Both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X compatible, it offers an HDMI input with 4K HDR passthrough for easy system expansion. Owners of compatible Samsung tellies can enjoy it in Q-Symphony mode, which allows the soundbar to work in tandem with the TV’s own speakers (rather than just replacing them). We like it a lot.
Introduction
The Samsung HW-Q700B is a well specified high-value Dolby Atmos soundbar that offers excellent dialogue intelligibility and moderate bass slam and comes with a raft of neat bonus features for owners of Q-Symphony-compatible Samsung TVs. The Q700B is a well specified midrange Dolby Atmos soundbar with more than a few tricks up its sleeve. A 3.1.2 configuration, it has dedicated up-firing drivers for height duties (more of which anon), a front-facing LCR array and a compact subwoofer. The latter isn’t too demanding when it comes to footprint, so it should be relatively easy to accommodate, although resist the temptation to distance it too far from the TV and soundbar. Samsung doesn’t specify power output. While not a volume monster, it’s more than capable of filling the average room with agreeable noise. The HW-Q700B is available now, with a list price of £699 / $699, although there are deals to be had that make it considerably more competitive on the street. There’s only one colour finish, which we like to call “De Rigueur Black”. The Q700B is positioned below Samsung’s HW-Q800B model, which adds side-firing drivers for a 5.1.2 listening experience.
Design
Comes with a wireless subwooferFeatures a hard plastic grilleTwo HDMI connections
The HW-Q700B would best suit screens of 55-inches and larger. This soundbar can be mounted to the wall or placed below a screen on wide AV furniture or a bench. Measuring 1,110.7mm from wing tip to wing tip, it’s wide and weighs 5.1kg (not too onerous if you want to mount it to a wall). It’s well-built but fairly conventional in appearance, with a perforated grille that partially obscures the LED status display. There’s no on-screen GUI. Underneath, you’ll find two HDMI ports. One provides the eARC/ARC connection to the TV, the other – with 4K HDR passthrough – offers the opportunity to plug in a local AV source. Hooking a Blu-ray player up directly allows the Q700B to decode any DTS:X-encoded discs you may have. This HDMI input could also serve as a games console or a set-top box. Should you need to connect the soundbar to an older TV, there’s an optical digital audio input. The bar offers a few on-body controls – for power, volume and source selection – but it ships with a simplified slimline remote control. New to Samsung’s 700-series soundbars this year are dedicated up-firing drivers for the height channel. These wideband tweeters are a big improvement on the Acoustic Beam technology used on last year’s 700-series model. That Acoustic Beam array conveyed nothing below 900Hz, while the tweeters deployed here are active from 350Hz. The partnering wireless subwoofer features a fabric front and is ported to the rear.
Features
While most soundbars replace a TV’s internal drivers, Q-Symphony works in tandem with them, to create a more formidable wall of sound. Previous iterations of Q-Symphony used only the TV’s height speakers, but this season, everything is thrown into the mix. The Q700B soundbar also supports Tap Sound. If you own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, you can simply touch the bar to make a Bluetooth connection using the SmartThings app. The set also offers SpaceFit Sound room calibration, to better optimise performance for your listening room. But you’ll need a Q70B or higher Samsung TV model to use the feature.
Sound Quality
Excellent dialogue clarityCompact, punchy subwooferLacks 360° immersion
The HW-Q700B has several standout traits. Dialogue intelligibility is good, making it easy to follow the plot even when the sound mix gets a little busy.The crossover point between the bar and sub is smooth too, and those new height drivers do a great job creating spatial ambience with Dolby Atmos mixes. When Ryan Gosling enters the nightclub early in The Gray Man (Netflix), the sense of ambient space makes the inevitable explosive action all the more dramatic and convincing. Bass delivery is effective but not overly deep. The sub hits like a middleweight eager to get home for his tea. There are, of course, caveats. While the height drivers add convincing scale, there’s little sense of deeper immersion. The Q700B lacks side-facing drivers for additional reflectivity, so everything is very L/C/R-focused. If you have the space and inclination, you can augment the default configuration with the optional SWA-9500S wireless rear speaker pack. That opens the door for front-to-rear panning (and vice versa). These were not supplied for review. This soundbar offers a variety of audio presets and sound modes, including Standard, Adaptive Sound, Surround and Game. For non-Atmos or DTS:X mixes, Adaptive proves the most consistently entertaining. Audio upscaling is well handled, particularly when it comes to sporting events. The HW-Q700B also performs well as a glorified Bluetooth speaker. It’s high-res audio capable (although certainly not audiophile calibre), offers decent separation and is apparently ready for Spotify HiFi. Aren’t we all?
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Final Thoughts
There’s no doubt that the Samsung HW-Q700B is a fine-value Dolby Atmos soundbar that outperforms its price tag. It works great with movies, thanks to a combination of crisp treble detail, good vocal fluency and effective bass slam, and performs better than most standalone smart speakers when it comes to music. We’re not convinced the rather utilitarian design will win over floating voters, but the Q700B is certainly well made and the subwoofer won’t dominate your viewing room. If you own a compatible Samsung TV, then Q-Symphony and SpaceFit Sound merely add to its broad appeal. Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
