Wow such a detailed review, i saw 27 mins and thought no way i'm watching that, but i was captivated by your honesty and deadpan humour so stayed till the end. I've liked and subscribed my man.
A little update about Q950T and LPCM support. Calling Samsung tech support it was confirmed that Samsung soundbars do not support LPCM rather PCM 2.0. So don’t necessarily look for better LPCM support with updates. This means Apple TV that outputs LPCM will continue to be a bad pairing with Samsung Soundbars. Disappointing but hope this clears things up a bit. This information was corroborated on a Best Buy forum answered by a Samsung Rep - third question down www.bestbuy.com/site/questions/samsung-hw-q950t-9-1-4ch-soundbar-with-dolby-atmos-dtsx-and-alexa-built-in-2020-black/6420988 (Next up LGSN11RG vs Q950T ... keep the suggestions coming) So I want to do a 🆚 as my next soundbar video (compared to Q950T). LG SN11RG or JBL Bar 9.1? Or maybe you just want to find that thumb pointing north and obliterate it 😎
Hi Daniel, just want to say thanks for such a great review. I can confirm that I had literally all the exact same problems with my new q950t that you did. I actually had (and returned) the q90r before this as it had so many problems (though, like you, I swear the sound was better and more dynamic). When you called out the Amazon and Spotify issue I actually said “THANK YOU!” out loud as I was starting to think this very useful and very broken function was just me. Here’s one you missed. Try connecting two devices up to directly to the soundbar and switch between them. The soundbar has absolutely no idea how to handle this conundrum. I think the general feeling is just one of confusion when using this as I never know what is being output and if I’m doing the right thing. The only time the soundbar will tell you is if you have an atmos source, and it has so far never output atmos from a 4K streaming service. Keep up the great work!
I’m glad I was able to reflect your experience - and you could reflect mine. It does seem there is a wide range of opinions on this products but I’ve heard and read a significant number of accounts that the bar was borderline unusable ... and others that have not had any issue. It just adds to the perplexing nature of this product. I do think the system has become more stable with the latest firmware update but there are still plenty of issues. It’s a tough ask to expect customers to imagine how good the bar might be after 6-7 updates and wait that long. I plan on comparing to the LG flagship SN11RG. I’ll check out the HDMI 1-2 problem you mentioned- whatever my updated conclusions may be it’s not going to fix the display placement :-/ Thanks for reaching out ... it means a lot to fledgling tubers like myself.
@@neverenoughtech Hey no problems at all. I noticed a few comments from lucky people saying they had no problems and I wanted to balance the scale. I'm looking forward to the next video and hearing about the LG. I came very close to getting the SN11RG as I thought it would pair better with my LG OLED, but in the end I got a good price on the Samsung, and there are a few reports out there that the LG is almost broken when it comes to sound quality of HD formats (the Whathifi review absolutely savages it, and I remember finding another test that narrowed the problem down to Atmos content specifically, which could indicate a software bug).
You need to do another update review of this soundbar with 1017.5 update. I have been using this for a week and so far no problems.The sound quality and soundstage is impressive and subwoofer is more than adequate (I had to turn it down cause my floor was shaking). Speakers paired with no issues and no droppage aside from 1 incident where the subwoofer failed to come on after 1 day of use. I just unplug and plug the power to resolve the issue once and for all. Works automatically when I turn TV on or off. Also works flawlessly when I test out the remote function. Aside from the stupid display on top of soundbar, once I configure the sound setting to my liking, I never had to mess with it anymore although i would like Samsung to expand its Smartthings app interface.. It works with Google Assistant if you link Smartthings to Google home. The issue I found is it doesnt show Dolby Atmos when I tried my Sony X900F's built in Disney+ app through ARC connection which supports DD+ and I dont know if Disney+ is limiting the bandwidth (Movie description shows up 5.1 with Dolby Vision). This applies to pretty much every movie which was listed as having Dolby Atmos. Anyone having the same issue?
In South Africa, I knew this would take a WHILE to arrive probably December. Also, it will be very expensive compared to the outgoing Q90R. So I pulled the plug on the HW-Q90R. What a soundbar. I have never had a complete A/V setup centered around a receiver so I can't compare with separates. But the sound quality over anything I have ever heard before was mindblowing. The setup is easy but does require at least a basic white noise channel calibration to 75dB. The surround speakers have never crackled, cut-out, or any other fiddly activity they have been flawless. The biggest comment I would add is to understand your source material. There is a BIG difference between lossy audio and lossless audio so make sure you have good content ready to fit the soundbar. The 8inch sub has room and windows shaking bass! Play Lone Survivor in DTS:X where the helicopters leave the base at reference level for your room and you will get uncomfortable or worry about your neighbors level type of bass. Did I mention the LFE on movies like Godzilla and Blade Runner opening scene? There is a common Spotify issue, where after a powercut Spotify over WIFI won't work. Annoyingly you have to reconfigure the bar to your WIFI. This requires lifting the bar pressing the network button and reconnecting it to the WIFI in your home. Takes 5 minutes top. I can confirm passthrough of Dolby Atmos via DD+ at least on my Hisense H9F (Q8600) in South Africa does not work. Fortunately, I have an HTPC but then I get Dolby VIsion limitation due to windows 10. #sigh For movies, my 75dB measured subwoofer level is +1 and I play at -6dB for normal TV watching sometimes even -12.
Thanks for taking the time to write this. All very illuminating. In previous reviews I mentioned that a Samsung soundbar is near wasted in an apartment context as you can barely take it off mute ... also refer to atmos via DD+ as 5.1+ as opposed to Atmos -. I’ve not heard of the Spotify power cut networking issue. Makes sense how much I have to move these bars around. I would suggest having to reconfigure Wi-Fi (need to confirm in my end still) is a pretty serious bug - but not catastrophic. Again thanks for the thoughts ... the comment section has been a serious boon to my soundbar IQ.
(Thanks That’s Life and the rest of the subscribers that helped me reach this first goal - I started this in part due to a phobia of being anywhere near a camera - doing these videos and the support has helped me to get over it 🙏) If you ever wanted to be the 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ sub, now is your chance😎👍
I'm your 1000th subscriber ;) congratulations. In having this achievement, for your next comparison video, I'll like you to go through these major issues with the samsung q950t. 1. when switching the soundbar on and playing a youtube song for example, I'm getting audio out of the rears which isn't meant to happen? switching the soundmode from standard to something else back to standard solves the issue. But turning off the soundbar resorts to the same issue. 2. DTS:X is definitely not working through eARC, only if you connect your soundbar to the external device directly. Not sure why this is? Maybe solvable via software? HDMI EDID problem? 3. Is the soundbar playing true lossless Dolby Atmos through eARC? the boys at avforums mentioned that when atmos is playing through earc, av sync shouldn't be capable of toggling and it is? 4. Boys at avforums mentioned problems about LPCM as well, I don't know anything about this but you can further look into this. positives about this soundbar vs lg SN11! 1. apparently the SN11 doesn't do VRR when an xbox one x is directly connected to the ports of the soundbar rather than through eARC, where as the Q950T can! does this meant the SN11 doesn't have true hdmi 2.1 ports? who knows! I think the soundbar has a lot of good qualities but is strucken with poor standard checks as you mentioned before getting thrown out to the public, the first buyers being the workers in solving the issues! shame on samsung.
Thanks for pushing me over the line. I’ll address a few of these. But was looking to do one more follow up - digging a bit more into the audio format compatibility issues. Probably needs a dedicated video to dig deep enough. These comments are very appreciated and really help to produce future videos. I’ve noticed that during Atmos sessions I’m not able to change sound modes which is what the manual said would happen and only PCM 2.0 is supported so that would explain some of the confusion I believe. Getting answers on the 950T is so difficult because even the documentation is not ready. Tech support can’t answer questions - “the system is mew and we have not been given that info” - a shame
I've had my 950t for nearly a month and haven't experienced the problems you have had. The most painful part was adjusting the 9 channel volumes to find a good mix. To be fair its not a fault of the product that you chose not to read instructions for setup, it worked first time no hassles for me. I never use Alexa, so that doesn't bother me.
A quality experience would have a way of making directions clear if step by step actions are required for successful setup. So sure it’s my fault but blaming the customer is not a winning recipe (to foster good will at least). I’m gonna hold on to the bar and compare it to a competitor. Perhaps I’ll see the light at least on the sound front. Gotta say would be easier to get your channel mix if you could do it on the app. Just one of many details ignored that degrades the overall experience.
Nitric well that is one of the things I did compliment 👍. I used the bar tonight and it worked fairly well. Still find that lots of normally atmos shows are showing 5.1. I can’t figure out that 🧩
@@neverenoughtech that atmos/5.1 netflix is confusing me...I've never seen such a thing. Are you using Netflix app on your TV then running to 950t via earc?
@@neverenoughtech I was somewhat disappointed to hear the flaws as I have it pre-ordered. But I got a really great price ~$1K USD. At that price do you recommend I gave it a shot?
@@unknownguy38 i got mine for about USD1100-1200. Samsung Malaysia having a promotion till end of Sept. The older Q90R is nearly USD1100. So i went with the Q950T instead. I have the older HW-N850 & HW-N950 in 2 different bedrooms. I think the Q950T sounds slightly better than my older soundbars fresh out of the box.
@@nitric75 Thanks, did you experience rear and bass issues as discussed in the video? I'm thinking it depends on the wifi/BT setup. What was your experience?
@@unknownguy38 I was trying to search for the comment of the rear & bass issues in the video. didn't find it. But as far as i am concerned, i have no problem with rear speakers, or bass. The build quality of the rear speakers is ok, similar to the older models minus the metal grill. The 950T sub rattled my ceilling as powerful as what my n950 did. Actually the bass is tighter than my n950. The fabric design might not be a favourite among some but i am ok with it as i tend to notice dust enters the grill of the n950 & n850 easily. The LED display placement is not so good but i always set the volume and i don't adjust it frequently, same as other settings. So doesn't really matter. I think the reviewer might be a bit bias (just my feeling). the 950T is not as bad. specially when i got it at a discounted price with additional 1 year warranty. I hooked up my ps4, tv box, htpc to an Atlona HDMI switch, then to n950T before going into the tv. My switch able to passthru HDR, dolby atmos and others. I am watching netflix via htpc. All runs well. I am very happy with the purchase. I have 3 samsung soundbars at home, including the q950T. All performing well.
Great comprehensive review, besides the Sonos comparison fanboy attitude. Please do a review of the Klipsch Cinema 1200 when this hopefully comes out in September.
Prices really gone up... Samsung has come a long way in terms of sound now with AKG and Harman assimilated (they are like the Borg of tech - resistance is futile!)... But for now I'm sticking with my Heos flagship Bar and Heos flagship Sub, very happy with it, price is about the same but the whole 5.1 can shoot up to £2k... This review is extensive, appreciate the hard work! Not much changes on the looks except the bar... Looks more refined, I like the discrete led... And yes, I can see your eyes rolling 🙄.
I have no doubts Samsung can kill it with sound - I’ve heard it. Obviously I bend philosophically towards what Sonos is doing from a whole product approach ... but wish Sammy would tighten the ecosystem. The app interface between the 90R and 950T are rather different. These bars don’t talk to other speakers. I wish they would take the sub and surround hardware more seriously. Put more functionality in the app. Get some consistent content partners ... so fragmented. Anyway appreciate the sentiment.
Great review. I wish I had read it before buying my Q950T yesterday. It may not have happened. Having some issues with setup. Your comments are in keeping with my experience with Q950T so far. Hopefully it will improve. I do not need problems.
@@fabianminda5192 I've bought it myself and I'm very happy with it! Make sure to first plug in the speakers/subwoofer and then the soundbar. Also, if you have some static noises, make sure to set the channel to ch2. Only problem for me is when switching tv channels it still makes static noises for one or two seconds. Have any questions feel free to ask!
@@go9069 thank you for your reply, at the moment I have the Q90t tv and I want to pair it with this soundbar as it’s on sale 799£. I’m expecting a really big difference watching movies( atmos), can you please tell me does this soundbar deliver? Is it worth the buck or should I go for something else? What is your honest opinion?
@@fabianminda5192 if you compare the sound quality from the tv speakers with the soundbar it's night and day difference. For me it was worth every penny. I went from an old soundbar to this one. Honestly thr atmos isn't something very 'in your face' or better said 'above your head' (maybe I've not watched the right movie and/or didn't pump the volume high enough). I'll watch a piece of a movie in a bit for you to say for certain. For me, it's better than cables everywhere. Still, the sound quality is amazing and makes me at times 'wow' when watching a movie. It isn't the best soundbar for music, but it still sounds great. I've heard one song called: 'To tommorow, goldkimono' and the bass was very weird every 10-15secs. All other songs I've heard were good enough for me, especially after some beers. It has bluetooth so easy music from phone. Beware that the bass is heavy! 🔊😍 All in all, it was worth it for me, but it's up to you! You can always return it if you don't think it has the wow factor. In that case, be careful when unwrapping the speakers and all the stuff from the white baggie thingies. There's an opening where you can pull them out sealed with some transparent tape. I, being the unpatient guy, ripped them all open. Not sure if it voids the warranty, but better safe than sorry. Again other questions feel free to ask. Oh yh I'll watch a bit of a atmos movie in about 30mins for you.
I bought this and experienced pretty much everything you described. I thought I was missing something in the setup and config. Thank you for reassuring me that I am not missing something obvious. Subbed!
thanks for making the review, was curious how the 9.1.4 system compared to the Q90R 7.1.4 as i recently purchased it for 900 dollars. i'm very happy with the Q90R sad to see samsung change their product to this, i really think the fabric part is a big downgrade from the metal bumper grill.
I did a quick lighting round comparison between the two at the end of the video. Given the current instability of the T, the price, and the dearth of evidence (thus far) that the Q950t will exceed Q90R sound - I say you made the right choice choosing between the two - I would buy the $900 Q90R over the full priced Q950T ... without blinking.
I had to return mine it sound it awesome but it came defective, It will disconnect all the time had crackling noise horrible hopefully yours is not a bad batch like mine i went with sonos arc I do miss the atmos you get from samsung
Very helpful review, thank you. Samsung have a cash-back deal starting tomorrow in the UK which will make the Q950T effectively half price. Is it a good buy at that price? If no...what would you suggest for similar money (£800).
I think if you are willing to deal with some poor design choices and bugs, it’s a really good price. If rough edges just throw you into a blind rage maybe look elsewhere. I am really trying to publish my Q950T vs LG SN11RG video today. Maybe there is more info there that may be helpful. Of late my Buying/building a new house decision has been cutting into my YT time - delaying this last video
Samsung just cut the price by $200, I almost bought it for my LG OLED (2020)... till I watched your review: very nice and truly helpful indeed. Thank you! Now that I am not buying it for sure and the 90R has many good reviews from the others, I am between 90R and Sono ARC ... decision decision.
It really comes down to whether you want the bar almost exclusively for TV audio / Atmos movies - blow your hair back Audio - or you want the Arc for whole home audio music, tv and (what I’ve experienced so far) the best voice assistant experience? I’m entrenched in the Sonos ecosystem (play lots of music, books, podcasts from my bar - I may be a weirdo for this behavior) and have a general aversion to speakers not talking to one another. But if you don’t have other Sonos speakers and are looking for a stand-alone bar (really just to augment TV sound) then I have to honestly recommend the Q90R (of the two)
I picked this up a few days ago. I got a good deal at 999 open box. So far I agree with most in that it’s finicky and annoying. But when it works. Wow. It sounds good. I’m coming from a an old 5.1 tower system. I’m impressed with the sound and just as annoyed as everyone else with its quirks and drawbacks. Most of the annoyances could be fixed with an app overhaul. More testing to do to see if I’ll keep it.
Thanks for the honest review. This makes me even more happier with my Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 purchase. It's truly immersive and has the best bass I've ever felt in my home enviorment. I agree with this review. It appears that Samsung rushed this soundbar out too soon.
@@louisd95714 that's awesome man! I got mine last October. I did take a look at the 9.2 but I needed something a little less bulky. So I went with the 7.2. I do plan on getting the 9.2 later when I move into something bigger. It will definitely be in my mancave.
Thanks for the in depth review Daniel! I'm considering of getting a good soundbar and I'm between the q950T and sn11rg..The thing is that I'm not convinced that both produce excellent quality of sound in terms of music. I haven't been able to test these models personally as in Greece I only had the opportunity to listen to q80r and sl9yt and besides the Atmos I was not impressed at all with the sound considering the price (to be fair at the stores I've been there was enough noise that could have affected my opinion), it didn't feel clean or deep! I just want to replace my old 5.1 speakers with something better and be able to enjoy music as well besides the movies, since I'm getting a new oled tv from lg. Should I invest in speakers instead? I'm just trying to figure out and ''imagine'' how much more of a difference in quality I would get if I invest at q950t or sn11rg? Thank you in advance and keep up with the good work! P.S. if anyone in the comments wants to share any thoughts please do!
So I was pretty impressed with the Q950T music playback - I preferred it to the q90R music playback - maybe a bit more nuance and refinement. I also preferred it over the SN11RG and I thought it kind of bested Sonos which I am heavily invested in (and supposed to maybe have a specialty in music playback). This is one of the high points for the Q950T the other is uncompressed 3D sound. But there are lots of bugs and stability/design issues to be weary of. The best advice I have.
@@neverenoughtech Thank you so much for your advice! I posted the same question at reddit and pretty much I got similar replies. Alternatively, I was suggested to invest in 5.1 speakers that support Atmos or get a DTS:X codec but maybe it's an exaggeration! Either way thank you for your recommendation!
First off great Vid! Just wondering seeking your advice - I have a family member that works at Samsung and can get this for $750 US - at that value do you still think it's worth running away from?
Not to give too much away as I am preparing a vs. against the LG SN11RG. I think it’s potential exceeds $700 by a large margin. Let’s say the bar is improved since my last review due to a firmware update but would still benefit from a number of updates. I’d say get it but maybe have a bit of patience with it - adjust sound levels ... etc. Mesh Wi-Fi systems may interfere with surround speakers (causing dropouts) ... something to consider. Also it’s not a good bar to pair with an Apple TV due to lack of LPCM support. Bottom line though, I’d take the plunge if i were in your shoes. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Bought the 950T soundbar and had the same issue of subwoofer and rear speakers not linking back after turning off and on. Updated the firware and used both erc hdmi cable + optical cable connection. The issue is resolved.
I bought the Q90R off Amazon a couple of months. It was 35% off so I said why not. Anyway, right rear surround speaker did not work. So I called Amazon right away and told about this issue. This where it gets good. They said no problem we will refund you for the sound bar and you can keep it. No return needed! So I decided to take the right rear speaker apart to see if i could see the issue. Easy fix. The speaker plug that was soldered to that PCB had fallen off. I resoldered it and now it works. Soundbar works great and it was free!
so i was almost at the point of getting this thing. saw it for around 1000€ here in germany and thought. that could be an easy way of getting atmos into my living room. seems like i'm going to pass on this one though. i have to deal with software bugs on a daily basis at work, i don't want to "debug" stuff i pay money for. gonna watch your sonos arc review now :D thanks for all the insights!
I got my HW-Q950T soundbar last Friday. I was going to get the Q90T for $900 from amazon, but it "got lost in transit" and then they upped the price to $1600. I tried the Nakamichi 9.4 which was a beast and too bulky for my place, also the dialogue was barely passable. I got the JBL 9.1 to compare to the HW-Q950T. I love the JBL, but there aren't individual settings for the dialogue and we found ourselves using subtitles a lot. I think the Samsung is perfect. I like that I can control the individual speaker settings, though I'm annoyed that they would place the status at the top. The JBL gave me a better surround sound through Atmos, but the Samsung is great still since I have a vaulted ceiling. The only thing I don't like about the Samsung sound is that the woofer does not give me as much of an oomph as the JBL. It's just alright. The Q-Symphony makes very little difference on sound, since you asked. I have had no connectivity issues, so I might be just lucky there. The mids are great and the music from Amazon sounds very good. I read that the Sonos Arc does not play DTS:X. is that correct? I was looking at it, but I would want to get a system that would give me a DTS:X sound from my blu-rays, not just Atmos from streaming.
You probably had the wrong settings for the dialog on that nakamichi 9.2. I have the 7.2 and my dialogue is ear piercing loud. That's with the volume only at about 26.
@@meminski I have mine on movie mode. Then I fixed the settings by pressing the direct button until I saw "Dolby Surround". There is also a volume button down on the bottom of the remote where you can increase the center channel volume. It's really not your typical plug and play sound bar setup. There is a learning curve to it. So I would suggest playing around with the settings on the remote. I would highly recommend the nakamichi 7.2. I also heard the same thing about the Sonos arc where it doesn't play DTS:X.
Yup no DTSX support. Also no additional ports if your TV doesn’t support eARC. I’m holding on to the Q950T for further comparisons. Maybe I’ll temper my angst a bit with some more exposure
Great review . However there is one very big limitation to this soundbar as of now , it does not have PCM 5.1 & 7.1 support in it's HDMI in ports. Playstation 4 and other consoles have games with PCM 5.1 audio . So if we connect our consoles directly to soundbar and use earc for passthrough , PCM 5.1 audio in games with get reduced to stereo 2.1 output. Also the centre channel gets mute. PCM 5.1 audio is everywhere , even many Blu-rays and shows on Netflix , Prime and AppleTV has massive collection with PCM audio. Can you please test this soundbar for LPCM SUPPORT .Also rtings in there review has also mentioned the same thing and this is a massive feature missing , and if you are buying this for gaming or for PS5 , it will not decode PCM 5.1 , even though it 's predecessor Q90r had this feature. To have best audio and lag free experience , it is recommended to connect external devices like a gaming console or streming device , directly to the HDMI in ports of soundbar ,but with PCM 5.1 support missing , this soundbar has serious limitation and is not a worthy buy , untill samsung fixes this issue. Please refer below links as well. eu.community.samsung.com/t5/audio-video/the-hw-q950t-does-not-support-atmos-in-games-either-via-direct/td-p/2152955 eu.community.samsung.com/t5/audio-video/hw-q950t-multichannel-lpcm-support-not-present/td-p/2108967
I’m planning on reviewing. Honestly I try to not read too much before the reviews. I think it will have a challenge competing with the big boys not having a sub or rears but I guess I’ll find out. It’s placed itself kind of funny - 2500 and only a bar - as though it’s a high style luxury brand. 2500 would be a luxury/enthusiast price though I suspect enthusiast want surrounds and a dedicated sub. And I suspect luxury types are getting a Sennheiser. I’m intrigued none the less.
@@neverenoughtech i will wait for your review (the price tag now is 2199£). I will wait until black Friday to order my soundbar. Your favourite so far is the Sonos Arc i saw, interesting 😏
Great review. Thanks! I recently bought the LG SN11RG and had nothing but random/intermittent problems with it, so I returned it and am getting a refund. I'm now looking for a replacement system. I was considering this Samsung HW-Q950T until I saw your review. Wonder if Samsung have ironed out the bugs yet, or if it's on their to-do list?
I picked a brand new one off of eBay for $480 bucks It was brand new in the box still I couldn't be happier think it's a great deal compared to same thing still being over $1,000 at Best buy
Did all of the firmware updates resolve all of the issues from a couple of years ago? I'm thinking of picking this up as well. How has your experience been?
I just purchased the Q950T. I have a LG OLED tv with only ARC. From what I understand in your review, the only way to get the FULL details on the Atmos is to have a tv with E-ARC, or to add some kind of secondary audio device? Is it worth it for me to do all this? Will the sound be THAT much worse if I just connect it to the ARC? I don't want to spend so much money on the sounder only to not have optimum sound. Thanks in advance for your help! I really enjoyed your review!
You can plug straight into the bar for ‘full detail’ from blue rays. So no worries with the TV. If you insist on going through the TV then you will need eARC to pass uncompressed audio
@@neverenoughtech I don't want to replace my 2018 LG OLED already just to get EARC. Should I use that audio device to pass through EARC instead? I MUCH rather use my TV itself for Netflix, etc. for Atmos content. Don't want to go through a PS4 or similar because my wife will have another device to learn to use to get to where she wants to go. I will also upgrade my HDMI cables to 2.1. Not sure if they are since they are from 2018. Thanks for your help!
I didn't get a good understanding if you felt the extra side firing channels were noticeable compared to the 7.1.4. Also, are they straight out? Or do they have a forward angle at all?
I didn’t find them to be all that noticeable from an ensemble perspective. But honestly I believe the software to be so underdeveloped that at this time a user may not reliably be able to gauge how much the wide angles are intended to contribute to the sound stage. The wides are angled at ~45 degrees
A store near me has the Q900T (same as the Q950T just without the 2 surround speakers) for 46% off. New price is $820. At this price, should I get the Q900T over the likes of a Q60T (something around same price) ?
Thanks for the great presentation! I'm going to buy! Could I ask. Can I connect two bluetooth devices at the same time? I would like to connect both my phone and a bluetooth microphone.
@Toni Lund. I don’t have the bar with me. And can’t find a definitive on the webs. Bose can manage more than one so definitely not out of the realm of possibilities. Sorry couldn’t answer your question, I’ll add to my testing protocol. Maybe try calling tech support 😬
I’ve had a lot of cut out issues with this bar. Not just on the surrounds but on the bar itself. I would say for the most part the sound is great but if you are using a streaming service don’t get surprised if you get cutout issues. Going to have a video documenting some of these issues in greater detail come out in next few days. So really it’s a question of how much frustration you are willing to possibly take on. The sound it can produce is definitely worth $910
Easy question: how are voices on this? I currently have a HW-M550 and voices stink on it. If you do Clear Vocal mode on it, the rest of the sound suffers. Also, for clarification - do you have to have eArc in order to truly experience Atmos? My TV does not have eArc.
Trying to decide between this and the q90R. Have you tested them both? And if so which would you rather? Since the q90R is hard to come across these days the salesman said he would give me the 950T for the same price.
Of what I’ve reviewed so far ... and let’s say I choose with a mindset of which bar is long term relationship material. The least annoying most reliable and attractive (sound) all in the mix (all below your 2k limit). 1. Arc w/One SLs and Gen 3 sub (marriage material) 2. Q90R 3. SN11RG 4. Q950t (hottest but a hot mess) If I were in your shoes ...
I’m going to review against the SN11RG. My interpretation is that it was for updates. I’ll address the abilities of the port there. Thanks for the question 👍
Thanks for this. Can you do a vid om this vs sonos arc? I am an android user so would appreciate your opinion and advice. I also noticed for certain movies only the rears crackle on the 950T but i dont know why. Overall i love the sound and it is awesome but not sure if i should return this because of the crackling (on certain movies) and get the sonos. Also know the sonos dont support dts.
I have this soundbar since Monday. Mine has a defect or maybe the room is not optimal for the soundbar, but If I stand front of the subwoofer the sub is starting to crackling due to a bad connection. These system have that weak connection or my unit has a defect?
@@goalazo93 The thing about the Arc is either people love it, or its bashed fairly hard. Ex: Rting a well respected site gave the ARC (including the speakers and sub) 6/10. It's not even in their top 25. ... In comparison they gave the 950T 8.1/10 which makes it in their top 3. But have viewing this video, there's no way I'm buying it now. So yeah... Back to square one lol
@@xclusivereef5805 klipsch 1200 is scheduled for march. looks like DTS is a miss on the klipsch - however if you are looking into sonos arc then not having DTS may not be an issue for you.
You mentioned Sonos to many times, so give me a BETTER Sonos alternative to this soundbar. BETTER only please. Does Sonos offer something BETTER? I doubt it but I'm all ears.
Define better. In the long term the Q950T will have better sound as it becomes more stable. But is the sound so much better to cover all the other stuff that makes it difficult to use. I think that is the core question if deciding between the two. If you are doing nothing but using it for TV sound, I’d say go with the Q950T. If you want to play a lot of music - in particular MultiRoom, want to interact with the VA, want Airplay, want better App support (for controlling the speaker and surrounds), want a system that is designed so less sensitive to Wi-Fi mesh interference impacting the sub and surrounds .... Arc is probably more your speed. Arc is the best Sonos soundbar
I have an older Samsung Soundbar with the swa w700 450w 10 inch sub, I think that sub blows the newer ones away, according to the specs it gets down to 27hz and is a heavy solid box, the new ones look cheap and less powerful
The Q950T sub is encased in Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) which does tend to be an oft-suggested sub housing material. But It does feel cheap on these consumer electronics bundled subs.
Fail on my part.. I typically over research everything to the point where I burn myself out of even wanting the product. I wrecklessly stopped at a stereo/tv store in my area and purchased the hw-q900t.. basically the same soundbar here without the rear 2 speakers. It sounded good in the store and figuring it was Samsung's flagship I 'assumed' it would sound considerably better than my 2013 Sony ct260 plus have the Atmos effects... plus it was on sale for $899. Anyway I bought it.. hooked it up to my 2019 LG OLED C9 65".. and proceeded to be underwhelmed. No installation woes.. but My CT260 definitely sounded better in 2.1 stereo, this one sounds weaker with less harshness.. ie if someone blasts a shotgun I want it to be harsh and sharp with a thud from the sub.. not so with the Samsung no matter with any settings.. maybe somewhat if I overcompensate with the volume. The Atmos effect in some Netflix/Disney+ shows does sound pretty good but it's still somewhat underwhelming. To make matters worse I broke down/ruined the packaging when/as I installed because I was so sure it would sound at least as good as the Sony but with the fantastic Atmos/Dts and hopefully some good faux/surround effecs. No such luck :(
Appreciate the account. The soundbar is definitely the star of the show but rears are pretty critical to get anything close to an Atmos effect I’d argue. The rears wouldn’t improve the sound profile however. I think the Q950T ... when behaving is the best sounding soundbar I’ve heard so far. I was impressed with my friends Sony 7 y/o soundbar (w/o surrounds) so I should probably go explore one of those bars some day
@@neverenoughtech thanks for the reply.. I'm glad to hear that it's capable, and it does sound really really good at times.. just so darn inconsistent with different sources and material. I have been playing Dragon Quest 11 lately and I'm used a bright and clear sound when the game starts.. that was with the Sony soundbar.. now it sound a bit dull, flat and lackluster no matter what settings I use... then on the other hand I'm watching Haunting of Bly manor on Netflix and it sounds fantastic, great ambience. In your opinion is there a better all around ~$1000 soundbar out there than the one I bought?(for $900)
Samsung needs to start building quality and not price. I have the q90r and I'm not a satisfied customer. The rears are low considering that increasing the volume to +6 does not make a difference
Well your thinking is wrong. The money transfer between Sonos and me is one way and it’s all to Sonos. Also, if you watched my Q90R comparison (and let’s say that you are Sonos and paying me), you would probably be mad when I said the Q90R has better sound - you should perhaps be more suspicious of other reviewers that consistently give good ratings to various soundbars. Maybe it’s possible that I prefer how Sonos executed their soundbar from a complete product perspective ... it’s a unique product
What will you suggest between Sony HT-ST5000 and the Q950t because the lg sn11rg will not be launched in India and sonos doesn’t exist here. Also the q90r was never launched here.
Thanks for the question. I don’t have experience with the Sony so can’t give you a solid recommendation. All I can say is at this time the Q950T is not a reliable product. This might change in the future. If I had to choose I would probably pick Sony (based on reviews) - and my general experience with Sony products. But if you are set on having rear speakers you will have to go with Samsung.
Actually I did use HTST5000 the sound quality is great but without rear speakers you wont experience any surround sound at all and I returned it . I would suggest you to go with Jbl 9.1 if you are okay with those rear speakers the surrounds are good in Jbl but it is cumbersome as you have to keep detaching the speakers ,you can wall mount them but if you do so far behind from where you sit you wont appreciate the surround sound . That is the exact reason I wanted to go with Hwq950t but when I saw this review I dropped the plan
Here’s the thing on the constant comparisons to Sonos - The latter has its own boutique/niche market in the US and Europe . Samsung is a global behemoth all but backed by the Republic of Korea. Samsung is far better positioned to dominate all ends of the sound bar market. Their resources far outmatch Sonos. But let’s take the Arc, and I say this in a clinical assessment type of way having totally loved your video and thinking ur a pretty cool guy - The Sonos has inferior sound point blank compared to Samsung soundbars. It has severely limited its appeal to a huge end of the market with frankly bizarre product decisions like the exclusion of any direct HDMI Inputs (a reliance on the TVs E-arc?, really?), and the wholesale omission of Bluetooth (seriously??). The Sonos soundbars neither integrates into a SmartThings home setup (something which you glossed entirely over in every video), nor lair well with Samsung TVs, who’s shipments in the market make it the dominant leader by far by market share (#1 in most global markets), meaning a Samsung soundbar pairs in a seamless fashion with Samsung TVs in a way that Sonos cannot (something else you curiously left out). Samsung has their stuff to figure out with their software team, and their high end sets are susceptible to WiFi interference, specifically with Mesh WiFi networks- it would be nice if you did more research into why the sub and rears may pop and/or disconnect - it’s the WiFi Channels. Also, but making commentary on the exclusion of Airplay 2 on the soundbar versus the Tv is sort of a low blow, when you can just airplay to your Samsung TV and play via the soundbar, so as not to duplicate the connections. I mean, this was intentional, to get users into the Samsung ecosystem and buy a new TV which supports it! So what? Sonos is a small player and Samsung offers the better device from a product perspective. SmartThings + Samsung QLED + Samsung soundbar is a superior ecosystem to the [restrictive and strange] world that is the small Sonos.
I think we agree more than you might think. I’m sticking with the Q90R for now because the Q950T has some serious issues. Even if it can play really good sound for short periods of time. I was pretty clear that Samsung did better TV audio so we agree there. My statement about better music was due to the ability to play a stereo pair along with the soundbar which I found to be more compelling than the bar + surround ambient. I think there are opinions to be had regarding the characteristics of the music. I would choose Sonos for a dinner party, maybe Q90R would be better for a college party. Samsung has way more resources but way more projects for this resources to cover so I’m not sure that there is a huge resource per product difference. Maybe there is Samsung has a huge ecosystem and it’s admirable they are trying to put it all under one app. But it seems like a big miss that one soundbar can’t talk to another for MultiRoom audio. This seems to be a feature that is getting phased out. Also seems like a miss that they have not cultivated content partners. If you are going to your phone with the intent of messing with your speakers the Sonos app provides a better experience IMHO ... you don’t have to leave the app to start streaming music for instance Airplay 2 - I did mention if your tv has it then it’s kind of like having it. So I think we kind of agree there. But it is possible that customers are not using their soundbar with a new Samsung tv with Airplay - so potentially leaving a really desirable feature to chance. But even if your tv has it it will likely turn the tv on which is maybe not what your aiming to do I would love to know exactly why speakers are cutting out so often. But me knowing why doesn’t necessarily help the customer that is tired of the speakers cutting out ... unless I have a practical fix handy ... which unfortunately I don’t really ... maybe that is something I can work on. But telling people to switch out Wi-Fi networking seems perhaps not terribly practicable. the Q950T has this tendency to cut audio for half a second every two minutes. Perhaps this times between the cutouts are better than Sonos but I would guess most would choose Sonos that is not cutting out at all - as those kinds of bugs rip you from your flow In general I don’t think that Samsung has a very strong user experience culture. I’m a big UX person. Actually have a fair bit of academic and corporate experience in the area (definitely don’t work for Sonos or audio company) - so I kind of lean philosophically towards that lens. Experience from product to product is rather fragmented. It very much seems like there is a strong willingness to launch products they know aren’t ready but hope they can fix over time. I do feel for them having such a huge product portfolio they can’t agonize over every detail of every product. But just the fact that they are willing to launch a flagship soundbar with the display on top ?!?!? Either means the UX team is perhaps not very good or holds 0 power (both speak to the culture) About seamless pairing between bar and Samsung tv. I did not find anything special about the pairing. Other than seeing volume level on the TV screen. And being able to use the soundbar remote for the tv - which is at best a marginal advantage. One behavior that boggles my mind was the switch to TV speakers and not muting when I called on Alexa. Alexa would be playing a podcast and the tv speakers would be wherever I left the soundbar volume. This does not happen with Sonos. Also when Sonos introduced Alexa it worked far better. There are all kinds of organizational reasons why these differences exist. But I don’t think I’ve heard a really compelling argument that Sonos Arc is not the most well rounded soundbar from an complete product experience standpoint. I think it’s totally fair that lots of soundbar enthusiast do not judge soundbars this way. I’m kind of new to this space and am learning about the subculture If I were to make a video of which soundbar will sell more, of course I would choose a Samsung soundbar, but that is not really the argument I’m trying to make. Anyway, I really appreciate the thoughtful reply ... giving me more context. All comments kind of sink in and have impact on my subsequent videos. So I love all of them
Looking more into the mesh networking issue. I’ll address in my next video. I do have a mesh system so I’ll play with some settings and see if I can’t find some improvements.
Hey! Really appreciate you reading my somewhat incoherent Fri night rant via my iPhone ! I really appreciate the time you put into these videos and your response was amazing, especially Samsung’s lack of UX and eco system and to end work given the money they make - it’s quite stronger in Korea but no so much in their global markets (curiously). Thanks for the response!!
I like rants. I’m honestly still learning this space and how to make useful videos (just a few months in as a YTber). The community’s knowledge is far vaster than mine could ever be so comments are very much appreciated - they have definitely made me more aware and knowledgeable. 👍😎
@@neverenoughtech I am still torn between the arc and the 950t. With all the problems with the 950T I may just pull the trigger on the arc. Difficult decisions as there are a few things that I don't like about each. Sonos being not having many inputs on the back and not accepting blue ray audio formats for atmos. Samsungs being the buggy problems and user experience not being so good. What would you purchase NeverEnoughTech?
I can’t honestly say - have not heard the system. I’m guessing may be a down grade for traditional surround sound but an upgrade for connectivity and 3D sound.
I really want the bar, but i feel i will have the same experience i did with the n950 - constant disconnecting from the sub/rears and crackling from the rears. Ugh. I guess the 900t is probably a better choice since samsung has yet to figure this out yet...wonder what CES will bring. Apparently they are going to sell a 2.0.2 kit for the new Q soundbars...if thats the case i will probably wait for the bars
Been having a problem with my Q950t. Was fine for the first 3weeks no problems sound quality is great. Basically devices connected to the bar would lose sound. Video was passed through to the tv fine but no sound. The only way to get sound was by going into the devices settings and change a sound settings then going back. So for the playstation 4 i would have to change to optical then back to HDMI for the sound to come back. Tried all the usual stuff like checking cables but only a factory reset of the bar works. (hold the - & + together for 5 seconds.) I spoke to samsung support and they said i should have only the eARC connected and no other devices in the bar as there can be issues. Basicslly this is a known issue and other than a factory reset they have no fix for this as of yet. I love the sound from this bar but the software isn't great at all.
Hey man, I need your help. I still have my Q950T but I’m debating returning it as I found a new Q90R that is at a store nearby. The price is about the same for the Q90R ($1399 CAD) vs what I paid for the Q950T ($1500 CAD). At this point in time, would I best best going with the Q90R? Not sure if the HDMI 2.1 inputs on the Q950T makes a difference vs the 2.0b inputs on the Q90R. Appreciate your input man!
If the Q950T is working out for you I would keep it as it is a bit more future proof with 2.1. If it is driving you crazy or you’re not a fan of the sound timing go R
NeverEnoughTech Thank you! Q950T is working out although my main concern is the bandwidth issues with eARC. Basically eARC is only functioning as ARC right now. I hope a firmware update is in the near future that addresses this. Btw.. did you notice any difference in rear surround + Atmos performance with either of these two? Rtings, states that the performance on Q950T is lower when compared to the Q90R here. Thanks again for your insight!
Overall stability was worse with the Q950T, I think my view may be controversial but when the T is not bugging out it has I think the best soundbar sound I’ve heard. I think it maybe softens/finesses some of the brutality of the Q90R. Can you buy the Q90R compare the two and return the one you think is lesser? That’s what I would do ... if in your 👟
NeverEnoughTech It may be difficult to do a close comparison, as I am running out of days on my return policy for the Q950T. I’d really like to keep it but worry Samsung will not support this soundbar long term. They don’t have a great history of doing so with their products - that’s in my experience anyways..
NeverEnoughTech thought I’d share this with you as you’ve been a great help. I spoke with a Samsung rep here in Canada and there is a firmware update coming in the next week or so that addresses the audio dropouts, connection issues and eARC bandwidth limitations. Maybe you can test it out once it is available. My plan is to hang on to my Q950T for another week and if nothing is solved with this update, I am going with a Sonos Arc (just wish it had upward firing drivers on its surrounds). Take care and keep up the good work!
I'm a bass lover, i don't care about dolby atmos ,what soundbar should i choose , this one, jbl 9.1/3.1 , sonos arc with sub, vizio elevate? I want some deep base,not just boomy ,i want deep/low frequency
I’m off in another state and don’t have my bars. There was another firmware update ... have not had a chance to check around to see if there have been major improvements made
Wow you really hate samsung. Seems like you might have been a little bit biased to start but ive notice some of the things you mention. I've been testing the samsung 950t and sonos arc to determine which one I like. I've actually had more problems connecting the sonos back speakers due to wifi settings. The samsung started right up for me. The sonos app is waay better, and the look of sonos is better. The samsung display location was a terrible idea. Soundwise the samsung fills the room more, and I hear more sounds out of it. The arc gives more of a rich sounds but not as room filling. The arc back speakers are better but doesn't seem to push out sounds like the samsung.
I do have a general bias ... but it’s not against Samsung. It’s probably fairer to say I’m biased towards overall quality experience (where each aspect meets or exceeds expectations) vs products that use specs to sell- maybe does one thing really well- but underperforms on fundamentals (like controls and Alexa content partners). What really frustrated me about the Q950T is it did not even seem to reliably deliver on TV sound ... though I suspect it will get there with several more updates - at the end I said run away for now. These soundbars are being positioned as more than just tv speakers. I tend to want to judge at that level. I’m with you on a lot of your opinions but I’d say it’s much easier to get desired Sonos surrounds to a volume than Samsung. I’m going to put the Q950 against a non Sonos competitor. Will be interesting how it may shift my opinion on Samsung.
Hardly any reviews out for q-symphony. It's a shame you didn't have a tv to test it. Some thoughts about it in the comments, but very little input, especial what content they tried it on. Atmos and gaming content would seem where it would make a difference.
Yeah, I felt it was a big miss to not be able to show off. I am not affiliated with a retailer or anything. Just a dude with a lot of tech but not always all of the newest tech. I’m a little suspicious about how well the tv and soundbar audio quality would mix. At least one commenter said it did not make a huge difference.
If you go Q950T at this point you are going off faith that a lot is going to get fixed in the not too distant future. The Q950T definitely can play more impressive sound but you are much more likely to run into infuriating bugs and unpleasant experiences - like dropouts form either the surrounds or the bar. Sonos is a more even product not nearly as finicky but you are giving up a bit of 3D sound potential. I think W90R may be amongst the best 3D wireless sound values out there - if you’re willing to get last years model
I have had this speaker for about a year. The good - great sound, The bad - everything said in this video and the price. Samsung should be ashamed of itself for charging this much for this disfunctional of a product. But thats just who they are!
I think the biggest give away is if you are playing an audio source that is advertising 7.1 or 5.1 it is not activating all the requisite speakers in standard sound mode. This did not seem to be an issue on the Q90R. I think the latest firmware update may have largely addressed this problem but I am still getting very strange downgrades from Atmos to 5.1 on Atmos Netflix shows with the Q950t ... this does not happen with any other soundbar.
@@neverenoughtech ok thanks. Does the new firmware update bring the q950t closer to the q90r's sound with movies? Or do you think there's issue with the new hardware in general.
I had to take focus pills just to filter out the jokes from the facts on this video, and I still couldn't finish it. Don't attack please! just a joke lol
It’ll work best with any device that has an ARC channel (preferably eARC) I doubt tour PC has an ARC HDMI channel. It also works with optical which tour computer may have but it won’t be 3D audio compatible
Normal. Also keep in mind which sound mode you are in. Select surround if you always want sound from every speaker. The higher quality the codec the louder the upward firing speakers get (as well) - cable signal is not so good
