Tony O’Brien is most impressed by this inexpensive, compact soundbar, rear audio system and subwoofer bundle…
Samsung
Q Collection Q990C 11.1.4 Channel Soundbar with Wi-fi Subwoofer
AUD $2,099 RRP
Huge dwelling cinema sound wants lots of tools – audio system, subwoofers, AV processors, amplifiers – the record goes on. It’s a significant funding, not solely by way of cash but additionally in area. Enter the soundbar, designed to offer a house cinema-like auditory expertise from only one comparatively small, budget-friendly field. It received’t beat devoted amplifiers and audio system, however how good can it get?
Samsung’s Q990C bundle that you just see right here isn’t strictly ‘a soundbar’ as a result of it’s really a bundle that features wi-fi rear audio system and subwoofer – and boasts at least 22 audio system or 11.1.4 channels. The system is appropriate with a variety of audio codecs, together with DTS:X, Dolby Atmos, Atmos Music, Dolby True-HD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby MAT and multichannel LPCM.
Samsung has integrated customized sound modes, together with Encompass Sound Expansive, Recreation Professional, Customary and Adaptive. It’s additionally outfitted with Samsung’s Q-Symphony, which is a fairly attention-grabbing – if not fairly distinctive – function that makes use of the TV audio system together with the Q990C to create a extra expansive soundfield with appropriate televisions.
Its HDMI (2.0) inputs/outputs present 4K video passthrough with help for HDR10, HDR10+ and eARC. It’s additionally outfitted with the SpaceFit Sound Professional Calibration instrument, which is able to – courtesy of the Q990C’s inbuilt microphone – calibrate the sound to its listening atmosphere. Along with being Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-compatible, the Q990C helps a variety of smarts, together with Google Chromecast and Alexa. It’s additionally appropriate with AAC, Airplay2, AMP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, ALAC and AIFF. It’s additionally in a position to interface with appropriate sensible dwelling gadgets by way of its Good Issues hub.
SIZING UP
At 1,232×69.5x138mm, the Q990C’s soundbar is massive sufficient to be taken significantly but sufficiently small to not dominate. Completed in graphite, it’s comparatively décor-friendly, if not a tad pedestrian – I couldn’t assist however surprise if black would have been a more sensible choice.
Weighing 7.7kg, it sports activities entrance, aspect and upward-firing drivers, that are, for essentially the most half, hidden behind its graphite outer jacket grille. A small LED show – seen when instructions are obtained – is situated on the proper, whereas energy and quantity buttons are on the prime. Coupled with the Samsung S95C OLED I had in for evaluate, it cuts a glossy, inoffensive profile.
The rear audio system – which measure 129.5×201.3×140.4mm – are outfitted with 4 drivers consisting of entrance, aspect and upward-firing Atmos drivers. Though wi-fi, they nonetheless require energy, which might current some placement challenges. Samsung is properly conscious of this and offers an choice within the settings menu to designate the rear audio system as extra fronts, creating a bigger frontal soundstage. The heaviest of the bundle’s audio system is its subwoofer, which weighs 11.7kg and measures 220x413x410mm. It’s additionally wi-fi, taking away the necessity for lengthy cable runs.
The field – which put me in thoughts of a guitar case – additionally features a distant management, energy twine and person handbook. The distant, which is a extra button-packed model of Samsung’s sensible TV sort, cuts a dashing determine in matt black, and has all the vital controls. It matches snuggly within the hand and, like Samsung’s TV remotes, is each intuitive and straightforward to make use of. In actuality, although, when you join the Q900C by way of HDMI, you’re not more likely to want it, as quantity and most of its setup choices could be accessed immediately from the TV.
Getting the Q990C up and working is a comparatively easy process, courtesy of the Good Issues app, which matches as far as to use all the vital firmware updates. Though the system surprisingly does help Dolby Atmos wirelessly, DTS:X decoding requires a HDMI connection. Pairing the surrounds and subwoofers can also be each a easy and one-off proposition, even when you determine, as I did, to place apart the rear audio system for informal viewing, connecting them again up for film nights.
THE LISTENING
The Samsung Q990C is able to producing room-filling sound with shocking bass extension. It creates a big soundfield that defies its small confines, making a extremely credible Atmos expertise. On an excellent dwelling cinema system, the 4K Blu-ray of Fury is an assault on the senses, brimming with sufficient bass to rattle free all however the stubbornest of fillings.
With this highly effective Atmos soundtrack, it was shocking simply how a lot sound these tiny containers created, simply filling my 5.8×4.5m lounge room. Whereas it doesn’t match the effortlessness of my very own JBL Synthesis separates – which I would add price many instances the asking value of the Q990C – there was sufficient quantity on faucet to offer a lovely and immersive film expertise.
It ought to come as no shock the Q990C can’t reproduce the bandwidth or assault of an excellent dwelling cinema separates system, however what does shock is each how a lot bass it produces, and the standard of that bass. Because the troops superior on the entrenched Germans, the little Samsung sub sprang into motion, producing a backside finish that was not solely heard however felt on the listening place. No, it’s not going to rearrange the furnishings, however relaxation assured that there’s sufficient right here to convey smiles to faces.
The standard of bass that the Q990C delivers is unexpectedly excessive. The place most budget-friendly options swamp the room with a bloated backside finish, the Samsung understands its limitations. Its snappy transients gave blasts from tanks and artillery fireplace a lovely quantity of extension that didn’t final past its expiry date. Eager to see simply how far I might push this method, I nudged the amount even additional. Whereas I did expertise some compression at increased ranges, I needed to push it above my threshold of snug listening.
Transferring to the equally spectacular Atmos soundtrack on the 4K Blu-ray of Blade Runner 2049the Samsung bundle once more put in a stable efficiency. Right here, the mix of the audio system in each the Q990C and S95C by way of Q Symphony creates a way of scale and top properly above their respective confines. Whereas the previous is a stable performer in its personal proper, the addition of Q Symphony is the clear winner. Along with the sound being much less localisable, it creates extra of a wall of sound, which the Q990C by itself can’t compete with. This offers any Atmos soundtrack a grander sense of scale.
It’s not simply the massive issues the place the Q990C does properly, nevertheless. With the amount at a stage that received’t disturb the remainder of the home, the Q990C produces a positive sense of substance, area, and intelligibility. It offers a high quality of sound efficiency that leaves each my very own LG C9 and Samsung’s S95C OLED inbuilt audio system within the mud. As Okay wound his means by means of the crowded metropolis streets, there was each a depth and width to the sound that prolonged additional than I’d anticipated.
With the ever-familiar DTS-HD soundtrack on the Blu-ray of The Wolverinethe Q990C places in a lovely surround-sound efficiency. With such fare, the four-way drivers within the rear-speakers pay dividends, and right here the sound of arrows, gunshots and the accompanying mayhem whizzed across the room with untrammelled vitality.
Transferring to the Dolby Atmos Demo Blu-ray, and the Q990C served up a couple of extra surprises. Right here, the upward-firing drivers of the primary and {surround} audio system create an thrilling Atmos expertise. Because the spaceship within the Horizon demonstration flew from the entrance to the again of the room, it occupied a degree of area to the proper of the room, seemingly flying by overhead, slightly below my lounge room ceiling. It was a powerful efficiency from a relatively modestly priced soundbar.
THE VERDICT
It ought to come as no shock that the Samsung Q990C can’t match the efficiency of costlier devoted cinema elements. What’s surprising, nevertheless, is how good it’s for the bargain-basement value. Able to punching above its measurement by way of each quantity and scale, whereas it’s not going to provide earth-shattering bass, there may be definitely sufficient to create satisfying quantities of low-frequency rumble.
The jewels within the crown are its four-way rear audio system and Samsung’s Q Symphony, which delivers a noticeably bigger entrance soundstage, whereas the rear audio system create a reputable {surround} really feel. I’d suggest experimenting with the location of those to leverage one of the best efficiency. For these in search of simply that bit extra past what their TV audio system can provide, this Samsung bundle places in an admirable efficiency. At low listening ranges, it boosts dialogue intelligibility and imparts a way of scale that’s not going to bother anyone making an attempt to sleep. A wonderful performer that gives excellent worth for cash, then.
