I bought the Q990D for 680€ in Spain back in October and I'm really happy with it. Atmos works perfectly in games when connected directly to my PC. No lag whatsoever, and the input is changed automatically in the soundbar when I switch input in my TV.
You seriously make understanding soundbars SO EASY. I recently started getting into sound and audio since I got a new TV and as someone that knew absolutely nothing about audio, your channel helped me so much. I ended up buying the Samsung Q700C + 9500s rear speakers. My TV is in a room with the ceilings around 9 feet high, so the Dolby Atmos effects truly are noticeable. I actually found myself rewatching a ton of action flicks and enjoying them a whole lot more because of that enhanced audio. its honestly a WORLD of a difference!
This is THE comprehensive soundbar review of the year to date for anyone considering spending a $1000 or more to enhance a home cinema experience. It is earnest, informed, and genuinely funny in parts. Thank you.
A good wise friend of mine said the Nakamichi dragon is a rich man’s pet. Call me money you can slay that dragon, and that dragon loves money 💰. Imagine some rich old white guy, throwing bags of money at the dragon laughing my booty off he he he he he he
I have watched most of your videos I think and something felt different with the editing on this one , I really liked it it felt that either you did a huge amount of work with the editing cause its smooth as fk or your video editor stepped up his game. Great work!
That was a blast! The effort (and $$) you put into this tour de force review is off the hook. And as usual, your quirky sense of humor hits the spot with me. Take a bow Daniel. You deserve it.
Awesome video! I like the style and the expression. Best entertainment and plenty of information. Many thanks for all the effort! Best regards from Germany.
your reviews pushed me to the 990c - even after I swore off samsung products in every category because of their terrible customer service and support. I didn't give Samsung my money, so I still feel like my boycott is intact lol. I love the 990c - especially at the $450 refurbished price point I got it at. It is nice to see that it is holding its own with systems costing 3x-5x as much retail, and 6x-10x as what I paid. thanks for another excellent review and reaffirming my confirmation bias
Excellent review as always! Bought Q990 D based on your previous reviews and couldnt be happier. Love your new lighting and editing elements…curious what you are using to light up your talking head portion? The back yellow lights add a great touch of profesionalism to the video…🎉
@ seriously 😳 the amount of subscribers you have don’t do justice to the quality of videos you put out. Crossing my fingers for you to get over 50k soon..
Long time subscriber and always enjoy your reviews. I currently have the regular ARC with the ERAS 300's and two subs. I was expecting a lot more of a bang and noticeable differences on the new ARC ultra, although there is improvement, I can't justify shredding $900 plus to replace my already pretty good ARC. Anyways, great content as usual. Happy holidays!
Out of curiosity is that based solely on exceptional ultra experience or do you have experience with these different systems - or something else like my video description. I’m not being antagonistic - just wondering how opinions are formed. I own maaany Sonos components so I understand the affinity
@neverenoughtech i have used all other then dragon size of the room can impact the quality off sound you hear and for my living room the arc ultra for sure top tier
Nice review. Saw your Quad review as well. I got the Quad and the 77” Bravia 8 but couldn’t decide at first whether it sounded better with the S-Center enabled or not. After a week of testing, I’ve decided to keep it on. The TV center channel adds a bit more definition to the sound.
Have the Samsung Q990C, Sony Quad (with the smaller sub), and the Sonos Ultra, Sub 4, and 300's. Have never heard or used the Dragon, so I cant speak to it. Everything Daniel said is 100% true. The Sony Quad just has better sound separation, probably has a lot to do with the fact that the speakers are actually separated. The Quad is the closest to a dedicated system, and sometimes I like the Quad better, the way Sony distributes the sound and Sonys sound signature are so darn fun. The great thing is you cant go wrong with any of these systems. Paid under $700 for the Q990C, that is a steal. Even at $1k the Q990c is an amazing deal. If you are new to this, the Q990c is the way to go. If you are into this hobby, then the Quad is first choice and the Sonos Arc ultra, sub, 300's is a close 2nd.
I did a firmware update on my Samsung and man! It’s night and day difference! Unfortunately it’s not an over the sort update so many won’t even realize it’s available
Thank you for the info. There is a new firmware for the Q990c, going to test it in the coming days. (I didn't think the q990c will get a firmware update after all this time)
Legend. I bought the Ultra, partly, from watching your review. I think the dialogue has improved more than your '55 times out of a 100' over the Arc' view. The quick tune made all the difference for me. I also find the speech enhancement settings and night mode don't affect the sound in such a negative way with the Ultra. Watching this vid to confirm my purchase...and I just love to watch you.....Great humour.
Excellent in-depth review! One other aspect I think worth considering is the aesthetics. I know it’s subjective but I didn’t want a black (or white) sound bar under my wall mounted TV. I chose to wall mount the Quads and chased the wires. I’m very happy with the final result and am so happy with the sound quality when watching movies. I’m using a Sony A95-L as a centre speaker and the dialogue clarity is superb.
Neverenoughtech: which sounds bar do u prefer the Sonos Arc ultra with a Sonos gen 4 subwoofer I see u have 2 subs at 39:52 or im thinking about the JBL 1300 with the 12" subwoofer which do u think would be better sound quality and bass wise for movies thanks for your time and opinion
@neverenoughtech ok thank u so the Sonos Arc ultra and then buy the subwoofer gen 4 also would a gen 3 or gen 2 pair with the Sonos reason I'm asking is because I'm a big bass head and would love to add 2 subs to get the most bass as I can so the JBL 1300x wouldn't give me the sound quality I'm looking for so u think Sonos ultra will get the job Done especially with 2 subs thanks for your honest reviews and honest opinion and helpimg me decide thanks u saved me a obout 1500 and then to not be happy I think I'll get the JBL 5 or jbl 7 or jbl 9 for my bedroom with a Hisense 65" but for the 98" beast of a tv Hisense - 98" Class UX Series 4K Mini-LED ULED room or game room I want that to sound nice clear and well of course plenty of bass thanks have a merry Christmas and let me know what u think about my tv room thanks for your time and honest replies
As a cinephile, Dragon is just perfect to me especially with the SVS subs. Music though is abysmal, I resorted to getting a pair of Sonos Five for music which should not be necessary.
Technically the Quads arent a soundbar ;) However, after owning most of the setups, once you go wide soundbars just cant fly... Or something along those lines. But yes, having the speakers like 3m apart is just much better than a soundbar.
Hisense HT Saturn will be at CES 2025 and launched early next year. Will be a lot cheaper but doesn't necessarily mean it will be any good hence the AWOL Thunderbeat is meant to be awful.
I still have my Q960A. It's really good quality sound, for my apartment the subwoofer is enough because i don't want to get in trouble with neighbors, but next year i'm buying a house and then i will buy a more powerful system, i really like samsungs soundbars because of the high sound quality.
One thing to note is the new dialogue enhancement added to Apple TV a couple of months ago. It is single-handedly the best voice enhancement I've ever heard and will fix any sound system with poor dialogue reproduction. I even tried it on my TV's built-in speakers, and it turned dialogue from a muddy, muffled mess to actually understandable. It's significantly better than the one Sonos offers, which (aside from Arc Ultra) is just a broad boost to common human voice range frequencies, which alerted the rest of the mix in a strange way. I can only imagine the offerings from other brands are similarly rudimentary. I don't believe Samsung, Arc Ultra, or Bose Ultra are actually using meaningfully powerful enough AI hardware to pull of this effect, whereas the one on ATV is actually using some machine learning magic with the SoCs’ neural processor to pull out and boost voices without altering the rest of the mix.
I have not explored the Apple TV AI feature (due to my moral failings) so it may be that it is far superior but it is clear that the AI features are categorically better than the normal dialogue techniques. Point well taken about the differences in chips
Thank you for the video, I have been waiting for this. One thing, though. I live in a small apartment, 52 m², and the room where I have my TV is about 30 m². I already have one Sonos Era 100 for just music, but I am considering purchasing one more Era 100 and then the Arc Ultra with a Sub Mini. However, now that I have watched multiple videos of yours, the Samsung Q990D seems like a no-brainer. So my question is, what seems to make sense: is the Samsung Q990D better than the Arc Ultra paired with two Era 100s and a Sub Mini?
You deserve 100x the subs (subscribers, not actual subs - you have enough of those)! This was as always both informative, and entertaining - Everything you state has clearly been thought out carefully - and then you add in the dry wit, and it's outstanding. For me, the Dragon was the big disappointment this year - way too much money for something that just doesn't do anything but be quite good at very loud. The Sony Quad and the Sonos Arc Ultra tie for my surprise awesome - Sonos probably edge out Sony, as I really thought they had jumped the shark as a company with the May app debacle - then they go and drop a real game changing product with the Ultra, and I'm back to being a Sonos fanboy again. Anyway, Happy Holidays, and thanks so much for all your great videos!
Appreciate the time you took on this note. Dragon attitudes are all over the place. And it’s true, I have more than enough subs - it’s kind of ridiculous
@@neverenoughtech Yeah TBF on the Dragon, I'm only going of the reviews and commentary as I've never heard one in person - just seems to be at the price, bulk and inconvenience point where you might as well go with a full only AVR. I mean, nobody's wife is going to say the Dragon is OK but a similarly priced but generally superior receiver with 6 or 7 or even 8 speakers is not, are they?
@@Beer_Dad1975 bro, you really should take all these negative Dragon reviews with a pinch of salt. I have the Dragon with 2x SVS PB 1000 Pros. It just blows my mind every time I put in a blu ray. But, it's strictly for movie watching only. Music sucks
@@fatredditmod Yes I'm sure you are right - I think the early hype didn't help with expectations being so high either. Main thing is if it works for you and you love it.
@@Beer_Dad1975 The original 8'' subs are a dud, which is what everyone's so mad at Nakamichi for. But if you can afford their new 12s or get the mod kit + third party subs, it comes alive. It's just too good man. Words don't do it justice
Lol at the White Mamba reference. After being on the fence, i just ordered the quad at a decent discount. Keep up the great reviews, you're on your way to being a top YT reviewer!
I feel like 1300X 10 inch sub is very underwhelming for a HT. 12" sub on the bar 1300 is the minimum I'd go with and ideally you would want 2 of them or else you won't feel the impact of those heavy scenes.
@GeraldOfRiviera everything I'm seeing is that the 1300x has a 12 inch subwoofer and my system has a 12 inch subwoofer so I have no clue what you guys are talking about
You’re making it incredibly difficult for me to choose. I initially purchased the Arc Ultra with two era 100 speakers, but I didn’t feel much power. I then replaced them with two 300 speakers, but I still haven’t achieved the desired sound power. I disabled True Play, and that’s when the speakers performed exceptionally well with power, not well balanced though. After watching this review, I decided to try the Quad in my room setup with the Sw5. Now, I’m torn between keeping the Quad and the Arc Ultra. Both speakers are great, but I prefer the stereo separation provided by the Quad. However, I have mixed feelings about the absence of a central channel.
@@neverenoughtechWhat is coming out next year? Any rumors on new products? I know there has been rumors of being able to use multiple era 300 speakers for front and back but that hasn’t happened yet.
Thank you Daniel for this great comparison video! My living room has a HT-A9 for watching movies, and 2 Era 300s paired with a Sub Gen 3 for music listening. I wonder if I should add a SW5 to make a fuller system, or add an Arc Ultra to make a newer home theatre?
Looks like the Sony Quad is now in the running to replace my aging HT setup. The bonus is that I have a 2020 Sony TV that is, I believe, on the list of supported 'centre' channel capable TVs. (Edited for correction).
Great video and perfect timing right before Christmas 🎉 I am curious though, no Sony Bar 9 system? I can take a guess, but any comment on why it wasn’t included?
@ Understandable. The Theatre Quad is a wild system. By the way, any thoughts if and when Sony will release an updated series of subwoofers for their soundbar/quad lineup? It’s closing in on four years since the release of the SA-SW5.
I think your next “ultimate soundbar review video” should be for a ‘Bar only’ or ‘Bar with sub only’ solution. Focused on the best Bar only features for music and best surround from a single source kinda thing plus voice quality 🎉 Reasoning: for those who may not want all the surround options or even an added sub. Essentially everything you did for this video but with only the Bar -Bar/sub setup (Ambeo max, Ambeo prem, Klipsch 300, arc, Devialet Dione, Q800/900, Bose, etc) 🎉 I know it’s a lot of work, but without someone with your expertise, I believe the only bar only style reviews with be the horrible AI videos! lol 🎉 Thanks!
I would be very interested and curious about the “illegal “Sonos witch you reviewed a year ago how would it be in the final ranking regarding the sound of cinema and music
It ups the cinema mainly - but I’m interested in going super illegal with the ultra and pairing sub with the era 300s - hope the authorities don’t shut me down
On the music ranking did you use the era 300’s as ambient noise or were they set to stereo (full) when you did your comparison? I thought they would have carried the arc ultra to the top (or left it behind) in the music ranking.
Due to spacing constraints, i can't leverage on the Quad wide stage separation as much. The Quad speakers will need to be right next to my 65" TV. Will this impact the listening experience?
@@S1mmz Agree. What exactly is your room like? the Quad is able to be used in almost any room layout. Think you will be happy with it. If not a great alternative is the Sonos Arc Ultra
@michael-4k4000 Not massive just 6m by 4.5m. I've got all the speakers wall mounted. My fronts are 3m wide and my rears 3.5m wide and using the A95L with the center sync.
@S1mmz oh bloody brilliant..... do you use the A95L as the center channel? Have a A95L, 55", and was wondering if the larger 65" and 77" are better to use as a center channel the the 55" done to the size difference of the display/speaker?
@michael-4k4000 Yeah, I do. It feels more cinematic as the sound is coming directly from the screen and hand off from TV to speaker just feels more natural. Can't really comment on whether it would be better but would assume the drivers may be bigger, the bigger the TV etc.
Is a Q990D good for music? I just bought this for 825 new and it’ll be here January 24th. I’m wondering if anyone can offer any insight on how it performs music wise.
Which system do you use as your main unit? I have the original dragon configuration. I find myself wanting the Sony Quad because I want the immersion of atoms. I appreciate your channel, time spent and detailed reviews. With your in depth review I’m leaning to actually buy the Sony Quad. Just want to say thank you for the great content as always.
If your rear seats have to be up against the wall, what system would you recommend? I know you typically want your rears behind the seating by I can’t do that. I was thinking the Bravia Quad. I do worry about dialogue for my guests seating far off axis about 34°. Or I may consider just a full AVR setup
@@neverenoughtechSony engineers confirmed even if your sofa is against the wall you want the quads facing forwards, as it creates the bubble within the 4 speakers this time round and doesn't rely on walls to bounce sound around. Having the rears facing sideways which would be a correct position in a 5.1 system actually makes you lose out on certain phantom channels.
Bose-ish with varying relative strengths and weaknesses - I decided to put the best Sony soundbar-ish product up and the 9 received a fraction of the smart ultra interest.
Bom Dia amigo, Se Possível coloque à Legenda Preta com as Letras Maior na Cor Branca na Lingua Português Brasil 🙏 Tenho Certeza que Você vai ter Milhares de Seguidores Brasileiros 👊
Wow! Poor Samsung. You punished them for lowering the price, as they usually do and being around the longest with little change. I actually own both the Samsung and Sonos setup and can’t disagree more on the Sonos being better, but that’s why sound is subjective. Great detailed and in-depth review.
Appreciate the comment - Just curious - you have the Sonos setup I reviewed falling below the C? By a wide margin? And I wouldn’t say I dinged Samsung for a cheap price I complimented them. I just think they got passed up. Might change next year for me. And yes it’s ultimately subjective what sounds are pleasing
You can say that monstrosity 48" soundbars are the best with more channels. Nakamichi has a smaller size Shockwave that can be customized to what the user wants. My Vizio M5.1.2 is the best that I can customize with passive surround speakers. I also have but not connected is the Vizio. M5.1. If both soundbars could be connected I would have 2 subs. The have 5.1 only delivers Dolby Atmos Virtually but it also included 2 surround speakers. I also paid under $800 for both and added like around $120 worth of bookshelf speeakers. With that I still have under a $900 Dolby Atmos system. Since Blu-rays 4K UHD disks are recorded using 7.1 most every sound system above that is just dowgrading the speakers. Vizio makes their sound bars with analog connections and also includes a Fiber Optical connection.
@neverenoughtech You didn't have to say it and you don't but with 4 of the 5 one excluding the Sony Quad. A majority of your best picks for soundbars are the long ones. The Vizio Elevate SE I think didn't make your line up and I believe that one too is 48".
Samsung needs better sub and option to add second. Sony needs better price, better sub option for 2nd sub and center channel. Sonos needs to get its act together App is terrible and not working even after several months. Also strong rumours of subscription model. My 2 cents.
If i had to choose right now i would go for Sonos. I think the Samsung is pretty ugly but i am curious what they will release in 2025. Hopefully somthing different then a Q990E 😂.
@@neverenoughtech. It did right. His and your channel were very similar, mean that in a good way. Yes not a competition at all and the more educated reviews the better for everyone. Finally picked up the Sonos system, Arc ultra, sub, 300’s. I get it now. I understand y u own many Sonos products. Am sure i will be purchasing more soon. You obviously know about how the system works and sounds, but one thing i found interesting is my wife commented on how good the system sounded multiple times and she loves the app. My wife pretty much hates speakers and home theater stuff, so this is a huge compliment.
Follow up question, if you don’t mind… I currently have the Polk Magnifi Max SR. If I were to upgrade to a newer soundbar setup, would you prefer the Samsung Q990D, Polk Magnifi Max AX SR or JBL 1000 (1300 just outside my price range) as these are within my budget range. I have considered going Sonos, but in South Africa, their pricing is insane.
Best reviewer on RUclips and your humor makes it so fun to watch your videos.
Good to hear!
I bought the Q990D for 680€ in Spain back in October and I'm really happy with it.
Atmos works perfectly in games when connected directly to my PC. No lag whatsoever, and the input is changed automatically in the soundbar when I switch input in my TV.
You seriously make understanding soundbars SO EASY. I recently started getting into sound and audio since I got a new TV and as someone that knew absolutely nothing about audio, your channel helped me so much.
I ended up buying the Samsung Q700C + 9500s rear speakers. My TV is in a room with the ceilings around 9 feet high, so the Dolby Atmos effects truly are noticeable. I actually found myself rewatching a ton of action flicks and enjoying them a whole lot more because of that enhanced audio. its honestly a WORLD of a difference!
Thanks for sharing. It’s encouraging! Samsung is a safe bet
This is THE comprehensive soundbar review of the year to date for anyone considering spending a $1000 or more to enhance a home cinema experience. It is earnest, informed, and genuinely funny in parts.
Thank you.
Amen brother, amen and God bless you brother.
Appreciated!
Q990C is definitely the top value pick, especially when bought used. I found mine for $500 and for that price it can’t be beat.
Where! Cheapest I’ve found one was 900 new😢
I got it used on Facebook!
A good wise friend of mine said the Nakamichi dragon is a rich man’s pet. Call me money you can slay that dragon, and that dragon loves money 💰. Imagine some rich old white guy, throwing bags of money at the dragon laughing my booty off he he he he he he
Got mine for $650 from Samsung new. I love it.
I have watched most of your videos I think and something felt different with the editing on this one , I really liked it it felt that either you did a huge amount of work with the editing cause its smooth as fk or your video editor stepped up his game. Great work!
I edited. One man channel. Glad you noticed some of the new things I tried out .
Congrats, you just made my yearly top 5 youtube videos list.
That was a blast! The effort (and $$) you put into this tour de force review is off the hook. And as usual, your quirky sense of humor hits the spot with me. Take a bow Daniel. You deserve it.
Appreciate that - your comment is the reward 🙂
Awesome video! I like the style and the expression. Best entertainment and plenty of information. Many thanks for all the effort! Best regards from Germany.
Glad it translated
your reviews pushed me to the 990c - even after I swore off samsung products in every category because of their terrible customer service and support. I didn't give Samsung my money, so I still feel like my boycott is intact lol.
I love the 990c - especially at the $450 refurbished price point I got it at. It is nice to see that it is holding its own with systems costing 3x-5x as much retail, and 6x-10x as what I paid.
thanks for another excellent review and reaffirming my confirmation bias
450s a pretty good plunge price. Thanks for the account!
Excellent review as always! Bought Q990 D based on your previous reviews and couldnt be happier. Love your new lighting and editing elements…curious what you are using to light up your talking head portion? The back yellow lights add a great touch of profesionalism to the video…🎉
I’ve had the Govee lights pillars for a while - they’re well/priced workhorses - my lighting is falcon eyes. Glad you liked some of my new experiments
Dialog quality is the most important category
Well I made a list for you in the sound ranking section
@ thanks sir!
Thanks! I bought the sont quad
Big thanks! I think you’ll like them
Here is for a million views🥂 , keep up the great work.
Only 999,936 to go (the day is young)
If everyone tells just one friend or family member. Can break the elusive 100k mark
You’re the only tech reviewer that I’m subscribed to.. As always next level review! Appreciate the great videos, and hard work.
Appreciated! Motivating!
@ seriously 😳 the amount of subscribers you have don’t do justice to the quality of videos you put out. Crossing my fingers for you to get over 50k soon..
@@jaytclark13i second that. You deserve a broader audience.
Thanks!
Wow, thanks! Means a lot!
Thanks Daniel. I'm not surprised with the Quad winning overall.
Yeah, the Quad cheated
wow, some serious hard work done there - from us to you, thank you and some
Very glad to pass the video on to the community - happy it worked for you!
Realy enjoyed this video.
Great work.
👍
Thanks!
Thank you for your review. Always fun and informative. I love my Sony Quad
Been waiting for this video! As a Sony Quad owner (after having dropouts with the a9) I think you nailed everything perfectly!
You sound like a scholar and gentlemen
That’s what I call some real technical shit right there. Thanks for all the reviews throughout the year.👍🏻
Love your reviews, and agree with your assessments too ! Thanks Dan...
You come across as very intelligent 🙂
Thanks
Many thanks returned!
Thalys fort rhis vidéo. No news about Klipsch core 300 ?
The 300 specs are largely known. The performance and impact of Dirac is the big question - and release date I suppose
Long time subscriber and always enjoy your reviews. I currently have the regular ARC with the ERAS 300's and two subs. I was expecting a lot more of a bang and noticeable differences on the new ARC ultra, although there is improvement, I can't justify shredding $900 plus to replace my already pretty good ARC. Anyways, great content as usual. Happy holidays!
I don’t think it’s an auto upgrade situation unless you really have a good plan for the Arc. Appreciate the comment
sonos arc ultra full setup is top tier hands down and Jesus top quality description video well done
Out of curiosity is that based solely on exceptional ultra experience or do you have experience with these different systems - or something else like my video description. I’m not being antagonistic - just wondering how opinions are formed. I own maaany Sonos components so I understand the affinity
@neverenoughtech i have used all other then dragon size of the room can impact the quality off sound you hear and for my living room the arc ultra for sure top tier
What a well made comparison, only video you need to make your purchase decision, from a proud owner of the Quad.
🎉
I knew that I wasn't the only one wearing my bose adaptiq headband around the house.
we’ve all done it and everyone knows it
Wow . Fantastic Job 😊🤌👌
Appreciated!
Nice review. Saw your Quad review as well. I got the Quad and the 77” Bravia 8 but couldn’t decide at first whether it sounded better with the S-Center enabled or not. After a week of testing, I’ve decided to keep it on. The TV center channel adds a bit more definition to the sound.
How does the Arc Ultra w/Sub 4 compare to the Polk Magnifi AX setup?
If the quad had a center channel I’d probably jump on that immediately but probably end up getting the Arc ultra complete surround next Black Friday 😅
I’ll forward to Sony
@@neverenoughtechwhy don’t they just let you use one of the Sony theater bars as a center, I don’t know what these companies are thinking
I have 990C and with 15" sub chainlink. im still blown away
I can only imagine - manufacturers should make it easier to bring in a third party
Can someone help me with this? How is the bass on the Q990D? I'm planning to buy it and would appreciate your feedback.
From many reviews I've read, the bass is very good.
Have the Samsung Q990C, Sony Quad (with the smaller sub), and the Sonos Ultra, Sub 4, and 300's. Have never heard or used the Dragon, so I cant speak to it. Everything Daniel said is 100% true. The Sony Quad just has better sound separation, probably has a lot to do with the fact that the speakers are actually separated. The Quad is the closest to a dedicated system, and sometimes I like the Quad better, the way Sony distributes the sound and Sonys sound signature are so darn fun. The great thing is you cant go wrong with any of these systems. Paid under $700 for the Q990C, that is a steal. Even at $1k the Q990c is an amazing deal. If you are new to this, the Q990c is the way to go. If you are into this hobby, then the Quad is first choice and the Sonos Arc ultra, sub, 300's is a close 2nd.
I like seeing how right my commenters are
That's so funny😂@@neverenoughtech
Add an RSL Speedwoofer 10S to the Q990C with the “sub mod” and imo makes it hard to beat! 🎉 (very easy to do also).
I did a firmware update on my Samsung and man! It’s night and day difference! Unfortunately it’s not an over the sort update so many won’t even realize it’s available
Thank you for the info. There is a new firmware for the Q990c, going to test it in the coming days. (I didn't think the q990c will get a firmware update after all this time)
Legend. I bought the Ultra, partly, from watching your review. I think the dialogue has improved more than your '55 times out of a 100' over the Arc' view. The quick tune made all the difference for me. I also find the speech enhancement settings and night mode don't affect the sound in such a negative way with the Ultra.
Watching this vid to confirm my purchase...and I just love to watch you.....Great humour.
I bought the 990D for a bit below $1000 and I'm very happy with the sound.
Thank you for all the hard work that you do to bring us all the sound bar reviews awesomeness. I will be keeping my Dragon 🐉 😎 for now.
🙂
Wow.... What an effort .... Easily the best in RUclips for people looking for audio solutions....
Thanks!
Excelente ranking,, pero ya me compré la Sonos ultra , los Sonos era300 y el sub 4 ,,
AND YOUR POINT IS? enjoy your system brother. Your system is amazing. perhaps Santa will bring you a 2nd Sub 4???
@@michael-4k4000 jajaja 🤣 😀santa…jajaja me hiciste reír…
Excellent in-depth review! One other aspect I think worth considering is the aesthetics. I know it’s subjective but I didn’t want a black (or white) sound bar under my wall mounted TV. I chose to wall mount the Quads and chased the wires. I’m very happy with the final result and am so happy with the sound quality when watching movies. I’m using a Sony A95-L as a centre speaker and the dialogue clarity is superb.
Bought the samsung Q990D including speakerstands for €879,-
For that money I take the "weak" sub for granted. Sonos with 2 subs is just out of reach.
Neverenoughtech: which sounds bar do u prefer the Sonos Arc ultra with a Sonos gen 4 subwoofer I see u have 2 subs at 39:52 or im thinking about the JBL 1300 with the 12" subwoofer which do u think would be better sound quality and bass wise for movies thanks for your time and opinion
Sonos for sure
@neverenoughtech ok thank u so the Sonos Arc ultra and then buy the subwoofer gen 4 also would a gen 3 or gen 2 pair with the Sonos reason I'm asking is because I'm a big bass head and would love to add 2 subs to get the most bass as I can so the JBL 1300x wouldn't give me the sound quality I'm looking for so u think Sonos ultra will get the job Done especially with 2 subs thanks for your honest reviews and honest opinion and helpimg me decide thanks u saved me a obout 1500 and then to not be happy I think I'll get the JBL 5 or jbl 7 or jbl 9 for my bedroom with a Hisense 65" but for the 98" beast of a tv Hisense - 98" Class UX Series 4K Mini-LED ULED room or game room I want that to sound nice clear and well of course plenty of bass thanks have a merry Christmas and let me know what u think about my tv room thanks for your time and honest replies
As a cinephile, Dragon is just perfect to me especially with the SVS subs. Music though is abysmal, I resorted to getting a pair of Sonos Five for music which should not be necessary.
Technically the Quads arent a soundbar ;) However, after owning most of the setups, once you go wide soundbars just cant fly... Or something along those lines. But yes, having the speakers like 3m apart is just much better than a soundbar.
The Quad is "sound bar" like. Sound bars are what the Quad is competing against. Both systems have Pro's and cons.
@@michael-4k4000no, they are not in any way "soundbar like".
Yeah, why I say ‘soundbar-ish’ it’s targeting the same plug and play market
We need an alternative to Sony's Theatre Quad
You: Preacher / Me: Choir
Hisence might release Saturn soon
Hisense HT Saturn will be at CES 2025 and launched early next year. Will be a lot cheaper but doesn't necessarily mean it will be any good hence the AWOL Thunderbeat is meant to be awful.
@S1mmz I've heard the thunder beat and it's pretty good
How do you mean an alternate like the Sonos with four 300 something like that?
I still have my Q960A. It's really good quality sound, for my apartment the subwoofer is enough because i don't want to get in trouble with neighbors, but next year i'm buying a house and then i will buy a more powerful system, i really like samsungs soundbars because of the high sound quality.
Once you go to Sonos, You never go back. I have the complete package : arc ultra + Sub Gen 4 + two era 300. Absolutely a blast .
Get another gen 4 sub to complete the package
@@tracer073 Thanks! I am on it. Should I place it on the other side of the tv?
Hello Sir. What do you think about Klipsch 300? Maybe better wait to it and after that make choice what I have to buy?
Excited about it - if you think it might be for you just zen it out
Great video comparison, missing ambeo max or plus with sub perhaps.
Surrounds are a pre-req
One thing to note is the new dialogue enhancement added to Apple TV a couple of months ago. It is single-handedly the best voice enhancement I've ever heard and will fix any sound system with poor dialogue reproduction. I even tried it on my TV's built-in speakers, and it turned dialogue from a muddy, muffled mess to actually understandable. It's significantly better than the one Sonos offers, which (aside from Arc Ultra) is just a broad boost to common human voice range frequencies, which alerted the rest of the mix in a strange way. I can only imagine the offerings from other brands are similarly rudimentary. I don't believe Samsung, Arc Ultra, or Bose Ultra are actually using meaningfully powerful enough AI hardware to pull of this effect, whereas the one on ATV is actually using some machine learning magic with the SoCs’ neural processor to pull out and boost voices without altering the rest of the mix.
I have not explored the Apple TV AI feature (due to my moral failings) so it may be that it is far superior but it is clear that the AI features are categorically better than the normal dialogue techniques. Point well taken about the differences in chips
The 12 inch Nakamichi subs are supposed to ship at the end of this month. Nakamichi should thank you for my purchase.
Totally upgraded animal from the original 8s
My first stop before I make a purchase online.
Honored
Thank you for the video, I have been waiting for this.
One thing, though. I live in a small apartment, 52 m², and the room where I have my TV is about 30 m². I already have one Sonos Era 100 for just music, but I am considering purchasing one more Era 100 and then the Arc Ultra with a Sub Mini. However, now that I have watched multiple videos of yours, the Samsung Q990D seems like a no-brainer. So my question is, what seems to make sense: is the Samsung Q990D better than the Arc Ultra paired with two Era 100s and a Sub Mini?
The D would be a bit more fit for intense cinema. If you have more than one room a Sonos multiroom situation would make sense too
holy crap!! 1 hr soundbar shootout video from NET. Wait, let me drop my pants first. This is gonna be an orgasmic experience. 😊
Daniel gave us a Christmas Miracle
Miracle season
You deserve 100x the subs (subscribers, not actual subs - you have enough of those)! This was as always both informative, and entertaining - Everything you state has clearly been thought out carefully - and then you add in the dry wit, and it's outstanding.
For me, the Dragon was the big disappointment this year - way too much money for something that just doesn't do anything but be quite good at very loud. The Sony Quad and the Sonos Arc Ultra tie for my surprise awesome - Sonos probably edge out Sony, as I really thought they had jumped the shark as a company with the May app debacle - then they go and drop a real game changing product with the Ultra, and I'm back to being a Sonos fanboy again.
Anyway, Happy Holidays, and thanks so much for all your great videos!
Appreciate the time you took on this note. Dragon attitudes are all over the place. And it’s true, I have more than enough subs - it’s kind of ridiculous
@@neverenoughtech Yeah TBF on the Dragon, I'm only going of the reviews and commentary as I've never heard one in person - just seems to be at the price, bulk and inconvenience point where you might as well go with a full only AVR. I mean, nobody's wife is going to say the Dragon is OK but a similarly priced but generally superior receiver with 6 or 7 or even 8 speakers is not, are they?
@@Beer_Dad1975 bro, you really should take all these negative Dragon reviews with a pinch of salt. I have the Dragon with 2x SVS PB 1000 Pros. It just blows my mind every time I put in a blu ray. But, it's strictly for movie watching only. Music sucks
@@fatredditmod Yes I'm sure you are right - I think the early hype didn't help with expectations being so high either. Main thing is if it works for you and you love it.
@@Beer_Dad1975 The original 8'' subs are a dud, which is what everyone's so mad at Nakamichi for. But if you can afford their new 12s or get the mod kit + third party subs, it comes alive. It's just too good man. Words don't do it justice
Lol at the White Mamba reference. After being on the fence, i just ordered the quad at a decent discount. Keep up the great reviews, you're on your way to being a top YT reviewer!
I reflexively made the white lightning gang sign
Thank you for making videos! I got the JBL 1300X on the BF/CM deal and I couldn't be happier. That subwoofer kicks ass.
@LukeR1M uh, cool? I live in the US, so I got the 1300X. Not sure what the point is.
I feel like 1300X 10 inch sub is very underwhelming for a HT. 12" sub on the bar 1300 is the minimum I'd go with and ideally you would want 2 of them or else you won't feel the impact of those heavy scenes.
100%.
@GeraldOfRiviera everything I'm seeing is that the 1300x has a 12 inch subwoofer and my system has a 12 inch subwoofer so I have no clue what you guys are talking about
You’re making it incredibly difficult for me to choose. I initially purchased the Arc Ultra with two era 100 speakers, but I didn’t feel much power. I then replaced them with two 300 speakers, but I still haven’t achieved the desired sound power. I disabled True Play, and that’s when the speakers performed exceptionally well with power, not well balanced though. After watching this review, I decided to try the Quad in my room setup with the Sw5. Now, I’m torn between keeping the Quad and the Arc Ultra. Both speakers are great, but I prefer the stereo separation provided by the Quad. However, I have mixed feelings about the absence of a central channel.
You’re in the trenches but you’ll work your way out. I think the perfect audio product isn’t coming out until next year 🙂
@@neverenoughtechWhat is coming out next year? Any rumors on new products? I know there has been rumors of being able to use multiple era 300 speakers for front and back but that hasn’t happened yet.
@@neverenoughtechwhich product is that? Which system are you looking to?
Thank you for great review.
What are the best settings of arc ulra with era 300 ultra and sub gen2 ?
Best and only soundbar system review that should be watched all year!!! 🎉
I agree (with humility)
hi, many thanks for this in-depth comparison.
As of today, how would you rank/estimate the Sennheiser Ambeo Max and its sound quality?
Thank you Daniel for this great comparison video! My living room has a HT-A9 for watching movies, and 2 Era 300s paired with a Sub Gen 3 for music listening. I wonder if I should add a SW5 to make a fuller system, or add an Arc Ultra to make a newer home theatre?
Any views on the JBL play 1300?
My JBL1300x review times 0.98. I tend to get a bit deflated by JBL soundbars - especially compared to Samsungs
Love you man! Best wishes for 2025
The guy who disappeared from the face of the earth, such a god guy too, wonder what happened to him.
My suspicion was he got a kid and it was taking too much time. Probably was not financially viable (worth it) - speculating
Looks like the Sony Quad is now in the running to replace my aging HT setup. The bonus is that I have a 2020 Sony TV that is, I believe, on the list of supported 'centre' channel capable TVs. (Edited for correction).
I think you mean Sony quad but yup, a nice upgrade!
What rank would get the Polk Audio Magnifi Max AX SR?
I dont get how sony quad get rank 1 wirhout have a center. Regards
I like the system but last
Great video and perfect timing right before Christmas 🎉 I am curious though, no Sony Bar 9 system? I can take a guess, but any comment on why it wasn’t included?
I included Sonys best offering - a bit of a let down overall- 6 is too unwieldy
@ Understandable. The Theatre Quad is a wild system. By the way, any thoughts if and when Sony will release an updated series of subwoofers for their soundbar/quad lineup? It’s closing in on four years since the release of the SA-SW5.
I think your next “ultimate soundbar review video” should be for a ‘Bar only’ or ‘Bar with sub only’ solution. Focused on the best Bar only features for music and best surround from a single source kinda thing plus voice quality 🎉
Reasoning: for those who may not want all the surround options or even an added sub. Essentially everything you did for this video but with only the Bar -Bar/sub setup (Ambeo max, Ambeo prem, Klipsch 300, arc, Devialet Dione, Q800/900, Bose, etc) 🎉
I know it’s a lot of work, but without someone with your expertise, I believe the only bar only style reviews with be the horrible AI videos! lol 🎉
Thanks!
I would be very interested and curious about the “illegal “Sonos witch you reviewed a year ago how would it be in the final ranking regarding the sound of cinema and music
It ups the cinema mainly - but I’m interested in going super illegal with the ultra and pairing sub with the era 300s - hope the authorities don’t shut me down
@@neverenoughtechwhat do you mind for “Ultra” 3 or 4 Sub extra ??
"OH MERCY I FORGOT MY SNACKS!!!" lets go!!
Endorsed!
What about the JBL 1000 soundbar?
On the music ranking did you use the era 300’s as ambient noise or were they set to stereo (full) when you did your comparison? I thought they would have carried the arc ultra to the top (or left it behind) in the music ranking.
Ambient -good question
That’s fair enough, it’s the default setting and what most people will experience. I only accidentally found out about the feature to know to ask.
what about the Klipsch Flexus core 200?
Due to spacing constraints, i can't leverage on the Quad wide stage separation as much. The Quad speakers will need to be right next to my 65" TV. Will this impact the listening experience?
The quads really shine when they are 2.5-3m wide. Any less and I'd just go for a soundbar.
@@S1mmz Agree. What exactly is your room like? the Quad is able to be used in almost any room layout. Think you will be happy with it. If not a great alternative is the Sonos Arc Ultra
@michael-4k4000 Not massive just 6m by 4.5m. I've got all the speakers wall mounted. My fronts are 3m wide and my rears 3.5m wide and using the A95L with the center sync.
@S1mmz oh bloody brilliant..... do you use the A95L as the center channel? Have a A95L, 55", and was wondering if the larger 65" and 77" are better to use as a center channel the the 55" done to the size difference of the display/speaker?
@michael-4k4000 Yeah, I do. It feels more cinematic as the sound is coming directly from the screen and hand off from TV to speaker just feels more natural. Can't really comment on whether it would be better but would assume the drivers may be bigger, the bigger the TV etc.
Is a Q990D good for music? I just bought this for 825 new and it’ll be here January 24th. I’m wondering if anyone can offer any insight on how it performs music wise.
It's fantastic for the price .... If you want something about better u will have to spend 2-3 times that budget
Soundbar it's not never best choice to listening music. Movies are great, but music I will use my stereo set.
Which system do you use as your main unit? I have the original dragon configuration. I find myself wanting the Sony Quad because I want the immersion of atoms. I appreciate your channel, time spent and detailed reviews. With your in depth review I’m leaning to actually buy the Sony Quad. Just want to say thank you for the great content as always.
He uses the Sony Quad with sw5 as the main setup
Ever since the channel I’ve given up having a main. I see Dragon as more special occasions and Quad as more main if I had to choose
@@neverenoughtech thank you for the response.
If your rear seats have to be up against the wall, what system would you recommend? I know you typically want your rears behind the seating by I can’t do that. I was thinking the Bravia Quad. I do worry about dialogue for my guests seating far off axis about 34°. Or I may consider just a full AVR setup
Face the rears at you from the side. Era 300s with side firing drivers may be best option. Just keep those facing forward and next to you
@@neverenoughtechSony engineers confirmed even if your sofa is against the wall you want the quads facing forwards, as it creates the bubble within the 4 speakers this time round and doesn't rely on walls to bounce sound around. Having the rears facing sideways which would be a correct position in a 5.1 system actually makes you lose out on certain phantom channels.
How strong (or weak) is the Bravia Bar 9 in all this?
Bose-ish with varying relative strengths and weaknesses - I decided to put the best Sony soundbar-ish product up and the 9 received a fraction of the smart ultra interest.
Do i need popcorn for this one?
At least
Bom Dia amigo, Se Possível coloque à Legenda Preta com as Letras Maior na Cor Branca na Lingua Português Brasil 🙏
Tenho Certeza que Você vai ter Milhares de Seguidores Brasileiros 👊
Unfortunately I couldn’t wait for this review so I already purchased the Sonos Arc Ultra instead of the Quad, you took too long! 😅
The Nose Fart Ultra doesn't deserve to be anywhere near this list or your home. No DTS support whatsoever? BIN IT. And get the Theatre Bar 9.
You’re a poet
Beosound Theatre is the Best.
Could be. But it wasn’t in this fight
@@neverenoughtech try it! It’s a beast!
Wow! Poor Samsung. You punished them for lowering the price, as they usually do and being around the longest with little change. I actually own both the Samsung and Sonos setup and can’t disagree more on the Sonos being better, but that’s why sound is subjective. Great detailed and in-depth review.
Appreciate the comment - Just curious - you have the Sonos setup I reviewed falling below the C? By a wide margin? And I wouldn’t say I dinged Samsung for a cheap price I complimented them. I just think they got passed up. Might change next year for me. And yes it’s ultimately subjective what sounds are pleasing
If it's fight to the death then u have to destroy the losers!
I did - not on video - family channel
Put jbl sb560 3.1 review
Agreed. Quads are king just like the A95L is king of OLEDs. Combined together is a match made in heaven.
You can say that monstrosity 48" soundbars are the best with more channels. Nakamichi has a smaller size Shockwave that can be customized to what the user wants.
My Vizio M5.1.2 is the best that I can customize with passive surround speakers. I also have but not connected is the Vizio.
M5.1. If both soundbars could be connected I would have 2 subs.
The have 5.1 only delivers Dolby Atmos Virtually but it also included 2 surround speakers.
I also paid under $800 for both and added like around $120 worth of bookshelf speeakers.
With that I still have under a $900 Dolby Atmos system. Since Blu-rays 4K UHD disks are recorded using 7.1 most every sound system above that is just dowgrading the speakers.
Vizio makes their sound bars with analog connections and also includes a Fiber Optical connection.
When did I say the best has more channels? You’re gonna have to find me that quote. I ranked the lowest channel system #1 the most.
@neverenoughtech You didn't have to say it and you don't but with 4 of the 5 one excluding the Sony Quad. A majority of your best picks for soundbars are the long ones. The Vizio Elevate SE I think didn't make your line up and I believe that one too is 48".
Samsung needs better sub and option to add second.
Sony needs better price, better sub option for 2nd sub and center channel.
Sonos needs to get its act together
App is terrible and not working even after several months.
Also strong rumours of subscription model.
My 2 cents.
Subscription without some huge extra benefit would be 🤮
If i had to choose right now i would go for Sonos. I think the Samsung is pretty ugly but i am curious what they will release in 2025. Hopefully somthing different then a Q990E 😂.
Q999E
Why not include the illegal Sonos setup with 4 subs
Because it’s illegal. Propping up official configurations that are backed by the companies
@ I know but still fun.
Funny, I’ve watched Jonah’s channel. He put out good content not as good as Daniel‘s. I prefer Daniel’s but it was good.
Appreciated - not a competition - but if it was his metrics crush mine - his channel grew very quickly
@@neverenoughtech. It did right. His and your channel were very similar, mean that in a good way. Yes not a competition at all and the more educated reviews the better for everyone. Finally picked up the Sonos system, Arc ultra, sub, 300’s. I get it now. I understand y u own many Sonos products. Am sure i will be purchasing more soon. You obviously know about how the system works and sounds, but one thing i found interesting is my wife commented on how good the system sounded multiple times and she loves the app. My wife pretty much hates speakers and home theater stuff, so this is a huge compliment.
No Sennheiser Ambeo Plus...OK fair enough
Tell yo boy to get some surrounds
@neverenoughtech Thanks seems i made the good choice then by picklng speakers instead of a soundbar :-)
I do like your sense of humor ;-)
Was the Polk Magnifi Max AX SR, Klipsch (Flexus Core 200, Sub 100, SURR 100) or JBL 1300/1300X not an option for this comparison?
Not high on the list at the moment but appreciate the interest
Follow up question, if you don’t mind…
I currently have the Polk Magnifi Max SR. If I were to upgrade to a newer soundbar setup, would you prefer the Samsung Q990D, Polk Magnifi Max AX SR or JBL 1000 (1300 just outside my price range) as these are within my budget range. I have considered going Sonos, but in South Africa, their pricing is insane.
Flex core 300 coming out soon
🍻🤘👌
🍺 😴- this one took work
You both like and dislike the DRAGON too much!!!😤😡
😀
You are the goat (not really the animal)
Dethroned the D - feels good