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

(Topic created on: 09-03-2017 01:12 PM)
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podavies
Pioneer
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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.

1,608 REPLIES 1,608
DazzaP
Student
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Ahhaaaa, just noticed that bit....

 

"Enjoy the freedom to fill every room of your home with music by adding Samsung Multiroom speakers to the system or create your own wireless 5.1 surround system.*"

 

That webpage is confusing to say the least, as the statement underneath is:

 

"*Cable connection required from Soundbar to TV to receive 5.1 surround sound"

 

Which seems to contradict it and I thought the wireless bit only related to the rears and not the whole system....

 

Guess I'm happy either way as connecting via optical is easy with the soundbar in front of the telly.

 

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Kevlarr
Explorer
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Hi Guys,
I've been watching this thread for a while now waiting for a solution to this.
I've decided to sign up to add my name to list of people affected by this problem.
After buying some new Samsung kit over the Christmas/New year period I can honestly say that I'm thoroughly dissapointed with its performance.
I was mainly looking for a new TV but bought a bundle consisting of a KS8000 Tv, UBD-K8000 4K Blu ray player and the HWK-650 soundbar as it looked like a good deal. A week or so later when I found out that it was possible to add a couple of wireless speakers to make it a 5.1 system I purchased a pair of R1 speakers.
I've lost track of all the different ways I've tried to get this working but nothing works for me. As well as the promised firmware updates there also needs to be clear information from Samsung on the connection options for 5.1 to work.

On the subject of firmware, on page 35 Robbienobs posted on 15/02 that he had received news that... " a software update has been released to the soundbar to address customer comment over the volume level in surround mode when using the WAM Multi channel system" but after checking, leelazer and Robbienobs posted that no update was available.
There does appear to be an "update" at the support site (http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/model/HW-K650/XU) which is also dated 15 Feb, 2017 but the Upgrade File(USB type) ver 3108.9, is a lower version than the present. Can someone from Samsung clarify this?

@DreamTallStart , you mentioned that you have a 8500 4K Blu-ray. Can I ask how you have this connected to the TV. If I connect mine through the sound bar I don't get 4k at the TV. Swapping the Blu-ray for another 4k source, using the same cables etc gives 4k at TV. I'm confused with this also.

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DreamTallStart
Journeyman
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Hi Kevlarr, 

 

I have my BluRay player connected to the connect box via a 4K UHD HDMI cable, however like you I do not believe it is full 4K, the picture appears to be no better than any of the images I receive from my HD channels using Sky Q as the source. Very dissapointed also as I had expected an incredibly sharp image. To be honest I'm having so much trouble with the rear speakers, I've just over looked that issue just now!

 

Unfortunately I live in a remote (village) area with low broadband speeds (1.6M), so I'm not able to stream 4K content. BT are in the process of bringing fibre optic to the village, so hopefully I'll be able to steam 4K content from Netflix in the near future.

 

Isn't it about time someone from Samsung dropped in to give an update on progress....

 

This thread cannot be encouraging anyone to buy the Samsung sounbar/R1 setup as a 5.1 system with a Samsung TV, and even less likely if you don't have a Samsung TV! 

 

I'm only holding on here because the sound and performance is excellent when simply used through the app to stream music and I keep hoping that a firmware update will arrive to give the same performance when used as a 5.1 system through The TV. Unfortunately I don't even have the benefit of being able to work it via the optical cable to the sounbar. As soon as I group it all on the app and click done, the volume on the rears literally disappear not matter what I do. 

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Robbienobs
Pathfinder
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Hi Kevlar, 

 

I believe the update that Samsung's customer team spoke of turned out to be the one received previously that fixed the muffled sound but reduced rear speaker volume. 

 

They also stated that the next update would be for the rear speakers not the soundbar, but this is now overdue. 

 

I do think they are trying to resolve this but I think with the mixture of apps and varying firmwares, on top of numerous previous knee jerk fixes they are struggling. 

 

Samsung's after sales communication is the biggest issue for me; I had to threaten to take my kit to head office to get a response from Samsung (and not the dummy samsung set up on some far away island with robotic service centre employees). 

 

For me at the moment I can use an optical input and get usable results so can afford to give them some time, but I will contact head office now and ask for an update on the latest firmware issues. 

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confusednewbie
Student
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Hi Kevlarr,

 

I don't think the HDMI input on the soundbar is 4k compatible as I connected up my Sky Q box to it, which also outputs in 4k, and it immediately flashed up on the screen to say that it had reverted back to 1080p settings. Would be interested to know which 4k source you have connected up to it and had success with. 

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Robbienobs
Pathfinder
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Hi DazzaP, 

 

I agree confusing and contradicting at first view; from my understanding the rear speakers are always connected via WiFi to the soundbar even when using the optical/hdmi cables and are effectively "wireless" as described at all times regarding sound input. 

 

So it is actually giving a "wireless"  connection to the rear speakers, just not a wireless connection to the tv......... I guess the point I am making is this is a cleverly worded sales pitch in my view which does nothing to confuse the issues caused by firmware problems. 

 

This "multichannel" mode in my view is underdeveloped and causing all the confusion and issues. 

 

Optical workaround will suffice at the moment for me (albeit after buying a universal control so I can use one control again for tv and soundbar) but it's been 7 months since my first communication with samsung regarding sound issues, and a further two months prior to that regarding connection issues, all caused by firmware updates. 

 

The only reason I can use this kit at the moment is because someone posted on here that an optical cable helps, but nothing so useful has ever been forthcoming from Samsung

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Robbienobs
Pathfinder
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I have received a response from the Samsung customer support team; they have requested an update from the Samsung AV Technicians working on the WAM update and hopefully will advise today on when this can be expected. 

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FFwd
First Poster
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Hi, will it please be possible to link the workaround via optical cable as I have not been able to locate it as there has been so many posts.  I don't even use my system as there is just so much feedback and distorted noise that I am ready to smash it into little pieces and post it back to Samsung...

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DreamTallStart
Journeyman
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I've just discovered something else this morning... 
 
When I turned on my TV this morning along with the sky Q box and left it... The volume on my rears was nice and high, the sounbar was lower. The system sounded great.... 
 
Then the instant I touched the volume on the sounbar it killed the volume to the rears. 
 
I switched everything off again and back on so that the rears were high again and the sounbar low again. 
 
I then touched the volume on the sounbar to bring it up from 22 to 23, and straight away the volume on the surround rears literally disappeared to a whisper. Then when I put the sounbar volume back down to 22, the volume on the rears did not return to their previous level. 
 
The volume on my soundbar is definitely causing problems for the system and seems to kill the volume on the rears! 

 

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DreamTallStart
Journeyman
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This looks like good news guys... We might be getting somewhere... 

 

I sent an email to the Samsung authorised repair centre A1TV in Edinburgh explaining all the problems I've had and what I've gone through to try and fix it (see my previous posts) 

 

They forwarded on my email to Samsung UK.

 

I've just received this email back from A1TV 15 minutes ago... 

 

We have had a reply from Matt Cobb there is a software update coming out for the M5 samsung will contact you direct

Kind Regards

 

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