SamsungQ990D 11.1.4ch Soundbar w/Wireless Dolby Atmos Audio, Rear Speaker Included, Q-Symphony, SpaceFit Sound Pro, Adaptive Sound, Game Mode Pro with Alexa Built-in, HW-Q990D/ZA

This review is for the latest soundbar/sub combination, ie HW-Q800F.I added this system to an existing 2023 Samsung QNxxS90 series TV. As there have been horror stories on Samsung firmware updates bricking or otherwise damaging the functionality of either TV or soundbar, I never connected my TV to the network, never configured smart hub (using an Apple TV 4K for streaming) and never updated the firmware or used the SMART App.Out of the box the Q800F connects seamlessly to each other (sub and bar) and to the TV (via HDMI eARC and the included cable). I would use the eARC HDMI connection over BT pairing or Optical/WiFi to get the best data transfer. NO network connection, Samsung Account or SMART App are needed for set-up or managing the system (can all be done via the remotes). No network connection also means no (potentially) damaging firmware updates, no Samsung tracking all your moves, no annoying ads or pop ups and no laggy interface with the Samsung Smart Hub OS.I connected the A(pple) TV via HDMI to the TV and not the soundbar (as the instructions suggest). This seemed more meaningful to me as the eARC connection from TV to soundbar manages any output. And the ATV will show on the TV menu as a device choice rather than selecting it via the soundbar.Digital Audio Output Setting to Auto or Passthrough: I chose Auto because I confirmed that this gives me Dolby Atmos, but both should be equally ok for ATV. I don't have a cable box for TV but instead use a HD antenna for the local networks. WATCHOUT: When watching regular TV the Auto/Passthrough setting would not go through the Q800F. I had to choose PCM to get both Q800F and TV speaker output. Minor inconvenience for me as I don't watch much real time TV anyway.All Q800F features - so far - work with the TV including Q-Symphony (bar and TV speakers operate together). Sound quality especially in Dolby Atmos is excellent considering this is just a soundbar/sub combination. Too early to tell re: reliability/durability.If issues occur, a firmware update is always an option, but so far I was better off by staying offline with Samsung equipment.

After decades of online buying/selling, I rarely leave reviews. I’m going to try to change that to help my fellow consumers. That said, here are my thoughts:First, I purchased this used (like new) from Amazon Resale. I’ve never purchased a used item outside of eB**, but i couldn’t justify paying the new price for a soundbar without hearing it in my house (impossible, of course). So, saving ~$500 made sense for me.I would consider the overall quality of the external box about what I’d expect. Internally, it looked absolutely brand new. Shopping time was 3 days as expected. Great experience overall.Now, to the actual product. I did a LOT of research at various price points before finally deciding I wanted to try a high quality system for around $450. Well. I paid a bit more for the 910D after viewing lots of reviews and ratings sites…it sounded like a good value proposition at this price (assuming the used product worked as advertised.. it did).I’m coming from a Vizio 2.1 channel that was bass heavy and decent but I wanted something nicer. This system provides VERY clear dialog and amazing surround sound. The subwoofer has complaints in some reviews but I’m going to give it praise. The reason for that is the sound is very balanced. If I want to, I can turn up the sub output and tinker with the EQ. I’d rather listen to quality sound that can rumble when it should without pumping out bass like the 2.1 system. It takes away from the experience in my opinion. As mentioned, it’s a very clean, balanced sound.The SmartThings app is easy to use and works well. One thing I recommend in the app is to turn off over the air soundbar updates (for those unaware, many Samsung sound bars were affected by a bad firmware update in March of this year).I hope this helps someone on the fence about whether to spend a bit more to get a lot more from the Samsung hw-q910d soundbar

I dont want something that’s going to add alot of extra baggage to my home theater area. I’ve tried alot of standalone soundbars and for the most part I found them to be pushing themselves beyond their capability.Both the S60D and Sonos Beam 2 will leave you a little disappointed with the way they deal with bass. S60D overdrives very badly. Very distorted and distracting. Sonos Beam did a better job but compressed everything when things got bassy taking alot of the pop and excitement out of the highs. The Sonos Arc was pretty good all around but its overpriced.Its better to have a dedicated subwoofer.I also like that this combines with the built-in TV speakers if you have Samsung TV which I do.Overall, this is a good value. The surround effect is inifinitely better than the TV speakers and I have no concerns about getting decent bass anymore. I also placed the subwoofer behind my seat to get an extra surround effect.This is a good deal for $350!

Arrived on time and undamaged. Easy set-up on the first try with a Samsung TV already installed. The bar is heavier that it looks, so be sure whatever you put it on (or mount it on) is rated for the weight. The sound is really solid. There is an app or you can use the remote to tweak the relative volume of the individual channels. The bass is very solid.