eARC firmware update is FINALLY live. There is no official press release from Samsung yet, but they released a firmware update 1010.5 on May 3rd for the Samsung Series 9 HW - Q90r, Q80r and Q70r, and users are confirming that it enables eARC and performs as expected. Check out the buzz on Samsung's forums here: eu.community.samsung.com/t5/Audio-Video/1010-5-Firmware-Update-for-hw-Q70R-hw-Q80R-hw-Q90R-Soundbars/td-p/1716942 Reddit users have started chattering as well: www.reddit.com/r/Soundbars/comments/gd2t8y/looks_like_the_samsung_hwq90r_soundbar_got/
No mention of HDMI 2.1 connection though? That's what will truly make it future proof. Surprised a soundbar of this price range coming out in 2020 doesn't have HDMI 2.1 technology....
@@masifkhan. Same! HDR 2.1 (and all the cool features it brings) is the next major tech advancement in home audio. (and Not 8k) I'm not sure what manufactures like Samsung are thinking, especially if they are focusing so much of their efforts on trying to push 8k bandwidth (which no one asked for btw!)
@@masifkhan. It has Earc now which works great. Just plug your device into your TV and you can still use HDMI 2.1 features. I have my xbox one x plugged into my LG C9 which has HDMI 2.1 and supports ALLM and send Dolby Atmos to the sound bar over Earc. Works perfect.
I have had this for just over a year now and it’s all about the speaker placements. The woofer needs to sit closer to the sound bar otherwise it will “pop” which will annoy you in no time. It took me 6 months to figure this problem out - and the satellites sound best when they are a foot away from your background setup. They don’t work well as “back of the room” surround. Because Atmos is so subtle at times, to pick up the nuances, get the speakers as close to your head as possible. Right behind the couch and no further away. I finally got what feels like true theater sound when I got them in their proper place. This system is finally worth every penny.
Sumsung's latest Firmware update was in July of 2019, and DIDN'T include eARC support. The HDMI ARC port is still available, but there is no scheduled date for the eARC support. We made a mistake in this review and said that they had already rolled that improvement out. Sorry for the mistake.
A lot of upset people about Samsung not keeping their promise. eu.community.samsung.com/t5/Audio-Video/What-is-going-on-with-eARC-update-for-the-soundbar-HW-Q90R/td-p/1368639
I purchased this sound bar to go with my Samsung Q90R 65" 4K TV and it's on it's way to me. I loved your instructions. I feel like I know how to hook it up already. Thanks.
I currently have the N950 it kicks ass for dolby atmos. I am definitely a movie watcher an it hasn't disappointed me at all. Haven't notice much late tendency I am one happy camper..
I own this Q90R for over six months, the sound quality is beyond Awesome, I only wish that it has a finer tune control like an EQ than just simple Center, Front, Rear volume controls.
The Smart Things App has a fairly decent EQ. It offers 150Hz, 300Hz, 600Hz, 1.2kHz 2.5kHz, 5kHz and 10kHz frequency levels to adjust in the advanced settings. The trick is that whatever levels you choose will be played through all channels, so you can't adjust each speaker in your room to your TOTAL liking. But it is a start - I hope that helps a little!
i owned it for over a month and after a few bugs (rear speakers not working, then Woofer turning on and off randomly) i sent it back and bought a Canon Smart 10 with subwooefer and 2 rears...its day and night the sound is so much better and crystal clear. The atmos quality despite not having rear upfiring speakers is so much more intense. i would never go back to those buggy Samsung crap. To be honest the sound quality ont he samsung is ok....but nothing special i had the LG Sk10y and it had a better surround feeling than the samsung, althought he Q90R had better voices overall. Coming from the LG i wasnt impressed at all with the almost double the price Samsung.
Ive had mine longer I wish you could pair more than one subwoofer to a sound bar...unfortunately samsung said no...i need more bass as the high end is really loud and clear
@@HelpCloud you definetly have to! if you do not get sponsored and just want to have a comparison to anything just try it out, it will blow your mind... yes its a bit costy, but @Canton you can add anything you want up to 6 speakers. you can buy for example the soundbar then wait a bit and buy the rears and then later the sub or or or. It has an onscreen menue display, it measures your speakers where they are axaclty placed and so many featuers i would have loved @samsung Q90R..and yes it has a really decent equalizer i have it now for a while and they add more and more features i really like it.....
hello i have the same since december i haven't used it much but you are so good that you made me want to watch a movie right away! bravo for this video, I also added vebos column for the rear satellites and it's great, I can send you photos if you want, thank you
Hey Buddy, Nice detailed review. Your voice was very clear. Detailed and precise as well. Huge Thumbs up, Hope you are enjoying your movie time with Q90r.
Man, all of those bars are going to rock! I'm really excited about the JBL 9.1 to be released this spring. The LG is rated up to 770W, so it should SCREAM! But I don't know when Klipsch will have the 54a out, it's rumored sometime this fall....? We will for sure try and get reviews for each of those as they become available.
I bought this today. Cost me about AUD$1200 in Bunbury, Western Australia. That's only US$800! Considering we generally pay more than converted US prices for stuff, you should do a lot better than the quoted prices there...
@@HelpCloud is there any way how i can test whether the subwoofer is working? I did the testing by pressing the surround mode button and there is sound coming from the woofer, it just doesn't have alot of bass. Settings woofer in the smart things app are set to high. Thanks.
@@pieter-6385 I would reset to factory setting. If the bass settings are high and it has little bass. It could be blown or starting to seize from overworking.
Would there be any issues(like latency) with connecting the soundbar to a projector that has no eARC in the below configuration BluRay player ->Q90R->projector
A projector wouldn't necessarily need eARC, because it's not pushing sound back into the soundbar. The configuration that you've outlined is your best bet. Plug your BluRay directly into the soundbar, and then run an HDMI cable to the projector (just pay attention to the ports you plug them into, BluRay should go into HDMI 1 or 2, and the HDMI going to your projector should be plugged into the ARC/eARC port regardless of whether or not it's an eARC projector). That's your best bet and should give you the best performance (no latency). Good luck and let me know how it works out.
Bought Second Hand as it is now Super-ceded by the HW Q950 A but only Paid AUD 929.07 instead of AUD 1500.00 , Better than my old Yamaha RX 671 7.1 System Love it , Very well made. My friend has one and it Blew me Away with Dolby Atmos the HWQ90R is the last really great Sound Bar before the Cloth covered Dust collecting Versions now on offer ? Thank you for the Great Review keep them Cumming.
Would like to use it with an 8k tv and with an Xbox Series X. But does it have HDMI 2.1 Output to television to transfer the best possible Signal for 8k TVs?
Attention people interested in getting his: my room is 13ft x 14 ft ( not open space), and I've the Q80R ( bought late May2020). It's too much system for this size room, overpowers the room. You'll never be able to turn it up much at all without getting a noise complaint. This system is IMO designed for a room twice or more the size of mine.
Thanks for the great review! My living room is about 15 square meters. Does not it make the sound unbearable? Or it's also appropriate for such sized room? I know I can't take advantage of Dolby atmos and I am fine with that.
Excellent, thorough review! Do you have a recommended sound mode across the board? I watch cable tv, stream movies, and game on my ps4. Would you recommend adaptive, standard, or surround? Any idea if the game pro sound mode is worth switching to when gaming?
Thanks for the review. Now I'm really leaning towards buying this. Do you need a TV with ARC that can playback Dolby Atmos? I do have an XBOX ONE S which I think should be able to play Dolby Atmos, am I right?
"While Dolby Atmos can be passed over regular ARC today (via Dolby Digital Plus) eARC offers improved bandwidth for higher-quality Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams, including Atmos. The new format also has lip-sync compensation built-in. This feature was optional in ARC, but is now required."
Oh no! We did make a mistake - apparently the rumor was the update in the fall of '19 was going to have eARC support, but they haven't actually released it yet. Thanks for catching that. We will post a note to identify the error in the review. We did see a few threads online at the Samsung Website talking about when the eARC update will happen, so if you'd like to follow along with the discussion here is a link to forum: eu.community.samsung.com/t5/Audio-Video/What-is-going-on-with-eARC-update-for-the-soundbar-HW-Q90R/td-p/1368639/page/18
Thanks for the positive comment. The TV in the background is an LG C9 OLED. It's a 77" so it's a bit of a monster, but I love it. The smaller 55" and 65" perform as well and are a bit less expensive. Good luck!
I have the 2016 version and the Q90R The one issue with the newer Q90R is one of the back speakers will not shut off. When you turn off the system it stays on. I have to unplug it to turn it off. Other than that I love them both.
Just purchased this soundbar with a big thanks to your review for the insight! Question for you, does the soundbar have to be turned on to watch tv? I have an Apple TV 4K connected to the soundbar and the soundbar connected to a Samsung Q70R tv via HDMI ARC. I don’t want to use surround sound when I just want to watch the news or a tv show. Does this soundbar pass through audio/video when it’s turned off? As of right now, I can’t watch TV without the soundbar being turned on. Hope you can help. Thanks!
Man that's a good question. I'm currently reviewing another soundbar and don't have it hooked up to my TV anymore or I'd go test that out tonight. What I can say is you can change the sound mode back to standard, and it will create a stereo sound (not surround), when you want to watch regular old TV. Sound will still come through all the channels though, but at least it won't be dynamic. Hope that helps.
Why is there separate power ports on the rear speakers here in the UK the rear speakers connect to the sub via wires no power ports for the speakers just 2 separate power leads one for sound at and one for sub which also provide the speakers with there power
Thanks for the video, i came to your channel via the Bose 700 Review, now my question to you is which of the two is better? Is there A Sonos offering also? I'm considering getting a system for movies, music and general use. I dont trust samsung for sound quality, so i'm abit sceptical given alot of people have rated this 90R highly! I just sold my Samsung HTS-J5500W system and want to go to Bose 700 (+ the Bass Module).. you advice will come in handy.
Aik Jones would like to know the exact same. I want to buy the Bose 700 with base module and rear speakers but the reviews for this Samsung bar are really good. Now I want to know what’s better 👀
Stevooone in my opinion I’d go with the Q90R. I have the Bose soundbar 700 with subwoofer and rear speakers, and I love it... but it doesn’t offer atmos support AND (this is the big one) it only has an hdmi out and optical port. No HDMI in. That’s a pretty big deal considering this has two that support full HD. Hope this helped swing you towards this. I just ordered the Q90R so I’m hoping to enjoy it when I get back from this deployment.
Brilliant review thanks proper helpful, just a quick question when listening to music through TH-cam or Spotify what sound setting is best because obviously films and tv shows all sound different to music, preferably id like the sound to be surrounding
This is probably not related to the video, but, what size is your LG c9? I had the LG c9 65 inch and I'm wondering if it can sit on the Sonos playbase.
I am looking to buy the QA85Q80 85" Qled and matching with the HW-Q90 sound bar. My question is can you add more wireless speaker to this soundbar? I was thinking of getting the SWA-9000S/XY as side atmos speakers. What is your suggestion please? Also I have an old SAMSUNG system with wireless rear speakers SWA-5000 would these connect to the Q90 soundbar ? And utilise them. Thanks Todd
I'm fairly certain that you cannot pair additional speakers to this system. It would be really nice to move from a "virtual" 7.1.4 to an actual 7.1.4 system, from the sideways firing speakers on the bar to actual components beside you. But really, if you're willing to go to that work, maybe look into designing your own component system....?
Do you have an additional stand under your LG TV stand to raise it up a little higher? If you do would you be so kind as to tell me where you purchased it and what name/brand it is? Thank you in advance for your help!
People says they have cut out issues all the time, so many bugs and problems, You didn't mention this kind of staff at all. Did you get any cut out problems with the rears and sub?
How do you control the Hw-Q90r on the LG tv. I got a lg b9 tv and i wanted to know if the soundbar turns on with the tv and if the sound can be controlled with the tv remote control. Thank you
if you are using your HDMI ARC port, then yes, when you turn your TV on it will also turn the soundbar on, and you will be able to control the vol up/down, mute, etc. Depending on how you set up your AV components (running them through the soundbar first) you'll also be able to do some other really cool stuff - like control your Apple TV through your LG B9 remote. You should figure it all out as you go but that TV/Soundbar combo would be great!
Looks to me like it is awesome. "I managed to get it working by connecting HDMI from the GPU to the HDMI in and the audio is amazing." Source:us.community.samsung.com/t5/Home-Theater/HW-Q90R-Soundbar-and-desktop-PC-connectivity/td-p/1333886
My Plan is to use the LG C9 77" Version with this Soundbar. When i use the onboard Tv Tuner and connect the soundbar with ARC (hopefully soon eArc), is the Video / Audio in Sync or do i have to buy an extra TV receiver ?
There is no need to buy an extra AV Unit with the LG C9 TV and this soundbar. That's the exact set up I used to demo the system. No latency issues at all.
@@HelpCloud That's what i wanted to hear :) Not the cheapest setup but hey :D (Do you know when the eArc update is planned) Nice greetings from Austria
All the way form AUSTRIA! That's awesome, I'm glad you found the video. Unfortunately, Samsung doesn't have a concrete release date for eARC support yet.... Kind of lame I know....
Been trying to get my hands on the Q90R but they're rare to come across these days apparently. My buddy who's the salesman said he would give me the 950T for the price of the previous version. Have you compared the 2 and if so which one would you rather go with? Design for the 950T I'm not a huge fan of but if the sound is better then I might still go for it
So no issues pairing a Samsung sound bar with an LG tv? Also did you raise your tv so the sound bar doesn’t block it? Great video nonetheless, very informative.
I used an LG C9 OLED TV to demo the Q90r and it paired perfectly. They are obviously engineered to pair seamlessly with the Samusng QLED series TVs, but they've also made them very TV agnostic to capture a greater market share. It should work very well with whatever TV you chose. With some TVs it might make sense to place a base/stand underneath the TV to get it a little higher, which might help with the signals from the remote control. But I ended up just placing the Q90r in front of my TV and it only clipped a small portion of my screen and the remote worked fine.
Great Video! I watched it while I still got mine. I would have loved if you have gotten deeper into what the sound modes do (well, I do know now, but still, I guess). Keep 'em coming.
Yep, that's what the TV is. In a couple of the shots it's actually siting on a previously reviewed Sonos PlayBase. But if you put a 2" spacer under it that should do the trick.
I had to send mine back. So disappointed. Couldn’t get it to work with Atmos on my Samsung tv. The guy from richer sounds even came to my house to help but couldn’t get it to work either. Gutted as when it works (as in my demo in the showroom) it sounded amazing
Yup! Pretty much. "The Samsung HW-Q90R is basically the Samsung HW-Q80R, but with rear satellites that have up firing speakers. They both perform quite similarly, but the Q90R has a small edge over the Q80R. The 7.1. 4 setup has better overall surrounds performance thanks to the rear speakers, which is the main difference."
Great soundbar overall, BUT the ARC function keeps dropping out and Samsung have no fix for this (they keep pleading ignorance, but several reviewers have commented on this issue). Anyone know of a fix, please? Cheers!
You need a special HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) port for it to work correctly. Most newer TVs have them, but some still don't. You'll want to double (triple) check the back of your TV to ensure that it's in that port if it's available. If not, you're right to have used the Optical Cable. Good luck.
@@HelpCloud thank u for that information. That explains why when I did hook it up via hdmi I would get a pic but no sound. I'll do a Google search for that hdmi cable. I wish they would have explained that in the set up instructions instead of me going bonkers trying to figure out whats going on. But again thank u. 🤣
Sto traducendo con Google, quindi potrebbe non essere perfetto. Potrei anche non aver compreso completamente la tua domanda. Ma proviamo: supporta "Dolby Atmos" e "DTS" e "DTS: X".
Awesome! Recently got a 65” 80r QLED tv. Just bought a house and I’m looking into this. The living room has vaulted ceilings (floor to the ceiling of the second story, basically) so I’m unsure if I could benefit from the sound bar? 🤔
It would still be an amazing soundbar for your situation. It's built for large rooms, the Atmos affects might be a little bit lost with such a high ceiling - but it definitely was built for large sized rooms. If you don't get this soundbar, or something Atmos Enabled, get the Bose 700. It's built for large rooms, has great surround and doesn't have Atmos upward firing speakers. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!
Definitely lost the remote for this sucker! Now I'm struggling connecting the satellite speakers both left and right. How can I access settings and update if I dont have the remote anymore >_
You will need a remote, as part of the pair process you need to press the volume up button on the remote. "Luckily, pairing the wireless speakers with the soundbar is easy: Just press the “ID Set” button on the back of each speaker for five seconds, and then press “Up” on the included remote. Once I did that, the speakers connected to the soundbar, and the problem never recurred"
By the way, great informative video! Does Samsung include wall mounts for the rear speakers? If not, do we know the size of the screw thread on the back of the rears?
Great video ! In the picture that shows MAY CAUSE LATENCY VS ELIMINATES LATEncy .. I’m looking to hook it up via the elimination route, would that mean that playing Netflix off the tv app would not be able to produce the Atmos effect ? Also if the game console is going into the sound bar , where’s the image coming from since the HDMI is now going to the sound bar and not the tv ?
1. Playing NetFlix from your TV's application will STILL ALLOW you to have Atmos sound, if you can find something that is encoded in Atmos. More and more streaming services are encoding Atmos, so you'll see more and more streaming options and should love it! 2. Your Soundbar will act as a pass through device; meaning, it recognizes a TV/VIDEO/GAMING signal, knows that it can't do anything with it, and simply passes it through to your TV/AV unit. It's pretty rad but it's the best set up for sound quality. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
I've never owned a sound bar, so this may seem like a dumb question. If I plug my PS4 into the Sound Bar using an HDMI cable, then how do I get the video signal to the TV???
Some sound bars have an "HDMI in" label and the arc is the out. So it's basically one HDMI to the sound bar and then another from sound bar to tv. Hope that helps.
It's not a dumb question, essentially they build the processor inside the soundbar to "pass-through" certain data, in this instance all the video will pass through the device into your TV or Projector. So as @Giuseppe Pellegrini said, you would plug your PS4 into the HDMI 1 or 2, and then plug your TV/Projector into the ARC port.
Bought this today. Started using it and I feel like it runs good. Tried updating through smartthings app, it says "no new updates". Should I still update it through the USB stick or not? Got it for 600 dollars brand new from the store. Limited sale. Also how do I know if the Soundbar is playing atmos. I usually watch 4k on Netflix with hdr, but not all 4k has Dolby atmos right? I usually just search for "Dolby atmos" on Netflix to find that content. But I don't get a message on my soundbar saying it's playing Dolby atmos like you did. If someone knows, please help.
While the build is really great, I did have some issues with the sub woofer. May be I was really cursed but after almost one week of use, the sub woofer was making an annoying sound when listening to music. It was like wind blowing through a microphone when there was sustained base. I exchanged it for a new one but had the same issue. I changed it again for another one but had the same issue. Finally, unfortunately, I had to return it. Anyone experienced the same issue?
Hi, Before updating the soundbar i managed to get Dolby Atmos through Netflix via my tv (samsung q85 connected via ARC) however since updating the soundbar i am no longer able to obtain Dolby atmos content. Are you or anyone else having this issue. My soundbar version is 1008.0. If anyone can help slove this issue that would be appreciated.
I wish I could help but I'm not having that same issue. Maybe try their support??? or their forums: us.community.samsung.com/t5/forums/filteredbylabelpage/board-id/get-help-home-theater/label-name/hw-q90r%20soundbar
@ 06:09 on the video you talked about Samsung re-engineering the subwoofer to, hopefully, enable or enhance the transition into those mid frequencies. Was Samsung able to address that?
@@HelpCloud Samsung's latest firmware, 1012.6 released in November, seems to have made an improvement on the mid frequencies. Dialogues from the soundbar sounds "fuller" now.
eARC firmware update is FINALLY live. There is no official press release from Samsung yet, but they released a firmware update 1010.5 on May 3rd for the Samsung Series 9 HW - Q90r, Q80r and Q70r, and users are confirming that it enables eARC and performs as expected. Check out the buzz on Samsung's forums here:
eu.community.samsung.com/t5/Audio-Video/1010-5-Firmware-Update-for-hw-Q70R-hw-Q80R-hw-Q90R-Soundbars/td-p/1716942
Reddit users have started chattering as well:
www.reddit.com/r/Soundbars/comments/gd2t8y/looks_like_the_samsung_hwq90r_soundbar_got/
Cool! Thx for info
No mention of HDMI 2.1 connection though? That's what will truly make it future proof. Surprised a soundbar of this price range coming out in 2020 doesn't have HDMI 2.1 technology....
I was near to buy this. h2.0 put me off. i will wait for any 2.1 Tech. not any in market here in UK
@@masifkhan. Same! HDR 2.1 (and all the cool features it brings) is the next major tech advancement in home audio. (and Not 8k) I'm not sure what manufactures like Samsung are thinking, especially if they are focusing so much of their efforts on trying to push 8k bandwidth (which no one asked for btw!)
@@masifkhan. It has Earc now which works great. Just plug your device into your TV and you can still use HDMI 2.1 features. I have my xbox one x plugged into my LG C9 which has HDMI 2.1 and supports ALLM and send Dolby Atmos to the sound bar over Earc. Works perfect.
I have had this for just over a year now and it’s all about the speaker placements. The woofer needs to sit closer to the sound bar otherwise it will “pop” which will annoy you in no time. It took me 6 months to figure this problem out - and the satellites sound best when they are a foot away from your background setup. They don’t work well as “back of the room” surround. Because Atmos is so subtle at times, to pick up the nuances, get the speakers as close to your head as possible. Right behind the couch and no further away. I finally got what feels like true theater sound when I got them in their proper place. This system is finally worth every penny.
Thank you for the info, small tweaks can make a big difference.
Sumsung's latest Firmware update was in July of 2019, and DIDN'T include eARC support. The HDMI ARC port is still available, but there is no scheduled date for the eARC support. We made a mistake in this review and said that they had already rolled that improvement out. Sorry for the mistake.
Worth a read here mate! Update regarding this:
twitter.com/StephenWithers/status/1236041929873375233?s=20
Thanks for the link. As soon as we have confirmation from Samsung (official release date) we will post it here as well!
A lot of upset people about Samsung not keeping their promise.
eu.community.samsung.com/t5/Audio-Video/What-is-going-on-with-eARC-update-for-the-soundbar-HW-Q90R/td-p/1368639
Amazing video! You really got into ALL the details about the soundbar, so a big thumbs up for that!
Thanks a ton!
You really did a great job. I liked your presentation more than some of the more well known tech review sites.
What is your experience with this soundbar? Does the atmos sound convincing??
I purchased this sound bar to go with my Samsung Q90R 65" 4K TV and it's on it's way to me. I loved your instructions. I feel like I know how to hook it up already. Thanks.
Glad I could help!!
@Joseph Regallis any updates mate?
@@roninesce8362 It's working great!
I have this system, and love it, especially with 4k blu rays and Atmos, but I was getting real ASMR vibes from this video.. lol.
Thanks for the feedback Haha!
I currently have the N950 it kicks ass for dolby atmos. I am definitely a movie watcher an it hasn't disappointed me at all. Haven't notice much late tendency I am one happy camper..
That's great news! There really isn't a significant difference between the two!
Which bluray player u use?
I own this Q90R for over six months, the sound quality is beyond Awesome, I only wish that it has a finer tune control like an EQ than just simple Center, Front, Rear volume controls.
The Smart Things App has a fairly decent EQ. It offers 150Hz, 300Hz, 600Hz, 1.2kHz 2.5kHz, 5kHz and 10kHz frequency levels to adjust in the advanced settings. The trick is that whatever levels you choose will be played through all channels, so you can't adjust each speaker in your room to your TOTAL liking. But it is a start - I hope that helps a little!
i owned it for over a month and after a few bugs (rear speakers not working, then Woofer turning on and off randomly) i sent it back and bought a Canon Smart 10 with subwooefer and 2 rears...its day and night the sound is so much better and crystal clear. The atmos quality despite not having rear upfiring speakers is so much more intense. i would never go back to those buggy Samsung crap. To be honest the sound quality ont he samsung is ok....but nothing special i had the LG Sk10y and it had a better surround feeling than the samsung, althought he Q90R had better voices overall. Coming from the LG i wasnt impressed at all with the almost double the price Samsung.
I haven't listened to the Canton 10 Smart system yet. I may have to check it out now....
Ive had mine longer I wish you could pair more than one subwoofer to a sound bar...unfortunately samsung said no...i need more bass as the high end is really loud and clear
@@HelpCloud you definetly have to! if you do not get sponsored and just want to have a comparison to anything just try it out, it will blow your mind... yes its a bit costy, but @Canton you can add anything you want up to 6 speakers. you can buy for example the soundbar then wait a bit and buy the rears and then later the sub or or or. It has an onscreen menue display, it measures your speakers where they are axaclty placed and so many featuers i would have loved @samsung Q90R..and yes it has a really decent equalizer i have it now for a while and they add more and more features i really like it.....
I love my Q90R soundbar!!! I never had latency issues. Money well spent!!!
Glad you like it, it is an awesome soundbar!
So thankful you went over the setup. Love this review, thank you!
You are so welcome!!
hello i have the same since december i haven't used it much but you are so good that you made me want to watch a movie right away! bravo for this video, I also added vebos column for the rear satellites and it's great, I can send you photos if you want, thank you
Hey Buddy, Nice detailed review. Your voice was very clear. Detailed and precise as well. Huge Thumbs up, Hope you are enjoying your movie time with Q90r.
Thanks a ton!
Great video. I'd like to see you review the JBL 9.1, LG SN11RG, or the Klipsch Bar 54a when they finally come out.
Man, all of those bars are going to rock! I'm really excited about the JBL 9.1 to be released this spring. The LG is rated up to 770W, so it should SCREAM! But I don't know when Klipsch will have the 54a out, it's rumored sometime this fall....? We will for sure try and get reviews for each of those as they become available.
I bought this today. Cost me about AUD$1200 in Bunbury, Western Australia. That's only US$800!
Considering we generally pay more than converted US prices for stuff, you should do a lot better than the quoted prices there...
DARTH VADER TO THE RESCUE!!!! HA HA HA! Good for you man! Super stoked you got such a great deal on that soundbar!
Thats a really good price, may i ask where did you get this deal from. I am in sydney.
@@asingh4136 Harvey Norman.
Well explained and it is very clear!.. Thank you for the review!...
Glad it was helpful!
Great review! Really helpful & super informative. Looking forward to mine arriving!
Hope you enjoy it!
Very nice video you explained everything what a potential buyer needs to know, thank you. Hope to see many more videos
Glad it was helpful!
Sub woofer gets interference from my wifi freq. Any idea how i can change / fix this? (Xfinity won't allow me to change to lower freq. channel...)
bought it second hand for 280 euros, happy happy. Will follow your tutorial but looks pretty easy. Thanks!
You bet!
@@HelpCloud is there any way how i can test whether the subwoofer is working? I did the testing by pressing the surround mode button and there is sound coming from the woofer, it just doesn't have alot of bass. Settings woofer in the smart things app are set to high. Thanks.
@@pieter-6385 I would reset to factory setting. If the bass settings are high and it has little bass. It could be blown or starting to seize from overworking.
@@HelpCloud thanks for your reply, i guess the only way to test is it to put some loud music on?
I replugged it and it's working perfectly now. A good buy after all. Thanks alot.
Best reveiw, en detailed. Thank you
Henry Ford...... i can dig it. Not many people will get the refrence.
Yup!
Very nice and informative review. Many thanks. Boy, you're good, your style is pleasant, captivating interest. Use your talent!
Thank you very much!
Would there be any issues(like latency) with connecting the soundbar to a projector that has no eARC in the below configuration
BluRay player ->Q90R->projector
A projector wouldn't necessarily need eARC, because it's not pushing sound back into the soundbar. The configuration that you've outlined is your best bet. Plug your BluRay directly into the soundbar, and then run an HDMI cable to the projector (just pay attention to the ports you plug them into, BluRay should go into HDMI 1 or 2, and the HDMI going to your projector should be plugged into the ARC/eARC port regardless of whether or not it's an eARC projector). That's your best bet and should give you the best performance (no latency). Good luck and let me know how it works out.
Nice review am thinking of the Q80R which is a bit cheaper and same features as the Q90R.
Definitely! If you don't need the rear speakers than by all means get that soundbar!
Love this review. Thanks soo much!
You are welcome!
Bought Second Hand as it is now Super-ceded by the HW Q950 A but only Paid AUD 929.07 instead of AUD 1500.00 , Better than my old Yamaha RX 671 7.1 System Love it , Very well made.
My friend has one and it Blew me Away with Dolby Atmos the HWQ90R is the last really great Sound Bar before the Cloth covered Dust collecting Versions now on offer ?
Thank you for the Great Review keep them Cumming.
Glad you like it!
Would like to use it with an 8k tv and with an Xbox Series X. But does it have HDMI 2.1 Output to television to transfer the best possible Signal for 8k TVs?
It is the only model right now to support HDMI 2.1
This just dropped to $999.00 on Samsung Site, and $996.00 on Amazon. Grabbed myself one as fast as I could!
Awesome! You will enjoy it!
Attention people interested in getting his: my room is 13ft x 14 ft ( not open space), and I've the Q80R ( bought late May2020). It's too much system for this size room, overpowers the room. You'll never be able to turn it up much at all without getting a noise complaint. This system is IMO designed for a room twice or more the size of mine.
You might be right - especially if you're renting. The system can really produce a lot of clear volume. Thanks for the information.
Was planning on waiting for the new Klipsch Atmos soundbar... But they are taking their sweet time.
Ya, hopefully sooner, rather then later!
Great review I just ordered mine yesterday can't wait.
Hope you enjoy it!!
@@HelpCloudHelpCloud Thanks unfortunately the one I got was damaged in freight by UPS sending it back to eBay lister really disappointed.
Thanks for the great review! My living room is about 15 square meters. Does not it make the sound unbearable? Or it's also appropriate for such sized room? I know I can't take advantage of Dolby atmos and I am fine with that.
It should work nicely in larger rooms like yours, even if the ceiling doesn't mesh with Atmos or DTS:X.
Nice review, well detailed compared to other tech reviewers. Thumbs ups
Much appreciated!!
i know this was made a while ago but could you please make a video on how to connect to wi-fi
I will see what I can do!
Excellent, thorough review! Do you have a recommended sound mode across the board? I watch cable tv, stream movies, and game on my ps4. Would you recommend adaptive, standard, or surround? Any idea if the game pro sound mode is worth switching to when gaming?
It all is user preference and how you want the audio to sound.
My friend has this in his lounge and the sound of it is absolutely amazing! [ Aint sure about the £1200 price tag though lol ]
Even at high volumes the sound stays very clear! Glad you like it, and I hope you can find a good deal on one!
Thanks for the review. Now I'm really leaning towards buying this. Do you need a TV with ARC that can playback Dolby Atmos? I do have an XBOX ONE S which I think should be able to play Dolby Atmos, am I right?
"While Dolby Atmos can be passed over regular ARC today (via Dolby Digital Plus) eARC offers improved bandwidth for higher-quality Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams, including Atmos. The new format also has lip-sync compensation built-in. This feature was optional in ARC, but is now required."
Sorry if this has been answered, but if my TV only has ARC (not eARC) will I get the Atmos playback still?
Check ths out
www.cnet.com/news/hdmi-audio-return-channel-and-earc-for-beginners/
Samsung hasn't released a new firmware with eARC support. Not sure where you got that info or chart from. The last firmware was in July '19.
Oh no! We did make a mistake - apparently the rumor was the update in the fall of '19 was going to have eARC support, but they haven't actually released it yet. Thanks for catching that. We will post a note to identify the error in the review. We did see a few threads online at the Samsung Website talking about when the eARC update will happen, so if you'd like to follow along with the discussion here is a link to forum:
eu.community.samsung.com/t5/Audio-Video/What-is-going-on-with-eARC-update-for-the-soundbar-HW-Q90R/td-p/1368639/page/18
FANTABLOUS video... 👍
Which TV you're have? Please share detail and should I go for or you recommended other.. Thanks 😊
Thanks for the positive comment. The TV in the background is an LG C9 OLED. It's a 77" so it's a bit of a monster, but I love it. The smaller 55" and 65" perform as well and are a bit less expensive. Good luck!
great video nice Intel on it , would love to see the comparison video between this sound bar against the nakamichi 9.2.4 if u would thanks
Coming soon!
Great video! Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
I have the 2016 version and the Q90R The one issue with the newer Q90R is one of the back speakers will not shut off. When you turn off the system it stays on. I have to unplug it to turn it off. Other than that I love them both.
What brand is the base that you have under the TV? I need a matching one for my LG. Thanks
I have had it for years, so I am unsure what the exact setup is.
Just purchased this soundbar with a big thanks to your review for the insight!
Question for you, does the soundbar have to be turned on to watch tv?
I have an Apple TV 4K connected to the soundbar and the soundbar connected to a Samsung Q70R tv via HDMI ARC. I don’t want to use surround sound when I just want to watch the news or a tv show. Does this soundbar pass through audio/video when it’s turned off? As of right now, I can’t watch TV without the soundbar being turned on. Hope you can help. Thanks!
Man that's a good question. I'm currently reviewing another soundbar and don't have it hooked up to my TV anymore or I'd go test that out tonight. What I can say is you can change the sound mode back to standard, and it will create a stereo sound (not surround), when you want to watch regular old TV. Sound will still come through all the channels though, but at least it won't be dynamic. Hope that helps.
Why is there separate power ports on the rear speakers here in the UK the rear speakers connect to the sub via wires no power ports for the speakers just 2 separate power leads one for sound at and one for sub which also provide the speakers with there power
They must have designed the UK version a bit different.
How does this work with HD TV channels that only have 2.0 audio
Does it have something that can work much like Dolby prologic in a receiver ?
Yes it upmixers the sound to 5.1
Thanks for the video, i came to your channel via the Bose 700 Review, now my question to you is which of the two is better? Is there A Sonos offering also? I'm considering getting a system for movies, music and general use. I dont trust samsung for sound quality, so i'm abit sceptical given alot of people have rated this 90R highly! I just sold my Samsung HTS-J5500W system and want to go to Bose 700 (+ the Bass Module).. you advice will come in handy.
Aik Jones would like to know the exact same. I want to buy the Bose 700 with base module and rear speakers but the reviews for this Samsung bar are really good. Now I want to know what’s better 👀
Stevooone in my opinion I’d go with the Q90R. I have the Bose soundbar 700 with subwoofer and rear speakers, and I love it... but it doesn’t offer atmos support AND (this is the big one) it only has an hdmi out and optical port. No HDMI in. That’s a pretty big deal considering this has two that support full HD. Hope this helped swing you towards this. I just ordered the Q90R so I’m hoping to enjoy it when I get back from this deployment.
Brilliant review thanks proper helpful, just a quick question when listening to music through TH-cam or Spotify what sound setting is best because obviously films and tv shows all sound different to music, preferably id like the sound to be surrounding
It all depends on how you like your sound.
@@HelpCloud i prefer it as expansive and space filling as possible but not really very base more treble.
This is probably not related to the video, but, what size is your LG c9? I had the LG c9 65 inch and I'm wondering if it can sit on the Sonos playbase.
It's the 77" version. I think the two share the same pedestal design though...
You can explain how to update this product samsung hw-q60t harman kardon
Great Video giving much needed information.
Glad it was helpful!!
I am looking to buy the QA85Q80 85" Qled and matching with the HW-Q90 sound bar.
My question is can you add more wireless speaker to this soundbar?
I was thinking of getting the SWA-9000S/XY as side atmos speakers.
What is your suggestion please?
Also I have an old SAMSUNG system with wireless rear speakers SWA-5000 would these connect to the Q90 soundbar ? And utilise them.
Thanks
Todd
I'm fairly certain that you cannot pair additional speakers to this system. It would be really nice to move from a "virtual" 7.1.4 to an actual 7.1.4 system, from the sideways firing speakers on the bar to actual components beside you. But really, if you're willing to go to that work, maybe look into designing your own component system....?
Do you have an additional stand under your LG TV stand to raise it up a little higher? If you do would you be so kind as to tell me where you purchased it and what name/brand it is? Thank you in advance for your help!
Yes, it was the Sonos Playbar.
Ready good to watch for the details.
You betcha!
some people were complaining that, during the streaming movies there are some sound cuts of with surround speakers. do you have that issue?
I haven't ran into that. That could be dependent on their area and the amount of wireless interference.
People says they have cut out issues all the time, so many bugs and problems, You didn't mention this kind of staff at all. Did you get any cut out problems with the rears and sub?
Thanks for the feedback, Fortunately I did not get any of these issues.
How do you control the Hw-Q90r on the LG tv. I got a lg b9 tv and i wanted to know if the soundbar turns on with the tv and if the sound can be controlled with the tv remote control.
Thank you
if you are using your HDMI ARC port, then yes, when you turn your TV on it will also turn the soundbar on, and you will be able to control the vol up/down, mute, etc. Depending on how you set up your AV components (running them through the soundbar first) you'll also be able to do some other really cool stuff - like control your Apple TV through your LG B9 remote. You should figure it all out as you go but that TV/Soundbar combo would be great!
@@HelpCloud Thank you.
I got another question, you tested the Bose 700 with sub and rears, is it better then the Samsung Q90r?
Stay tuned for a head to head between those two!
@@HelpCloud That sounds interesting😄
Does the "Virtual Surround" mode make any difference at all since you have the rear speakers anyway?
Not really a noticeable feature....
Does the room needs to be symmetric for the Virtual Atmos/DTS X to work properly?
It makes it perform better. You can have it in an asymmetrical room with the understanding that it won't perform QUITE as well.
How is it on PC and dolby acces i have q70r with a lot of issues
Looks to me like it is awesome. "I managed to get it working by connecting HDMI from the GPU to the HDMI in and the audio is amazing."
Source:us.community.samsung.com/t5/Home-Theater/HW-Q90R-Soundbar-and-desktop-PC-connectivity/td-p/1333886
My Plan is to use the LG C9 77" Version with this Soundbar.
When i use the onboard Tv Tuner and connect the soundbar with ARC (hopefully soon eArc), is the Video / Audio in Sync or do i have to buy an extra TV receiver ?
There is no need to buy an extra AV Unit with the LG C9 TV and this soundbar. That's the exact set up I used to demo the system. No latency issues at all.
@@HelpCloud That's what i wanted to hear :)
Not the cheapest setup but hey :D
(Do you know when the eArc update is planned)
Nice greetings from Austria
All the way form AUSTRIA! That's awesome, I'm glad you found the video. Unfortunately, Samsung doesn't have a concrete release date for eARC support yet.... Kind of lame I know....
@@HelpCloud I got my C9 77 yesterday, and the soundbar is coming today or tomorrow :D
I hope for the best, but I think it's a good setup anyway :)
You're going to LOVE IT!
Very complete review! Great!
Thanks a ton!
Good Video! Im choosen between the q950t the q90r and the sonos arc soundbar. Greetings from germany
Enjoy!!
Been trying to get my hands on the Q90R but they're rare to come across these days apparently. My buddy who's the salesman said he would give me the 950T for the price of the previous version. Have you compared the 2 and if so which one would you rather go with? Design for the 950T I'm not a huge fan of but if the sound is better then I might still go for it
I have not been able to test the 950T so I can't give you an opinion. Sorry!
Great video, just purchased 75" OLED Q8. Do you recommend the Samsung Q800T priced at $750?
If it fits your price/needs go for it.
Hey Great Video, you are still making your Dream happen that is awesome...
Hey, thanks!
Good video ... Do the rear speakers need a power supply from a wall socket ? Kindest regards
Rear speakers are a wireless connection, but require an outlet to power them.
How does this compare to the Sonos ARC + SUB or the Bose 700 soundbar + bose 700 bass module?
Stay tuned. We're reviewing them right now!
So no issues pairing a Samsung sound bar with an LG tv? Also did you raise your tv so the sound bar doesn’t block it? Great video nonetheless, very informative.
I used an LG C9 OLED TV to demo the Q90r and it paired perfectly. They are obviously engineered to pair seamlessly with the Samusng QLED series TVs, but they've also made them very TV agnostic to capture a greater market share. It should work very well with whatever TV you chose.
With some TVs it might make sense to place a base/stand underneath the TV to get it a little higher, which might help with the signals from the remote control. But I ended up just placing the Q90r in front of my TV and it only clipped a small portion of my screen and the remote worked fine.
Thanks for great review.
You bet!
I have a samsung q90r soundbar .... Is there any other way to get full dolby atmos without amplifier.... amplifier is too pricey....
The soundbar doesn't require an amplifier, so you're good to go with just the Q90r.
Great Video! I watched it while I still got mine. I would have loved if you have gotten deeper into what the sound modes do (well, I do know now, but still, I guess). Keep 'em coming.
Thanks for the advice!
does it have a dolby vision pass through? @rhorykhaz @helpcloud
It looks like your tv is an LG C9...and I noticed you needed to raise the tv for the bar to fit. Which stand are you using.
Yep, that's what the TV is. In a couple of the shots it's actually siting on a previously reviewed Sonos PlayBase. But if you put a 2" spacer under it that should do the trick.
I had to send mine back. So disappointed. Couldn’t get it to work with Atmos on my Samsung tv. The guy from richer sounds even came to my house to help but couldn’t get it to work either. Gutted as when it works (as in my demo in the showroom) it sounded amazing
Super sorry to hear that! I hope you can find something similar to get you Atmos - keep me posted with what you install in it's place.
Hello, is the HW-Q90R exactly the same as the HW-Q80r with the rear speakers added?
Yup! Pretty much.
"The Samsung HW-Q90R is basically the Samsung HW-Q80R, but with rear satellites that have up firing speakers. They both perform quite similarly, but the Q90R has a small edge over the Q80R. The 7.1. 4 setup has better overall surrounds performance thanks to the rear speakers, which is the main difference."
Great soundbar overall, BUT the ARC function keeps dropping out and Samsung have no fix for this (they keep pleading ignorance, but several reviewers have commented on this issue). Anyone know of a fix, please? Cheers!
Not as of yet, sounds like we will have to wait for them to release a firmware fix for it!
Is it compatible with LG 3D Smart tv,2015 model 5.1 compatible.
Should work fine!
Great sound bar. Love it. I'm using it via optic wire. Would not work 4 me via hdmi. As I could not get sound to come out of bar.
@@darkpen i have hdmi ports on my TV. Yes.
You need a special HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) port for it to work correctly. Most newer TVs have them, but some still don't. You'll want to double (triple) check the back of your TV to ensure that it's in that port if it's available. If not, you're right to have used the Optical Cable. Good luck.
@@HelpCloud thank u for that information. That explains why when I did hook it up via hdmi I would get a pic but no sound. I'll do a Google search for that hdmi cable. I wish they would have explained that in the set up instructions instead of me going bonkers trying to figure out whats going on. But again thank u. 🤣
@@Sammy10100 What is your tv model?
@@aikjones1 lg
Ciao volevo sapere se legge pure l'audio dts HD master perché sento che si sente basso rispetto il Dolby grazie
typical italian, comes blabbing italian eypecting to be catered to, while everyone else put effort to learn english beside their own language
Sto traducendo con Google, quindi potrebbe non essere perfetto. Potrei anche non aver compreso completamente la tua domanda. Ma proviamo: supporta "Dolby Atmos" e "DTS" e "DTS: X".
Awesome! Recently got a 65” 80r QLED tv. Just bought a house and I’m looking into this. The living room has vaulted ceilings (floor to the ceiling of the second story, basically) so I’m unsure if I could benefit from the sound bar? 🤔
It would still be an amazing soundbar for your situation. It's built for large rooms, the Atmos affects might be a little bit lost with such a high ceiling - but it definitely was built for large sized rooms. If you don't get this soundbar, or something Atmos Enabled, get the Bose 700. It's built for large rooms, has great surround and doesn't have Atmos upward firing speakers. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!
HelpCloud Wow I’ll definitely look into Bose as well. Thank you!!
What do you have your tv on? Interested in raising my tv up like you have yours on the video.
This video, the TV was sitting on top of the Sonos Playbar
Definitely lost the remote for this sucker! Now I'm struggling connecting the satellite speakers both left and right. How can I access settings and update if I dont have the remote anymore >_
You will need a remote, as part of the pair process you need to press the volume up button on the remote. "Luckily, pairing the wireless speakers with the soundbar is easy: Just press the “ID Set” button on the back of each speaker for five seconds, and then press “Up” on the included remote. Once I did that, the speakers connected to the soundbar, and the problem never recurred"
I would love If u had a Chan e to test The new lg sn11rg and kind of compare to this
By the way, great informative video! Does Samsung include wall mounts for the rear speakers? If not, do we know the size of the screw thread on the back of the rears?
They do not, looks like the they use imperial 1/4-20 screws
thanks!
I own a Q70R, what best rear speakers you advice to add? Thx
samsung SWA-9000S
Hi, does the TV need to have some sort of dolby atmos capability or will this system work on any smart TV?
Check this article, it may help you understand www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/dolby-atmos-sound/
@@HelpCloud Thanks for taking time to do this.
Very nice presentation :) .subbed
Thanks for the sub!
Do you know if they will support google assistant anytime soon?
Looks like support is already there. Just add it to Smarthings app then make sure Google Assistant has the Smarthings skill enabled.
Great video ! In the picture that shows MAY CAUSE LATENCY VS ELIMINATES LATEncy .. I’m looking to hook it up via the elimination route, would that mean that playing Netflix off the tv app would not be able to produce the Atmos effect ?
Also if the game console is going into the sound bar , where’s the image coming from since the HDMI is now going to the sound bar and not the tv ?
1. Playing NetFlix from your TV's application will STILL ALLOW you to have Atmos sound, if you can find something that is encoded in Atmos. More and more streaming services are encoding Atmos, so you'll see more and more streaming options and should love it!
2. Your Soundbar will act as a pass through device; meaning, it recognizes a TV/VIDEO/GAMING signal, knows that it can't do anything with it, and simply passes it through to your TV/AV unit. It's pretty rad but it's the best set up for sound quality.
Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
HelpCloud thank you, much appreciated :)
I've never owned a sound bar, so this may seem like a dumb question. If I plug my PS4 into the Sound Bar using an HDMI cable, then how do I get the video signal to the TV???
Some sound bars have an "HDMI in" label and the arc is the out. So it's basically one HDMI to the sound bar and then another from sound bar to tv. Hope that helps.
It's not a dumb question, essentially they build the processor inside the soundbar to "pass-through" certain data, in this instance all the video will pass through the device into your TV or Projector. So as @Giuseppe Pellegrini said, you would plug your PS4 into the HDMI 1 or 2, and then plug your TV/Projector into the ARC port.
Bought this today. Started using it and I feel like it runs good. Tried updating through smartthings app, it says "no new updates". Should I still update it through the USB stick or not?
Got it for 600 dollars brand new from the store. Limited sale.
Also how do I know if the Soundbar is playing atmos. I usually watch 4k on Netflix with hdr, but not all 4k has Dolby atmos right? I usually just search for "Dolby atmos" on Netflix to find that content. But I don't get a message on my soundbar saying it's playing Dolby atmos like you did.
If someone knows, please help.
Where is/was the sale?
@@glbuls probably not in your country, this was in Norway.
That's a great deal! If it says you're up to date you should be good. No need to update through the USB.
@@HelpCloud alright, thank you ❤️😊
While the build is really great, I did have some issues with the sub woofer. May be I was really cursed but after almost one week of use, the sub woofer was making an annoying sound when listening to music. It was like wind blowing through a microphone when there was sustained base. I exchanged it for a new one but had the same issue. I changed it again for another one but had the same issue. Finally, unfortunately, I had to return it. Anyone experienced the same issue?
That sucks man. Thanks for sharing your experience.
What app on the Google play store do I look 4. Thanks.
SmartThings
Hi, Before updating the soundbar i managed to get Dolby Atmos through Netflix via my tv (samsung q85 connected via ARC) however since updating the soundbar i am no longer able to obtain Dolby atmos content. Are you or anyone else having this issue. My soundbar version is 1008.0. If anyone can help slove this issue that would be appreciated.
Aj Mat I believe Samsung doesn’t support Dolby Atmos. It was surprised that u were able to get the atmos sound before
I wish I could help but I'm not having that same issue. Maybe try their support??? or their forums:
us.community.samsung.com/t5/forums/filteredbylabelpage/board-id/get-help-home-theater/label-name/hw-q90r%20soundbar
Is the sound bar better at surround sound ,than having speakers
Soundbars are great for getting better sound then a TV can provide but without the hassle of a full receiver setup.
Would this be able to be connected to my PC via USB? In that setup would it be able to output sound in Atmos?
Thanks...
It look like it was done with the previous model. I would assume you can with this one as long as your PC supports Atmos.
@@HelpCloud thank you for the reply. Wonderful review, and have a great day 😊
Does it have airplay?
@ 06:09 on the video you talked about Samsung re-engineering the subwoofer to, hopefully, enable or enhance the transition into those mid frequencies. Was Samsung able to address that?
Nothing yet, that I know of.
@@HelpCloud Samsung's latest firmware, 1012.6 released in November, seems to have made an improvement on the mid frequencies. Dialogues from the soundbar sounds "fuller" now.
Excellent review
Thank you kindly!