Most of the other features and settings are accessible via the bar and onboard remote control display, but it’s generally easier to use the SmartThings app. The basic layout lets you choose a sound mode (I usually stick to Standard), adjust the EQ, engage enhancements like Active Voice Amplifier, and set channel levels.
I appreciate Samsung’s inclusion of channel levels for the bar’s gazillion sound channels, but getting the levels locked was the hardest part of my testing. I had surround speakers behind my sofa due to limited space, which meant I had to lower them and even raise some channels to balance things out.
This task was much easier with Sonos’ Era 300 speakers (9/10, WIRED Recommends) connected to the Arc Ultra, because Sonos TruePlay calibration adjusts the sound in your room (although Wi-Fi-only speakers can have their own characteristics ). Auto-calibration is something I would expect from any system costing around $2,000, but each year Samsung fails to add it. The company’s Space Fit feature is said to analyze sound in real time, but I didn’t notice any meaningful change.
My other beef is the persistent volume issue when using Spotify Connect. When streaming directly from Spotify, adjusting the volume level jumps up or down in seven steps with each tap, so it’s always too loud or too quiet. Add in the lack of Chromecast, and Android users are forced to control live streaming from SmartThings or grab an unnecessary remote control. It’s a small fix, but it’s also why it’s so annoying.
Sound Swirl
For streaming issues, the Q990D has the goods where it counts. Each component in the four-piece system works in concert to provide a powerful, balanced, and stunning soundstage for everything you play. You won’t get the premium detail found on bars like the Arc Ultra, but there’s enough tactile feedback to appreciate the little things, and plenty of bombast to elevate your cinematic moments, literally.
Dolby Atmos is incredibly the star of the show. The “Amaze” scene from my Atmos demo disc was definitely a show-stopping moment. I can almost hear the humidity around me in the voice of the insect in the intro, while the thunder bursts of visual wonder and the rain finally descends from above to plunge me deep into the forest vegetation.
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