Samsung HW-Q800B

In terms of signal, the HW-Q800B set is compatible with The Dolby Atmos standard, And if your Samsung TV is recent enough, you can even Take advantage of this wifi feature, that is to say without cable connection between the TV and the sound bar. Note that the latter adds a slight latency, compensated for the image when you watch a film, a series, or any video content, but which can be felt when you are in play, even if you activate the mode eponym. In the latter case, prefer the use of an HDMI or optical cable.

Samsung HW Q800B Test

Samsung is among the essential brands in the world of sound bars with a large and complete range. And the model we test today is none other than its highest-goat, if we except the sets with rear speakers. Connectivity, sound quality, features, we tell you everything about the Samsung HW-Q800B, its limits and its possibilities, with our full test.

And if you gave great sound skills to your 4K TV, providing it with a dedicated system, capable of managing the space of your living room, with the support of a severe box to take full ears. This is the promise of the HW-Q800B which adds to its accompaniment capacities of a screen direct connectivity with Alexa, Spotify, or the Apple devices. With a price observed around € 700, this set that can accommodate optional rear speakers is especially expected for its sound quality, its ability to make a surround effect, but also on the operation of the many announced functions, on the remote control as in the smartphone.

Specifications
Compatibility	HDMI Arc, connected TV, PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, tablets, smartphones
Bar dimensions	1110.7 x 60.4 x 120.0 mm
Graves box	Yes, included
Graves box dimensions	210.0 x 403.0 x 403.0 mm
Spatialization	Atmos, Dolby Mat, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD
Available connections	HDMI (EARC), HDMI in, Optical in, Bluetooth, WiFi

A beautiful set in the living room

Samsung has made great progress in recent years to better integrate its bars in our apartments. Sober, with a quality finish, the bar may be 1m10m, It goes perfectly well in a modern or traditional environment and is readily placed under a screen of 50 inch or more, directly on the TV cabinet or on the wall via brackets provided. Note all the same that its operation requires a little additional space to the right and to the left of the screen, its two side speakers with an angle of 45 ° being necessary and not deactivated.

On the material side, the bar plays the metal card for all of its visible surfaces, including the front grid, with impeccable adjustments at all levels. The sobriety of the whole is not even betrayed by the white display of a menu, behind the grid, visible only during changes in parameters. Finally, the only negative point we find at this bar is due to its connection, Divided into two points between the inputs/outputs of the signal to the right and the supply to the left, which makes it more difficult to hide. We would have liked to find a cable path at the back of the bar, at least for food.

For the box, the 8-inch speaker, its amplification and the electronics that accompanies it, find their place in a rather contained, wooden case, with a black plastic finish. At the rear, a vent allows you to enjoy a bass-reflex effect, when the left side lets an apparent grid exceed slightly 20 centimeters of the box. Here again, It will be necessary to provide a minimum of 10 centimeters between the box and the TV furniture (or any other object) to let the bass pass freely.

Finally, if the box is necessarily powered by its own cord, integrated amplification requires, wiring point between the bar and the box, the latter being only connected in wireless. The whole is therefore certainly bulky, but is quite easily integrated on an existing installation.

A well -equipped set ..

The HW-Q800B soundbar and its box connect to modern smart TVs via An HDMI EARC port which offers a double -sense connection between TV and audio system. It is also possible to use only the rising connection of the main HDMI port for older TVs, taking advantage of the Second HDMI port from the bar to send a 4K source to the TV. To this are added incoming optical connection and Bluetooth compatibility like WiFi (for recent Samsung TV only). In any case, the soundbar is seen as a 5 system.1 complete, even if you would not have acquired the optional rear speakers.

In terms of signal, the HW-Q800B set is compatible with The Dolby Atmos standard, And if your Samsung TV is recent enough, you can even Take advantage of this wifi feature, that is to say without cable connection between the TV and the sound bar. Note that the latter adds a slight latency, compensated for the image when you watch a film, a series, or any video content, but which can be felt when you are in play, even if you activate the mode eponym. In the latter case, prefer the use of an HDMI or optical cable.

The HW-Q800B soundbar therefore offers the sending of Bluetooth streaming music, with the AirPlay 2 standard for Apple apparatus owners, but also a direct connection to the Spotify, Amazon and Google services, the latter two benefiting in addition vocal control (with microphone deactivable directly on the bar). No need for a screen to take advantage of the soundbar for listening to music, Nor need a smartphone or a tablet nearby if you have the corresponding service subscription. You will still note the absence of an analog port. RCA or mini-jack entry point, which prevents the HW-Q800B sound bar from truly replacing a hifi chain, or accommodating some old elements like a CD player, a vinyl platinum.

… And easy to control

We must admit that taking control of this Samsung sound bar in our environment was simpler. Above all, Samsung smartphone owners will appreciate the possibility of connecting their device directly by placing it on the sound bar. A gesture that does not take more than 5 seconds. The others will simply be able to Download the official SmartThings application to completely take control of their TV and sound bar. Sound mode, equalization, general volume management as box, activation of the different spatialization options, everything is there, with a simple ergonomics to which it only lacks the possibility of creating user presets.

All these options are also available from the remote control, provided, with a display of changes directly on the sound bar, via a low resolution screen hidden behind the grid. The interface is suddenly a little more difficult to use and requires a certain learning, but in broad outline and For daily management of volume as of the source, it remains of childish simplicity. Finally, you will find 4 buttons on the top of the bar, three of which are used for navigation in the menus … for the most courageous. Let’s say that to manage the volume and cut the sound of the microphone, it works perfectly, for the rest it is much more complicated.

Finally, recent Samsung television owners will appreciate finding all the main settings directly on their screen, all accessible from the TV remote control. Operating modes, general volume, volume of the box, vocal amplification, enough to manage everyday life with a single remote control.

Finally, this HW-Q800B soundbar offers many control possibilities, more or less suitable for each situation, with a volume control everywhere everywhere. Those who seek to fall in depth in the parameters must go through the mobile application, The only way to finely adjust the sound rendering via a fairly complete equalization.

High -flight sound quality, but too light surround

The HW-Q800B set succeeds in the hand the passage on our audio test bench, with a very successful overall rendering, well balanced and malleable as desired. In standard mode, the most respectful mode of the source, we take advantage of a good general sound quality with precise treble, well-defined mediums and slightly over-represented serious which give pride of place to the lowest frequencies of the beach. There is a slight bump on the treble, around 12 kHz, which artificially increases the impression of sound directivity. Clearly, we know that the sound comes out of the bar, we even hear it. Moreover, the spatialization of stereo signals is not exceptional in this mode but has the merit, for an audience spread over a 120 ° angle, to offer a good precision and good homogeneity.

The adaptive mode plays the card of softness by slightly attenuating the bump of the treble and playing with the speakers of the sides and the top of the sound bar. The result is a sound that loses barely in precision, but gains in spatialization, especially with multi -channel sources. To note that The result of the adaptive mode strongly depends on the presence of walls nearby of the soundbar, on which the speakers send a signal supposed to bounce up to your ears, just like for the surround mode.

Surround mode precisely, amplifies the bass and adds treble on indirect speakers, which adds a little to imprecision to increase the printing of general reverberation. Without being unpleasant, This mode is more like an extension of the adaptive than to a real dynamic spatialization, and does not allow to offer the slightest of being faced with a multi -channel system. To really take advantage of it, you must go through the option of rear speakers, the only way here to feel more encompassing sound.

Finally, the HW-Q800B offers some additional, more or less useful options, with a promotion of votes, very practical if you have some difficulty following a discussion, but also a SpaceFit option which, through the integrated microphone, proposes to adapt the general equalization to that which your listening room returns. This last system will not have particularly convinced us, but our listening and test rooms may not have any particular aberration.

Overall, the sound of the HW-Q800B is really successful, Well calibrated for setting up during movies, games, and even musical listening. Admittedly, the bass is a little too present by default, certainly it may be necessary to go through an equalization to obtain the ideal sound in musical listening, but it must be said that we are completely convinced by the malleability of sound as the capacities of the bar In terms of sound volume, which allow him to place himself without flinching in a living room of more than 60 square meters to offer you an atmosphere worthy of a small cinema. Finally, only the surround will have disappointed us with its lack of ambition and success, in the absence of optional rear speakers.

Conclusion: a soundbar that ensures with an evolution capacity

The sound bar and Graves HW-Q800B box leaves us with a very nice impression. The manufacturing quality is obvious, the sound is excellent, and the many functions. We especially appreciate the ease of use, of settings by different means, With a bonus an almost total control from TV if you already have a Samsung model. Above all, the soundbar adapts with its many connections to any installation, modern or older, to offer a really convincing result whether in film viewing or musical listening.

With three listening modes, more or less spatialized, a complete equalization, a highlighting of effective votes, the HW-Q800B of Samsung fully succeeds in its contract and ultimately only fishes by A sound mode a little too shy and requiring the addition of rear speakers, optional, To offer us its full potential. Remains its exceptional power, which can transform a small one as a large living room into a real cinema room, for a price which, in view of the performances obtained, is quite exceptional.

Conclusion

Strong points

• General manufacturing quality
• The precision of the sound, the balance adapted to the game and the cinema
• Equalization possibilities
• Direct control, on remote control, via TV or smartphone
• A real connected speaker
• The microphone deactivable
• Complete connection with HDMI Pass Through
• Dolby Atmos wireless compatibility

Samsung HW-Q800B

Samsung HW-Q990C Best Price: 1048.9 €

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar More Better Price: 1297.41 €

LG QP5 Best Price: € 299

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Mini Best Price: € 799

Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar Best Price: 999.95 €

Sony HT-X8500 Best Price: € 249

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The HW-Q800B is a sound bar 5.1.2 accompanied by his wireless bass box. It was released on April 14, 2022 at a price of € 799.

This product is replaced by: Samsung HW-Q800C

Technical sheet / Characteristics

Configuration	5.1.2
Number of speakers	11
Bass box	Yes
Surround satellite	Optional
Remote	Yes
Connection	S/PDIF optics, HDMI
Hdmi	1 entrance, EARC, CEC, 4K/60 Hz
Decoded audio formats	Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Truehd, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-HD, DTS: X, LPCM 7.1, LPCM 2.0, LPCM 5.1
Wireless connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Wireless or multiroom protocols	Chromecast, Alexa Cast, Airplay 2, Spotify Connect
Integrated voice assistant	No
Applications	iOS, Android
Height	6 cm
Width	111.1 cm
Depth	12 cm
Weight	5.1 kg

See more characteristics

Test summary

Notation history

The HW-Q800B is a soundbar in 5.1.2 channels from the 2022 range of its samsung bars. Accompanied by her un—free box, it brings together many technologies, including the new Dolby Atmos Sans-Fil.

Writing note

Updated on 09/12/22

User reviews (0)

Comparison & purchase guides

• Writing buying guide what are the best bars of his Samsung ?
• What is the best soundbar ?
• What is the best Dolby Atmos/DTS soundbar: x ?

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