Razer’s First Stab at a Soundbar is a Success
We’ve been using the Razer Leviathan as our primary desktop speakers at home and we can definitely say that they totally knocked this one out of the park. It’s one of the best buys you can get from Razer and we highly recommend it to gamers and non-gamers alike looking for a soundbar for their desktop set-up. It retails anywhere from Php7,999 (stores in Gilmore) to Php9,000 (if you get it from Data Blitz) and we feel it’s worth every centavo.
We’ll get into the details in a bit but for now here are the specifications of the soundbar and the subwoofer that come in the package of the Razer Leviathan.
Razer Leviathan Spec Sheet
Sound bar specs
- Total power output : 30W (15W x 2RMS)
- Full range drivers : 2 x 2.5” / 63.5mm
- Tweeter drivers : 2 x 0.74” / 19 mm
- Impedance : 8?
- Frequency response rate : 180Hz – 20KHz
- Approximate weight : 4.4lbs / 2Kg
Subwoofer specs
- Type : Passive
- Total power output : 30W RMS
- Full range drivers : 5.25” / 133mm
- Impedance : 8?
- Frequency response rate : 20Hz – 180Hz
- Approximate weight : 5.1lbs / 2.35Kg
Let’s jump right into the review!
Build and Design: Specifically Made for Gamers
When Razer said that they were building a soundbar FOR GAMERS, they weren’t kidding. Everything about the soundbar, from the shape, sound output, size, and design were thought of with a gamer as the primary user. First let’s tackle design.
While it’s called the “Leviathan”, it’s actually built as a space-saving peripheral which you can put in between your monitor and your keyboard. It’s not that big and it won’t consume a lot of surface area on your desk. They even put a blank space at the bottom underneath the Razer logo which allows your keyboard cable to pass so that it doesn’t become any eyesore.
Up front we have the gorgeous speaker grill and behind it are the dual full range drivers and tweeters. The Razer logo is made from metal and it doesn’t light up. We’re actually happy that it doesn’t because if it did then it might distract our eyes from the monitor.
At the top we have the control panel. There are physical buttons for volume, power, source, digital surround sound, and the equalizer. Pressing the equalizer shuffles through three sound modes (they’re displayed at the LCD panel): gaming, movie, and music. We highly recommend that you guys change the settings depending on what you’re doing because it makes a huge difference to the sound quality.
Versatile: Full Connectivity Options
One thing we loved about the Razer Leviathan was that they made sure to make it easy to connect to mobile devices. It actually has an NFC panel which you can just use to pair your smartphone or tablet so that you can effortlessly play your favorite tracks. It also comes with an optical cable and the standard AUX line for monitors or computers. All the I/O ports are neatly located at the back of the soundbar.
Sound Quality: Undeniably Impressive
Now we get to the most important part of the review, sound quality. If you ask us, we wouldn’t recommend this if you were looking for a soundbar for your home entertainment system in the living room. However, if you’re in the market for a high quality speaker for your desktop, you really don’t have to look any further.
When it came to gaming and movies, the Razer Leviathan delivered clear, precise, powerful, and detailed sound. The bass was punchy and tight, thanks to the accompanying subwoofer. It’s not as loud as soundbars designed for home theaters but it does a wonderful job in a desktop set-up. You won’t miss any detail and you’ll fully enjoy whatever it is you’re doing on your computer that needs sound output.
As for the 5.1 digital surround sound, there’s a noticeable difference when you turn that on. However it’s not as immersive as the more expensive surround sound set-ups (but those are ridiculously more expensive) that we’ve tested in the past.
For music we felt that the soundbar’s sound signature was mainly neutral while slightly leaning towards the lower range. What’s weird though was that while the bass was punchy and tight with movies and gaming, it became a little bit loose when it came to music tracks. We double checked if we had the equalizer on music just to be sure. That said, we’d be hard pressed to recommend this to hardcore audiophiles.
Our Two Main Criticisms for the Razer Leviathan
After using the Leviathan for over a month, we have just two main issues with it. Note though that these comments are bordering on nitpicking already, hehe. First, the soundbar automatically shuts down after not being in use for 20 minutes. You’ll have to turn it back on by pressing the power button at the control panel. We found this annoying because we would really prefer not to keep turning it on each time we return from a bio/dinner/whatever break.
Secondly, Razer should consider including a remote control for the second generation Leviathan. The physical buttons are bit hard to press down on especially the volume rocker.
Verdict: Perfect for Desktop Gamers, Two Thumbs Up from Us
We played through the entire Dragon Age: Inquisition (around 90 hours total) using this set-up and we were very, very, very pleased with the Leviathan. All the small audio details of the fights from the blood spatter to the energy blasts of spells were clearly heard. We also loved how it was perfectly balanced (environment sound, SFX, character speeches).
We highly recommend the Razer Leviathan but don’t just take our word for it. If you want to test it out, it’s actually on display at Power Mac Center in SM Megamall Cyberzone. Head on over there and try it for yourselves so you guys can make a more well-informed decision. For us though we’re super satisfied gamers. 🙂
Two thumbs up!
PS: Razer just opened their flagship store in SM North Edsa Annex. See below for our exclusive video of Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan giving a personal tour of the shop.
