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Hisense HS218 vs Samsung HW-A550

Side-by-Side Comparison

Products

Hisense HS218
Samsung HW-A550

Tested using Methodology v1.1

Updated Apr 17, 2024 03:01 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v1.0

Updated Jan 12, 2024 03:49 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Hisense HS218 Picture
Samsung HW-A550 Picture

Our Verdict

Hisense HS218

Samsung HW-A550

The Samsung HW-A550 is better than the Hisense HS218. The Samsung has a better stereo soundstage, and it comes with more sound enhancement features like a graphic EQ and auto-volume mode. Unlike the Hisense, it has a Full HDMI In port. That said, the Hisense has better center and surround performances.

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Variants

  • HS218 (Black)
  • HW-A550 (Black)

Check Price

Black
HS218
B&H
Black
HW-A550
B&H
 
Black
HW-A550
Samsung.com
Read more

Main Differences for
Mixed Usage

Threshold 

0.10

Mixed Usage 

6.7
7.1

Stereo Frequency Response 
 

7.6
7.9

Auto-Volume/Night Mode 
 

No
Yes

Stereo Dynamics 
 

7.1
8.2

Full Comparison

Design

Style - Bar  

Style photo - bar  

Hisense HS218 Style photo - bar
Samsung HW-A550 Style photo - bar
Show Text 

Style - Subwoofer  

Style photo - sub  

Hisense HS218 Style photo - sub
Samsung HW-A550 Style photo - sub

Sub Wireless 
 

Yes
Yes

Enclosure 
 

Ported
Ported
Show Text 

Style - Satellites  

Style photo - satellites  

Hisense HS218 Style photo - satellites
Samsung HW-A550 Style photo - satellites

Satellite Wireless 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Dimensions - Bar  

Dimensions photo - bar  

Hisense HS218 Dimensions photo - bar
Samsung HW-A550 Dimensions photo - bar

Width  

37.8" (96.0 cm)
33.9" (86.1 cm)

Height  

2.4" (6.0 cm)
2.2" (5.5 cm)

Depth  

3.6" (9.2 cm)
3.4" (8.7 cm)
Show Text 

Dimensions - Subwoofer  

Dimensions photo - sub  

Hisense HS218 Dimensions photo - sub
Samsung HW-A550 Dimensions photo - sub

Width  

6.7" (17.0 cm)
7.9" (20.0 cm)

Height  

13.5" (34.3 cm)
13.8" (35.0 cm)

Depth  

13.1" (33.4 cm)
11.4" (29.0 cm)
Show Text 

Dimensions - Satellites  

Dimensions photo - satellites  

Hisense HS218 Dimensions photo - satellites
Samsung HW-A550 Dimensions photo - satellites

Width  

N/A
N/A

Height  

N/A
N/A

Depth  

N/A
N/A

Mounting 
 

Bar Mounting Holes  

Hisense HS218 Bar Mounting Holes

Satellite Mounting Holes  

Hisense HS218 Satellite Mounting Holes

Mountable Bar 
 

Yes

Bar Brackets Included 
 

Yes

Mountable Satellites 
 

No

Satellite Brackets Included 
 

No

Build Quality 
 

7.5
7.5

Build quality photo  

Hisense HS218 Build quality photo
Samsung HW-A550 Build quality photo
Show Text 

In The Box 
 

In The Box photo   

Hisense HS218 In The Box photo
Samsung HW-A550 In The Box photo

HDMI Cable Length 
 

N/A

Digital Optical Cable Length 
 

1.5 m (4.9 ft)
Show Text 

Back - Bar  

Back photo - bar  

Samsung HW-A550 Back photo - bar

Bar Mounting 
 

Universal (holes on underside)
Show Text 

Back - Subwoofer  

Back photo - sub  

Samsung HW-A550 Back photo - sub

Enclosure 
 

Ported
Ported
Show Text 

Back - Satellites  

Back photo - satellites  

Samsung HW-A550 Back photo - satellites

Mounting 
 

No
Sound

Stereo Frequency Response 
 

7.6
7.9

Stereo Setup  

Hisense HS218 Stereo Setup
Samsung HW-A550 Stereo Setup

Raw Frequency Response  

See details
See details

Frequency Response Small  

See details
See details

Tested Preset 
 

Music
Standard

Slope 
 

-0.88
-0.58

Std. Err. 
 

3.10 dB
2.35 dB

Channels 
 

2.1
2.1

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

40.6 Hz
40.6 Hz

High-Frequency Extension 
 

17.7 kHz
19.9 kHz
Show Text 

Stereo Frequency Response With Preliminary Calibration 
 

7.7
8.0

Frequency Response Calibrated  

See details
See details

Suggested Preset 
 

Music
Standard

Suggested Bass Setting 
 

-3
-3

Suggested Treble Setting 
 

4
3

Slope 
 

-0.04
-0.12

Std. Err. 
 

2.58 dB
1.96 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

43.6 Hz
40.6 Hz

High-Frequency Extension 
 

19.9 kHz
19.9 kHz
Show Text 

Stereo Soundstage 
 

6.5
7.0

Crosstalk  

See details
See details

Crosstalk Error 
 

2.52 dB
2.65 dB
Show Text 

Stereo Dynamics 
 

7.1
8.2

Dynamic Range Compression  

See details
See details

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

95.7 dB SPL
92.2 dB SPL

DRC @ Max Volume 
 

3.43 dB
0.55 dB
Show Text 

Stereo Total Harmonic Distortion 
 

8.0
6.2

THD  

See details
See details

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

0.35
1.08

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

1.23
6.15
Show Text 

Center 
 

6.6
5.9

Center Setup  

Hisense HS218 Center Setup
Samsung HW-A550 Center Setup

Frequency Response  

See details
See details

Localization 
 

Phantom
Phantom

Slope 
 

-0.57
-1.63

Std. Err. 
 

3.47 dB
4.66 dB

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

93.1 dB SPL
87.8 dB SPL

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

0.39
0.50

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

1.24
3.08
Show Text 

Surround 5.1 
 

4.2
3.3

Surround Setup  

Hisense HS218 Surround Setup
Samsung HW-A550 Surround Setup

Frequency Response  

See details
See details

Localization 
 

Stereo (Downmix)
Stereo (Downmix)

Slope 
 

-0.63
-1.68

Std. Err. 
 

3.44 dB
4.87 dB

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

93.1 dB SPL
85.1 dB SPL

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

0.40
0.51

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

1.18
2.22

7.1 Rears 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Height (Atmos) 
 

0.0
0.0

Height Setup  

Hisense HS218 Height Setup
Samsung HW-A550 Height Setup

H Frequency Response  

Hisense HS218 H Frequency Response
Samsung HW-A550 H Frequency Response

Localization 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

Slope 
 

N/A
N/A

Std. Err. 
 

N/A
N/A

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

N/A
N/A

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

N/A
N/A

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

N/A
N/A

Sound Enhancement Features 
 

4.1
6.7

Room Correction 
 

No
No

Dialogue Enhancement 
 

Yes
Yes

Auto-Volume/Night Mode 
 

No
Yes

Subwoofer Level Adjustment 
 

No
Yes

Bass Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

Treble Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

EQ 
 

Presets
Graphic + Presets

Surround Level Adjustment 
 

No
No

Rear Level Adjustment 
 

No
No

Height Level Adjustment 
 

No
No

Virtual Surround 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 
Connectivity

Inputs/Outputs - Bar 
 

Physical Connections Bar Photo 1  

Hisense HS218 Physical Connections Bar Photo 1
Samsung HW-A550 Physical Connections Bar Photo 1

Physical Connections Bar Photo 2  

Hisense HS218 Physical Connections Bar Photo 2
Samsung HW-A550 Physical Connections Bar Photo 2

Optical Audio In 
 

1
1

HDMI ARC 
 

1
1 (shared)

HDMI Out 
 

No
1 (shared)

Full HDMI In 
 

No
1

Analog Audio In 3.5mm (Aux) 
 

1
No

RCA In 
 

No
No

USB for Files 
 

1
1

Ethernet 
 

No
No

Subwoofer Output 
 

No
Show Text 

Audio Format Support - ARC 
 

6.1
7.1

eARC 
 

No
No

Dolby Atmos 
 

No
No

Dolby Digital 
 

Yes
Yes

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

No
No

DTS 
 

No
Yes

DTS:X (eARC only) 
 

No
No

Dolby TrueHD (eARC only) 
 

No
No

DTS-HD MA (eARC only) 
 

No
No

5.1 PCM (eARC only) 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Audio Format Support - Full HDMI In 
 

0.0
6.4

Dolby Atmos 
 

No
No

DTS:X 
 

No
No

Dolby Digital 
 

No
Yes

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

No
No

DTS 
 

No
No

Dolby TrueHD 
 

No
No

DTS-HD MA 
 

No
No

5.1 PCM 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Audio Format Support - Optical 
 

6.0
10

Dolby Digital 
 

Yes
Yes

DTS 
 

No
Yes
Show Text 

Latency 
 

9.0
7.0

Latency Video  

ARC 
 

32 ms
104 ms

Optical 
 

24 ms
77 ms

Full HDMI In 
 

N/A
77 ms
Show Text 

Wireless Playback 
 

6.0
6.0

Bluetooth 
 

Yes
Yes

Wi-Fi Playback 
 

No
No

Chromecast built-in 
 

No
No

Apple AirPlay 
 

No
No

Spotify Connect 
 

No
Show Text 

Other Input Specifications 
 

4k @ 60 Hz Passthrough 
 

No
No

4k @ 60 Hz @ 10 bit Passthrough 
 

No
No

4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4 Passthrough 
 

No
No

HDR10 Passthrough 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Connectivity - Subwoofer 
 

Physical inputs subwoofer photo 1  

Samsung HW-A550 Physical inputs subwoofer photo 1

Physical controls subwoofer photo 1  

Samsung HW-A550 Physical controls subwoofer photo 1

Sub Wireless 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Connectivity - Satellites 
 

Physical inputs satellites photo 1  

Samsung HW-A550 Physical inputs satellites photo 1

Physical controls satellites photo 1  

Samsung HW-A550 Physical controls satellites photo 1

Sat Wireless 
 

No
No
Additional Features

Interface 
 

Interface photo  

Hisense HS218 Interface photo
Samsung HW-A550 Interface photo

Display 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Bar Controls 
 

Controls photo  

Hisense HS218 Controls photo
Samsung HW-A550 Controls photo
Show Text 

Remote  

Remote photo  

Hisense HS218 Remote photo
Samsung HW-A550 Remote photo

Universal Remote 
 

No
Show Text 

Voice Assistants Support 
 

Amazon Alexa 
 

No
No

Google Assistant 
 

No
No

Apple Siri 
 

No
No

Microphone Mute 
 

No

App 
 

App image  

Samsung HW-A550 App image

App Name  

No App

iOS  

No

Android  

No

Acts As A Remote 
 

No

Controls Soundbar's Settings 
 

No

Casts Device Files 
 

No

Other Features 
 

Power Saving 
 

Auto-off

HDMI CEC (TV Remote Control) 
 

Yes
Show Text 

Check Price

Black
HS218
B&H
Black
HW-A550
B&H
 
Black
HW-A550
Samsung.com

Hisense HS218

Samsung HW-A550

Comments

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Hisense HS218 vs Samsung HW-A550: Main Discussion

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