We pit the Sonos Beam against Samsung’s entry-level soundbar in its recently released Q series, the Samsung Harman Kardon HW-Q60R. Both are priced around the 400 USD mark, with the Samsung soundbar, which comes with a subwoofer, just a bit more expensive than Sonos’ entry-level smart soundbar. To help you guide which one is better for your home, keep reading our detailed comparison below.
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Sonos Beam vs Samsung Soundbar Comparison Chart
| Model | Samsung Harman Kardon HW-Q60R | |
 |  | |
| Price | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
| Rating | ||
| Wall Mountable | Yes (mount is sold separately) | Yes |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 25.6″ x 2.6″ x 4.0″ | 43.3″ x 2.2″ x 4.0″ |
| Weight | 6.2 lbs | 7.93 lbs |
| Speakers | 5 | 8 |
| Microphones | 5 | No |
| Subwoofer | No | Yes |
| Audio Decoder | Dolby Digital 5.1 ch, PCM Stereo | Dolby Digital 5.1 ch, DTS Digital 5.1 ch |
| Controls | Touch-capacitive buttons, Alexa, Sonos App, AirPlay, TV Remote Sync | Physical buttons, Remote control |
| Voice Assistant | Built-in Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant | Compatible |
| Apple Airplay | Yes | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Audio Input | Optical (through an adapter for the HDMI ARC) | Optical, Analog |
| HDMI | 1 | 2 |
| USB 2.0 | No | No |
| Year of Release | 2018 | 2019 |
| Colors | Black, White | Black |
Design
Both the
While both the
Meanwhile, the
Overall, the
Setup and Control
The
Both soundbars offer quick and effortless installation and set-up process. Simply connect the soundbar to your TV through the included HDMI cable and you can start setting up and configuring settings through the Sonos app for the Beam and the Samsung SmartThings for the Q60R soundbar. Take note though that your TV should have a port for HDMI-ARC (Audio Return Channel) for them to work.
While both soundbars can be used with smart voice assistants, the Sonos takes it up a notch by equipping the Beam smart soundbar with a built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Its five microphones can detect your voice so your soundbar can still hear you even when you’re playing music. You can also control your TV through voice controls. For Apple aficionados, the
Even though the Samsung Q60R soundbar is not as smart as the Beam, its Bluetooth still lets your stream music on your phone and configure Alexa to work with the Samsung SmartThings app. Some users still like the fact that the Samsung soundbar still comes with a remote control that you can use to change your soundbar settings, while others don’t mind using the app on their device exclusively.
Features
You can customize EQ with the
Apart from the built-in Alexa and Google Assistant, another noteworthy feature of the
With that said, the Samsung Q60R soundbar beats the Beam when it comes to its sound features. The Q60R soundbar is equipped with Samsung’s Acoustic Beam technology where the audio follows the movement on the TV to give you a panoramic sound experience even though it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos. It also comes with four sound modes: Standard, Surround, Game Mode Pro, and Adaptive.
Standard mode delivers audio as decoded from the source. Surround mode delivers the widest soundstage for better movie-watching experience. The Samsung Q60R soundbar can detect when you turn on your game console and automatically switch to Game Mode Pro. As for its Adaptive mode, the soundbar adjusts the sound depending on what you’re watching. For example, the Samsung soundbar will adjust the vocal clarity if you’re watching something dialogue-heavy.
Sound Quality
Both soundbars deliver a crisp, clear, dynamic sound, but the Samsung Q60R sounds slightly better than the stand-alone
Soundbars deliver audio quality that the built-in speakers on slim TVs today just can’t. Once you experience the significantly-improved audio with a soundbar, it’s hard to go back to using the TV without soundbars anymore.
The
Meanwhile, the bass sounds better in the Samsung Q60R soundbar and its subwoofer. It delivers prominent low ends for booms and explosions, crisp highs, and great mids.
Even though this soundbar is only Dolby Digital and not yet Dolby Atmos, its up-firing speakers and Acoustic Beam technology still give that panoramic sound effect for a more immersive experience. Vocals are clear, thanks to its dedicated center channel. The Samsung Q60R soundbar also boasts a 4K pass-through rate at 60Hz to ensure you don’t lose any quality when watching 4K videos.
Verdict
Both the
Perhaps the standalone Sonos Beam soundbar is at a disadvantage in this comparison because it doesn’t come with a subwoofer, unlike the Samsung Harman Kardon Q60R. For its price, the Beam still offers clear, crisp sound and smart features. The Beam not only enhances the viewing experience, but makes it a very convenient one as well through its smart features. Keep in mind that the Beam will work best in small to medium-sized rooms. Its sound will really shine through if you pair it with rear speakers and subwoofers, but that also comes with a hefty price tag.
If your TV is a Samsung QLED, going for the Samsung Harman Kardon Q60R is a no-brainer. Since the Q series soundbars are designed with the QLED TVs in mind, the Q60R soundbar and subwoofer will work seamlessly together for your home theater system. With that said, even if your TV is not a Samsung, the Harman Kardon Q60R is still a great purchase for its sound quality. It might not be as smart as the Sonos Beam, but what they lack in smart features, they more than make up for in the cinematic sound department.
Last update on 2020-08-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API