Avid readers might recall that several months ago, Samsung Australia invited me to spend a day in a fancy Sydney hotel with among other things, the new Q-Series HW‑Q990F Sound bar. I came home wondering if that wow factor would survive the reality of a, shall we say, more haphazard, real-world living room. After a few weeks living with it, I’m happy to confirm that it absolutely does. I’ve reviewed my fair share of sound bars over the years and the Q990F hasn’t just impressed me — it’s transformed how we watch everything from blockbuster movies to weeknight streaming and gaming. This is the best soundbar I’ve reviewed, full stop.
So real quick, the Q990F is an 11.1.4 channel soundbar with a wireless subwoofer and two wireless rear speakers that can theoretically, act like 11 speakers in your room. Now, I say wireless because they don’t need a cable to attach to the main soundbar but you will still need plenty of cable management for the power cords for each speaker. I wish Samsung had gone with rechargeable rear speakers like Sony as that would save a lot of headache when it comes to placement. Aesthtic wise, there’s nothing to special to comment other than to say this thing will disappear into your setup and not draw attention to itself.
And its not just physically that the Q990F adapts to your space. I don’t have stands for the rear speakers yet, so they’re temporarily living on the floor behind our couch. Normally, that’s a recipe for muddy, misplaced surround cues. With Samsung’s SpaceFit SoundPro room calibration feature, the system re‑maps the soundstage so dialogue stays anchored, positional effects track convincingly, and ambient detail wraps the room without feeling smeared. It’s the difference between “surround” and “cinema.” Even awkward placement becomes workable, which makes the Q990F far more forgiving than most multi‑speaker setups.
The subwoofer deserves its own paragraph. This tiny little cube is genuinely special. Measuring no bigger than 25cmx25cmx25cm, it’s ridiculously small but incredibly powerful. At low volumes where most subs fade into a dull thud, the Q990F’s redesigned cube pushes fast, tight bass that still, literally shakes the house. Bass notes have texture — you can hear the attack, the body, and the decay — without rattling the furniture or bloating mids. Explosions punch, engines growl, and soundtracks gain that visceral foundation you feel in your chest. Turning things up is thrilling, but the fact it remains controlled and powerful at “family friendly” volume is the magic trick.
Connections and sound modes also feel designed for real life. I ran HDMI eARC to the TV for lossless formats and rock‑solid lip sync, and kept Bluetooth handy for quick music sessions from my phone. If you’re juggling multiple sources, the Q990F’s inputs play nicely with consoles and streamers, and switching is fast enough that you don’t get that “who moved my audio?” moment. The Q990F supports Dolby Atmos, Atmos Music, Dolby 5.1 and more.
You get four presets: Surround Sound expansion, Game Pro, Standard, Adaptive Sound. Surround mode gives you the big, cinematic sweep without drowning dialogue; Game mode tightens transients and makes directional cues pop; and Standard mode is a great “set‑and‑forget” for mixed TV watching. However, I kept it locked on Adaptive Sound most of the time — it’s smart enough to lift voices during busy mixes and nudge bass down when the house starts to tremble, which in my space was clutch.
Additionally, if you have a Samsung TV, Q‑Symphony is the cheat code. Pairing the TV’s speakers with the Q990F widens the front stage and adds clarity up top, so effects stretch further across the screen and dialogue feels laser‑focused. It’s subtle but real — you get more presence without turning the volume up, and it helps late‑night viewing stay detailed at lower levels.
On movies, the 11.1.4 channel presentation and Object Tracking Sound Pro make action sequences feel authored for the room. Sound moves with on‑screen motion — flybys sweep convincingly, footsteps place behind you, and dialogue stays clear even when the mix gets dense. My daughter recently binged all the Star Wars trilogy which is exciting in and of itself but even more so was hearing the subwoofer bring flybys of the Millenium Falcon to life in a way that gave me chills. Streaming dramas benefit too; whispered scenes are intelligible without cranking the volume, and the score breathes around the dialogue rather than smothering it.
Gaming is also, unsurprisingly, a standout. The Q990F gives directional cues that are both obvious and natural: you react sooner because you know exactly where something happened. Explosions and weapon fire have immediate, satisfying impact, but environmental detail — rain, wind, distant machinery — creates immersion without turning into noise. Playing Destiny 2 Renegades via my PlayStation 5 was a deeply satisfying experience as gunfire and explosions were visceral while dialogue was punchy and clear. In Assassins Creed Mirage, the city streets of Baghdad were completely alive with conversations happening all around the living room as I walked Basim around.
Day‑to‑day usability is excellent. Setup is straightforward, the system quickly learns the room, and it quietly optimizes as conditions change. I’ve moved furniture, adjusted speaker angles, and the sound stays dialled in without fiddly manual EQ. It feels like a home theatre system that meets you where you are, rather than demanding you accommodate it. This feature alone makes it an easy recommendation to anyone though I really would invest in some stands for the rear speakers.
Verdict
After a few weeks, the verdict is clear: the HW‑Q990F delivers true home‑cinema performance with the flexibility of a soundbar and the intelligence to thrive in imperfect real‑world spaces. I don’t say that lightly but I am not easily impressed. The adaptive processing saved my less-than-ideal rear‑speaker placement, the subwoofer performance is frankly outrageous (in the best way), and the whole package elevates movies, streaming, and games across the board.
It’s not cheap at almost $2000 dollars but If you want a single purchase that meaningfully upgrades your living room and keeps sounding great regardless of how you set it up, this is it. At the time of writing this review, Samsung is offering a massive $600 off which makes this an immediate must buy. And I’m sure that won’t be the last discount you’ll see.
Bottom line: it was jaw‑dropping in the demo suite and it’s equally jaw‑dropping at home. The HW-Q990F is simply the best soundbar I’ve ever tested, and an easy recommendation.
Samsung Australia kindly loaned the Q990F Soundbar to PowerUp for the purpose of this review.
