- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Video
- Test Results
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a great soundbar that's versatile for a wide variety of uses and it's one of our best performing soundbars so far. It has a great overall audio reproduction, has a fairly wide and very focused soundstage, and it'll perform very well with pretty much all types of content. This 7.1.4 setup provides an immersive listening experience on supported content thanks to Atmos. It also offers plenty of connection options, both wired and wirelessly. The setup is well-built and feels high-end. If you're looking for a premium setup that has great performance and can get loud regardless of the content you're listening to, the Samsung HW-Q90R is a great option.
Our Verdict
Great for mixed usage. The Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar has a very good, neutral, and accurate sound profile. It will perform well with all sorts of content such as dialogue, a wide variety of music genres, and movies. You can also get an immersive listening experience since it supports Atmos on its 7.1.4 setup. This soundbar performs well even at very high volumes, and it offers decent manual sound customization, but lacks a room correction feature.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Multiple connection options.
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Great performance at high volume.
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Supports Atmos and height channels for immersive experience.
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Small interface screen.
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Very wide bar.
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No room correction.
Great for dialogue and watching TV shows. The Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar is also great for podcasts and audiobooks. It sounds neutral and the overall reproduction of voices is accurate. It gets very loud and has a feature to make dialogue clearer at low volumes too. You can also easily stream audio content from your phone to the bar.
Great for music. The Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar setup has an accurate and neutral sound profile which is suitable for a wide variety of music genres. It also has a good soundstage size and is also focused. This setup can get very loud and doesn't compress, even at higher volumes, which is great. You can easily EQ this setup and set the level of the subwoofer separately, to your liking.
Great for movies. The Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar sounds great and also supports Atmos, which gives you a more immersive experience when compared to some other soundbars. However, it won't sound as real as a setup with down-firing speakers. You'll still be able to play surround sound content with a good sound quality. There are also a few features to customize the sound to your liking, and you can easily set the amount of bass you want from the sub.
- 8.2 Mixed Usage
- 8.2 Dialogue/TV Shows
- 8.2 Music
- 8.3 Movies
- Updated Mar 29, 2021: Added information about the sub not connecting to the bar during our testing.
- Updated Mar 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 04, 2020: Sound Enhancement Features has been updated to reflect this soundbar's EQ presets.
- Updated Jun 08, 2020: We've tested the new eARC support after updating to the latest firmware.
- Updated Sep 27, 2019: Review published.
Video
Test Results
The Samsung HW-Q90R is the 2019 high-end, flagship soundbar setup from Samsung. This is a 7.1.4 setup, which includes rear speakers. This is something that the Samsung HW-Q80R is lacking, making it a bit more immersive when watching movies. The HW-Q90R's main competitors are the Bose Soundbar 700 complete setup with a subwoofer and rear speakers, and last year's Samsung Samsung HW-N950, which has the same bar.
This is a wide and heavy soundbar, and its sides are covered with metal grilles, aside from the back which is made of solid plastic. The entire bar gives off a premium feel.
The subwoofer is mostly made of wood. The speaker on the side is covered with a round fabric that can get easily damaged or dirty. Like most subwoofers, it has the port on the back.
The satellites have a metal grille to cover the speakers at the front and on top, but the sides are made of plastic. They're slightly large, but nothing too bad. If you're tight on space and would prefer a 7.1 soundbar without satellite speakers, consider the Sony HT-ST5000.
The Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar is very wide and won't fit between the legs of any 55" TV stand. Although it's a little taller than most bars, you shouldn't have issues with it obstructing your view.
The subwoofer resembles a large desktop PC, and you shouldn't have issues finding a place to put it.
The satellites are slightly larger than average, but they contain the power transformer so you don't have to plan where you'll place the power brick, like with the Bose Soundbar 500. All you need is a power outlet.
This bar has only one opening for the input ports. The power cable connects at a different point. You can wall-mount the bar using the universal holes that are on the underside with the included brackets.
The subwoofer's back has the port and a button for pairing. The power cable connects at the bottom and won't stand out much.
The satellites are labeled for left and right, so make sure you place them accordingly. There are a pairing button and a universal hole for wall-mounting each of them.
The Samsung HW-Q90R's build quality is great, very similar to the Samsung HW-Q80R. In fact, it has an even better build quality than some of Samsung's newer models like the Samsung HW-Q900T. It's very robust and the entire setup feels premium thanks to the materials used and its rather heavy weight. Although we don't expect you to have any issues with the build quality, care should be given to the fabric on the subwoofer as it can get dirty or damaged easily.
- Manuals
- HDMI Cable
- Remote & Batteries
- Bar power cable
- Subwoofer power cable
- Satellite power cables (x2)
- Screws
- Wall mounting adapters
The Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar has a great frequency response that results in a neutral sound profile. It also has a very extended bass, which will accurately reproduce the deep thump and rumble in music, movies, and games. The overall sound of this soundbar is great for stereo content and will be suitable for a wide variety of music genres, as well as dialogue. There's also a good amount of customization you can apply to this bar, including an available EQ.
Update 03/29/2021: While performing the test bench update for this soundbar, we noticed that the sub didn't stay connected to the bar. As a result, we weren't able to perform the calibration test, so these results represent the default settings of the bar. However, thanks to the graphic EQ and presets as well as the bass and treble adjustments, you can still tweak this bar to your liking.
When listening to the Samsung HW-Q90R, the soundstage is good. The bar is pretty wide and the soundstage feels about the same width. Sound isn't diffused, resulting in a focused soundstage, which is good because objects seem to be coming from a more accurate pinpoint location rather than from a general area. Although the bar is wide, it didn't sound as large as the Sonos Beam or the Bose Soundbar 700.
The Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar can get very loud and is great to use in large rooms or a crowded environment. It performs quite well at maximum volume as well, as you don't get much compression, which is excellent.
The THD performance is excellent at normal volume (80dB SPL), and you'll get a clean sound and great fidelity of audio reproduction. However, when pushing the bar to its maximum capacities, there's a small jump in THD in high-bass and low-mid. You might not hear this on real-life content.
This is a 7.1.4 setup that has excellent performance in the center channel. Due to its configuration, the Samsung HW-Q90R has a dedicated center speaker, which results in a more clear and accurate audio reproduction of the dialogue in movies.
The Samsung HW-Q90R has an impressive surround performance. It comes with two discrete surround speakers that help to more accurately localized surround objects like voices in the sound image. Audio seems like it's coming from all around you rather than just from speakers placed in front of you. Its surround channels can get quite loud, though their bass-heavy frequency response may be a bit boomy for some listeners.
The Samsung HW-Q90R supports Atmos for a more immersive experience, especially when watching movies. While this setup sounds fairly big and wide thanks to the up-firing speakers on the bar and satellites, the localization of objects is diffused. It doesn't sound as real as a discrete localization provided by down-firing speakers.
Update 09/04/2020: We originally reported that this soundbar only had access to a graphic EQ. However, it also has preset EQs so we've updated our review to better reflect these changes.
The high-end Samsung HW-Q90R has unremarkable sound enhancement features. Unlike the Samsung HW-Q950A, it lacks some of the most important features such as a night mode and Room Correction. Without room correction, this soundbar may sound a bit differently depending on your room. On the upside, it does offer a lot of control and customization options to manually make it sound the way you like. In addition to a graphic EQ, there's also four EQ presets: 'Standard', 'Surround', 'Game Pro', or 'Adaptive Sound'. If you're looking for a 7.1 setup with more sound enhancement features, check out the LG SN11RG.
The Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar can serve as a hub between your TV and your other devices thanks to its nice set of inputs. Unfortunately, there's no Analog Audio In to directly connect to older devices through their Audio Out. You can't play files from a USB and you can only connect to your network wirelessly.
Update 06/08/2020: This soundbar now supports eARC and high-end signals.
The Samsung Q90R soundbar supports most high-end signals thanks to the new firmware update that added eARC support. This extended version of ARC allows it to support not only surround sound format, but also the most advanced object-based surround signals, and high-quality lossless formats.
This soundbar has excellent support for surround sound and object-based sound formats, which results in an immersive experience when watching movies, like from Netflix and Blu-rays, or for gaming.
Using the Optical Audio In, you can enjoy Dolby Digital and DTS content usually found on Blu-ray discs and streaming platforms like Netflix.
You can connect to the soundbar via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to play your content. However, unlike the JBL Bar 9.1, you won't be able to cast using Chromecast built-in or Apple AirPlay.
When used as a hub, the Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar has no issues passing through the highest quality signals. If you connect it between your PC and your TV, the text on the screen will be clear.
The subwoofer connects wirelessly to the soundbar and the only wire you’ll need is the power cord.
The only wire connected to the satellites is the power.
The small screen in the front serves as the interface and can display the volume level and the input source. It's simple and easy to read, but it's rather small and sometimes it has to scroll to display its message.
The buttons on the bar are found on the rear edge of the top side. They can power on or off the system and control the volume, or choose the input source.
The remote has the same style as the remotes of the latest high-end Samsung TVs. It sits well in your palm and allows you to control all of the functions of the soundbar, but it can't act as a universal remote to control other devices.
Although advertised as compatible with Alexa, we couldn’t get the HW-Q90R to work with Alexa, and it doesn’t natively support any other built-in voice assistants. If you want to use Google Assistant, you can do it through your phone's Bluetooth connection to the soundbar, and the sound will come out of the speakers.
The app that pairs with the Samsung HW-Q90R soundbar is the same that pairs also with the latest Samsung TVs and many other Samsung house appliances. There are a few things the app can't do, like changing the sound profile, so it can't really replace the remote.
Compared To Other Soundbars
The Samsung HW-Q90R is one of the best performing soundbars we've tested so far. It's very versatile for every type of content you play and performs great overall. It's a high-end model that looks and feels premium and supports Atmos for an immersive experience with movies. See our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars for music.
The Samsung HW-Q90R and the Samsung HW-Q950R are two differently performing soundbars with different setups. The HW-Q90R is a 7.1.4 setup that feels better built and has less compression at max volume. Its center, surrounds, and height performances are slightly better, and it also supports 5.1 PCM via its Full HDMI In port. The HW-Q950T, in comparison, is a 9.1.4 setup that's able to reproduce slightly more bass.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar than the Sonos Arc. The Samsung is a 7.1.4 setup with a more neutral sound profile and overall better performance at max volume. It also has a better surrounds performance, and it comes with a graphic EQ and presets to customize its sound. However, if you already have Sonos speakers, the Sonos app is very useful and allows you to control your ecosystem, which is nice. Also, the Sonos can be upgraded as the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers for better performance.
The Samsung HW-Q90R and the LG SN11RG are both 7.1.4 soundbars, but the Samsung is slightly better performing overall. While both soundbars are similarly well-built, the Samsung has a better-balanced sound profile, which some users may prefer. Also, it can get louder with fewer compression artifacts, and it has a graphic EQ plus presets if you like to tweak its sound. It also has better surround and center performances. That said, LG has more sound enhancement features such as room correction, it has a USB input for files, and you can stream music to it via Chromecast built-in.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar for watching movies than the Samsung HW-Q900T. The 7.1.4 HW-Q90R comes with two satellite speakers, unlike the HW-Q900T, which helps provide a more immersive listening experience. The HW-Q90R is also better-built, and its surround and height channels have more neutral, better-balanced sound profiles. That said, both soundbars have very versatile performances overall.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is basically the Samsung HW-Q80R, but with rear satellites that have up firing speakers. They both perform quite similarly, but the Q90R has a small edge over the Q80R. The 7.1.4 Q90R has a better overall surrounds performance thanks to the rear speakers, which is the main difference. Both bars are very similar and your choice will come down to personal budget and preference of content.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better soundbar 7.1 setup than the Sony HT-ST5000. The Samsung has a more neutral frequency response that makes it better suited to a wider range of music and film genres. Not only can it also get much louder, but it compresses and distorts less at max volume. Its surround performance is also better since it comes with rear speakers, but if you're tight on space you may prefer the more compact Sony setup.
The Samsung HW-Q90R performs better than the Sonos Playbar, although we didn't test the Sonos with a sub and satellites, which are sold separately. The Samsung has better overall performance, supports Atmos, and has plenty of inputs that are lacking on the Sonos. On the other hand, the Sonos has a room correction feature and can easily be upgraded.
The Samsung HW-Q950A is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q90R. The HW-Q950A comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction and auto-volume mode. It supports Apple AirPlay 2 connectivity, and it has built-in voice assistant support. It also comes with some sound enhancement features that we don't test for, like SpaceFit Sound and TapSound. However, the HW-Q90R is better built and gets a bit louder than the HW-Q950A.
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.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is better than the full Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers setup. The Samsung has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, which some users may prefer. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass, and it comes with a graphic EQ to customize it. It performs better at max volume, too. However, the Sonos is better built with a better stereo soundstage. Unlike the Samsung, it has room correction and built-in voice assistant capabilities.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is better than the JBL Bar 9.1. The Samsung is a 7.1.4 setup that has a bit better balanced sound profile, it can get louder with fewer compression artifacts, and its height and surround performances are better too. It also has a graphic EQ as well as EQ presets, which some users may prefer. However, the JBL is a 5.1.4 setup has a better stereo soundstage, and it has an ethernet port too. It also has more wireless playback options.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar for mixed usage than the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module. The Samsung supports Dolby Atmos content and comes with a Full HDMI In port, unlike the Bose. It also gets louder and has a better surrounds performance. It's more customizable, too, thanks to its graphic EQ and presets. That said, the Bose is better built with a better soundstage performance. It also comes with a room correction feature and built-in voice assistant support, unlike the Samsung.
The 7.1.2 Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar for most uses than the 3.1.2 Samsung HW-Q800A. The HW-Q90R comes with discrete satellite speakers, and it has better surround and Atmos performances. Also, it gets louder. However, the HW-Q800A comes with an auto-volume feature and Apple AirPlay 2 support. It also has built-in voice assistant support.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is better than the standalone Sony HT-A7000. The Samsung comes with a dedicated sub and satellites included. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass, and it gets louder. It also has better surround and Atmos performances. However, the Sony is better built with more wireless playback options. You can also upgrade it with a sub and satellites for a better performance.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better overall soundbar setup than the Samsung HW-Q70T. While they are both versatile, well-built soundbars that perform well with a variety of uses, the Q90R is simply one of the best soundbars that we've tested to date. With rear speakers, the Q90R's 7.1.4 setup provides a more immersive listening experience when watching movies. It can also get louder than the Q70T, and it has a bit less compression at max volume. However, some users may prefer the Q70T's smaller, sleeker, and simpler design.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a bit better for mixed usage than the LG SP11RA. The Samsung gets louder, and it has a better surround and Atmos performances. Some users may prefer that it comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization, unlike the LG. That said, only the LG comes with room correction, and it supports more wireless playback options.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is better than the Samsung HW-Q700A. The HW-Q90R is a 7.1.4 setup with dedicated satellites. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass, and it gets louder. It also has a better surrounds performance. However, the 3.1.2 HW-Q700A comes with a few additional features, such as an auto-volume mode and Apple AirPlay support.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better overall setup compared to the Sonos Beam. The Samsung is a 7.1.4 setup with a better surrounds performance that can also support Dolby Atmos content. It gets louder with less compression at max volume, and it reproduces a more extended low-bass. When it comes to sound enhancement features, the Samsung has a graphic EQ and presets, whereas the Sonos has room correction. The Sonos is simple in its setup and is a great standalone soundbar with a center channel that helps reproduce dialogue accurately. It also has a better soundstage and built-in voice assistant support.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Bose Smart Soundbar 700, although the Bose can be upgraded easily into the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module. The Samsung gets louder and supports Atmos. It also has better connectivity options since the Bose doesn't have any full HDMI In inputs. On the other hand, the Bose has a great stereo soundstage and a premium feel, thanks to the glass plate covering.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar setup than the Samsung HW-Q70R. The Q90R is an Atmos-enabled 7.1.4 setup with dedicated rear satellites, while the Q70R is a 3.1.2 setup that consists of just the soundbar and a wireless subwoofer. The Q90R has a wider soundstage, and better surround performance thanks to its dedicated satellites. On the other hand, the Q70R is a slightly more compact setup with a smaller bar and less separate pieces.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar. The Sennheiser is a system that tries to do it all with only a stand-alone bar but doesn't quite excellent at being versatile like the Samsung does. The stereo audio quality of the Samsung is noticeably better, just like the Atmos performance, thanks to the up-firing speakers on the bar and the satellites. On the other hand, the surround AMBEO mode of the Sennheiser soundbar is quite impressive for a stand-alone bar and adds to the immersive listening experience.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is better than the Samsung HW-Q800T. The HW-Q90R is a 7.1.4 setup that offers better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. Unlike the HW-Q800T, it comes with discrete satellites, and it gets louder. That said, the HW-Q800T has built-in voice assistant support, whereas the HW-Q90R only supports voice assistants through paired smartphones.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is better than the Sony HT-Z9F. It creates a more immersive listening experience, thanks to its dedicated satellite speakers, and has better Atmos height performance due to its upwards firing speakers. On the other hand, the Sony has more connectivity options, has Chromecast built-in, and isn't nearly as wide.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a noticeably better soundbar system than the LG SL10YG. It gets louder, has a better overall sound and soundstage, and performs better at max volume. The 7.1.4 configuration is also more immersive thanks to the additional side-firing speakers and up-firing speakers on the satellites, resulting in better performance with both surround and Atmos content.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch. The Samsung has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, which some users may prefer. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass, and it performs better at max volume. There's even a graphic EQ to help you customize its sound. That said, some users may prefer the Nakamichi's unique design with four satellites and two subs.
The 7.1.4 channel Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better soundbar setup than the AmazonBasics 2.1 Channel Bluetooth bar. The Samsung is a lot more expensive, but it has a significantly better-balanced sound profile, can support more surround sound formats including Dolby Atmos, has more diverse connectivity options like HDMI, and has a more premium design. If you're tight on space, the inexpensive AmazonBasics bar will likely be a better option, but if you have enough room and can afford the Samsung, it's the better choice overall.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is significantly better than the Samsung HW-Q60R. The HW-Q90R has satellite speakers for better surround sound performance and its sound profile is much more balanced. The Q90R also has up firing speakers for Dolby Atmos content and has much more connectivity options, but the HW-Q60R has better sound enhancement features, such as Night Mode, which reduces volume change between different programs when you watch at night.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better, more complete soundbar setup than the LG SN6Y. The Samsung uses a 7.1.4 channel configuration, which results in a much more immersive listening experience than the 3.1-channel Sony. The Samsung also supports Atmos, and its subwoofer produces more bass for action movies or electronic music. The LG is much more compact, though, which makes it a better choice if you're tight on space.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar than the Vizio SB46514-F6. The Samsung is a 7.1.4 setup that reproduces a more extended low-bass. It has better soundstage and surround performances, and it can get louder with less compression at max volume. There's even a graphic EQ to help you customize its sound, as well as a dialogue enhancement feature.
While the Samsung HW-Q90R and the LG SK10Y are two soundbars with different setups, the Samsung is the better performing soundbar overall. Both soundbars can create an immersive listening experience thanks to Atmos support but the Samsung's 7.1.4 channels produce a better soundstage compared to LG's 5.1.2 setup. The Samsung also has a more balanced sound profile, it can louder without too much sound degradation, and it has an auto-off feature.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Vizio SB36512-F6. It’s a 7.1.4 setup better built and has better soundstage and surround performances. It can also get louder with less compression at max volume. There are even more sound enhancement features, such as a graphic EQ and a dialogue enhancement mode.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better soundbar setup than the Insignia NS-HSB318 2.0. The Insignia is a single 2.0 channel soundbar, while the Samsung gives you a whopping 7.1.4 channels of audio. This results in a much more immersive listening experience, especially with Dolby Atmos content, which the Samsung soundbar supports. Even with regular stereo content, the Samsung sounds much better-balanced, with stronger bass and more brightness. The Insignia soundbar is much more compact, though, so it's a better choice if you're limited on space.
The 7.1.4 channel Samsung HW-Q90R is a much better soundbar setup than the 2.0 TaoTronics TT-SK023 standalone bar. The Samsung costs a lot more money, but sounds much better-balanced, can play surround sound, has HDMI ports, and a more premium design. The TaoTronics is worth considering if you're tight on money or space since it's a lot cheaper and more compact, but if you have the resources, the Samsung, is the better overall choice.
The Samsung HW-Q90R and the TaoTronics TT-SK026 are completely different soundbar setups. The Samsung is a 7.1.4 setup that has a better-balanced sound that still delivers a thumpy bass. It also has surround and height channels that help create a more immersive listening experience, as well as an HDMI port that can support surround sound and object-based sound formats. The TaoTronics, on the other hand, is an entry-level 2.1 soundbar. It doesn't have a subwoofer or satellites, and it also has limited connectivity options.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better overall soundbar than the Vmai 2.1 Channel Soundbar. The premium 7.1.4 Samsung has way more features than the entry-level 2.1 Vmai, including a center channel, a fully-supported HDMI ARC port, and support for Atmos and surround content. The Samsung is also better-built, has a wider soundstage, and has more sound enhancement features.