necessary) downloaded to mess with sound settings. If that's what you mean.
Wow this guy is a complete psychopath zero emotion. His voice doesn't even fluctuate when he's trying to emphasize something in a sentence. He's definitely a serial killer
it ticks all the razer checkmarks: overpriced, check mediocre preformance, check overhyped, check promise the world, check under deliver on those promises, check RGB for the real gamerz, check
@@corktail7900 don't forget the bloatware only runs on Windows so if you ever want to connect these to anything else, you're only going to get the default sound profile which, as we learned here, stinks.
This is a 2.1 system that tries to sound like a 7.1 For those that don't know, you don't count the number of drivers to find out how many channels a speaker is, as multiple drivers can be attached to the same channel. This one, has 4 front facing drivers, and 2 passive radiator in the back, passive radiator don't do anything on there own, and uses the pressure created by the active speakers in the speaker enclosure to give a better and deeper base. Passive radiators are a big reason why many compact bluetooth speakers have really big sound for there size.
Most soundbars only have 2 channels, one for right and one for left. this makes it a 2.0, but when you add a subwoofer it will be 2.1 4.1 is somewhat rare, but i have seen it sometimes, and have become more popular in recent time.
Maybe 5.1 at best? 4 drivers at the front, 1 left, 1 right, 2 centermost as center; 2 drivers at the back (of the soundbar), 1 as "rear left" and 1 "rear right"? Optimistically saying anyway. I would've assumed it is just 2.1 with some clever stereo processing, like "7.1 surround sound" gaming *headphones*
@@grdprojekt no its 2.1 there is a left and right “full range” driver on each side, a tweeter on each side to produce the high end for that channel. Tweeters do not count as seperate channels because they carry the same signal (Left or Right) just filtered. On the back there are two bass radiators, these also do not count as seperate channels, they just allow the bass that builds up from the front 2 speakers to project out of the soundbar. Plus the sub
I picked up the Leviathan V2 X last November and, honestly, it's way better than my dual PC speakers. I also only paid around $100 for the speaker bar, which in my opinion was a steal. I guess my reason for commenting is that I don't really agree with a lot said here. The speakers sound fine and have plenty of options for tuning in the Synapse software, which a lot of people already have to configure their keyboard/mouse anyway. It gets plenty loud and doesn't distort at high volumes. It's also perfectly usable at very low volumes. The lighting is fun and, if you enjoy the devil's lettuce, can be pretty mesmerizing while listening to some good tunes. The bar itself is small and compact enough to fit on any desk and has usb type-c input. It looks very clean and matches the aesthetic of other Razer devices. My only complaint is that the bluetooth can be a little finicky. Connecting can be a struggle and if the speaker isn't outputting for a significant amount of time, it has a habit of losing the connection to the PC/Phone without realizing that it isn't connected to anything. It doesn't happen too often and using it via bluetooth isn't going to give the best sound quality anyway, but I have noticed it. I don't really care about the single C input for data and power, as that's really all I need anyway. I don't have any devices, aside from a Steam Deck, that even utilizes auxiliary anymore and, to be frank, I don't want the extra cable mess anyway. If I really need better sound quality, I will use headphones.
I would love to see LTT do a round-up of computer speakers at various price points. It's so hard to find decent reviews & comparisons online, and so many sets sound just like the generic speakers from the 90s but in black housings instead of beige
Finally someone that properly reviews the razer soundbar. I'm in no way an audio expert, but I've seen many videos of people praising this speaker, without having the knowledge to test it. Especially because of its price.
Having owned the previous version, I'm going to say that Dan is being much too nice about it. He didn't even mention the likely complete lack of longevity.
Except every video I've seen says the opposite and this is just continuing that trend. I bought it and love it, but to each his own. It perfectly fit my scenario. I didn't want speakers all over my desk, all I wanted was a soundbar, thats it, no more. As best I can tell I had 2 options, and 1 wasn't available to me.
@@stayupthetree I can definitely understand that problem, as I also swapped out my desktop speakers for a Dell Soundbar that clips to the bottom of my main monitor and is good enough for listening to podcasts and similar, but I also only paid about 40 bucks for it. I don't think 250 bucks is a good price for this Soundbar, at all, but if it's the only fitting option in town it's hard to argue against it. My option only worked for me because I have a Dell monitor, the thing can't clip to any other monitors.
@@RAHelllord yeah before that I was using the audio coming out of one of my monitors, which I don't have to tell you, really sucked. I use headphones for gaming 90% of the time, this is basically a casual listener thing for me. Living room I have a Samsung Q950A for the beast mode.
An awesome idea for labs: after testing the frequency response on products, showing what EQ settings make each products sound the “best it can for gaming/movies/music” though it may be subjective, it can at least be a starting point for fine adjustment per user
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.
Soundbars for gaming monitors? Now that's a... bizarre idea. The correct approach would be to just use two speakers and maybe a subwoofer. Place the speaker cones at ear-height and you get all the 3D stereo imaging you'd ever need. The subwoofer can just go on the floor like usual. Use it as a footstool.
You can get a couple of Yamaha HS fives. Two professional studio monitors that are widely popular within the professional music industry for $150 each… That’s $50 more than this joke of a sound system
The brutal honesty gets an instant sub. More reviews need to be like this. Too often a product reviewer, I believe, will soften their final opinion to remain brand friendly. This review, was not that. I look forward to watching more genuine reviews!
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.
Thanks for the review, I’m glad that negative reviews are being published as well as good ones. Few notes though, the drivers an the back are most likely passive radiators to help the front speakers extend a little lower. Second, the subwoofer frequencies (80hz and below) are mostly omnidirectional so you shouldn’t be able to tell where they are coming from. If they sound like they are coming from the bar, then the integration was done well. Best way to know the difference is to just unplug the sub and listen for the crossover frequency. Frequency response charts would be great too
If this is anything like my Razer headphones, I think I know why the EQ wasn't working at first! For the EQ to have an effect, you need to set Windows's audio output device to "Razer Synapse Speaker" instead of "Razer *device name*"
I have the Leviathan V1. It filled its niche for it's time. It uses Bluetooth/Aux/Optical and no Razer Synapse or RGB. Picked it up on a sale a few years ago for around half the price of the V2.
If you've got the space for it. Try using old home stereo equipment. I use an old Technics SA-5170 and passive speakers I got for around $40 (Hell, the amp was practically free cause I helped a friend clean out his basement and found it), and it all sounds great, miles better than any "gaming" speakers you could buy new at these prices, probably higher. Plus, no stupid software to download and sign into to configure, its all physically right there. All you really need is a rca to aux adapter. Start by asking around family and friends to see if they have anything older stuff laying around.
I would like to see Dan reviewing the Sound Blaster Katana soundbar, I've heard good things about it but I like Dan's way to review audio stuff a little more than those people
I've bought a sound blaster X katana 3 years ago and I love it. Beautiful sound, nice compact subwoofer that sounds great and it's not that expensive either. It has simple rgb too so that's kind of cool and many different inputs
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.
@@OpptimusPrime1 tbh, the sound blaster software can be a bit funky sometimes, but that's all you need, be sure it's plugged into a pc and not a console obviously, but the button on the bar itself or remote can change the eq as well
I have the original Leviathan from razer and in order to turn up the bass from the sub you have to hold down the dolby button and then use the volume buttons to raise or lower the sub. The original has optical in 3.5mm in and then a barrel plug for power and the sub cable no usb connections at all.
2nd most important thing for a PC is audio. And audio companies skimp on PC audio terribly. We need Dolby Atmos in all games and game companies to realize that they're losing money by forgetting a large market of audiophiles.
Recently got a ~$100 set of active bookshelf speakers and I was surprised at how good they sound compared to my ~150 sennheisers, I didn't think I'd use speakers much but it really does just sound that much better when the speakers aren't strapped to your head
I have to recommend the Topping VX1 as a usb audio DAC. Usb to the unit from your pc, then speaker wires to your speakers. Good little unit that used to go for around $100 and wipes the floor with anything in the $500 range when paired with most reasonable speakers. I use mine with a pair of Monitor audio silver 6's and it is simply amazing for the price. It has dedicated power and as long as the speakers you run arent some inefficient behemoths, you'll have volume to spare.
I had the v1. It was meh. It died after about 1.5 years. The power input on it used a flimsy, janky, proprietary plug... which I think shorted and killed the soundbar. I doubt this one has improved it much. Don't buy Razer anything... except maybe their laptops and even then, that's a huge maybe. Edit: See below. Wasn't the power connector, was the connection to the left of it.
@@goblinslayer5404 Just looked at some pics of it and you're absolutely right, the connector I'm thinking of was just to the left of the barrel connector. In mine it was wobbly and janky from day one and would regularly just fall out with both ends of the connector still attached and leaving the bare pins showing in the back of the sound bar. The connector was 2 or 3 pins surrounded by square plastic connectors.
@@FandangoJon ah u mean the connection to the subwoofer, having 2 pins/wires is standard, but the square plastic part probably isnt standard. mine is wobbly as well, but ive never had it fall out or anything, its always connected in place. perhaps u pulled on the cable? its not normal for it to just fall out unless its broken. its possible that the 2 pins shorting might've killed it. a temporary fix wouldve been hot glue or tape or something so that the wires dont short out. but yeh that's razer quality control for u, the buttons on mine are acting weird af, and it sometimes defaults to Bluetooth when i turn it on and id have to press THE POWER BUTTON to switch the input to aux, rather than pressing the button that switches the inputs (it doesnt work sometimes), buggy piece of sh*t. it was still my best option at the time though, so i cant really regret my purchase.
Maybe try the G560 (Logitech RGB speakers) if you haven't already. Pricepoint is not too different so definitely a competitor for those who are looking for RGB speakers
Seconded this. I had the v1 Razer soundbar. It was mediocre and died after 1.5 years of light use. Have the G560 now. It's not the best set of speakers in the world, but far far better than the sound bar and the lighting can be fun.
With my Razer Kraken you have to go into an application list in synapse and enable a THX game mode for that application to support spatial audio. As for windows seeing only stereo, right click your sound icon and change the speaker setup there. This was so poorly tested I really hope that labs change this. Learn to use the software before testing, alot of things require the software. As for hate on Razer, my hammerhead pros are the best earbuds I've ever used, I wonder, how do you feel about them Dan?
I had a headset that said it was 7.1 from razer but I had to download their 7.1 software to activate it. And if you wanted thx audio you had to buy that separately
haha, that was brutal. I wonder how many sales razor lost because of this one review with 755k views. I was really looking at getting this, now I guess ill keep looking.
I would really like it if you guys would review the Creative Katana v2 and compare it to this one. Also maybe the Polk MagNifi Mini as well; it's not a "gaming soundbar" but it would fit nicely on a desk and is in the same price range as the Katana and this Razer thing.
I was actually choosing between Razer and Creative for my soundbar! I chose to go with Creative as it looks like Razer cut a lot of features in there new one (front 3.5MM). Also I have generally found Razer products to be of below average build quality.
@@71x2 I'm strongly considering it, as I moved from having a few monitors to using a 55" 4k TV at my desk, and I think a soundbar would compliment it well. Not sure if I would get a lot of value from moving away from my current PC speakers or not though.
@@captain_zed Depends on what speaker you have. I mostly made the change as I was using some older Logitech speakers and the extra cables were annoying me a little too much hahaha.
At one point Dan wanted to open it to see the driver array. Back in the old days we shone a flashlight through the plastic grill to see inside. Thanks for the review. As always I found the review entertaining.
"Are you a Gamer?" Kinda? "Do you like gaming on your gaming computer?" I like gaming but if you call a laptop running a intel i7-6500U with a intel HD Graphics 520 (1GB) a gaming computer, then no. at the same time youtube asking me "Experiencing interruptions? Find out why" me: i already know why!
There's a new sound option in Windows, "Enhance Audio." You can find it by clicking the details arrow on your audio output device in Sound Settings (System>Sound>Properties?) Might be worth investigating.
I’ve transitioned away from speakers for gaming. Headphones are just way better, especially if you have voice chat needs. ANC headphones even better. My new fad is one single speaker box that has Bluetooth support. USB to the PC for system sounds and RU-vid videos, otherwise headphones.
I guess if you like having something on your head all the time. I have a few headphones, and even though my Hifimans and Sennheisers are super cozy they still start to get uncomfortable after a while, plus can make you hot even though they're open back
Yeah I understand that. I have a friend who hates headphones of all types. I find I get more detail and immersion from headphones, but that's probably because I do a lot of late night sessions and don't want to disturb my neighbors. That in turn would likely have caused me to keep my speakers at volumes too low to really enjoy the sounds.
I had the V1 and the proprietary sub connection ended up failing. Wanted to just upgrade to the V2 till I watched this. Why did they remove so much of the connectivity? I would think you'd want more options not less. Ended up going with the SteelSeries Arena 7's. Can have multiple inputs simultaneously. Razer really dropped the ball cause I really loved the V1 and was totally going to buy this one. Oh well...
I have the v1 and have never had a problem with it. After seeing this I wondered if I just had tin ears and v1 has been bad the whole time. I looked at reviews from people who "upgraded" from v1 to v2 and the consensus is it's actually a downgrade. I've successfully avoided feeling ~9 years delayed buyers remorse. Especially since I got a free Ferox (mini bluetooth speakers) when I bought it and those are still doing fine as well.
yeah same here, the sub still works and connects with the connector but it'll fall out every now and then. I don't think that he knew you could adjust the bass from the sound bar. But I agree, I think I'll stick to my V1 until it goes out lol
@@PunakiviAddikti I go full open back headphones when I want to wear them. Don’t think I could go back to closed backs unless I really need the sound isolation. The sound accuracy is too good.
Love having Dan come in and shine a light on the fact that "gaming" audio products have been bad for a very long time. I want to see him review something that would be a really solid recommendation for desktop audio.
I bought this product but EQ doesnt work . Do i need to buy an other software or did i do something wrong. I connected it with cable not using bluetooth.