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Most of the other functions and settings are accessible via the bar remote and on-board display, but the SmartThings app is usually easier to use. The main layout lets you choose a sound mode (generally sticking to Standard), adjust the EQ, enable enhancements like Active Volume Boost, and set channel levels.
I appreciate that Samsung included channel levels for most of the bar’s gazillion audio channels, but locking the levels was the most difficult part of my evaluation. Due to space constraints, I had the surround directly behind my couch, which meant I had to turn them all the way down and even raise the other channels to balance them out.
This was easy with the Sonos Era 300 speakers (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is tied to the Arc Ultra because Sonos TruePlay calibrates the sound to your room (although standalone Wi-Fi speakers may have their own specifications). Auto-calibration is something I’d expect on any system costing around $2000, but every year Samsung doesn’t add it. The company’s Space Fit feature analyzes sound in real time, but I didn’t notice any meaningful changes.
My other beef is the persistent volume issue when using Spotify Connect. If you’re streaming directly from Spotify, the volume control strangely jumps seven steps up or down with every crazy tap, so it’s always too loud or too quiet. Add in the lack of Chromecast, and Android users are forced to control streaming directly from SmartThings or pick up a redundant remote. It’s a small fix, but that’s why it’s so annoying.
Sound Swirl
Despite its streaming quirks, the Q990D has the goods where it counts. Every component in the four-piece system works in concert to offer a powerful, balanced and fantastically fluid soundstage in whatever you play. You won’t quite get the premium details found in bars like the Arc Ultra, but there’s enough tactile touch to appreciate the little things and plenty of bombast to literally elevate your cinematic moments to new heights.
Dolby Atmos is surprisingly the star of the show. The “Amaze” scene on my Atmos demo disc was a definite highlight of the show. At the entrance I could feel the humidity around me with the buzz of insects, the rolling thunder crackled with visceral surprise and finally the rain actually came down overhead to plunge me deep into the jungle flora.
