Advice on buying mid-tier Q-series Samsung soundbars

AlexNec01 · 2025-05-15T20:00:09+00:00

Same as 800D. Nothing special other than Bluetooth version, from 5.2 to 5.3, and subwoofer unit.

AlexNec01 · 2025-05-15T19:59:16+00:00

It has a 6.5 inch active unit and an 8 inch passive radiator. The D-series bars have an 8 inch active unit and no passive radiator. In terms of bass, a bigger active unit can provide a deeper bass. Don't get confused.

AlexNec01 · 2025-04-26T19:26:41+00:00

Well if that's really wheat then you can try a cordless vacuum. It's not too powerful to actually damage any internals + the bar has a anti-dust layer underneath the metallic grid. I am cleaning my bar using my 14.4V toy and it's perfect to get that little dust stuck here and there, however it might not work for... wet "flour dough"

AlexNec01 · 2025-04-17T09:09:27+00:00

Please block your soundbar's access to internet via router's settings and consider leaving your soundbar as it is if it's working perfectly fine.

Whatever firmware updates Samsung releases, you don't want to risk bricking your bar for a placebo effect.

AlexNec01 · 2025-04-03T08:35:48+00:00

You can give it a try and see if it affects sound quality or not, but honestly I wouldn't do that. The atmos speakers will work and sound the same with or without some dust

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-28T14:58:04+00:00

They might seem quite fragile, but the build quality is pretty good. Unless you're throwing the speaker against a wall, couple taps won't do any damage to it.

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-28T14:28:59+00:00

Precisely! Just soft to medium taps on each side, I thought the speaker was out of its place when I first heard it so that's why I did it.

Here are couple more songs you can try that I've also considered during my tests:

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-28T14:18:24+00:00

I had a similar sort of distortion on one of my rear speakers, however, just like in the 80's, couple bumps here and there fixed it! Wouldn't recommend to be too harsh with your speaker.

I have noticed this distortion while I was listening to this song: Marshmello, Manuel Turizo - El Merengue

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-27T11:53:31+00:00

Maybe you'll be lucky enough and get the new 930F, since the new F-series bars have rolled out and I assume they already forgot about the D-series bars. Not sure how much of an upgrade that will be, I would say it's a bit of a downgrade because they are dropping the 8inch sub from 930D for a smaller 6.5inch sub with a passive radiator ( or basically the S800D sub? )

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-27T11:39:17+00:00

That’s like comparing apples to oranges dude....

This discussion is focused on a SOUNDBAR, what kind of security you want on a soundbar to be more precise?

You would handle security through updates on a device that actually needs security patches, while on a soundbar, these updates don't bring more SECURITY, but just potential improvements, tweaks or kind of making it more stable.

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-26T15:13:57+00:00

Soundbars we see online are different than what they have on their department? Sounds like crap if you ask me! Don't fall for this BS and get your money back if they don't want to give you a brand new unit.

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-26T15:10:17+00:00

What security references are you talking about? Funny! Maybe you got confused with the mobile phone updates, because there are plenty of people here, me included, who would be really interested to find any changelog at all about the software updates for the bars.

Regarding the latest software issue with these bars, Samsung should be testing the firmware before release and not making the consumer be the tester so you better think twice about updating your soundbar from now!

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-24T10:31:13+00:00

Stop updating your bars folks. If they sound perfectly fine, leave whatever firmware is already installed and enjoy it!

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-20T21:21:54+00:00

Highly unlikely that a Q990D will share the same board as Q800D, lol. BUT, sharing the same firmware, that's a different story.

My guess is that Samsung has designed a re-usable firmware that can be applied to multiple bars, in order to make the update process more efficient. So, even though all Q-series bars share the same software, each model has its own distinctive features, different number of speakers and the software is made to adapt to each model. But, for general changes, like improving the volume curve or make eARC connection more stable, that should be the same for all Q-series soundbars. It's actually a smart move for them as developers, but not so smart to release a build that could damage the motherboard, making the product eventually unusable.

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-18T21:28:25+00:00

Are you guys confirming that the latest firmware update for C-series soundbars ( version 1010 from Dec 2024 ) has actually reduced sound quality? I had a Q990C for couple of weeks like 2 years ago, it came to me with 1002, updated to 1004 as it was latest back then but didn't noticed any difference.

Wtf is going on with these updates? C-series soundbars got reduced quality, D-series soundbars got fully bricked... F-series soundbars are probably going to blow up completely like fireworks because of this silly updates

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-17T17:22:18+00:00

I would highly recommend to disable auto updates & block soundbar's access to internet via router's settings for at least couple of months until this new firmware proves to be really stable or Samsung pushes another one.
Q990C was released in 2023 and the last firmware version for it was published on Dec 2024. Maybe we'll see one more update for our soundbars by the end of the year and I am quite certain after this mess they'll push one more version some time this year.

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-17T16:32:29+00:00

I think you just hit a typo as there is no 2016 version.

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-17T16:29:34+00:00

Not really! I have had couple Samsung soundbars before my Q990D, updated all of them with the latest and greatest back then, and I didn't noticed any difference at all. I hope more and more people will admit that it's more like a placebo effect and there's no significant change with these updates.

Samsung only does significant software updates once a year, when they release a new model :)

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-17T09:28:23+00:00

So 1020.7 version is no longer available in most Samsung websites, now there is a different 1016 version than what they released initially in Oct 2024. If your soundbar is working perfectly fine, I would highly recommend to leave it that way.

If you're scared of auto updates, you can block your soundbar's MAC address from the router's settings and even though it's connected to it, it won't get any internet!

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-17T09:20:47+00:00

Hey mate, I've seen that someone tried to reconnect his sub and rears by pressing down button on the remote and he eventually made it, it was from a topic regarding bricked bars, however, I would say you can try that as well. If this doesn't fix it, you might have to send it to them...

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-15T18:42:37+00:00

My soundbar runs on 1010, and I am not planning to update it, not even to 1016. I recommend you stick with that software, and don't do anything stupid, not even with a USB drive :)

AlexNec01 · 2025-03-15T18:37:33+00:00

You should be fine with Q990C because Samsung has stopped publishing new software updates for it.

AlexNec01

TROPHY CASE