Samsung HW-Q950a Vs Sony HT A9 | Which Is Better?

Which is better, Samsung HW-Q950a Vs Sony HT A9? With a limited budget and a desire to have all speakers in your home theatre system, the Samsung HW-Q950A is the best option. The Sony HT-A9, on the other hand, is worth a try if you’re looking for a unique and amazing home theatre sound experience and have a flexible budget.

An expansive sweet spot will be provided by Samsung’s wide-angle tweeters. Samsung’s soundbar is the greatest budget-friendly soundbar because of its use of dedicated drivers slanted in different directions and audio formats like Atmos & DTS: X. An impressive overhead effect can be achieved with up-firing channels. You’ll be able to immerse yourself in movies and games thanks to the high-quality sound that surrounds you.

Sony’s speakers, both real and virtual, work together to provide a strong sound dome. The psychoacoustic sound is considerably superior to other soundbars’ virtual sound in terms of realism. It has a more authentic feel and sounds to it. Sony HT-A9 delivers a new standard in home theatre audio.

Samsung HW-Q950a Vs Sony HT A9

The Sony HT-A9 is inferior to the Samsung HW-Q950A. The Samsung system is an 11.1.4 configuration with a dedicated subwoofer that can reproduce a lower bass range. It becomes louder and performs better in the center and surroundings. Even a graphic EQ is included for sound modification. The Sony, however, has a better soundstage and is better built. It can also be improved by adding a separate sub.

Dimensions And Location: Sony HT A9 Vs Samsung Q950A

Compared to Sony HT-A9, the soundbar from Samsung has two back speakers as well as a subwoofer. There are four speakers in the Sony HT-A9 and a hub to link them all. Sony touts the HT-A9 as having the most adaptable mounting options. Because of this, you can see it in the image to the right.

In other words, you don’t have to use the speaker in places where the manufacturer says you shouldn’t. There is no difference in sound quality between Sony’s recommended placements and those we’ve tried. For those of you who have no idea where to put speakers and still want great sound, the Sony HT-A9 is the answer.

Using Sony’s Sound Field Optimization, you may set the left and right speakers in different positions and at varying heights. For each speaker, it will recognize its horizontal and vertical position and then generate sound. This is a true statement in the real world, not just a clever marketing ploy.

Samsung’s soundbar is 2.8 tall and 48.4 wide. So, it can fit under most flat-screen televisions without obscuring the view. The placement of subwoofers and back speakers should adhere to a few simple rules. They’ll be positioned behind the user and aimed at the listener.

Performance

This evaluation of the Samsung soundbar HW-Q950A will discuss its performance. There are a total of 16 channels and 22 speakers in the Samsung HW-Q950A audio system. The soundbar contains 15 of the total 22 speakers, including two side-firing drivers. There are two oval woofers and one tweeter in each of the three front-channel speakers. Dolby Atmos & DTS: X is supported.

They have 3 woofers in all of the surround or back speakers. Then there’s a subwoofer with a fabric screen covering the aperture on the side and a rear port. The soundbar has two woofers on the side channels, one on the front and one on the other side. The up-firing Atmos version of these woofers is also available.

The soundbar provides a 360-degree surround sound by delivering sound up, down, sideways, and upwards. Using the Surround Sound setting will widen the soundstage and increase the dynamic range of the audio. Use the Game Pro mode if you intend to use the soundbar to play video games on your PC or Mac. The conversation is absolutely clear without seeming heavy or distracting because of the excellent mid-and high-frequency response.

For a soundbar, the soundstage is enormous. Without any distortion, the bass has plenty of authority and delivers a crisp low end. Movies become more exciting to watch when they have surround sound. The HW-Dolby Q950A’s Atmos performance is unmatched by any other soundbar, offering a cinematic experience unlike any other.

When comparing the Samsung HW-Q950A to the Samsung HW-Q900A, the Q-900A is a 7.1.2 system that lacks any rear speakers. However, the HW-Q950A is a better-quality home theatre system that can be had for a lesser price. There are both positive and negative aspects of the Sony HT-A9 in this review. The Sony HT-A9 uses only four speakers to create a 12-channel audio system.

The setup includes 12 amps. A soft dome tweeter, a mid-bass driver, an up-firing driver, and two microphones are included in each speaker. This is a hub-connected wireless home entertainment system. These X-Balanced speakers guarantee clean vocals and zero distortion. The up-firing driver will reflect audio off the ceiling and then to the user, delivering a genuine sound.

Sony HT-A9 audio quality is outstanding, amazing, and exceptionally high-end. This system will provide you with very high-quality audio. They are more detailed and engaging. This soundbar’s surround sound adjusts to your viewing environment, which we haven’t experienced with other soundbars. Even though there is no center channel, the phantom center channel works well.

A sound system’s primary function is to transmit sounds without obstructing your view. Dialogues are audible on the Sony HT-A9, yet you are not forced to believe that the sound is emanating from the center speaker. Using a built-in microphone, the four speakers in your room identify horizontal and vertical space and create numerous phantom channels.

You’ll be surrounded by sound, and you’ll be immersed in a 3D audio experience. The Sony HT-A9 is the greatest sound system if you favor audio over other types of media. You’ll have the sensation of being in a real home theatre when you listen to it because it can reproduce authentic theatrical sound.

Using digital signal processing (DSP) in Sony products is worthwhile. These movie effects, such as bombs exploding, heartbeats, and birds fluttering their wings, come to life. The subwoofer will fill in the voids and provide the necessary impact. Keep your hub and speakers in line of sight if you notice any audio dropouts.

While more costly than the SW3, the SW5 subwoofer delivers greater power and impact than the SW3. The SW5 features a 180mm driver with a 300W power supply, whereas the SW3 has a 200W driver and a 160mm driver.

It appears that the Sony HT-high-quality A9’s sound is compatible with the SW5’s sound quality. As an alternative to the SonyHT-A9, consider the Bronze Audio 100 with center and the Bronze 50 subwoofers. Consider the Nakamichi Shockwave home theatre as an alternative to the Samsung Q950A.

Build And Design

Samsung’s HW-Q950A sports a cloth grille and is constructed of plastic, making it both lightweight and durable. Despite its cheap appearance, the product is surprisingly durable. Even though it has a screen, the placement is awkward. It sits on top of the unit, so you won’t be able to see it if you’re sitting down, watching TV, or listening to music.

However, if you’re a pet owner or have children running about, the Samsung cloth on these home theatres may collect dust and hair. They have cloth grilles, a cylindrical shape, but the backside is flat rather than circular.

Features

When combined with Sony’s proprietary Sound Field Optimization and Monopole Synthesis, the HT-A9 is said to raise the 4.0.4 to 7.1.4. The Sony HT-A9 is the greatest wireless home entertainment system in town because it connects wirelessly to the hub, resulting in a clean look with no cables. However, don’t forget about the TV’s wired connection. ARC, eARC, and CEC are all supported by both Samsung and Sony’s HDMI outputs.

The on-screen instructions are all you need to do to get started. It’s important that you follow all setup instructions exactly if you want the optimum sound quality. Similarly, setting up the Samsung soundbar is a doddle. To match the sound to the object on the screen, Sony uses Acoustic Center Sync. Airplay 2 and Bluetooth are supported by Samsung.

Along with Bluetooth and Spotify Connect, Sony supports these three options. There are fewer inputs and outputs on the HT-A9 than on the HW-Q950A. It just has one HDMI input and one HDMI output. In addition to the HDMI and USB ports, there includes an S-Center.

If you have standard content, Immersive Audio Enhancement can turn it into surround sound. When used with the Digital Sound Improvement Engine (DSEE) Extreme, low-resolution audio will sound better.

HD audio files are supported by the Samsung HW-Q950A soundbar. As an example of how it can be used, consider Tap Sound and Q-Symphony. As a result of Samsung’s Surround Sound mode customization options, you can select from several modes such as Game Pro, Standard, and Adaptive.

Two HDMI inputs and one HDMI output are provided. WAV, WMA, OGG, FLAC, ALAC, and AIFF are all supported formats. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are supported by HDMI. That’s all for ports; this soundbar doesn’t have a single USB port for data transfer or playback. The soundbar has a microphone on/off button, a multifunction button, and a volume up/down control.

Futureproof

In terms of home theatre, the Samsung HW-Q950A is the finest all-in-one device. The subwoofer and rear speakers are already included, so no further components are required. Even though the Sony HT-A9 only has four speakers, a subwoofer is all that’s required to round things out. SW3 and SW5 subwoofers are on offer.

The Use Of An Emoticon Or A Voice Command

Despite Samsung’s support for Amazon Alexa, there is no Google Assistant. Additionally, the Samsung Smart app is included. Because the app lacks some of the remote’s functionality, you’ll eventually have to resort to using the remote, which is inconvenient. Only 10 buttons and a circular navigation pad make up the remote control’s minimalist design.

The remote control provides access to the various sound settings described above. Changing the treble, adjusting Sync, or adjusting the volume of each speaker is all possible with the Sound Control. The woofer level button allows you to adjust the volume from +6 to –6 dB. It is possible to utilize the Samsung TV remote to operate basic soundbar operations if HDMI CEC is supported. The HW-Q950A soundbar has a wide range of control options.

Integration With The TV

Q-Symphony is activated when the Samsung HW-Q950A is connected to a Samsung TV. It’s also worth noting that the Q-Symphony is only compatible with the newest models of 2020 and 2021 TVs. You’ll only want to use the soundbar with Samsung TVs because of the seamless interaction between the TV and the soundbar. If the TV supports Bluetooth, you can use HDMI to connect.

You can, of course, use it with any other television model. It’s a simple matter of matching up the wires. To connect the hub to the TV, Sony provides a headphone-like cable. You’ll need this connection if you wish to use your TV as a central channel.

When all of the speakers are wireless, this seems like a massive snub. With or without a Sony TV, you can take advantage of the center channel. A Samsung TV is more efficient than a Sony one when using a Samsung device. Other TV manufacturers, such as LG, Vizio, and the like, can easily operate with Sony.

Is Sony Soundbar Better Than Samsung?

To achieve a better Dolby Atmos experience, however, we believe that the Samsung HW-Q600A is superior to the other soundbar. The Acoustic Beam technology gives it a more realistic and encompassing sound.

What Better Than Sony HT-A9?

The Sony HT-A9 is inferior to the Samsung HW-Q950A. The Samsung is an 11.1-4 system with a dedicated subwoofer that can reproduce lower bass frequencies more accurately. It becomes louder and performs better in the center and surroundings.

Does HT-A9 Need A Subwoofer?

Even without a physical subwoofer, the system has a noticeable bass extension. Things land and thump with delightful heaviness. If you feel the requirement, you can add a wireless subwoofer as an added option; both Sony’s SA-SW3 and larger SA-SW5 are compatible. The HT-A9 has a remarkable dynamic range.

How Long Does A Soundbar Last?

A more recent amplified soundbar, like the Sonos Arc, shouldn’t go out of style anytime soon, but you should anticipate the hardware to last up to 7 years before it requires maintenance or replacement.

Conclusion

That concludes the comparison between Samsung HW-Q950a Vs Sony HT A9. Is the extra cost worth it? Yes, that’s correct. If you can, consider the Sony HT-A9. Samsung HW-Q950A is still one of the greatest soundbars because you don’t need to buy any speakers or subwoofers with it. Nonetheless, there aren’t any catches. If you’re looking for a more advanced sound system, Sony’s HT-A9 is the best option for you.

Samsung has a good representation of dialogue and movie effects. Up-firing drivers for DTS: X and Atmos will produce an immersive sound experience for cinema audiophiles. When considering the Samsung HW-Q950A versus Sony HT-A9, it is one of the top mid-level home theatre systems in 2022, despite its exceptional performance.

Both of these sound systems may be controlled and set up with ease. When it comes to the design of the Samsung soundbar’s cloth grille, dust and hair can accumulate over time. We suggest the Sony HT-A9 if you frequently play games, listen to music, and watch movies. The cost may be hefty, but you’ll be pleasantly pleased by the level of performance.

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