The Samsung HW-B550 is a 2.1 soundbar released in 2022. It's the next generation of the Samsung HW-A550 and performs quite similarly to its predecessor. It's a simple bar that's best for listening to stereo content, which includes most music and TV shows. If you want to improve its surrounds performance, you can add a Wireless Rear Speaker Kit, which is sold separately. However, there's no Dolby Atmos support to let you take advantage of more immersive formats on streaming platforms. You don't get access to Samsung's more premium features, like room correction, which optimizes audio to your room's unique acoustics, and Q-Symphony, which pairs the bar with compatible Samsung TVs for an enhanced sound.
Our Verdict
The Samsung B550 is decent for mixed usage. As a 2.1 soundbar, it's ideal for listening to stereo content, which encompasses most music and dialogue-heavy TV shows. Out-of-the-box, its neutral sound ensures voices and lead instruments reproduce with clarity, and you have lots of customization tools to change up its sound. You don't feel as much rumble in the bass as with more premium models, especially with bass-heavy music and movies. 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital, which you find on lots of streaming platforms, aren't very immersive-sounding, either.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
- Lacks some low-bass.
- No satellites included.
The Samsung B550 is very good for dialogue-focused TV shows and podcasts. With its balanced mid-range, voices reproduce with clarity and detail. You even have a dialogue enhancement mode (Voice Enhance) as well as a night-mode feature that balances out the volume between different programs and commercials. Without a discrete center channel, dialogue isn't quite as clear or real as with 3.0 setups, but it still does a good job overall.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Bluetooth support.
- No support for Apple AirPlay, Wi-Fi, or Chromecast.
The Samsung B550 is very good for music. Out-of-the-box, it has a balanced sound, with neutral mids that ensure voices and lead instruments reproduce accurately. As a result, it's suitable for listening to most music genres. It gets loud, and you have many customization tools on hand to make it sound the way you want. That said, there's a noticeable lack of bass on certain tracks, especially bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
- Lacks some low-bass.
The Samsung B550 is fair for movies. Dialogue reproduces with clarity and accuracy, and you have plenty of enhancement tools to customize its sound. However, you don't feel the deep thump in the low bass during intense movie scores or action-packed scenes. You can't take advantage of more immersive object-based formats like Dolby Atmos, which you find on lots of streaming platforms. 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital are downmixed into stereo, which doesn't sound very immersive. However, you can always add a rear speaker kit if you want to improve its surround sound.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Lacks some low-bass.
- No satellites included.
Changelog
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Updated Jan 14, 2025:
The Compared To Other Soundbars and Surround 5.1 boxes have been updated to mention the Samsung HW-B750D.
- Updated Jun 04, 2024: Updated text in Stereo Dynamics, Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical boxes with new methodology from TBU 1.3. Some updates to the usages as well.
- Updated Jun 03, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench Update 1.3. If applicable, we've retested stereo sound based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Additionally, we've expanded our audio latency tests to the following boxes: Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Jun 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.2. Updated the results for audio format support via ARC/eARC, HDMI In, and Optical. Added Video Passthrough to TV results as well.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Samsung B550 is available in 'Black'. You can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Samsung B550 is a simple 2.1 bar that offers nearly identical performance to its 2021 predecessor, the Samsung HW-A550. Designed for stereo content like music and TV shows, it does a good job with those formats, though, as expected, it's not ideal for 5.1 surround sound. There are some extra features compared to the more budget-friendly Samsung HW-B450, also released in 2022, like a graphic EQ and HDMI connections. But, given the similarity of their frequency responses, it might not be worth the extra cost. Still, if you watch a lot of surround sound content, the 2024 Samsung HW-B750D offers an improved surround performance with a 5.1 setup in an otherwise very similar package.
See also our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Samsung soundbars, and the best soundbars for dialogue.
The Samsung HW-B650 is better than the Samsung HW-B550. They're both similar bars with similar sounds right out of the box and lots of customization tools on hand. However, the B650 adds a discrete center, which improves vocal clarity. The B550 remains a good option for those looking for a more budget-friendly choice.
The Samsung HW-B550 is better than the Samsung HW-B450. They're both 2.1 soundbars that offer similar stereo frequency responses, but the B550 comes with some extra features. It's better built and has a graphic EQ, so you have more ability to customize its sound. There are also HDMI connections, which the B450 lacks. If you aren't interested in these features, though, the B450 is pretty similar, and it's more affordable overall.
The Samsung HW-Q600A is better than the Samsung HW-B550. The Q600A is a 3.1.2 bar, and unlike the 2.1 B550, it supports Dolby Atmos content. It also comes with a discrete center channel, so vocals are reproduced more clearly in the mix.
The Samsung HW-B550 is better than the Polk Audio Signa S2. They're both budget-friendly 2.1 bars, but the Samsung soundbar performs best. It has more sound enhancement features, like a graphic EQ that lets you customize its sound to your liking. It's better-built, too, with a more balanced sound out-of-the-box than the boomy Polk.
Test Results
