Agreed. I just got a 990d and I’m happy with it. Similar situation to OP but in a larger space. Living room is 15’x28’ (listening area is mostly 15’x18’ given the configuration of the furniture in the room) and open to another area as well (kitchen and dining area). I’ve heard better sound systems but I’m quite impressed with this one. It’s stupid easy to set up.. basically plug and play. The sound surprisingly fills the area quite well.
Same . I haven't owned another soundbar that came with subwoofer and side speakers so I can't compare it to anything else but damn this shit sounds amazing , how much better can a soundbar get lol
Absolutely. Tv speakers have been terrible for decades now. If you’re spending that much on a tv it’s really worth it to get a decent sound system to complete the experience. I have a Samsung q990d and it’s amazing.
Any soundbar can do. But depends on how immersed you want to be. A 200 dollar soundbar is not going to sound near as good as a 1000 dollar one. I have a Samsung q990 and it trumps every other soundbar I’ve had up to this point. I’d highly recommend it if you have the cash. But if not, any soundbar will be better than tv speakers.
I have a C1 OLED and Polk Signa soundbar in the bedroom, and works great with blackout curtains. Just got a TCL QM7K for our large and bright living room, paired with a Samsung Q990D soundbar; it’s a killer setup and near-OLED black levels but much, much brighter than the OLED. So if your room is actually bright, I would recommend TCL QM7K/QM8K paired with the Samsung Q990D/F depending on sales. I run our Apple TV 4K directly into the Q990D soundbar and it works flawlessly, with the Apple TV remote controlling everything.
I have a C1 OLED and Polk Signa soundbar in the bedroom, and works great with blackout curtains. Just got a TCL QM7K for our large and bright living room, paired with a Samsung Q990D soundbar; it’s a killer setup and near-OLED black levels but much, much brighter than the OLED. So if your room is actually bright, I would recommend TCL QM7K/QM8K paired with the Samsung Q990D/F depending on sales. I run our Apple TV 4K directly into the Q990D soundbar and it works flawlessly, with the Apple TV remote controlling everything.
It depends budget and if you want just a front soundbar or a full system with rear speakers and subwoofer.
My default recommendation (because I think rear speakers add a lot with all the 5.1 mixes in media) is the $200 VIZIO 5.1 Soundbar SE. it’s a decent budget setup with small surround speakers and a small subwoofer. Much better than TV speakers and the rear speakers help have directional sound that works in most rooms.
The upgrade jump is to $700-$800 for the Samsung Q990D via their edu/employee store. [Deal link](https://slickdeals.net/sh/thread-19073338/e/28/c/deal-details/u/556173/)
This is what I have (Q990C but minor differences) and is the best bang for the buck full system imo. Dolby Atmos, wireless sub and rear speakers. Has enough power to fill larger rooms than the budget systems. You will want a 55” or bigger tv as the front bar is just over 48” wide, it’s a big one. Sounds great for movies and I love having music on now. Goes on sale for around this price pretty constantly through the employee store every couple of weeks for the last 2-3 years. You can qualify with other memberships, I used AAA when I got mine 2 years ago. The version will increment soon so the Q990F will be on sale as the Q990H has replaced it as the 2026 model.
For just a stand alone bar, I’m sure others will chime in but Samsung, Sonos, Bose, and others have a couple of good options at various price points.
Top Soundbars on Reddit
1
Samsung
Q990F
77% positive of 600 users
Value for movies and easy setup, but music falls flat.
2020_GR78
