When it comes to brand association, Razer is truly known for its gaming peripherals and new ventures into the multimedia space. However, one particular system caught the attention of a different kind as the sleek brand moves into the audiophile space. First, there was the Adaro line for audiophile headset enthusiasts and now Razer moves deeper into the sound scape with its newly launched Razer Leviathan Soundbar.
BEING DIRECT
What got the soundbar space to thrive over the last 12 months is mostly due to the efforts of the audio/visual marketplace introducing new never-seen-before concepts. This caused interest for these integrated audio platforms to skyrocket as consumers keep a keen eye out for products that allow them to continue the ever-popular seamless integration their smart devices are propagating. Razer jumped at the chance as it moves to introduce its own take on the increasingly popular audio platform. Of course, it’s not just for movie/music enthusiasts as this is Razer, after all.
TINY HEAVYWEIGHT
Ever wondered what a small box that is somewhat heavy would look/feel like? Well, wonder no more as the Razer Leviathan arrived at the doorstep of PC.com Tested Labs as a well-meaning courier package that looked no bigger than a mini-ATX case. Upon lifting it through the threshold of the Labs did I regretfully learnt, firsthand, how hefty it truly is. Note: please be careful when lifting as it is - kilo to kilo - as heavy as a fully-loaded ATX tower.
TWO-PART
Obviously, the awesome products in the package would be loaded to bear - judging by the amount of force required to lift it onto the workbench. Opening up the brown box revealed another box, black all around with light brown highlights, within. Opening the box-inside-the-box immediately had me facing the soundbar half of the Razer Leviathan. This is the lighter aspect of the sound system. Packed below is the real reason why the entire package is not feather-like: the seemingly packed-to-the-max subwoofer. All it took to get things going is to plug in the devices together via proprietary sub-woofer cable,
powering it up, and jacking-in devices that provide the music/sound sources.
ALL IN BLACK
As per Razer’s modus operandi, the soundbar and its accompanying bassdelivery system is decked out in black with only the brand logo done up in chrome. It’s very much like the Adaro range in terms of looks. The black tone used fully complements the industrial design that Razer is going for with this soundbar as the overall industrial look, streamlined shape, and use of a metal-type grill and feet trimmings are done up in a contemporarily minimalistic design.
EASY SETUP
I’m sure many can relate as to how messy installing a sound system can get, as it’s an adventure of untangled cables, charting spaces for speakers, and trawling behind the TV for connectivity. Not so with the Razer Leviathan as it only requires one cable to be jacked into the integrated amp or TV, another for subwoofer connectivity, one for the power, and some quick wire work to get it all into place. Then it’s only a matter of turning it on along with the TV and pairing it with the smart devices that are on hand via NFC.
WIRELESS PLAY
Keeping in line with the seamless connectivity trend, Razer also included the full works for Bluetooth connectivity to ensure the Leviathan has proper wireless streaming capabilities. Besides the latest Bluetooth v4.0, aptX technology and advanced NFC systems are also incorporated to drive home the point of being a highly capable soundbar.
DISTINGUISHED SOUND
Now let’s move into the most important part of this review: performance. Looks, features, and branding can only take one so far; hence why trying it out is the most essential part of a review. Part of the content selected include varying ranges of music and songs in the classical, pop, R&B, K-Pop, and Anisong genres; 5.1 enabled Full HD movies, which includes Dolby Surround Sound offerings; videogames that produce distinctive sound effects and realistic audio sequences, and cutscenes that play with central vocals and surround sound-like ambient noises. I must say that each track, scene, mode, and nuance used played out beautifully on the Razer Leviathan. The drivers and tweeters play up the mid- and high-range/notes easily as it adds some level of clarity to voices, gunfire, and musical chords. This pairs very nicely with the awesomely low thrum and thumps of the bass that the downward firing subwoofer produces.
SURROUND STAGE
So it the Razer Leviathen has proven itself as a proper audio powerhouse when it comes to straightforward sources. How about the digital sound processing and virtual surround performance? Personally, it does no wrong when it comes to creating a proper soundstage for musicals and action movies. Of course, coming from me - someone who is picky with 5.1/7.1 surround systems, this is a really good attempt at emulating an aural landscape that usually requires the physical presence of five/seven speakers.
VERDICT
The perfect example of a great soundbar. Leave it to Razer to show how its done.
SOUNDBAR SPECS
Total Power Output 30W (15W x 2RMS)
Full Range Drivers 2 x 2.5in
Tweeter Drivers 2 x 0.74in
Impedance 8Ω
Frequency Response Rate 180Hz - 20KHz
Approximate Weight 2Kg
SUBWOOFER SPECS
Type Passive
Total Power Output 30W RMS
Full Range Drivers 5.25in
Impedance 8Ω
Frequency Response Rate 20Hz - 180Hz
Approximate Weight 2.35Kg
CONNECTION METHODS
Console/Desktop Gaming 3.5mm Audio Jack or Optical Connection
Movies 3.5mm Audio Jack or Optical Connection
Mobile 3.5mm Audio Jack or Bluetooth/NFC