The Samsung HW-Q900A Soundbar is a 7.1.2 CH sound system released in 2021. This is an updated version of the Samsung HW-Q900T soundbar. Unlike its predecessor, the Q900A soundbar supports Apple AirPlay 2 and comes with automatic tone correction.
Samsung HW-Q900A review
The specification includes some audio enhancement features that work with compatible Samsung TVs to create a more immersive audio experience. For example, the Q-Symphony or SpaceFit Sound + feature. The Q900A acoustic bar offers a neutral sound profile, so it is suitable for various types of audio. The overall sound power is sufficient and the soundbar itself comes with a variety of sound tuning features.
Design
The Samsung HW-Q900A soundbar has a design similar to the Samsung HW-Q950A soundbar . The bar itself is quite wide and heavy. It is made in a plastic case, with a fabric tightly thrown over the top. The sides of the panel are slightly chamfered for side surround speakers.
The subwoofer is made of wood. The woofer is located on the side, the speaker opening is covered with a cloth. Speaker Bar The HW-Q900A does not come with satellites, but it is compatible with the Wireless Rear Speaker Kit. They must be purchased separately.
The acoustic panel of Samsung Q900A is quite wide – 1232x69x138 mm. The bar probably won’t fit between the legs of a 55-inch TV. But on the other hand, it is not very tall and will not obscure the TV screen.
The subwoofer is the same size as the HW-Q900T. Its geometrical dimensions are 210x403x403 mm. Thanks to its wireless design, the sub can be placed anywhere in your room where there is a power outlet nearby. However, as we mentioned in our review of the HW-Q800A , don’t place the subwoofer far from the soundbar.
There is a niche at the back of the Q900A soundbar where the inputs are located. There is also an inlet for the power cable. For wall mounting, there are universal holes on the bottom side. Mounting takes place through a special bar on the wall (included in the kit).
The Samsung Q900A speaker panel has a good build quality overall. Unlike the HW-Q950A, it doesn’t come with satellites. True, the fabric cover can collect dust and get dirty. The models just below use a metal grill, it is more practical, according to some users.
Sound
The HW-Q900A soundbar has excellent stereo performance. With standard presets, it has a neutral sound profile suitable for listening to a variety of audio content. Nevertheless, the low frequencies do not reach the deep ones a little. Therefore, heavy bass music sounds truncated. But the Q900A soundbar has a graphic equalizer, as well as separate bass and treble settings to help customize its sound.
Auto EQ
The HW-Q900A soundbar is equipped with a room correction function called Auto EQ, which automatically calibrates the sound reproduction using the microphone built into the subwoofer. However, there is an opinion that attempts to enable this function both from the remote control and through the application end in failure and the automatic equalizer function does not work.
Sound stage
The Q900A speaker panel has good stereo performance. The soundstage is perceived to be about the size of the bar itself. Unfortunately, there are no additional functions for expanding the stereo base. On the other hand, the HW-Q900A acoustics have good focusing, so it is easy to track sound objects and pinpoint their location.
The Q900A soundbar is quite loud, which is a plus at the increased volume for filling a large room or for a crowded party. In addition, severe distortion does not occur at maximum volume.
The HW-Q900A speaker panel has amazing center channel performance. The 7.1.2 CH design comes with a discrete center that helps to more accurately localize the dialogue to a specific location in the audio image. Its frequency response is also neutral, especially in the midrange where voices are reproduced, so dialogue is clear and detailed.
Surround sound
Finally, the Samsung HW-Q900A soundbar has acceptable surround sound performance. It uses side speakers built into the bar to bounce sound off the walls. Unfortunately, objects in the soundstage do not sound as clear and accurate as with discrete surround speakers. However, its frequency response is fairly balanced.
Dolby Atmos
The Atmos performance of the Samsung Q900A soundbar is average. The panel uses speakers located at the top of the cabinet to bounce sound off the ceiling and return to the listener (simulating pitch). However, Atmos doesn’t sound nearly as real as discrete localization found in almost any home theater or AV receiver.
Embedded technologies
The Samsung Q900A Sound Bar has a fantastic array of sound enhancement features. There is a function of automatic equalizer correction from the room. But as we said earlier, this feature works dubiously. In addition to the equalizer, there are several presets: “Standard”, “Surround”, “Game” and “Adaptive sound”. With these functions, you can make voices clearer using the AVA Active Voice Enhancer.
Q-Symphony
The Q-Symphony feature is of course present in the HW-Q900A acoustic panel. It allows you to connect the panel to speakers on compatible Samsung TVs for immersive audio. Or, you can use Samsung TVs to activate the SpaceFit Sound + feature, which calibrates sound reproduction based on the room.
Connections
The Q900A soundbar is provided with multiple physical inputs. It has two full HDMI ports that allow it to be used as a hub between different devices. But there is no AUX port in the bar, and you cannot connect a USB device to play sound.
Samsung Q900A panel has advanced audio format support via ARC. There is compatibility with common surround sound formats such as Dolby Digital, and object-oriented lossless formats such as Dolby Atmos and the DTS: the X .
It is worth adding here that the Q900A speaker panel supports both Dolby Digital and DTS through an optical input commonly used on streaming platforms and Blu-ray discs. The audio lag in the Samsung HW-Q900A soundbar is minimal. The fairly low latency on the ARC and Optical In ports contributes to correct audio playback and the user will not notice lag. But this is good and only works properly through the full HDMI port.
Wireless playback in Samsung HW-Q900A is complete. You can wirelessly stream audio from your mobile devices to the panel via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. There is support for Apple AirPlay 2 , which is convenient for Apple users. A few words about connecting satellites – all this happens wirelessly, so no wires are required.
Conclusion
With a standard preset, the Samsung HW-Q900A has a fairly neutral sound profile, suitable for listening to most types of audio content. While it lacks some bass, there are many sound tuning features to help you get a more balanced sound.
