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Review on πŸ”Š SAMSUNG HW-Q950A Black 11.1.4ch Soundbar with Dolby Atmos/DTS:X and Built-in Alexa (2021) by Gregory Robinson

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Dolby Atmos, eARC, subwoofer included, Bluetooth for phone connectivity, rear speakers can be added separately

In my opinion, it's good enough to get a top rating from Consumer Reports. I'll give some advice on why or why not and what it is: * I wouldn't understand if your TV doesn't support HDMI eARC. If your TV only supports HDMI ARC, I would save some money and buy an ARC (not eARC) soundbar.* If you also plan to stream music from your phone, iPad or other device to this soundbar, this is a good one Choice. Super-fast and easy Bluetooth pairing.* If you're streaming music directly from your router (Wi-Fi), you're in, because it will too.* If you want the high-quality Bluetooth subwoofer that's included, that's it a good choice. . Of course at this price point you will be using a subwoofer I assume. You'll love the subwoofer.* The operating power consumption is 28 watts, while conventional speakers consume an average of 100 watts. The soundbar and subwoofer each consume 0.5W in standby mode. However, use a good quality surge protector as they do not have built-in surge protection. I know this on the phone to verify as the manual doesn't mention it. *If you prefer traditional surround sound, please note that this device uses Dolby Atmos (or you can use DTS:X). Which one is preferred probably depends more on the space than anything else. Dolby Atmos suits me and is one of the reasons why I chose this Q Series soundbar.* This soundbar supports 4K and HDR broadcasting.* Processes Alexa speech, which varies depending on the way you work and your views can come in handy when it comes to privacy.* The included remote control is pretty intuitive, as you'd expect from Samsung, one of the mainstream soundbar brands. , this is a heavy soundbar that I personally wouldn't mount to drywall with simple anchors, but I am - I don't like drilling big holes in drywall to place anchors. I want to attach something with weight to studs for more security. Since the studs in my wall are 16 inches apart I will be purchasing the brackets separately and using screws to mount them into the studs. And I'm going to use nanotape to make sure the soundbar is really secure on the mounts I've chosen. In any case, Samsung does not supply screws for the wall. The only screws included are for attaching the included brackets to the soundbar. Check out my photos to see exactly what I'm talking about.* This is the right soundbar if your TV supports Dolby Digital Plus, but not if your TV only supports Dolby Digital. You want to be able to get Dolby Atmos, which isn't possible if your TV doesn't use Dolby Digital Plus. * Later you can add 2 rear speakers that connect to this soundbar via Bluetooth. Samsung sells them, of course. I called Samsung to find out how this soundbar decodes audio for the rear speakers and the guy I spoke to had to contact their manager who concluded that I needed to call their expert on the matter. I was given a number to call a specialist and will probably be calling them in a few months.* The soundbar itself has 8 speakers. It uses a variety of technologies to produce an extremely complex sound that justifies the price. I am pleased.

Pros
  • There's something to that
Cons
  • Stock availability

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