Buying a home theater setup usually means purchasing a sound bar, subwoofer, and rear speakers separately. Some companies may include a subwoofer with the sound bar, but you don't always get everything you need for the most immersive sound in the same box with high-end models. Samsung includes all those extra speakers with (), although you are obviously paying a premium. The company offers Dolby Atmos along with a variety of audio options and two HDMI inputs, delivering crystal-clear 11.1.4 channel sound to your living room. The Q990C is a significant investment, but it's also a one-stop shop.
Design
As the Q990C is Samsung's high-end soundbar in its current lineup, it's also its largest. It's 48.5 inches wide, which is actually about three inches shorter than the . Of course, companies need extra space in flagship models to accommodate all the speakers. In Samsung's case, the Q990C houses 11 front-facing drivers (including some on the side), four upward-facing drivers, and an internal subwoofer. The separate wireless subwoofer is also substantial, measuring 16 x 16 x 8 inches and weighing 26 pounds. The wireless rear speakers aren't huge, but they have a three-driver configuration front, side, and up, where other companies might have just one.
Samsung opted for a plastic mesh cover for both the sound bar and rear speakers. It is easier to keep clean than typical speaker cloth. Samsung also simplified things on the soundbar, placing just four buttons on the top. Here you'll find a multifunction button that turns on the speaker or cycles through input sources. Volume and microphone mute controls. From the front, a small screen on the right side will show you input information, volume level, and other settings. Instead, all of the 90-degree angles of the Q990C's side panels follow the position of the side speakers.
Setting
The initial setup of the Q990C is among the easiest I've completed for a home entertainment package. Once you turn on the soundbar and connect it to the SmartThings app, the subwoofer and rear speakers are automatically added when you turn them on. There's no waiting for anything to sync and I didn't have to connect everything individually. There are buttons on the sub and back if you need to manually connect to the soundbar, but I've never had to use them. Everything was quick and frustration-free, getting you to the music and movies soon after unpacking.
Like many flagship soundbars, Samsung has included two additional HDMI inputs above the HDMI eARC connector you'll use to connect your TV. Many more affordable and compact models only have an eARC connection, so you have to rely on the ports on your TV, but more expensive models often offer additional options to connect directly to the soundbar. Samsung says you can expect 4K/60 and HDR10+ passthrough on the Q990C, but not 4K/120 since the unit doesn't have HDMI 2.1. That's a big omission on a $1,900 soundbar that will ship in 2023.
There's also an optical input on the Q990C, as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. The latter brings Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, and AirPlay into the mix. It also allows you to connect wirelessly to a compatible Samsung TV to listen to audio. This means you can bring Dolby Atmos to the soundbar wirelessly from your TV, which is useful if you've already mounted the screen flush to the wall. And if you have a compatible Samsung phone, you can enable Tap Sound, which connects to the Q990C via Bluetooth when you gently tap the speaker with your phone. As an iPhone user, I couldn't test this.
SmartThings app and other features
In addition to helping with setup, the SmartThings app is where you can modify the Q990C's settings. The current input and volume controls are the most prominent on the device's screen, with sound modes, equalizer, and woofer level just below. There are also options for SpaceFit Sound, which automatically tunes room audio, and Active Voice Amplifier, which combats room noise by optimizing on-screen dialogue. The advanced settings menu offers voice and bass enhancement along with a night mode, but all of these are turned on or off without the need for further customization. SmartThings allows you to choose Bixby or Alexa as the voice assistant you want to use on the sound bar.
Samsung lets you choose between Standard, Surround, Game Pro, and Adaptive Sound modes. The first does not modify the audio at all and is the only mode in which the fully adjustable equalizer is available (only bass and treble otherwise). For everyone else, the Q990C upscales 2.0, 5.1 and 7.1 audio to the 11.1.4 channel output offered by the sound bar. Of course, all Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content is also streamed in 11.1.4. Surround mode is self-explanatory, while Game Pro creates more immersive audio with 3D-optimized sound specifically for gaming. Adaptive Sound is the option I used the most, as it analyzes audio in real time to keep dialogue clear at a variety of volumes for movies, news, and sports. I also found it to be the best sounding preset for music.
In addition to selecting a sound mode in the app, you can cycle through them with a dedicated button on the included remote control. It also gives you access to SpaceFit Sound, Active Voice Amplifier, Voice Enhancement, and more with a sound control button labeled with the settings/gear icon. A channel level knob lets you adjust the volume of each speaker, with center level, side level, wide level, top front level, rear level, rear top level and rear side level among the options. There is also a button for tone control, allowing bass and treble adjustments to be made with the push of a button. This is all in addition to the standard power, input, volume (overall and subwoofer only), mute, pairing, and playback options that sound bar remotes typically have.
Sound quality
Thanks to the Q990C's upscaling capabilities, almost any movie or TV show sounds more immersive than if you listened to it in stereo or even a 5.1 setup. Netflix Drive to survive, which is offered in Dolby Atmos if you have the most expensive Ultra HD plan, is still amazing with this soundbar for those of us on the most affordable monthly rate. The whirring of passing cars, pitlane noise and crashes make this meticulously filmed series even better. Marvel shows and movies on Disney+ are available with Atmos and they sound amazing.
I can confidently say that this is the closest I've ever come to a movie theater-like experience in my living room. The additional drivers in the rear speakers certainly elevate the overhead feeling, contributing significantly more to directional audio than regular single-driver units. Fight scenes like the one that opens The Falcon and the Winter Soldier They're loud and chaotic, but they sound more like you're watching them in real life, hearing the thud of every blow, the fire of every weapon, and the hum of helicopters cruising through the canyon.
The Q990C is also a great choice for music. Crisp, clear highs and powerful, punchy bass complement almost every genre. Even at lower volumes, tunes like Sia's “Everyday Is Christmas” sound layered rather than compressed. The vocals are clear and the bass line doesn't dominate. The same goes for the Turnpike Minstrels. A cat in the rain where each band member stands alone, with snare hits and country-rock vocals cutting through the mix. The bass from the large subwoofer is present but restrained, as bombastic as it should be and never muddy or boring.
The sound of those albums was impressive and I didn't even stream them in Dolby Atmos. Immersive tunes sound even more incredible on the Q990C. TesseracT's progressive metal war of being is soaring and atmospheric, with choppy guitars and bass on tracks like “The Gray” showcasing the dimensional quality of Atmos Music. Less intense genres like Tyler Childers Rusting in the rain they're more like live performances than streamed albums. The sound is full, crisp, and envelops the room with guitars, piano, steel guitar, and perfectly timed drum hits, all backing Childers' distinctive Eastern Kentucky vocals.
This soundbar system also works well in a multi-room setup and doesn't need other Samsung speakers to do so. Thanks to AirPlay, you can easily select the Q990C and other speakers on your Wi-Fi network. I was able to consistently pair the soundbar with a HomePod in another room with just a few taps on Apple Music. The audio performed consistently once the two speakers were connected and I never heard any dropouts or clipping when used together.
One audio feature I wasn't able to test is Q-Symphony. This uses the speakers inside Samsung TVs in addition to the drivers in the sound bar setup. The company promises that it “can optimize all channels” for a “masterfully orchestrated sound experience.” I don't have a Samsung TV, but the sound bar system sounds great without it. What's more, this sort of thing isn't exclusive to Samsung devices, as Sony offers a similar tool called Acoustic Center Sync with its sound bars and TVs.
The competition
It is the best alternative to the Q990C. It also works great with Atmos and music, but anything you add to it is an additional purchase. At current prices, the cheapest soundbar and secondary and rear speaker options will set you back $1,600, while the soundbar alone costs $1,000. There are better options for both the woofer and rear, but they increase the price significantly.
The A7000 offers much of what the Q990C has on its spec sheet. That includes the two HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K/120 pass-through. Sony includes support for Hi-Res and 360 Reality Audio along with several pieces of virtual surround technology and various sound modes. The key difference between this and the Q990C is that the A7000 has a 7.1.4 channel setup, up from 11.1.4 and the aforementioned HDMI 2.1 support.
The Q990C is currently on sale for $1,400, but it's unclear if that price cut will be permanent. The $500 savings makes Samsung's all-inclusive setup even more attractive, if you can live without HDMI 2.1.
Wrap
the latest from samsung It is a sound power. And, perhaps most importantly, it comes with the subwoofer and rear speakers you'll need to get the most out of the box. For the cost of what you'd pay just for a sound bar from some of the company's top competitors, you get the complete package and one that's easy to set up and customize as needed. Sound quality is excellent, and Atmos content is as crisp and immersive as ever, as long as you have room to accommodate the pack. The lack of HDMI 2.1 hinders gamers' performance, and that's a glaring omission in a premium soundbar these days. The Q990C isn't cheap, even at the current discounted price, but at least you get everything you need in one go.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-hw-q990c-soundbar-review-an-all-inclusive-atmos-setup-160049530.html?src=rss
