Samsung HW-Q80R vs Bose Smart Soundbar 300

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Comparing Samsung HW-Q80R and Bose Smart Soundbar 300 makes sense because it shows what devices in their segment can offer. HW-Q80R offers better sound and bass than its opponent - Smart Soundbar 300. According to the results of our comparison, HW-Q80R received 8 points out of 10 possible, and Smart Soundbar 300 was rated 7.6 points.

Advantages Samsung HW-Q80R over Bose Smart Soundbar 300

Advantages Bose Smart Soundbar 300 over Samsung HW-Q80R

Audio features

The HW-Q80R is rated 8 of 10 against 5 for the Smart Soundbar 300 according to the audio features rating.

It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the HW-Q80R and the Smart Soundbar 300.

There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound. It is worth noting one of the main differences, the HW-Q80R has 5.1.2 channels, while the Smart Soundbar 300 has 3.0 channels.

Subwoofers

Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. The HW-Q80R comes with an external subwoofer. Samsung HW-Q80R has the ability to handle wireless connections from an external subwoofer, while Bose Smart Soundbar 300 only has wired and wireless connections.

Multichannel surround

Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The HW-Q80R received rating 10 out of 10 for multichannel audio processing, but the Smart Soundbar 300, in the same category, earned 4 out of 10 points.

The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. Dolby Atmos surround sound support is implemented only in Samsung HW-Q80R.

DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. The manufacturer has implemented DTS:X technology only in HW-Q80R.

Streaming services

The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services. For the ability to work with streaming services, the HW-Q80R received 5 points, and the Smart Soundbar 300 - 10 on a 10-point scale.

The popular Spotify service is available on both soundbars.

Connectivity

The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. The devices received different ratings for connectivity: Samsung HW-Q80R was rated 7 out of 10, and Bose Smart Soundbar 300 was rated 8 out of 10.

The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Wireless connection via Wi-Fi is possible on both devices.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The HW-Q80R has 2/1 HDMI inputs/outputs, but the Smart Soundbar 300 got 1/0 HDMI inputs/outputs from the manufacturer.

HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is basic for both soundbars.

Features

Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room.

Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The ability to control the soundbar using the application is implemented in each of the competitors. Both soundbars have a built-in microphone.

Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. It is possible to create a multiroom system based on each of these soundbars.

Dimensions