Another soundbar from Samsung, the HW-A450 is sleek and minimalist in design. Accompanied with a reasonable price this sound bar may be the one for you. This review gives you all the ins and outs of the soundbar. Continue reading to find out.
List of Specifications
Table Of Content
Chanel Configuration | 2.1 |
Product Dimensions | 2.1 x 33.9 x 2.9 inches (Soundbar) |
13.5 x 7.1 x 10.7 inches (Subwoofer) | |
Weight | 12.8 lbs (Soundbar) |
9.6 lbs (Subwoofer) | |
Wireless Audio Protocol | Bluetooth |
Audio Decoding Codecs | Not Applicable |
Audio System Nominal Output Power (Total) | 300 W |
Connectivity | 1x Optical Input |
What’s good?
- There are available Graphic EQ and presets
- Volume can go exceedingly loud
- Design is sleek and minimalistic
What’s not so good?
- Dolby Atmos is not supported
- Surround performance is poor
What’s in the box?
- Manual
- Optical cable
- Remote (with 2x AA batteries)
- 2x AC power cables
- Wall-mounting brackets with screws
- Remote Controller
- Cable
- Wall mount Kit
- Battery for Remote Controller
Design and Build
Maintaining the brand’s signature style, the Samsung HW-A450 was built with a rectangular shaped design. Majority of its top and front sides are covered with fabric whilst the other parts are plastic.
As for the subwoofer, it is made mostly from wood. Similarly to the soundbar, fabric covers its front side. The fabric is rather thin which may get dirty more easily.
In terms of its size, the HW-A450 stretches at 2.1 x 33.9 x 2.9 inches which is considered to be a bit too long for most. However, If the size of your TV setup is 55 inches and above, it should have no problems fitting in between.
Overall, the HW-A450 has an average build, as the majority of its body is made from thin plastic thus lacking in durability.
The subwoofer is no different as it is made of wood. As mentioned earlier, both the front sides (speakers) of the soundbar and subwoofer are covered by a thin layer of fabric. This thin fabric not only feels loose but seems as though it could easily tear.
Controls
The controls are rather straightforward and simple. For the soundbar, it has four buttons at the top middle. Through these buttons you can turn the bar on or off, switch inputs and adjust the volume.
As for the remote, the style follows the Samsung HW-T450, allowing users to control all of the soundbar’s settings with a click.
Unfortunately, this model does not come with a companion app, therefore confining the controls to that of the soundbar itself and the remote.
Connectivity
With much disappointment, this model only comes with two inputs and that is the USB and Optical Audio inputs. As there is no HDMI input port, using it as a hub between devices is not possible.
Despite the setbacks, the Samsung HW-A450 does support Dolby Digital and Digital Theater Systems (DTS) content via the Optical Audio input.
These types of content can be found on a few streaming platforms and on Blu-ray discs, which is rather outdated.
While the HW-A450 has subpar playback options, it does support the Bluetooth therefore streaming your favourite content to the bar can be done wirelessly.
As for the subwoofer, it can connect wirelessly to the soundbar. The pairing button can be found on the bottom right side of its back. Wired cable connections are also supported.
Performance
The stereo frequency response for the Samsung Hw-A450 is relatively good. In fact, it produces a rather neutral sound and adds a boom to sound effects in movies.
That being said, the bass lacks a deep thump which can be rather disappointing for those that love deep rumble in their bassy music.
However, if you prefer different sounds, there are sound enhancement features. It includes presets and a graphic EQ which allows you to fine tune your music. A cool fact that you may not know about these presets is that they serve more than one role.
For example, the Adaptive Sound Lite preset acts as a dialogue enhancement feature. Hence, if you were to press and hold the ‘Sound Mode’ button whilst the soundbar is off, you can also turn on or shut down its auto volume mode.
As for the dynamic performance, well you are in for a treat. This model can get real loud, loud enough to fill a rather large room. At max volume, a few compression artifacts are used to maintain a clean sounding audio.
Furthermore, as mentioned under the specs, the HW-A450 is a 2.1 setup. This means that there is no dedicated center speaker. Therefore, to create sound in the center, it uses the right and left speakers which produces audio that sounds diffused and unclear. Again, as the model falls short on its bass, voices may sound clearer and more accurate.
Additionally, with the 2.1 setup, the right and left speaker is used to create an immersive audio experience.
However, compared to sound bars that have dedicated surround speakers, the surround objects are perceived to be coming from in front of you, instead of behind you or even your sides.
Competition
Samsung HW-T550
For around an extra 50$, the Samsung HW-T550 comes in as a strong competitor. While both the HW-T550 and HW-A450 are quite similar in terms of their performance, the HW-T550 has a virtual surround feature.
As an added bonus, it also comes with more inputs which includes a HDMI input port. Not to mention, the overall build is also significantly better. However, the HW-A450 still beats the HW-T550 in volume.
Samsung HW-T650
Another competitor would be the Samsung HW-T650. It is just straight up a better soundbar as it runs on a 3.1 setup. That means it has a superior center channel performance, HDMI ARC and HDMI Input ports.
Similarly to the HW-T550, the build is way better than the HW-A450. Unfortunately, it does not come with a graphic EQ unlike the HW-A450, meaning you can’t customize your audio to your liking.
Conclusion
Well, if you’re looking for a soundbar that provides satisfactory mixed usage at a cheaper price, then this might be it for you. As mentioned earlier, this soundbar produces neutral sounds, suitable for a plethora of audio content.
Furthermore, with the graphic EQ, you can customize the sounds to fit your taste. Lastly, it supports Bluetooth providing you that wireless life you always wanted!
Check out Samsung HW-A450/ZA 2.1ch Soundbar with Dolby Audio (2021) , Black from Amazon.com now!