So you've got a Samsung soundbar — here are 5 settings you need to change to get the performance possible

the samsung q600f premium soundbar and subowoofer in black

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Perhaps you've just got a new Samsung soundbar, or maybe you've been rocking one for a long time. I'll be willing to bet you haven't dipped into the settings menu yet to play with the different features built into your fancy speaker box.

Samsung makes some of the best soundbars around, and part of that is down to all those lovely options. So, to help you get the best out of your bar, I've come up with a list to guide you through the labyrinthine tunnels of settings.

1. Use the sound modes

Samsung Q990D Q Series soundbar — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

No matter the soundbar you've got from Samsung, whether it supports the application or not, you've got built in sound modes. And, despite what you might think about them, they do make a big difference depending on the kind of content that you're consuming.

If you're watching a movie, for example, then you'll want the "cinema" mode. The "TV" mode is, as you might have guessed it, better for watching TV. While these bars are never perfect for music, the "music" mode still makes the bar work better for your tunes than without.

It's worth changing sound modes as you hop about different genres of content and finding which sounds better for you for each. After all, they're usually only a button press away.

2. Check your TV settings

the samsung hw-b650 in uk samsung b650d soundbar with hdmi port, remote, and subwoofer — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

If your soundbar is quite working right (or at all), it might not be the soundbar's fault. It might be that the TV you're using isn't sending the right audio to the soundbar. That means that everything gets confused, your soundbar has a moment, and you end up with weird or no sound.

Head into your TVs settings menu, and double check output settings. Make sure that its set to pass-through, so that the audio processing is done by the soundbar itself. This works well if you're not getting surround sound when you should.

For Samsung soundbars this also lets you initiate some other sound modes, which I'll get to in just a second. Either way, it's always the first place you should look for audio enhancements.

It's possible that you didn't even know there there was an app for your Samsung soundbar. You might need to double check if your model is supported, but then you're away.

Once the Samsung Smart Things app is installed, you just add the bar, and then you can control a whole bunch of things.

You can control the volume with your phone, change some more involved settings, and even stream music to some models. It's a must download, and one that's very easily forgotten.

4. Turn on Q-Symphony

the samsung hw-s801d soundbar and subwoofer in white, an ultra slim soundbar with on-bar buttons, a remote, and separate subwoofer with a black cone — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Ok, so first things first — this setting is only for Samsung TV owners. Even then, it needs to be compatible with the system. You need to double-check whether your TV supports Q-Symphony first, and then you can turn it on for an impressive increase in sound quality without dropping more cash.

What is it? It uses the speakers built into your TV to take some of the load off the soundbar. It works very well, and in some cases adds some extra dimension to surround mixes.

You'll find it in the settings menu of your Samsung TV. From there, you turn it on — and you're done. Nice and simple. There's no setup, either. It just kind of... works.

5. Turn on SpaceFit

the samsung qs750f soundbar with two rear surround speakers and subwoofer photographed against a blue background and a TV — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Your room is likely different than the testing rooms at Samsung HQ (unless you live in Samsung HQ). Still, you're likely going to get a different sound profile than the Samsung engineers when you put the bar in your living room, given that there are pesky things like "furniture" and "curtains" to contend with.

That's where SpaceFit comes in. You'll find it in the Samsung app (although you do need a compatible Samsung TV as well), where you can turn it on. Unlike other options, it doesn't need to play a setup tone — it just listens to the sound in your room and adjusts accordingly.

It's more subtle than other systems, but well worth turning on to make sure your Samsung soundbar sounds as good as possible.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

TOPICS

Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.