Meet The Soundbar That Thinks It’s Too Cool For A Normal-Sized Subwoofer

Summary: Samsung’s new soundbar comes with a much smaller subwoofer than usual, but it still packs a real punch.

Last week, I had a chance to check out the Samsung HW-Q990F, paired with the Samsung Neo QLED QN90F 4K TV, and it has spoiled me for other soundbars. Of course, this soundbar is $1,799 (with the smaller Sub), so it should be an incredible sounding soundbar.

The HW-Q990F (I hate soundbar names) is a pretty beefy soundbar with a smaller subwoofer than normal. It is actually about half the size of its predecessor, HW-Q990D. But don’t let that change your mind about this soundbar; it’s still a very bass-heavy sub. However, it is smaller than what Samsung has offered in the past. Making it easier to put into your living room without it taking up to much space. The HW-Q990F also has two rear speakers included in the price.

This is an 11.1.4-channel setup, so you’re going to get some incredible sound, with deep bass, crystal clear mids and highs, and even at higher volume, the sound really doesn’t distort at all. I cranked up the sound pretty loud during my demo time, and it was quite impressive at how well it performed.

Samsung does have Dolby Atmos included here, though that might not be a feature we see in the future. Remember, Samsung is working with Google on an open source standard called Eclipsa Audio. This was announced back at CES in January.

In the video below, you can listen to the HW-Q990F, along with seeing the visuals from the Neo QLED Q90F 4K TV. Keep in mind that this was recorded with the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, so it’s not 100% representative, but it should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Is the HW-Q990F worth its price?

While we can’t come to a full conclusion after a half hour of using this soundbar, in a controlled environment, I did come away from the demo time feeling like this is an expensive soundbar that is worth its price. It’s $1800 for the whole setup – the soundbar, sub, and rears. Which is not cheap. However, this is the best soundbar that I’ve heard. I reviewed the Bravia Bar 8 last year, and got a chance to demo the Bravia Bar ,9 which is Sony’s most high-end soundbar. And I will say, the HW-Q990F is much better than what Sony is currently offering.

Now, when I go home to my Sonos setup, I’m going to feel pretty sad, that I’m not taking the HW-Q990F home with me.