With their huge channel count, huge amounts of power and unparalleled ability to create ultra-immersive three-dimensional surround sound scenes from Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks, Samsung’s flagship soundbars have been established favorites with AV fans for years now. However, for the last two or three generations, although there have always been improvements, the annual changes have been relatively small. However, for its 2025 models, the brand is ringing in some really important changes.
At the top of the Samsung 2025 soundbar tree will be the HW-Q990F. This award-winning HW-Q990D successor marks a major departure from its predecessor by replacing Samsung’s usual solid and acoustic sports lens subwoofer with a single 8-inch driver for a new 300W cube bass speaker design carrying an 8-in. dual active unit, where the two drivers sit on opposite sides. This new design results, Samsung claims, in reduced unwanted resonance and a frequency response of up to 32 Hz from a unit that is only about half the size of its predecessor.
As well as hopefully improving the Q990F’s low-frequency performance, the new subwoofer’s much smaller design certainly makes it easier to tuck it out of sight in your designer living room. Although if you can’t quite hide it, it also has a smoother and more refined finish than its predecessors.
The Q990F system also benefits from Samsung’s obsession with AI by introducing a number of AI-based sound optimization features. A Dynamic Bass Control system enhances low-frequency clarity by continuously applying non-linear bass management, while an AI-updated version of Samsung’s Active Voice Amplifier Pro system uses real-time content analysis to reduce background noise. background and to make the dialogue clearer.
Samsung’s Q-Symphony feature, where the soundbar can share audio duties with the speakers on compatible Samsung TVs, has also been improved with AI for the Samsung 2025 soundbars so it can take up to three additional wireless speakers in place both, and automatically detect the position of those other wireless speakers — such as
The latest Q-Symphony system also enables the Q990F to draw on a new neural processing unit in Samsung’s latest TVs to further enhance dialogue and enhance synchronization between the growing number of audio components it can play with. the sound bar is combined.
In its “solo” form, the Q990F will continue to offer an 11.1.4 channel count from its combination of a main soundbar, new subwoofer and two wireless multi-channel rears that include up-firing drivers and sideways along with the regular one. forward facing driver.
Meanwhile, the 2025 HW-QS700F ‘lifestyle’ soundbar brings new versatility to Samsung’s 2025 range thanks to an all-new “rotating” design that allows it to be mounted either horizontally or vertically, depending on whether you want to place it under a TV on a piece of furniture or hang on a slim vertical profile below a wall-mounted TV.
Its sleek design looks stylish in both orientations, with gyro sensor technology on the soundbar enabling it to automatically detect whether it’s hung vertically or laid horizontally, adjusting its speaker output and the number of 3.1.2 channels in according to the circumstances.
The QS700F’s lifestyle design focus means it doesn’t ship with any rear speakers included, but as I’d expect with a soundbar designed with such a slim profile, it does ship with an external subwoofer wireless that uses a sub-like cube design. equipped with Q990F.
Both of Samsung’s new premium soundbars will support YouTube’s new Eclipsa 3D sound format, discussed in this previous story along with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and are expected to launch in the spring, with prices still to be confirmed.
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