The Samsung HW-N950 is one thing particular. It is the most recent flagship soundbar from the corporate, however the first to learn from Samsung’s acquisition of Harman Kardon – a partnership that is already paying dividends.
The HW-N950 is a whole-hearted improve on Samsung’s earlier HW-Okay950 – one of many first Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars in the marketplace that launched again in 2016. However the variations between the 2 are night time and day.
The HW-Okay950 was wonderful for its time, sure, however the N950 now helps each Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, in comparison with the Okay950 which was disappointingly restricted to the previous. There’s additionally the truth that the N950 does so in a real 5.1.Four configuration that consists of a soundbar, extra width channels and two upward-firing channels, two wi-fi encompass audio system that embody upward-firing drivers, and a wi-fi subwoofer. It is a multi-piece resolution that rivals – and utterly surpasses – residence theater in a field techniques you would possibly’ve used prior to now.
The earlier Okay950 was a superb soundbar, sure, nevertheless it was solely a soundbar; the N950 presents a real different to a standard multichannel system.
Design
The Samsung HW-N950 follows the identical primary design type that Samsung has adopted on its soundbars for the previous few years: a minimalist-but-attractive rectangular form and largely steel building.
The construct high quality is superb, with steel grilles on the prime, entrance and sides, together with a brushed steel end to the perimeters and rear. The N950 is available in black or, as Samsung likes to name it, ‘Midnight Titan’, and is designed to go with TVs with a display screen dimension of 55 inches or higher. You’ll want sufficient house in entrance of your TV to put in the N950, though Samsung additionally features a bracket for wall mounting.
The soundbar is pretty massive and heavy, however that’s comprehensible contemplating there are 13 drivers and their corresponding amplifiers inbuilt. These drivers create seven audio system in whole, with three entrance channels (left, centre and proper), left and proper width channels, and two upward-firing drivers for the highest entrance left and proper channels.
On the entrance of the soundbar, over on the far proper, there’s a easy LED show. This lights up if you use the controls, and gives info on the amount, inputs and numerous settings. On the highest centre of the soundbar are some primary contact delicate controls for energy, enter choice and quantity.
The offered distant is a wonderful controller: it’s effectively designed and comfy to carry, with all the mandatory buttons sensibly laid out. In consequence, controlling the N950 is an efficient and extremely intuitive course of.
The connections are situated in a recessed part below the soundbar, and right here you’ll discover two HDMI inputs and an HDMI output with ARC (Audio Return Channel). All of the HDMI connections help 4K/60p, Four:Four:Four, Rec.2020, Excessive Dynamic Vary (HDR10 and Dolby Vision), 3D and HDCP 2.2.
The N950 additionally contains an optical digital enter, together with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth. On the underside you’ll additionally discover a USB port for service updates, a connector for the two-pin energy cable, a button for WiFi setup, and a button for pairing the wi-fi encompass audio system and subwoofer if vital.
The wi-fi rear audio system mirror the design and construct high quality of the principle soundbar, with steel grilles on the entrance and prime, and a black brushed steel end. There may be built-in amplification, powering forward-firing drivers for the encompass left and proper channels, and upward-firing drivers for the highest rear left and proper channels.
It’s value remembering that for the reason that rear audio system are wi-fi, you don’t have to bodily join them to the soundbar on the entrance of the room. That makes positioning them rather a lot simpler and significantly much less messy. Nonetheless it’s additionally value remembering that these rear audio system aren’t utterly wi-fi: you’ll need to plug them in to energy the built-in amplification.
The 2-pin energy cables join flush with the underside of the audio system, and on the rear you’ll discover screw fixings for wall mounting. There are additionally indicator LEDs on the rear to point out when the audio system are in standby or paired with the soundbar, and a button for guide pairing if vital.
The included wi-fi lively subwoofer is a bass-reflex mannequin with built-in amplification and a side-firing Eight-inch driver. It additionally enhances the design of the principle soundbar, and will pair robotically. If it doesn’t, there’s a button much like the one on the wi-fi audio system which permits guide pairing, and there are additionally a few indicator LEDs.
Design TL;DR: This attractively-designed and intensely well-made soundbar contains wi-fi rear audio system and a subwoofer, making certain a genuinely immersive multichannel audio expertise.
Options
The Samsung HW-N950’s headline function is clearly its skill to help each Dolby Atmos and DTS:X utilizing a real 7.1.Four speaker configuration. It’s this facet that differentiates the N950 from some other soundbar at present in the marketplace, as a result of it doesn’t depend on any digital or psychoacoustic trickery to create an immersive audio expertise.
Samsung actually isn’t messing about in the case of the N950, which boasts no fewer than 12 audio system utilizing a complete of 17 drivers. The entrance three channels are composed of three drivers every, two woofers and a variety tweeter, whereas all the opposite channels use single drivers.
All of those drivers are individually powered by a complete of 512W of built-in amplification, though Samsung hasn’t specified how this amplification is definitely allotted to every driver. The system as a complete has a claimed frequency response that goes from 34Hz to 17kHz.
The N950 has been developed between Samsung Audio Labs and Harman Kardon, with the previous making certain the soundbar helps Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos, together with DTS Digital Sound, DTS-HD Grasp Audio and DTS:X. In the meantime, the latter ensures the soundbar meets the expectations of discerning listeners by delivering a sound that’s dynamic and spacious, with clear voicing.
Other than the addition of DTS:X, the N950 differs from the sooner HW-Okay950 with the addition of side-firing audio system to create a 7.1.Four configuration. It additionally makes use of the second era of Samsung’s wide-range tweeter, which now boasts an improved decrease frequency response. The wi-fi protection has additionally been enhanced, enhancing the rear speaker connection and instantly addressing the connection points that some homeowners skilled with the Okay950.
The N950 contains quite a lot of sound modes that use digital sign processing (DSP) to boost the audio. These embody a normal mode, which primarily decodes the audio format as it’s, and a encompass sound enlargement mode that upmixes the audio to make use of all of the accessible audio system. There’s additionally a sensible mode that analyses the incoming sign, and chooses one of the best accessible processing.
The N950 contains each built-in wi-fi and Bluetooth capabilities, permitting customers to simply entry their music libraries and streaming providers. The wi-fi connection is simple to setup utilizing Samsung’s SmartThings app, and the Bluetooth may be paired by merely urgent the pairing button on the distant management.
The N950 helps quite a few lossy and lossless audio codecs together with AAC, WAV, OGG, ALAC, AIFF and FLAC, with excessive decision help as much as 32-bit. Samsung has additionally included UHQ 32-bit upscaling for the best high quality audio playback.
Lastly, the N950 helps Alexa. To do that merely go into Expertise on the Alexa app and allow Samsung Wi-fi Audio, then below Good Dwelling you choose gadgets and uncover the N950. This can allow the 3PDA expertise and permit you work together together with your soundbar utilizing Alexa voice management.
Options TL;DR: A complete set of options is headlined by Dolby Atmos and DTS:X help that makes use of a full 7.1.Four speaker configuration, but additionally contains sensible options, hi-res audio and Alexa expertise.
Efficiency
The Samsung HW-N950 is extraordinarily simple to setup: you merely place the soundbar beneath your TV (making certain that nothing is obstructing the drivers) after which place the subwoofer in direction of the entrance of the room and the encompass audio system on the rear.
The wi-fi audio system and subwoofer ought to pair robotically with the soundbar, making a full 7.1.Four-channel system. All it is advisable to do then is use an SPL meter (you may create one with a free app in your telephone) to set the degrees for the centre, aspect, entrance prime, rear, rear prime and subwoofer channels.
If now we have one criticism of the N950, it’s that the set-up is somewhat primary in comparison with the competitors, and in contrast to different soundbars, there’s no devoted microphone or set-up app. Nonetheless, in case you take the time to set the speaker ranges accurately, the result’s a cohesive soundstage with well-integrated bass.
Cautious set-up will certainly pay severe sonic dividends and the efficiency of this soundbar is sort of excellent, with a large and open entrance soundstage, immersive results and a formidable tonal steadiness because of the usage of the identical drivers on all of the audio system.
That is the primary soundbar now we have heard that may genuinely compete with an AV receiver and speaker bundle, though how efficient the upward-firing drivers are will largely rely in your ceiling. The decrease and extra reflective the ceiling is, the higher the sense of sounds emanating from overhead.
For sure, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X tracks sounded significantly spectacular with the N950. We began with the ‘Amaze’ Dolby Atmos trailer, and the Samsung did an excellent job of delivering this advanced object-based combine. Sounds have been steered across the room in a seamless vogue, thunder rolled overhead, and rain fell throughout us. The subwoofer underpinned all the sound area with strong bass that was completely built-in with the opposite audio system.
The vehicular mayhem in Mad Max: Fury Street was an aural assault because of the N950, with sounds popping up all around the room, and vehicles roaring overhead. Explosions and crashes had actual impression, whereas the addition of width audio system helped give the soundstage an epic scope. There was a precision to the results that gave the sound depth and dimension, whereas the subwoofer added impression to the explosions.
The identical was true with DTS:X soundtracks, making the dragon escape from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Half 2 a marvellously visceral expertise. The sounds of spells exploding echoed across the room, the roar of the dragon stuffed all the soundstage however at all times remained steadiness because the music swelled. Regardless of the advanced nature of the sound design, dialogue remained clear and centered all through.
After all, not each soundtrack you hearken to can be Dolby Atmos or DTS:X and fortunately the N950 is equally as adept in the case of commonplace Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Grasp Audio soundtracks. You even have the selection of listening to the soundtracks of their authentic type, or utilizing the encompass sound enlargement mode to take full benefit of all of the accessible audio system.
The movie Gravity was a terrific instance of this, with a 5.1 combine that was extraordinarily effectively rendered by the N950 in its commonplace sound mode. Nonetheless utilizing the encompass sound enlargement mode provides this extremely directional combine higher definition, serving to to maneuver sounds effortlessly across the room.
Though the N950 is primarily meant to deal with TV and film multichannel soundtracks, because of the involvement of Harman Kardon, it’s no slouch in the case of music both. The not too long ago launched 5.1 mixture of Urge for food for Destruction by Weapons ’n’ Roses sounded unbelievable on the N950, as did the remastered stereo model.
Efficiency TL;DR: This is likely one of the finest soundbars now we have reviewed when it comes to audio high quality, and the one one to ship Dolby Atmos and DTS:X correctly. The result’s a really immersive soundstage, with results that emanate from each route together with above.
Worth
The Samsung HW-N950 will set you again $1,699 (£1,499, AU$1,999), so it actually isn’t low-cost, particularly when in comparison with many different soundbars. Nonetheless, it’s value remembering that for the asking worth you’re getting a full 7.1.Four-channel system with precise rear audio system and a separate subwoofer.
No different soundbar comes near delivering such an immersive audio expertise, and in actuality you would want to purchase an AV receiver and a full speaker bundle to duplicate the N950’s capabilities. The price of a 9-channel AV receiver and adequate audio system to ship 5 ear-level channels, 4 overhead channels and a subwoofer would most likely be greater than the N950. So if you take every thing under consideration, the Samsung is definitely good worth.
The LG SK10Y – a.ok.a. the HW-N950’s competitors.
Different soundbars to contemplate
Should you’re on a funds however you want the concept of a reliable immersive audio soundbar system comprised of precise rear audio system and a separate subwoofer, then you can contemplate Samsung’s authentic HW-Okay950. Now that it has been changed by the N950, this earlier soundbar mixture may be picked up fairly cheaply. Nonetheless, it’s value remembering that the Okay950 is proscribed to Dolby Atmos and doesn’t help DTS:X.
When it comes to newer soundbars, the LG SK10Y is actually value contemplating, significantly in case you aren’t involved about having precise audio system on the rear of the room. The SK10Y is cheaper and has been developed along side Meridian, so it ought to sound nice. Nonetheless its single soundbar and subwoofer mixture means will probably be very front-heavy when it comes to the soundstage, and it doesn’t help DTS:X.
The Sony HT-Z9F is significantly cheaper and it does help each Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Nonetheless it’s additionally restricted to three.1 channels with three audio system on the soundbar and a separate subwoofer. Sony claims that the Z9F can ship a 7.1.2-channel expertise because of digital encompass expertise that employs psychoacoustics. Nonetheless, whereas this would possibly work to a level, it’ll by no means replicate the actually immersive capabilities of the N950.
Verdict
The Samsung HW-N950 is solely among the best soundbars that now we have heard up to now. Maybe extra importantly, it’s the solely soundbar that basically delivers a 7.1.Four-channel immersive audio expertise. Using wi-fi rear audio system and a subwoofer, make the N950 simple to put in and setup. It additionally implies that the mixture of all these audio system is ready to ship object-based audio because the content material creators meant, with out resorting to psychoacoustic trickery.
The soundbar, audio system and subwoofer are all attractively-designed and intensely well-made, whereas the system as a complete presents loads of helpful options. The N950 detected and decoded each Dolby Atmos and DTS:X with none points, so in case you’re a movie fan then that is positively the soundbar for you. It was equally as efficient with common soundtracks, to not point out music through each WiFi and Bluetooth.
Should you actually wish to immerse your self in your favorite film soundtracks, then the Samsung HW-N950 ought to be on the prime of your soundbar shortlist.