RANKING
36
Rank 36 out of 55 Summarized in this category
Rankings based on:
• Pros-to-cons ratio
• Number of reviews
• Category average
Samsung
HW-Q990D
around $1899
i
All prices are estimates and may vary from actual prices.
Image source:
50 Pros
75%
5 reviews (0h 59m)
17 Cons
Experience immersive, cinematic audio with the Samsung HW-Q990D 11.1.4 channel soundbar. This powerhouse boasts wireless Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, delivering epic surround sound through a smaller, easier-to-manage package than its predecessor. Enjoy crystal-clear dialogue with enhanced voice features, and elevate your movie nights with Q-Symphony, sea...
85%
17 vs 3
Sound Quality
83%
15 vs 3
Features
89%
8 vs 1
Connectivity
67%
6 vs 3
Ease of Use
33%
2 vs 4
Design
Reviewer verdict
Across 5 YouTube reviews, the Samsung HW-Q990D earns an Index score of 4/5, ranking #36 among Soundbars. Reviewers most often praise its sound quality, features, connectivity, while the most common criticisms concern design, ease of use.
The Samsung HW-Q990D is widely praised for its immersive, cinema-like sound quality, with reviewers (17 mentions) highlighting strong height, wide soundstage, clear separation and powerful bass that keep dialogue intelligible. Reviewers also frequently note feature richness (15 mentions), calling out wireless subwoofer and surrounds, Dolby Atmos/DTS:X support, Q Symphony integration with compatible Samsung TVs, Space Fit Sound Pro calibration, and an 11.1.4 speaker layout. Connectivity options and modern ports (8 mentions) such as multiple HDMI 2.1 inputs/outputs, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth and streaming integrations are repeatedly appreciated for making the bar versatile. Ease of setup and a helpful app (6 mentions) further make it approachable out of the box for most users.
Criticisms are fewer but recurring: several reviewers (4 mentions) say the physical design and driver layout look unchanged from the prior model and wish for more color/options or a sleeker aesthetic. Usability complaints (3 mentions) focus on the inconvenience of moving non‑wireless surrounds between front and rear roles, limited on‑screen UI, and the potential hassle of wiring multiple speakers. Some find the feature tweaks incremental or subtle (3 mentions) — SpaceFit effects or front mode can seem underwhelming — and a few note that dialogue processing can be heavy‑handed or alter bass when enabled. Price/value also surfaces (3 mentions), with reviewers calling the bar pricey and suggesting the previous model may suffice if HDMI 2.1 or front‑speaker mode aren't needed.
Analysis based on 5 YouTube reviews (0h 59m of video) with 50 pros and 17 cons extracted.
Pros (50)
Sound Quality (17)
- Q Symphony adds a little bit more scale, especially height, to the bar sound and opens up the center image ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 8:48
- Tonality of the system doesn't shift or change in front mode ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 10:38
- Two voice enhancement features: voice enhancement and active voice amplifier. Active voice amplifier optimizes the dialogue and amplifies it for improved intelligibility ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 1:37
- More than one option to bring dialog to the forefront ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 9:24
- Ability to use included surrounds as right and left main speakers for more traditional/spacious stereo image ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 9:43
- Epic surround sound performance ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 6:58
- I don't think it makes much difference which model you get—they're both outstanding. ▶ Best Soundbars to Buy in Early 2025 | TV Audio Upgrades for @ 10:59
- introduced this feature here active voice amplifier so this will just take that vocal range and really push the level of the vocals up so hopefully you don't find yourself having to reach for the remote to adjust the volume constantly when watching movies ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 7:55
- Plenty intelligible dialogue ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 9:03
- This Soundbar is an absolute Beast ▶ BEST Dolby Atmos Soundbar 2024 Tier List (20+ Tested & Ranke @ 4:15
- the q990c from 2023 was heavily praised by a lot of reviewers and some say it may have even been the best Dolby Atmos home theater solution in a box in 2023 ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 0:20
- you get the height the direction the base is crazy wow it's it's Cinema quality audio this is ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 10:02
- the vocals and the dialogue as I expected do sound fantastic the bass is booming ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 11:02
- booted up the Q90F, it was immediately obvious how much better the overall audio image performed ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 5:37
- the Sound Stage feels incredibly wide and the height in the audio is more noticeable because because of those upward drivers ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 10:55
- you won't notice any Distortion there when listening to music the separation of instruments and vocals is all very clean very precise very clear and defined overall it's a very very good speaker ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 11:36
- Front mode for music is immediately noticeable and improves sound for music ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 10:06
Features (15)
- Wireless subwoofer and two Wireless surrounds ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 0:29
- Can now use the included surround speakers as quasi left and right main AKA front speakers for improved stereo imaging when listening to music ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 1:18
- Can be calibrated to sound its best in any room using Samsung's space fit Sound Pro ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 1:10
- Works with popular smart home platforms such as Google and Alexa ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 2:27
- Q Symphony allows users with compatible Samsung TVs to use the TV's internal speakers with the bar for a more immersive experience ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 0:56
- 11.14 channel all-inclusive Dolby Atmos home theater bar ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 0:27
- Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 0:47
- Q Symphony works effectively and is wireless ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 8:21
- Adaptive sound which is a fantastic allrounder because it would adjust the sound according to the input that the Soundbar is getting ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 6:35
- 11.1.4 4 channel Dolby Atmos soundbar loaded with 23 speakers ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 1:27
- Space Fit Sound Pro Plus, which automatically calibrates the soundbar to your environment using built-in sensors to analyze your space. A super useful feature for those who aren't techsavvy and just want to get up and running. ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 3:47
- new feature for this Soundbar it's the private rear sound so you can listen quietly by yourself ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 6:48
- Samsung's Q Symphony sound—a feature enabled by certain Samsung TVs—makes for a pretty meaningful enhancement. So, if you're a Samsung TV owner, there's a pretty good reason to lean toward the Q990 soundbar series. ▶ Best Soundbars to Buy in Early 2025 | TV Audio Upgrades for @ 11:21
- you get access to the space fit sound so this is a feature that you want to enable because it Maps the Acoustics of the room and adjust just the sound of the Soundbar according to that ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 7:23
- retains most of the features the Q990 brought like Q Symphony which syncs the soundbar with a compatible Samsung TV and uses the TV speakers to enhance audio and wireless Atmos ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 1:28
Connectivity (8)
- HDMI 2.1: three HDMI ports with one output that supports Arc, eARC and two inputs; all support signals up to 8K 60 and 4K 120 thanks to 2.1 ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 1:55
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay support ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 2:23
- Listen to Dolby Atmos wirelessly when paired with a compatible Samsung TV ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 0:50
- Optical audio input for older TVs that lack HDMI support ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 2:17
- Support for Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 2:30
- HDMI 2.1 compatible ports ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 11:57
- a little cherry on the cake here is they do provide a suitable HDMI cable for the connection from your TV's Arc or EC port ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 2:51
- the new pass reports here on the q990 D now support 4K 120 HZ ideal for PS5 for Xbox and even PC and pretty much any device that might utilize 120 HZ ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 4:37
Ease of Use (6)
- Cuts down on cable clutter ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 0:54
- Good, easy to use and understand app which makes experimenting with the 990D's various settings a breeze ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 3:29
- throw in the wall mounting brackets ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 2:30
- Fairly easy bar to set up ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 2:34
- the unboxing process pretty smooth ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 1:56
- the Q990F Space Fit Sound Pro Plus automatically calibrated it in real time, so it sounded great right out of the box with zero effort. ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 5:22
Design (2)
- definitely nice to see when watching movies and TV in the dark ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 1:20
- the box is significantly smaller than the Q990D ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 1:54
Subwoofer Performance (1)
- with the new dual 8 in woofer, I don't share that opinion with the Q90F. I've only had to set the bass level to halfway to get a really nice low-end that fills my 12x13 room. ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 6:18
Price/Value (1)
- It is also the most reasonably priced of the three premium ones, and it's the only one that actually comes in one box ▶ Best Soundbars to Buy in Early 2025 | TV Audio Upgrades for @ 11:16
Cons (17)
Design (4)
- Physical appearance, construction, and internal driver complement remain unchanged from the 990C ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 0:34
- having a white TV stand I would like to see a white option of this Soundbar and Samsung do actually have white Soundbars but not in this particular model unfortunately ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 11:50
- the look of this system isn't as stylish or modern as the other two premium systems ▶ Best Soundbars to Buy in Early 2025 | TV Audio Upgrades for @ 11:04
- It is one of the heftier sound bars ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 2:12
Ease of Use (3)
- setting up all those speakers might be a bit of a hassle ▶ BEST Dolby Atmos Soundbar 2024 Tier List (20+ Tested & Ranke @ 4:31
- Samsung have still left room for improvement when it comes to the user interface on this Soundbar because there is no onscreen options ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 8:20
- Moving surround speakers to the front for music and then back for movies is inconvenient as they're not wireless and require power outlets ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 11:15
Features (3)
- Front mode could be seen as a gimmick ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 11:05
- SpaceFit effect was subtle, maybe even unnoticeable depending on other settings and room layout ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 4:05
- Incremental changes for the past 3 years; minor tweaks to an already great product, not pushing boundaries ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 14:44
Sound Quality (3)
- Needs low, medium, and high setting for dialogue enhancements ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 9:31
- Voice enhancement and active voice amplifier reduce subwoofer's bass output and may be too much when paired with adaptive sound plus (boosted treble) ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 6:05
- Virtually no difference in performance/sound quality between 990D and 990C unless HDMI 2.1 or front speaker mode are needed ▶ STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review @ 13:44
Price/Value (3)
- pricey ▶ BEST Dolby Atmos Soundbar 2024 Tier List (20+ Tested & Ranke @ 4:31
- one soundbar I haven't had the opportunity to test because I frankly can't afford it is the Sonos Arc Ultra ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 5:58
- if you never plan to plug a games console into your TV or anything that supports 120 HZ then you might be wise to save the £300 price difference and go for the 990c ▶ Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) @ 4:57
Connectivity (1)
- just like your internet connection where Ethernet is better than Wi-Fi. I'd use a little cable management to get the best experience. ▶ Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Revie @ 1:40
Review sources
- STILL THE BEST Home Theater Soundbar • Samsung Q990D Review by Andrew Robinson — 25 pros, 8 cons
- Samsung's Q990D Atmos Soundbar ( Review & Sound Test ) by WhatGear — 13 pros, 3 cons
- Samsung's Flagship Soundbar Just Got Better | HW-Q990F Review by Full Transparency — 8 pros, 3 cons
- Best Soundbars to Buy in Early 2025 | TV Audio Upgrades for Every Budget by Digital Trends — 3 pros, 1 cons
- BEST Dolby Atmos Soundbar 2024 Tier List (20+ Tested & Ranked!) by 10BestOnes — 1 pros, 2 cons
Frequently asked questions
Is the Samsung HW-Q990D worth buying?
Based on 5 independent YouTube reviews, the Samsung HW-Q990D scores 4/5 with 50 positive and 17 negative points mentioned by reviewers, placing it #36 in the Soundbars category.
What do reviewers like most about the Samsung HW-Q990D?
The most praised aspects are sound quality, features, connectivity — Sound Quality (17 mentions), Features (15 mentions), Connectivity (8 mentions).
What are the most common complaints about the Samsung HW-Q990D?
Reviewers most frequently criticize design, ease of use — Design (4 mentions), Ease of Use (3 mentions).
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