Samsung HW-Q800C Review – Good Alone, Great Together

Unboxing the Samsung HW-Q800C

Kicking off the Samsung HW-Q800C review with the unboxing, we actually made a video about it, alongside the Samsung S95C OLED TV. The box is on the larger side with an odd shape, which is likely designed that way to maximize space efficiency given the size of the soundbar and its subwoofer. Inside, you can find the following items:

• Power cable
• Remote
• HDMI cable
• Wall mount kit
• Rubber feet
• Wireless subwoofer
• The Samsung HW-Q800C soundbar itself

Specifications

Power output:	360W
Channels	5.1.2, 11 speakers
Audio Features	Dolby Digital Plus Dolby TrueHD Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Music Dolby MAT DTS:X DTS 5.1ch Night Mode Wireless subwoofer Wireless music streaming Q-Symphony SpaceFit Sound Game Mode Pro LPCM
Input type:	Wi-Fi Bluetooth AUX HDMI ARC / eARC HDMI CEC Apple AirPlay 2 Optical Spotify Hi-Fi Connect Tidal Hi-Fi Connect Wireless Dolby Atmos
Dimensions:	1,231.9 x 68.6 x 137.16 mm, 5.08kg (soundbar) 220.98 x 414 x 408.9 mm,  9.8kg (subwoofer)

The Good

There are a number of good reasons to consider the Samsung HW-Q800C soundbar. For starters, setting it up is very easy. For the soundbar itself, all you need is to connect it to a power source and a media source (PC, media box, game console, etc.) and it’s good to go. As for the subwoofer, you just need to plug it into a power source and it will automatically connect to the soundbar wirelessly. This gives you versatility in where you’d like to place the subwoofer as it’s not tethered to the soundbar itself, which will be at the front more often than not.

Next up, you have a good variety of ways to connect to the soundbar; optical, ARC/eARC (HDMI), AUX (3.5mm), and Bluetooth. For the best sound quality, you would want to stick to optical ad ARC/eARC, with the latter being the best option as you would gain the ability to adjust the soundbar directly from the TV itself. Furthermore, if you connect to a Samsung-supported TV like the S95C OLED TV, you can make use of the Q-Symphony feature, where it works in tandem with the TV’s built-in speakers for a more complete experience.

As for sound quality, it’s definitely satisfying but it depends on what media you’re consuming. Generally, volume can be very loud with an emphasis on the mids and highs which makes vocals and audio sound very clear. Bass is rather rich and punchy thanks to the subwoofer. Even in a larger space, it feels powerful enough to drive an immersive experience, though the surround sound mileage may vary. On its own, it doesn’t feel like much but in Q-Symphony mode, all of the audio is directed towards those in front of the soundbar.

Ideally, you would want to have a wall right behind you with the soundbar and subwoofer in front for to optimize the surround sound. For movies, TV shows, and music, it can be very enjoyable but if you plan on playing games, it doesn’t do FPS and battle royale too well. Sure, you can get decent directional audio from it with Game Pro but the soundstage seems a bit narrow so you might have trouble discerning sound from different heights and what’s behind you. Outside of those genres, I’m sure you’ll have a pleasant time with it.

It’s also great that you have everything you need included inside the box of the Samsung HW-Q800C soundbar. You have all the cables you need, a remote control complete with AAA batteries, and the wall mount kit. While most people would ignore the latter, it’s good to know that the company is giving consumers the option to use it as they see fit without the hassle of hunting for additional accessories. When paired with the Samsung S95C OLED, you likely won’t use it since you can use the TV remote instead.

Lastly, it’s a very space-saving setup. It feels like it is optimized for those who stay in apartments / condos, where rooms are typically not so big, and it takes up so little space. Furthermore, there is less hassle with wires to worry about as it’s just one for the subwoofer and two for the soundbar (more if you’re connecting it to multiple devices). There’s a reason why I keep emphasizing on room space thus far, and I will explain it in the next section.

Looking for a game with an excellent soundtrack? Check out our Octopath Traveler 2 review by clicking right here.

The Bad

As good as the Samsung HW-Q800C soundbar is, there are some drawbacks you need to worry about. For starters, it will never beat the immersion that true surround sound setups can give. It is the inherent nature of a soundbar to bounce the audio off the walls to give you that surround sound experience. This also means that if you place it in a larger living room for example, it will feel like a standard 2.1 speaker setup. You also should not have the soundbar too close to you as you won’t get the full experience and instead be blasted with just two channels.

Next up, while it is great that it has Dolby Atmos support, it’s not easy to find media that supports it. As such, you would be limited to Netflix, Disney+, or even game consoles like the PS5 for it. With that being said, it does have support for other surround sound-capable codecs as well like Dolby TrueHD which gives a good surround sound experience as well, and is typically easier to find media for. It’s not the fault of the soundbar but rather, tempering expectations that this soundbar will work at its best at all times.

Lastly, and this shouldn’t be a surprise, it’s a pricey bit of audio gear. At RM3,999, there is certainly a lot to consider. With that being said however, it’s fair to say that you are getting quite a lot with that price tag. Personally, if I’m already using a modern Samsung TV, getting this is a no brainer unless you’d rather a speaker setup with its own individual satellites. With that being said however, don’t underestimate the Q-Symphony feature as it’s a lot better than you think.

Samsung HW-Q800C Verdict

The Samsung HW-Q800C soundbar is a great addition to your home theater setup, but it’s using it to its true potential depends on the TV you’re using as well as the room you’re placing this in. The price certainly makes it a bit hard to swallow but you if you already have a modern Samsung TV, getting this is practically a no-brainer if you’re looking to up your audio game.

At the end of our Samsung HW-Q800C review, I award this soundbar with our coveted Gold Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Samsung Malaysia for sending us this soundbar for the purpose of this review.