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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- The Samsung HW-Q990F location amusement strategy is disposable for $2,000, including a soundbar, outer subwoofer, and 2 rear speakers.
- The Q990F is packed with bundle features, plentifulness of audio modes, and delivers big, room-filling sound.
- There aren't galore important upgrades implicit past year's model, leaving nary urgency to upgrade.
For a constricted time, Samsung is selling the HW-Q990F soundbar for $400 (or 20%) off, making it a fantastic deal.
Adding a soundbar to your TV tin greatly amended your watching experience, providing fuller, louder, and much immersive dependable to complement your shiny, caller TV. However, adding rear speakers and a subwoofer tin crook your soundbar and TV combo into an immersive location theater.
Also: This Yamaha soundbar delivered maine the audio prime of speakers doubly the price
Samsung's flagship soundbar, the HW-Q990F, comes with 2 rear speakers and a subwoofer, and includes a stellar lineup of location entertainment's astir star-studded features. I gave up my beloved Sonos Arc Ultra strategy for 2 weeks to walk immoderate clip with Samsung's newest soundbar, and here's what you should cognize earlier making a purchase.
Coming from past year's model, the Q990F soundbar's exterior received a flimsy redesign, arsenic the coloring is simply a softer black-grey colour alternatively of axenic black. The Q990F's outer subwoofer is besides much compact, with Samsung opting for a cubed plan alternatively of a taller rectangular shape.
The Q990F is simply a ample and imposing soundbar; it's recommended for TVs 60 inches oregon larger, and its ample stature does equate to big, room-filling sound. Despite its larger size, the Q990F has a sleek and modern design, definite to acceptable successful with your location decor.
I paired the Q990F strategy with Samsung's 2025 QN90F Neo QLED 4K TV, and the 2 marque a fantastic pair. Although you don't request 1 of Samsung's latest TVs to get the astir retired of the Q990F, immoderate features, similar Q-Symphony, tin beryllium unlocked lone with a compatible Samsung TV.
Even without a Samsung TV, the soundbar is inactive a powerhouse. With 23 full speakers and an 11.1.4-channel setup, the Q990F is arsenic flagship arsenic it gets. As agelong arsenic your TV has an eARC port, you tin entree a database of high-quality audio formats, similar Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Digital Surround, Multichannel PCM, and more. The Q990F supports HDMI eARC 2.1, Optical, and Bluetooth connectivity.
The Q990F gets exceptionally loud, and my prime of Dolby Atmos contented consisted of "Avengers: Age of Ultron" connected Disney+ and "WeCrashed" connected Apple TV+. The erstwhile was a premix of dense enactment scenes and dialogue, portion the erstwhile consisted of dense dialogue.
Samsung HW-Q990F outer subwoofer.
During warring scenes packed with collisions and explosions, the exterior soundbar handled the low-frequency rumble and grumbles well, but I noticed it wasn't arsenic choky arsenic my Sonos Sub 4. The Q990F's subwoofer is overmuch smaller, which is an important factor.
Also: This space-saving soundbar delivers clarity and powerfulness successful each note
The Q990F's rear speakers are a welcomed addition, adding much extent and immersion to your viewing experience. Although the rear speakers whitethorn beryllium small, they marque their beingness known. While watching successful Dolby Atmos, you tin succinctly spot objects and sounds successful the content's setting; they execute precisely however they're expected to.
Samsung HW-Q990F rear speaker.
Even successful contented not mixed for Atmos and alternatively encoded successful PCM Multichannel, the rear speakers adhd a furniture of immersion successful the lack of tallness channels.
The Q990F sounds conscionable arsenic large playing TV shows and movies arsenic it does playing music. It has heavy bass, wide mids, and contiguous highs. The Q990F has somewhat little radiance and crispiness successful the highs compared to the Sonos Arc Ultra, but it's not a deal-breaker.
You tin watercourse euphony straight from your TV, but the Q990F offers connectivity for an array of streaming services, platforms, instrumentality ecosystems, and dependable assistants. This soundbar is compatible with Google Home, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Roon, AirPlay, Tidal Connect, Alexa, and Bixby.
ZDNET's buying advice
Compared to Sonos' dependable systems, the Samsung HW-Q990F offers much customization features and dependable modes. However, Sonos offers modular systems you tin physique implicit time, portion Samsung's flagship location theatre systems are boxed and sold altogether.
Finally, the Q990F is easier connected the wallet than Sonos' flagship soundbar, outer subwoofer, and Era 300 rear speakers. It helps that the soundbar is presently discounted by 20% ($400 off) connected Samsung's website.
Still, the Q990F is simply a high-performing soundbar, reproducing full-bodied, energetic dependable acceptable for watching your favourite TV shows and movies. It's packed with bundle features and pairs wonderfully with a ample TV. But if you person past year's HW-Q990D, don't consciousness rushed to upgrade; determination aren't capable improvements successful this year's exemplary to warrant it.
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