The Samsung HW-Q900A is a 7.1.2 setup released in 2021. It's the upgraded version of the Samsung HW-Q900T, and unlike its predecessor, it supports Apple AirPlay 2 and comes with an Auto EQ room correction feature. It offers some sound enhancement features that work with compatible Samsung TVs to create a more immersive sound, like Q-Symphony and SpaceFit Sound+, though we don't currently test for these. It offers a pretty neutral sound profile, so it's suitable for listening to different types of audio content. It also gets pretty loud, and it comes with lots of sound customization features.
Our Verdict
The Samsung HW-Q900A soundbar is impressive for mixed usage. With its Standard preset, this soundbar has a pretty neutral sound profile suitable for listening to most types of audio content. Though it lacks some low-bass, there are many sound customization features available to help you get a more balanced sound. That said, its surround performance isn't as impressive as a setup with discrete satellites, and its Atmos performance isn't very immersive-sounding.
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Graphic EQ and presets.
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Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay 2 support.
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Lacks some low-bass with 'Standard' preset.
The Samsung HW-Q900A soundbar is excellent for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. Thanks to its discrete center channel, voices are accurately localized to a pinpoint location within the sound image. Also, its balanced mid-range can reproduce dialogue clearly and accurately. There's even an Active Voice Amplifier feature and a Voice Enhancement feature that can make voices sound more clear and crisp. You can stream podcasts and audiobooks to the bar wirelessly via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay 2, but unfortunately, it doesn't support Chromecast built-in.
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Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay 2 support.
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Dialogue enhancement features.
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Doesn't support Chromecast built-in.
The Samsung HW-Q900A soundbar is impressive for music. With its Standard preset, this soundbar offers a pretty neutral sound profile suitable for most genres, though you may not feel the deep rumble in bass-heavy music like EDM. Fortunately, there are lots of sound customization features available to help you get a more balanced sound, including bass and treble adjustments as well as graphic EQ and presets. Also, this soundbar gets loud, and there isn't much compression when you play it at max volume.
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Gets loud.
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Graphic EQ and presets.
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Lacks some low-bass with 'Standard' preset.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is great for movies. It can reproduce dialogue clearly, and its extended low-bass helps you feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. It also gets quite loud, and its sound customization features can help you adjust its sound to your liking. It uses side-firing speakers on the bar to simulate a surround performance, though unfortunately, this doesn't sound as clear or real as a discrete setup. Also, its Dolby Atmos performance isn't the most impressive.
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Gets loud.
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Graphic EQ and presets.
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Dialogue enhancement features.
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Lacks some low-bass with 'Standard' preset.
- 8.3 Mixed Usage
- 8.6 Dialogue/TV Shows
- 8.3 Music
- 8.0 Movies
- Updated Mar 27, 2023: Added cable lengths to In The Box.
- Updated Mar 22, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. With this update, we've added a Mounting test and added information aboutSubwoofer Output, Spotify Connect, and Microphone Mute.
- Updated Oct 17, 2022: Added information about Dolby Vision Passthrough support to 'Other Input Specifications'.
- Updated Mar 15, 2022: Added Rear Speaker Adjustment support.
- Updated Feb 09, 2022: Firmware update doesn't add Chromecast support.
- Updated Jul 15, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Jul 08, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 21, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jun 21, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jun 15, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Samsung HWQ900A comes in one color: Black; you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version of this soundbar, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Soundbars
The Samsung HW-Q900A soundbar is the upgraded version of the Samsung HW-Q900T. This 2021 soundbar comes with some new sound enhancement features, including a room correction mode, as well as some features that we don't test for, like SpaceFit Sound+, which uses speakers from your compatible Samsung TV to calibrate the bar's sound. However, it doesn't come with dedicated satellite speakers for surround content, though you can purchase them separately.
See also our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars for movies.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the Sonos Arc. The Samsung has a dedicated subwoofer that helps reproduce a more extended low-bass and a Full HDMI In port. It offers more wireless playback options, and you can customize its sound using its graphic EQ and presets. However, the Sonos is better built, with a better soundstage performance. You can also upgrade it to the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers for better performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A and the Samsung HW-Q900C are similar 7.1.2 setups. However, the newer Q900C has some small improvements over its predecessor—notably, it gets louder with less compression at max volume, and its sound quality is a bit more even out-of-the-box. It has a better build quality, too.
The Samsung HW-Q990B is better than the Samsung HW-Q900A. The Q990B has discrete satellites, so it has better surround sound and Atmos performances. It's better built, with more low-bass in the mix to help you feel the thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. The Q900A is a good alternative if you don't have space for rear speakers, though. Also, you can always add speakers separately if you want to improve its performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 900. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with a dedicated sub that helps reproduce a more extended low-bass. It offers more sound enhancement features, and it gets louder. Unlike the Bose, it supports DTS content and has a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough. That said, the Bose is better built with a better soundstage. You can also upgrade it with a sub and satellites for better performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q700A. The HW-Q900A reproduces a more extended low-bass, and it gets louder with less compression at max volume. It also has a better surround performance, as well as a room correction feature. That said, the HW-Q700A is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is the newer version of the Samsung HW-Q900T, and it offers better overall performance. The HW-Q900A offers better surround and Atmos performances, and it supports Apple AirPlay 2 connectivity. It also comes with more sound enhancement features like room correction and auto-volume mode. There are also some sound enhancement features that we don't test for, like SpaceFit Sound+ and Tap Sound.
The Samsung HW-Q900A and the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module are both premium soundbar setups. Unlike the Samsung, the Bose comes with discrete satellites. It offers better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances, and it's better built. However, the Samsung offers more sound enhancement features, such as a graphic EQ and presets. Unlike the Bose, it has DTS support and a Full HDMI In port for high quality passthrough.
The Samsung HW-Q930B is better than the Samsung HW-Q900A for most uses. The Q930B comes with rear speakers, meaning it provides a much more immersive sound with surround sound formats like Dolby Digital. It reproduces more low-bass out-of-the-box, too, and its Atmos performance is better. If you don't have space for rear speakers in your setup, the Q900A is a good alternative.
The Samsung HW-Q900A and the Samsung HW-Q910B are both premium Dolby Atmos soundbars, and depending on your listening habits and your setup, you may prefer one over the other. The Q900A is a 2021 release with a 7.1.2 setup. It gets louder, so it's ideal for larger living areas, though it doesn't come with satellites like the 9.1.2 Q910B. Thanks to its satellites, the 2022 Q910B is better for surround sound and Dolby Atmos content.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Samsung HW-Q800B. The Q900A is a 7.1.2 setup compared to the 5.1.2 Q800B. It has two more channels, as well as more sound enhancement features to help you customize its sound. There's less compression when you play it at max volume, too.
The Samsung HW-Q950A is a marginally better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q900A. The HW-Q950A is an 11.1.4 setup with dedicated satellite speakers and offers better surround and Atmos performances. Also, it has rear level adjustments, unlike the HW-Q900A.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better 7.1.2 setup than the Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module. The Samsung has better center and Atmos performances. It can get louder, too, with less compression at max volume. Also, it offers more sound customization features, including a graphic EQ as well as bass and treble adjustments. That said, the Sony is still a premium setup that's better built and comes with satellites. It offers a better surrounds performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q800A. The HW-Q900A is a 7.1.2 setup that gets louder and comes with a room correction feature. Also, it offers a better surrounds performance since it doesn't have to downmix this content into stereo to play it like the 3.1.2 HW-Q800A.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Sony HT-A5000. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that comes with a dedicated subwoofer, unlike the Sony. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass, and it has better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. There are more sound enhancement features available, too, including a graphic EQ. That said, if you prefer a standalone bar, the Sony is still a decent choice overall.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the LG S95QR or the Samsung HW-Q900A. The LG is a 9.1.5 setup that comes with discrete satellites, and it offers better surround and Atmos performances. It doesn't get as loud as the Samsung, though, and its bass doesn't extend quite as low.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 700. The Samsung reproduces a more extended low-bass, and it has a better surrounds performance. Unlike the Bose, it supports Dolby Atmos content, comes with a Full HDMI In port, and offers a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization. That said, the Bose is better built with a better soundstage.
The Samsung HW-Q950T is a slightly better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q900A. The HW-Q950T has a more balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and it gets louder. It also offers a better surround performance. That said, the HW-Q900A comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction and auto-volume mode. It also supports Apple AirPlay 2 connectivity.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is marginally better for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-Q80R. The HW-Q900A offers a better surround performance, and it comes with more sound enhancement features like auto-volume and room correction. It also has built-in voice assistant support, and it supports Apple AirPlay 2. However, the HW-Q80R is better-built.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Samsung HW-Q90R or the Samsung HW-Q900A. The HW-Q90R has better surround and Atmos performances. It also gets louder, and it's better built. That said, the HW-Q900A offers more sound enhancement features, including room correction and auto-volume mode. It also has built-in voice assistant support and more wireless connectivity options.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Vizio Elevate or the Samsung HW-Q900A. The Vizio is a 5.1.4 setup with discrete satellites speakers that offers a better surrounds performance. Thanks to its unique design with sides that rotate upwards, it also has a better soundstage. That said, the 7.1.2 Samsung comes with more sound enhancement features, such as room correction and a graphic EQ. It also has built-in voice assistant support, unlike the Vizio, which requires a third-party device for voice assistant control.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content and has built-in voice assistant capabilities. It gets louder than the JBL, and it has a better stereo soundstage. It even comes with more sound enhancement features, such as a graphic EQ. That said, the 5.1 JBL is better-built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q600A. The HW-Q900A gets louder with less compression at max volume, and it reproduces a more extended low-bass. It also has better soundstage and surround performances, as well as more wireless support options. It also comes with built-in voice assistant support and a room correction feature. That said, the HW-Q600A is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the LG S90QY. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with a better surrounds performance, and it also gets louder than the LG. Its default sound profile is more neutral, too, so voices and lead instruments are more detailed in the mix. Though the 5.1.3 LG comes with an additional up-firing center channel, unfortunately, it doesn't really make a difference when it comes to its center performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Samsung HW-Q800T. The HW-Q900A is a 7.1.2 setup with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. It also gets louder, and unlike the HW-Q800T, it supports Apple AirPlay 2 and comes with a room correction feature. That said, the 3.1.2 HW-Q800T is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a bit better for mixed usage than the LG SP11RA. The Samsung gets louder, and it comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization. It also has built-in voice assistant support, while you need to purchase a third-party device to use voice assistants with the LG. That said, the LG is better-built and offers more wireless playback options.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a bit better soundbar for mixed usage than the LG SP9YA. The Samsung gets louder with less compression at max volume, and it has better center, surround, and Atmos performances. It also comes with built-in voice assistant support and a graphic EQ, unlike the LG. That said, the LG is better built with more wireless connectivity options.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a bit better for mixed usage than the LG SN11RG. The Samsung gets louder with less compression at max volume, and it has a better center channel performance. It also comes with a graphic EQ. That said, the LG is better built with a better surrounds performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the Sony HT-G700. The Samsung offers better soundstage and surround performances, and it gets louder. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass, and it has more wireless connectivity options. It has built-in voice assistant support and more sound enhancement features, including a room correction feature and a graphic EQ.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar for most uses than the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers. The Samsung gets louder with less compression at max volume, and it supports more wireless playback options. It also comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization and a Full HDMI In port, unlike the Sonos. That said, the Sonos is better-built, with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances.
The 7.1.2 Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the 3.1.2 LG SN8YG. The Samsung has better soundstage and surround performances. It gets louder, and it even comes with a graphic EQ to help you customize its sound.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Samsung HW-Q900A or the Vizio M Series M512a-H6. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with more wireless playback options and sound enhancement features, like room correction. It gets louder and has built-in voice assistant support. That said, the 5.1.2 Vizio comes with discrete satellites. It has better soundstage and surround performances, too.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a bit better for mixed usage than the Klipsch Cinema 1200. The Samsung is a better-built 7.1.2 setup. Unlike the Klipsch, it supports DTS content, and it has more sound enhancement features like room correction. While the Klipsch has a bass-heavy sound right out-of-the-box, the Samsung's sound is more neutral with an accurate reproduction of the boom in the bass. That said, since the Klipsch comes with discrete satellites, it has a better surrounds performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Sony HT-ST5000. The Samsung gets louder, and it has better center and surround performances. It has built-in voice assistant support and more sound enhancement features, like room correction and a graphic EQ. That said, the Sony is better-built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is significantly better than the Yamaha YAS-408. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with better soundstage, center, and surround performances. Unlike the Yamaha, it supports Dolby Atmos content and has built-in voice assistant capabilities. It gets louder with less compression at max volume, and there are more sound enhancement features, including room correction and a graphic EQ.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Sony HT-A9. The Samsung is a 7.1.4 setup with a dedicated subwoofer included. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass, and it gets louder. It also has a better center performance as well as more sound enhancement features like a graphic EQ. That said, the 4.0.4 Sony is still a very immersive setup. It has discrete satellites, and its soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances are better.
The Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module and the Samsung HW-Q900A are two very different setups. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 soundbar with a discrete center channel. It gets louder, and it can reproduce a bit more boom in the bass range. That said, the Sony comes with a unique design with four speakers and a small control box instead of the usual soundbar. It offers better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances, too.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the standalone Sony HT-A7000. The Samsung comes with a dedicated sub, and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also gets louder, and it has better surround and Atmos performances. It even has some more sound enhancement features, like a graphic EQ. That said, the Sony is better built. You can also upgrade it with a sub and satellites for better performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Harman/Kardon Enchant 1300. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with a dedicated subwoofer. Unlike the Harman/Kardon, it supports Dolby Atmos content and has built-in voice assistant capabilities. It gets louder, and it has more sound enhancement features like a graphic EQ. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass. That said, the 5.0 Harman/Kardon is better built with a better soundstage.
While the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is a decent standalone choice for dialogue-centric content like TV shows, the Samsung HW-Q900A is the better choice overall. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with a dedicated sub that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It has better soundstage and center performances, and it gets louder with less compression at max volume. It also has more sound enhancement features, such as room correction.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 SSE. The Samsung soundbar supports eARC, and it has more sound enhancement features like room correction and a graphic EQ. Plus, its sound profile is more neutral out-of-the-box, especially compared to the Nakamichi's boomy, bass-heavy sound. You can customize the Nakamichi if you want, though. It's also better-built, with a better surrounds performance thanks to its discrete satellites.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Stage. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with a dedicated subwoofer. It has better surround and Atmos performances, and it gets louder. Unlike the Bang & Olufsen, it has DTS support and built-in voice assistant capabilities. That said, the Bang & Olufsen is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module. The Samsung supports Dolby Atmos content, and it comes with a Full HDMI In port, unlike the Bose. It gets louder, and it comes with more sound enhancement features, including a graphic EQ, presets, and an auto-volume mode. However, the Bose is better built and offers better soundstage and surround performances.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a bit better for mixed usage than the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar MAX. The Samsung has a better soundstage and comes with more sound enhancement features like bass and treble adjustments. Unlike the Sennheiser, it also has built-in voice assistant support. That said, the Sennheiser has a better Atmos performance.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the LG SN10YG. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that gets louder and offers a better surround performance. It also comes with a graphic EQ so you can customize its sound. However, the 5.1.2 LG is better-built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with a dedicated sub that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It offers more wireless playback options and sound enhancement features, including a graphic EQ and presets. There's also a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough, which the Sonos lacks. However, the Sonos is still a solid choice for listeners who want a small, standalone bar. It has better soundstage and surround performances, and you can even upgrade it with a sub and satellites.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Sonos Beam. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that has a dedicated sub, which helps reproduce a more extended low-bass. It gets louder and has a better surround performance. Unlike the Sonos, it supports Atmos content and has a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough. Even more sound enhancement features are available, such as a graphic EQ and presets. However, some users may prefer the Sonos' better-built, more compact design. Despite its smaller size, the Sonos also has a better stereo soundstage.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that's better built. It has better surround and Atmos performances, and it gets louder. Unlike the Klipsch, it supports DTS content and built-in voice assistant capabilities. It even has some more sound enhancement features, like room correction. However, the 3.1 Klipsch is still a solid choice for dialogue-centric content like TV shows.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Samsung HW-A650. The HW-Q900A is a 7.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the HW-A650. It has better soundstage and surround performances, and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. Also, it has more sound enhancement features, such as room correction. That said, the 3.1 HW-A650 is still a solid choice for users who prefer dialogue-centric content like TV shows.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Sony HT-Z9F. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances, and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also comes with more sound enhancement features, like room correction and a graphic EQ. Unlike the Sony, it has built-in voice assistant support. That said, the 3.1 Sony is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q850A. The HW-Q900A gets louder with less compression at max volume, and it has a better center channel performance. It also comes with a room correction feature. That said, the HW-Q850A is better built, with better surrounds and Atmos performances.
The Samsung HW-Q60T is a decent overall soundbar, but the Samsung HW-Q900A is a better choice for most users. The HW-Q900A is a 7.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content. It has better soundstage, center, and surround performances. It even gets louder with less compression at max volume. Also, there are more sound enhancement features, like room correction. However, the 5.1 HW-Q60T is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Samsung HW-Q70T. The HW-Q900A is a 7.1.2 setup with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. It reproduces a more extended low-bass, and it gets louder. Unlike the HW-Q70T, it has room correction, Apple AirPlay 2 support, and built-in voice assistant capabilities. That said, the HW-Q70T is better-built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Klipsch Cinema 600. The Samsung is better built, and it supports Dolby Atmos content. It has better center and surround performances, as well as more sound enhancement features like room correction. It also has built-in voice assistant support, and it supports more wireless playback options.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the JBL Bar 9.1. The Samsung gets louder with less compression at max volume, and it has built-in voice assistant support. It also comes with more sound enhancement features, including a dialogue enhancement mode, a graphic EQ, and bass and treble adjustments. That said, the JBL is better built, with better soundstage and surround performances. It also supports Chromecast built-in connectivity.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Sony HT-X9000F. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with better soundstage, center, surround, and Atmos performances. It gets louder, and it supports more wireless playback options. Unlike the Sony, it has built-in voice assistant support and some premium sound enhancement features like a graphic EQ and room correction.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the LG SN9YG. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup with better soundstage, center, surrounds, and Atmos performances. It also gets louder, albeit with a bit more compression at max volume. That said, the 5.1.2 LG is better-built.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Yamaha YAS-209. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that's better built and supports Dolby Atmos content. It has better soundstage, center, and surround performances. There are also more sound enhancement features like room correction. That said, the Yamaha is still a decent choice for vocal-centric content and music.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that comes with a dedicated subwoofer, and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It has a better soundstage, and more sound enhancement features, such as a graphic EQ. Unlike the JBL, it also supports DTS content. That said, the JBL is still a solid choice for you if you want a standalone bar.
Test Results
The Samsung HW-Q900A soundbar has a similar design to the Samsung HW-Q950A. The bar is fairly wide and heavy. It's mostly plastic, with fabric tightly draped across the top. The sides of the bar are also slightly angled with vent-like openings for the side surround speakers.
The sub is mostly made of wood. On the side, the speaker's opening is covered by fabric.
The Samsung HW-Q900A doesn't come with satellite speakers, but it's compatible with the Wireless Rear Speaker Kit, sold separately.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is fairly wide, so it likely won't fit between the legs of a 55" TV stand. However, it also isn't very tall, so it shouldn't block your TV screen unless your TV sits flush on the table.
The sub is the same size as the sub for the Samsung HW-Q900T. It's about the size of a desktop PC, and thanks to its wireless design, you can position it anywhere in your setup as long as it's plugged into a power outlet.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has a good build quality. It's identical to the Samsung HW-Q950A, though it doesn't come with satellite speakers. The bar itself is mostly plastic, which feels solid and durable, and the sub is mostly wood. However, the fabric covering seems like it could collect dust and get dirty easily, which may be disappointing for some users. For a better-built soundbar, check out the LG SP11RA.
- User Manual
- Mounting template
- 2x mounting brackets
- 2x mounting screws
- 2x mounting collars
- Rubber feet pad
- Remote with batteries (2xAA)
- 2x power cord (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- HDMI cable (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
The Samsung HW-Q900A has a great stereo frequency response. With its Standard preset, it has a pretty neutral sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. However, the low-bass is a bit underemphasized, so you may not feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy music or action-packed movies. Fortunately, there's a graphic EQ and bass and treble adjustments to help you customize its sound.
Note: This soundbar comes with a room correction feature called Auto EQ that automatically calibrates audio reproduction using a microphone built into the subwoofer. In our testing, we turn on any room correction feature during our stereo frequency response tests to better represent the typical user experience. However, after multiple attempts using both the remote and the app, we couldn't get the Auto EQ feature to work. Each time, we received an error message saying that the tuning had failed.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has an excellent stereo frequency response with preliminary calibration. With its subwoofer level set to '+3', this soundbar offers a very neutral and balanced sound profile. It's suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content, and it can accurately reproduce the thump and punch in the bass range.
Note: We usually calibrate soundbars using bass and treble adjustments if they're available. However, during our testing, we noticed that adjusting the bass and treble for this bar doesn't change the frequency response. We've experienced the same issue with some other Samsung soundbars released in 2021. We're looking into this issue, and we'll update this review once we have more information.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has a good stereo soundstage performance. The soundstage is perceived to be about the size of the bar itself. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any tricks to make it seem wider than that. On the upside, it has good focus, so it's easy to follow sound objects like footsteps and pinpoint them to an accurate location.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has an excellent stereo dynamics performance. It gets loud, which is helpful if you like to crank up the volume to fill a large room or a crowded party. Also, there isn't a lot of compression when you push the bar to its max volume.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has a great THD performance. At normal listening volumes, it falls within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction. While there's a slight jump in THD at max volume, it shouldn't be very noticeable for most listeners with real-life content.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has an amazing center channel performance. This 7.1.2 setup comes with a discrete center that helps more accurately localize dialogue to a pinpoint location in the sound image. Its frequency response is also neutral, especially in the mid-range where voices are reproduced, so dialogue is clear and detailed.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has an acceptable surround performance. It uses side-firing speakers built into the bar to bounce sound off the walls. Unfortunately, objects in the soundstage don't sound as clear and accurate as they would in a setup with discrete surround speakers. That said, its frequency response is quite balanced, so dialogue reproduces accurately, and you can feel the thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. For a better surrounds performance, check out the Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 SSE.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has a middling Atmos performance. It uses up-firing speakers on the bar to bounce sound off the ceiling and back down towards you to simulate height. However, it's not as immersive-sounding as setups with additional up-firing rear speakers like the Samsung HW-Q930B.
Update 03/15/2022: If you choose to add on rear speakers to this setup, you get access to a Rear Level Adjustment feature in the app and with the remote. However, without rear speakers, you can't use this feature.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has a fantastic selection of sound enhancement features. Like most premium bars, it has a room correction feature that uses a microphone built into the subwoofer to calibrate audio reproduction; however, we couldn't get this feature to work during our testing. If you want to customize its sound, there's a graphic EQ available as well as some presets: 'Standard', 'Surround', 'Game', and 'Adaptive Sound'. You can even make voices sound more clear and crisp using the Active Voice Amplifier or the Voice Enhancement feature on the app.
The Samsung HW-Q900A comes with some sound enhancement features that we don't currently test. Its Q-Symphony feature allows you to pair the bar with the speakers on compatible Samsung TVs to create a more immersive sound. You can also use compatible Samsung TVs to activate the SpaceFit Sound+ feature, which calibrates audio reproduction based on the room you're listening in. You can also mirror audio from your phone to the soundbar using the Tap Sound feature.
The Samsung HW-Q900A comes with several physical inputs. It has two Full HDMI In ports that let you use it as a hub between different devices. However, it lacks an AUX port, and you can't plug in USB drives for audio playback.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has fantastic audio format support via ARC. It supports more common surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and object-based and lossless formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
The Samsung HW-Q900A also supports all of the audio formats that we test for via Full HDMI In. It supports Dolby Digital, which is the most common surround sound format often found on Blu-ray discs and streaming platforms. It also supports object-based formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
The Samsung HW-Q900A supports both Dolby Digital and DTS via Optical, commonly found on streaming platforms and Blu-ray discs.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has a great latency performance. It has fairly low latency via its ARC and Optical In ports, so you shouldn't notice a delay between the audio you hear and the video you see. As a result, it's suitable for watching videos over these connections. It doesn't perform as well via its Full HDMI In port, though. That said, some apps and some TVs compensate for latency differently, so your real-world experience may differ.
Update 02/09/2022: We confirmed that updating the firmware to version 1010.1 didn't add Chromecast capabilities to the bar. Some users have reported otherwise, but we believe that it could be their TV allowing for Chromecast. It's also possible that Australian soundbar units have Chromecast support as advertised on the manufacturer's Australian website. However, Samsung's websites in other countries don't mention any Chromecast capabilities.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has incredible wireless playback support. You can wirelessly stream audio from your mobile devices to the bar via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Unlike the Samsung HW-Q900T, it also supports Apple AirPlay 2, handy for Apple users.
The Samsung HW-Q900A can passthrough the highest quality bandwidth signals, including Dolby Vision Passthrough. When connected between your PC and your TV, text on the screen appears clear and crisp. However, it can't passthrough 4k @ 120Hz.
The Samsung HW-Q900A has a small display on the top of the bar that shows the volume level, the speaker settings, and the input. There are also three lights in the front of the bar that change depending on the setting you adjust. You can also press and hold the SOURCE button for five seconds to turn the Voice Feedback feature on and off, which lets you know when you've adjusted a sound mode.
The physical controls on the top of the bar let you adjust the volume and turn the microphone on and off. There's also a multi-function button that lets you change the input.
