1010.5 Firmware Update for hw-Q90R Soundbars ~ Low Bass

[kenn8]

Hello Friends,

I recently updated the firmware on my HW-Q90R to version 1010.5 and noticed the bass on the subwoofer has significantly dialed down when playing any stereo content. It wasn't the case before the update. Atmos content sounds great and the update tuned the low sounding rear speakers making them sound bright. Even the bass is good with Atmos content. However, the speakers no longer sound the same for non-atmos content, especially the bass. Moreover, when I play it on arc, the rear speakers sound okay, but if i switch to eArch, the rear speakers just die (again, all happens on non-atmos content, wasn't the case before). 

I wish there was a repository to download older firmwares. If anyone has an older firmware package lying around somewhere, I would really appreciate if you could share it with me.

I am curious to see if anyone else is facing the same issue!

Regards.

[Estevez1979]

It has not been my case, but it is true that with some models of TV the earc implementation has been tricky and you have to change some settings.

Could you please specify more?  In what kind of source does it happen? External players or internal apps of the TV? if TV what model?  

[Jayson2]

I had the same problem too. I dont have much issue on atmos content but non atmos its obvious. I changed the woofer level from -12 to +6 and there's no difference in the level. I also tried turning off eArc on my TV so that the bar goes back to usual TV ARC but still yield the same results. I'm at a dead end here figuring this out.

[kenn8]

Hi Estevez1979,

My setup goes like this: xbox one x --> LG B9 (OLED65B9PUA) --> HW-Q90R soundbar.

Xbox has the Dolby app installed and outputs (all) sound signals in a so called "Atmos Container". Tv receives input from the xbox and outputs sound through hdmi-2(eArch) to the soundbar. eArch sound passthrough is enabled on Tv thereby forcing decoding to be done by the receiver and not the Tv (tv only bridges the connection). Soundbar detects Atmos signal is being received since it displays Dolby Atmos on it’s display unit.

I understand that with the Dolby app, the xbox merely sends sound signals in an Atmos container and leaves it to the receiver to the process the information. Since in most cases where in it’s outputting stereo content (Youtube, Primevideo, etc) in an Atmos container, there actually isn't enough sound content for the receiver (soundbar) to output to all speakers, hence no audio upsampling. That is the reason why the rear speakers just die and ofcourse why the bass is reduced.

However, the reason for my cry is that it wasn't the case before the update. Stereo content sent through the Atmos container sounded great, the soundbar would still execute some sort of upsampling, the rear speakers would still play something and the bass had a punch.

I also tried the following: xbox one x --> HW-Q90R soundbar --> LG B9 (OLED65B9PUA).

Xbox outputs raw signal to the soundbar, soundbar then outputs video signal through Arch to Tv. I know this is what Samsung recommends, but it made zero difference in my experience.

Here are the numbers I see on the sub/speakers after the update:
M-0128.0
B-1010.5
H-0051.0
FD-0040.0
W-0241.0
S-0136.0
RR-0136.0
RL-0136.0

Please advise.