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The biggest letdown of the Samsung HW-Q800A is the lack of satellite speakers for increased immersiveness, but otherwise, the mid-range sound bar offers great features and is ultimately good value for its money.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
The Samsung HW-Q800A is a mid-tier speaker system that was first launched in early 2021. It exists as a soundbar and a subwoofer, but it doesn’t ship with any satellite speakers. Still, its subwoofer delivers a strong, low-end bass output.
Like most highly-rated speakers, the HW-Q800A can also render Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus content. It also boasts a wide soundstage, so owners can determine exactly where object sounds are coming from.
Its physical inputs include an Optical Audio In port plus three HDMI ports. Its discrete center channel also helps it enhance vocals for clear dialogue, and since it can pick up audio by connecting to other devices via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay, streaming audio becomes very convenient.
The best soundbars have all three plus Chromecast support built-in, and unlike the Q800A, their sound output does not get distorted at max volume.
The Samsung HW-Q800A is a 3.1.2 channel soundbar that delivers crisp vocals and instrumentals courtesy of a neutral, balanced sound profile, and thanks to its subwoofer, it also produces a strong low-range bass output that bass lovers will enjoy, coupled with reliable wireless connectivity.
Sound is customizable through a graphic Eq with presets, and wireless playback is superb, with support for Bluetooth and WiFi, plus other third-party apps.
With tested latencies of 31ms (ARC), 38ms (Optical), and -32ms (Full HDMI In), there is complete synchronicity between audio and video content.
The soundbar also has one Optical Audio In and 1 Full HDMI/Arc/Out port. It gets pretty loud, but surround sound performance is bad due to the lack of satellite speakers, despite a wide sound stage.
ReasonS to Buy
Highly accurate sound quality.
The HW-Q800A works great for music listening at home, courtesy of its well-balanced sound output. Its output is also customizable thanks to a graphic Equalizer with presets.
Clear, accurate vocals
Vocals on the Q800A are clear and accurate thanks to a well-balanced sound profile, making the soundbar ideal for music listening or dialogue-focused content.
Smart features/connectivity
Owners will be able to connect to stream content to the soundbar wirelessly through WiFi or Bluetooth. The soundbar also has impressive wired input options, including an Optical Audio In and a Full HDMI/ARC/Out port, as well as Amazon Alexa built-in for voice commands.
Low latency
With latencies of under 31ms, audio-visual content on the HW-Q800 is completely synchronized, so there’s no delay. This places it in the top 10% of its category compared to other alternatives.
Thumpy bass output
Bass heads will enjoy music listening on the HW-Q800A thanks to its strong low-end bass output. The strong bass response also makes it great for movie-watching, as it helps create a cinematic movie-watching experience.
Reason to Avoid
Poor surround sound experience
The HW-Q800A fails to create an immersive surround sound experience due to its lack of satellite speakers.
The Samsung HW-Q800A is a mid-tier speaker system that was first launched in early 2021. It exists as a soundbar and a subwoofer, but it…
The Samsung HW-Q800A is a mid-tier speaker system that was first launched in early 2021. It exists as a soundbar and a subwoofer, but it doesn’t ship with any satellite speakers. Still, its subwoofer delivers a strong, low-end bass output.
Like most highly-rated speakers, the HW-Q800A can also render Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus content. It also boasts a wide soundstage, so owners can determine exactly where object sounds are coming from.
Its physical inputs include an Optical Audio In port plus three HDMI ports. Its discrete center channel also helps it enhance vocals for clear dialogue, and since it can pick up audio by connecting to other devices via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay, streaming audio becomes very convenient.
The best soundbars have all three plus Chromecast support built-in, and unlike the Q800A, their sound output does not get distorted at max volume.
The Samsung HW-Q800A is not as good as the Samsung HW-Q800B as far as its surround sound performance is concerned, and this is because the…
The Samsung HW-Q800A is not as good as the Samsung HW-Q800B as far as its surround sound performance is concerned, and this is because the HW-Q800A is a 3.1.2 channel setup, while the HW-Q800B is a 5.1.2 channel configuration. Still, the Q800A gets louder than the Q800B at max volume.
The Samsung HW-Q800A delivers a stronger bass depth than the Samsung HW-Q700A, making it a better pick for users who prefer a more profound output….
The Samsung HW-Q800A delivers a stronger bass depth than the Samsung HW-Q700A, making it a better pick for users who prefer a more profound output. The HW-Q800A also gets louder than the Q700A, and it boasts built-in Amazon Alexa support, which is missing with the Q700A. If you’re interested, feel free to look into our Samsung Q700A soundbar review.
The Samsung HW-Q800A ships with a subwoofer, making its bass output much better than what the Sonos Arc can deliver since it doesn’t include a…
The Samsung HW-Q800A ships with a subwoofer, making its bass output much better than what the Sonos Arc can deliver since it doesn’t include a subwoofer. The HW-Q800A also has a graphic equalizer with presets, which is missing on the Sonos Arc.
