When we saw and heard Samsung’s new 2025 model year soundbars at CES earlier this year, they impressed us with their design and impactful immersive sound. But it’s hard to really judge a product on a trade show floor, with just a few minutes of experience. Fortunately we got to spend some quality time with the flagship HW-Q990F and its little brother the HW-QS700F more recently, and while I can’t get into detail about that (pesky embargos), I will confirm that these two bars are the first on the market to include something new and potentially game-changing: Eclipsa Audio.
As of today, I can tell you that the flagship HW-Q990F soundbar system will be priced at $1,799 (MSRP) and the HW-Q800F will be priced at $999 (MSRP) and both are now available to order with shipping to begin imminently. The Q990F flagship is already available to order on Amazon at a discount. The price of the HW-QS700F has not been announced yet but should be coming soon.
So the good news is that the list price of the new flagship soundbar (Q990F) is actually about $200 lower than the previous flagship (Q990D) but the new one includes Eclipsa Audio decoding. More for less!
What is Eclipsa Audio?
Eclipsa Audio is a new immersive surround sound format developed by a partnership of companies called the “Alliance for Open Media (AOM),” which includes Google, THX and Samsung, among others. Like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Eclipsa Audio includes height channels in addition to traditional surround speakers in order to create a more enveloping dome of sound around the listeners. But unlike Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Eclipsa Audio is being offered as an open standard. This means content creators, movie studios, streaming services and hardware manufacturers don’t need to pay a royalty to use it and include decoders in their products. And Samsung’s 2025 TVs and soundbars will be among the first products to include Eclipsa Audio support.
While you may ask, “Do we really need a new surround sound format?” (and it is a valid question), competition is generally good for consumers – it’s nice to have options. Of course, a format is useless without content, but with Google behind this one, and Google being the owner of a little video streaming platform called YouTube, we may start to see Eclipsa content rolling out sooner than expected. At the moment, there are a few YouTube channels that feature Eclipsa Audio content. But remember, you won’t be able to really hear what it can do without an Eclipsa Audio decoder, so you might have to wait a little while for that.
YouTube Channels with Eclipsa Audio Content:
- https://www.youtube.com/@openmedia131
- https://www.youtube.com/@Spatial9
- Instrumental Playlist (Eclipsa Audio)
- https://www.youtube.com/@daniel.courville
We watched and listened to a few of these videos on the Q990F and the QS700F and can confirm that they were able to decode Eclipsa Audio content in all its immersive glory. Although, interestingly enough, the display on the Q990F read “IAMF” instead of “Eclipsa Audio” during decoding. IAMF (Immersive Audio Model and Formats), is the framework upon which Eclipsa Audio is based. We expect when these soundbars make it into production, the display will show the new name (Eclipsa Audio) instead.
More Features of the HW-Q990F
As the company’s flagship soundbar, the Q990F has more than just Eclipsa Audio on-board. It decodes Dolby Atmos and DTS:X too, and can generate a fully immersive dome of sound using its built-in front-firing and up-firing speakers. Rear wireless speakers and a wireless powered subwoofer are included in the package.
Speaking of subs, the HW-Q900F features a newly engineered wireless subwoofer with dual active drivers in a compact and elegant cube designed to be heard but not necessarily seen. The sub is roughly half the size of the one that came with the Q990D soundbar for more discrete and flexible installation options.
The HW-Q990F also uses AI to optimize sound with features such as:
- Dynamic Bass Control: Enhances clarity in low-frequency ranges by utilizing non-linear bass management for balanced and distortion-free sound.
- Enhanced Q-Symphony: Integrates Samsung TV speakers with soundbar speakers to create more immersive surround sound and better dialog placement. Improvements to Q-Symphony in 2025 include the ability to detect the position of wireless speakers like the Samsung Music Frame to optimize audio effects based on distance and angle.
- Active Voice Amplifier Pro: Provides real-time content analysis that reduces background noise and emphasizes dialog for an enhanced listening experience.
Additionally, the HW-Q990F can take advantage of compatible Samsung TVs’ Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in Q-Symphony mode for additional improvements to dialog clarity and immersiveness.
The other new model, the HW-Q800F, is similar in design to the Q990F flagship and includes the wireless powered subwoofer but not the rear speakers. Rear wireless speakers or Samsung Music Frame speakers can be added to the QS800F system for fully immersive surround sound.
The Bottom Line
Samsung isn’t content to rest on their laurels or go with the status quo. While the Q990D soundbar system earned enthusiastic reviews last year, the Q990F appears to be poised to do everything its predecessor did, and more. While Eclipsa Audio is as yet an unproven quantity, having it available on board the new soundbars gives customers peace of mind that their soundbar won’t be rendered obsolete a few years down the road. Stay tuned for more detailed observations on the new soundbars coming next month.
Available Now to Order on Amazon:
- Samsung HW-Q990F Soundbar System with Wireless Sub and Rear Speakers
- Samsung HW-Q800F Soundbar System with Wireless Sub
Related Reading:
