Samsung’s latest Q-series soundbars include a $1,800 9.1.4 channel option
That's the most channels currently available in a single home-theater soundbar.
Samsung’s latest Q-series soundbars are its fanciest yet. The HW-Q950T delivers 9.1.4 channel surround sound (nine main channels with one subwoofer and four upward-firing speakers that bounce sound off your ceiling). That’s the most channels currently available in a single home-theater soundbar. It includes two wireless rear up-firing speakers, plus additional left and right wide channel speakers. When it arrives, the HW-Q950T will cost about $1,800, according to B&H.
The slightly less expensive ($1,300) HW-Q900T offers a toned down, but still impressive, 7.1.4-channel system. Both soundbars were tuned at Samsung’s Valencia Audio Lab, and as with other Q-series soundbars, these are optimized to work with Samsung’s 2020 QLED TVs, so Q-symphony will activate and play surround sound from both the TV and soundbar.
“In collaboration with Audio Lab in the US, we have been able to develop multi-dimensional surround sound that can be more accessible at home, which was previously only possible with a separate home-theater system,” said Seong Cho, a Samsung Electronics senior VP.
Both soundbars support Dolby Atmos, DTS:X from DTS and eArc support. They also include the SmartThings App and Alexa voice services, so users can command music streaming services like Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn and iHeartRadio.
On the design side, Samsung made these soundbars slightly shorter to fit with the 2020 QLED TVs. They’re both 69.5 millimeters tall, compared to previous soundbars which are 83 millimeters tall. And they’re wrapped in custom, recycled textiles, made by the Danish brand Kvadrat.
Samsung hasn’t announced when the speakers will ship.
