r/Soundbars

Since months I have been debating with myself which soundmode is the best.

I have been hyperanalyzing all of my favourite 4k Blu-rays with dolby atmos, DTS:X, 5.1, 7.1 and also for casual tv shows, streaming, youtube etc.

At first I was using adaptive soundmode and all the AI features of my new S95F TV. Then I tried a more accurate experience and switched to filmmaker mode and also changed the sound mode to standard. The difference is HUGE. Standard mode only plays the channels of the original mix and does not upmix the sound at all. That means everything is way more accurate. On paper this should be the default setting for the "intended" experience when watching movies but also mixed content.

However the problem with Standard mode for me is that the Soundbar just wont get used to its full potential. Yes the soundmix is "untouched" in standard mode but you have to remember it is still "just" a soundbar, it is physically limited, it also does not produce REAL atmos, so without any kind of upmixing, dialogue will sound thin, voices will lack clarity and IMO you just wont have a nice and immersive experience because the soundbar will only use the 11.1.4 channels when it is in the original mix. So even when when watching mixed content in a 2.1 mix I always find myself switching back to adaptive sound mode.

In adaptive mode I pretty much know that any content I watch will be enjoyable.

Even when watching youtube videos I noticed a huge jump in voice clarity, because all the channels are being used with rear speakers amplifying everything while the front stage is still dominant. In standard mode the rears turn completely off while watching regular 2.1 content on youtube, streaming etc. and you will only hear voices directly from the main center of the soundbar. In adaptive the sound "bounces" all around you and if you tweak the channel setting according to your room and rear placement the surround channels wont feel overpowering. This allows you to turn down the volume significantly while still being able to hear clear dialogue and immersive surround sounds. For standard mode you need to turn up the volume otherwhise you wont be able to understand the dialogue.

I also tried surround mode but I only like it when watching atmos content on Blu-ray because sometimes adaptive can disort the sound a little bit too much and sometimes certain bass frequencies and surround effects can get lost. My problem is that surround mode makes the rear speakers a little bit too dominant, especially for watching 2.1 content you will sometimes hear dialogue only from the rears because it overshadowes the front stage. I feel like this works better in adaptive but you could probably tweak the rear channels so I could see myself using surround mode aswell.

For now I switched back to adaptive again and to me this is by far the most enjoyable experience. Yes it wont be as accurate, yes sometimes the rears can be too dominant but overall I prefer immersive sound, voice clarity, surround effects and the feel of a sound bubble with sound coming from all around me, because that is the whole point of a soundbar for me.

If I wanted an "accurate" experience I should probably not use a soundbar at all and buy a real Hi-Fi system and for real atmos I would need actual speakers installed in the ceiling.

Wanted to share all my thoughts here since some of you may wonder what sound mode they should use, I suggest use the one you enjoy the most and do not listen to the purists.

It is like using the perfect pricture mode. Purists will say use filmmaker mode without contrast enhancer or dynamic tonemapping, yet I still use those features because I enjoy them. At the end of the day accurate does not mean better for most people.

I bought two brand new Serafino G2 soundbars from a guy at a garage sale. He said he bought them then changed his mind. They still have the price sticker at $1,500 CAD on it - I looked it up and on the brand's website, it is at MSRP $1499.99

But someone else is telling me that these are part of a scam. Can someone tell me if these are real? I don't know much about soundbars but I wanted to get one and he was giving me a good deal

Any good deals on Amazon or systems worth keeping an eye on? 🕶️

Soundbar cannot parse Dolby Atmos from Native TV apps on Samsung. Only works with a laptop connected to tv via pass through?

Bar is not going to get any updates as was discussed in some threads on this sub reddit.

Should I return it? I love the audio though. I loved watching netflix and apple TV with Atmos on it, but getting to set up a laptop and using a keyboard to operate it has become a hassle for me.

What would you suggest? Are there any other sound bars near its price point that might be worth replacing this with to reduce the constant hassle.

Please give me some suggestions as I am not sure what I should do next.

Hello, I just got my Bravia 9 85” and I’m looking for a soundbar. I have a 8mth old therefore wouldn’t want to have any standing rear speakers, I don’t want to mount it up to my wall as well. Was looking at Samsung 990H but it comes in a set, and I’m sure not using the rears are a waste. And then I watch some YouTube videos on soundbar and they said Sonos arc ultra, but it’s more expensive than the entire Samsung 990H set up. Help?

I recently bought an LG G6 and also purchased the LG S95TR soundbar, but I ended up returning the S95TR before even opening the box.

I spent almost 15 days going back and forth about this. I tend to overthink expensive purchases because I want to buy the right system once and be done with it. Electronics are also extremely expensive where I live, so I really don’t want to spend this kind of money and then wonder why I didn’t buy the better option.

My room is only about 3.11 m × 3.33 m (10.2 × 10.9 ft), so it’s not a large room.

My usage is mostly movies/series, but I also listen to bass-heavy music, and that became part of the reason I started considering the Q990H. From what I’ve read, the Samsung seems to have a harder-hitting subwoofer and stronger overall bass performance, and I don’t want to buy the S95TR and later start thinking, “Why does this not hit as hard as the other one?”

I paid (around $813) for the S95TR. The Q990H was about more (roughly $325 extra).

The other thing that made me hesitate was the rear-speaker performance. I saw quite a few comments criticizing the S95TR rears, while I also found LG G6 owners using the Q990H and being very happy with it.

On the other hand, with the S95TR I get the LG ecosystem features such as WOW Orchestra and better TV/soundbar integration. With the Q990H I lose that integration because I have an LG TV.

To make things even more complicated, I’m already somewhat disappointed with the G6 itself because I haven’t been completely happy with its picture/motion performance, so there is a possibility that I may switch to a Samsung TV in the future anyway. In that case, the Q990H might make more sense long term.

For streaming I just bought an Apple TV 4K for now because I couldn’t find an Nvidia Shield Pro that I felt comfortable buying.

So I returned the S95TR unopened at the store and decided to think about it for a few days.

For people who have actually heard or owned both systems: in a room this size, would you choose the S95TR for the LG integration, or pay the extra money for the Q990H for stronger surround and bass?

Especially for bass-heavy music and movies, is the Q990H noticeably better, or am I overthinking this and the S95TR would already be more than enough for my room?

Did I make a mistake returning the S95TR?

I live in a 750 sq ft 1BR apartment and see the JBL 300MK2 is currently on sale for $279.99. I want a good budget-level soundbar but also something that won't piss off my neighbors (eg, too much bass). I want clear, immerisve sound (including voice) without tumbling bass.

I read that this one is a solid choice? Any thoughts? Or better models in a similar price range?

I've used Sony HT-S2000 (only soundbar, no subwoofer and rear speakers) and gave it to my sister. So, benchmark for me is that soundbar only. For Dolby Atmos, it was non-existent, but when switched to DTS:X for Dolby Atmos enabled content, it was quite good.

Now, I'm looking for upgrading to either Samsung Q800H or JBL Bar 500 MK2 (considering this only because everyone is saying it's good) or Samsung Q930H (will consider this if it's only worth the price jump).

Fellow audiophiles, please do your magic and help me with deciding which one to go for.

If it matters, I'm based out of India, there's festive SALE starting in 2 days, so, prices will drop. I'm also inclined for purchasing from Reliance Digital if they can give a good price as I've Rs. 12k worth gift card.

If there's any other soundbar which I can consider, do let me know that as well along with the reason why it's better than the above ones.

What will be the best deal during the upcoming Amazon Great Indian Festival and Flipkart Big Billion Days sales? The regular price is 69,999. What do you think would be a good deal? I am waiting for the 8th of Oct.

Hey Guys,

I live in Belgium adn Im considering a new sound bar system of my 77LG G5.

I am torn between the suond suite (H7 + W7 + 2xM7 for rear) versus the Q990h. Unfortunately there are no places around me to experience the sound suite.

Has anyone personally listed to both? How do they dound like? Why would you pick the sound performance of one over the others.

I mostly watch movies from streaming sites like netflix or prime video or youtube videos. Some music in the background while im cooking maybe.

Also, there seems to be about 1000 euros of price difference between the Samsung and LG with samsung sitting around 800 euros and LG sound suite in the configuration I mentioned, at about 1800. Would you go for the LG consideing this price difference?

If the LG is not woth the +1000 euros, at what price point would it become worth it?

Thank you all so much in advance for helping me out.

Bought a LG OLED B5 last year. Looking to pick up a sound bar for Black Friday. Any recs on something solid to start with? Not sure if I want to go full 5.1 or not yet. Trying to get a sense of solids brands that won’t completely break the bank.

Hi guys, I'm looking to buy a SINGLE soundbar (absolutely no rears, and preferably no sub) for my very small bedroom, about 11m².

I usually watch huge REMUX files on my 65" LG G5 OLED TV and Google TV 4K streamer with Stremio + Real-Debrid and Kodi as an external player.

My budget is $1,150 at max, and I want a soundbar that has the option of adding a sub, but won't make me run to the store to buy one very soon.

I do not need HDMI passthrough or DTS compatibility, but everything else might be a necessity.

Right now, I'm thinking of the Sonos Arc Ultra or the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9. Which one is better for me? I would also appreciate some suggestions for even better soundbars within this budget. Thank you so much!

Hello everyone I'm been thinking of upgrading from my cheap 2.1 Samsung hw550 to the q930f which I currently have found on sale fro a good price.The only thing is that even with my current setup I feel that the sound is loud enough and the woofer sounds very good and shakes the room and I because I'm living in a apartment I can't raise the bar more than 40 on a good day. In the other I feel that the Dolby Atmos surround speakers and possibly the stronger sub? Will put out a more even sound and sound better overall I just don't know if it's worth the upgrade when the soundbar i have sounds loud to me

What will be the best deal during the upcoming Amazon Great Indian Festival and Flipkart Big Billion Days sales? The regular price is 69,999. What do you think would be a good deal? I am waiting for the 8th oct.

Hey folks, new to this sub!

Are there any cheaper alternatives of Samsung Q990H without compromising on sound quality ofcourse. Else I wait for Black Friday deals

Bought a LG OLED B5 last year. Looking to pick up a sound bar for Black Friday. Any recs on something solid to start with? Not sure if I want to go full 5.1 or not yet. Trying to get a sense of solids brands that won’t completely break the bank.

My TV is located on top of my dresser in my bedroom which is located next to the wall shared with the neighboring apartment. Would a soundbar help with reducing sound leakage into the neighboring apartment? I have not had any complaints, but since the TV speakers are in the back I’m trying to be cognizant of this possibility.

I am not knowledgeable on this topic but I guess I am looking for a directional soundbar that is cheap as possible and would fit on a 30 inch wide dresser. I know this is very specific, but is there anything out there that could help?