Samsung HW-Q990C 11.1.4 Channel Sound Bar Review

The Samsung Q990C is an excellent soundbar that offers all the benefits of the Q990B, our Editors' Choice winner for high-end soundbars last year. That's because the $1,899.99 Q990C is a nearly identical system that's completely untouched save for a few software tweaks and audio processing improvements. It still delivers immersive spatial audio with 11.1.4 channels including rear satellite and upward-firing drivers, powerful bass from a subwoofer, and built-in Apple AirPlay and Spotify Connect for seamless smartphone pairing . Still, the JBL Bar 1300X ($1,599.99) remains our Editors' Choice this year because of its lower price, wireless battery-powered rear satellite, and support for Google Cast in addition to Apple AirPlay.

Design: Same as Q900B

The Samsung Q990C soundbar looks identical to the Q990B, measuring 2.7 by 48.5 by 5.4 inches (HWD). It sports a flat, angular design with a metal grille wrapping around the front and sides, and angled panels at the corners. An alphanumeric LED display is located at the rear on the right side of the front. The top panel features a grille that fires the audio drivers upward. There's a small strip of buttons in the middle that control power, volume up/down, and input. Because of the soundbar's wider width, it works best with TVs that are 65 inches or larger (TV sizes are measured diagonally, so a typical 65-inch TV is only 57 inches wide horizontally).

The back of the soundbar has three grooves for wired connections. The left recess houses the optical audio input, the center recess houses two HDMI inputs and one HDMI output, and the right recess houses the power cord port. As a spatial audio sound system, the Q990C is primarily designed to be used with HDMI via eARC and can be used as a switcher for two HDMI source devices, while the optical audio input is mainly used as a backup for older TVs and can only support up to 5.1 sound. channel surround sound (actually less than half that provided by an 11.1.4-channel system).

The rear satellite speakers are the same as the surround speakers on the older Q990B, with a black, boxy design and a slightly rounded top. Each speaker measures 7.9 x 5.1 x 5.4 inches and weighs 7.5 pounds. Grilles are located on the front panel, top panel, and outward-facing side panels, and the rear panel houses the power cord port, status LED, and power button.

The same goes for the subwoofer. It's a 16.7 x 8.7 x 16.1-inch, 25.8-pound black box with a covered bass port on the right side and a power cord port, a USB service port, a status LED, and a reset button on the back.

I believe you know something about remote controls. The rectangular black wand has a circular control pad (which you probably won't use often, since the soundbar doesn't have an on-screen interface) with a play/pause button in the middle. Power, source, and Bluetooth buttons sit above the pads, with six additional control buttons below as well as master volume and subwoofer rockers. It's an infrared remote, so it has to be pointed directly at the soundbar.

Features: Alexa, AirPlay, and a few tweaks

The soundbar retains its predecessor’s extensive feature set, including built-in Amazon Alexa (so you can use it as a smart speaker ), Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect support, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X spatial audio compatibility, and SpaceFit acoustic calibration (which uses the soundbar's microphone to analyze your space and automatically optimize sound and bass) . It also supports Samsung's Q-Symphony feature, which lets you integrate compatible Samsung TV speakers into your sound system, providing extra audio channels above the soundbar for enhanced spatial audio. Q-Symphony is generally available on mid-range to high-end Samsung TV models from 2021 onwards.

Like most soundbars, the Q990C also features Bluetooth connectivity for streaming music from your phone. However, it shares limited Bluetooth codec support with the Q990B, with only the common but relatively low-quality SBC. AAC, AptX, and high-resolution LDAC are all missing, which is a pity. If you have an iPhone, you should stick to streaming via Apple AirPlay. If you have an Android phone and Spotify is your preferred music streaming service, choose Spotify connected via Bluetooth.

In fact, all the changes to the Q990C compared to previous models are software tweaks. According to Samsung, the Q-Symphony and SpaceFit functions have been upgraded to versions 3.0 and 2.0 respectively, and the Adaptive Sound automatic EQ has now been upgraded to Adaptive Sound Pro.

Audio Quality: Immersive and Detailed

The Q990B's sound was already loud and balanced, and the Q990C's tweaks further refined it. Thanks to its subwoofer, it's no surprise that it delivers powerful rumble. The bass drum hit on our low-frequency test track, "The Knife's" "Silent Shout," is powerful enough to shake the walls at high volumes, and doesn't distort because the bass frequencies are offloaded to the subwoofer.

Yes’s “Roundabout” sounds great on the Q990C. The opening guitar strings resonate strongly, and the delicate string textures are clearly visible. When the track is played correctly, the mix is ​​well balanced, with guitars, drums, bass lines, and vocals all given ample presence. Some of the guitar playing lags slightly behind other elements, but only a little.

Dedicated height channels enhance spatial audio, with four channels on the Q990C delivering an immersive experience for content with Dolby Atmos sound. In Doctor Strange's first chase scene in the Multiverse of Madness, the sound of gravel crashing together and flying overhead was accurately heard between the soundbar, the rear speakers, and the forward- and upward-firing drivers. Panning across time, the impression is that the rocks are really whizzing by.

Thanks to the soundbar's Active Voice Amplifier mode (which is on by default), sounds sounded clear amid the clutter. It also offers a separate voice enhancement mode that you have to manually enable to further optimize conversations.

If you want to reduce the roar of your movie to avoid disturbing other people in your home (or neighbors), the soundbar has a night mode that limits the dynamic range of the audio. Night and Voice Enhanced modes can only be accessed through the Samsung SmartThings app on your phone or by navigating the soundbar's menu system using the remote's control pad and the tiny alphanumeric LED display on the front. Dedicated buttons for these two functions on the remote can be very helpful.

Any improvements to the Q990C's audio quality are subtle, but noticeable to the trained ear. The soundbar seems to handle the treble more delicately, so the higher frequencies sound crisper. Its spatial audio imaging also feels more accurate, and the aural localization of virtual objects is more precise. These are minor upgrades to an already powerful performer, and most listeners will struggle to hear a noticeable difference even if the speakers are next to each other.

It's not broken, so no major fixes

The Samsung Q990C is a great soundbar, which is no surprise since it's an almost completely unchanged version of the excellent Q990B. However, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table and is more expensive than the JBL Bar 1300X. The 1300X also features 11.1.4 channels, with up-firing drivers on the soundbar itself and on the rear satellites, which have the added benefit of being completely wireless and capable of snapping onto the sides of the soundbar for charging and extending the stereo soundstage. Additionally, it supports Google Cast for better music streaming from Android phones. For these reasons, the JBL Bar 1300X remains our Editors' Choice winner, but the Samsung Q990C is a very capable alternative, especially if you can find it on sale.

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