Soundbar of the Year
This is largely an iterative advance on the HW-K950 soundbar system which Samsung introduced last year, and which won our top soundbar category in our 2018 Awards. It is, in fact, rather more than a soundbar, since the system includes wireless rear speakers (wireless in signal terms; they each require a mains socket) in addition to the front bar and subwoofer. So that’s true physical surround being delivered, not the more common ‘virtualisation’ used in soundbar solutions, which rarely works effectively. And further, each rear speaker plus the front bar have upfiring drivers to deliver the height component of soundtracks in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, both of which are supported by the N950.
The result is genuine 7.1.2-channel home cinema delivery from the grand total of 17 drivers, and genuine home cinema immersion in a fully-formed soundfield.
Of course getting the drivers in place is one thing — delivering decent quality of sound is another, but here Samsung also comes up trumps, this being another fine sound system backed by the company’s California Audio Lab, and making use of the world-class measuring facilities there to cancel any predicted distortion and so deliver not only full-bodied movie soundtracks but also excellent performance with music — which is something soundbars are notoriously poor at achieving. So highly praised has Samsung been for its soundbars in the last couple of years that we can’t fathom why they have branded the bar here to harman/kardon — sure Samsung owns Harman and all its brands, but these products should simply proclaim boldly Samsung’s new abilities at delivering high-quality audio.
There are all manner of bonuses — it can be controlled using Alexa, it has 4K passthrough of HDMI inputs, and Samsung’s ‘Smart Things’ app enables potential integration with other products. But it’s the core audio performance that wins our gong, and for this unit again returning soundbars to a genuine surround-based level of home cinema.
Mind you, think just a little before rushing to buy. Can you fit those rear speakers in your lounge, and provide mains power to them? If not, you might consider the smaller (and less expensive) soundbar plus subwoofer MS750 solution, or the amazing bar-only performance of the HW-MS650, which won one of our soundbar awards last year.
But for the full monty, at least short of a dedicated receiver and surround package, the $1999 HW-N950 is another soundbar system triumph for Samsung.
More info: www.samsung.com.au
JUDGES’ COMMENT “True (not virtual) 7.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS:X performance creates a true home cinema space, and enjoyable music delivery too.