- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Video
- Test Results
- Compared to others
- 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
- 8.1 Dialogue/TV Shows
- 8.2 Music
- 8.2 Movies
- Update 9/4/2020: Sound Enhancement Features has been updated to reflect this soundbar's EQ presets.
- Update 6/8/2020: We've tested the new eARC support after updating to the latest firmware.
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. 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.
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.
When sending surround content to the bar, the Samsung HW-Q90R has an okay performance. Content comes out from the side-firing speakers on the bar, and while it has satellites, they only work if you send them a rear signal. This means this setup won't provide the most accurate and clear representation of surround objects in the soundstage, and won't feel as real as a discrete surround like with tower speakers. If you prefer dedicated surround speakers, take a look at the Vizio SB46514-F6, or the unique Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch with its four dedicated surround satellite speakers.
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. 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.
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 is a better soundbar than the Sonos Arc. This full 7.1.4 setup has a more neutral sound profile and overall better performance at max volume. However, if you already have Sonos speakers, the Sonos app is very useful and allows you to control all of your ecosystem, which is nice. Also, the Arc can also be upgraded with a wireless sub and satellites, although the full setup can be quite expensive.
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 is better-balanced, it can get louder with fewer compression artifacts, and it has a graphic EQ plus presets if you like to tweak its sound. That being said, LG has more sound enhancement features such as EQ presets and 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 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 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 setup has 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 and the JBL Bar 9.1 are both similarly impressive soundbars. 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 performance is 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 much better stereo soundstage, its surround performance is significantly better, and it has an ethernet port too. It also has more wireless playback options. That being said, they're both well-built soundbars with balanced sound profiles, making them great choices.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Bose Soundbar 700, although we didn't test it with the complete setup with a sub and satellites. With the bar by itself, the Bose 700 falls short to the Q90R. The Samsung soundbar system gets louder, has better overall performance, and supports Atmos, on top of having better connectivity options since the Bose 700 doesn't have any full HDMI In inputs. On the other hand, the Bose 700 can easily be upgraded, and the bar itself has a great stereo soundstage and feels premium and better-built.
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 dedicate 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 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. Although the Nakamichi has more speakers, its sound profile isn't as neutral as the Samsung's. The performance at max volume of the Samsung is also better. On the other hand, the Nakamichi shines when it comes to surround performance thanks to the four dedicated rear speakers.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar. The AMBEO 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 Q90R does. The stereo audio quality of the Q90R 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 slightly better than the full Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers setup. The Samsung has a better ability to reproduce very deep bass, and it's Bluetooth compatible and supports DTS content, which the Sonos doesn't do. On the other hand, if you already have Sonos products, you can control the whole ecosystem in the app, which is nice. The Sonos also has a much better surround experience and sounds a bit more immersive than the Samsung.
The Samsung HW-Q90R performs better than the Sonos Playbar, although we didn't test the Playbar with a sub and satellites, which are sold separately. The Q90R has better overall performance, supports Atmos, and has plenty of inputs that are lacking on the Playbar. On the other hand, the Playbar has a room correction feature and can easily be upgraded.
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 less compression at max volume. However, some users may prefer the Q70T's smaller, sleeker, and simpler design.
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 better overall setup compared to the Sonos Beam. Its 7.1.4 setup has great audio reproduction as well as multiple connection options. However, the Sonos is simple in its setup and is a great standalone soundbar with a center channel perfect for dialogue.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar than the Vizio SB46514-F6. Its overall performance outclasses Vizio's across the board. It has better bass performance, a slightly wider sounding soundstage, better performance at max volume, which is also louder than the Vizio's. On the other hand, the SB46514-F6 has dedicated surround speakers that have a better overall performance, as the localization of surround objects is discrete.
The Samsung HW-Q90R is a better soundbar system than the Vizio SB36512-F6. It’s a 7.1.4 setup that can get very loud and performs very well regardless of the content you send it. It's also noticeably better built and feels high-end. Its soundstage sounds wider and it also has a nice graphic EQ as well as EQ presets. On the other hand, the Vizio has an analog audio jack if you want to plug in your phone. The Vizio's satellites are considered surround speakers, while the Q90R’s are considered rear speakers. The surrounds of the Samsung are side-firing speakers situated on the bar itself.
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 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 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 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 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 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 phantom 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.
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.
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