Samsung HW-K950
AN UPMARKET, DOLBY ATMOS SUPPORTING FLAGSHIP.
SAMSUNG HAS LASHED out with the HW-K950: not only does it have the usual soundbar and sub-woofer bundle, but this 5.1.4 channel home cinema setup also has two directional speakers, designed to sit up the back of the room. All in all, you’re dealing with 500 watts of power here, which is, needless to say, a lot for one room. The sub and the soundbar itself feel massive, so be warned: this is not a unit for the humble. No one will think you deserve a payrise if they find this under your TV, and it’s very much verging into audiophile territory (not a bad thing).
The sub-woofer nearly knocked our modular office walls over [ Oh, so that’s what you were doing — Sub-Ed], and the bar itself has a rich and balanced output. If you’ve got a spare two grand in the bank, you couldn’t do much better than this — our only real criticism is that the soundbar looks massive, but some people might actually prefer that.
Like the LG SJ9, this system boasts Dolby Atmos surround sound. Not all content supports Dolby Atmos, though platforms like the Xbox One S and X are capable of playing back content that features it. While the technology is great and we sure hope its better supported by content creators into the future, it’s not yet time to let Dolby Atmos sell you on a product. You’re better off assessing the HW-K950 on the usual terms for a soundbar, and in that respect, it’s quite exceptional. While it’s definitely not one to buy if you’re just after a quick fix speaker upgrade, it’s a bang-for-buck scenario if you’re looking for something edging towards a home theatre system.