RATING
I’VE HAD the liberty of reviewing some very high-performance soundbars in the last couple of years that take advantage of the height information in object-based Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks to effect a more engaging soundstage. These are sweet-sounding systems adept at both movies and music, but all were equipped with only a pair of front-height channel drivers that bounce off the ceiling and no rear surrounds. All lacked the usual channel-level adjustments to further tune the sonics to a specific space. On the other hand, Samsung’s HW-Q990B—the subject of this review—comes as close to emulating a full-blown AVR-based Atmos/DTS:X system as I’ve seen to date, down to the highest level of tweakability. Priced at $1,899, it’s not cheap. But it is as well thought out, fully equipped, and solidly built as any serious piece of audio kit you’re likely to find at its price point. Let’s take a closer look.
The Q990B system includes the main bar, a wireless powered sub, and a pair of rear surround/height speakers. Technically, it’s an 11.1.4-channel system. The bar itself measures 48.5 x 2.7 x 5.4 inches (WHD), the same width of a 55-inch TV, and weighs 17 lbs.
It is impressively inert and decidedly utilitarian—a simple black bar with perforated grilles on the front, side, and top baffles. It does its best to disappear on your credenza.
Of the system’s 22 active drivers, 15 are in the bar, driven by 384 watts of power. Nine of these are matched, 2-inch round drivers that appear to function full-range or as tweeters
