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Samsung Q990D review: the best Dolby Atmos soundbar, and now perfect for PS5 and Xbox Series X, too

8:00 pm | May 4, 2024

Samsung HW-Q990D review: Two minute review

The Samsung HW-Q990D follows in the footsteps of one of the best soundbars in recent years, the Samsung HW-Q990C, but adds gaming features including 4K 120Hz and VRR pass-through, along with a more refined and controlled sound profile.

Filled to the brim with features, the Q990D offers plenty of settings for those who like to experiment. AI enhancements including Adaptive Sound and SpaceFit allow the Q990D to analyze sources and the viewing environment to create the best possible experience. Alongside these, the new gaming features enable users to get the most from their PS5 or Xbox Series X. And for those with a Samsung TV, there’s also Q-Symphony and a wireless Dolby Atmos option.

Carrying 22 speakers across four units, with an 11.1.4 channel configuration, the Q990D confirms Samsung's continued domination of the soundbar market, especially when it comes to immersive Dolby Atmos sound. But, it’s not just immersive sound where it succeeds, as bass levels are punchy yet refined and trebles and mids can breathe easy over the bass. The Q990D also serves as an excellent music streaming option whether over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, with its wide soundstage giving every aspect of a song the space it needs.

Although on the bulkier side, the Q990D feels every bit its premium price thanks to its solid build quality, and it has a sleek, modern look. The main soundbar’s size may be an issue for some and its front LED display is not the most user-friendly, but for many, it will beat the mess of cables you get with a wired home theater setup.

With a variety of control options including a supplied remote and the Samsung SmartThings app, the Q990D is easy to use and tailor settings to how you like. Initial setup is a breeze, making it simple to get great sound.

The Q990D may be a premium soundbar, and there are cheaper options such as last year’s Samsung Q990C and this year’s Samsung HW-Q930D, but neither of those carries the full range of features or the performance found in the Q990D. Although pricey, it delivers the best Dolby Atmos soundbar experience you can get today.

Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers — The Samsung HW-Q990D comprises a soundbar, subwoofer and two surrounds, with 11.1.4 channels across 22 speakers. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q990D review: Price & release date

Release date - March 2024
Price - $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995

The Samsung HW-Q990D is Samsung’s flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar for 2024. Released at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995, the Q990D is a premium soundbar package.

For context, that’s roughly $400 more than the JBL Bar 1300X, an older soundbar that includes wireless rear speakers and a powerful subwoofer, but is roughly $500 more than the most widely available Sonos home theater package, which features the Sonos Arc, Sonos Sub (Gen 3) and a pair of Sonos Era 100s as rears.

Samsung HW-Q990D review: Specs

Samsung HW-Q990D in front of the Samsung S95D — The Samsung HW-Q990D (connected to the Samsung S95D TV) now has gaming features including 120Hz and VRR. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q990D review: Features

11.1.4 speaker channels
HDMI 2.1 with 4K 120Hz support
Wireless Dolby Atmos

The Samsung Q990D has many of the same features as its impressive predecessor, the Samsung HW-Q990C, including 11.1.4 speaker channels and 22 speakers spread across the four units (soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers).

One new feature is HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming, with both HDMI inputs supporting 4K120Hz and VRR. Both HDMI ports also pass through HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR formats.

Supported sound formats include Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Dolby 5.1, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD.

The Q990D is stacked with sound-enhancing features including Adaptive Sound, which analyzes what you’re watching and intelligently adjusts audio levels; SpaceFit Sound Pro, which analyzes your environment and tunes the Q990D’s audio output for the space; and Game Mode Pro, which tailors directional sound to optimal levels when gaming.

Wi-Fi streaming on the Q990D supports hi-res audio formats including ALAC, FLAC and WAV and also Dolby Atmos music tracks found on streaming services such as Apple Music and Tidal. Speaking of streaming, there is also Spotify and Tidal Connect support.

There are some Samsung-exclusive enhancements alongside these features (meaning they only work with compatible Samsung TVs). The first is Q-Symphony, where the Q990D works with the speakers of a Samsung TV to boost sound even further. The next is wireless Dolby Atmos, where a Samsung TV can stream Dolby Atmos soundtracks - albeit a compressed version - to the Q990D.

Last is Tap Sound, where you tap your Samsung smartphone on the Q990D and it starts playing the music you’re streaming.

Control options include a hardware remote control and the Samsung SmartThings app. With the app, you can make EQ adjustments, activate voice and bass enhancement, and select Night Mode, which adjusts the sound to a suitable level for late-night viewing or listening. The app also isn’t just for the Q990D, but can control any compatible Samsung product.

Features score: 5 / 5

Samsung HW-Q990D main bar — The Samsung HW-Q990D main soundbar (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q990D review: Performance

Exceptional immersive sound
Powerful, yet detailed audio
Impressive gaming performance

For years, Samsung’s flagship soundbars have continually impressed, serving as a pinnacle of what a soundbar-based home theater audio system is capable of, and the Q990D continues this trend.

With 22 speakers across the four units, including four height channels, in an 11.1.4 channel configuration, the Q990D creates an outstanding immersive experience, with expert reproduction of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks and real surround sound.

Watching Star Wars: A New Hope on Disney Plus, the final attack and ensuing space battle involving the Death Star was every bit as cinematic as it should be. As X-Wings and Tie Fighters shot across the screen from every angle, the direction of the soaring engines glided across the speakers impeccably and John Williams’ iconic score in the rear speakers kept the tension high without drowning out other effects. Dialogue was crisp and clear, cutting through the densely packed mix of engines, lasers and music. Watching this, I truly felt like I was in the cockpit, as the iconic screech of the Tie Fighter passed over my head.

Although immersive sound is where the Q990D succeeded the most, bass levels from the weighty subwoofer also impressed. The rumble of the Batmobile’s engine in The Batman during the Penguin car chase sounded meaty with plenty of low-end punch. On previous Q990 generations, the bass could get carried away on occasion, but the Q990D’s bass feels more nuanced and controlled - dynamic but without overwhelming the rest of the mix.

Even when watching movies with a stereo soundtrack such as The Amazing Spider-Man on DVD, the Q990D boosted the sound through upmixing and gave more oomph to every fight sequence and web swing through NYC.

Other parts of the audio mix are well-balanced on the Q990D. High notes come across without being too shrill whilst mids sit comfortably where they should in the mix, with everything combining to create a full, detailed sound.

Although it’s not as impressive with music as with movies, the Q990D is still a triumph. When I streamed tracks from Tidal and Spotify in uncompressed hi-res and compressed formats respectively, the Q990D did a good job of balancing instruments and handled every genre well. Listening to Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants To Rule The World, the bass and drums sounded punchy, and the trebles of the synths and guitars sliced through evenly.

Listening to Dolby Atmos music tracks via Tidal, the Q990D again showed its prowess. Thelonius Monk’s Monk’s Dream (Take 8) spread out across the Q990D’s speakers, with every instrument given equal room to breathe - from the twinkling piano to the bright sax and the warm bass notes.

Sometimes the mix would sound forced on these Dolby Atmos tracks, with some instruments pushing a little too hard. But the Q990D generally continued to shine and even tracks streamed over lower quality Bluetooth sounded good.

The Q990D was connected to a Samsung S95D TV during my testing, with Samsung-centric features such as Q Symphony available. And while this did provide an extra layer to the sound, adding a greater sense of space and power, the Q990D gave a great cinematic experience without it.

As for gaming performance, when playing Battlefield V with an Xbox Series X, gaming was smooth, as switching between targets felt easy and the action suitably pacy.

The most surprising element of the Q990D’s gaming performance was the low 9.2ms input lag time, meaning its HDMI pass-through didn’t add any latency. For those needing 4K 120Hz, VRR and low input lag for their console, the Q990D can provide.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Samsung HW-Q990D front display — The Samsung HW-Q990D's front display isn't the easiest to read... (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q990D review: Design

Solid, premium design
Front display isn’t easiest to read
Slightly wider than a 55-inch TV

The Q990D comprises four units: a soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers. The subwoofer is sizable and hefty, but its wireless connection allows it to be placed anywhere in the room (as long as there’s a mains socket nearby to plug in for power). The rear speakers, meanwhile, have a compact yet sleek design.

The soundbar itself measures 1309.0 x 595.0 x 277.0 mm, making it slightly longer than a 55-inch TV (which roughly measures 1200mm). At 595mm, it isn’t the tallest soundbar, but could still cut off the bottom of a lot of TVs. The soundbar is also weighty, although that demonstrates its premium quality.

The soundbar and rear speakers sport a gray/navy matte finish that gives them a minimalist, modern appearance. A mesh grille on the soundbar’s front makes it quite difficult to see what input you’re using and other information provided on the front panel LED display, however.

Design score: 4 / 5

Samsung HW-Q990D supplied remote — The Samsung HW-Q990D can be controlled with the above supplied remote, the Samsung SmartThings app or your TV remote via HDMI-CEC. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q990D review: Setup & usability

HDMI eARC connection to TV
Wireless connection between units
Remote or SmartThings app for control

With four separate, wireless units, setting up the Q990D seems like it would be daunting, but the Q990D makes setup almost effortless. Once all units are plugged in and the soundbar is connected to the TV by HDMI eARC, the subwoofer and rear speakers connect by simply pressing a button on the back and you’re ready to go.

You can either use the supplied remote or the Samsung SmartThings app for control, with adjustments for boosting voice, bass and more. The Q990D can also be controlled via the TV remote using HDMI-CEC. Finally, there are control buttons and an LED display on top of the soundbar.

For those looking to optimize audio based on their room’s layout, there is also the SpaceFit Pro calibration system, which can be performed during initial setup or on the fly using the SmartThings app.

Setup & usability score: 4.5 / 5

Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar — The Samsung HW-Q990D is pricey, but you get an entire Atmos experience across four units. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q990D review: Value

Premium price
Best home theater soundbar option
Samsung Q990C still available

Priced at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995, the Q990D is a premium soundbar. And although its features and excellent all-around performance justify the price, it is no doubt going to push some people’s budgets.

The Samsung HW-Q990C, the Q990D’s predecessor, is still available and sells at a reduced price that’s only going to fall further - I’ve seen it selling for roughly $400 / £600 cheaper than the Q990D. It does miss out on the Q990D’s gaming features, but if they’re not relevant to you, the Q990C is fine. Another option is the Samsung HW-Q930D, the step-down model from the Q990D which comes with fewer channels and features.

Still, in terms of features and performance, the Q990D offers a Dolby Atmos home theater experience no other soundbar can offer. To beat it, you’d need to look at full AV setups that don’t allow for the same tidy installation or ease of use.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Samsung HW-Q990D?

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Samsung HW-Q990D review: Also consider

How I tested the Samsung HW-Q990D

Samsung HW-Q990D in front of TV — (Image credit: Future)

Connected to the Samsung S95D
Tested with variety of sources
Both surround sound and stereo sound tested

To test the Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar, I connected it to the Samsung S95D - the flagship 2024 OLED TV from Samsung. The majority of testing was done with Q-Symphony and any other Samsung-centric features turned off to see how the Q990D would fare if connected to sets from other brands.

After some run-in time, I selected reference scenes from both streaming and 4K Blu-ray to test spatial sound, mainly Dolby Atmos. I then used lower-resolution sources such as DVD to test the Q990D on its handling of non-surround movie audio. I analyzed the Q990D's spatial sound but also bass, trebles, mids, and dialogue clarity.

After this, I streamed music through both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to test the Q990D's music playback quality. I played hi-res audio and Atmos music tracks from Tidal and lossy quality tracks via Bluetooth from Spotify.

Jabra Elite 10: One-minute review

The Jabra Elite 10 is the Danish brand’s flagship premium wireless earbuds. They're its most expensive pair of headphones to date, borrowing smarts from the company's headset and hearing aid businesses to help it deliver incredibly clear call quality and effective Active Noise Cancellation.

As its most advanced pair of buds yet, the Elite 10s pack in a lot of premium features, like Dolby Atmos with head tracking and multipoint pairing, in a unique new oval design that sits on the outside of your ears, making them incredibly comfortable – even when wearing them for long periods.

But being a premium pair of buds means that the Elite 10 has a lot of competition among the best wireless earbuds. When compared to rivals like Sony's, Bose's or Apple's top earbud offerings, it falls short of being the absolute best for sound quality. That said, it's priced slightly less than its closest competitors so if you want comfortable spatial audio while on the go and are not bothered by best-in-class ANC and hi-res audio quality, the Elite 10 could be a great alternative.

Jabra Elite 10 review: Price and release date

A hand holding the Jabra Elite 10 — (Image credit: Future)

Announced on August 31, 2023
Became available to buy in September 2023
Priced at $249 / £229 / AU$379

Jabra first announced the Elite 10 back in August 2023 alongside a more fitness-focused model called the Jabra Elite 8 Active, which sells for $199 / £199 / AU$329. As its flagship earbuds, the Elite 10 costs more than its sporty offering at $249 in the US, £229 in the UK and AU$379 in Australia. This means it's also more expensive than its predecessor’s, the Elite 7 Pro, launch price of $199 / £199 / AU$299.

The jump in cost means the Elite 10s are going head-to-head with the biggest players, but they undercut the competition in the premium market on price. They’re less than both Sony’s WF-1000XM5 ($299 / £259 / AU$499) and the Technics EAH-AZ80 ($299 / £259 / AU$499) that launched at the end of 2023. And they are squarely in line with two premium releases from 2022: Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, which cost $249 / £229 / AU$399 and $199 / £199 / AU$299, respectively, at the time of writing.

Jabra Elite 10 review: Specs

A pair of headphones on a table next to a DAP — (Image credit: Future)

Jabra Elite 10 review: Features

Three iPhone screenshots of the Jabra Sound+ app — (Image credit: Future)

Immersive Dolby Atmos with head tracking
ANC is decent but not best-in-class
Crystal clear call quality

Since launching its first pair of wireless earbuds in 2016, the Elite Sport, Jabra has released seven generations of buds, and the Elite 10 is its most advanced yet. It's the step-up from the Elite 7 Pro, which had targeted the lower to mid-range market but still had premium features like ANC, adjustable EQ settings, an IP57 rating and wireless charging. The Elite 10 builds upon all of its predecessor's features, and Jabra has a few more tricks up its sleeve to make sure it can hold its own among the market’s premium offerings.

The newest feature to be included in the buds is also a first for Jabra earbuds: support for Dolby Atmos with head tracking. This makes the buds have a wider soundstage when turned on and listening to Atmos content that's like hearing each instrument in a track as if they’re placed all around you. When head tracking is turned on, this virtual soundstage moves with you but I found this to have a slight delay when you readjusted your head to a new position. I found it worked better when watching a show or movie rather than listening to music. Conveniently, you can toggle both spatial audio and head tracking on and off in the Jabra Sound+ app as well as adjust the HearThrough mode, Advanced ANC, EQ settings and more.

Outside of the app, you can also control the Jabra Elite 10 by pressing the buttons on the buds themselves. Pressing the surface of the left bud will rotate through HearThrough and ANC, while pressing the right can pause and play a song (you can switch to different variations of this in the app). Tapping the right bud twice skips tracks, while holding down either button increases (right) and decreases (left) the volume. Holding down both at the same time also activates pairing mode.

As for other features, there's also in-ear detection, automatic muting settings, Bluetooth Multipoint pairing for listening to two devices at the same time, voice assistant support that lets you control your buds with voice commands and FindMy for when you've misplaced them. And while the Elite 10's six hours of battery life (21 hours with the case) does outlast Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, it's beat by Sony's WF-1000XM5s.

One of the biggest standout features for me is the Elite 10's exceptionally clear call quality, especially while out and about, and that’s down to the six mics inside them. Jabra says that the external mics are active all the time, while the internal mics activate when wind is detected. The extra mics make the Elite 10’s call quality far better than the AirPods Pro 2, which only has two mics. Jabra’s Advanced ANC is also on by default during calls to help cancel out unwanted background noises, which is a feature that was improved on in a March 26 software update (Jabra claims that the update helps cancel background noises twice as easily). There's also an adjustable sidetone setting so you can hear your voice more, which is not something we see a lot of.

Just like Apple’s Adaptive Noise Control, Jabra’s Advanced ANC uses scanning tech and noise leakage detection to automatically adjust the ANC to your surroundings. It’s the brand’s most advanced ANC mode, and is claimed to deliver two times more noise cancellation than its standard ANC. And it does work, cancelling out the screeching banshees along the Northern Line of the London Underground. However, compared to the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, it doesn't quite match up.

Features score: 4 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Sound quality

The Jabra Elite 10 buds outside their case — (Image credit: Future)

A balanced listen, with some minor adjustments
No hi-res support (only AAC and SBC)
Immersive Dolby Atmos tracks

There’s a strong confidence to the Jabra Elite 10’s sound performance. If I were to summarize it in one word, I’d say it was effectively balanced. From the trebles to the mid-range and through to bass, the sound is tonally steady when streaming via Apple Music on a FiiO M11S (keep in mind there's only support for AAC and SBC).

But when listening with a keener ear to a more bass-heavy track like Black Eye by Allie X, there was a lack of oomph that I'm used to hearing. This was easily improved upon by adjusting the EQ settings but for an out of box listen, the Elite 10 wasn't completely ready to go. I found this again when testing the bud's treble. Again, tracks like Rains Again by Solji benefited from a slight EQ adjustment to really come alive for me personally.

As a whole, I'd say the earbud's audio quality is still generally great, it's just not exceptional, especially when compared to the likes of the AirPods Pro 2, which offers a more dynamic listen. Even with smaller drivers, the Sony WF-1000XM5 can deliver an "agile, meaty and fun listen" that's packed with enthusiasm. If you're an audiophile looking for flawless hi-res sound quality, I'd recommend looking to its rivals for a more detailed listen.

Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Design

Proprietary ‘ComfortFit’ technology
Ergonomic, uniquely designed earpieces

Jabra found during the research and development of its latest earbuds range – the Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active – that comfort was the most valued feature by most people. A survey conducted by the company saw 47% of participants valued comfort over all else, with sound quality and battery life coming next. For this reason, Jabra has developed what it calls ‘ComfortFit’ technology, which is a new type of unique oval-shaped design.

Jabra calls it "EarGels" and the best way I can describe the semi-open fit is that instead of sitting completely inside your ear canals – like the in-ear monitors in our best wired headphones guide – the buds sit in the outside of your ear, snugged up inside the middle part of your ear. Jabra says it scanned 62,000 ears to get the unique shape and the results are effective, as they're some of the comfiest earbuds I've worn to date (the silicon is softer than the plastic used in the AirPods Pro 2).

The design of the buds' earpieces is similar to that of the Sony WF-1000XM5, which we’ve found to fit most people – and the same is true for the Elite 10s. The only time I briefly had trouble with the fit was while out, when I could feel them coming loose from walking around and moving my head, but a quick readjust made them feel secure again.

Aside from the unique oval shaped buds, the Elite 10s have a simple design that you can personalize by choosing from one of five different colors, including cocoa, cream, black, matte black and titanium black. The case is slightly bulkier than the likes of the AirPods Pro 2 but this is quickly outweighed by the softer materials used for the buds. The Elite 10s also don't have poky stems that dig into the bottom of your ear, making them a lot more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time.

Design score: 5 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Value

Cheaper than premium rivals
ANC and sound quality can be beaten

There are trade-offs when it comes to earbuds. If you want ANC, don't expect flawless sound quality. If you want a portable earbud design, then they're not going to be as comfortable as a pair of over-ear headphones. And so it goes without the Elite 10.

The ANC is by no means the best in the business (instead we’d recommend looking at the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds) but the comfort is the best I’ve experienced in a while and the call quality was far better than the AirPods Pro 2 I tested them against. The sound performance is also not going to beat the Technics EAH-AZ80 but if you value other features like spatial audio and a good control app more highly, the Jabra Elite 10 offers a great middle ground.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Jabra Elite 10?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if...

Jabra Elite 10 review: Also consider

How I tested the Jabra Elite 10

The Jabra Elite 10s on a Mac next to an iPhone and DAP — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for more than two weeks and compared to AirPods Pro 2
Streamed music from Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer
iPhone 13, MacBook Pro and FiiO M11S as source players

I tested the Jabra Elite 10s for more than two weeks, during which time I alternated between connecting them to my phone, laptop and a digital audio player. I used them mostly at home to listen to music, make phone calls and watch the odd show, but also took them out with me while commuting to test the ANC.

To test the sound quality, I listened to a playlist that we test earbuds with at TechRadar. I did this with both the ANC on and off. In addition to music, I also listened to podcasts and watched a YouTube video to see how the audio quality compared between sources.

To keep my overall judgement of the earbuds fair, I also conducted a blind listening test, comparing them to the AirPods Pro 2 while streaming music via two iPhones on Apple Music and Spotify simultaneously.

First reviewed in March 2024
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Jabra Elite 10 review: Dolby Atmos sound in first class comfort

5:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC, Apple Music, Dolby Atmos, Jabra Elite | Comments: Off

Jabra Elite 10: Two-minute review

Jabra Elite 10 review: Price and release date

Announced on August 31, 2023
Became available to buy in September 2023
Priced at $249 / £229 / AU$379

Jabra Elite 10 review: Specs

Jabra Elite 10 review: Features

Immersive Dolby Atmos with head tracking
ANC is decent but not best-in-class
Crystal clear call quality

Features score: 4 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Sound quality

A balanced listen, with some minor adjustments
No hi-res support (only AAC and SBC)
Immersive Dolby Atmos tracks

Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Design

Proprietary ‘ComfortFit’ technology
Ergonomic, uniquely designed earpieces

Design score: 5 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Value

Cheaper than premium rivals
ANC and sound quality can be beaten

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Jabra Elite 10?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if...

Jabra Elite 10 review: Also consider

How I tested the Jabra Elite 10

Tested for more than two weeks and compared to AirPods Pro 2
Streamed music from Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer
iPhone 13, MacBook Pro and FiiO M11S as source players

First reviewed in March 2024
Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Tecno Pova 6 Pro 5G is launching at MWC with Dolby Atmos support

10:38 pm | January 29, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: Dolby Atmos, MWC | Comments: Off

The Tecno Pova 5 Pro came out last August, and its successor is already on the way. According to Tecno itself, the Pova 6 Pro will be made official at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the end of next month. It will be the first Tecno phone to come with support for Dolby Atmos, following Tecno and Dolby Laboratories signing a partnership deal for this exact purpose. It's not just the Pova 6 Pro - other, yet-unnamed members of the upcoming Pova 6 series will get Dolby Atmos too, along with all future Camon and Phantom series devices. Tecno says this will provide its users with "a...

Samsung HW-Q600C review: a soundbar and sub combo with underwhelming Dolby Atmos

6:00 pm | January 21, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Soundbars Televisions | Tags: Dolby Atmos | Comments: Off

Samsung HW-Q600C review: Two-minute review

The Samsung HW-Q600C is a usefully compact, usefully specified soundbar/subwoofer system, and is ideal for use with smaller (think under 55-inch) TVs in less-than-cavernous rooms. Because it’s a Samsung product, it’s properly built from decent materials, and because it’s a Samsung product it’s simplicity itself to set up and operate (even though the control options are somewhat limited).

Because it’s a Samsung product it pretends there’s no such thing as Dolby Vision HDR, too – but that’s unlikely to be a deal-breaker for anyone who doesn’t want to use its 4K HDMI passthrough functionality.

In many ways it’s an admirable performer where movie soundtracks are concerned. Certainly the integration between soundbar and subwoofer is smooth, and there’s detail aplenty available throughout the frequency range. The Samsung grips and steers effect well, and organises a coherent and convincing soundstage like some of the best soundbars.

It’s far from the last word in sonic height, though, and is unlikely to blow you away with the spatial audio aspect of its reproduction. Slightly less critically, it’s a less-than-inspiring listen if you decide to use it as a music system, too. Rhythmic expression, in particular, is a bit lumpy.

If you can live with its mild-but-undeniable shortcomings, though, the Samsung HW-Q600C is a solid option for those with smaller TVs in smaller rooms and who are on a smaller budget.

Samsung HW-Q600C review: Price and release date

A close up of the Samsung logo on the Samsung HW-Q600C

Branding on the soundbar is minimal. (Image credit: Future)

September 2023
$599 / £549 / AU$799

The Samsung HW-Q600C launched in September of 2023. In the United States, it sells for a maximum of $599, in the United Kingdom, it’s no more than £549, while in Australia it costs AU$799, tops. Anyone with half an idea of how to operate a search engine should be able to better those prices without too much effort.

Even if you end up paying top whack, though, there’s plenty of product here for your money. But you should be aware that a similar spend gets you the similarly specified Sony HT-G700, the subwoofer-less Bose Smart Soundbar 600 or the Philips B8905, though – so the Samsung is not what you’d automatically call a ‘no-brainer’...

Samsung HW-Q600C review: Features

A living room with the Samsung HW-Q600C set up — The Samsung HW-Q600C is a nice match, size-wise, for a 48in Philips OLED TV. (Image credit: Future)

Nine speaker drivers in the soundbar
Single 165mm driver in the subwoofer
360 watts of power

Samsung isn’t exactly making with the specifics, but it’s prepared to divulge the number, if not the size or composition, of the drivers in the soundbar. There are three on either side of the front face, dealing with left- and right-channel information. Another sits in the centre, where it takes care of – hey! – the centre-channel stuff. Two more fire upwards from the top of the soundbar via Samsung’s ‘Acoustic Beam’ technology, and are charged with creating the ‘height’ aspect of Dolby Atmos and/or DTS:X movie soundtracks. The subwoofer, meanwhile, has a single forward-facing 165mm bass driver doing the low-frequency business. Amplification is of the Class D variety, and there’s a total of 360 watts shared out between the drivers.

As far as connectivity is concerned, it’s easiest to deal with the subwoofer first. It connects wirelessly to the soundbar, so should really only need to be plugged into the mains using the figure-of-eight socket on the rear (below the gaping bass reflex port). There’s also a little button to initiate pairing in the unlikely event it doesn’t happen automatically.

There are a couple of recesses at the rear of the soundbar. One has an input for mains power and a USB slot that’s purely for servicing. The other features a digital optical input and a couple of HDMI sockets, one of which is eARC-enabled. That means 4K passthrough (with HDR10+ but not Dolby Vision HDR) is available. For wireless connections, the HW-Q600C has Bluetooth 5.0, with SBC and AAC codec compatibility.

There are four sound modes available: ‘standard’, ‘surround’, ‘game pro’ and ‘adaptive’. Those first three are pretty obvious – ‘adaptive’ attempts to assess the content you’re watching in real time and adjust the soundbar’s output to suit. The HW-Q600C is also compatible with Samsung’s ‘Q Symphony’ technology, so if it’s paired with a suitable Samsung television then the TV’s speakers can complement the soundbar’s output rather than be overridden by it.

Features score: 5/5

Samsung HW-Q600C review: Sound quality

A close up of the controls on the Samsung HW-Q600C — There are a few physical controls on top of the soundbar. (Image credit: Future)

Open, robust and quite detailed sound
Well-supervised wallop from the subwoofer
Limited 'height' aspect to performance

Given an opportunity to show what it can do by playing a Dolby Atmos-boosted 4K UHD Blu-ray disc of Jordan Peele’s Nope, the Samsung HW-Q600C is all business. There’s no teasing out different aspects of its performance over an extended listen – the Samsung is unequivocal, and will give you everything it’s got right from the off.

‘Everything’ in this instance turns out to be an impressively neutral, naturalistic tonal balance and a very decent amount of width to its presentation. Straight from the box, the subwoofer is altogether too confident – but it’s a matter of moments with the remote control handset to bring it under control. Once that’s done, the balance from the top of the frequency range to the bottom is smooth and convincing.

The Samsung is a spacious, confident listen that can organise a soundstage properly. The nature of this movie soundtrack means there’s plenty of emphasis given to spaces and silences as well as to actual sounds, and the left-to-right and front-to-back layout here is convincing. Effects move through these two planes with real positivity and, despite being outnumbered when it comes to the driver-count, the centre channel does good work in projecting even whispered dialogue to the front of the stage where it’s direct and easy to follow.

Once suitably balanced, the subwoofer proves quite an adept little performer too. It hits hard, sure enough, but its output is properly controlled and doesn’t just mindlessly thump along like less capable alternatives tend to. The attack of bass sounds is straight-edged and certain, and there’s plenty of detail and texture to go along with the out-and-out wallop.

In fact, detail levels are gratifyingly high throughout the frequency range. It seems likely that some of the drivers in the soundbar are tweeters, as high frequency response is crisp and bright, and in the midrange there’s plenty of character and expressiveness to voices.

What the HW-Q600C can’t do with any great positivity is generate meaningful height to the presentation. A lot of Nope concerns unknown things from above, but when described by the Samsung system ‘above’ becomes a very relative term. Even though I’m testing in a space with unremarkable ceiling height, the HW-Q600C struggles to position sound any higher than the top bezel of the 48in Philips OLED TV it’s accompanying, and consequently the overall presentation isn’t quite as immersive as you might be hoping.

Switch to a TIDAL-derived digital audio file of Cool About It by boygenius streamed via Bluetooth and the HW-Q600C loses just a little of its composure. The light and shade that’s apparent from the subwoofer when dealing with movies (even those parts of the soundtrack that include music) goes astray somewhat, and its inputs become a little hazy and monotonal. Rhythmic expression suffers as a result, and the upshot is that it’s hard to recommend the Samsung as a true all-rounder of an audio system.

Sound quality score: 4/5

Samsung HW-Q600C review: Design

The remote of the Samsung HW-Q600C — The remote control covers every eventuality. (Image credit: Future)

56 x 1030 x 105mm (soundbar); 343 x 184 x 295mm (subwoofer) [HxWxD]
11.7kg (soundbar plus subwoofer)
The perfect size to site beneath a 48-inch TV

Out where the mainstream shop is not the place to be taking risks where design is concerned - and Samsung is far too sensible and pragmatic a company to take any chances. So both the soundbar and the subwoofer that constitute the HW-Q600C are discreet (if you enjoy the way they look) or utterly unremarkable (if you don’t).

At 56 x 1030 x 105mm (HxWxD), the soundbar portion is almost exactly the same width as a standard AV rack and will fit nicely beneath a 48in - and it won’t start looking a bit lost until you try to pair it with something bigger than 65in. As the price strongly suggests, it’s made almost entirely from plastic - but it’s the sturdy, almost tactile kind of plastic I’m talking about, and as such is entirely fit for purpose. The front and top panels of the soundbar are perforated to allow the speaker drivers behind to do their thing, while the corners are racily angled to hint at side-firing drivers – alas, there are no side-firing drivers on board.

The subwoofer, meanwhile, is an equally manageable 343 x 184 x 295mm (HxWxD) – and the unassuming nature of its boxy design is enhanced by the fact that it communicates wirelessly with the subwoofer and so can be positioned anywhere you like (as long as it’s within reach of mains power). It’s built of vinyl-wrapped MDF with some acoustic cloth covering the forward facing driver, which is pretty much par for the course.

Uninspired (or, to be fair, safety-first) design does not, of course, mean that either element of this system is anything other than properly built and finished. This is Samsung we’re talking about, after all…

Design score: 4.5/5

Samsung HW-Q600C review: Setup and usability

The back of the Samsung HW-Q600C subwoofer — The subwoofer features a rear-firing bass reflex port. (Image credit: Future)

Remote control handset
Extremely brief on-bar display
Plug-and-play to all intents and purposes

There’s really not a great deal to setting up the HW-Q600C. Both the soundbar and the subwoofer need connecting to mains power – from there, they should pair automatically but there’s a little ‘pair’ button on the subwoofer just in case that doesn’t happen. After that, it’s simply a question of making the relevant connection from the TV to the soundbar – most likely this will be done using the television’s HDMI eARC output, but you’ve the option of digital optical or the HDMI passthrough too if that’s more appropriate.

Usability, too, is of the ‘child’s play’ variety. The Samsung is supplied with a small, unremarkable but comprehensive remote control handset which puts you in charge of every function, from ‘power on/off’ via ‘initiate Bluetooth pairing’ to adjusting the output of each individual channel (including the subwoofer). Confirmation of exactly what’s what is available from a little dot-matrix display at the front/right edge of the soundbar - if you squint, and if you’re able to read the quick-scrolling information as it passes through its little window. There’s also access to volume control, power on/off and input selection via some physical controls on the top of the soundbar.

If you’re hoping for app-control, though, you’re out of luck. It’s possible to use Alexa with the HW-Q600C – but it involves quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing with Samsung’s SmartThings app and the Alexa app. The determined user with an Alexa smart speaker can enjoy a little voice-control, though.

Setup and usability score: 4/5

Samsung HW-Q600C review: Value

A close up of the Samsung logo on the Samsung HW-Q600C

(Image credit: Future)

Decent specification
Properly made and finished
Not quite a Atmos-y as it reckons it is

There’s plenty to like about the Samsung HW-Q600C, and in many ways it represents very decent value indeed. As is usual with Samsung products, build quality and the standard of finish are well up to par. Specification, too, is quite comprehensive at the price. The lack of wider control options will probably rankle with a few customers, but the bigger problem - and what makes this Samsung slightly less compelling value than it otherwise would be - is the relative lack of action where the ‘height’ element of a Dolby Atmos (or DTS:X) soundtrack ought to be.

Should I buy the Samsung HW-Q600C?

The Samsung HW-Q600C in front of a TV — A right-channel driver is *just about* visible beneath the perforations. (Image credit: Future)

Buy them if...

Don’t buy it if...

Samsung HW-Q600C review: Also consider

How I tested the Samsung HW-Q600C

Tested for over a week
Used in conjunction with a Philips OLED TV
Multiple styles of content

I positioned the soundbar element of the HW-Q600C in front of my 48in Philips OLED TV, and positioned the subwoofer next to the system rack the TV stands on. The sub and soundbar connect wirelessly, of course, and the soundbar was connected to the TV’s HDMI eARC socket. And there it stayed, for well over a week.

During the course of testing I listened to a variety of content, from bog-standard broadcast TV to Dolby Atmos soundtracks via a Panasonic UHD 4K Blu-ray player. I streamed content from Amazon Prime and Netflix, and even gave YouTube a shot (although the majority of YouTube content is compressed to the point of non-existence).

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First reviewed January 2024

Panasonic DP-UB154 review: a cheap 4K Blu-ray player with great performance

3:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Blu-ray Computers Gadgets Home Theater Televisions | Tags: Dolby Atmos, DVD | Comments: Off

Panasonic DP-UB154: One minute review

The Panasonic DP-UB154 is a 4K Blu-ray player that offers multiple playback options, including 4K and regular Blu-ray, DVD, CD and even hi-res audio for a cheap price. It supports HDR10+ video and the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio formats, but there is no Dolby Vision or Wi-Fi for streaming.

Stock and availability does vary from region to region, however. For those who can’t get hold of the DP-UB154, the Panasonic DP-UB150 is almost identical in terms of specs and features so this is a good alternative if you’re struggling to get hold of the UB154.

In terms of picture quality, 4K HDR images look fantastic through the UB154, with excellent detail and contrast. Upscaling is effective across the board for HD Blu-ray and DVD, although DVD can still look fuzzy at times.

The UB154 can also pass-through a wide selection of audio formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X and when played through a Sonos Beam (Gen 2) the soundbar I used for testing, the sound was clear.

Settings and options to adjust picture and audio on the UB154 are much more trimmed down compared to more premium models like the Panasonic DP-UB820, one of the best 4K Blu-ray players, but there is still plenty on offer for those who want to play around. The menus themselves are on the plain and dated side, however, and can be cumbersome to navigate at times.

Design-wise, this is a very simple machine. There is no display for runtimes of media, and the finish is a plain, if not bland black matte. The disc tray can also be slow to respond and feels a little flimsy. However, it still has a fairly solid overall design for the price.

This player is all about doing its main job of displaying discs at an excellent standard, while making sacrifices to features and design. However, if you are after just a simple 4K Blu-ray player, you can't really go wrong as this is one of the best budget players around.

Panasonic DP-UB154 menu on Panasonic MZ1500 — The Panasonic DP-UB154's (pictured) menus are much more stripped back compared to the more premium Panasonic DP-UB820 (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB154 review: Prices & release date

Release date: February 2019
Price: £199 / $199 / AU$300 upon release

Released in 2019, the Panasonic DP-UB154 is one of the entry-level 4K Blu-ray players in the company’s lineup. At the time of release, the UB-154 was roughly $199 / £199 / AU$300, although availability in Australia seems scarce compared to the US and UK.

Prices for the UB154 have since been slashed, with it now selling for around $179 / £149 in the US and UK. (Although the price in the UK has fallen as low as £99, which is a bargain for a Blu-ray player of this calibre.)

As I said above, if you’re struggling to get hold of the DP-UB154 in your region, the Panasonic DP-UB150 is almost identical in specs and size and is available for roughly $159 / £159 / AU$275.

Panasonic DP-UB154 review: Specs

Panasonic DP-UB154 rear panel — The Panasonic DP-UB154 lack connectivity options compared to more premium 4K Blu-ray players (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB154 review: Features

4K and standard Blu-ray, 3D, DVD playback
HDR10+ support but no Dolby Vision
Dolby Atmos, hi-res audio and CD playback

The Panasonic DP-UB154 features plenty of video playback options including 4K, regular and 3D Blu-ray and DVD. For audio playback, it supports hi-res (via USB) and CD. The UB154 doesn’t support SACD discs, so you’ll need to upgrade to the Magnetar UDP800 if that’s what you’re after.

HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG support are onboard, but not Dolby Vision. If you’re looking for a 4K Blu-ray player with Dolby Vision support, you can opt for the more premium Panasonic DP-UB820.

For audio, the UB154 supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (both bitstream) and other formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio (bitstream and decode). For music files, the UB154 can decode FLAC, WAV, ALAC, DSD and AIFF.

Connectivity on the UB154 is more limited compared to the Panasonic DP-UB820. It features a single HDMI output, LAN port (for firmware updates) and a USB input which supports file playback from external drives. There is no Wi-Fi, so you won’t find any streaming apps like Netflix as you would on the UB820.

The simple, stripped-back nature of the UB154 also carries across to its menus and operating system. Whilst the UB154 does offer adjustments, they are noticeably fewer than on the UB820, and limited to settings such as contrast, color and brightness.

The Panasonic UB154 performs well and is easy enough to navigate, but can sometimes be slow to respond. To change some settings, such as turning HDR10+ on and off, involves stopping playback of the disc you’re watching and returning to the settings menu on the homepage. The software within the UB-154 would also stutter and pause at times, but this happened infrequently.

Although the UB154 is light on connectivity and features, it is a 4K Blu-ray player that offers good performance and plenty of playback options at a budget-friendly price.

Features score: 4/5

Panasonic DP-UB154 showing Godizlla vs Kong on Panasonic MZ1500 — 4K pictures, as shown by *Godzilla vs Kong*, look particularly good through the Panasonic DP-UB154 (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB154 review: Performance

Brilliant HDR picture
Effective upscaling of lower-res sources
Slightly slow loading times

Loading times of the Panasonic UB154 are slower than the more premium UB820, with time from inserting a disc to the first logo appearing taking roughly a minute compared with the UB820’s 30 seconds. This was sometimes marginally quicker, but overall a minute was the norm.

For testing, I used a Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV as the display with the Filmmaker picture preset mode active.

I first checked out 4K Blu-rays on the UB154 and despite the budget price, pictures looked fantastic. Starting with Godzilla vs Kong, which has HDR10+ high dynamic range, the neon streets of Tokyo were bold, vibrant and as eye-wateringly garish as I hoped during the climactic fight scene between Godzilla and Kong. Contrast was also strong, with the bright lights of the signage balancing with the night sky and dark streets. Textures were incredibly detailed, with the scales on Godzilla coming across as well-defined without being too crisp.

It’s worth noting that in order to get HDR10+ on the UB154, you’ll need a compatible TV. Thankfully, a majority of the Samsung range, including the Samsung S90C, one of the best TVs on the market, support HDR10+. Other TVs that support the format include the Hisense U8K and Philips OLED808.

Textures were also incredibly detailed in Top Gun: Maverick, and the characters’ skin tones looked true-to-life and suitably accurate. Although the 4K Blu-ray of Maverick does not support HDR10+, the picture was nonetheless impressive in the default HDR10 format.

To test 4K upscaling, I used the same scene from Godzilla vs Kong on regular Blu-ray. Played on the UB154, upscaling was effective, and the same dynamic color and brightness punch still jumped from the screen. As expected, textures weren’t as well defined as the 4K version, but the picture was crisp enough to provide an extra level of immersion and depth.

Moving on to DVD, I watched The Amazing Spider-Man. The quality was definitely good, with more vivid colors than I expected and clean textures, although some fuzziness could be seen. Upscaling was not as effective as on the Panasonic UB820, but it still did a very good job.

Using the 4K Blu-ray of Alien and the regular Blu-ray of Thief, I also tested the UB154 to see how it handled older movies with a lot of film grain. With these discs, the UB154 struck a good balance between sharpening and noise reduction whilst also retaining grain for movie enthusiasts. The level of detail rendered and the upscaling was again not as effective as with the more premium UB820, but it was a credible picture nonetheless.

The Panasonic UB154 can pass-through Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS-HD Master Audio and a load of other audio formats. The UB154 was connected to the MZ1500 TV and a Sonos Beam (Gen 2) so I could get the most out of the audio from the 4K discs and in every test, the sound came through the Beam nice and clear.

As a final test, still using the Sonos Beam, I listened to Adele’s ‘Chasing Pavements’ on CD to assess playback quality. Bass and vocals balanced well with each other, with the vocals coming through clean and clear. There was some depth missing when it came to strings and trebles, but for a budget player, CD sound reproduction was decent.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Panasonic DP-UB154 with disc tray open — The Panasonic DP-UB154's disc tray can be a little slow to open (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB154 review: Design

Bland, but solid design for the price
No display to indicate runtime
CD tray feels a little clunky at times

Although the Panasonic UB-154 has solid build quality, it’s clear that it is on the budget side, with a matte finish and a bland overall design. It’s also very light, weighing just 1.2kg compared to the UB820’s 2.8kg.

There is no display for a clock or runtime of the disc currently playing on the front, which although not a dealbreaker would have been nice. As for the disc tray itself, there can be a delay between pressing the open command button on the remote and the tray itself opening up, and as such it can feel clunky.

This is a very stripped back and simple Blu-ray player, especially when it comes to what can be found on the rear panel: only a USB port, an HDMI output and a LAN port, as the UB154 doesn’t have Wi-Fi capabilities.

The supplied remote for the UB154 is on the light and small side and cheaply made. Even though the UB154 is a budget player, it would have been nice to see a bit more effort go into the remote

Design score: 3.5/5

Panasonic DP-UB154 remote control — The supplied remote for the Panasonic UB-154 is a little on the small and cheap side (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB154 review: Value

Good features set
Excellent picture quality for price range
More design consideration would have been nice

Panasonic’s approach to the UB154 is clearly value for money. It sacrifices on features and design to give you great picture and audio at a budget-friendly price, and for the most part it succeeds.

The fact that the UB154 has dropped as low as $169 / £99 at one stage makes this player nothing short of a bargain. It may not offer the same level of connectivity and features as more premium players, but it does its primary job of playing a range of discs in HDR and SDR formats with great quality.

If you can stretch your budget, the Panasonic DP-UB820 is superior in almost every way, but if you are simply looking for a cheap 4K Blu-ray player, the UB154 is an excellent choice.

Value score: 4.5/5

Panasonic DP-UB154 review: Should I buy it?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Also consider

Panasonic DP-UB820 with Panasonic MZ1500 and Sonos Beam (Gen 2) connected — This is a shot of the Panasonic DP-UB820, but the testing process for the DP-UB154 was exactly the same. (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Panasonic DP-UB820

Multiple video sources tested including 4K Blu-ray and DVD
Tested with Panasonic MZ1500 and Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Tested over the course of a couple of weeks

To test the Panasonic DP-UB154, I connected it to the Panasonic MZ1500 OLED and used various sources including 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, DVD and even CD for audio testing. I watched the same scene across multiple formats in Godzilla vs Kong to test upscaling effectiveness as well.

I also tested the software of the UB154 for ease of navigation, response time and number of settings that can be adjusted.

First reviewed: January 2024
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I saw Panasonic’s Z95A OLED TV and its super-bright MLA display blew me away

8:31 pm | January 16, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: Dolby Atmos, HLG, PC | Comments: Off

When it comes to advancing the tech of OLED TVs, brightness is usually the big battleground, and Panasonic is putting forward its best fighter yet. The flagship Panasonic Z95A OLED TV for 2024 is a knockout in picture quality from my earlier experience with it, combining Panasonic's 'Master OLED Ultimate' panel with boosted micro lens array (MLA) tech and an upgraded processor to achieve next-level brightness.

The new Panasonic Z95A model was announced on January 8, and while I've seen it in action, I haven't yet been able to measure just how much brighter it is – but given that last year's flagship Panasonic MZ2000 beat out the competition (it achieved 1,480 nits in Filmmaker mode and 1,366 nits in Standard picture mode, making it brighter than the LG G3 and Samsung S95C), there's a good chance we might see a repeat of this result over the LG G4 and Samsung S95D in 2024.

Outside of the upgraded panel, Panasonic has also made some other big changes, including a partnership with Amazon to use the Fire TV software instead of Panasonic's own platform. This brings together Panasonic's elite TV tech with Amazon's slick interface, which means that you can access all of Fire TV's bevy of smart features, such as Alexa-enabled smart home control, its Ambient Experience, and its great streaming service support. There are also new gaming features, including a 144Hz refresh rate for PC gamers, but the Z95A still only comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports.

Will the Panasonic Z95A be this year's best OLED TV? It's far too early to tell without being able to do our own test of the picture quality, but I did get a look at it during CES 2024, and was bowled over by its crisp picture detail and intuitive smart home features.

Panasonic's Z95A: Likely price and availability

The Panasonic Z95A at CES 2024 — From left to right, the 77-inch Z93A beside the 65-inch and 55-inch Z95A in the Panasonic booth at CES 2024. (Image credit: Future)

Announced in January 2024
Likely to be released later this year
No confirmed price yet

The Panasonic Z95A OLED TV comes in two screen sizes, both 55- and 65-inches. Unlike last year's MZ2000, though, the TV maker has released the larger 77-inch size under a different model name. It's calling it the Z93A and from what we can tell, this mainly comes down to the fact that it uses a 'Master OLED Pro Cinema panel', which is essentially the same as you'll find in the Panasonic MZ1500 (i.e. no MLA), making it less bright than the Z95A (which is visible in person, but the Z93A certainly isn't dim by OLED standards).

As is usual with Panasonic TVs, these won't come to the US, but will be available in the UK, Europe and Japan. When will they be available to buy in these markets? Panasonic will likely release the TVs much later this year (the MZ200 arrived in the second half of 2023) so we don't yet know how much they will cost. But we expect to see similar prices to the MZ2000, which launched at £2,699 for the 55-inch, £3,599 for the 65-inch, and £4,499 for the 77-inch.

It would be nice if Panasonic could bring down the cost of the sets to be more in line with its rivals this year – last year's MZ2000 was priced higher than the same sized 65-inch LG G3, and 55-inch and 77-inch Samsung S95C – but it's not likely. Panasonic uses much more advanced speaker tech, which must add to the price, for example.

Panasonic's Z95A: Features

Fire TV Ambient Experience and Alexa widgets
Access to Apple Home and Google Assistant
144Hz refresh rate for PC gamers

The most attention grabbing new feature with the Z95A is the Amazon Fire TV software. It replaces Panasonic's smart TV platform, my Home Screen 8.0, which was what we found to be one of the downsides in last year's MZ2000 because it was clunky and difficult to navigate. The home screen is now a curated feed of the best streaming services, allowing you to see what you're watching instantly and easily navigate between apps. You can also set up a profile so you can better curate personalized recommendations.

Access to the Fire TV Ambient Experience also means that the Z95A can be a central hub for your smart home, giving you the ability to control smart home devices with Alexa. During a demo of these features, we were able to see how you could simply command Alexa to draw the curtains or turn off the lights via the TV. Even in a busy convention center, the mics were able to pick up commands like "Alexa turn on the lights" or "Alexa open the curtains" and trigger the actions on an adorably miniature sized home model (as seen in the picture above). With access to Apple Home, AirPlay and Google Chromecast, you'll also be able to use tools like viewing a security camera's livestream. It's very much the future of home tech that puts the TV at the center of the home.

As for gamers, the Z95A is packed to the brim with gaming features, including 4K 144Hz as a new feature (compared to 4K 120Hz in the MZ2000), while VRR, ALLM, AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia G-Sync and Dolby Vision gaming capabilities all return from last year's MZ2000. However, there are still only two HDMI 2.1 ports, which is a bit of a shame considering the focus on improving the gaming experience as a whole.

Panasonic packed in an improved processor called the HCX Pro AI Processor Mk II, which not only enhances the picture quality but powers new gaming features, such as a new Game Mode Extreme that instantly updates the TV's settings to be more gaming optimized. To access these features, there's also the Game Control Board, which works as a dashboard for all the adjustable gaming settings.

Panasonic Z95A: Picture quality

Master OLED Pro Cinema panel with MLA tech
Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive and HLG support

It's the enhanced HCX Pro AI Processor Mk II that's also behind a lot of the improved picture quality in the Panasonic Z95A. In addition to Dolby Vision gaming at 144Hz, the chip powers Dolby Vision IQ Precision for added picture precision and brightness. It's also behind a new '4K Remaster Engine', which Panasonic says gives automatic noise reduction a boost when watching the best streaming services. Outside of Dolby Vision, there's also the usual support for popular formats such as HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10 and HLG.

The combination of the new processor, boosted MLA panel and Panasonic's multi-layer heat management configuration has given the Z95A a boost in brightness and overall picture quality. When viewing the model next to the Z93A during a demo, the lack of MLA in the larger model is slightly noticeable. But what was even more of a stark contrast was when comparing the Z95A to the MZ980, which of course isn't exactly a fair comparison given that it's not the flagship model from last year, but uses a 'regular' OLED panel without MLA or Panasonic's other brightness-boosting tech.

Regardless, I could see that the whites were far starker and stood out considerably – in fact by so much that you can even slightly see the difference in the picture above for yourself (if you look at the center of the image, the whites appear more fuller and brighter on the left than they do on the right), though this is way more pronounced in person. The spectrum of colors was also another major difference between the two. The Z95A set looked to have a level richness that made it pop a lot more when compared to the MZ980.

Panasonic Z95A: Sound quality

Dolby Atmos sound with 360 Soundscape Pro
Customizable directional speakers

The audio quality of the Z95A was another high point during the demo. Panasonic's 360 Soundscape Pro tech provides Dolby Atmos spatial audio with seven speaker channels, which means you won't need one of the best soundbars to get immersive audio.

During the demo, I also got to test out the 'Pinpoint Positioning' feature in the audio settings, which lets you manually adjust the direction of the speakers depending on your living room setup. While most households will no doubt sit directly in front of their TVs, I can see this feature being useful in more of a mismatch setting – it steers the 'sweet spot' of the sound to wherever you're sitting, including off to the side.

From a technical standpoint, the only slight difference between the 55- and 65-inch Z95A is that the larger model has a slightly higher wattage of 160W (compared to 150W). In terms of the speaker channels, there are two side-firing, two upward-firing, three forward firing, and a subwoofer.

Panasonic Z95A: Early verdict

While the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV may not look too different on the surface from last year's MZ2000 – it has the same swivel design and black bezels – there's a lot going on under the hood that shows how it has improved.

From what I've seen so far, my first impressions are that it has a lot of promise to be a knockout OLED TV in 2024 and I'll be excited to hear more about what Panasonic decides on the pricing front, and to get it in our testing labs. As ever, it's such a pity that our US readers will miss out on it.

Samsung HW-Q700C review: a great cheaper Dolby Atmos soundbar beaten only by Samsung itself

12:30 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Soundbars Televisions | Tags: Dolby Atmos, TV | Comments: Off

Samsung HW-Q700C: Two-minute review

In a bid to become one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars to have graced our testing process, the Samsung HW-Q700C presents itself as a similar TV-boosting soundbar solution as the HW-Q800C. Essentially, it too is a mid-tier offering capable of pumping out Dolby Atmos from a single bar and subwoofer combination. Like its slightly bigger brother, there are no rear speakers, nor do you get the truly insane levels of power exhibited by the top-of-the-range HW-Q990C. Differentiating it from the 800C, the Q700C on test here adopts a 3.1.2-channel output – compared to the 5.1.2 layout of the 800 – making it a good option for those wanting to boost the sound coming from their TV in a smaller-sized room. And, as with all Samsung soundbars, you can take advantage of extra features if you own a compatible Samsung TV such as Q Symphony, which is explained in greater detail further down.

At $549.99 / £599 / AU$899 – although you can regularly find it for less in all territories – it’s what could be deemed affordable, and while some may wish they had the extra couple of channels found on the 800C, the 700C delivers a loud, dynamic and impressive performance – particularly where vocals are concerned. If you want those extra channels and a more authentic Dolby Atmos surround sound experience at a later date, you could wirelessly connect the SWA-9500S speakers for $299 / £249 / AU$349.

The Samsung HW-Q700C supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X by way of two up-firing drivers to deliver the all-important height effects, and it will happily double up as a music system, accepting a range of music files including high-resolution FLAC. In practice, it is a formidable bit of kit, and certainly passes the test when it comes to the task of boosting your TV’s sound and bringing a cinema-like experience into your main room. Bass levels are insanely good considering the size of the 'bar and sub, Dolby Atmos height effects are convincing – as much as they can be given the speaker configuration – and as already alluded to, vocals are crystal clear.

However, considering you don’t need to spend a lot more money to pick up the HW-Q800C, it does beg the question who would take the 700 instead. This review intends to answer that one for you.

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Price & Availaibility

$549.99 / £599 / AU$899
Released April 2023

The Samsung HW-Q700C received a global launch in April 2023. In the UK and Australia, it appears to have maintained its original launch price of £599 and AU$899, whereas in the US, it’s undergone a price cut from $699.99, down to $549.99, at the time of writing.

However, this is only the MSRP, and you’ll likely find it’s been discounted a fair amount at many third-party retailers, making it seemingly better value for money. But you’re also going to find the slightly more powerful Q800C has been discounted too, and so if you can afford the extra spend, that would ultimately be our recommendation.

This is because the Q800C gives you a couple of extra speaker drivers for a bigger, wider sound. An alternative would be to use the money saved by buying the Q700C and spending it on the optional rear speakers for a more authentic 5.1.2 surround sound setup.

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Specs

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Features

3.1.2 channels
4K HDR HDMI passthrough
Exclusive features for Samsung TV owners

The Samsung HW-Q700C’s 3.1.2 channel arrangement comprises a center, two wide-range tweeters, two dedicated upward firing drivers and a wireless 6.5-inch subwoofer, delivering a total power output of 320 watts. This is another area where the Q700C differs from its higher-specced siblings. The Q800C and Q990C are paired with an 8-inch subwoofer, which is capable of making your room shake even more with low frequencies. A larger sub is going to be useful in larger rooms and consequently, could be overkill if your living room, bedroom, media room, whatever it may be, is on the smaller side. The 6.5-inch sub included with the 700C is still plenty capable, it must be said, and in my time using it I didn’t feel short changed.

If you’re in ownership of a compatible Samsung TV, you can effectively increase the channel count by way of integrating the TV’s speakers into the equation via Q Symphony. The aim is to create a bigger, more detailed soundstage, since you’ll be using all available speakers. If you are able to connect to a compatible Samsung TV – 2021 - 2023 QLED Q70 TVs and above – then you can take advantage of SpaceFit Sound room calibration. This uses the microphone in the TV to automatically calibrate the sound without any user intervention. SpaceFit Sound Pro, which doesn't require a Samsung TV to be connected, is available on the Q800C soundbar and the flagship Q990C.

The vast majority of audio formats are supported, including the aforementioned Dolby Atmos, alongside DTS:X, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby True HD. As for music, there’s across the board support for AAC, WAV, FLAC, MP3 and ALAC. Put simply, the Samsung HW-Q700C will be able to playback virtually anything you wish to throw at it.

Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar sitting beneath an LG G3 OLED TV showing Barry Can't Swim music stream via Apple Music — (Image credit: Future)

And since there’s Wi-Fi onboard, you can also play music via Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and Tidal Connect. Amazon Alexa is also supported, although it’s not completely built in. You’ll need a separate Alexa device, such as an Echo, through which you can bark commands, such as asking the soundbar to skip a music track or adjust the volume.

Further proving the fact that it’s the physical features that separate the Q700C from other Q-series soundbars, Samsung has given its mid-range soundbar its full suite of audio technologies. These include Adaptive Sound 2.0, which claims to intelligently analyze the content you’re watching, whether it be sports, a movie or the news, and adjust the audio output accordingly.

There’s a separate audio mode for gamers, in the form of Game Made Pro, which aims to more accurately place various sounds, such as another player coming from behind you. Do note that the Samsung HW-Q700C doesn’t support 4K 120Hz pass through. It will support 4K pass through, but if you want to make the absolute most of your next-gen console, you’ll need to plug the console directly into your TV and send audio to the soundbar via eARC.

Features score: 4.5/5

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Audio Performance

Surprisingly deep bass from the wireless subwoofer
Vocal clarity a particular highlight
Impressive, if not totally authentic, Dolby Atmos effect

The Samsung HW-Q700C took the place of the more powerful and much more expensive JBL Bar 1300 in my living room. The JBL does have genuine rear speakers, therefore capable of delivering a more authentic Dolby Atmos experience, so I was keen to hear how Samsung’s single-bar solution would fare. Truth be told, I was impressed.

To get things started, I fired up a stream of Lightyear on Disney Plus, and the opening scene alone proved the HW-Q700C could deliver power that belies its size. Buzz’s rocket ship blasted through space with ferocity, and the subwoofer provided plenty of low end rumble to highlight just how powerful the ship’s jet propulsion was. So much low end rumble in fact, that I felt compelled to turn the volume down a few notches, not just so as to not annoy my housemate, but the neighbors in the units above and below me.

Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar sitting beneath an LG G3 OLED TV, playing Avengers Endgame — (Image credit: Future)

The bar itself also impressed. What was immediately apparent – positively for Samsung and negatively for JBL – was how much clearer dialogue was. No matter the movie or TV show, I never once felt the need to make a beeline for the subtitles menu, as voices came through with impressive clarity. I toggled the voice enhance feature on and off too, to hear if it made dialogue any clearer and sure enough, it did. I did find the rest of the audio presentation took a slight backseat when this feature was turned on however, so for the most part I had it turned off.

As for Dolby Atmos effects, it’s a mixed bag. Yes, the Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar did indeed fill my room with sound that evidently had greater height, and during Avengers: Endgame in the main, epic battle at the end, sounds of various spaceships and otherworldly beasts flying in from the sides of the screen did sound as they had come from my side or behind me. But when compared to a soundbar with dedicated rear speakers, or a fully-fledged home cinema speaker system, there is a noticeable difference.

But, this should pretty much be expected. The HW-Q700C doesn’t have physical rear speakers and so placing the responsibility of enveloping a room with sound on the 2 upward firing drivers is going to be a big ask. I would say there is a slight sensation of a half-dome of sound, because you’re definitely getting a larger soundfield than you’d get from a front-firing-only soundbar, but not quite a full dome over your head.

Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar end section showing Samsung logo

(Image credit: Future)

This is realistically only a minor setback as on the whole, I was seriously impressed with the audio performance of the Q700C. It had no issues filling the room with sound, and I had the volume relatively low during the entirety of the review period. I did turn things up on a couple of occasions to see what it was truly capable of, and once again I was taken aback by the sheer power of the unassuming bar and sub package.

Musically, it’s a good performer too, although I found it wasn’t without its issues. First and foremost, I wasn’t able to stream music from my iPhone or Macbook via Apple AirPlay. AirPlay recognised the soundbar as a device, it just wasn’t able to connect. I removed the Q700C from the SmartThings app (and subsequently my wi-fi network) and added it back in to try and remedy the problem, but to no avail.

So, to play music, I streamed tracks from Apple Music via a connected Apple TV. I first loaded up the rather funky, foot-tapping first album from Barry Can’t Swim, which streams in Dolby Atmos. The same effortless room-filling sound experienced with movies carries over here, and also allows the Q700C to prove its rhythmic prowess. I also noticed the soundbar and sub integrated well with each other, ensuring cohesive playback that never once sounded muddled.

Step down to ‘regular’ music playback for songs not available in Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio and naturally, that height is removed. The Q700C still handles music well mind you, and I’d say it’s pretty much on par with its Q800C sibling when you activate Adaptive Sound Mode. This essentially remixes stereo into multi-channel, and the effect in this instance is as it is with the Q800C. That being, songs are given extra room without sacrificing too much in the way of detail.

Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar — (Image credit: Future)

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Design

Gray plastic finish looks more premium than it feels
Subwoofer isn't the most attractive thing ever
Unobtrusive size will suit most TVs

The Samsung HW-Q700C follows a very similar design language to Samsung’s other Q-series soundbars. Namely, a main bar with angled edges, a gray metallic plastic finish complete with front grille and unobtrusive dimensions that make it easy to nestle in front of and underneath a TV. It’s the same width and depth as the Q800C, yet ever so slightly shorter in height, which only adds to its unobtrusive nature.

Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar top panel — (Image credit: Future)

It’s the perfect width for TVs 55-inches in size and greater – I was testing with it placed beneath a 65-inch LG OLED G3 – and since the top panel is covered by a perforated grille, you needn’t worry about any reflections from the screen above it, which is a good thing. There’s also a small LCD display on the right side of the bar (when you’re looking at it) that will display the source – eARC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc – and it will flash up when it’s playing a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which provides peace of mind for the user.

On the underside of the soundbar are two recessed areas. One is solely for the power cable, while the other is where you’ll plug your HDMI cables and/or digital optical cable. One thing I have noticed is that this layout is best suited to Samsung’s own TVs, as the main bulk of connections can be found on the left of a Samsung TV (when viewed from the back) and so connecting an HDMI cable from this side of the screen to the left side of the soundbar (also when viewed from the rear) will be simple. On my LG TV, however, the HDMI inputs are on the opposite side, meaning I had to really stretch the cables as far as they’d go.

This may not be a huge deal breaker for many, but is something you might not initially consider when buying a soundbar.

The subwoofer I’m less enthusiastic about. It’s rather dinky and so won’t exactly be an eyesore in your room, but I’m not all that keen on the cloth cover on the front. In comparison to the main bar, I feel it makes it look dated. I would’ve been able to tolerate the cloth grille if it were removable, but alas, no such luck.

Samsung HW-Q700C subwoofer — (Image credit: Future)

Design score: 4/5

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Setup & Usability

Controlled via app or remote
A few issues streaming via AirPlay

I definitely expected the setup of the Samsung HW-Q700C to go off without a hitch, but I did run into a few teething problems. Firstly, the aforementioned issue of input placement meant I had to move a few things around – as a sidenote, my usual JBL Bar 1300 has its inputs in the center of the bar, which I find to be far more logical.

I also, naively, didn’t realise there was just a single HDMI input alongside the HDMI eARC port. So, again, I had to then plug devices into my TV to have the audio sent back down to the soundbar. Once this was all done, I expected them all to work harmoniously, in the sense of, when I turned my Apple TV on, the TV and soundbar should have come on at the same time. Only this didn’t happen… initially at least. I came home one day, about a week after having it all plugged in, to find that this was all now working as it should, without any intervention from myself. Perhaps my housemate is a secret technological guru.

Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar sitting beneath LG G3 OLED TV — (Image credit: Future)

I was also directed to Samsung’s SmartThings app, which mimics the soundbar’s remote control – and is also where you can group other SmartThings compatible devices you may have in your home. The initial setup of this was relatively plain sailing. It detected the Q700C was in my room, and I was able to enter my Wi-Fi password and get it on my network in next to no time.

But a few days later I went to open the app to adjust some settings, and it either kept showing me the spinning loading icon while it tried to establish a connection with the soundbar again, or it didn’t connect at all. The app would tell me the soundbar was off, when I was literally sitting in front of it and it was playing a movie.

I occasionally encountered similar issues with my JBL soundbar, in that it would regularly lose its network connection, before reconnecting again automatically. During any downtime, I’m unable to use that bar’s companion app to make any changes, either. I’m willing to accept that I just have bad luck.

But more recently when I’ve used the Q700C, I’ve had no issues at all. I did find adjusting the volume using my Apple TV remote did suffer from slight input lag, but using the included Samsung remote worked perfectly.

Setup & usability score: 4/5

Samsung HW-Q700C Review: Value

The punchier Q800C doesn't cost much more
Optional rear speakers could be beneficial, but cost extra

The Samsung HW-Q700C is an interesting proposition. On the one hand it’s a relatively inexpensive soundbar (it’s available for much less than its MSRP in most territories) that certainly ticks the box of “boost TV sound”. But the ever-so-slightly better-specced 800C, which we deemed to be the best mid-range soundbar released in 2023, is hanging over it like a fantastic-sounding bad smell. And you don’t need to spend an awful lot more money at some retailers to take ownership of the more powerful sibling.

So, which should you get?

In my opinion, if you only have space for a single soundbar and subwoofer combo – and can stretch your budget – I would opt for the Samsung HW-Q800C for its extra couple of drivers. But if your room layout allows for it, I would argue the HW-Q700C plus the optional rear surround speaker units would create a far more convincing Dolby Atmos soundfield in your room.

If your budget is constrained, however, but still want to make it go as far as possible, then the Samsung HW-Q700C as a standalone unit is still an utter joy to listen to.

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Samsung HW-Q700C?

Buy it if...

You want an affordable route to great home cinema

The Q700C delivers a performance that belies its size and spec sheet, and it doesn't cost a whole lotta money.

Don't buy it if...

Samsung HW-Q700C review: Also consider

How I tested the Samsung HW-Q700C

Tested over two weeks
Tested with movie and TV content streamed from Apple TV and built-in TV apps
Music streamed via Bluetooth and from Apple TV

The Samsung HW-Q700C soundbar sat beneath a 65-inch LG G3 OLED TV on an entertainment unit, which is placed along a wall in a central position, as opposed to being in a corner. This allows the wide-angle tweeters to have space to deliver their sound. I left the subwoofer placed alongside the same wall, to the right of the soundbar when viewed from the front. I wasn't able to test the Q700C with the optional rear speakers.

The majority of Dolby Atmos and 5.1 content came from movies and TV shows streamed on Netflix and Disney Plus via an Apple TV 4K. In particular Lightyear, Avengers: End Game and Money Heist.

For music playback, I mainly streamed tracks from Apple Music via the same Apple TV 4K. I also streamed some songs via Bluetooth from my iPhone 13 Pro.

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First reviewed December 2023

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: a fantastic, affordable 4K Blu-ray player that’s built to last

6:09 pm | December 20, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Blu-ray Computers Gadgets Home Theater Televisions | Tags: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, DTS, DVD | Comments: Off

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: One minute review

The Panasonic DP-UB820 is one of Panasonic’s mid-range 4K Blu-ray players that offers a strong suite of features, and supports a lot of audio and video formats including Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for video, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for audio, and can even support up to 7.1 channels of audio directly with audio analogue output options. It has Wi-Fi for streaming apps such as Netflix, too.

Performance wise, the Panasonic DP-UB820 offers fantastic 4K image reproduction with vivid colors, deep black levels and stunning contrast, particularly when it comes to Dolby Vision – it's up there with the best 4K Blu-ray players. Its 4K upscaling is effective, giving regular (non-4K) Blu-ray a whole new level of detail. Even DVDs are given a new lease on life thanks to the UB820’s upscaling efforts, though you'll notice far more that it was a lower-quality source.

Audio performance is also superb, with Dolby Atmos effects coming through clear and adding that extra layer of immersion to any movie. Paired with one of the best TVs and best soundbars, the Panasonic DP-UB820 completes the home theater experience beautifully.

The Panasonic DP-UB820’s software feels a little cumbersome at times, but it still gives plenty of options and settings for people to adjust to get the picture and audio of their movies to just how they like it.

Design-wise, the Panasonic DP-UB820 may not be the most remarkable bit of kit, but it’s still a solid player that keeps things simple. Whilst its front panel that covers the whole device keeps things a little neater, it does mean people will have to think about where the hinged panel will open and close with the disc tray, meaning those with shelved TV stands may have to do some Tetris-esque moving.

In terms of value, the Panasonic DP-UB820 is one of the best Blu-ray buys today. Priced at under $500/£349/AU$760, this really is a well-featured and high-performing player for the price. Thanks to some personal history with this player, I can also confirm this will work and work and work until it can't give anymore; it's a solid investment.

Panasonic DP-UB820 remote — The Panasonic DP-UB820's remote (pictured) is a little button heavy but functional nonetheless. (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Prices & release date

Released in August 2018
Priced around $499/£349/AU$769

The Panasonic DP-UB820 is a mid-range,4K Blu-ray player that sits in the middle point of Panasonic’s range of 4K Blu-ray players, above budget models such as the Panasonic UB154, but below the premium Panasonic DP-UB9000. It's officially priced with a slighter higher tag of $499 in the US, but the DP-UB820 is competitive at £349 and AU$769 in the UK and Australia respectively.

At the time of writing, we’ve seen the DP-UB820 for much lower prices than above, falling to around $399 in the US, £249 in the UK, and as low as $538 in Australia. Whilst these prices do fluctuate, they often drop to this level or only slightly higher. For a player with this level of features and capabilities, this is an excellent price.

Panasonic DP-UB820 picture settings menu on Panasonic MZ1500 — The Panasonic DP-UB820 offers lots of settings that you can adjust to get the picture how you'd like. (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Specs

Panasonic DP-UB820 rear panel — The Panasonic DP-UB820 comes with plenty of connections including twin HDMI (one is audio-only). (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Features

Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support
Built-in Wi-Fi and streaming capabilities

The Panasonic DP-UB820 is packed with features for its price tag. It supports playback of 4K Blu-ray, regular and even 3D Blu-ray, DVD, AVCHD, CD and various recordable disc formats as well. It doesn’t support SACD, unfortunately, but you could step up to the Magnetar UDP800 if you need that.

In terms of HDR support, the UB820 has covered all the bases with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG included.

For audio formats, the UB820 again supports the vital Dolby and DTS formats including Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X and DTS:HD Master Audio. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are in bitstream output whilst Dolby TrueHD and DTS:HD MA are in bitstream and decoded outputs.

Music formats are also heavily supported including the usual FLAC, WAV, MP3 and AAC formats to name a few. There’s also support for Hi-Res Audio files including DSD at 2.8 MHz (2ch and 5.1ch), 5.6 MHz (2 ch and 5.1ch) and 11.2 MHz (2ch) and ALAC files (96 kHz/32 bit at 7.1ch and 192 kHz/32-bit at 5.1ch).

Connectivity on the UB820 is again well-stocked, and includes two HDMI ports (one for audio and one for audio/video), digital optical output, analogue audio output (both LR and up to 7.1 channels) and two USB inputs (one 3.0 and one 2.0) for HDD playback. It also has Wi-Fi connectivity for streaming, with apps such as Netflix built into the streaming hub.

The built-in software for the UB820 offers plenty of menus and settings to tweak so you can tailor the picture of your movies to what you need. Some particular highlights include choosing the display, labelled ‘HDR TV type’ in the Advanced Settings section, which offers options such as 'OLED' and 'Middle to High Luminance LCD', which made subtle changes to the picture based on choice. Although it didn’t make a huge difference, it was a welcome feature nonetheless.

Other settings, also in Advanced Settings, including Deep Color Output, HDR/Color Gamut Output and more for picture, and there were also adjustments for audio including Downmixing and 7.1-channel audio reformatting. Among these, there were also picture settings you could adjust such as black level, contrast and noise reduction for non-HDR sources such as regular Blu-ray.

Performance-wise, the UB820 was easy enough to navigate but there were some small frustrations. This included some settings that could only be changed when going back to the main menu of the UB820 itself, such as HDR10+ or Dolby Vision mode. During testing, the UB820 would favor HDR10+ over Dolby Vision when I tested it with a disc that supports both – which is frustrating because Dolby Vision looked better in most cases (more on that below). The only way I could find to avoid this is to deactivate HDR10+ – but I want it active for when I'm watching something that only supports it! This is only a problem if you have a TV that supports both HDR formats, but that includes the kind of home theater fan this Blu-ray is aimed at, right? There were also times where the software would stutter and pause, but this was not often.

For the price however, the Panasonic DPUB820 is stacked with features and connectivity, especially at a very reasonable price.

Features score: 4.5/5

Panasonic DP-UB820 with Godzilla on screen — Movies such as *Godzilla vs Kong* (pictured) looked incredible on the Panasonic DP-UB820, with vibrant colors and stunning contrast and depth. (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Performance

Excellent picture reproduction
Effective upscaling on most sources
Fantastic audio performance

Straight off the bat, the Panasonic DP-UB820 has great loading times, with the process from loading the disc into the tray to the first logos displayed on screen taking 35-40 seconds all told, not dissimilar timings to logging into some streaming apps and loading previously watched TV shows.

4K pictures look sensational through the UB820. Firstly, using Godzilla vs Kong to test both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats, in the climactic fight scene between Godzilla and Kong in Tokyo, the colors of the eye-watering neon signs buildings were bright, dynamic and had plenty of garish punch as you would expect. Contrast was also superb, with deep, rich black levels complementing the bright colors. Everything looks sharp and textures were crisp without being overly hard.

When looking at Dolby Vision vs HDR10+ through the same player, on the same TV – which will only be a choice for those whose have TVs that support both formats such as the Hisense U8K, Philips OLED808 and Panasonic MZ1500 to name a few – Dolby Vision had the edge. During the same Godzilla vs Kong scene above, switching between the two HDR formats demonstrated that Dolby Vision offered deeper black levels, and this added contrast made the colors seem to pop more than through HDR10+, and even means there's an perceptive improvement in some texture and detail. That's definitely not to say HDR10+ looked bad, far from it in fact, but if you have the option of both I'd go for Dolby Vision.

In Top Gun: Maverick on 4K Blu-ray, and Dolby Vision performance was brilliant there, too. People’s skin tones and facial details during close-up shots were extremely rich, refined, and felt true-to-life. Brighter images felt natural yet vibrant. Motion was extremely well-handled by the UB820 and during any of the jet sequences, there was minimal judder and blurring.

Moving on to lower-quality format discs, I started by viewing the same scene from Godzilla vs Kong as I’d used before for comparison, but on regular Blu-ray, and was blown away by the UB820’s picture, thanks to its effective 4K upscaling. Although it wasn’t quite as good as the 4K disc itself, the picture still carried enough vibrant color, rich contrast and crisp textures to make you look twice and question whether you’d put the 4K disc in.

Watching a DVD of The Amazing Spider-man didn't deliver the same standard as Blu-ray upscaling (no surprise, given that it's now having to upscale to 16 times as many pixels), and textures appeared soft in places as a result – but the overall quality was still strong, as the UB820 maintained good levels of detail, punchy colors and solid textures overall.

I also tested older movies including the 4K Blu-ray of Alien and a Blu-ray of Thief to see how the UB820's processing handled film grain. Although there was film grain present, more so in Thief, the UB820 balanced keeping enough grain for the enthusiast alongside upscaling it to take advantage of a 4K screen. It didn't come across as artificially cleaned up, and there was no obvious problem of it struggling to find detail among the grainer scenes, such as the shots at dawn near the start of Thief.

Moving on to audio, the UB820 did a fantastic job of reproducing Dolby Atmos effects with the jets in Top Gun: Maverick feeling like they're gliding around the room with a suitable Dolby Atmos soundbar or surround system.

Testing the DTS:HD Master Audio 5.1 mix of Alien, the foreboding and doom-ridden parts of the soundtrack were as claustrophobic as you’d hope, and those moments of noise cutting through the silence of the Nostromo’s landing early on were powerful and direct.

As for music, there is a built-in app called Berliner Philharmoniker featuring performances of classical music and listening to Mozart concertos, also in Dolby Atmos, which is a fun addition, and really shows off your sound system. Every instrument had room to breathe, and there was a fantastic balance between the trebles, mids and bass.

Finally, I tested its CD playback, and although not mind-blowing, vocals were still clear, and there was a good balance between other instruments, with a healthy showing of bass.

Performance score: 5/5

Panasonic DP-UB820 with disc tray open on white stand — The Panasonic DP-UB820 does have a hinged panel that opens with the disc tray which could be a problem for particular shelving in certain narrower units. (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Design

Lightweight but durable build
Hinged panel in front of disc tray
Plenty of connections for mid-range player

The Panasonic DP-UB820 is lightweight compared to its more premium counterpart, the Panasonic DP-UB9000, with the former weighing in at a much lighter 2.4kg compared to the latter’s 8kg weight. Although it’s not made of metal like more premium Blu-ray players, the UB820 still feels durable.

The disc tray and digital display, which looks a bit old-school, are set behind a hinged panel that opens and closes with the disc tray itself. While this keeps things looking neat, it does mean the UB820 needs space across the whole front to allow the panel to open. This could cause a problem for those with restrictive TV stands in one way or another, though may not be a problem for most people.

There are plenty of connections on the rear panel of the UB820 including two HDMI ports, USB, digital optical output, up to 7.1 channels of analogue output, and LAN for wired network connections. For a mid-range player, this is a lot of connectivity and presents a lot of audio options for movie users.

The UB820’s supplied remote is on the smaller side and features plenty of buttons to press including a number pad. If anything, there are probably a few too many buttons, but there are also options to navigate the various menus that do make navigation that bit easier.

Design score: 4/5

Panasonic DP-UB820 menu on Panasonic MZ1500 — The Panasonic DP-UB820's software isn't the most dazzling, but it is effective and offers plenty of features. (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Value

Excellent price for the performance and features
Solid, reliable and built to work
Covers most of the bases extremely well

Quite simply, the Panasonic DP-UB820 is a workhorse. During my time working for a major AV retailer, the UB820 was the Blu-ray player of choice to display demo material across 15 TVs, for eight hours a day, seven days a week, using an HDMI splitter. In the nearly three years I was at that job, the HDMI splitter failed multiple times, while the UB820 simply trucked on doing its job. The UB820 is built to last and will give you years of entertainment.

Price-wise, the UB820 has an extensive list of features and connectivity, supports a lot of physical sources, picture and audio formats and even has Wi-Fi built-in for streaming all for under $500 in the US, under £300 in the UK and $750 in Australia. Compared to similarly priced players, such as the Sony UBPX800 Mk II, the Panasonic is the total package.

Value 5/5

Panasonic DP-UB820 showing Top Gun Maverick — The Panasonic DP-UB820 produces excellent textures and sharpness, shown here on *Top Gun: Maverick* (pictured). (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Should I buy it?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Panasonic DP-UB820 review: Also consider

How I tested the Panasonic DP-UB820

Multiple sources including 4K and standard Blu-ray, DVD, CD
Tested with Panasonic MZ1500 TV
Tested over the course of two months

For testing the Panasonic DP-UB820, I connected it to a 55-inch Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV, which supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+. I then tested the DP-UB820 for picture using 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, DVD for disc playback and upscaling testing.

Once I'd chosen the discs, I assessed pictures based on HDR performance including Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and more, and looked at 4K upscaling of non-4K formats such as DVD and Blu-ray.

For sound I tested the UB820 using CD, streaming apps and the same discs to test Dolby Atmos and DTS sound reproduction.

I also tested the software of the DP-UB820 looking at menu navigation, input speed, number of settings and more to see how comprehensive the DP-UB820 was for a mid-range Blu-ray player.

First reviewed: December 2023
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Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: a Sonos Beam alternative with surprisingly big sound

2:00 pm | November 12, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Soundbars Televisions | Tags: Dolby Atmos, DTS, HDMI, TV | Comments: Off

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar: two-minute review

The HT-S2000 is Sony's entry-level 3.1-channel soundbar. Initially priced at $499 / £449 / AU$695, it’s a compact, all-in-one model with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, with the height effects in both immersive soundtrack formats delivered using virtual processing.

Sony’s design for the HT-S2000 uses five speakers: three for the left, right and center channels as well as two dedicated woofers for the bass. Connections include HDMI (with eARC/ARC) and optical digital audio inputs. There’s also a USB type-A port to play music on connected USB drives. Unlike some of the best soundbars, the HT-S2000 doesn’t support music streaming using Wi-Fi or AirPlay, though its Bluetooth 5.2 support will let you play music wirelessly from a phone. For those looking to expand their soundbar’s capabilities in the future, the HT-S2000 can also be paired with Sony’s optional wireless surround speakers and subwoofers.

Sony’s soundbar has solid build quality and a sleek, no-nonsense look. It’s easy to set up, and Sony provides its own Home Entertainment app to help with that task – it also lets you tweak the sound for your specific installation. There are a range of Sound EQ modes, including automatic volume levelling, that can be accessed using either the app of Sony’s bundled remote control. The HT-S2000 also features Sony’s proprietary Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround processing, both of which work to enhance the level of audio immersion coming from the soundbar’s basic 3.1-channel speaker array.

The HT-S2000’s overall performance is great for the price. It delivers dialogue that sounds consistently clear even when pushed to a high level, and bass output is better-than average for an all-in-one soundbar. Sony’s proprietary processing allows for the height effects in Dolby Atmos soundtracks to extend beyond and above the screen boundaries of a TV the soundbar is connected to and there’s also a notably good surround sound ‘wrap-around’ effect when the S-Force Pro Front Surround feature is active.

When it was first released, the HT-S2000 wasn’t the strongest value as it lacked features found in some of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars selling for the same price, such as up-firing speakers and built-in Wi-Fi for lossless music streaming. But the HT-S2000 has since widely dropped in price to $349 / £299, making it a much more compelling value, especially given its performance.

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar on TV stand — Sony's soundbar is a good fit for TVs with a 55-inch (shown here) or a 65-inch screen size. (Image credit: Future)

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: price and release date

Released in March 2023
$499 / £449 / AU$695

Sony’s HT-S2000 soundbar was released in March 2023 at an initial price of $499 / £449 / AU$695. Its price has since dropped to $349 in the US and £299 in the UK, though it’s still selling for AU$695 in Australia.

In the Sony 2023 soundbar lineup, the HT-S2000 sits below the HT-A2000, another 3.1-channel model that adds Wi-Fi streaming along with Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2 support.

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: features

Dolby Atmos and DTS: X support
HDMI and optical digital connections
Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround processing

The HT-S2000 is a 3.1-channel soundbar with support for the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio formats, which it delivers using virtual processing. It doesn’t have built-in Wi-Fi for streaming, though you can stream music to it over a Bluetooth wireless connection.

Two Sony audio processing features found on the HT-S2000 are Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround. The first helps to elevate sound effects, music and dialogue to screen level or even above where they will sound more natural. The second provides a virtual ‘wrap-around’ so that surround effects sound like they are coming from the sides of the room.

Connection options on the HT-S2000 are basic. It has an HDMI-eARC port for connecting to a TV, an optical digital audio input, and a USB type-A port that can be used to play music files stored on a USB drive. Like other soundbars from brands including Sonos, Bose, Samsung, and LG, the HT-S2000 can be expanded by adding Sony’s wireless surround sound speakers and subwoofers.

Features score: 4/5

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar on white background — The soundbar's top-mounted controls (Image credit: Future)

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: sound quality

Very good dialogue clarity
Spacious virtual surround
Sounds good with music

A key benefit of the Sony soundbar is its handling of dialogue in movies and TV shows. Watching a few dialogue-heavy scenes from Top Gun: Maverick, voices sounded clean, and I could push the volume to relatively high levels without it sounding edgy. For comparison’s sake, I swapped out the Sony with a 2.1-channel model and found dialogue in the same Top Gun: Maverick scene to be significantly less clean-sounding. The comparison demonstrated the advantage to using a soundbar like the HT-S2000 with a dedicated center-channel speaker, which is a feature that 2.1-channel soundbars lack.

Skipping ahead to the aerial dogfight scene in Top Gun: Maverick, Sony's soundbar sorted the dialogue, music (The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again) and sound effects in an impressively clear manner. There was also a decent amount of bass, which enhanced the sound of drums in the music and added definition to the trajectory of the fighter jets. The soundbar’s virtual processing made height effects in Dolby Atmos soundtracks like Top Gun exceed the height of my TV’s screen. And while the presentation wasn’t as expansive as what I’ve experienced with soundbars featuring dedicated Atmos speakers, it still had a satisfying level of immersion.

Music also sounded surprisingly good on the HT-S2000, especially given its low price. It’s possible to listen to plain stereo with the soundbar’s virtual processing disabled, but pressing the Sound Field button on the remote control adds a level of spaciousness that enhances the stereo separation without making voices and instruments sound unnatural. Equally important, it elevates the presentation in the vertical dimension so that the sound doesn’t appear to be coming from a horizontal bar located beneath your TV’s screen.

Sound quality score: 4/5

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: design

Compact design
Above-average build quality
Alphanumeric front-panel display

The HT-S2000 has a compact, all-in-one soundbar, measuring 31.5 inches wide by 2.5 inches high and 5.25 inches deep. Build quality is a cut above most budget soundbars, with the Sony’s sturdy black plastic cabinet fronted by a metal mesh grille. Ports located on the soundbar’s left and right sides allow for enhanced bass output, while its X-Balanced Speaker Unit design physically aligns the 3.25 x 1.8-inch drivers and 3.75 x 1.8 woofers to reduce distortion.

Capacitive controls on the HT-S2000’s top surface let you adjust volume and connect with Bluetooth devices, and there’s also a small remote with additional controls to switch inputs, select sound EQ modes, and adjust the bass level. Sony’s soundbar conveniently provides visual feedback to remote control commands via its alphameric front panel display. That feature is one you don’t regularly find on lower-cost soundbars, and it’s a superior option to basic LED lights.

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar inputs — Inputs include HDMI and optical digital connections (Image credit: Future)

Design score: 4.5/5

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: usability and setup

HDMI eARC/ARC connection to TV
App-based setup
No voice assistant support

The HT-S2000’s single HDMI input makes the setup process simple. Just connect it to a TV’s HDMI eARC (or ARC) port, select that input on the soundbar, and you’re ready to roll. Another option is to use the soundbar’s optical digital input, but that connection type doesn’t support Dolby Atmos or the HDMI-CEC control that lets you adjust the soundbar’s volume level using the TV’s remote control.

Sony’s Home Entertainment control app duplicates all the functions of the soundbar’s hardware remote and also provides a range of setup options for initial installation and performance. The latter includes an A/V sync adjustment, automatic volume level adjustment, and DTS Virtual:X to enhance basic stereo or mono soundtracks.

The soundbar’s alphanumeric front panel display makes using it super-easy as you don’t have to rely on a sequence of flashing LEDs to let you know what input or sound mode is selected. There’s no voice assistant support as on some other soundbars in the HT-S2000’s price range such as the Bose Smart Soundbar, but that’s not a feature I imagine most users will rely on, especially when using their TV’s remote control for volume adjustment.

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar remote control held in hand — Sony's remote is larger than the ones provided with some other soundbars and has clearly marked control buttons (Image credit: Future)

Usability and setup score: 4.5/5

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: value

Affordable price
Very good performance for the money
Lacks Wi-Fi and AirPlay streaming options

At its initial $499 / £449 / AU$695 price, the Sony HT-S2000’s overall value proposition was just average. It faced very strong competition from the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), another all-in-one soundbar with virtual Dolby Atmos processing, and one with a built-in Wi-Fi for app-based control and audio streaming. Another competitor was the Bose Smart Soundbar 600, which provides upfiring drivers to deliver height effects in Atmos soundtracks and also features built-in Wi-Fi for streaming.

At the time of writing, however, the HT-S2000’s price has widely dropped to $349 in the US and £299 in the UK, making it a much better value given its overall performance and features. Being able to stream uncompressed music directly to the Sonos or Bose from a phone using Wi-Fi or using AirPlay does boost the value of both, but many people mainly use their soundbar for TV audio and are okay with a lesser quality Bluetooth option for their occasional music streaming. For those folks, the HT-S2000 will be the perfect entry-level soundbar.

Value score: 4.5/5

Sony HT-S2000 soundbar on TV stand with Netflix Black Mirror menu in background — (Image credit: Future)

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How I tested the Sony HT-S2000 soundbar

Evaluated using both 4K Blu-ray discs and streamed sources
Break-in time allowed before critical listening
Tested using reference movie scenes and music tracks

I tested the Sony HT-S2000 soundbar in a 12 x 16 x 9-foot room using a 4K Blu-ray player, Apple TV 4K, and music streamed from my iPhone via Bluetooth and the Tidal app on the Apple TV 4K. I allowed it to break in by watching movies and TV shows before settling in for more critical listening using reference movie clips and music tracks.

The key things I listened for with movies were dialogue clarity, bass definition, and a sense of spaciousness with the soundbar's surround mode engaged. For music, I paid attention to the naturalness of the sound with acoustic instruments and voices, as well as the dynamics in louder tracks.

Having reviewed many soundbars in the same room over the years, I have a reference sound standard that the Sony HT-S2000 was compared to. For further comparison, I also used an Amazon Fire TV Soundbar, switching between the two compact models on identical movie clips and music tracks.

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