topic Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos) in Audio & Video

HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

Nostalgia — Sun, 17 May 2020 12:30:55 GMT

Hi all,

Got the Bar brand new two days ago and running into a problem. every content which is able to channel the center speaker will get the distorted sound, other speakers seem fine. Only center is having a problem. Stereo mode sounds excellent though. But with DD or Atmos, the problem is there and unacceptable. The dialogue sound from the center speaker is very much cracked and distorted, sometime it's not that much but it is defenitely there.

I dont know if this is because of the new firmware or not, because I updated the soundbar right after unboxing without any prior test.

Could you guys please kindly test your system and see if there is any problem regarding the above issue. I've been playing the configuration, set up, changing the cabel all day all night... ending up scratching my head and the problem is still there. With all the hassling I've been thru, I'm thinking about returning it now.

PS. Contacted the Shop and they agreed to change the new one within a week..but I'm just afraid that the new one will get this kind of problem as well. T_T

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

CritterMagnet — Sun, 17 May 2020 13:23:48 GMT

I've had this happen a few times with my new LG 65" CX TV connected by HDMI-ARC to my N950 - changing sound modes seems to fix it (i.e. from smart to surround to standard then back to smart). Haven't been able to reliably reproduce it, and didn't happen when the soundbar was connected to my previous MU8000 TV.

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

Nostalgia — Sun, 17 May 2020 13:58:18 GMT

Thanks for the reply mate, really appreciate your input. ^_^

But seems like it's not relevant to the problem i mentioned above. I tried it just now on the bar with the normal stereo music play from Spotify. Sound Quality is excellent when in the Standard Mode.(Being output as Stereo because the source is stereo) only the left and right speakers were being used and the sound was top notch. And then I just changed the sound mode from standard to surrond now the mentioned issue got back again because the center speaker were being used.

So for problems I found, I think I can conclude that whatever source it is (5.1, Atmos, Stereo.. etc), if the center speaker is being used... then you will get the issue with the distorted sound. Other speakers are working fine, only the center one is main problem.

I'm quite surprised also that this issue is not being found or mentioned since the HW-Q90R is quite popular. Still figuring out this is the problem from the Hardware itself or the latest firmware that cuases this (never got a chance to try the previous firmware before also), Or It is just me that this is a faulty unit I am having right now.

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

leeeka — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:25:31 GMT

I'm also having issues with center channel. Not like distorted but very quiet and muffled. Did you try the test tone on your soundbar? Did it sound normal to you on all speakers?

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

Moosifur — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:26:08 GMT

I'm having the same issue, distortion and everything. I've spent hours searching for fixes and trying different things but at this point I'm probably going to return it.

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

gmo23 — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 17:24:49 GMT

I'm getting a similar issue quite often. It happens on both my HW-Q90r & HW-Q80r before that. Every so often I will notice sound becoming distorted and muffled, also speech becomes extremley sibilant and drives me nuts.

The only fix I've found for this issue is powering off at the mains for a few seconds before powering on again. This is a very frustrating issue.

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

MD_ — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 15:37:57 GMT

Has anyone resolved their issues?

I am having a similar/same issue with a HW-Q60T. I also had the problem with a HW-T550 but I returned that and had the HW-Q60T as a replacement. In my case, it doesn't matter what settings I choose on the soundbar, the TV or the set-top box, basically the common denominator seems to be if the volume is low the sound is extremely muffled and distorted. This is particularly a problem at night when the kids are in bed and I want to watch the TV on a low volume.

UPDATE: I tried playing audio via BT as well and the same problem exists. Muffled sound when volume is low (sound at volume level 5 and under is very poor. I have to go to 10 and above for it to even be acceptable)

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

NavSaini — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 16:56:31 GMT

I've got exactly the same issue as MD_Fisrt Poster! I have just exchanged the HW-Q60T as i thought it was faulty and the new soundbar does exactly the same thing! volume lower than 10 is muffled and distorted. The TV's sound quality is far superior and clearer at a lower volume... can't hear speech on the TV properly at all. I would never expect this on a Samsung product!

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

NavSaini — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 19:12:40 GMT

Just spoke to a guy called "Christopher" from technical support about the issue and he went through his standard tests of holding down the play/pause button for 10 - 15 seconds and re-booting the soundbar which I told him didn't work when I spoke to technical support yesterday! He said that they want to fix the soundbar by taking it away to diagnose the issue. I polity explained that its not an issue with the item I have but a product fault across the whole model range. His reply was to return the item! I told him I not no longer have faith in Samsung and the items they sell and will purchase a different brand. Seems like Christopher was happy with what I was saying and didn't want to accept that there is a bug or issue!

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

MaxForsyth — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 23:49:57 GMT

but still, have you managed to solve the problem? It's been a terrific issue for me, however I was hoping to find the problem and I was wondering if the developers would solve it. Then, I realized that I need to replace my center channel speaker with the other model, I'd actually choose something more affordable, however I discovered a whole detailed article on https://www.palmgear.com/best-center-channel-speaker-for-dialogue/ describing what device is better to purchase and what are the special features every product presented there has. Still, have some doubts, can you suggest any model provided there?

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

MD_ — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 11:59:04 GMT

This is reassuring that someone else is experience the same issue... Perhaps someone technical at Samsung is monitoring this?

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

MD_ — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 12:03:07 GMT

I experienced the same with the customer support, basically return it or send it for a repair... I already returned one soundbar (at my expense I might add) - a completely different model - surely the evidence is mounting that this is a more global fault... can someone at Samsung please pass this on to someone technical who designs or tests the soundbars to actually plug it in and do a real world test. It's no good hooking it up to some complicated audio test facility checking frequencies etc - USE A PERSON TO ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE SOUND AND CHECK THAT IT IS CLEAR - because I assure you IT IS NOT

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

NavSaini — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 16:47:01 GMT

This is definitely a design fault with the product. I really hope someone technical at Samsung picks this up and escalates the issue. What would be reassuring is if Samsung customer support says that they know about this is an issue and it would be resolved in the next firmware update. Instead they said there is something wrong with the item I had - the response from me was, surely two products can't produce the same fault and it must be a design fault.

I did write a review on the Samsung website about the product and said there is a design fault with the item at lower volumes - but guess what - MY REVIEW WAS DELETED - why would they do this?

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

MD_ — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:00:30 GMT

we are going out of our way to help Samsung, you'd think someone would at least acknowledge us... We could/should have just returned the item and bought a different brand. Please Samsung, listen to your customers, acknowledge the problem and let us know you are working on a solution - that is all we ask.

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

MD_ — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:20:46 GMT

UPDATE - I noticed Samsung released updated firmware for HW-Q60T (ver 1003.6 released 27/11/20) and tried it. It seems to have resolved the distortion problem! I checked the Q90R page and there was a new firmware version released on 19/11/2020 so maybe also fixed.

firstly, thanks Samsung for fixing the issue. I had faith that you would in the end, even if it took too long for many people.

secondly, it would have been nice to have been contacted or some information put out on the website somewhere about the issues and how they were resolved, it was only by chance that I checked the website to find the updated firmware

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

NavSaini — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:56:07 GMT

Thanks for the update and I’m glad that Samsung has finally fixed the distortion/muffled sound issue at low volume. Like you said, it would of been great if Samsung had identified that this issue has been resolved. Quick question, how did you apply the firmware update? Was it by adding the file to a USB stick and then changing the sound bar to USB? I did this previously and the sound at kept saying “no data”. I did download the SmartThings app, but the app couldn’t find the sound bar. I know this is the easiest way to apply any firmware updates.

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

MD_ — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 12:42:15 GMT

I don't think the Q60T is compatible with smartthings so yes the USB method. I tried two different USB sticks, the first one didn't do anything, I presume it is the way the disk is formatted. I used my most modern USB stick in the end (probably NTFS rather than FAT). I think there is a step missing from the Samsung instructions anyway, as you say - "Change the soundbar to USB input" was the missing step. So all in all, put the .BIN file from the zip file in the root folder of the USB drive (I had nothing else on the drive at all). Turn the soundbar off, unplug all of the HDMI cables (just in case that makes a difference!), plug in the usb stick, turn the soundbar on and switch it to USB... at that point the update started for me and it showed a % complete on the display - it was quite quick. Probably less than a minute and it switches itself off. Then do a reset (by holding down the play/pause button for 5 secs). It will show INIT and then switch off again. That's it complete and you can replug everything in and turn it on.

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

Robjo84 — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 22:36:21 GMT

Just bought a brand new HW-950 9.1.2 and 75" q95 TV. Experiencing the the excact same problem as others here. Little or no center volume in all modes.

Feels like i just burnt $1500, as my expections are devastated. I had several samsung TVs, and they all has been great. But this top-of-the-line testwinner soundbar has made me have second thoughts about samsung's QC. Why would they realease this $$$$ soundbar with such a critical software error???

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

NavSaini — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 19:39:59 GMT

Thanks so much for your reply - I can confirm the latest firmware update has resolved the muffled/distorted issue. The reason I had trouble with the USB update not working is because the USB stick was in FAT file format. Once I reformatted the USB stick to NTFS and placed the .bin file in the root of the USB stick the update was successful. Thanks again for your instructions and help

Re: HW-Q90R Center Speaker/Channel Issue having distorted sound (Mostly Dialogue Audio with 5.1 or Atmos)

Itzikna — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 18:45:04 GMT

Hi,

I believe I have found the issue and just put it here for future reference.

I had the same issue and couldn't understand why it's happening.

After going through the settings I found that the night mode is to blame!

Just turn off night mode and you will get great sound!