Review: Samsung HW-Q990D Soundbar

Is resting on your laurels really such a bad plan? If you’re Samsung’s Q990 soundbar, maybe not. Now in its fourth iteration, the bar is perennially crowned the best for Dolby Atmos with only modest upgrades year over year.

The HW-Q990D once again inches forward from its predecessor. The primary addition is a much-needed update to the bar’s dual HDMI inputs for 4K HDR video pass-through at up to 120 Hz from gaming consoles. You’ll pay an extra $100 for the privilege, but serious gamers may delight in two more connection points—especially those rocking a premium TV with only two gaming ports, like Sony’s latest Bravia models.

Otherwise, the Q990C is strikingly similar, with the same design, the same components, and slick features like the ability to connect wirelessly to select Samsung TVs. Meanwhile, the rest of the premium soundbar market offers appealing new alternatives, from pricey but powerful modular bars like the Sonos Arc Ultra (9/10, WIRED Recommends), to cheaper all-in-one models like JBL’s 1300X (8/10, WIRED Recommends). Samsung’s Q990 still rules—but the kingdom is restless.

All-in-One

Modular systems from Sonos, Bose, and others are all the rage, letting you add to a single bar with a subwoofer and satellite speakers at your leisure. But if you already know you want the full Atmos surround experience, the 11.1.4-channel Q990D is conveniently comprehensive.

It starts with the main bar, which stretches a gangly 48.5 inches across but sits just 2.7 inches tall, fitting safely beneath most TV stands. Within its perforated frame are a whopping 15 drivers, including left, right, and center channels, alongside side-firing drivers and up-firing drivers to bounce sound off your walls and ceiling for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D height effects. The surround speakers add three more drivers per side, including more height speakers, while the subwoofer finishes things off for 22 total drivers.

It sounds overwhelming for newbies, but setup is surprisingly intuitive, with neatly packed power cords for each component, a small metallic remote, and HDMI and optical connection cables. You’ll need power outlets and speaker stands for the surrounds, but it’s much simpler than a traditional home theater—especially if you’ve got a newer Samsung TV.

Samsung Connection

I’ve been reviewing TVs and soundbars for over a decade, so it’s not often I’m surprised (let alone delighted) during setup. This is somehow the first time I’ve had a Samsung flagship soundbar and premium TV (the QN90D) at once to test Samsung’s proprietary wireless connection options, and I was flat-out shocked by how well it works.

The TV recognized the bar almost instantly and connected to it over Wi-Fi. Within seconds, I was testing the bar in concert with the TV speakers via Samsung’s Q-Symphony system and on its own. The QN90D’s speakers are fine, but they aren’t as potent or dynamic as the QN990D, so I spent most of my time with the bar handling the load.

Samsung's wireless connection not only sounds good, it’s also surprisingly seamless, with only a few blips in days of testing. As with a wired HDMI eARC/ARC connection, you can use the TV remote to control power and volume and even adjust audio settings from the TV.

I still recommend connecting the bar via HDMI if you’re not worried about hiding cables. It’s more reliable, and I noticed some situations, such as playing a DTS Blu-ray, where the surround speakers weren’t working over Wi-Fi. HDMI is also the only way to connect to older TVs and those not made by Samsung. Optical connection is also available, but it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos, so it’s more of an auxiliary option.

Sufficiently Loaded

Speaking of auxiliary inputs, the Q990D doesn’t offer any analog ports, meaning you can’t connect legacy sources like a turntable directly. The bar’s dual HDMI 2.1 ports offer some consolation, letting you connect gaming consoles directly without sacrificing features like VRR (variable refresh rate). In comparison, Sonos’ Arc Ultra provides no spare audio inputs.

The Q990D offers plenty of other features, from built-in Alexa smarts to support for top audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Dolby True HD, as well as DTS Master Audio and Atmos’ 3D rival, DTS:X. You can stream over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi via Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay, though Google Chromecast isn’t supported in the US. That’s not surprising since Samsung TVs also omit Chromecast, but it’s irksome considering that Samsung makes Android phones.

Most of the other features and settings are accessible with the bar’s remote and onboard display, but it’s usually easier to use the SmartThings app. The basic layout lets you choose the sound mode (I generally stick to Standard), adjust the EQ, engage enhancements like Active Voice Amplifier, and set channel levels.

I appreciate Samsung’s inclusion of channel levels for most of the bar’s gazillion audio channels, but getting the levels locked in was the most onerous part of my evaluation. I had the surround speakers directly behind my couch due to space constrictions, which meant I had to turn them all the way down and even raise the other channels to balance things.

This task was much easier with Sonos’ Era 300 speakers (9/10, WIRED Recommends) connected to the Arc Ultra, because Sonos TruePlay calibration adjusts the sound to your room (though stand-alone Wi-Fi speakers can have their own quirks). Auto calibration is something I’d expect in any system that costs nearly $2,000, yet each year Samsung fails to add it. The company’s Space Fit feature supposedly analyzes the sound in real time, but I didn’t notice any meaningful change.

My other beef is a persistent volume issue when using Spotify Connect. If you’re streaming directly from Spotify, adjusting the volume level bizarrely jumps up or down seven steps per maddening tap, so it’s always too loud or too quiet. Add in the lack of Chromecast, and Android users are forced to control streaming directly from SmartThings or grab the otherwise superfluous remote. It’s a small fix, but that’s also why it’s so annoying.

Sound Swirl

Streaming quirks notwithstanding, the Q990D has the goods where it counts. Each component in the four-piece system works in concert to offer a powerful, balanced, and fantastically fluid soundstage across everything you play. You won’t quite get the premium detail found in bars like the Arc Ultra, but there’s enough tactile touch to appreciate the little things, and plenty of bombast to raise your cinematic moments to new heights, literally.

Dolby Atmos is unsurprisingly the star of the show. The “Amaze” scene from my Atmos demo disc was definitely a showpiece moment. I could almost feel the humidity all around me in the insect buzz at the intro, while the rolling thunder cracked with visceral surprise and the rain at the end truly reached down from overhead to put me deep in the jungle flora.

As with the Q990C, I found myself entranced by the smooth swirl as the bar and satellites handed off effects like an Olympic baton, while the precision of “sound objects” like shattering glass let my ears almost pick the shards out of the air. The bar is similarly immersive and accurate for games, dropping you in the center of open-world scenes like the Mos Eisley cantina in Star Wars Outlaws.

Stepping out of the Atmos dome to surround tracks lowers the stakes, but there’s still plenty to enjoy in refined soundtracks like in Sam Mendes’ Skyfall. The intro scene is one of my favorites for testing, and the Q990D didn’t disappoint, from the meaty punch of Bond’s Walther PPK to the papery buzz of the dirt bikes as Bond and his rival ride along the bazaar rooftops.

Deep bass effects like explosions are finely tuned, with minimal directionality from the side-firing sub. Once again it comes up short in comparison to more pricey modular options like the Sonos Sub 4, which is more textural, musical, and pointed, but Samsung’s sub is taut and hefty enough to meet or beat most all-in-one systems I’ve tested.

Music is the final test of any soundbar, and the Q990D once again impresses. It doesn’t provide the dynamics, clarity, or refinement of a great pair of bookshelf speakers, but it’s surprisingly game for a system that prioritizes Dolby Atmos. The Standard sound mode keeps stereo tracks out of the satellites, but you can easily virtualize things for a more expansive experience.

It’s easy to see (or hear) why Samsung’s Q990 tops best-soundbar lists for premium Dolby Atmos. It’s also easy to see why buying last year’s model, priced nearly $1,000 cheaper as I write this, is the better option for most—even über gamers. LG TV owners may also want to consider the S95TR (8/10, WIRED Recommends), while JBL’s aforementioned 1300X is another intriguing alternative, with similarly excellent performance and fully wireless surround speakers that attach and charge from the main bar.

If your budget is fluid, more costly systems like the Sonos Ultra (with the Sub 4 and Era 300 speakers) rise higher, as does Sony’s unique Quad system (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which employs four discrete rectangular speakers that wirelessly connect to a center control hub. Despite all these options, the Q990D will be a top choice in the premium soundbar space for another season, especially once its price drops. But it’s clear Samsung can’t push its luck forever; the competition is closing in.