While reviewing the Samsung 75" Neo QLED 8K QN800C TV, I also had the chance to review the Samsung Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q990C. Did you know that if you purchase the QN800C, you can also get the Q-Series as an add-on device deal? Yup, these two come hand in hand, so read on below for my thoughts on the soundbar.
Available in Titan Black only, this bad boy is long and heavy and comes with a big sub-woofer, as well as two rear speakers. Setting them up is really easy, but these audio speakers take up a few plug points. In fact, you might need to prepare an extension cord. However, the good news is that you only need to plug in the soundbar and sub-woofer.
The whole set takes up four plug points
This soundbar is seriously long!
Some features that you should know
It has a total of 22 speakers, including the subwoofer and rear speakers
The subwoofer is also huge
For your information, the soundbar measures 123.2 cm long, so do make your that your TV cabinet is long enough. Otherwise, you will have to rearrange everything. And don't bother trying putting the rear speakers there (because it's meant for surround sound, more on that later). On the other hand, the subwoofer is as big as you can imagine, so you will need a nice and spacious floor to position it towards you.
To recap, the HW-Q990C is a wireless Dolby Atmos surround sound speaker and it's compatible with Samsung's Q-Symphony feature on the TV. What that means is as long as the Q-Series soundbar is paired with any Samsung TV with Q-Symphony, the latter can also emit audio from the content. Hence, creating a true surround sound experience.
Since the sound features an 11.1.4ch sound, this is perfect for a spacious living room or mini theatre setup (if you have one). In addition, you can run the SpaceFit Sound Pro sound calibration test to get the best sound effect possible for your space. Oh, you also have to ensure the rear speakers are properly placed before doing the sound check.
An illustration of how the surround sound works with the soundbar
Due to limited space, I decided to put the rear speakers on the sofa lol
A close-up of the rear speaker
The bottom of the rear speaker
Speaking of the rear speakers, there's one nitpick that I would like to point out, and it's not about the sound performance. Instead, it's the fact that it requires a plug point to activate. That could be a problem if you don't have any plug points nearby because you would have to get 1-2 extension cords just for that, which is a hassle. Also, it's recommended to have two rear speaker stands, but those are sold separately.
Now moving on to the sound performance, the HW-Q990C sounds exactly as I expected. During my review period, I tested the surround sound mode (because that's the main purpose) and really enjoyed it. Needless to say, watching action-packed movies and animation, as well as games with the soundbar was awesome. And thanks to the rear speakers, the HW-Q990C truly delivered an immersive surround sound experience.
Sounds great overall, although audiophiles may have a different opinion of the music performance
Besides the bombastic background explosions in movies, even softer ones like the soundtracks from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sound wonderful. The subtle piano playing, ambience sounds from the forest to the desert, as well as the waterfalls and falling from the sky. The surround sound experience in games like this really brings in the immersion deeply. You might not feel the same after changing to another normal soundbar.
However, that can't be said the same for the music experience. Sometimes, it feels like the sub-woofer isn't on the same page as the rest of the sound output. I mean, it's doing its job... But it felt like an outsider if that makes sense. That doesn't happen often, though. But only with a certain kind of genre and it may not be that noticeable to a casual user. Well, I guess you can always manually adjust the equaliser.
Navigating the soundbar in the SmartThings app
To add on, live concerts sound great, and you could feel like you're a part of the concert. Since the soundbar is Bluetooth-enabled, you may pair it up with your iPhone (as long as it has Apple AirPlay), Android, and Chromecast. For audiophiles, you can also take advantage of the HDMI eARC port for lossless formats.
All in all, I actually enjoyed playing around with the Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q990C. It met my expectations of delivering a cinematic surround sound experience and worked great for gaming too. The music performance was average, but you can always set the equaliser on the TV or via the SmartThings app. Since it's a premium soundbar, the RM6499 price tag can be a justified investment. But that solely depends on your budget.
Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q990C tech specs and features:
- 11.1.4ch, 22 speakers in total
- Measurement - Main speaker (1232.0 x 69.5 x 138.0 mm), Rear speaker (129.5 x 201.3 x140.4 mm), Sub Woofer (220.0 x 413.0 x 410.0 mm)
- Weight - Main speaker (7.7 kg), Rear speaker (3.4 kg), Sub Woofer (11.7 kg)
- 41W operating power consumption for the main, 19W for each rear speaker and 26W for the subwoofer
- Dolby ATMOS Music, ATMOS, Dolby MAT, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, Night Mode, Voice Enhance Mode, Surround Sound, Game Pro, Standard, Adaptive
- Video Feature - 4K Video Pass and HDR 10+
- Decoding Format - AAC, MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF
- Connectivity - 2x HDMI In, HDMI Out, HDMI eARC, HDMI CEC, Optical In, Bluetooth (SBC), WiFi
Pros - Delivers an immersive surround sound experience for movies and games
Cons - The sound performance may not be consistent across different music genres, and it needs a few plug points
Conclusion - A solid companion to the Samsung 2023 Neo QLED 8K TV series if you're planning to have a mini theatre at home
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