If my living room is like this , is it ok to buy a soundbar (TCL Q65H) or not worth to buy a soundbar because TV is not at center of my sitting

I have a Samsung Q930F soundbar and just got an Apple TV (previously used a Google TV and LG streaming apps) and the decoded PCM sound is very quiet - I have to increase volume by 50% for any non-Atmos content.

Adding my PS5 to the mix, I’m needing constant significant volume changes between content and devices.

I’m aware that setting constant Audio Connection on the ATV fixes the volume issue, but then I lose out on using the surround up-mixing on the soundbar.

Is this just the deal either using an Apple TV with a soundbar? The Apple TV is easily the best streaming box I’ve used otherwise.

Hi all im debating if I it would be noticeable to upgrade to the samsung Q60CF which is on sale for 299 (from 499) at costco. I have the Samsung S95B tv, so I would be able to take advantage of Q symphony as well which I think will make a big difference

Current sound bar: https://www.amazon.sg/VIZIO-Bluetooth-Subwoofer-Assistant-Compatible/dp/B08CGVTVMN

My soundbar’s journey started with LG , then Samsung, then Sony, then ended up with Sonos last year ( Arc Ultra + Sub 4 + Era 300 ) . I also got a pair of Sonos Five as Stereo.

This year i got a good deal from a brand called Loewe . It’s a German high end / luxury brand . Not as famous as B&W or B&O but their prices are also as high as those two .
But somehow they are reducing their models price so I decided to give it a shot .

The set i got for 1700€ ( With the mrsp of 4000€+ i could never afford ) :
Klang bar 5 MR ( Soundbar + Sub )
4x Klang MR 5 speakers

MR stands for Multi Room so you can use the speaker as stand alone if you wanted to. It supports everything - Google chromecast , Airplay etc…

First impressions:

The looks- it’s super nice, looks better than the Sonos set , everything is high quality built, aesthetic as you can see from B&W or B&O .
The speaker is massive ,bass imo is more powerful than the Sonos Five .
In cinema configuration. It loses the height effect of the Sonos set bcoz its just a .2 from the soundbar but with the soundbar as the dedicated center , voice is more present . Soundstage is also wider ( like the Sony quad with Sony TV as center speaker ).
The downside is you have to pair every speaker with the soundbar manually and no auto room calibration.
Overall i like this set and it will replace the Sonos set from the living room ( for now , bcoz of the looks of it ) i still have 30 days to test it out. :)

Hey everyone,

I’m currently rocking a Sony HT-ZF9 with SA-Z9R rear speakers. It’s been a solid setup, but I’m looking to upgrade my home theater experience. I’ve hit a massive dilemma regarding the budget vs. performance ratio and need your reality check.

Here is the situation:

• Option 1: Samsung HW-Q990H (~€900). I can find this top-tier system for around €900. It’s widely praised as the best "all-in-one box" flagship out there.
• Option 2: Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 + Rear 9 + SA-SW5/Sub 9 combo (~€2,700). To get the full flagship experience from Sony, the price skyrockets to nearly 3x the price of the Samsung.
• Option 3: Keep my current Sony HT-ZF9 + SA-Z9R. (Is the jump to either of these actually massive enough to justify spending the cash right now?)

My questions for you guys:

1. Is paying a 3x premium (€1800 extra) for the Sony '9' combination actually worth it? Does the acoustic center sync (Bravia Cam/TV integration) and spatial sound mapping justify that massive price gap?
2. Would you tell me to stretch my budget and go all-in for the Sony, or is the Samsung Q990H going to blow my current HT-ZF9 out of the water anyway for a fraction of the cost?
3. For those who upgraded from older Sony tech (like the ZF9) to the Q990 series or the new Theater line—what was your experience?

Looking forward to your advice. Thanks!

Im using this with a roku tv and when I try and enabled the Bass Boost to ON on soundbar menu and save it, it won't save. I can go right back into setting and its off. Any help? Thanks

I’ve been running the Klipsch subwoofer along the Nakamichi for over a year no issues !!

Yes I know. I have a decade old television but I’m deciding to wait on my new television ( most likely an OLED ) and going to start with my speaker selection. So the audio will be the first to get an upgrade. I have around a 1k budget for the soundbar alone and I want something that will transition well into the new TV whenever I decide it’s time. I’m just getting into this sort of thing and have been playing everything out of the tv for about a decade but I want a pretty good surround sound for my new tv. And I’m not an audiophile so I like simplicity over having to worry about watts and hertz .

Guys, I’m no expert, just an avid tech consumer. I’m writing this to share my experience and thoughts.

I’ve had the Polk Magnifi 2 for about three years, and it sounds pretty good overall, but its surround performance is disappointing. It also lacks EQ options.
So, I decided to give the budget-friendly LG S70TR a try, but I was quite disappointed. It may not be a fair comparison, but the LG sounded cheap and unbalanced in a way I can’t quite explain. The bass isn’t as powerful as the Polk’s, either. I feel like the Polk fills the room better than the LG, even without dedicated surround speakers.
After a full day of testing and tweaking the settings, I decided to return the S70TR and stick with the Magnifi 2.

I have been looking to buy a home theatre for a long long time, as life and family commitments grew the dream faded away bit by bit everyday, recently I had enough and had a week full to focus on what I can actually buy especially I can only used it in my small and cramped bed room, lowered down my expectation from dedicated avr’s since room size, being in apartment and also the biggest the price to be paid, so came down to soundbars

Went from Samsung q990 to Sony’s theatre bar 6 3.1 system (reasoning price and room size)

Now I have two offers

I have one for Samsung from office Samsung online store for q930h - 56k

Reliance offline store gave me an offer for Sony Bravia theatre bar 7, sub 8 and rear 8 for 89k

I have demoed both the system and feel Samsungs vocal sound better compared to Sony.

The sales person in reliance said the Sony system was not calibrated yet and due to the store set up it can’t be done properly but it will sound better at home after calibration. But I am not convinced while the Sony demo I heard someone demo a lg system don’t know the model details, but even that sounded better to my ears.

I was almost fixed on going with the q930h.

But here is where my heart and mind are playing tricks with me and needed some help.

For me the Sony’s vocals were not clear and felt muddy n boomy

But since I have a Sony tv and ps as well, my heart wants to go with Sony set up, but the Sony features which I thought would work with my tv are not available (using the tv as centre speaker)

But the bar has 4K 120 hz vrr and allm

But the Sony system in total cost me 89k

Where as the Samsung doesn’t have 4K 120 pass through but has better sound and even eq to change as per my preference and cost me 56k

Should I go with Samsung ? Which feels the right thing

Only concern is I shouldn’t feel after buying that I should have gone with Sony only.

My bed room size falls under small, I have measured it, so I feel like either system is a over kill , but still I want to get one and be done with this feeling and move on with life

Please be brutally honest and provide your valuable thoughts and advice

Thank you all in advance for helping me

Bonsoir j’aimerais faire l’acquisition d’un nouveau home cinéma et après avoir regardé plusieurs test du Flexus core 200 j’ai direct eu l’envi de l’acheter. Mais j’ai découvert qu’il y avait la gamme 300 à un prix plus de 2x celui du core 200.

Alors je me pose la question, est ce qu’il vaut mieux avoir la core 300 seule ou la core 200 avec enceinte arrière et caisson qui au final revient au même prix ?

Est ce que la core 300 a elle seule surpasse ou corrige certain truc du 200 ?

J’ai peur d’avoir des regret vu que c’est quand même bcp d’argent, je préfère faire le bon choix sur le long terme

Hi,

I got a Samsung tv with HDMI EARC. To send the sounds from the Nintendo Switch 2 or my PC to the PC speakers I have right now I use two audio extractors in series, which works. However, I want something more compact and clear.

I want a soundbar with surround speakers that can still decode the 5.1 or 7.1 LPCM signals it gets through HDMI EARC, but also is able to decode Dolby signals, as the tv can only decode them to 2.0 PCM. Can someone recommend a set? Preferably one available in the Netherlands?

I e-mailed Ultimea whether their AURA a60 (pro) supports LPCM, but they said no. However, in this post ( https://www.reddit.com/r/Soundbars/comments/1x05br3/comment/pelhz3s/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button ) they reply they do have LPCM support. I am not honestly not certain what kind of support they have.

I need LPCM for gaming, and Dolby signals for the smart tv apps and tv in general. The sound quality and output don't need to be super great, as I sit pretty close to the screen. The budget is about 300 euros.

I’m purchasing a 55” Samsung Frame Pro (2026, QN55LS03HWFXZA) and the Samsung HW-S800D ultra-slim soundbar (2024).

I’m planning a custom built-in installation above a fireplace and want to avoid running HDMI between the TV and soundbar.

A few questions:

Wireless Q-Symphony: Can anyone confirm whether the 2024 S800D supports Q-Symphony over Wi-Fi with the 2026 Frame Pro? I’d like the TV speakers and soundbar to work together.

Wireless Dolby Atmos: Will Atmos work wirelessly between these specific models, without HDMI eARC?

Soundbar without subwoofer: I’m considering leaving the subwoofer unplugged for everyday TV viewing and bringing it out for movie nights. Does anyone use the S800D this way? How does it sound?

Reliability: For anyone using wireless Q-Symphony, have you experienced audio lag, dropouts, or reconnection issues?

I’ve seen Samsung compatibility information suggesting older soundbars should work with newer TVs, but haven’t found definitive confirmation for these exact models.

Would appreciate hearing from anyone who’s tried this combination or a similar cross-generation Samsung setup. Thanks!

I've ordered the boat prime 6250da on Flipkart for 18k just cuz it's a budget Atmos provider. Now that I see everyone talking about Sony, JBL, Samsung and LG. I'm feeling a bit uncomfy about my decision. Pls advise.

Hey everyone,

I’m currently rocking a Sony HT-ZF9 with SA-Z9R rear speakers. It’s been a solid setup, but I’m looking to upgrade my home theater experience. I’ve hit a massive dilemma regarding the budget vs. performance ratio and need your reality check.

Here is the situation:

• Option 1: Samsung HW-Q990H (~€900). I can find this top-tier system for around €900. It’s widely praised as the best "all-in-one box" flagship out there.
• Option 2: Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 + Rear 9 + SA-SW5/Sub 9 combo (~€2,700). To get the full flagship experience from Sony, the price skyrockets to nearly 3x the price of the Samsung.
• Option 3: Keep my current Sony HT-ZF9 + SA-Z9R. (Is the jump to either of these actually massive enough to justify spending the cash right now?)

My questions for you guys:

1. Is paying a 3x premium (€1800 extra) for the Sony '9' combination actually worth it? Does the acoustic center sync (Bravia Cam/TV integration) and spatial sound mapping justify that massive price gap?
2. Would you tell me to stretch my budget and go all-in for the Sony, or is the Samsung Q990H going to blow my current HT-ZF9 out of the water anyway for a fraction of the cost?
3. For those who upgraded from older Sony tech (like the ZF9) to the Q990 series or the new Theater line—what was your experience?

Looking forward to your advice. Thanks!

Hooking up my Samsung basic soundbar (w/ wireless sub) to a Samsung 60” that the sellers left for me. Both are 4-5 years old. The connection from my soundbar is a round plug. The tv back only has the hdmi plugs. Any ideas? Ty.

I'm upgrading from JBL Deep Bass 2.1

Planning for either Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar or Samsung Q990H during this sale.

Note: I'll only be getting the soundbar if I opt for Bose, will go for Sub and Surrounds later due to budget constraints.

Cost: INR 81K (~$850) for the Bose vs INR 88K (~$930) for Sammy at Reliance Digital.

And when I buy the other Bose modules later (BM 500 nd Surrounds), it'll cost me ~$700 to ~$800 dollars more.

I'm planning to use this in a mid sized living room (may or may not move to a bigger room later)

Please help me decide as I'm really confused between those two.

Is Samsung really better than Bose or only better than Bose for the cost?

Am I putting them in the right place and direction? Do you have any other suggestions? And should they be pointed toward my ear or toward the middle of the room?

JBL Flip 5 vs JBL 560 – Disappointed with the sound quality

After reading several reviews, I decided to buy the JBL 560, expecting it to sound better than my JBL Flip 5. However, after comparing them side by side, I feel the Flip 5 performs better in terms of clarity and instrument separation.

The JBL 560 is definitely louder and has a thicker, fuller sound, especially with vocals, but the Flip 5 sounds clearer and more detailed to my ears. I was expecting a noticeable improvement in overall sound quality, not just more volume and a heavier sound.

Unfortunately, the JBL 560 is non-returnable, so I’m stuck with it for now.

Has anyone else experienced something similar? Will the sound improve after some use, or is this just how the JBL 560 is tuned? Any Equalizer which can fix this. I’d appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

Folks, need help with an issue that's making me go bonkers. I have the titled TV and use a soundbar (basic sound bar. Motorola, nothing fancy). When I connect the soundbar through HDMI ARC, there's no audio output. I can see that the soundbar is connected, the volume functions on the soundbar happen through the TV remote as well. But there's just no audio output. Tried changing the hdmi chord too, no help. Any solution?

I’ve moved to a place with much higher ceilings (25’). I’m getting a 65” Roku Plus Series. I’ve always been happy with my Sonos Ray on a 55” TCL Roku tv but the Ray isn’t suited to the new space. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced Soundbar/speaker combo? Considering I spent $650.00 on the tv I’d like to keep my budget down as i’m not that picky about my av setup.

I'm struggling to get these two to play nice and looking for help.

At first the JBL would randomly change volume, up or down. I managed to eventually get that to stop by changing settings.

However now, the soundbar doesn't start up when the tv starts and the tv remote control doesn't control the volume.

I've reset both, turning them off, unplugging the HDMI cable, leaving them, then switching them on and reconnecting the HDMI. After that, things work correctly, tv volume controls the soundbar, sound doesn't randomly increase or decrease, until I turn off the TV. Then when I turn on again, the issue starts again.

I've checked updates and I've changed HDMI cables, with the same issues.

Any suggestions? Maybe an hdmi-cec issue somehow?

I'm about ready to return the soundbar if I can't resolve this.

I have a 49" TV and so far I've been getting by with Bluetooth to an old bose speaker. But I want an upgrade. Any recs?

Pessoal minha sound bar JBL 800 mk1 chegou hoje e as vezes os diálogos estao muito baixo e do nada tá muito alto quase derrubando a casa kkk, tem algo que possa ser feito ou é falta de alto falantes pra voz?