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.

[dfensom]

Hello everyone,

i just wanted to 'chip in' and say that I have exactly the same issue.
I have a KS8000 TV, HW-K650 soundbar and I have just purchased a pair of Samsung R1 speakers.

Trying to get the surround sound to work on (Wifi multi channel) is resulting in very poor, low volume, muddy sound quality. Speakers on 3111.1 /180R. Sound bar on 3108.9 / 0335.0R

Very disappointing. Only got this set up for Christmas. Not sure what I should do now?

Has Samsung actually said they have replicated the fault and working on an update?

David

[podavies]

Well the workaround is to use an optical cable in conjunction with the wifi and you will get the decent 5.1 surround but you have to use the soundbar remote to control the volume. No one here thinks Samsung will fix the issue. I'm living with it as the sound is good now just have to use multiple remotes.

[Monkfish]

Sorry, I might have missed it, but just to clarify - do you mean optical to televison, and hdmi passthrough to the soundbar? Or optical direct to the soundbar?

Thanks!

(asking, as my tv is an old stereo passthrough non-wifi model. Thank God Samsung have made our lives easier here...)

[podavies]

Optical from the TV to the Sound Bar. Setup 5.1 sound on the multirom app and make sure the sound bar is set to Digitial in.

[abob36]

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@Monkfish wrote:

Sorry, I might have missed it, but just to clarify - do you mean optical to televison, and hdmi passthrough to the soundbar? Or optical direct to the soundbar?

Thanks!

(asking, as my tv is an old stereo passthrough non-wifi model. Thank God Samsung have made our lives easier here...)

---

If your TV has optical out, you run that to the soundbar. You then use the Samsung Multroom app on your phone or tablet and join the soundbar and radiant360 speakers to your Wi-Fi. Once you are able to see all your speakers in the Multiroom app, you can create a surround sound group.

[Monkfish]

My tv doesn't have an optical-out I'm afraid. I assume (hope!!) any optical cable to the soundbar will suffice though, doesn't need the data passthrough'd first, and that you're doing that as your tv is acting as the initial receiver for your multiple sound inputs?

cheers!

(Due to my tv limitations, I've been using a toslink port switch previously. It's not pretty,  but enables multiple optical sources to kinda be directly connected to the soundbar. Doing this at the moment for ps4 and pc sources. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B000QRI2EI/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1482962368&sr=8-9&pi=AC_SX236...)

[abob36]

That will work. If your PC or BD player or what have you has optical out, you can connect that to the soundbar directly. There is an AUX port as well where you can get a 3.5mm to RCA cable and plug it in that way.

[Monkfish]

When it's all working (with its optica caveats) would you recommend it?

I'm trying to decide whether the 3.1 650 goes back, or I splurge on two relatively cheap R1s, and attempt to go 5.1. 

Does adding the R1s change the soundscape substantially so that you'd recommend it?

[podavies]

I would never tell anyone to spend any money on Samsung Wireless Speakers..

So dont buy them on what im going to say.

But the R1 perform really well in conjuction with k650 in 5.1 surround mode.

But you have to go through a load of crap to get them to work. and im constantaly having to configure them when i change sources and if i could take mine back i would. but if i sit down and watch a movie or some netflix show they sound great. 

[Bryantay]

If i could return all of mine i would do it in a heartbeat! 

The fact that there is a workaround at all only proves that there IS in fact an issue with the original way that it should work.

The only response so far from Samsung has been to suggest that what we're hearing is subjective but not incorrect.  

As for the sound quality... when the 5.1 is working (using the workaround) it sounds OK but I wouldn't say it's great. 

Let me make this point to Samsung. The workaround in NO WAY is a proper solution. it's cumbersome and inefficient and it is definitely NOT the advertised solution that I paid good money for. This is NOT in any way what YOU claim your product is suppose to be able to do.

In my opinion anyone who is able to return their units should do so immediately. Save yourselves the headaches and go purchase any of the others brands that are available. Samsung's customer service is horrible. The way they have handled this particular issue is inept and how I look at Samsung as a company and it's products will forever be tarnished.  

[abob36]

So I was watching a movie tonight using the workaround (optical and Multiroom app). I then decided to try connecting the soundbar to TV via Wi-Fi (as 3.1 first) and using the multiroom app to create the surround group instead of doing it through the TV like I normally did. I may be crazy, but it sounded good. The EQ was fine, but the subwoofer still needed to be turned down some. I admit I had audio a bit down since it was late and everyone was sleeping, but the dialogue was very clear and had no muddiness. After setting the surround group up in the phone, I looked into the TV multiroom settings and it had the R1's listed as surrounds, but again the EQ and volume levels were OK.

Can someone else test this?

[Robbienobs]

Sounds to me like your just describing the workaround method?

Appologies if I misunderstood your post and this is not the case.

I too would send it all back in a heart beat and wouldn't miss it one bit!

[abob36]

The workaround is using D.IN on the soundbar and optical from TV and setting up surround group in the app.

What I just did was use Wi-Fi on the soundbar and Wi-Fi/AV from TV and setting up surround group in the app instead of on the TV.

The sound is good and back to one remote - the TV's.

[Robbienobs]

Ah OK thought I might be missing something.

I will try this later today and let you know......... To be honest I followed the advice on the original workaround post and went straight to D.in for input source, skipping any trial in full WiFi mode.

[Monkfish]

Well guys, I decided not to put down another £250-300 on the R1s. I no longer own the K650, and now have a Sony BDV-N7200W in the boot of my car. Cheaper overall than a 5.1-enabled k650. 

I bought it knowing there can be speaker distortion issues. However, Sony fixes that issue under warranty. 

I hate to say goodbye hehe, but goodluck, and hopefully Samsung losing an old customer (and his cash) will register somewhere. 

[Robbienobs]

Just tried this as described and doesn't work for me. It's just the same muffled sound experienced before.
Changed tv back to original workaround (optical input) and sound improves again

[Robbienobs]

Good luck Monkfish.......... If only I could do the same!

[Robbienobs]

I can also confirm I have the same issues as others that when I change source I have to re group the speakers each time on the app to get it back in surround mode. 

Same issue when playing music from Spotify etc and then returning to D.In to use surround mode. 

I think I will pile all this up in the garden and set fire to it and cut my losses. 

[podavies]

Yeah thats more annoying than using the second remote. but im sure it was working before.

[leelazer]

Hi abob36 

I just swapped to WiFi and I have perfectly clear audio  while watching a blueray on my new xbox one s. I am yet to try another source but at the moment it's fine. I am totally baffled by this.  I have no idea what's going on. 

Lee

[Robbienobs]

Strange, definitely doesn't work for me....... It's OK on 3.1 in wifi mode on TV,  but as soon as I add the rears through the app and enter surround mode I get muffled sound again 😕