The Samsung HW-Q990B is the top-of-the-line offering from the manufacturer's 2022 lineup. With its 11.1.4 setup, it's the next generation of the Samsung HW-Q950A, with a new and improved design overall. It seems more sturdy, with more rumble in the bass right out-of-the-box, and new angled rears that add lots of detail to your favorite movies. It's larger and more expensive than the 9.1.4 Samsung HW-Q930B, with two more channels and a big sub that packs a potent punch in the bass range. As with most Samsung bars, you get access to a wide range of sound enhancement features, so you can customize its sound and pair it with compatible Samsung TVs for extra tools like Q-Symphony.
Our Verdict
The Samsung HW-Q990B is great for mixed usage. This 11.1.4 bar offers versatile performance, with a neutral sound that makes it suitable for everything from vocal-centric TV shows to music to movies. You have access to lots of customization tools, making it easy to adjust the bar's sound based on your preferences. Its rear speakers bring an immersive quality to the sound, so audio seems like it wraps all around you. There's good height, especially with Dolby Atmos content, bringing a cinematic experience right to your living room. It's a great bar, but its premium price tag may not be ideal for everyone.
- Room correction available.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Impressive Atmos performance.
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay support.
- No Chromecast capabilities.
The Samsung HW-Q990B is amazing for dialogue-heavy TV shows and podcasts. It's an 11.1.4 setup, so there's a discrete center channel included to improve vocal quality in the mix. With its balanced mids, voices are clear and detailed, so you don't have trouble following the action on your screen. You can even use its 'Voice Enhance' dialogue enhancement tool if you wish. When it comes to podcasts, you have lots of wireless streaming options, from Bluetooth to Wi-Fi. However, without Chromecast support, it doesn't fit as easily into your Google ecosystem.
- Room correction available.
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay support.
- No Chromecast capabilities.
The Samsung HW-Q990B is great for music. Like most premium bars on the market, it has room correction tools to optimize the audio reproduction based on your room's unique acoustics. With it on, the frequency response is neutral, especially in the mids, where most voices and lead instruments reproduce. It's suitable for listening to many different genres, and the extra punch in the bass range brings bass-heavy genres like EDM to life. If you prefer a different sound, many customization tools are available, including a 7-band graphic EQ and bass and treble adjustments.
- Room correction available.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- No Chromecast capabilities.
The Samsung HW-Q990B is great for movies. With its two surround speakers, you get a really immersive feel with lots of common audio formats, from 5.1 surround sound like Dolby Digital to object-based formats like Dolby Atmos. Sound effects are clear and detailed, with audio stretching all around you, so you really get the sense that you're sitting in the middle of your favorite movies. The sub provides plenty of rumble in the bass, so your chair shakes during intense scenes as if you're in a cinema.
- Room correction available.
- Extended low-bass.
- Impressive Atmos performance.
- No Chromecast capabilities.
Changelog
- Updated May 15, 2024: We've corrected a mistake in the Stereo Frequency Response With Preliminary Calibration text that said you could adjust the treble to '1' for a more balanced sound. You won't be able to change the treble EQ preset in Standard mode, so the treble setting is '0'.
- Updated Apr 23, 2024: We've added a comparison between this soundbar and the Samsung HW-Q990D in Video Passthrough To TV.
- Updated Feb 02, 2024: Added information to the Wireless Playback and Voice Assistant Support boxes as Chromecast and Google Assistant support is region-specific.
- Updated Jan 29, 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.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Samsung HW-Q990B is available in '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.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Samsung HW-Q990B is a premium bar suitable for everything from movies to music to TV shows. It'll please most types of listeners, although it doesn't give the same immersive soundstage as other premium offerings like the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module or the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers. It's bigger than the Samsung HW-Q930B, with a little more rumble in the bass and added features like additional side-firing drivers in the satellites. If its hefty price tag isn't to your liking, the Q930B is a solid alternative at a more affordable price.
See also our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best soundbars for movies, and the best Samsung soundbars.
The Samsung HW-Q990C is the next generation of the Samsung HW-Q990B, and while they're both very premium models that can please many different listeners, the next-gen model is better overall. The bars have a similar look and a similar sound, though the Q990C's bass is a bit more controlled out-of-the-box. As a result, you notice a more balanced thump and rumble in the bass.
The Samsung HW-Q990B is better than the JBL Bar 1000, though both of these premium soundbars offer different strengths. The Samsung is better-built, with built-in voice assistant support. It has more sound enhancement features and gets louder. The JBL still gets quite loud and supports third-party voice assistant devices. Plus, the JBL's smaller, detachable satellites might be better suited for your living space.
The Samsung HW-Q990B and the LG S95QR are both very premium setups with versatile performances. However, the Samsung soundbar is better overall. Its default sound is more neutral, which less boominess in the bass and more detail in the treble. Its surround sound and Atmos performances are better, too, so sound effects in your movies are more clearly and accurately reproduced. You can customize the LG with its bass and treble adjustments, but the Samsung is more customizable with its graphic EQ.
The Samsung HW-Q990D is a couple of generations newer than the Samsung HW-Q990B. Both bars may look very similar, but some features give the Q990D a leg up over its predecessor. Most importantly, it supports HDMI 2.1, so you can send 4k signals at 120Hz, making it great for gaming. It also has a couple of additional sound features like Private Listening, which limits the bar's sound to the satellites for a less intrusive listening experience, and Sound Grouping, which lets the satellites play left and right channel content for a more stereo sound.
Test Results
