HW-K650 and Two R1 Wirelss Speakers in 5.1 With KS7000 TV

[podavies]

When using the K650 sound bar and two R1 Wireless speakers in surround sound mode over wifi with the latest firmware, The quailty of the sound K650 drops, sounds very muddy. As soon as you use the sound bar on it own, the sound bar improves. this is happening for a quite a few users.

can you help.

[Robbienobs]

But no wifi connection issues here

[Ciechom]

It is strange but right now - after all upgares on TV and Soundbar - I can connect TV to soundbar only via BT. Previously, in mobile application I was able to select TV SoundConnect (WiFi) but now there is no such option. I see only TV SoundConnect (Bluetooth) + Wi-Fi + Bluetooth + AUX + HDMI + D.IN.
Even if I select Wi-Fi, my TV do not find any soudbar ... any ideas ?
All devices are on the same wifi network (2,4Ghz).

[Ciechom]

EDIT: I do not why, but soundbar just right now (without doing anything) connected via WiFi to TV and everything works as should from the beginning ... except extremely low volume in rear speakers 😞 what makes them useless 😞

[kgg]

I have the same issue. Since Friday my surround setup is no longer surround. I have HW-K650 soundbar with 2 R3 speakers and all connected to 60inch Samsung KS7000. Everything was working fine for the last 6 weeks with some only minor issues (occasional connectivity issues solved by unplugging and plugging back the soundbar and speakers) and now I cannot use it in the surround setup. I did all I could like resetting all: the rear speakers, TV, my router. Even connecting all to a different network didn’t help. All the speakers can be found by the TV and create surround but then while playing movies from my NAS or anything from PS4 I cannot hear anything from the rear speakers. The only way to have a little bit of sound is to adjust in the volume settings the rear speakers to the maximum and the soundbar to the minimum. Unfortunately in this setup I can hear any sound from the rear speaker only with my head next to it. When using the multiroom app to play some music in the surround setup everything is working fine and only when it passes through the TV the problem occurs. From what I can read here it looks that on Friday there was some automatic firmware update that created this problem. I haven’t contacted Samsung yet but do you guys have any update, thoughts or fix for this issue?

[JCFARROW]

You are not alone. Since the last firmware update, it seems no one has been able to achieve full 5.1 surround sound using wifi despite this being the main selling point. Samsung has acknowledged this via LeeS (the community manager) and on Friday we were told they are working on a fix and there would be news on monday (today).

[dfensom]

Hi,

I too hope this issue gets resolved...

Here's the rub.  I actually ended up taking my Samsung K650 soundbar and R1 speakers back to the shop, a few days before the firmware was updated on the soundbar!  On hearing that the new firmware has been released, I have decided to give the kit another go!!

I might be a complete fool, but to be honest with you, there's nothing else in the marketplace that gives you wireless 5.1 sound (when it works of course) at this price point.  I also like the size and look of the Samsung Soundbar and speakers.

I haven't set it up yet, but I am tempted to connect the soundbar up to my home wireless network, without Internet access. Then I was going to 'disable' automatic updates, hoping that the new soundbar would still have the first 'working' version of the firmware installed.  Maybe then, I could enjoy wireless 5.1 surrrond sound, configured through the TV, while I await confirmation it's all working.  Would also be an interesting excercise, to prove it's definately a firmware related issue on the TV soundbar.

David

[frustrated]

Hi, 

I am also having the same issue. 

Looking at the Samsung Web Site:

http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/tv-audio-video/audio-video/smart-soundbars/HW-K650/XU?oTyp=8&oId=...

It states *Cable connection required from Soundbar to TV to receive 5.1 surround sound. 

I am confused!

Using the TV setup I am able to configure a 5.1 setup HWK650 + 2 x R1 rears using wifi (note I have to turn up the volume on the rears manually prior to doing this) then when using the TV test I get clear "rear left", "rear right", "front" etc. But when save is selected the volume to the rears vanishes. If I try to ungroup and do this again I have to manually turn up the volume on the R1s as they are now VERY quiet again.

Note: this is not a solution for a 5.1 setup as increasing the rear volume on the R1's controls while setup as 5.1 increases the soundbar volume as well. 

I do not seem to be able to setup an ARC (HDMI) connection that incorporates the rear R1's.

The only thing that improved with the latest soundbar firmware update was that the muffled sound from the front has been removed when configured as a wifi 5.1 setup. 

Does it matter what the audio settings are on the TV, PWM, bitstream etc?

I really just want to get 5.1 sound working, is it too much to ask? I used to have an old sony 5.1 amp & wired speakers that were truely plug and play!

[gigahertz]

I have a K650 and 2x R1 speakers alongside a 49KS7000

I did have the muffled sound issue but then the latest firmware seems to have solved this over the weekend.

Like many others here though I now can't really hear anything from the back speakers, even with their volume boosted!

[Robbienobs]

Hi LeeS

We were due a follow up yesterday from your last message. Looks like rear speaker volume is an issue for all. 

Also I have noticed that I can no longer set speakers up in the tv's expert settings, as the wireless speaker manager option is greyed out......... Anyone else have this? 

Also getting some wifi connection issues; rear speakers not always linking when soundbar turned on by TV, and have to switch everything off and back on and regroup with app.............. Similar to connection issues I had out the box. Also rears are not going into standby when TV turned off even by next morning. 

[kerseco]

Hi there -- new Samsung customer and ... same problem with HWK-650 and R1 Speaker combo as Surround 5.1 mode. Excellent description by "frustrated"  -- good choice of name too !

Like everyone else have tried hours of faffing about with the brand new 650 Soundbar/R1 Speaker pair/TV all with the latest software updates (25 Jan 17)  to try and achieve the advertised surround sound with the 360 Speakers all to no avail.   Kit list for reference:

Soundbar HW-K650 -- Software 3109

R1 Speakers WAM 1500 -- Software 3111 for both

TV UE55KS8000  -- Software 1160

IOS Multiroom App - Software 4042

In summary, the Soundbar has good quality sound for the price point when set up in either TV ARC mode or Wireless mode ,  connected in either "Soundbar" or "Soundbar+Surround" mode under TV Settings.  Multiroom App works well with the R1 Speakers grouped correctly as Surround Rear with Soundbar Front.

Speaker test works correctly "Front" / "Rear Right"/"Rear Left" at a good volume BUT as soon as the layout combination is saved, the R1 speaker volume collapses to almost zero.  That is the problem.

Soundbar remains correctly configured with good tone and volume - a change I gather since the most recent software update a few days ago.   Any attempt to increase the Rear R1 Speaker volume by using the top plate Volume buttons on either R1 unit results in ONLY changing the Soundbar volume with no effect at all on the R1's themselves.

Spoke to Samsung Tech at some length about this who were actually helpful and aware of the problem.  Tech even checked the TV Sound Settings were correctly configured by remote control from the Phillipines - spooky!  However Tech fix nil other than acknowledging the problem....

Assured that Samsung Tech were working on a software fix (another one..) to sort the problem out - no release date estimate....     Tech stated that the extent of the problem was becoming well known by them due to the large takeup of the current "£100 off for two Rx Speakers" promo with more people now complaining about it.  I suspect many (myself included) bought the Rx speaker pair just for the Surround Sound feature when coupled with a Samsung Soundbar.

So...  suggest don't waste any more of our time (after several 2am sessions..) in trying to resolve it -- but continue to hassle Samsung over the lack of Rx Surround Sound to hasten a solution.

And over to the Samsung "Community" Manager  LeeS -- what news from you ??

Regards etc...