Back with their flagship model in 2020, the Samsung – HW-Q950T soundbar is back in action, with Samsung keeping up the pace of its iconic soundbar products. Implementing a similar cost with the previous model of HW-Q90R, the company has managed to slip in a few upgrades, with an improvement in the channel count to a remarkable Dolby Atmos / DTS: X-friendly 9.1.4 configuration.
With Alexa built into the soundbar system for assistant needs, HW-Q950T also features genuinely new and smart elements, alongside a slimmer form compared to its predecessor. With a slimmer appearance, it will fit more comfortably with varied-size TVs. With all its improvements, it’s price tag remains at $1,499.98 after a $300 sales discount, but is it really worth buying?
Check out the updated version – Samsung – HW-Q950T on Bestbuy.com
Table Of Content
List of Specifications
| Channel Configuration | 9.1.4 |
| Product Dimensions | 2.7 inches (Height)
48 inches (Width) 5.4 inches (Depth) |
| Weight | 46.5 pounds |
| Output | 1 (HDMI) |
| Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth
WiFi |
| Connectivity | 1 x HDMI |
| Subwoofer and Satellites Types | Wireless |
| Accessories Included | 1 x Remote Control |
Pros
- Powerful and superb sound output
- Attractive and sleek design
- Unparalleled channel support
Cons
- The exceptionally high price tag
- Complex display positions
- Lack of auto-calibration
What’s in the Box?
- Active soundbar speaker (HW-Q950T)
- Wireless powered sub (PS-WR95BB)
- 2 Wireless rear speakers (PS-SQ90BB)
- AC power adapter (attached 58″ DC cord)
- Four 5′ AC power cords
- 59″ HDMI cable
- Remote control (AH59-2767A)
- 2 “AA” batteries
- 2 Wall-mount brackets
- 2 Screw-holders
- 2 Screws
- 4 Self-adhesive pads
- Wall-Mount Guide
- User Manual
Design and Build
The Samsung – HW-Q950T soundbar features a fairly wide and heavy design, making it suitable for mixed usage if you look for something that produces great audio quality and coverage. Bearing a similar design to the previous HW-Q900T model, it comes with slightly angular sides and vent-like openings for the side surround speakers.
Constructed with plastic and covered in tight fabric on the front and topsides, the bar seems like it could get dusty easily. With a 48.4 x 2.8 x 5.4 inches dimension, it is quite long and probably won’t fit between the legs of any TVs smaller than 55 inches. On the contrary, the soundbar is not built for height, so it prevents anything from obscuring your view of sight.
The soundbar also comes with universal mounting ports to allow for maximum functionality. It has one opening located on the back that opens up to the input ports while housing a power cable separately at the bar’s right side. With brackets and screws included with the box, the soundbar can be wall-mounted through the universal holes.
The Samsung -HW-Q950T also comes with an 8.2 x 15.8 x 15.9-inch subwoofer and 4.8 x 8.2 x 5.6-inch satellites. It would help if you didn’t have any difficulties finding a perfect spot for them due to their small dimensions and flexibility, as long as they are connected to a power source.
It also has a good build quality, as the bar and satellites are mostly covered in plastic materials. The downside to this is that the speakers are protected by tight fabric, and it seems like they could collect dust easily.
Controls
The Samsung – HW-Q950T soundbar houses a small display on the top of the product. You will only see the display when you stand over it, which means that you can’t see the display from a distance or when you’re at the same level. It shows details like volume levels, speaker settings and also inputs. The soundbar also presents 3 lights in the front that turn on and off when the volume is adjusted, but these lights are not level indicators.
The top of the Samsung – HW-Q950T soundbar has several buttons for additional control. One of these buttons is a multi-function button to select inputs, while other buttons are used for adjusting the volume up and down or turning the mic on and off.
The Samsung HW-Q950T package comes with a regular remote control similar to the Samsung HW-Q90R. It is not a universal remote, but you will find buttons for managing all the bar functions.
The Samsung HW-Q950T soundbar also supports the SmartThings app. The application is available on both iOS and Android app store and lets you manage the EQ, inputs, and play music. You can also control the volume levels as the app acts like a remote, but only certain features like the bar and satellite levels can be controlled via the remote control.
The soundbar also has a Power Saving option which turns it off after 18 minutes of inactivity. It has HDMI CEC allowing users to use the regular IR remote to manage its essential functions.
Connectivity
The Samsung HW-Q950T soundbar contains a decent selection of physical input ports. Behind the bar, you will find an HDMI Out port, an HDMI ARC port, 2 Full HDMI In ports and optical audio in port. It lacks the aux port meaning that you won’t connect it to older devices unless it comes with HDMI ports.
The subwoofer connects wirelessly to the bar and only has an input port for drawing power. The same can be said for the satellites that come together, and they connect to the soundbars wirelessly.
Speaking of wireless connectivity, it comes with Bluetooth (version unspecified) and Wi-Fi onboard. Although it does not support system-specific connectivity options like Chromecast or AirPlay, the wireless features are more than enough to connect to modern devices.
As far as support for audio format goes, the Samsung HW-Q950T has an HDMI eARC port enabling it to stream most formats with elan. You also get support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, DTS, DTS:X, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and 5.1 PCM via the port.
The soundbar is ideal for those who intend to enjoy high-quality music and experience the most out of movies because of Dolby Atmos and DTS support systems. The optical port supports DTS and Dolby Digital, ensuring seamless connectivity with your Blu-Ray player.
Performance
The Samsung HW-Q950T soundbar has a wonderful audio performance. Although the price is set at a premium level, the quality produced is worth every penny. The HW-Q950T is a 9.1.4 Ch configuration.
The system is more than capable of achieving huge volumes, far beyond what most ears will tolerate. Even at such high levels, the soundbar does not show a hint of rattling, distortion or fuzziness from any of its many drivers. The sound remains stabilised and improves the louder you drive it, with it becoming more open and dynamic instead of suffering from harsh trebles or feeling muddy all of a sudden.
The voices and sounds delivered are fantastically clear and perfectly contextualised, with an essential factor being that the soundbar has a wide enough dispersion to diffuse the sound to create an illusion that it comes directly from the screen’s images, not the soundbar itself.
With improvements made to withstand explosive power, the Q950T also comes with significant improvements. It can differentiate the tiniest details in a Dolby Atmos or DTS:X mix. Sounds of nature are caught and integrated with the audio outputs to sound perfectly audible without exaggeration or shrillness, without overpowering the balance.
One last point about the Q950T’s sound is that its abundance of power means it’s unprecedentedly good by soundbar standards at escalating its performance to meet even the most mammoth of mixes. Given the degree to which the Q950T is tuned for Dolby Atmos / DTS:X movies, its comprehension of music is definitely on the muscular side, the new drivers are sufficiently refined to ensure content feels balanced and convincing, with plenty of subtle detail, a pleasing stereo presence, and slightly elevated (vertically) vocals that never sound either shrill or swallowed.
The dynamic range continues to be prodigious with music, too, hitting bass levels you probably never knew existed in your favourite songs, ensuring low frequencies never become over-dominant or thuddy.
Competition
At a whopping price of $1499.98, the Samsung HW-Q950T is great for high-end users that require the best experience. It has ample features to support almost any type of playback, and the overall sound is magnificent for a soundbar. Let us see how it stacks up against the competition –
Samsung HW-Q90R
The Samsung HW-Q90R and the Samsung HW-Q950T are two differently performing soundbars with different setups. The HW-Q90R is a 7.1.4 setup that feels better built and has less compression at max volume. Its center, surrounds, and height performances are better, and it also supports 5.1 PCM via its Full HDMI In port.
The HW-Q950T, in comparison, is a 9.1.4 setup that’s able to reproduce slightly more bass and comes with Q-Symphony, allowing the setup to produce an immense experience for the users through the speakers.
LG SN11RG
The LG SN11RG is a 7.1.4 setup, while the prior is a 9.1.4 setup. The LG feels better built and produces a more punchy and boomy sound. Its center, surround, and height performances are all better too, and it even has room correction and an auto-volume mode. It also has a USB port. However, Samsung has a better THD performance, and its overall sound profile is better balanced too.
Conclusion
The Samsung HW-Q950T is great for mixed use in high-end situations. Whether you’re watching movies or listening to music, or doing both, this soundbar produces balanced and well-tweaked audio. All sounds are adjustable in addition to a graphic EQ as well as presets. There is also a dialogue enhancement feature, making it ideal for users who are into audiobooks or TV shows.
Besides that, the soundbar can also get loud enough to be used during a house party, and you can also stream your favorite songs to it using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It even supports Atmos, giving you a more immersive movie experience.
Get the latest Samsung – HW-Q950T 9.1.4ch Soundbar from Bestbuy.com
