Customer Ratings & Reviews

I had to buy a new TV for the living room and for every review I saw or store set up I visited, there was always a soundbar in front. A friend had a soundbar years ago and it didn't impress so I wasn't much of a believer. But since I wasn't loving my old home theater speakers anymore and had removed them, I became curious about the latest generation of soundbar systems. Could they deliver big home theater sound? I was skeptical but soon got sucked into the rabbit hole of YouTube reviews and online articles, along with some in store visits. This model had the most positive reviews overall and from what I could hear in the Best Buy store I was impressed enough to pull the trigger during a sale ($200 off). I don't regret it one bit. This system ROCKS! I wanted to experience Dolby Atmos for the first time at home and the Q950A delivers BIGTIME. Watching 4K discs and streaming blows me away. For example, the very beginning of Kong Skull Island on 4K disc is a stand out and the Q950A delivers an incredible Atmos experience. I'm now reminded how good movies can sound at home, Set up was pretty easy (just take your time and follow the directions) and the speakers all connected fine. It's connected to the eARC input on my TV via HDMI. It takes a little dialing in like any sound system to get you close to that sweet spot. Here's my take on music listening. If you're playing a concert or any music in surround sound (like 5.1 or higher) the Q950A sounds awesome with dynamic separation among its many speakers and the sub KICKS with healthy (sometimes surprising) low end bass. I couldn't be happier. For simple 2-channel music I tend to use two front stand alone speakers for vinyl and Spotify that I have hooked up, but the Q950A is still decent enough for 2 channel music if you don't need huge sound for that. I do find that dialogue is out of sync once in a while since I got it but I'm not faulting the soundbar. I dialed in my TV sync settings with the Q950A (both with the latest firmware) and this isn't happening as much now. If it does, the Q950A has easy sync settings you can adjust. Yeah, it's a small pain to make some of the setting adjustments by getting up and going over to the soundbar, because they face up on top of it. But it's a small gripe compared to the otherwise amazing benefits of this system and I don't have to change those settings often anyway. Definitely download the free SmartThings app mentioned in the instructions for other settings which are pretty simple and straightforward, but vital to have. I can't tell you how happy I am with the Q950A. It sounds fantastic and has renewed my faith in soundbars to deliver big home theater sound for multi channel movies, tv, and music!

We had a Bose Lifestyle174 135 system in our basement and while still sounding good it was time for a change. The one thing I wanted to do this time was get a system where I can add rear speakers as I sorely missed that true surround sound. Originally I wanted to get the Bose 900 or Sony A-7000 but by the time I added a subwoofer and rear speakers it was getting too expensive. I found the Samsung HW-Q950A as a "satisfactory" open box at our local Best Buy for $890 which was a perfect price. The reason it was rated as "satisfactory" was due to the damage to the box. I could tell by the tape packaging the box was not previously opened and when I opened it when I got home I was glad to see I was right. Set up was fairly straight forward and I set it up with my Sony A9G TV. At first there was an issue with the synching of the video and the sound but after changing one setting on the TV that was resolved. The sound itself was better than I expected as I always preferred companies that focused on sound such as Bose, Sennheiser, MartinLogan, etc. I am not an audiophile but I can hear some differences. Highs and mids were great. The bass could be stronger but I'm pretty sure I can tweak that through the SmartThings app. Tried a few different scenes from "Ready: Player One", "Top Gun: Maverick", and "The Greatest Showman" and they all sounded excellent. The 2 channels in each rear speaker with the upfiring enhanced the experience more than I expected them to. I have a few complaints but with the price point I got the system at they are issues I can deal with: * Subwoofer could be stronger, but I am going to play with the settings so the problem can be on me * The display window is on top of the soundbar, not the front, which makes adjusting a bit of a pain * 6 foot power cords for the rear speakers. Can't think of too many scenarios where that's helpful * And this one is on me because having a Sony TV, but the volume numbers between the TV and the soundbar misalign. So if the TV goes down to zero and the soundbar is at 10, I can't lower the soundbar any more unless I get the soundbar remote. Kind of defeats one of the main benefits of ARC/eARC * My house is configured with Google Assistant which this doesn't support. Not the worst thing as I can just go through the TV Since this is a discontinued series is it worth getting over the Q990B? The Q990B looks better (no cloth protecting the grills/speakers) and has the text in the front, and may be a little more configurable but these are features not enough to warrant the price difference. Get the HW-Q950A while you can. You won't be disappointed.

Received this on may25. Like it very much so far. Went to the store today to add a 4 year geek squad warranty, and was told there was none available for this item. This really concerned me. Because of this I am considering returning it. But here is my review I was supposed to receive mine thursday the 27th but came Tuesday the 25th instead. The only negative so far is the top display but the smart things app helps some there. I really liked my q90r very much but the 950a is a big step up. Vocals much improved, just a little on the bright side. surrounds wides, sides, tops, total immersive experience blowing me away. The sub is less overwhelming than q90, and much tighter and controlled. I am a very basic user and haven’t tried every thing but very pleased so far. Yes Dolby vision pass through as well as atmos from uhd player, or. Streaming device. My lg cx does not pass dts,or dtsx through earc. If anyone asked I would definitely recommend this as an upgrade over the k950 and q90r not as peicey as I thought it would be as currently priced. I actually like the non reflective fabric cover. I would give it five stars if they would add the speaker level controls to the smart things app, and display weather the current surround mode is dtsx,dts master,or Dolby atmos,or DD+ etc. and give you the option to purchase an extended warranty.

I’m glad I purchased this since I had a Samsung TV but is also good for other TV too. You need a TV with an e-arch input as this will give you the lossless atmos audio. I’m so impressed how immersive the sound is and so easy to set up. Make sure to buy an extra extension cord as the wire to power the rear speakers are short. The apps is bad so don’t even try to use it just adjust everything in the soundbar. Once you twick and did some adjustment depending on your area everything you play in this soundbar will sound good. From regular cable to streaming device to the Blu-ray player everything will sound so good. This soundbar is loud I only had them in to 15-20 for volume and the volume goes all the way to 100 and my living room is rumbling with sound. I highly recommend this soundbar. The only thing I don’t like is where they put display is on the top of the soundbar so you need to get up every time to see what’s on display.

I'm really happy with this set. I upgraded from a Samsung HW-K950 5.1.4 set and the difference is immediately noticeable. The sound is very crisp and the setup is easy. It works even better with my 2020 Samsung TV and uses the TV speakers to enhance the sound even more. The only thing that I would list as cons are: -The price is a bit too high -The "display" is on the top of the main speaker. This is pretty annoying as you can't see it unless you are standing right over it. It is also only about 2 inches wide and 1 inch tall. You have to wait for the text to scroll by to know which setting you are adjusting. The phone app should be used for all settings. It's a bit ridiculous for the price.

For being Samsung's flagship soundbar, sub and surround model (for this year) the sound is superb. I am/have been a big audiophile/movie watcher and Atmos brings a whole new experience (definite upgrade/no question) from Dolby digital. The only complaint I have which is rectified in newer models is the felt on the soundbar and surround speakers (collects dust). Otherwise you can't go wrong.

The sound that comes out of this system is spectacular. However you are paying a rather premium price. The subwoofer really feels the room. The wireless surround speakers are really the gem of this product not having to string cable all over your room. Very easy to set up one simple plug and everything connects with itself. The only challenge is the surround speakers need to be plugged in and powered so you'll need to have a solution for a rear outlet.

This is a great sound bar with really good immersion. The sub provides plenty of bass, and the voice enhancement/night mode is fantastic for watching at night when kids are asleep. I can clearly hear dialogue which can be a struggle with other systems. I owned a Sony HTA9 before this, and while that unit sounded better overall, the Samsung does not have any dropout issues which makes it a much better unit for me personally. YMMV. The only thing holding this back is that it cannot get a Dolby Atmos signal from devices connected to the TV, only if your device is wired via the Q950A HDMI input. This is fine for Apple TV & most streaming devices for and watching movies as you can connect it directly to the Q950A. However, this is not ideal for Xbox Series X/PS5 as the unit doesn't support HDMI 2.1 so would lose frames with connecting the Xbox/PS5 directly. I typically game with a headset so this is not a deal breaker for me, but it's disappointing at this price point nonetheless. Overall I recommend the unit, but beware of the Atmos limitation if that is must have for you.

The Q950 offers a very deep and rich sounds. I can immediately tell the different when it's off or off. I'm very please with how my move and show watching experience have improved after buying this. One con I have is that the system doesn't auto turn on when I turn my TV on, so I have to turn both on every time. Since both my TV and soundbar are mid-high level Samsung products, I would've expected the firmware to mesh together better. Overall though I'm very happy with buy.

I have had a few experiences with sound bars over the recent years and this system comes to as home theater quality as I have experienced. I have used this sound bar in two separate rooms in my house to try out how it handles being in an enclosed space (media room) as well as a wide open floorplan with 12' ceilings...noting very little difference and am amazed at the clarify this package delivers. The virtual surround processing is excellent! As certain streams are only in stereo, it does separate the channels quite nicely and 'put' the sound right where it needs to be for both shows, media and games. The Atmos and DTS processing has been the best I have experienced coming from a compact package and truly does project sound spatially even with high ceilings and wide walls (though it did require some minor small tuning with delay to make it 'right'). I have put it through Dolby streams as well as Dolby and DTS on BD and still amazed at how little difference there is between this setup and a full 9.2.4 setup. Setting up was extremely simple, being able to setup the entire system with only one HDMI cable to the TV and letting the auto-calibration taking care of the rest. You may have to tweak delay a little depending on where you put it but it took about a total of 30 minutes to setup from unboxing to enjoying as you see in the picture. I would very highly recommend this to anyone looking to obtain home theater quality sound from a package that suits everything from a cozy flat to the wide open spaces of open floor plans. You will enjoy every moment and source you throw at it.

Clear surround sound with the included subwoofer and 2 rear speakers. Easy setup, no wires except a power cord for each speaker, and an HDMI cable if you use the TV’s ARC/eARC. Literally plug and play. Excellent sound and quality for the price, especially if you have Dolby Atmos 4k movies steaming or Dolby Atmos discs for a 4k player. Half the price of the excellent money no object Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar. I think Music and the bass sound better on the Sonos Arc with Sonos Sub (gen 3) and two Sonos one SL or two Sonos five speakers, but that would cost you $2050 (or $2750 with the fives). After much research for the soundbar with the very best quality sound and music, my top soundbar pick for movies and especially music is the Sonos group. But for the Black Friday week price of $1299 (list $1799) the Samsung 11.1 is my second choice for best soundbar with a subwoofer, and it is a steal at this price. It is the one I bought.

Crystal clear sound, heavy base you can feel if turned up. I'm very happy with this sound system. It's probably a bit too big for my small living room, but I like it loud. It was easy to set up with my matching TV.

I don't typically write reviews since I don't think too highly of my opinion, however, I felt compelled to say something here for two reasons: - factually incorrect information in some of the other "reviews" - the product itself is absolutely incredible So point one - the person below claiming that the q950a is not capable of proper atmos pass through is just straight up wrong. Source: have passed through atmos on my pc, ps5, Xbox series x, Apple TV, Nvidia shield, and uhd blu ray player without problem and with console/pc set to render at 120 hz. So if this is a something you are considering when making the purchase, proceed without fear. Perhaps the individual in question should check configs on their end (eg tv/bar firmware, cable quality, etc). Point two - the sound on this thing is absolutely amazing. Movies and games reach a level of immersion here that I have never before experienced with a comparable product, including a full stack Arc setup. Yeah, it's still a soundbar so maybe it doesn't quite reach the heights of a "traditional" A/V setup, but what Samsung have achieved here is truly remarkable from the perspective of Soundbar Tech.

This soundbar and speakers feel the room with sound. It easily hooked up with my Samsung television.

Amazing surround! Even when it’s not a surround program the rears totally output the music and the voice is front and center. The star of the show is real Dolby Atmos programs though! Wow! It’s like you’re in the theater and is just amazing! The woofer is not overpowering but does kick in when you need it and balances the sound terrifically. You really hear each and every sound and I love the side speakers on the bar because you can sit anywhere in the room and hear it the same way. Worth the price for anyone on the fence!

I bought this sound bar and was amazed by the sound it produces. The one thing I needed help with is that the manual says the display (which some brilliant person decided would be best where you can't see it unless you're standing next to it) should display what type of audio you're listening to. Whether it's Dolby Atmos or dtsx. This rarely happens. Sometimes I'll go to play a movie and it will display don't be Atmos but 9.5 out of 10 times it only says HDMI 1 or 2. That's it. I can't seem to figure out how to display the audio format to make sure I'm getting the best sound during my movie. I have called support who said they would elevate my call but never received a call back from anyone. Another time a gentleman told me that the display will never show the audio format so obviously he didn't know what he was talking about because I have seen it on a rare occasion. The same gentleman said he would transfer me to the higher ups but disconnected my call instead. It worries me not being able to see the audio format whenever I want because when something doesn't sound right, I don't know if it's my movie or the soundbar. For the price, this should be a simple info button. I have tried with multiple devices and each one is the same where once in a while I will be able to see the audio format displayed on the soundbar but most the time just tells me the input. If I use my TV through EARC, I have only ever seen the earc displayed. It has never told me what audio format using that mode. I would recommend this product solely on the way it sounds, but be foreworned that if you run into problems that Samsung has absolutely horrible support and seems their technical support staff doesn't know much about the products.

I’m very particular when it comes to sound, in other words I’m very picky. What I look for is well balanced sound. Crisp clear sound. Just enough bass to not be over bearing. The sound bar was easy to hook up, linked right away except to subwoofer, I had some minor issues but read the instructions, it then hooked up right away. I have 20ft ceilings and it fills up the room enough for me. People have been complaining about the bass. I think it’s a great happy medium. I put the bass right next to where I sit rather then having it coming from the front. I used to be a bass head when I was younger and wanted bass so strong it would rattle my soul but as I got older and I have other people in my living environment I need to consider about (cough, cough, my girlfriend) I just want bass to feel the highs and mid level sound and this sub does it. If you want your walls to rattle, I would suggest JBL or Nakamishi or getting some real wired speakers. I’m super impressed with the sound bar.

Superb sound quality and extremely easy to set up, highly recommended

I love it. The sound is incredible. My room is 18x12 and it is loud. The sound fills the room. Watching mortal Kombat on HBO max was a treat. The bass was better than I thought. I only go to about 30 on volume for movies and I’m blown away. This system can go even launder without sounding distorted. You should purchase if you’re on the fence

This is a fantastic sound bar overall! Like most folks, I was contemplating on waiting for the Klipsch Cinema 1200 but with delays and reading reviews on prior Klipsch models vs Samsung, I am glad I decided to stay with a Samsung product again. I just upgraded to this unit from a 2016 HW-K950/ZA which did not perform as well. This unit so far is a superior upgrade in many ways. My prior concern was how loud this system could get versus my prior unit and if there would be connection issues which I suffered frequently from. So far, this system has not had any issues so far and I've tested a few movies so far which has been a pleasure to listen to. One area that it does not perform as well in is music. If you are using this purely for music, a B&O system would probably do more justice for your ear however if you want something well rounded for movies and music, this sound bar will certainly meet those demands. I also have other Samsung products in my home so having an eco system that is connected well to each other is a plus!