You seem like you have a good sense of humor, so I hope I can say this without offending .... As soon as I saw your ears I knew this was the guy I wanted to listen to about sound quality! Great holistic review.
Really clear and concise review. Well done. I have both systems and you are correct in all your assessments. I wanted to add that the Q90R is also way more susceptible to wireless frequencies that consumers may have in their homes. Routers, Gateways or Airaves wreaks havoc on the Q90R’s Sub. It’s been like that since the HW-K950. I’ll be moving away from Samsung because of that. They’re terrible and not very consumer friendly.
One thing to note looking at Rtings reviews is that they review soundbars out of the box only so without any tweaking at all. Sonos’s lower scores are due to that which they acknowledged by the way. They are planning to change their testing methodology (similar to TVs/monitors). Sonos’s speakers are built to play either by itself or all together so require optimization when they are together. I’ve reviewed and compared the LG SN11RG, Q90r and the Sonos Arc (with sub and rears) before making my decision due to lack of good reviews and it was no contest. Good job including things that most reviewers don’t (display, app, upgradability)!
I totally agree RTings while good intentioned are providing full considerations of the product. And it does seem to be an overemphasis on Max volume performance ... I alluded to weaknesses. Maybe I’m dense but I didn’t catch which model LG, Q90, or Sonos (Arc?) was your favorite. Curious to know.
NeverEnoughTech Like you mentioned, everyone has (and should have) a different rating scale in their mind due to budget, Apple/not, etc. Sonos won my comparison. They just sound better. The subwoofer is killing the competition (range and impact) and the sound quality of the rears is just better (true dedicated speakers vs a chain). Even though it’s a more expensive setup, if you amortize it over 5 to 10 years and including resale value, Sonos is on the top. Also, like you mentioned, the Samsung app is atrocious. Plus it’s an American company vs Korea. Local support :)
I'm just going to say, this was the most amazing review I have ever watched. I bought the Arc over the weekend for my new LG CX. Coming from full blown surround sound setups, I'm new to the sound bar game but my wife wants to minimize clutter (speakers and such). I like it but I'm just not sure if I could get more bang for my buck. I've researched so many sound bars in my price point that I almost feel like curling up into a ball and crying lol
amen! in same boat here... starting to consider a '70s Era transistor radio & wired (yellowed white 20 guage wire) 'headphones'.... or just grabbing the JVC Ext1 system headphones for now. There are more compromises, though different, with each soundbar system. Just want to enjoy great HT in my land yacht as I wander to & from while waiting to die. I did find source for real movie theater popcorn supplies and bought a countertop movie style maker so that's covered...now just that pesky great theater sound to create...once done just cruise the AZ desert BLM lands listening for the subs pounding while the area 51 aliens finally attack and you'll find me... unless I'm using those HT headphones that day. Really though, there is a lot to absorb and as one of my fav YT reviewers say there is that FOMO really mucking things up...
@RIT44 I feel this. My wife wants to remove clutter in our new new. I have a dolby atmos klipsch set up to an open floor plan. Im looking for a dolby atmos wireless system. What do you think is best for the CX
I have had the Samsung Q80R sound bar for approximately a year now, which is connected to my Samsung TV. It cost slightly over $1,000. And came only with the sound bar and sub woofer, no rear speakers. I, personally like it , but, have been issues with the sound bar not turning on even though connected through ARC. I’ll keep using this sound bar due to the quality of sound , but would highly recommend buying a set up that does come with the rear speakers included for such a high price.
Great Video! I'm using a receiver with 10,000 wires connected to get Dolby Atmos in my living room so I've really been considering going the soundbar route. I really like how you emphasized how important the ecosystem and future upgradability are when making the choice to spend thousands of dollars on a sound system.
I first got into Sonos over 7 years ago to avoid wires - fewer options back then. Never going back. I hope my kids kids never have to see a wire 😂. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I had a Denon receiver with two speakers and a sub, and even that was just too messy and made my living room look ugly. The arc is a bit of a sacrifice in terms of sound quality and power but I'm looking to add the Sub Gen 3 to my setup... everthing is so clean... and being able to more easily stream music from my phone or using voice controls to activate music... you can't beat it. My denon allowed me to stream music from my phone but it was just way too slow to get activated.
After reviewing the Sonos Arc with 2 s1's and the Samsung 850a with subwoofer, honestly it sounds better!! I'm tempted to purchase the Samsung 900a and team it with the wireless 9500s speakers, to see if this combination will still beat the arc! I despise the cloth, it will not age well and the ability to add more speakers to the arc is a nice feature but the Samsung sound is just better hands down!! I'm unsure how or why everyone says the Arc beats the samsung 950. Price alone you get more bang for your buck.
He is a sonos promotor ignore him bro buy what ever u want he will include some extraordinary spec thats only support sonos 🤣🤣🤣🤣 like sonos logo letter sharper than samsung 🤣🤣😂😂
@@irvincasanueva3423 you are right I can't really imagine anything sounding much better than the sonos arc setup I was playing call of duty beta on xbox one x and wow i was blown away by the sound quality 😳.
@@niazniaz4773 dude this is my first time ever buying sonos product's and wow the sonos arc setup is amazing the sound quality is like nothing I have ever heard for home use it truly is awesome i was playing call of duty black ops beta on xbox one x and wow its amazing.
@@ernestohernandez9370 i went to best buy and test all the sound bar by far the sonos have the best audio quality very clear and crispy than the samsung. For the Bass the sonos was really good i also like that it doesnt shake ur whole house like the samsung, overall if u install the sound bars in ur bed room buy sonos. If u the type that love hearing bass shaking ur living room get the samsung that how i compare the 2. But the sonos quality really good is like u buying a Mac book over a Pc which is the samsung.
Are you dissatisfied with the Q90R? That system is a truck but you would probably be pleased with the extra 4 channels in terms of spatial performance …. I think this depends on whether the cost of the q990c is somewhat trivial or a big investment. I also think Samsung is going to reveal something significantly different in the next few months so may be worth waiting for that as it may be extra fun to skip the whole T-C generation and form factor and see what’s next.
@@neverenoughtech if you buy these sound bars chances are you have a big TV so size wouldn't matter anyways because they will fit under the TV or on the TV st and if you have a wall mounted TV samsung comes with the wall mount in the box so compaction is completely stupid when it comes to these 2 bars
Great review! I wish you published it few weeks earlier! I bought the Samsung Q90R and as you rightly pointed out, the rear speaker volume is disappointing as it’s only tuned for Dolby Atmos.....no reviews I read pointed this out like you did....I miss the surround sound experience that I was expecting while playing music....I Guess arc does provide that since the rear speakers are independent stereo speakers...once again, great review!
Anil the rear speakers do work even without Dolby Atmos mode. What happens is that if you frequently change modes and settings especially through smart-things app, the rear speakers might go off until u select the surround mode. When u select surround, they all turn on and then as for me who prefers Adaptive sound i later on select Adaptive mode and still the rear speakers will stay on. Q90R is giant that most people don't know how to use. Once u master it, a Sono will be a joke
@@yvanokuba1649 I second this, you can use the rear speakers with Surround Mode or Adaptive Mode. There is a button on the remote labeled ‘Sound Mode’ you can press to alternate between them. The Dolby Atmos will come on automatically depending on the content.
These were 2 of the 3 options for my budget when looking for a home theater system. I originally wanted the Bose Lifestyle 650 system but the price was insane. Out of all the reviews and videos that I watched, I ended up going with the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 system and WOW, just amazing for the price. Took a little tweaking to get the sound the way I wanted but this system rattles my eyeballs. For movies I set it to MOVIE preset and Dolby Atmos Surround Treble:8 Center:8 Base:7 SS:9 SB:9 -For TV and Music I set it to ALL CHANNEL STEREO Treble:8 Center:8 Base:6 SS:9 SB:9 You will not have buyers remorse if you get this system, can't speak about the others.
I have the Q90R sound system with my LG 77inch C9......it's been rock solid with 0 issues. eARC works perfectly and haven't had any issues. With the new HW-Q950T out these Q90R can be found for around $1100 or less and that's a steal! I don't use my sound system for anything other than TV use so for me the Q90R is the system to go with!
Wow I watched your video 3 times, I still don’t know how you do it. I’m a ‘no video more then 5 mins kind of guy’ but your reviews are just so damn captivating. Anyway, after watching it 3 times I threw in the towel and went with the Sonos Arc, Sub and a pair of SLs. We currently have a deal going on in the U.K. where you can trade in selected Sonos items and get 30% off towards a Sonos item. I picked up two Sonos Bridges off EBay for £10 each and them to offset the price of the Arc and the sub. Total price including SLs came to £1367. Can’t wait for them to arrive and never used a Sonos product before. Looking forward to future videos 👍
Glad the videos work for you. My main system is Sonos and I’ve had plenty of chances to switch ... so I hope you enjoy it too. More videos coming ... wish I could be quicker but way too many other responsibilities.
I never knew about this, glad I came across your comment! Looking at eBay now but Ts and Cs do say they need to be registered to your account and don’t know if they’ll accept 2 bridges?!
I have the Sonos Arc 5.1 and I love it. The ease of use blows away the competition. I previously own the Samsung K950 paired to a Samsung TV thinking it would be seamless. Didn’t always power on, HDMI switching was a pain, and anything that wasn’t Atmos sounded terrible and the rears were near silent. I’m sure the newer models are better, but its frustrating how quickly Samsung dropped support for the K950. Sold it. Arc sounds amazing with both standard 5.1 and Atmos content. Always powers on with TV (switch to LG OLED), and even tho some don’t like it, not having multiple HDMI inputs eliminates the switching issues I used to have with CEC. Sonos must haves known how crappy HDMI-CEC was and decided to just eliminate it.
I tend to think user experience is under appreciated amongst soundbar enthusiast. I suspect the kind of people that really agree with your comments are mostly not watching soundbar vids on YT
And don't forget we get 30% off on Sonos trade-ins. (The bonus point is, you do not have to actually return the traded-in speaker). So, basically, your upgrades are like of 30% off). The only catch is, you can only trade-in each speaker only once (Just like any other conventional trade-ins). But that was a great deal for me who is slowly increasing its collection.
Excellent, well balanced video, which truly helps you making up your mind between Q90R and Sonos ARC by providing you with a lot of information about their features, strengths and weaknesses.
Hey Daniel quick question, I see when comparing these two set ups I’m not sure if you went over the full set up versus fourth set up comparison, I do see that you compare each sound bar individually but with the rear SL’s and sub added to the system if you just had to go with watching movies or playing video games, just as far as the sound immersion would you rather go for the Sonos entire set up or would you stick with the Samsung?....Software integration aside, because I know you’re big on software, but just pure sound for your personal preference full set up versus full set up ...you have one chance to watch a directors cut of a movie which one do you choose?
NeverEnoughTech Interesting, so the Samsung atmos capable rears and sub outperform the Sonos SL’s and Sonos sub?..And I know you’re not my mom, I get it, just curious. Asking for a friend, and I know you’re not his mom either.
Sonos surrounds are of a higher quality build and the front speaker I expect sounds better than the 950T rear front speaker. Samsung has the edge with a more beefy bar, many more channels, and upward firing speaker in the rear. It’s just more specialized to perform the3D sound task. It also I think has a fair bit of sophistication on how it handles music the more I listen. When doing 3D sound I get the impression with a soundbar system the kind of surrounds q950t has (while not as stable as Sonos) are sufficient for the task. The bar does most the work. The bass fills out without getting overwhelming and the rears fill in sound without calling too much attention to itself. Samsung system is set up so the surrounds are nothing without the bar. A nice thing about Sonos is that the surrounds are of high enough quality that they can go love their own lives without the bar. But for the task of giving you immersive sound the the Q950T bar is kind of in a different league ... sound production wise. Q drives me crazy and I think Sonos sounds fine and always works and is always on and never does stupid stuff so I stick with Sonos even though I could switch with Samsung
NeverEnoughTech OK fair enough, you seem to be one of the only people that has all of these different sound bars, even when I go to Best Buy a lot of times they don’t have them for you to sound test for yourself. I think I mentioned earlier I went with the Sonos because of the quality of product, your videos, and the fact that I don’t have to buy a different sound bar every year like I do with Samsung or LG...I feel like after one year of use they will no longer receive any software updates, which is one of your big selling points... I also took into account that the Sonos arc was sold out absolutely everywhere and I had to go to some third-party store where they had only one in stock and buy it, meanwhile all the other sound bars are readily available and you can pick them up at any time, I figured that was a sign as well, given that people seem to trust and love Sonos so much that it’s on back order.I’m in the Washington DC area, I would do searches and it wouldn’t be available for 250 miles, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I watched videos and people were saying that the Rears for Samsung have popping noise or they don’t come on at all, plus your video was saying that the sound bar is great....when it’s working, that “when it’s working” part really turned me off..I love that my Sonos just comes on and stays on and that I can whisper and Google assistant will hear me even if loud music is playing. I will say that your videos are pretty awesome, I’ve scoured RU-vid I haven’t found someone that directly compares different sound bars and gives the pros and the cons Head to head, there are a lot of videos were ultimately the maker will say at the end of the video “this sound bar is right for you if ...” however multiple sound bars could be “right for me if “, I like the fact that you compare sound bars that both could be “right for me if “and I can make a final determination. You went with the Sonos and you have all of these sound bars, so ultimately I don’t regret my purchase, I’ll take your word for it. I feel like Sonos is the iPhone of sound bars, I’m fairly certain that the entire system will still be $2000 Three years from now and I’ll be able to get the Samsung Q 95T for maybe 3 or $400 within two years..I can’t imagine it retaining its value like the Sonos system
augustusx82 I think we are sharing a wave length. I think the Sonos will work well for you. As mentioned, I think, it’s what I use ... it works and I never have to think about it. I haven’t dealt with one other soundbar where this is true.
How crucial is the sub to the Arc? Living in a fairly small NYC condo with neighbors below and next door, doubt I can turn up the bass much. Will be getting two of the SLs for surround, but Sonos has the sub for $100 off on Black Friday....so fairly torn. Helpful video overall.
Great review with great sound effect🤣! Points seems fair well detailed. Warranties and tec support is another point there to discuss. Liked and subscribed!
Thanks for this review. Now the prices of the Q90 drops, i thinks the Q90 is interesting , but i'm concerned about the rear speakers. Most of the time i use the soundbar for TV. Can you confirm that the Q90 is a good choice for that use and especially that price(!). Or is the HW-q80r with samsung SWA 9000S rearspakers (separate receiver for the rear speakes) is the better choice for me. ? And can I use my own remote control to controle the sound level (using CEC hdmi)?
I am advising that Q90R is up there amongst the top choice for TV-only use - especially considering the price drop. Yes you can use your own remote to adjust volume - I certainly did in testing with my LGC9. The Q90R provided remote can adjust eq, sound mode, channel levels etc. Expect a really impactful sound with a bug here and there but the more you just stick with TV sound the less those other bugs will pop up.
@@neverenoughtech Great review, i bought a Q90/96 for 750USD. If both where full price say Q90 1500 USD, i would go for a ARC and then buy the rest a few months later. But the Q90 for 750-900USD seems to be the best value.
Peter Nyström with a price cut that steep, I think you are right about the value proposition. In particular if you are not entrenched in the Sonos eco system. A solo Sonos soundbar is perhaps not as valuable as a Sonos soundbar with some Sonos Ones in the kitchen providing a MultiRoom audio experience. This is something I really care about but maybe am unique as it seems most see a soundbar as just a tv extension - perhaps not a multifunction device. Clearly Samsung wins when just talking tv sound enhancer - just have to weigh that well above average ability with below average user experience (bugs, limited app control) Every customer has their own weighting calculations
@@jcruz6453 yes, thats a pretty basic sound bar for a small room. I have the 7.1 curved sound bar and sub. When it came out it was bad ass. Still very good sound quality but its out dated now
yeah me too I have a lg sk9y soundbar with dolby atmos. and it doesn't even compare to sonos arc setup at all.I was playing call of duty beta in the Xbox one x and wow the sound is amazing.
I have to thank you for this review. It was tongue in cheek, yes, but you made a lot of excellent points. Given the fact that so many people are very happy with the sound of the Arc anyway, the fact that it is technically more adaptive and forward thinking is a big thing. I currently own a crappy Polk Audio budget system, and I'm increasingly unhappy with it, purely on a sonic level. So I'm on the hunt for a big upgrade, and I think Sonos is it! (I wish the sub wasn't so damn expensive thougH! ughh!! lol) Thanks!
If you are interested in whole home audio, already have a bunch of Sonos speakers, like having a built in mic, want mature control software, I’d suggest that being a good place to highly consider Sonos. If it’s only about TV sound Samsung takes it. The entire Arc HT setup with SLs and a Sub is not really far off a Samsung flagship bar (right now the Q950T). If you get a Sonos Sub / surrounds, you would likely be able to use it across at least two generations of Sonos soundbars making the future upgrade less expensive as it will transfer. I mentioned this but maybe is worth repeating given your very understandable hesitancy about sub cost. The Sonos sound meets/exceeds expectations for most. There is a subculture that is rather focused on proliferation of channels and highest quality renders of 3D sound that probably would not be that well served by Sonos.
@@neverenoughtech Yeah i get that. I personally don't care as much about the 3D aspect of things. I'm much more interested in a focused and punchy sound. I probably won't use surrounds at all.
Thanks man, I was confused between both the sound bars since I have a Samsung tv and thought Q would be a better pick due to compatibility. But since I live in an apartment Sonos would serve me better.
I didn’t find the Samsung soundbar/tv integration to be stellar. You can’t even really use the Q90R in an apartment - I agree Sonos is a good choice for you 👍
I don't know if I should purchase another Samsung soundbar. Because I return HW-Q60T the bass wasn't all that very deep and powerful. If I decided to purchase another Samsung soundbar, because I have a Samsung Tv. But I am still looking around to see which one of these soundbars can give me a really punch for my pocket and ears. I am looking for quality and extremely great deeper, powerful bass that can tear down any walls.
Great review! This was the comparison that I’ve wanted to see and believe most would also like to see, two very good products going head to head. Although the scoring was subjective (and tongue-in-cheek) what really counted was hitting on all of the features and functions that a consumer should be aware of and consider. My takeaway... It seems if you’re primarily interested in TV sound and not so much music then you might prefer the Q. For me music streaming is just as important as the TV sound along with the future proofing and flexibility offered by Sonos. Thanks for the great review and some humor along the way to help get through this!
Well I made it to the end and was entertained by the humor. I would however point out that the Sonos Arc must have more power than the Samsung Q because each speaker is driven by its own amplifier. Also the calibration system for the Arc is called Trueplay not true tone. I found with my Arc that I got the best sound for my room after running Trueplay and spending more time walking around my seating area and spending less time near the center of the Arc. Trueplay tends to lower the dialog volume if you get to close to the ARC . After running trueplay again using this method I was shocked by the difference in sound quality. Not that it sounded bad before, but it sounds even better after. The dialog is loud clear and the rest of the sound from the sub and rear speakers are much more balanced. I also love that the Sonos Arc has an incredibly wide front Soundstage. Prior to upgrading to the Arc I had the Bose Soundtouch 300 5.1 system and when I got that system it was outstanding. The sound quality was the best I had ever experienced with a soundbar based system. The Arc blows the Soundtouch away. I have moved the soundtouch to another room and it still sounds great and I am not willing to part with it completely but the Arc is just better sound and way better software. I'm glad to see that the Arc won the review it really is an impressive system.
Hi, I really have low hopes that any would make it to the end ... this one got kind of long and well there is endless great content out there. So, I appreciate the time you took to watch and write. You know there was this little faint voice in my head hinting I was saying trueplay incorrectly. I guess I felt like it should be ignored. Thanks for letting me know ... I probably won't make that mistake again. I wanted to compare total power on the bars but Sonos seems to be a bit cagey about it or maybe I didn't dig enough. My practical conclusion was that I really can't get anywhere close to max volume on either bar/system ... especially in my more echoey living room ... so I say power is sufficient. I have not yet had my ahhha moment with truetone - I am often moving speakers from room to room and just never get around to setting it up. I am glad to hear that you have had success with it - motivates me to take it more seriously. There is a fair chance you have a better ear than me as well. Don't get me wrong I think the Arc sounded really good and I think the RTings scoring method does not really get at what Arc might be trying to do with the sound ... nor does it capture the total experience ... but I did get the impression (along with a few other onlookers) that the Q did have the edge in overall Atmos delivery in terms of (let's get real) faking the effect ... that a more traditional and professionally installed system (with actual overhead speakers) can deliver. I have exceedingly little patience for tech rough edges (unless I'm tinkering on purpose) and the Qs user interface and design is clearly not 'there' - just doesn't have that Sonos shine. Samsung, I feel tries to compensate for bad software and overall experience with crazy specs (as i mentioned in the vid) ... I think it's a flawed strategy but it can lead to wow moments . The HW-Q950T, very recently released, is a 9.1.4 system ... I'd prefer that Samsung just improve the experience as opposed to cramming more speakers into the bar. Though can't wait to review it.
I am considering purchasing the q90r soundbar. however I read that the rear speakers are producing low volume and the subwoofer is causing crackling / popping sound? do you have experience with this and perhaps a solution? I use the soundbar most for watching TV, gaming, films / series and I also listen to quite a lot of music.
My best guess around excessive crackling is that there may be interference from your Wi-Fi system (as they operate on similar frequencies) it seems the Q90 surrounds are perhaps most susceptible to mesh router interference. As such I would plan on keeping hubs away from your system. Maybe I’m too forgiving but even if there is light cracklings the sound is pretty incredible. I just generally find Samsung products (through experience, not that pleasant to use lacking in elegance. If you think you’ll have 0 tolerance for crackly subs you may want to go with Sonos as the surrounds establish their own Wi-Fi connection and are more stable and can play as a stereo pair ... but you lose a bit on the tv audio front. But the user experience I find to be much superior to Samsung. A full Sonos system is quite a bit more expensive than the Q90R right now as well. I don’t think I can make tour final decision but perhaps you can consider there trade-offs. Good luck ... let me know if you have additional questions.
@@neverenoughtech I was curious if you have a solution for the low volume of the rear speakers. And my other question is i now have the Samsung HW-N650 with the SWA-8500s rear speakers. I am very satisfied with it, but because i recently have the new Q95T TV with eARC, i am considering a dolby atmos set. Is eARC maybe the solution because it's enhanced? Is it worth the upgrade? Also i read that sonos arc and the Q95T do not have full dolby atmos / sound cutting out due to a bug? experience with it? I am also considering the q80r with the rear speakers SWA-9000s. Because with stereo content such as music, the q90r rear speakers causes low volume. Or is that a stupid move? Won't get the full atmos? I'd like to hear from you!
@@iTzDaniel92 you should get samsung's new flagship speakers, Q950T! although the software of them is a little bit buggy right now ( probs get fixed soon) They sound absolutely incredible! the rears are very loud as well. Probably the best ever soundbar from a sound quality perspective. Only annoying thing is the display is at the top so I have to stand up to see significant changes ( or use the app if you wanna remain sitting down)
Ok, was watching spider man with my kid and I finally got the FMK reference. I’m totally with you. Samsung is a hot crazy person not for for a long term relationship but can give you some thrilling moments. Sonos is totally marriage long-haul material. I’ve been cooking up this analogy for some video. In my follow-up q950t review I compared it to a star player that shows up drunk ...
Hey, thank you for you review. I can't decide between these 2. I mainly stream series/movies. And I'm living in a real small appartment. I'll be paying 1100€ for Samsung HW-Q950T or 1143€ for Sonos ARC plus 2x One SL Rears Rear speaker will be directly standing next to the couch or on the floor if possible. I have several Alexas setup... Which one would you recommend?
I want to say you’ll be happier with the Sonos setup in the long run - I’m just not sure how much the Q950T is going to cut out on you. The Sonos surrounds can be used for a long time to come and work as their own speaker if needed at some point. You’ll be giving up some on sound quality but Living in a small apt you’ll probably only be comfortable using a small fraction of the Q950T potential
@@neverenoughtech Thank you for your feedback. In every comparison q950t has the better sound and dtsx. But people still go with the Sonos 🤷🏼♂️ in my apartment I guess I might not even need the sub. And I can use some cheap ikea simfonsik as rears before Sonos hopefully launches something like a Dolby Atmos rear. From design Sonos looks way nicer.
How would you compare the HW-Q90R with the newer HW-Q950T? It seems the newer version is much cheaper and you can't really find anyone selling the HW-Q90R except on eBay. Thoughts?
Did you have any issues with dialogue with the Samsung? I just bought that system and set it up and it seems like the surround is working great (sound effects etc) but the dialogue seems quiet. I'm planning to update with latest firmware. Also does the hdmi cable that was provided work better than an optical cable? I believe my TV does support eARC. Thanks in advance and great vid.
Code Red Alert: Optical is vastly inferior to ARC - I pointed this out in previous videos but not this one. It’s a legacy port don’t use it unless you have to. I have not had any issue pop out at me regarding dialogue. I traded in the Q90R for the Q950T. I’ll be a little more discerning about dialogue volume. If you are unsure if your TV supports eARC you can always plug your media device directly into the bar though that is really only necessary at this point with something like a blue ray player or perhaps via a PC stream with full-quality A/V. eARC is not buying you much if you are streaming.
You’re a very smart guy brother, keep up the good work, oh, is there a difference from HDMI costing $89, to One that’s cheaper but does the exact same thing? I recently bought the Monoprice ultra 8k highspeed eArc cable from Amazon for $10 I have it hooked to my Sonos arc to my Sony 9g oled tv . Thanks
i have a 1080p bluray player which supports true hd lossless. Can i play a lossless atmos file from my hard disk connected to bluray player or only physical disk can play atmos?
I only discovered your channel today as I am researching the Arc and what a Quality discovery it is. Watched 2 of your Arc videos and easily the best reviewer on RU-vid IMO and I have subbed 😋 Could you answer something for me please if you don’t mind, has Sonos improved the Bass output now as I keep reading/hearing it’s the downside of its sound? Thank you and keep up the Quality ♥️👏👏
Do you mean out of the bass module or the bars? I don’t think the Sonos bass is phenomenal but not sure why people would pick on it in particular. I see Samsung and LG as much more vulnerable in that dept. You can adjust the bass level in both the EQ and speaker volume. Should be able to find the right mix for you
Hi, could you do a review on the Harmon Kardon citation line? Would like to get your opinion. Which set would you compare those with, Sonos, Samsung, JBL etc. Thanks voor video's!
Great review. Your description of features, pros and cons is excellent. Funny and informational. Question: I have 16 foot vaulted ceilings. Would that have a negative impact on the 3d sound quality because the upward facing speakers wouldn't have that traditional (7', 8', 9' ) flat ceiling to bounce sound off of?
Well I have a 14’ (jealous) vaulted ceiling. It’s really not ideal honestly (it adds an additional compromise to a list when doing 3D sound with a SB) ... I don’t do my sound testing in this room. It will degrade overall precision
Decent review but feel the Samsung was done a little bit. I have had it a couple of weeks and just getting the best out it now. My rears were slightly quiet to begin with but I don't think I was using it correctly. I use my Xbox into the bar for Atmos and then bar into my tv. With the xbox this things comes alive streaming is ok in Atmos but play a Blu ray or Atmos game and you will be turning the rears down the sound is incredible. Any other content change the settings on Xbox to Dolby digital instead of Atmos and put the bar on Standard mode again even streaming 5.1 movies the rears sound great no mega bass and height like Atmos but very clear and enjoyable. Is this something you can test or do you believe you heard this bar at its best when you reviewed?
I honestly could have played with the settings a bit more. Ideally these reviews would be done by a few full time people as it’s a bit of an undertaking. I will say even without all the tinkering it was clear the Samsung sound overall was better than Sonos. As this was a vs video. I felt I had enough data to make a sound recommendation. Though I prefer Arc to Q90T for my purposes. (Maybe no pass through is a deal breaker for you), It has been one of the better systems I’ve reviewed. I think the Q950T could be amazing but just so many bad decisions made wrapping it up (literally and figuratively).
@@neverenoughtech Fair play never thought of the time involved to really mess about especially adding in other devices like an Xbox. I have had it weeks and still finding new things so definitely not something one man can do with all the technology at hand. Seemed a fair enough review just the rear speakers really make a difference when working correctly. Also the Arc was never really in my price range but wanted to get close with the money I had. Happy to see a more expensive system win the vs and the sub looks and I'm sure sounds so good on the Arc. I see the Q90r get bad press on the rears a lot and wondered if everyone was hearing the same as me or I was just easily pleased. Appreciate the reply and agree on the Q950T seems a few niggling issues and the cloth makes it a no go for me. Like the reviews take it easy man.
Samsung software support ends after only 1 year, still waiting for earc and 4 channel stereo on my HW-N950. Would take this in your considerations when choosing a soundbar.
hi do you think sonos is good for karaoke machine for singing i know PA speaker is for singing but i want sonos for my living room and use it for singing too
For any karaoke machine I think you want a direct analogue input right into the speaker. Sonos doesn’t really offer that except with the 5. If you were to go this route you would want the music playing from a different speaker or you would need to mix voice and music before imputing into the 5. I think a traditional K setup would serve you much better honestly but you could make it work. I would not recommend casting voice to numerous speakers. I suspect that would cause some delays
Hi, I do have a Bose Soundbar 300 with Rear speaker & Sub. want to upgrade to Amtos ;) was looking at the ARC and saw this video. I do have a dedicated HIFI set up so it is purely Netflix and movies. Would you say getting the Samsung is a better choice. Also there is the sennheiser Ambeo ;) ever heard that one? Your comment on Sonos 1 with up-firing speaker made me sort of leaning to Sonos maybe ;). thanks for your feedback
Thanks for the comment. For your purposes I would perhaps lean towards Samsung. Note that Samsung just released the the Q950t a 9.1.4 channel system - will be reviewing soon. So that would be I suppose the most speced out system by Samsung. The Q90R that is a bit old at this point is about 800 cheaper. Samsung definitely sounds more impressive and has rear upward firing now. It is just speculation that Sonos would release upward firing rear speakers - I supposed it was possible since they released the arc with upward firing speakers, releasing rears to meet industry direction may not be out of the realm of possibility. But I would definitely not get the arc expecting these speakers to come. As I mentioned with Samsung the downside is software ... if you have some patience to work through quirks (and want it just for tv sound) then you should be fine. The reward is really fantastic (soundbar) sound. I am not all that familiar with the Ambeo - I like sennheiser and bet it sounds really good but I’m suspicious of the 3D audio effect you get from just the soundbar. - seems to be targeted to ‘luxury’ / ‘minimalist’ crowd that doesn’t want 3 other ,perhaps unsightly, speakers taking up space. It’s somewhat inconvenient but I have suggested just getting the soundbar you are leaning towards and return if does not meet expectations. It seems you should start with a Samsung Q9xx soundbar.
Hey awesome video. Do you think the Samsung Q90r soundbar with subwoofer is worth $500 in 2021 ? Found a open box in excellent condition only missing the rear speakers. Thanks love the video. Subscribed to your channel.
Hey was wondering is the Samsung Q90r with the recent eARC update Hdmi 2.1 ? I know the Sonos Arc was always 2.1 and the Samsung was 2.0 before the update. Thanks
I just ordered the q90r last week, waiting for delivery, you made me slightly regret it, 🤦♂️ however it is primarily for movies so hopefully there has been enough software updates to fix connection issues, I’m currently replacing a horrible Vizio 5.1.2 that hates Xbox and Samsung tv and never wants to work properly. If sonos comes out with a 7.1.4 set up you have me sold.
If you are buying primarily for movies then I think you will be mostly satisfied. I might suggest spending a little time reading the manual (specifically remote functionality) if you run into any trouble with TV/Bar syncing. With the recent $700 price cut it is perhaps the best time to buy the Q90R.
Michael Phillips be ready for software set up nightmares. Do the software update right out of the box for the subwoofer and rear speakers. I use an Apple TV with my Q90 and they don’t like to interact with each other at first. All that said, if you survive the set up the sounds reward is worth it. After two weeks of tweaking I finally got all my devices working together. It sounds amazing and worth the initial head ache.
Rey Vazquez so I noticed the rear speakers and sub constantly dropping connection. I did the manual update for the rear speakers and sub and saw a minor difference.. your right sound is amazing when it works.. but hearing the sun and rear speakers come off and on through out a movie is seriously frustrating!!
Nice in-depth review but I still think the lack of DTS support on the Arc kills it...fact that (when bought with a Samsung TV) you can get the Q90 for around half the price of the Sonos set up makes it hard for me to consider it (and I have numerous other Sonos speakers). The primary reason to buy a decent soundbar is for movie sound and for half the time, assuming you have a big blu-ray collection, you will be listening to lossy dolby digital, which is really DVD-quality sound...
My big question is ... do people still bother much with physical media. My prediction is that these SBs will be handling a lot more DD+ than Dolby True HD. The Q90R has really fluctuated in price lately. If looking for a single SB and not an ecosystem there are really good reasons to go with the Q90R
@@neverenoughtech - to be honest it's a fair point and likely to be the case with the majority of people who purchase a soundbar versus a fully-fledged Atmos system...I still couldn't go for it because of the DTS issue but I do accept I'm probably in the minority as a physical media-favourer (if that's a word)
I thought this was Samsung's latest soundbar but this is the 2019 model. Is the 2020 an upgrade? I thought the Sonos was a beast but Rtings says otherwise. Idk what to buy now.
Q950T is the 2020 model. Whether it’s an upgrade is not really that straightforward it is better and worse then Q90R. I find Sonos to be consistently accepts all or more than acceptable in all aspects - do a more well rounded product
These are both pretty expensive for sure. Glad they are in your range. If not in the future, let me know if other SBs you are interested in. Thanks for reaching out!
Thanks for the comparison, I had the Q90r and then changed it for the full Sonos setup.. I think you nailed exactly what I feel about both products. Playing films the q90r sounds a lot better, more fuller and involving than the ARC. The ARC sounds a bit tinny at the moment and ATMOS is non existent . The Q90r had a lot of disconnection issues and I found the Samsung app was dreadful. Thats where Sonos wins in that area of reliability and build quality. If the Sound quality for films that the Q90r was in the ARC setup it would be an awesome complete setup for me. Im hoping Sonos manage to sort out the sound of the ARC and get it more fuller and involving with some updates, it just seems an ok soundbar for me at the moment, Sonos needs more EQ tuning options, so you can raise levels of the individual speakers etc. Anyway great comparison, thank you
Appreciate you sharing your experience. Yeah, I’d say we are pretty close on our assessment of the Arc and Q90. I did find improvements in Arc Atmos when I played a 4K disc. As they have moved into the upward firing space ... I do hope they might consider refreshing the Ones/SLs with an upward firing component. I could see more complete EQ but really don’t see Sonos providing tools for fine-tuned channel adjustments (that seems to nerdy for Sonos).
@@neverenoughtech Yeah I was surprised they didn't release upfiring rears also. Hoping the EQ could become reality, maybe an advanced option.. lets hope
You can add two to be part of the soundbar system. (5.1.2) you can buy other speakers that CAN mimic audio the soundbar system is playing but will be separate (can play some soundbar sounds , can be turned off, can play totally different audio)
Hi! I have a question for you (by the way I really like your videos, very clear and understandable even for me, an Italian). I have to decide which soundbar under €1000 to buy and I m not sure in this choice: I would go with the JBL 9.1, but also the Sonos Arc seems very good. Which would you choose? Or do you have a better alternative? (€1000 is the limit I can’t go beyond, so I wouldn’t buy a separate subwoofer). Thankyou and continue with your great videos!
NeverEnoughTech The main one would be the surround, something that makes me feel like I m at the cinema. The second aspect would ve music reproduction (but I use only Spotify Premium 320) with both good bass and good highs (I love House music but also very different genres like opera/classical music).
i stay away from sammy now. just bugs galore. random drop outs from rears. disconnects from subwoofer. turning on the soundbar and nothing is connected such as rears or sub. sonos just works and sounds great everytime. sounds nearly identical aside from upfiring rears.
I think you are missing the point on soundbars. The primary reason people are buying them is for their TV and not for a whole a home stereo system. I would buy the ARC and associated sub and rear channels today if they truly supported ATMOS and DTX. I do agree that build quality and future proof capabilities are better with SONOS. You have to take a ton of points away from ARC for not implementing DTX and for not having up firing rear channels. You also have to consider the gamers both PC and the latest from Sony and Microsoft. The lack of HDMI inputs on the SONOS is another huge blunder. I do enjoy your reviews, so keep them coming.
@@neverenoughtech thats so awesome im watching your video now, and you replied to my comment, lol u r really funny look forward to watching more of your stuff...
Yeah, I know ... kind of new to this space... and saw it was being released right when I was filming. I’ll get to the Q950. Though the Q90 got a really deep price cut ~800 less than Q950... so I would say it’s still completely reasonable to consider/learn about the Q90
Nope. I’ve paid Sonos a lot of money. I will certainly disclose any sponsors if they ever come. It’s not a Sonos bias it’s a bias towards the product philosophy Sonos takes. An emphasis on creating a thoughtful (low friction) user experience and solid ecosystem.
The sub and surrounds enhance the Sonos system more than a Samsung system. The Samsung soundbar is much more the star of the show than an Arc system. My impression.
I’d choose Sonos for myself. (All Samsung people 🙄). If you are looking for the best sound and can shrug off bugs and odd/unpleasant user experiences, I’d go Q950t ... if you want a soundbar that works well (lots of content partners, can connect to other speakers in other rooms, want to use Airplay and voice assistant and has above average sound) go with Sonos. Sonos does not have pass through so if your TV does not support eARC you won’t be able to easily get lossless 3D sound without an accessory (that I believe is maybe not released yet) There is no one right answer but maybe this helps
NeverEnoughTech NeverEnoughTech i have bought both because i generally couldnt decide which one to get. Is the SN11RG in the mix too or is that not as good as both of these? My TV is arc and all my tv watching is through SkyQ & netflix so lossless atmos is useless to me as well as DTS-X i assume? Only thing i was thinking loseless atmos might be handy for the Xbox series x released soon. Would you be taliking about the HD fury 4k arcana by any chance? If so i am thinking about getting this.
Yup - that’s the one www.hdfury.com/?product_cat=&s=EARC&post_type=product Don’t want to give too much of my review away before it posts I just finished recording the SN11RG vs Q950T but have a fair bit of editing to do to make it watchable. The SN11RG is definitely worth considering. Honestly if you are of the mind to buy and try and return I would suggest trying that one if perhaps the others aren’t your speed. I don’t want to give my final verdict but I can say my verdict was not don’t consider the LG
Thanks for your help mate, trying to gather pro’s and con’s and decide if how buggy the samsung is, im willing to accept, which im not sure i am. The samsung definitely sounds ‘slightly’ better.
I’m confused. The info graphic you put up says lg oled 2017 and newer have eARC. I have an lg c8 and everything I read says it can’t be upgraded to eARC.
Thanks for reaching out. In all honesty I really have been a Sonos customer who recently decided to branch out and learn about other soundbars. I’m not afraid of doing my research though ... I’m not familiar with JBL soundbars so don’t want to give definitive advice. From specs it looks like It can pump out some sound. I would never go with rechargeable surround speakers (that sounds like a nightmare) and I’m not familiar with the software. Having BT and Airplay support is a plus. If you already have Sonos speakers Arc starts to make a lot more sense for the whole home audio setup. And arc makes sense of you are really interested in streaming music. If you want Arc for just TV sound, it’s not really a standout and could possibly not sound as good as JBL. As I often suggest, go with where your heart is leaning with the expectation that you will return if does not meet satisfaction (if returning is an option)
Any advice for someone with ps5 Xbox series x regarding soundbar Q950T bad display position, fabric, stupid setup and most importantly no LPCM. Sonos Arc also no LPCM (maybe coming maybe not via update) sn11rg has everything I want but everybody mentions the pure voice clarity. So currently stuck and don’t know what to do take the lg or Sonos and hope for update or wait for next years models? Just want impressive immerse sound which supports the standards I need.
If your TV has eARC I would tend to go Sonos. I don’t believe the TV passes LPCM. It’s generally just a problem with direct connections. For instance rive never had an issue with Apple TV and any of my Sonos bars ... I kind of want to suggest to people that Sonos is marriage material ... in that it is the bar I’m most confident won’t lead to a divorce out of frustration ... even though you will have some great moments with Samsung. If your tv does not support eARC and you are seeking a direct LPCM connection I’d lean LG. I don’t want to speak to what we should expect from updates ... I’ve kind of removed myself from the speculation business.
Very fair review i have the q its awesome for atmos and very good for music I have had no issues with rear speakers disconnecting,the rear speakers volume is a little low but I bought rear speaker stands to move them closer to the listening position which really helps.if you want a soundbar for movies go for the q its really really good.
Guys if any one could help me, I'm struggling with room size! I've read somewhere the if you're in a smaller living the both the sonos and samsung soundbars are not suitable for smaller living rooms. What's class as a smaller living room? As my living is 5 metres by 4 metres would I be OK with either soundbar?
Yeah, this is a valid question that I need to do some more research on. I’m my experience I noted a major difference in sound fullness between my basement recording area. Which is approximately the size you mentioned and my much more spacious living room with up to 14 foot ceilings. I don’t think either environments are all that great for atmos precision. I am not sure what is meant by suitable exactly. I think my advice is that you may be leaving a lot of sound potential on the table with a low volume space, but I think you are doing that with just about any soundbar if the acoustics are not really ideal for home theater audio. The Q90R sounded better than the Sonos in both environments. If you are able I might suggest going with the one you kind of want to get, play with it a bit, and return if you don’t think it’s worth it. It’s a hassle in the immediate but worth it in the long run. I’ll do my best to address ideal room space in my upcoming Q950T review.
I live in a small 1br CBD apartment with a small living room. I got the Sonos Arc (soundbar only) and it’s pretty suitable. I find in smaller rooms the bass is sufficient without a sub - a sub might anger your neighbours if you live in an apartment. Also I think you get better Atmos effects on smaller areas. I’ve been enjoying it so far. Also you might want to take a look at Sonos Beam which is perfect for smaller rooms.
As a whole, yes a bit long. BUT! You were both reviewing AND comparing 2 different systems, so some points had to be reinforced. Fantastic video though, great matchup!!
Hey man Thanks for the great content. If you can please help with the following query it’ll help me a lot in taking the decision. we are building a new home and I want to setup a home theatre there. local hifi store is suggesting a traditional projector/screen w sound system w receiver. I am looking more into a system consisting Samsung short throw laser projector + Sonos Arc+ sub gen3 + 2 in ceiling speakers (w Sonos amp)+ 2 one SLs to have a truly immersive atmos experience. Now my question is… Is it worth it? Or it’s too much having in ceiling speakers? Or If you have any other suggestions ? Any help will be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance Ravioli
I purchased the Q about three weeks ago, and I was really excited. However it has been giving me annoying issues with the sub making cracking sounds and both rears give a static like sound and cut in and out. I am up to date with the firmware. :(
Sorry to hear that. I did not have a whole lot of trouble on that front with the Q90R (though I have heard complaints) but definitely did with the successor the the Q950T. Not sure how long your return period is but might consider returning - i found power cycling to help though it’s ridiculous that that would be required. I just think while Samsung can deliver really great moments you are never really safe from their rushed software/hardware. If there is another bar you are considering ... I can give you my thoughts
I had to return my Q90r...it’s your network and/nearby network interference. I went down to to Q70R, with SWA-8500 rear speakers (which btw this review is wrong , these work with the Q90R and the Q80R. No Samsung soundbars post 2015-2017 support the Radiant 360, and those that did were notorious for not turning in together. Ultimately the thing this review misses is the Q90r’s wider market appeal - Samsung is the worlds largest TV manufacture, relegating the Sonos to near bespoke status when it comes to TV sound
@@neverenoughtech Yup I've been trying to troubleshoot to try and fix the issues by looking at forums, contacting Samsung support, RU-vid, and Reddit. Nothing seemed to work, so I ended up shipping to get it serviced, which they don't cover for boxing. I'm really hoping they fix it : ) Yeah I'd like that. I was actually going to buy the Sonos at first, until I learned about the q90r. I was debating between both, then I saw Samsung had the q90r discounted and was able to grab it for $999. I guess the lemons were the ones being discounted. I should've read the fine print.
@@tuolumne9 Yeah this is my first sound bar, and the whole wireless sound thing didn't convince me at first for that same reason -- wireless interference. However after learning about the q90r and sonos I was convinced the interference thing wouldn't be an issue lol I sent mine to get serviced and am really hoping my unit gets fixed. It would've been nice to have a wired option if the wireless is not doing it.
Oh goodness. Lots of anti Sonos sentiment in this community ... fair warning. I choose Sonos as my SBs too. I think the sound is good but I believe it’s really well executed (in the details) and that is why I tend to lean Sonos
I did not notice that with either system . I have more more issues, in general, using Spotify with voice ... though Sonos handles voice much better than Samsung. But I can certainly believe it’s something you are experiencing. Issues never surprise me. Is this a persistent problem or something you noticed acting up yesterday?
I'll pay for reliability and simplicity. Already have a Beam for my living room TV. FIVE for my dining room. ONE for my Kitchen. ONE for my Bathroom and ONE for my bedroom. Now I think I'm going ARC and SUB for my basement home cinema "lite" room even tho It's going to be connected to an 85" Samsung QLED. Audio dropouts, or not getting soundbar audio on startup is far worse than slightly less quality imo. Also, future updates and support is great with Sonos. I think the Q900T system I was considering is dead for support once Samsung release this year's subs.
Many. I might suggest watching my Q950T review. I do make comparisons between the two at the end. The really big difference is the t has two additional channels (wide angle) on the bar bringing the whole system from. 7.1.4 to a 9.1.4
Sounds like you are being mature about it ... I recommend not being shy about returning if you have the option and the bar you choose is not meeting expectations ... takes pressure off
@@neverenoughtech That's a great point honestly. I'm thinking as of now to either go with the Arc+Sub or the JBL 9.1 bar, but I'll cross the bridge when I have the $1,000-1,500 saved up. 😂
q90r does have better height sound, but surround performance is subjective. ive had both and surround wise, they are prety close. the arc also has better focus and directional sound than q90r because of trueplay.
