The Samsung HW-S60T is a well-built 4.0 channel setup from 2020. It uses Samsung's Acoustic Beam technology, which is up-firing speakers found on the bar, as well as its Side Horn speakers that can fire sound towards your walls to create a more immersive sound experience. However, this speaker setup is pretty lackluster and it doesn't really produce a very accurate or immersive sound on its own, which is a shame. Although its default setup lacks a dedicated subwoofer, it still has a boomy and punchy sound. The rest of its range is fairly neutral, which helps to reproduce clear and accurate voices. It even has a graphic EQ plus three presets including Adaptive Sound, which automatically adjusts its sound profile according to the audio you're listening to. This soundbar has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support, so you can stream your favorite music to it, and there's Alexa Voice Assistant built-in, which is a nice feature if you like to use verbal commands to control your music.
Our Verdict
The Samsung HW-S60T is alright for mixed use. While this soundbar lacks thump and rumble, it delivers punchy bass and a neutral mid and treble, which is suitable for podcasts or audiobooks. If you're looking for more bass, Samsung sells a compatible wireless subwoofer separately, but even on its own, it's also decently suited for a variety of music, and its soundstage is wide and focused enough to help give you a more immersive movie experience. It can get loud enough for big or crowded rooms. However, there are some compression artifacts at max volume.
-
Gets loud enough for most audio content.
-
Great build quality.
-
Decently neutral sound profile.
-
Graphic EQ plus three presets.
-
Lacks sub-bass.
-
Poor surround performance.
-
Doesn't support Atmos content.
The Samsung HW-S60T is good for dialogue and TV shows. It has a well-balanced and neutral sound between its mid to treble-range. It can get loud enough for most vocal content like podcasts, and there's even a dialogue enhancement feature via its EQ presets that can help to further improve your audio experience. You can also stream your favorite audiobooks using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, which is pretty handy.
-
Dialogue enhancement feature available through EQ presets.
-
Decently neutral sound profile.
-
Graphic EQ plus three presets.
-
No auto-volume/night mode.
The Samsung HW-S60T is decent for music. It has a punchy bass that some may find a bit boomy. While it can make mixes sound a bit cluttered, the rest of the mid and treble range is still fairly neutral, making it suitable for a wide variety of genres like rock or classical music. If you prefer a different sound, it also has a graphic EQ plus three presets so you can find the best sound for your needs. Its soundstage sounds slightly wider than the bar itself and it's focused, which helps objects to sound like they're coming from an accurate, pinpoint location. It can also get loud, but there are some compression artifacts present at max volume.
-
Gets loud enough for most audio content.
-
Decently neutral sound profile.
-
Graphic EQ plus three presets.
-
Lacks sub-bass.
The Samsung HW-S60T is only passable for movies. It has a fairly punchy bass but it lacks thump and rumble, which may lessen your immersion into your favorite action flicks. However, it has a good soundstage that sounds slightly wider than the bar itself and it's pretty focused, which can help objects to sound like they're coming from specific places rather than general areas. This bar can get loud enough for a large or crowded room as well, but there are some compression artifacts at max volume.
-
Gets loud enough for most audio content.
-
Decently neutral sound profile.
-
Graphic EQ plus three presets.
-
Lacks sub-bass.
-
Poor surround performance.
-
Doesn't support Atmos content.
- 6.8 Mixed Usage
- 7.0 Dialogue/TV Shows
- 7.3 Music
- 6.3 Movies
- Updated May 20, 2021: Updated height and depth measurements.
- Updated Mar 19, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 22, 2020: The Dynamics tests have been reconducted due to a value input bug.
- Updated Jun 26, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Jun 22, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 11, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jun 10, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated May 28, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Compared To Other Soundbars
The Samsung HW-S60T is a 4.0 soundbar from 2020. Unlike a lot of other Samsung soundbars, it uses both its Acoustic Beam technology as well as what Samsung calls Side Horn speakers to help create a more immersive sound experience. However, despite these combined speakers, its surround performance as well as its simulated center channel performance falls a bit short of its competitors. As it also lacks a dedicated subwoofer in its default setup, its sound is more comparable to 3.0 channel setups like the Sonos Beam, which struggle to produce a thumpy bass. If you're still looking for a standalone soundbar, check out our recommendations for the best small soundbar. Otherwise, have a look at the best Samsung soundbars, or the best soundbars under $300.
The Samsung HW-S60A is the next generation of the Samsung HW-S60T, and it offers better performance. The 5.0 HW-S60A comes with a discrete center channel, and it also offers a better surrounds performance. Unlike the HW-S60T, it also has an auto-volume mode and supports Apple AirPlay 2.
The Sonos Beam is an overall slightly better-performing soundbar than the Samsung HW-S60T. The Sonos is slightly more compact, its sound profile is a bit better balanced, and it has a better center channel and surround performance. The Sonos also offers a wide range of sound enhancement features, like room correction and auto-volume mode. However, unlike the Samsung, it lacks an EQ. The Samsung, on the other hand, supports Bluetooth connectivity.
The Samsung HW-Q60T and the Samsung HW-S60T have different channel setups but have very similar performances. The HW-Q60T is a 5.1 setup so it can produce a more thumpy bass, thanks to its wireless subwoofer. It can get a bit louder with fewer compression artifacts at max volume, its discrete center channel reproduces more clear and accurate dialogue, and it also has an auto-volume mode. It has a Full HDMI In as well too, but it only supports Dolby Digital. In contrast, the HW-S60T can use Wi-Fi to stream audio, it has a slightly more neutral treble range, and even though its surround performance is still poor, it's still slightly better than the HW-Q60T.
The Samsung HW-S60T and the Sonos Playbar are similarly performing soundbars. While both are very well-built, the Samsung has a slightly better-balanced sound profile, it has an HDMI ARC port, and you can stream audio using your Wi-Fi. However, the Sonos can get louder, it has a better performing discrete center channel, and even though it has to downmix surround content into stereo, it still sounds more balanced than the Samsung. It also has a room correction and auto-volume feature; however, unlike the Samsung, it doesn't have an EQ.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Samsung HW-S60T or the Denon Home Sound Bar 550. The Samsung has a better soundstage performance, and it gets louder. Also, it has a graphic EQ for sound customization. However, the Denon supports Dolby Atmos content and has a Full HDMI In port.
Test Results
This soundbar doesn't resemble other soundbars in Samsung's 2020 lineup such as the Samsung HW-T550. It has a round, pillow-like look, and it's wrapped in a black textile called Kvadrat that's advertised as durable. If you're a pet owner, beware that this fabric also tends to catch pet hair, which may lessen its sleek look. On both ends of the bar are metal grills which help to keep this bar sleek-looking, and the underside is made from solid plastic.
The Samsung HW-S60T doesn't include a subwoofer. However, you can purchase a separate subwoofer to upgrade your setup.
This setup doesn't include satellites but you can purchase wireless rear speakers separately.
Update 05/20/2021:We corrected a previous error with the height and depth measurements for this soundbar.
The Samsung HW-S60T is a fairly compact soundbar. It should fit between the legs of most 55" TVs and thanks to its low profile, it shouldn't be in the way of your TV screen unless it sits flush to the table.
The Samsung HW-S60T doesn't have a subwoofer.
There aren't any satellites in this setup.
This bar has a rounded back with three openings. The middle opening is for its power cord and inputs. There are also two openings on either side of the bar. You can also put this soundbar up on the wall thanks to its holes hidden on its underside.
The Samsung HW-S60T has a great build quality. The Kvadrat fabric that covers the speakers feels durable while its plastic body is solid and robust. While the fabric may be prone to rips or collecting dust, the overall soundbar feels well-built and premium.
- Manuals
- Remote with batteries
- HDMI cable
- Power cable with adapter
- Mounting screws with spacers
- Mounting template and brackets
The Samsung HW-S60T has a decent stereo frequency response. Although it lacks the thump and rumble of a dedicated subwoofer, it produces a boomy bass that may even sound muddy or cluttered on some tracks. That being said, it has a fairly neutral sound profile though and its treble is well-balanced. This soundbar also has a graphic EQ plus three presets, so you can customize its sound profile to better fit your needs.
The Samsung HW-S60T has good soundstage. Even though it's not a very big bar, it manages to produce a soundstage that's a bit larger than itself. Its Side Horn speakers can bounce sound against your room's walls to reach you, producing the impression of a slightly wider soundstage. Its soundstage also sounds focused, which helps objects to sound like they're coming from an accurate, pinpoint location, rather than a general area.
Update 09/22/2020: We've discovered a value input bug that would cause the Dynamics box results to be slightly off. All soundbars reviewed since January 30th, 2020 have been updated.
This soundbar has good stereo dynamics. For its small and compact size, it can get loud, which is great for large or crowded rooms. However, at max volume, this soundbar produces some thumping and compression artifacts.
The Samsung HW-S60T's total harmonic distortion performance is very good. At a normal listening level, the distortion falls within good limits, which results in a clear and pure sound. While there's a small jump in distortion when playing audio at max volume, particularly in the bass and mid-ranges, it may not be noticeable to everyone.
The Samsung HW-S60T has a mediocre center channel performance. It uses its left and right speakers to simulate a center channel which doesn't produce a detailed and clear reproduction of dialogue compared to a discrete center channel. If you want a soundbar with a discrete center, check out the Samsung HW-S60A.
This soundbar has poor surround performance. It uses its Side Horn speakers as well as its Acoustic Beam technology to give you the impression of a surround experience by bouncing sound off of your walls and ceiling. However, it doesn't result in very accurate or clear reproductions of surround objects in its soundstage. It also sounds bass-heavy, and it doesn't sound as real or immersive as what tower speakers can create.
The Samsung HW-S60T doesn't have height channels. Unlike the Denon Home Sound Bar 550, it doesn't support Atmos.
The Samsung HW-S60T has disappointing sound enhancement features. If you like to tweak your audio experience, it offers a graphic EQ plus three presets: Standard, Music, and Adaptive Sound, which allows the bar to adjust itself to your audio content. On the downside, it lacks a room correction as well as an auto-volume mode.
The Samsung HW-S60T has simple inputs including an HMDI ARC and Optical Audio In port. There's also a micro-USB port but it's only for updating the soundbar's software. There are also two buttons on its underside if you need to reset its Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or if you want to connect the bar to its separate subwoofer or rear speakers.
The Samsung HW-S60T has decent ARC support. It supports both Dolby Digital content as well as DTS. However, it can't support more object-based sound formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, which may not be ideal for movie nights.
The Samsung HW-S60T doesn't have a Full HDMI In port.
The Samsung HW-S60T supports both DTS and Dolby Digital via its Optical In port. These formats are mostly found on Blu-ray discs or on some streaming platforms.
This soundbar has great wireless playback connectivity. You can connect to it using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, which is nice if you want to stream from your computer. You can also pair it with up to two devices at a time using Bluetooth, so you can easily switch between your computer and your smartphone. However, some may find the lack of AirPlay or Chromecast a little limiting.
The Samsung HW-S60T doesn't have a Full HDMI In port, so it can't do a passthrough of any video signal.
This soundbar doesn't have a subwoofer in this setup.
The Samsung HW-S60T has several small lights that blink depending on what setting you're changing. There are also voice prompts when you change the inputs.
There are four buttons located on the top of the soundbar. You can change inputs, volume, and mute its mic. If you hold down the first button, which is also its multi-function button, you can trigger Alexa.
The Samsunng HW-S60T has a very similar, slim remote as other Samsung remotes. With it, you can access the graphic EQ or presets, control playback, and adjust other settings and features like Bluetooth.
The Samsung HW-S60T has a companion app called Samsung SmartThings. You can do everything that you can do with its remote such as control playback and change inputs, and it's even a bit easier to access the graphic EQ plus presets with the app.