Samsung HW-Q800A review: Samsung TV users will get the most out of it

With its tight, precise, and immersive sound, the $700 Samsung HW-Q800A makes for a compelling, compact, and feature-packed soundbar, although some of its best tricks are reserved for those with Samsung TVs and smartphones. Packing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, along with built-in Alexa and AirPlay 2, this 3.1.2-channel soundbar (upgradable to 5.1.4 with an optional wireless surround speaker kit) delivers rich, controlled sound, while its low-profile housing will prevent it from blocking the bottom of your TV screen.

Unfortunately, some of the Q800A’s most interesting features, including its “Q Symphony” audio technology and room-correction functionality, only work with Samsung TVs, which means owners of other TV brands won’t get the most bang for their bucks. That said, the Q800A’s $700 list price is pretty reasonable given its feature set, even if you don’t count the Samsung TV-enabled functions.

This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best soundbars. Click that link to read reviews of competing products, along with a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping.

Specifications

The Samsung HW-Q800A is a 3.1.2-channel soundbar, which means it has discrete drivers for the left, right, and center channels (the “3” in the soundbar’s 3.1.2 designation), along with a subwoofer for low-frequency effects (the “.1”), and upfiring drivers for height effects (the final “2”).

The main soundbar unit has a total of seven drivers, including a pair of woofers and two tweeters that are split between the left and right channels, plus a wide-range tweeter for the center channel. Two more upfiring drivers (which use Samsung’s horn-style Acoustic Beam technology) bounce sound off the ceiling for the height cues of object-based Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks, an easier and cheaper alternative to installing actual height speakers in your ceiling. All seven of those drivers are powered by a quartet of Class D amplifiers, while a fifth Class D amp is dedicated to the 8-inch driver in the wireless subwoofer.

Because it lacks surround speakers, the HW-Q800A remixes Atmos, DTS:X, and 5.1-channel content for its 3.1.2-channel configuration. If you want true 5.1.4 surround sound (including two rear height channels, for a total of four), you can add Samsung’s $250 rear wireless speaker kit (SWA-9500S), although doing so will bring the soundbar’s overall price up to $950. That might sound like a lot of cash (and it is), but the reality is that a premium 5.1.4-channel soundbar with Wi-Fi connectivity (which is what you’d end up with once you add the wireless speaker kit) will cost you about a thousand bucks these days.

Besides the optional rear speaker kit, the HW-Q800A can sync up with the built-in speakers of “select” 2020 and 2021 Samsung TVs using a technology Samsung calls “Q-Symphony.” When paired together, the Q800A and a supported Samsung TV can deliver “perfectly synchronized” sound for a “harmonious, cinematic experience,” the manufacturer promises.

Sounds cool, but like many who end up choosing the Q800A, I don’t own a Samsung TV; instead, I have an LG C9 OLED TV. The upshot is that I wasn’t able to test the Q800A’s Q-Symphony capabilities, and indeed, this isn’t the only functionality on the soundbar that relies on either a Samsung TV or a phone. Those who don’t have a big-screen Sammy in their living room will need to consider whether they’re OK with spending top dollar on a soundbar like the Q800A with features they won’t be able to fully utilize.

One of the best qualities of the Q800A is its size: small, relatively speaking. Measuring 38.6 x 2.4 x 4.5 inches (WxHxD), the Q800A is much narrower and shorter than previous Samsung models I’ve tested. Take 2019’s HW-Q90R, a 7.1.4 soundbar that was so tall that it blocked a chunk of my LG C9’s screen. The Q800A, on the other hand (and like Samsung’s newer soundbars, including the pricier ones), has a much shorter profile that barely grazes the bottom edge of my LG OLED TV. Another option, of course, would be to install the soundbar under your wall-hung TV, which you can do using the included wall mount guide and bracket/screw kit.

For all the latest Technology News Click Here 

 For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News

Read original article here

Denial of responsibility! TechNewsBoy.com is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.