Performance
Make sure you have a compatible 2014 Samsung 3D TV if you wish to benefit from the soundbar’s wireless spec
Unlike the HW-F750, the HW-H550 doesn’t lose face when it comes to the all-important sound quality. Crisp, detailed and as balanced as any rival, the HW-H550 has a likeably confident sound as we spin psychedelic revenge thriller Only God Forgives.
As Julian’s violent one-on-one fight with Lieutenant Chang takes place, each blow penetrates the soundfield with brute force and clarity. Subtle detail permeates the presentation too, from the echo of footsteps as the two sidestep each other in the gym hall, to the sliding sound of our hero writhing on the floor.
The sub warrants its bulky size as the bass is deep-seated and well integrated, while the higher frequencies prove equally disciplined.
The HW-H550 has a combination we love: a good sound, in a slim package
The film is heavily reliant on its offbeat, synth-driven score to convey drama, and the Samsung affords it decent pace and detail. Dynamically, it could be more exciting, though, and a bigger, more open presentation would give the viewer a more enveloping experience; the sound can feel a little boxed-in during high-adrenalin scenes.
Turning our attention to broadcast TV, there’s decent clarity and weight to the voices of This Morning’s presenters, although outright transparency is hampered by a slightly muffled element. That’s not to say it isn’t capable of giving detail and attack to Eminem’s edgy voice, as we play .
It’s got enough fire in its belly to enjoy the track’s fast-paced rhythms. There’s a good amount of clarity, although we’d happily take some more refinement to the sound.
Our Verdict
7.1
Mixed Usage
Decent for mixed usage. This 2.1 soundbar sounds decent with stereo content like music and dialog-oriented content like podcasts and audiobooks. However, it won’t be the best option for movies as it doesn’t provide an immersive experience due to the lack of height channels and Atmos support. It has a decent overall sound profile but might lack a bit of low-bass for fans of action movies and bass-heavy music genres.
Pros
- Decent stereo sound.
- Well-built design.
- Good overall performance at high volume.
Cons
- No 4k @ 60Hz passthrough.
- No height channels and Atmos support.
- Poor surround performance.
See our Mixed Usage Recommendations
7.6
Dialogue/TV Shows
Good for dialogue and TV shows. The Samsung HW-R550 has a decent overall sound profile and accurate mid-range performance. It can get loud enough for normal use and there’s a useful dialogue enhancement feature to make voices clearer. You’ll also be able to stream content wirelessly with a Bluetooth connection, making this bar a decent option for content like podcasts and audiobooks.
See our Dialogue/TV Shows Recommendations
7.4
Music
Decent for music. The Samsung HW-R550 lacks a bit of bass, especially lower frequencies, so it might not be the ideal system for bass-heavy music. However, its mid-range is good, while the treble lacks a bit of detail. This gives an overall dark sound profile but won’t be too noticeable, making it a decent option for a wide variety of music genres. You can also push the soundbar to its limits at high volume without getting audible distortion or compression, which is good. You’ll also be able to stream content via Bluetooth and have a few customization options.
See our Music Recommendations
6.5
Movies
Mediocre for movies. The Samsung HW-R550 won’t give you an immersive feel since it doesn’t have height channels and doesn’t support Atmos. It’s also a 2.1 setup, which means all 5.1 surround content on Blu-ray discs and Netflix will be downmixed and will feel like it’s coming from the front instead of around you.
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7.1
Mixed Usage
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7.6
Dialogue/TV Shows
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7.4
Music
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6.5
Movies
+ Create your own
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Updated Apr 06, 2021:
Converted to Test Bench 1.0. -
Updated Jun 16, 2020:
We’ve changed the Surround Level Adjustment test result for consistency. -
Updated Sep 27, 2019:
Review published.
Our Verdict
7.1
Mixed Usage
The Samsung HW-T550 is a decent overall soundbar. This 2.1 setup has a well-balanced sound profile with a bit of extra bass kick. The wireless subwoofer is powerful and delivers decently deep bass too, which is nice at this price point. Unfortunately, due to its speaker configuration, it can’t support Atmos content, which isn’t ideal for movies, but it does a pretty good job with music and is suitable for a lot of different music genres. It also packs a few sound enhancement features, including a dialogue enhancement that’s great for TV shows or the news.
Pros
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Good build quality.
- 7-band EQ for customization options.
Cons
- Doesn’t support Atmos content.
- Downmixes surround sound content.
- No app.
See our Mixed Usage Recommendations
7.6
Dialogue/TV Shows
The Samsung HW-T550 is great for dialogue-centric content like podcasts, audiobooks, and TV shows. It has a well-balanced sound profile that is suitable for most content and reproduces accurate and clear vocals. It also offers the Dynamic Range Compression (DRC) feature from Samsung to automatically optimize the level of different content. You can also easily stream content to the bar via Bluetooth, which is useful.
Pros
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Good build quality.
- 7-band EQ for customization options.
Cons
See our Dialogue/TV Shows Recommendations
7.6
Music
The Samsung HW-T550 is decent for music. It has a well-balanced sound profile and comes with a wireless subwoofer that packs a good amount of bass. The stereo soundstage is also decent and slightly larger than the bar itself, which is nice especially for its price point. You also have access to a 7-band EQ via the remote that is great to customize the sound signature to your preferences.
Pros
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Good build quality.
- 7-band EQ for customization options.
Cons
No app.
See our Music Recommendations
6.5
Movies
The Samsung HW-T550 is mediocre for movies. It’s a simple 2.1 setup that doesn’t support Atmos content, so you don’t have the impression of height when watching some movies. On the upside, it supports surround sound audio formats, although it has to downmix it to stereo to be able to play it, which doesn’t result in the most immersive listening experience. On the upside, its stereo soundstage is quite decent and larger than the bar itself.
Pros
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Good build quality.
- 7-band EQ for customization options.
Cons
- Doesn’t support Atmos content.
- Downmixes surround sound content.
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7.1
Mixed Usage
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7.6
Dialogue/TV Shows
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7.6
Music
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6.5
Movies
+ Create your own
-
Updated May 19, 2021:
Updated DTS support via Full HDMI In to ‘No’. -
Updated Mar 03, 2021:
Updated latency measurements with new testing method. -
Updated Feb 09, 2021:
Converted to Test Bench 1.0. -
Updated Sep 21, 2020:
The Dynamics tests have been reconducted due to a value input bug. -
Updated Jun 19, 2020:
Review published. -
Updated Jun 15, 2020:
Early access published.
Как улучшить звук Bluetooth
Мы знаем, что звуки всегда приходят к нам через стереодинамики нашего мобильного телефона, и поэтому мы собираемся узнать некоторые методы, которые помогут нам улучшить звук по bluetooth , Чтобы сделать это, первое, что мы должны сделать, это активировать параметры разработчика, поскольку они представляют собой серию расширенных настроек, к которым не у всех есть доступ в One UI.
- Для активации параметров разработчика перейдем в Настройки:
- Далее ищем «По телефону».
- Нажмите на программное обеспечение и найдите раздел «Номер сборника».
- Мы нажимаем на него несколько раз, пока нам не покажется, что опции разработчика активированы.
Затем мы переходим «Настройки»> «Параметры разработчика», и у нас будет доступ к различным вариантам улучшения, которые мы вам представляем
Первое и самое важное — изменить аудиокодек, модификацию, которая усилит звук, хотя это будет зависеть от нашей модели наушников. Разумнее всего подключить его и проверить, какой из них нам удобнее всего
Активировать качественный LDAC Bluetooth
Аудиоподключение через Bluetooth объединяет эту дополнительную функцию в нескольких мобильных телефонах, но это одна из причин, почему наши наушники не могут иметь такое же качество, как мы достигли с помощью кабеля. В One UI, если мы найдем эту опцию, которая позволит нам увеличить скорость передачи данных, отправляемую на наши наушники, и, следовательно, мы не потеряем детализацию звука.
Чтобы активировать, мы переходим в «Настройки»> «Параметры разработчика» и нажимаем «Активировать LDAC»
Будет показано меню, которое мы вам покажем, и тогда мы сможем получать пакеты данных со скоростью до 990 кбит / с, что означает значительное улучшение, с которым мы получим лучший звук через Bluetooth , Важно помнить, что шлемы, с которыми мы используем эту опцию, должны быть совместимы с LDAP, иначе в результате не будет никаких изменений
Design
Space is an issue if you don’t have room for the H550’s large sub. Some rivals have smaller boxes; others don’t have one at all
First impressions would suggest so. While Samsung’s higher-ranging soundbars have adopted the voguish curved design, its mid- and bottom-tier models remain traditionally straight – and in the case of the HW-H550, as slim as ever. Its rounded, cubical bar is almost a carbon copy of the Award-winning Philips HTL5140’s frame.
It’ll take pride of place in front of your telly without being obtrusive. The long bar is almost completely wrapped in a black, metal-mesh grille (it’s available in silver, too). Turn on the bar, and the bold text display in the centre of the grille makes operating it simple.
Helpfully, it fades out after a few seconds, so it’s not distracting during movies. Samsung partners a skinny bar with a beefy wireless subwoofer, although the sub shouldn’t be too difficult to house and wins points for an attractive matte-black casing, with a glossy top.
The convenience of wireless doesn’t end with the sub: the bar can receive (and play) sound from a TV over a Bluetooth connection – eliminating wires from the equation altogether. The catch? The TV must be a Bluetooth-compatible Samsung 3D model rigged with the company’s TV ‘Sound Connect’ feature. Sources would have to be connected directly to the TV (rather than the soundbar) to benefit, too. It’s a neat set-up, if you can access it.
You can also benefit from a feature that allows you control the HW-H550 with a Samsung TV remote, if you are in the Samsung ecosystem. Everyone else who buys the HW-H550 will be at the mercy of the supplied remote, which is nice and pebble-sized but a tad cluttered.
Connections are as good as you expect at this price: the rear of the bar is home to HDMI, optical and 3.5mm inputs, as well as a USB socket for music playback from a storage device or hard drive. The inclusion of an ARC-compatible HDMI output is also handy for a one-wire hook up to the TV.
Compared To Other Soundbars
The Samsung HW-R550 is a decent overall soundbar, especially for its price range. It has a good overall sound profile, but lacks a bit of sub-bass, even with a dedicated subwoofer. Since it’s a fairly affordable soundbar, it doesn’t support high-end features like Atmos and can’t passthrough 4k @ 60Hz. See our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best soundbars under $300, and the best soundbars with subwoofer.
Samsung HW-T550
The Samsung HW-T550 from 2020 is a slightly better option than the 2019 Samsung HW-R550. While they perform quite similarly, the overall sound signature of the HW-T550 is a bit more neutral throughout the range and its stereo soundstage sounds a little bit wider. On the other hand, our unit has some slight distortion issues in the treble range, which we didn’t encounter with the HW-R550. The 2019 model also has access to an app, which the 2020 HW-T550 doesn’t, although all settings are still available through the remote.
Samsung HW-R650
The Samsung HW-R650 and Samsung HW-R550 are practically identical, but the R650 has a dedicated center channel that the R550 doesn’t have. This results in better dialog and voice reproduction, which is great when watching TV shows and movies. Other than that, these soundbars are pretty much the same.
Samsung HW-Q60R
The Samsung HW-Q60R is slightly more versatile than the Samsung HW-R550 thanks to the Samsung Acoustic Beam up-firing speakers. It also has a dedicated center channel for better and clearer dialog. The Acoustic Beam helps with the surround performance of the Q60R.
Samsung HW-N450
The Samsung HW-N450 and Samsung HW-R550 are similarly performing 2.1 soundbars. They have an almost identical sound profile that’s slightly dark and lacks a bit of bass. The HW-R550 is better suited for TV and dialogue, however, as it has the added advantage of a dialogue enhancer feature, unlike the HW-450.
LG SL6Y
The Samsung HW-R550 is a better soundbar for dialogue and TV shows than the LG SL6Y. The Samsung is better balanced for reproducing vocals, it can get loud enough for normal use, and it has a graphic EQ if you want to tweak its sound a little more. However, the LG has better center and surround performances even though all surround content is still downmixed into stereo. If you connect a device to it using its HDMI input, it can also easily pass a full 4k signal, although it won’t pass HDR10 content through.
Sony HT-S350
The Samsung HW-R550 is a better soundbar than the Sony HT-S350. It has a more accurate audio reproduction and overall sound profile. The bass of the Samsung is more extended as well. While the Sony can get marginally louder, it compresses noticeably more than the Samsung. The Samsung soundbar also has more inputs, since the Sony lacks Full HDMI Ins, and supports DTS, which the Sony doesn’t.
Vizio SB3220n-F6
The Samsung HW-R550 and the Vizio SB3220n-F6 are both decent soundbars. The 2.1-channel Samsung gets more low-bass thanks to the dedicated subwoofer and has more sound enhancement features; however, its stereo soundstage isn’t as wide as spacious as that of the Vizio. While the Samsung has more input options, like HDMI, the Vizio also has a more compact design that’s better if you’re tight on space.
TCL Alto 5+
The Samsung HW-R550 is a better 2.1 soundbar than the TCL Alto 5+. It sounds better, has more sound enhancement features that let you slightly customize the way it sounds to your preference, has more inputs, and supports DTS. If you’re looking for a budget soundbar, the price difference between these two won’t be high enough to make the TCL a better option; the Samsung is a better overall soundbar.
Yamaha YAS-207
The Yamaha YAS-207 is a better soundbar system than the Samsung HW-R550. These two 2.1 setups have decent overall performance, but the Yamaha’s stereo frequency response is a bit more accurate and neutral. Its center channel performance is also noticeably better and results in more detailed and accurate voices and dialog in movies. On the other hand, the Samsung has more features, is better-built, and is more stylish.
Our Verdict
7.1
Mixed Usage
The Samsung HW-A550 is decent for mixed usage. Out-of-the-box, it has a pretty neutral sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content, with a little extra punch in the bass range. However, it struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass for action-packed movies and bass-heavy music. It doesn’t support Atmos, either, and its surrounds performance is disappointing. Fortunately, it offers lots of sound customization options.
Pros
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
Cons
- Lacks some low-bass.
- No Atmos support.
- Poor surrounds performance.
See our Mixed Usage Recommendations
7.6
Dialogue/TV Shows
The Samsung HW-A550 is good for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. Though it lacks a discrete center channel, its balanced mid-range can still reproduce dialogue clearly and accurately. There’s even an ‘Adaptive Sound Lite’ feature that enhances dialogue to make it clear and crisp, and a Dynamic Range Control to help balance the volume level across different programs. Since it’s Bluetooth-compatible, you can also wirelessly stream podcasts and audiobooks from your phone to the bar.
Pros
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Auto-volume mode.
Cons
Disappointing center channel performance.
See our Dialogue/TV Shows Recommendations
7.6
Music
The Samsung HW-A550 is good for music. Out-of-the-box, it has a pretty neutral sound profile with a little extra punch in the bass range that’s still suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. However, it lacks some low-bass, so you may not feel the deep rumble in bass-heavy genres like EDM. There’s a graphic EQ and presets as well as bass and treble adjustments available to help you customize its sound, and it gets pretty loud.
Pros
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
Cons
Lacks some low-bass.
See our Music Recommendations
6.5
Movies
The Samsung HW-A550 is fair for movies. Thanks to its balanced mid-range, dialogue is reproduced clearly and accurately. However, it lacks some low-bass, so you may not feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. Also, doesn’t support Atmos content, and it has to downmix surround content into stereo, which isn’t very immersive. Fortunately, there are some sound customization features available.
Pros
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Bass and treble adjustments.
Cons
- No Atmos support.
- Poor surrounds performance.
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7.1
Mixed Usage
-
7.6
Dialogue/TV Shows
-
7.6
Music
-
6.5
Movies
+ Create your own
-
Updated May 25, 2021:
Review published. -
Updated May 19, 2021:
Early access published.
Настройте Dolby Atmos на Samsung
Технология Dolby Atmos известна значительными улучшениями, которые она достигает с помощью программного обеспечения для результатов различных устройств, и в Samsung мы находим ее включенной. Чтобы воспользоваться вашими возможностями, нам просто нужно перейти в «Настройки»> «Звук и вибрация»> «Качество и звуковые эффекты»> «Dolby Atmos».
В этом разделе мы можем активировать функцию и сделать звуки более четкими и реалистичными. В его настройках мы находим четыре метода использования, среди которых есть автоматический режим, который будет отвечать за адаптация звука в Samsung в соответствии с обстоятельствами.
