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Review: Samsung HW-Q990D

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Samsung has launched an upgraded version of its best soundbar: HW-Q990D internationally and HW-Q995D in some local markets – no difference. In addition to its 11.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound, with rear speakers and subwoofer included in the package, the soundbar now also features HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K 120Hz passthrough with the latest gaming consoles.

But how does the soundbar system perform? FlatpanelsHD has tested Q990D.



Price and retailers:
US retailer
UK retailer
DE retailer
Samsung HW-Q990D (Q990D) – Specifications
  
 Soundbar + rear speakers + subwoofer 
 

  11.1.4 channels



  Dolby and DTS
 
 

 


HDMI In/Out    
 

Inputs 2x HDMI, 1x optical 
Outputs 1x HDMI 
WiFi  
  Yes
 

In the BoxPower cables, remote control, wall bracket
 
 


First Impressions
Samsung Q990D consists of a 1.2-meter soundbar, two rear speakers and a subwoofer. The soundbar itself is black with a quite rectangular design surrounded by a metal grille, while the rest is black plastic. The soundbar's appearance is somewhat rugged, which may not fit into all living room environments. It could benefit from a slightly more organic design, such as fabric.

The rear speakers are relatively small units in the same overall design; metal grille and black plastic. Together with the subwoofer, which is a square black box, Q990D does not win any design awards and deviates somewhat from the idea that a soundbar is a discreet audio solution for the TV. The setup is definitely more compact than an AV receiver and large floor speakers, but the units will attract attention in any living room.

The soundbar has a few buttons for controlling volume and connections. The ports connect at the bottom on the back of the soundbar, where there are two HDMI inputs and one HDMI eARC port. We will come back to that. There is also an optical SPDIF port, but it cannot handle Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, so it is only there for backward compatibility.

Since all four units are active, they all need to be plugged into a power source.



Samsung Q995D



Setup
Samsung calls it an 11.1.4 channel sound system, which includes:

  • 11 horizontal channels: 1x left, 1x center, 1x right plus 2x 'wide' left and 2x 'wide' right, as well as 1x left and 1x right in each of the two rear speakers
  • 1 subwoofer
  • 4 ceiling-mounted units: 2x in the soundbar and 1x in each of the two rear speakers

According to Samsung, the 11 horizontal channels work like this:



11.1.4 Dolby Atmos
 11.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos. Photo: Samsung

Setting up the system is fairly easy, but there are four power plugs that all need outlets. The soundbar automatically detected the rear speakers and the subwoofer during our setup. Everything could be done with Samsung's SmartThings app, and we did not need to use the remote control at any time.

A remote control for the soundbar is included but it is not necessary except for setting up more specific things. You can easily use the remote control from the TV or the playback box to control the volume on the soundbar.





You can subsequently adjust the soundbar and activate various features via the same SmartThings app, but we experienced some instability issues here. Settings and menu options appeared and disappeared without any coherence. With a newer Samsung TV you can also adjust some of the soundbar's functions directly on the TV.

With the app, you can calibrate the soundbar to the room (SpaceFit Sound), which we recommend doing right away.



Samsung Q990D test
 There are a few buttons on the soundbar itself. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

The soundbar is the main unit that communicates wirelessly with the rear speakers and the subwoofer. Therefore, only the soundbar needs to be connected to the TV. This can be done via HDMI, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. You should avoid Bluetooth as it significantly degrades sound quality and introduces delay. Period.

Regarding HDMI, you can choose one of two approaches:

  1. Connect up to 2 external players to the soundbar's two HDMI inputs and then pass the HDMI video signal through to the TV. This is called HDMI passthrough, and here it is important which video formats (e.g., 4K 120Hz, VRR, Dolby Vision, etc.) the soundbar can 'pass through'.
  2. Connect all external players directly to the TV and then pull all sound out via the TV's HDMI ARC/eARC port. This is called Audio Return Channel and it is important which audio formats (Dolby, DTS, etc.) the TV supports.



 There are both HDMI eARC and HDMI 2.1 inputs on the Samsung Q990D. Choose the solution that fits your setup. Avoid optical connection. Photo: FlatpanelsHD


Let us try to outline the pitfalls when used with a 2024 Samsung S95D QD-OLED, with which we tested the Q990D. If you choose HDMI solution 1, it is important, in general, that the soundbar passes through all video formats so that nothing is cut off along the way. The Q990D is Samsung's first soundbar with HDMI 2.1 passthrough, so on paper, this means passthrough should also work with 4K 120Hz from consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Our tests show that this is indeed the case, so a checkmark in that box. HDR10 and HDR10+ also pass through, as does a VRR signal from a gaming console.

However, we had to connect the Q990D soundbar to an LG TV to check if Dolby Vision video signals could also be passed through too, as Samsung, as you know, still refuses to support Dolby Vision on its TVs. Fortunately, Dolby Vision passed through the soundbar's HDMI 2.1 without any issues. Samsung is clearly capable of supporting Dolby Vision video on its soundbars – just not on its TVs. HDMI 2.1 QMS does not pass through, which is common for soundbars (and receivers) today.



 As the pictures show, both 4K 120Hz, VRR and Dolby Vision pass through via the soundbar's HDMI 2.1. Photo: FlatpanelsHD


If you choose HDMI ARC/eARC instead, you should be aware that ARC is limited to 2.0 PCM – 5.1 and Atmos can only come through as bitstream. If you have a TV that only supports HDMI ARC (not eARC), then there will typically be issues with Dolby Atmos unpacked on the player itself, i.e. Apple TV 4K, Xbox and a Blu-ray player set to PCM outout. Some TVs can repackage a Dolby Atmos signal in PCM to a compressed bitstream. This requires that the TV is Dolby Atmos certified (i.e. newer Samsung TVs from 2022 and onwards), but this will always involve audio delay. Therefore, the optimal solution on a TV is HDMI eARC – remember to enable eARC in the menu.

A third option with newer Samsung Smart TVs is wireless WiFi connection via the Q Symphony system, which also allows Dolby Atmos to be transmitted wirelessly to the soundbar. However, this presents a challenge with DTS audio, as it is not supported on Samsung's TVs. This connection method also means that the remote control from external players, such as Apple TV 4K or Google TV Streamer, can no longer control the sound on the soundbar, which is normally done via HDMI CEC with standard HDMI connection. So, this is not without limitations.

Additionally, the wireless setup is quite confusing on the Samsung TV, which should be simplified. We will discuss the options for wirelessly connecting additional speakers to newer Samsung TVs in our upcoming review of the Samsung Music Frame.



Samsung Q990D test
 Q990D can connect wirelessly to newer Samsung TVs, but we do not recommend it. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

You should choose the solution that makes the most sense for your other equipment, but our recommendation is to use HDMI eARC if your TV support it, otherwise the HDMI inputs. Some of the pitfalls could be avoided if Samsung supported the common formats on its TVs, namely DTS audio and Dolby Vision.

You can choose between sound modes such as Standard (no rear speakers in play), Surround (with rear speakers), Game (with rear speakers) and Adaptive (where rear speakers play a sort of extended stereo for music, for example). More on this later.



Samsung Q990D test
 The soundbar can connect to the TV so that certain settings can be adjusted on the TV itself. Photo: FlatpanelsHD




Listening test: Movies and TV
Samsung Q990D is a set, but I still want to start by commenting on the soundbar, which can play reasonably but not super loud. The 1.2-meter-long soundbar unit manages to create stereo perspective, but it is not as wide as hoped despite the side-facing speakers. The soundbar's greatest strength is definitely its well-placed center sound, so dialogue comes through clearly and distinctly in the center where the picture is.

As a standalone unit, we would rate the soundbar lower, based on pure sound quality, than the Sonos Arc (review) and B&O Beosound Stage (review), and lower still than the Sennheiser Ambeo (review). The sound tends to become too sharp, shrill and 'compressed'. We were often left with a feeling of a quantity over quality approach, and we missed a rounder, more neutral and balanced soundstage with a slightly wider stereo perspective.

Connecting the rear speakers and subwoofer elevates the audio experience, but not the sound quality. When reviewing Dolby Atmos soundbars, our primary criticism is almost always that you do not get the rear sound, regardless of what the soundbar tries to imitate and reflect off walls and ceilings, so just having rear speakers significantly enhances the movie experience. Still, one must appreciate the surround sound effect over pure sound quality, because both rear speakers and subwoofer have clear limitations too.

The rear speakers are clearly optimized for surround effects rather than the full spectrum, as they do not perform well in isolation across the frequency spectrum. They perform well for distinct sound effects, but in scenes where the filmmaker tries to expand the soundstage or use rear speakers for a specific background ambiance or music, they fall a bit short. A few times, we experienced the rear speakers rattling.

The subwoofer, like the soundbar, prioritizes quantity over quality. It delivers power and rumble, which significantly enhances the movie experience, but overall, it is mostly rumble. The bass never becomes as tight and precise as it should be, and at times it can feel a too boomy. A rather strange effect, which took us a while to pinpoint, is that the subwoofer "exhales" when the movie stops, creating a sound as if someone enters the home through a door. Alone at home, I got up several times to check if guests were arriving. You might want to mention that to your wife.

In a film like Blade Runner 2049, you get an overall good Dolby Atmos experience that elevates the movie to the point where you almost feel like you are in a 'home theater'. This is how epic movies should be experienced, so even though the sound quality is much better in, for example, Canvas, the more immersive sound from Samsung's Q990D help elevate the experience. In many scenes, you forget the limitations of Q990D for a moment – until a new scene comes along, reminding you again. At first, we fiddled with the sound settings in the app to try to optimize, but ultimately we just forgot about adjustments, set the system to its 'Surround' profile, and accepted the limitations. There is an 'Adaptive Mode' that adjusts the sound according to the type of content, but it does not work well.



Samsung Q990D test
 Clooney and Bullock are smiling because Gravity sounds really good in Dolby Atmos. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

In a film like Gravity, we again experienced great surround effects with nice background sound, but the overhead perspective was lacking, despite Q990D being tested in a fully square room where sound effects should easily reflect off the walls and ceiling. We double-checked with some of Dolby's demo files, like the Leaf demo, that feature strong "Atmos" effects but even in these demo sequences there was not many overhead effects to be heard. We again missed a wider spatial perspective.

In a film like Matrix Revolutions, we enjoyed nice surround sound – or spatial sound – but in scenes (e.g., Deux Ex), where the machines whine, the sound became shrill and piercing to the point that we really could not stand having the soundbar set to high volume. This again reflects the lack of quality in the speakers.

There was a hint of the same in a film like The Lord of the Rings, when the ringwraiths scream, but it was not quite as problematic. In a film of this type, with an "epic" soundtrack, you are left with a sense of a surround experience that truly supports the movie, but still, there are clear shortcomings regarding music reproduction.

The surround experience is definitely the Q990D's strength. It is clear that the South Korean manufacturer set a budget upfront, under which everything must fit. There has to be a soundbar, two rear speakers and a subwoofer, so with a price tag around $1700-2000, it is not surprising that certain compromises had to be made. Just be aware of them and accept that the priority has been on surround effects over sound quality.



Samsung Q990D test
 It is tempting to sit and adjust the sound from film to film, but give up on the project – you will not get there due to the limitations of the speakers. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

Q990D does not match a Dolby Atmos setup built around a receiver, even though Samsung boasts 11.1.4 channel sound, and I find it unfortunate that Samsung has not put more effort into flexibility like Sonos, allowing for gradual upgrades of individual speakers in the system. Personally, if possible, I would start by upgrading the soundbar, then the subwoofer, but if you want to upgrade with Samsung later, you must upgrade the entire system. In other words, we miss a wireless audio platform built around some standardization.

For TV use, voices come through clearly due to the good center sound in the soundbar but as always there will be scenes where the voices are mixed too deeply into the rest of the sound. The SmartThings app has a function to boost voices, which worked to some extent, but if you have a player like Apple TV 4K, the voice-lifting feature is better there. Samsung's SmartThings app also features 'Night Mode', audio sync correction and other functions. One of the features is the ability to output sound only from the rear speakers in the evening, which are typically closest to the viewer, but the rear speakers are not good enough. If you want to enjoy movies while the rest of the  family sleeps, connect a pair of wireless headphones instead.

An annoying effect is that the TV's light reflects on the soundbar's metal grille surface, as seen below. We also occasionally experienced a glitch where the soundbar did not identify itself as Atmos-compatible when the movie started. This can be resolved by restarting the film.



Samsung Q990D test
 The TV's light reflects off the top of the soundbar's metal grille. Photo: FlatpanelsHD


Listening test: Music
We have yet to find a soundbar that performs satisfactorily for music use, so we had hoped that Q990D, as a surround setup, could provide some flexibility to enhance the music experience. It comes with Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast (Chromecast), Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.2 built-in.

Let us start with the conclusion: Music does not sound outright bad, but Q990D does not change our perception that soundbars are not good for music, which is a physical limitation. There is a lack of clarity in vocals and midrange, and the bass is too muddy. The subwoofer adds some depth for electronic music but it again delivers too much rumble bass. It is not tight and precise enough for quick rhythmic bass lines, and generally the bass sound is too boomy for music. I would not say you cannot listen to music on Q990D but if you enjoy good music it becomes too much of a compromise.

You again end up fiddling with the sound settings depending on the music genre, but it never becomes satisfying as it simply does not sound neutral and pleasant. In fact, we found that listening to music over time became a bit exhausting on Q990D – as if your ears get tired.

A track like Tory Lanez' The Color Violet, which has a very special tone and sound, lacked clarity in vocals and perspective in music on Q990D. Everything felt a bit closed and compact, which is the opposite of the artist's intention. Sometimes, the vocals lacked 'airiness' and high vocals were pulled too far down in the soundstage, causing them to drown out. There is just something missing all around. Both Canvas, 2x Apple HomePod and Sony HT-A9(M2) perform significantly better in the music discipline, precisely because they are not bound by the stringent soundbar form.



Samsung Q990D test
 Music does not sound good on Samsung Q990D, whether it is in Dolby Atmos or not. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

Music in Dolby Atmos is one of the latest trends in the music industry and many artists have released or re-released music in the format. It requires a music service like Amazon Music or Apple Music – Spotify is not a player yet. Atmos music has the advantage that instruments can be placed freely in a 3D perspective and each instrument or voice can be stored as its own sound object. In other words, there is no need to compress  the entire soundstage into a channel mix, i.e. stereo. Atmos music can sound really good if done right (to help lift the ambience or 'mood'), but it can also become quite gimmicky if sound objects are racing around the room.

We had hoped that Q990D, with its rear speakers and upward-firing units, would perform well for Atmos music but it does not handle it very well either. First and foremost, Samsung's Smart TV does not support Dolby Atmos via the built-in Amazon Music and Apple Music apps. Atmos is also not yet supported over AirPlay (but it is coming soon) or Google Cast, so you have to resort to a separate player, for example Apple TV 4K connected via HDMI. Here, Q990D indicated that Atmos music was coming through, but I Am not convinced that the Atmos information is being properly "delivered" to Samsung's speakers without some form of conversion, because it does not sound right – not live we have heard Atmos music on good systems in the past.

For conventional stereo music you can "force" the rear speakers to play along by activating the 'Adaptive' sound mode, but it sounds very strange since stereo music is replicated in rear speakers that are quite weak compared to the soundbar. This is not recommended. If you want music to come out of more speakers than just stereo, Dolby Atmos is the way to go.



Listening test: Games
The sound in games is not much different from movies, but there are some aspects that I want to elaborate on regarding game sound on the Samsung Q990D. Games tend to make greater use of surround effects – also gimmicky effects – and they often unfold more in Dolby Atmos, which can be pretty cool while gaming. Some types of games make good use of music for atmosphere and storytelling.

As so often before, we use Ori and the Will of the Wisps (on Xbox Series X) for testing purposes because it is wonderful on both the video and sound side in HDR video and Dolby Atmos sound. Here, the Atmos surround experience with Samsung Q990D was great, as it manages to create a relatively immersive soundscape. The game is a platformer – there is no 3D perspective – so the task of the rear speakers becomes to elevate the game atmosphere rather than produce actual sound effects, but it still worked well despite the rear speakers' limitations.



Samsung Q990D test
 The game Ori and the Will of the Wisps sounds great in Dolby Atmos! Photo: FlatpanelsHD

In 3D games, such as first-person shooters or racing games like Gran Turismo, you get more effects in the rear speakers, which is grat for intuitively locating enemies or other cars. Games in surround and/or Dolby Atmos provide an extra dimension, and many games today offer some form of surround sound.

The soundbar initially goes into 'Game' mode when it detects a game but just like on Samsung's TVs this does not do much good for the sound. We recommend 'Surround' mode for gaming.

However, once again, you cannot escape Q990D' hardware limitations in gaming. In Ori and the Will of the Wisps, for example, the game is not as atmospheric as it can be, and the soundscape is not as complete across the frequency range. Among other things, the background music, which is a significant part of the Ori game, suffers. The sound becomes too direct/sharp too often. Action sound elements are elevated too much in the soundstage and music is underscored. Samsung's EQ is not optimally adjusted, but some of the issues are simply due to hardware limitations. Judged solely on sound quality, 2x HomePods or Canvas deliver an overall better soundscape in games – though you miss surround sound. The subwoofer also counts in Samsung's favor for adding extra depth, but you notice the same limitations in games as you do in movies.



Conclusion
Samsung has come a long way since we tested HW-K950 in 2016. The sound has improved and the Dolby Atmos experience has been significantly expanded, though individual speakers still cannot be replaced or upgraded – liked Sonos or traditional HiFi – and we are still not entirely convinced that building a complete surround system around a soundbar makes sense. For the first time in a Samsung soundbar, you get HDMI 2.1 ports for passthrough of 4K 120Hz and VRR from game consoles – an alternative to HDMI eARC. You should avoid using the optical port. The design is a bit rough for a living room and the TV's light reflects on the soundbar's top surface.


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In terms of sound, we would describe the Samsung HW-Q990D (Q995D) as quantity over quality. To be satisfied here, you need to appreciate the surround sound more than pure and neutral audio quality. The surround effect can be really impressive in movies and games – almost like a home theatre at times – but from scene to scene you might feel the need to adjust and tweak the settings. No setting will completely resolve this because there are clear limitations in the speakers that tend to make the sound come off as too shrill, sharp, closed in, compressed, booming and in some cases rattling (in the rear speakers), depending on the scene. Movies, TV shows and games are a good match for Q990D, but not music.

However, we should not downplay the Atmos capabilities – Q995D has them – even though we did not hear much overhead sound. Adding rear speakers and a subwoofer greatly enhances the movie and gaming experience so we can certainly understand buyers who choose to compromise on sound quality. It will be difficult to find more 'immersive sound' for the money. On the other hand, we occasionally see Samsung’s Q9 soundbars highlighted as the best soundbar system for Atmos, but here we do not agree. Sonos Arc + Era 300 + Sub (review) and Sony Theatre Quad + Sub (review) overall perform better – they are also more expensive. Solutions like Canvas, Beosound Stage (review) and 2x Apple HomePod (review) surpass the Samsung Q990D in terms of sound quality but lack the surround effect.

Overall, you get a lot of surround sound for your money with the Samsung HW-Q990D (Q995D), but there are clear limitations in sound quality, which might deter some enthusiasts.



Price and retailers:
US retailer
UK retailer
DE retailer
Good surround in movies & games
Dolby Atmos & DTS:X support
Rear speakers & subwoofer
eARC & HDMI 2.1 passthrough
Sound quality limitations
Music performance
Boomy subwoofer bass
Choice of material, reflections
Individual units cannot be upgraded
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