Samsung HW Q600A Soundbar

Samsung Q600A Soundbar: Demystifying the Settings for Optimal Sound

After two years of owning the Samsung Q600A soundbar, I discovered it wasn’t set up optimally. This guide details my journey and the settings that unlocked its true potential, particularly for overcoming dialogue loss in movies.

Equalizer: Forget about tweaking the equalizer in Game Pro, Adaptive, or Surround modes. They’re preset. In Standard mode, however, you have control over Bass, Treble, Center, Top, Rear (On/Off), Rear Balance, and Virtual Mode. I recommend using Standard mode and disabling Virtual Mode unless you lack rear speakers.

Soundbar Settings: These apply across all modes and include Bass, Treble, Center, Top, Rear, Rear Balance, and Virtual Mode. I found the following configuration to work well: Bass +3, Treble +1, Center +3, Top +3, Rear +6, Woofer +6, Virtual Mode Off. Remember, room size and seating position can affect the ideal balance, so adjust accordingly.

Input Settings: Crucial distinctions exist between devices connected to the TV’s HDMI ARC port and those directly plugged into the soundbar’s HDMI port.

For devices connected to the TV’s HDMI ARC port:

• Set input to Bitstream and output to DTS NEO 2:5 not PCM. PCM lets the TV process sound, potentially compromising quality. DTS NEO 2:5 remixes the dolby signal to a newer format. The NEO standard was set by Samsung in 2004 and is a much newer technology. Dolby will be the same output that was made with the program you are watching and NEO 2:5 will take that signal and remix it bringing it up a notch. I will also remix Stereo on old programs and turn it into 5.2 sound if you have rear speakers.
• Dolby Atmos doesn’t work through HDMI ARC.
• My setup uses this configuration for Directv Box and Blu-ray Player: connected directly to the TV’s HDMI ports, with the TV’s HDMI ARC port connected to the soundbar.
• Apple TV is directly connected to the soundbar’s HDMI input, leveraging its HDR10 as well as Dolby Atmos, DTS, Dolby or Dolby+ depending how the film was made.
• When watching TV or using the Blu-ray Player, set the soundbar to HDMI ARC.
• When using Apple TV, switch to HDMI mode. While HDMI ARC outputs Dolby, Dolby 5.1, it won’t deliver Dolby Atmos. For Atmos, connect the device’s HDMI output directly to the soundbar’s HDMI input, then set the soundbar output to HDMI ARC.
• Directv, despite its settings claiming Atmos support, only appears to output Dolby 5.1. My guess is that they do not have any films that have true Atmos sound – though they claim their 3 channels in 4K output Atmos. Also note that no streaming application will output Atmos through the ARC port however if I use the streaming application through my Apple TV using HDMI – I can get Atmos where it is available – which is very few shows. Prime Video only outputs Atmos sound on Jack Ryan. That is it. Apple TV outputs all of its content in Atmos.

For devices directly connected to the soundbar’s HDMI input:

• Set input to Bitstream. The soundbar’s output options will be PCM only. This is selected for true sound and automatic Dolby Atmos, Dolby, DTS, or Dolby+ output (indicated by a scrolling message). The soundbar has already processed the sound so PCM is only needed for the picture. Keep in mind that the soundbar will select Dolby Atmos first, Digital Theatre Sound Second, Dolby + Third and Dolby last.

Key Takeaways:

• Direct HDMI connection to the soundbar unlocks Dolby Atmos for compatible devices.
• Devices connected to the TV’s HDMI ARC port will only achieve Dolby sound or DTS NEO 2:5 (not Atmos). Use DTS NEO 2.5 – Digital Theatre Sound is a notch up from Dolby.
• Experiment with the output balance settings based on your room and seating.
• These settings worked well for my 2017 Samsung 8500 series TV. Newer models might require less configuration.
• I don’t have HDMI EARC, so I can’t confirm its Atmos capabilities. Only direct HDMI connection and device Atmos support ensure Atmos playback.
• Use high-speed HDMI cables for optimal sound transmission. I use 8K cables because of the 48GPS transfer rate. 4K at 18GPS will work as well, nothing less.

Enjoy enhanced audio with your Samsung Q600A soundbar!

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