Most people no longer use physical media, which is why I use streaming to test the HW-Q990F most of my time. I found that Apple TV has the best audio quality for any major streaming service, and it tracks my experience testing this bar: STAMOS mixed shows, such as Sci-Fi Hit Base As you would expect, any soundbar worthy of salt is done with gorgeous clarity and dynamic bass.
This is an atmospheric response audio effect based on the object really shocked me. The raindrops and squeaking chairs seemed to be present in the test room with me. The Ford GT prototype engine fills the room as you watch Ford V Ferrari.
Samsung has both excellent handling and the ability to bounce around smaller and medium-sized rooms on nails. The satellite drivers and side speakers at all angles on the main bar really make you feel like you’re being attacked by audio in every way. I really like the way the sounds rotate around me when I watch my 4k Blu-ray copy Blade Runner 2049with wavy synthesizers, noise on other screens in 3D space and other screen sounds and rainy backgrounds.
Photo: Parker Concert Hall
There is a lot of adjustability in sound modes (standard, gaming, environment and adaptive), EQ level and volume per speaker, and I recommend you adjust the settings to your personal taste in a specific room. I found the settings work out of the box. I have a rather traditional home theater setup with two speaker booths behind my listening position and the subwoofer next to the TV stand and it sounds great almost immediately (I did have to adjust the subwoofer level a little).
The soundbar can be matched with modern Samsung TVs S95F In one mode, Samsung calls Q-Myphony, allowing it to use the TV speakers, except for the bar, subwoofer and around. I didn’t find this particularly tempting. It seems to raise the high point, but it doesn’t actually do much for overall immersion. If you have a Samsung TV, it’s worth a try, but if you want an LG, Sony, TCL, Panasonic, or Hisense TV, this feature isn’t a broken one.
The best part of the system is that it can work with any Other products in TV Land is not only a three-star land. I love the ease of setting up, and I love that it does feel like it gives me the highest quality sound in the most compact package. The bars were still on sale last year (and still very similar) were actually a plus: Samsung almost determined the audience’s existing needs at this point. There are few competing speaker systems, but I would say that the high-end bars of Sonos, Bose and LG do make the system profitable. That said, none of them do this much channel, which makes Samsung’s HW-Q990F top me for me in 2025.
