Samsung HW-M550 3.1 Channel 340 Watt Wireless Audio Soundbar (2017 Model)

I have never used a Soundbar before but have had many high quality 2.1, 3.1 and 5.1 setups using Pioneer, Denon, Polk and Klipsch products over the years. I like the idea of getting good audio quality without the additional clutter of a receiver, speaker wires, and huge individual speakers so I started looking into Soundbars. My bedroom setup which was already minimal seemed like a good place to start.This was very easy to setup. I connected this to my 49" Samsung KS8000 using an HDMI cable and the ARC port on the Soundbar and One Connect and plugged in the subwoofer. I turned everything on and changed the audio in the TV menu to use the Soundbar and everything synced up perfectly and automatically. I didn't even open the remote to the Soundbar as the Samsung KS8000 remote does everything. The Soundbar turns on/off with the TV automatically and volume is controlled with the same remote and it can even control my Apple TV 4K. I love using a single remote to operate everything. Another nice touch is that the LED display on the soundbar will automatically fade and disappear completely after a few seconds of operation so there are no distracting lights during viewing.The sound quality is very crisp and a huge improvement over the built in speakers. Having a dedicated center channel is a huge plus. Dialogue is very clear. The subwoofer was very subtle at default volume so I cranked it up a few notches and everything sounds great now. I think it has plenty of punch for a smaller area like a bedroom. I set the output to Bitstream and DTS 2:5. I'm not sure if this is optimal but it seems to be the way to go based on a few places that I checked and it sounded pretty good to me.As previously stated, I have a 49" KS8000 and this is because it was the biggest size set that would fit into an armoire we have in the bedroom. The Soundbar measurements made it seem like it would fit underneath the TV but the Soundbar is too deep and hits the back of the stand that is holding up the TV. I had to push the TV back slightly and place the Soundbar in front of the feet instead of under the set. Not a big deal but I was hoping it would fit neatly underneath. The good news is that the Soundbar is only 2.1" high and does not block the IR/remote sensor but I did have to get creative with the Apple TV placement.Overall, the setup was easy and the sound quality is great. There are better Soundbars on the market but this is a great (and possibly the best) choice for Samsung 2016 and 2017 4K TVs. It was exactly what I was looking for in my bedroom setup and I am completely satisfied with this product.

My surround sound system is old. In fact, I came to realize that the left speaker doesn't work anymore and the rear speakers didn't want to stay connected. I knew that having a Samsung TV meant it would be easier with a Samsung soundbar, but deciding on the right one was the tricky part. Then again, this was for my roommate so she could be the guinea pig with very little repercussions.The reviews on this unit were solid. The only complaint I could find was that the subwoofer was underpowered, but I knew that wasn't a big deal to her. She just needed to be able to hear dialogue clearly and this being a 3.1 system, that shouldn't have been an issue.And it isn't. The sound clarity on this soundbar is very good. There are a few settings you can play with to change how it sounds, but out of the box it isn't bad at all. It also works flawlessly with both the Samsung TV remote as well as our cable remote, which means to adjust the volume, she only needs one remote now, which is nice.The subwoofer is a bit underpowered, but it does add just enough punch when it's necessary. It's actually kind of nice because being in an apartment, we're no longer worried about the neighbors below thinking we're coming through their roof when watching something. So for her, this soundbar combo is perfect, but if you need more punch from your subwoofer, you might want to consider looking at a different product.But for the price I paid (around $250), this soundbar definitely does the job and does it very well.

This is a great value for the price point. The clarity and sound is exceptionally good. I do feel that the sub woofer is lacking, it does not put out nearly what I had expected, and also does not hit all of the bass tones that i would expect. If you're looking for a booming, shake the room system, this is not it. It does get very loud, but does not shake the room as I had hoped for. I almost returned the item for this reason, but then after remembering what I paid, and looking at some of the specs, I decided to keep it.A few technical notes to go along with other reviews: I did have a bit of trouble pairing the sub woofer, though once I got it, there hasn't been an issue since. The Bluetooth to both an Apple and an Android device worked easily. As others stated, when you move away from the system the Bluetooth gets spotty, but that goes for any Bluetooth connection between devices.When experimenting with what the system could do, I did note something bizarre. I have my TV hooked up directly with the Optical cable (also a Samsung), have the TV speakers disabled, and the volume levels for the TV where they should be. But if I switch to a device with a Bluetooth connection (I have not tried others) the sound becomes much louder despite being at the same volume number. I haven't figured that one out yet though I hope to soon. Overall it is a great value, though if you care about bass like I do, then I would not recommend this system.

Anyone who is saying it lacks bass is incorrect. It is just extremely difficult to place it in a spot where you'll recieve optimal bass response. The sub is a bit too big. If placed correctly though it sounds amazing very boomy. 5 stars because of the center channel for voice. Absolutely perfect. Great system all together. One downside is the remote looks exactly the same as my Samsung tv remote which throws me off sometimes.

Excellent product. Looks amazing. It hooks up to the TV with optical cord for the best sound quality. Remote is sleek. Also, it allows us to connect a USB to play music without the need to have wifi/Bluetooth or another electronic connected to it.

Sound great. For some reason 5.1 movies its hard to hear to voice.

Easy set up. Connects easily with Echo or iPad via Bluetooth. Sounds much better than the Sony one it replaced. Only issue was my order was lost. Ordered Dec. 26 and received Jan. 21.

Sufficient sound for my living room which is open to kitchen and dining room. Easy to set up. Ideal to add the wireless rare speaker!