I Compared Flagship Soundbars From Sonos And Samsung - This Model's Staying Under My Tv

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The Samsung HW-Q990F and Sonos Arc Ultra correspond 2 chopped approaches to premium location theatre audio, but some are highly praised for their value and features. Both are fantabulous systems, but they're built for different kinds of buyers pinch somewhat different priorities.

Also: I compared nan 2 champion ANC earbuds by Apple and Bose, and there's a sonic difference

The Samsung HW-Q990F is Samsung's 2025 flagship, offering a complete situation sound package. The Sonos Arc Ultra takes a different approach, astatine slightest successful its guidelines form. It's a standalone soundbar that useful wrong nan Sonos ecosystem, letting you usage it connected its ain aliases grow it pinch further Sonos speakers and a subwoofer later. 

So, which of these systems is better? Here's my take.

Specifications

You should bargain nan Samsung HW-Q990F if...

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1. You want a complete situation sound solution

The Samsung HW-Q990F is nan strategy to get if you want everything you request for an immersive situation sound setup correct retired of nan box. The package includes nan main soundbar pinch 15 drivers, 2 wireless rear speakers pinch 3 drivers each, and a subwoofer pinch dual 8-inch drivers. That adds up to a existent 11.1.4 transmission configuration, which is astir arsenic immersive arsenic soundbar systems get.

Review: Samsung HW-Q990F

What makes this strategy peculiarly awesome is that nan rear speakers characteristic up-firing drivers for tallness effects, alternatively than solely forward- and side-firing elements. That helps make Dolby Atmos contented sound genuinely enveloping. The immersion is excellent, and you don't person to bargain thing other to get nan afloat experience. In my experience, I recovered nan level of immersion to beryllium among nan highest among soundbar-based systems.

2. You person a compatible Samsung TV

If you already ain a Samsung TV, nan HW-Q990F offers autochthonal features you won't find elsewhere. The soundbar tin activity pinch your TV's built-in speakers to heighten dialog clarity done Samsung's Q-Symphony technology. You tin besides power everything done nan Samsung SmartThings app, which you're apt already utilizing if you person different Samsung devices successful your home, for illustration a Samsung TV.

Also: The apical 6 TVs our readers bought past twelvemonth (No. 1 wasn't a Sony aliases Samsung)

That said, not each Samsung TV models are compatible pinch these features, truthful it's advisable to cheque earlier making a purchase. For those pinch compatible TVs, nan integration is seamless, making it moreover easier to use.

3. You require DTS:X support

The Samsung HW-Q990F supports DTS:X, Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, and nan caller Eclipsa Audio format that Samsung co-developed pinch Google. This is simply a important advantage if you person a postulation of Blu-rays aliases different beingness media that utilize DTS formats, arsenic you'll beryllium capable to afloat leverage those audio tracks.

The Sonos Arc Ultra, by contrast, does not support DTS:X. It handles Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital very well, but if you person DTS:X contented successful your library, you'll beryllium missing retired connected that format's afloat capabilities pinch nan Sonos soundbar.

You should bargain nan Sonos Arc Ultra if...

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1. You want exceptional capacity from a azygous bar

The Sonos Arc Ultra is awesome for what it tin do arsenic a standalone soundbar. Sonos's Sound Motion exertion utilizes a four-motor, dual-membrane woofer creation that delivers astir double nan bass output of nan erstwhile Arc, each without nan request for an outer subwoofer. 

The consequence is simply a 9.1.4 virtualized transmission strategy pinch 14 drivers packed into a compact shape factor. In individual usage, I've recovered that nan Arc Ultra's bass consequence is comparable to that of nan Sonos Sub Mini, which is very impressive; however, you'll still get amended bass from a full-size Sonos Sub 4. 

Review: Sonos Arc Ultra

For astir content, including music, movies, and TV shows, nan Arc Ultra sounds awesome connected its own. That said, it's still compatible pinch nan Sonos Sub and Sonos speakers, specified arsenic nan Era 100 and Era 300, if you want to grow later, aliases if you already person Sonos speakers you want to repurpose for usage pinch nan soundbar. 

The afloat Sonos Immersive Set, comprising Arc Ultra, Sub 4, and Era 300 speakers, costs astir $2,956, which is importantly much than nan Samsung package. However, nan modularity is adjuvant if you for illustration to build your strategy incrementally aliases if you want to usage nan situation speakers arsenic standalone speakers successful nan future. 

2. You are building aliases expanding a multi-room ecosystem

If you already person Sonos speakers passim your home, nan Arc Ultra fits correct in. It integrates seamlessly pinch your existing Sonos setup, allowing you to group speakers, create zones, and negociate everything done nan Sonos app. 

The soundbar offers Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing it to support features for illustration AirPlay 2, providing elastic options for streaming euphony erstwhile you're not watching TV. The Arc Ultra is besides compatible pinch nan Ace headphones, which are an fantabulous prime for group who watch TV astatine location but often disturb housemates aliases neighbors.

Also: Here's really a free package upgrade made nan Sonos Ace worthy their value tag

The expertise to upgrade incrementally is simply a existent advantage here. You tin commencement pinch conscionable nan Arc Ultra and adhd a Sub4 aliases Era 300 rear speakers later erstwhile your fund allows. For those who want to build a strategy complete clip alternatively than buying everything astatine once, this attack makes a batch of sense.

3. You for illustration a minimalist artistic and elemental setup

The Sonos Arc Ultra features a sleek, curved creation that complements astir surviving rooms, eliminating nan ocular clutter of abstracted subwoofers and rear speakers. It's surely not compact aliases subtle, but it is little angular than nan Samsung soundbar.

Also: Sonos conscionable brought TV Audio Swap to much devices. Here's why it's my all-time favourite headphone feature

Setup is straightforward, too. Sonos's Trueplay tuning is now disposable connected some iOS and Android, measuring your room's acoustics and adjusting nan EQ accordingly. If you want a strategy that sounds awesome without a batch of fuss, nan Arc Ultra delivers.

Writer's choice

I personally usage nan Sonos Arc Ultra, but that's mostly because, complete nan years, I've built up a strategy pinch nan Arc Ultra, 2 Sonos Era 300 speakers for nan rears, and nan Sonos Sub 4. If I had to commencement complete and bargain everything successful 1 go, I would decidedly prevention nan rate and opt for nan Samsung HW-Q990F, unless I didn't want a afloat situation system. In that case, I would instrumentality pinch nan Arc Ultra.