Razer Leviathan V2 Pro

Connectivity Bluetooth connection, USB connection to PC Power External Power Adapter Speaker Arrangement THX Spatial Audio Dimensions Soundbar: 600 mm (L) x 113.7 mm (H) x 90.1 mm (D) / 23.6” x 4.5” x 3.5”. Subwoofer: 260 mm (L) x 295 mm (H) x 260 mm (D) / 10.2” x 11.6” x 10.2” Drivers Full-range drivers, subwoofer driver Brand Razer

AI-Powered Beamforming PC Gaming Soundbar with Subwoofer

$399.99 at Razer Expand Collapse

I review a lot of gaming tech, so I’m used to hearing wild claims about features that do the impossible. I’ve tested controllers that promised to increase my K/DA, keyboards that boasted sub-millisecond response times, and headsets with BrainAdapt technology for enhanced immersion and a lighter cognitive load. I can hardly blame manufacturers for heaping on the buzzwords.

There’s only so many ways you can sell a new keyboard, so eventually you’re going to have to start injecting some sci-fi into the ad copy. Razer's new soundbar, the Leviathan V2 Pro, is one such futuristic-sounding device. It leverages beamforming technology and head-tracking AI to create 3D spatial audio, which sure sounds like a bunch of bull. I’ve used the soundbar exclusively for a week, and I can safely say it’s the most impressive audio device I’ve had since the Astro A50 and Dolby Atmos first introduced me to virtual surround. Not only does the 3D audio actually work, it’s now the only way I want to hear my games.

A PC soundbar is a strange concept to me. I’ve always used wireless headphones or Logitech speakers, and a soundbar seems like overkill when I’m only sitting a couple feet away from my screen. The Leviathan Pro is unlike your typical Bose or Sonos home theater soundbar because it’s specifically designed to project sound to a single listener, rather than a room full of people. Once I realized this was not your typical sound bar, I started noticing all the design choices that make the Leviathan Pro different.

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For instance, the Leviathan Pro comes with a down-firing subwoofer rather than a more common front-firing one. While front-firing subwoofers create vibrations in the air, down-firing subs vibrate through the floor. This creates a more powerful and ambient bass sound that blends in with your game audio rather than overpowering it. My feet rest just inches away from the sub and I can feel the vibrations when I blast a shotgun in Destiny or things start exploding in Dead Space. A front-firing sub would need to blast air at my shins to create bass, so I’m glad Razer went with this version, even if it means more noise carries to the floor below me.

It also has a PC-centric I/O, which makes it easy to set up, but also limits how it can be used. There’s no HDMI or HDMI ARC ports, just a power port, an audio port for the sub, a USB port for the PC, and a second audio port if you want to plug your headphones into it for easier swapping. Luckily, it also has Bluetooth 5.0, so you can connect other devices to it, even if it can’t leverage all of its cool tech.

The Leviathan Pro’s pièce de résistance is its 3D virtual sound, powered by THX spatial technology and the aforementioned beamformed audio. It uses infrared cameras to track your head in order to create a virtual sound profile that mimics either headphone or surround sound audio, and as goofy as it sounds, it’s incredibly impressive.

In virtual headset mode, it feels like all of the soundbar’s internal speakers have pivoted to aim directly at your face. It’s not as if you’re literally wearing headphones, but the sound profile is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. Games and movies with stereo sound are so clear and intimate in the virtual headset setting that it almost feels like the audio is playing inside your head. Even on the default equalizer settings (the Leviathan Pro comes with preset Game, Music, Movie, and Flat options), everything I listened to sounded phenomenal.

The Virtual Speakers are designed for multi-channel audio sources, like movies or games with surround sound, and this is where the Leviathan Pro became my audio device of choice. The Dead Space Remake is one such game with a multi-channel audio option, and the experience of playing it with the soundbar was so close to actual surround sound that when I closed my eyes I could not tell the difference. I first tested it by standing near one of those broken doors you have to use Stasis on to stop it from slamming shut over and over, and not only could i clearly hear when the direction of the slams when it was on my left or right, I could also hear it behind me when I turned around. It is spooky how well the virtual speakers work for surround sound. Razer calls this the first soundbar of its kind and I’m inclined to believe it. I never thought you could get a sound profile this complex from a simple soundbar.

Aside from the two spatial audio modes there’s also a traditional Stereo mode and a Room Fill mode if more than one person needs to hear. I can't imagine ever needing these modes on my gaming PC, especially not after experiencing the other modes. There’s also RGB lighting under the soundbar, which can sync up with your other Razer products, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, it’s so dim on my black desktop that I can hardly even tell it's on.

I don’t often bring up price in reviews, but at $400 this is one of the more expensive soundbars on the market, and likely the most expensive PC accessory you can buy aside from a monitor. If this were just a regular sound bar - even a particularly high quality one - it would be difficult to recommend at that price. But this sound offers a unique experience that I don’t think any other device can offer. I love the spatial audio I can get from Dolby Atmos-enabled headsets, but the power range of speaker audio far exceeds what headphone drivers can offer. I am highly resistant to gamer gear technobabble, but for once there is something to all the claims. The Razer Leviathan V2 Pro is the real deal, and if the sticker shock doesn’t get you, it's the most impressive gaming speaker you’ll find.

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