I just tested Samsung's new mid-range soundbar – here are 3 things I liked and 2 I didn't

Samsung has offered something of a mixed bag when it comes to soundbars.

For instance, the brand snagged a What Hi-Fi? Award this year with the Samsung HW-Q990F, a Dolby Atmos-in-a-box system at the premium end of the market with a hefty price tag of £1699 / $1999 / AU$1999.

But it has not had the same success at the more affordable side of the spectrum, with most of the cheaper models not reaching five-star heights.

And now comes the Samsung HW-QS700F – a package consisting of a main soundbar and a separate wireless subwoofer, which the brand claims is "designed for clear, dynamic, cinematic sound".

This model is priced at £649 / $649 / AU$999. That positions the bar neatly between the more pricey Sonos Arc Ultra (which launched at £999 / $999 / AU$1799), and the cheaper Sonos Beam Gen 2 (coming in at £449 / $449 / AU$649), both of which are highly regarded What Hi-Fi? Award-winners.

It’s an 11.1.4 system with 23 drivers across the bar, surrounds and sub. That’s 15 drivers in the main soundbar, three drivers in each of the surround-sound units, and dual 20cm force-cancelling drivers in the subwoofer, which features a claimed 300W power output.

But how does the Samsung soundbar perform? After testing the S700F with my colleagues, we discovered that the soundbar has a lot to like with its flexible positioning and bassy sound performance. But it doesn't quite manage to match the sound performance of its class-leading rivals. Let's dig into it...

Like: Clear vocal performance

As many TVs often deliver an audio performance that can make it hard to hear every word of dialogue, one of the main draws of soundbars is that they can make vocals much clearer.

And this is very much the case with the QS700F, which offers clear vocals that are sure to be an improvement on the majority of TVs.

When watching Thunderbolts in Dolby Atmos, assassin Yelena’s terse conversation with her unlikely companions is crystal clear.

There is a decent tonality and emotion to the voices in the scene, but it doesn't sound quite as realistic or emotive as the Sonos Arc Ultra.

Still, the QS700F provides a forward performance that means you are unlikely to miss a word during your favourite movies and TV shows.

Like: Flexible positioning

There's lots to like about its design, too. You can place the QS700F either on a tabletop with the grille facing the ceiling or on a wall mount so it is facing the listener. This is executed using Samsung's 'Convertible Fit' feature, which uses a built-in gyro system, allowing the product to detect what position it is in.

The front and up-firing speakers will then switch roles depending on the orientation of the soundbar.

This works seamlessly in our test room when we switch between both orientations, giving you plenty of options in terms of positioning.

That should appeal to many with its easy setup and automatic calibration, giving you plenty of options in terms of positioning.

It's easy to connect to the subwoofer with a simple pairing process, and once they’re in position, you shouldn’t need to adjust anything.

Like: Powerful bass

Accompanying the soundbar is, of course, the separate subwoofer to bring the bass. And bring the bass it does! The QS700F's sub has the same dimensions as the model included in the Samsung HW-Q990F package, both measuring 25 x 25 x 25cm (hwd).

It’s slightly different under the hood, however, as the QS700F doesn't quite match its pricier sibling in terms of low-end reach (34Hz vs the Q990F's 32Hz).

This subwoofer, like the model included with its more expensive sibling, delivers a floor-shaking, punchy injection of lower-end heft that gives the sound an exciting overall feel.

This becomes evident when watching Jurassic World on 4K Blu-ray as the sea-dwelling Mosasaurus leaps out of the water with a huge crash. The bass truly shocks the system, adding an extra level of tension and punch to the scene, while still keeping the audience’s gasped reactions in the mix.

Dislike: Gets a little shouty when pushed

While the soundbar's bass performance adds a good amount of excitement to the overall sound, it can sound a little shouty and doesn't do justice to quieter moments.

This is partly down to the lack of low-level dynamic delicacy required to let quieter scenes breathe, and that contributes to an occasionally overwhelming sound that, after a while, can get a little tiring.

During Wicked when our protagonists Glinda and Elphaba sing together softly at the beginning of the epic tune Defying Gravity, their voices (although crystal clear) sound a little too harsh and take away from the emotion of the scene.

This becomes especially clear when compared with the Sonos Arc Ultra, which manages to deliver a more nuanced and subtle performance that outdoes the Samsung model on this front.

Dislike: Not the most immersive Atmos performance

There's not a whole lot of precision when it comes to the Samsung bar's Dolby Atmos delivery, either.

We turn to our old familiar, Angelina Jolie's Unbroken, to test out the soundbar's Atmos capabilties. As the pilots get caught in a bombing raid in the air, explosions should hit the viewer with a sense of precision that will have you looking around to check there isn't a flak cannon hidden on your bookshelves.

But the bar does not manage to capture the control needed for the scene, so the bombs land in more of a vague area without a huge sense of accuracy. The width of the soundfield doesn’t reach much wider than the screen, as well. The camera pans around the interior of the plane, but the Samsung doesn't provide enough of a sense of scale to convince.

Once again, the Sonos Arc Ultra delivers a wider and higher soundstage that creates a more convincing Atmos effect.

This is hardly a surprise considering it is the more expensive model, but it shows the difference spending a bit more can make to the sound's overall performance. Still, the Samsung QS700F is a decent option if your budget won’t stretch that far, though, and recent history suggests it could get even more discounted in the coming months.

MORE:

Check out our full review of the Samsung HW-QS700F

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