Samsung HW-Q70T is a versatile soundbar that plays a wide variety of content equally well. Despite the presence of a subwoofer, the panel is slightly lacking in bass. However, this is offset by good sounding at maximum volume. Two upward-facing speakers provide Dolby Atmos support.
True, you will not feel the exciting immersion in the world of cinema – the soundbar mixes the surrounding sound into ordinary stereo. Added support for Q-Symphony technology. In the proposed Samsung HW-Q70T review, we will take a closer look at the functionality of the new panel, examine its pros and cons.
Samsung HW-Q70T: Design
The Samsung HW-Q70T soundbar features a slim main unit with a height of only 60mm. This design is very convenient for being invisible, i.e. ideal for listening to your TV without obstructing the screen. The panel should fit under most 55-inch TVs. But if there is a problem, you can fix it to the wall using the supplied brackets.
Build quality is excellent, and this attractive and well-made soundbar justifies its hefty price tag in many ways. The soundbar design of the Samsung HW-Q70T is slightly different from Samsung’s predecessor HW-Q70R . There is a small screen behind the metal grill. It displays the volume level and the input that is currently playing.
However, this is just a four-character display. Therefore, sometimes you have to wait for some lines to scroll to full display. The controls are located at the top of the HW-Q70T panel. The set of touch buttons includes a power button, a volume rocker and an input selection button.
The subwoofer of the Q70T soundbar has its own amplifier. The signal is transmitted wirelessly, so the subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room. Moreover, it is very difficult to determine the direction of the low-frequency sound source. The subwoofer is almost entirely made of wood. The speaker diffuser is covered with a decorative fabric, which does not appear to be particularly durable.
The remote control has not changed. It is ergonomic and efficient to use. The buttons are centered around the navigation joystick surrounding the play / pause button. These are volume control, mute and subwoofer level. Other buttons allow you to access sound mode controls as well as source selection and Bluetooth pairing.
Sound quality
The HW-Q70T soundbar is a combination of seven speakers in a panel enclosure and a speaker for a wireless subwoofer. Together, this forms the surround sound system 3.1.2 . Supports Acoustic Beam technology, which directs sound to the side walls and ceiling with reference to the object on the screen.
Acoustic beams are controlled using psychoacoustic processing algorithms developed at Samsung’s California Audio Lab. The three forward-firing speakers provide a dedicated center channel for dialogue. This whole “farm” of speakers gives out 3.1.2-channel object-oriented sound.
The HW-Q70T supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS: X, plus all of their other variants except IMAX Enhanced DTS: X. It turns out that the immersive perception is assigned to the frontal emitters. But if you want to hear rear channels as well, you can buy additional SWA-8500S wireless speakers.
Samsung HW-Q70T sounds loud enough and is suitable for most rooms, even crowded ones. It reproduces stereo sound very attractively well. The balanced frequency response makes the panel suitable for most types of content. At high volumes, there is slight compression at the edges of the frequency range. But on real content, it doesn’t hurt your ears too much. The same can be said for harmonic distortion, which is within acceptable limits.
The height radiators of the Q70T acoustic panel leave a lot to be desired. It supports Atmos content and uses two upward-facing speakers to bounce sound off the ceiling, creating the illusion of height. But all of this does not sound as real as the object localization created by downward-facing speakers.
The Q70T does not have a rich set of sound enhancement features. There is no room correction function, so the panel may sound different depending on the room you are in. If you don’t like the sudden changes in volume between ads and the program you are watching, then you may be disappointed that there is no automatic night mode feature.
Connections
This sound engine doesn’t have that many inputs. There are 1 HDMI input and 1 output, plus one USB input for software updates. You cannot play sound directly via USB. Finally, HDMI implements the promised eARC audio return channel upgrade.
Dolby Digital and DTS are supported through this port, which is great for watching movies and Netflix content. EARC support allows you to play lossless surround sound formats (lossless). The only additional physical connector is the optical digital input. There is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a model that can provide an impressive audio experience without the extra cables and speakers, then the HW-Q70T is the soundbar for you. 3.1.2 speaker configuration and Acoustic Beam technology ensure you get full object-oriented sound.
The disadvantages include insufficient bass depth of the subwoofer and unreliable reproduction of surround sound. But there are cool features, including some that gamers will love. Setting up the Q70T is pretty straightforward given the complexity of processing. Another possible problem is the lack of HDMI inputs. The center of gravity should be thoughtful design and good stereo sound.
