Verdict
In many respects , the HW - Q600C is just what the market place is asking for . passably priced , well - fit out and with some actual positives where public presentation is concerned , it ’s a fairly full-bodied alternative to the default option Sony and Sonos alternatives . But it would be more robust still if it was n’t for one ( jolly major ) shortcoming …
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Now that it ’s a common characteristic of smartphones , it seems dependable to say Dolby Atmos is everywhere . The place where it ’s most useful , though , is still in your front room as a part of your family cinema organisation .
Samsung is not the only caller to offer celluloid - style spatial audio from a modestly price soundbar , of course – but with this HW - Q600C , it want to be your go - to rather than just a faint option …
Availability
The Samsung HW - Q600C is on sale in the United Kingdom for £ 549 . In the United States you should weigh $ 599 the uttermost you should spend , while in Australia you should n’t go above AU$799 .
Just as with every other audio production feature on this website , the Samsung HW - Q600C has some obvious challenger , both where price and stipulation are concerned – theSony HT - G700and the ( admittedly subwoofer - less)Bose Smart Soundbar 600spring to mind . So it ’s probably just as well that the Samsung ’s pricing is so fluid …
Design
It does n’t do to play fast and loose with the design of a soundbar , of course – mostly certainly not when you ’re competing in a part of the market that ’s easily discover as mainstream . And so Samsung has done the reasonable thing , and not messed with the established design template in the slightest .
Both the soundbar and the subwoofer are of discreetly unremarkable ratio . At 343 x 184 x 295 millimeter ( HxWxD ) the subwoofer sure as shooting is n’t going to drag attending to itself – and the fact that it communicates wirelessly with the soundbar means it can be put more - or - less anywhere you care ( as long as it ’s within reach of mains magnate , of trend ) . As you might imagine , it ’s made of unremarkable material – but as is equally predictable , it ’s put together with obvious care and efficiency .
The soundbar , meanwhile , is an as healthy 56 x 1030 x 105 mm ( HxWxD ) – which means it ’s almost the precise breadth of the average AV rack and wo n’t reckon overgrown attach to a television of , say , 48 - inch or thereabouts . It ’s mostly build of plastic – but it ’s hard - get into and actually quite tactile plastic , and everything is put together properly . Do n’t be fooled by those angled ends , though – as the Features subdivision will excuse , there are no side - firing drivers here …
Features
For cause well known to itself , Samsung is keeping a few item of the HW - Q600C ’s specification to itself . So here ’s what I know , and also what Samsung does n’t want me to know .
The HW - Q600C is dress in a 3.1.2 - channel layout . Obviously , the subwoofer claim forethought of the ‘ .1 ’ part – it ’s got a 165 millimeter driver behind the acoustic fabric on the front of its vinyl - twine MDF cabinet and a bass part unconditioned reflex port at the back to sire the low - frequency clobber . The ‘ 3.2 ’ snatch is the obligation of the soundbar .
The soundbar has a total of nine drivers . I do n’t know what case they are , how big they are or what they ’re made of , but there are definitely nine . Three at each oddment make up the left and right channel , while a unmarried driver in the heart of the front of the physique spate , unsurprisingly , with the centre duct information .
Two more drivers confront up and , via Samsung ’s Acoustic Beam technology , set about to create that sensation of sonic meridian that ’s the whole point of Dolby Atmos andDTS : Xsoundtracks . Some of these driver are just about seeable through the perforated credit card that shroud the front and top surface of the soundbar .
At its tooshie , the soundbar has two recesses for its forcible connectivity . One has a socket for briny power and a USB slot that ’s used only for servicing , while the other has a yoke of HDMI sockets ( oneARC - enabled ) and a digital optical input . This means 4 kibibyte passthrough is potential , which will be utile for some customers – but Samsung ’s ongoing weirdness mean it ’s possible to passthroughHDR10+HDR contentedness but notDolby Vision HDR . Like I say : weird . Wireless connectivity is limited toBluetooth 5.0with SBC and AAC codec compatibility .
The HW - Q600C is a Q Symphony - compatible intersection . This stand for that if it ’s paired with an appropriate Samsung television , the TV ’s verbalizer can bolster up the HW - Q600C ’s campaign rather than be defeated by the presence of the audio scheme .
The system itself has four wakeless mode : Standard , Surround , Game Pro and Adaptive . Adaptive mode mean the Samsung is assessing the message you ’re watching in existent metre , and attempting to optimize its output to suit .
ensure the organization can be done in one of a few way . There are forcible ascendance allowing you to adjust volume , select input and tycoon up or down on the top of the soundbar , and the HW - Q600C ships with a remote - mastery handset too . It ’s not much to wait at ( or to entertain , to be quite honest ) , but it gets the job done .
There ’s no ascendancy app uncommitted , though – and if you need to use voice control , you ’d better a ) have anAmazon Alexaspeaker to reach , and b ) have plenty of time to put in attempt to brawl the Alexa and Samsung SmartThings apps . There ’s an extremely small and indistinct exhibit on the right hand of the soundbar ’s front face , that let you know what ’s what . In theory , anyhow …
Sound Quality
When I ’m test Dolby Atmos - enabled product of any type , I happen I consistently bring up to the soundtrack to the UHD 4 K Blu - ray of No clock time To Die – for no other reason than it ’s an infrangible playactor that gives something like the HW - Q600C nowhere to obliterate .
The most immediately impressive aspect of the Samsung ’s performance is just how balanced and convincingly electroneutral its tonality is . From the bottom of the frequency reach to the top , its response is naturalistic and even – or , at least , it is once you ’ve knocked some volume off the subwoofer ’s factory configurations . Once that ’s done , the handover between sub and bar is skillful and smooth .
Where the left / right and front / back aspects of the soundstage are concerned , the Samsung is a bigger listen than its dimensions paint a picture is possible . The level is properly organize , easy to understand and remains controlled even when the action is all kick off – effects are guide with advantageousness , and the centre channel is always positioned out front of and distinguishable from the rest of the body process .
The subwoofer provides deep , controlled and properly textured substructure , and the leading edges of its donation are always straight and well - determine . It hits severely but extend a fair amount of variation – and carries a gratifying amount of detail along with its considerable punch .
Detail level are high across the board , in fact – and despite not being certain there are any tweeter in the soundbar , treble reaction is crisp and assertive . It ’s the midrange , though – mob with information , and able to project ahead to keep dialogue ordered – that ’s probably the most impressive . Especially when you deal the center of attention - television channel is outnumbered , in terms of driver , by the left and right-hand channel either side of it .
There ’s decent dynamic headroom usable , so the numerous shifts in the soundtrack from tense cheeseparing - silence to effects and orchestra overload are given good expression . Where stupor and awe is come to , the HW - Q600C has what it takes to make you seat up direct .
What it does n’t have quite so much of , though , is a sensation of height to its presentation . The overhead aspect of the soundtrack is , at best , allude to rather than made explicit – and as a import , the spatial part of this spatial audio soundtrack is rather understate . The speech sound the Samsung dish up is far wider and deep than it is marvellous .
Switch to a two - transmission channel digital audio file cabinet of Spiritualized ’s Songs in A & E via Bluetooth and quite a routine of the organization ’s authority comeupance it . The small frequencies tend towards the monotonal , and this slight lumpiness makes rhythms sound a small stilted . If you ’re after a do - it - all system for euphony as well as movie sound , the HW - Q600C might get up fractionally short .
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Should you buy it?
The Q Symphony characteristic is always worthwhile , and the HW - Q600C ’s dimensions are more manageable than many alternatives .
The sonic meridian this system of rules can generate is , to put it kindly , modest .
Final Thoughts
The problem is that when consumers see the give-and-take Dolby Atmos in a soundbar ’s spec , their expectation are heightened consequently . The HW - Q600C is just the late Atmos soundbar I ’ve tested that does n’t make all that good on its spacial audio promise …
Trusted Score
How we test
We try out every soundbar scheme we review good over an extended period of time . We utilise industry received tests to liken features decent . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a product .
find oneself out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
The Samsung HW - Q600C soundbar supports 3.1.2 transmission channel of auditory sensation . That imply it has three front firing channels , a subwoofer , and two upfiring speakers for immersive audio .
The HW - Q600C does n’t support wireless Atmos , but theHW - Q700C , andQ800C.
