Dolby Atmos soundbar systems have become incredibly popular in recent years, and with very good reason. The combination of a soundbar, wireless surrounds and a wireless subwoofer can, in the best cases, get pretty close to delivering the experience of having an AV receiver and 11 individual speakers in your living room – but with vastly less clutter and complication.
The best Dolby Atmos soundbar system is the new Samsung Q990D, but that still costs well over £1000 (the best price I've found is £1175 at Amazon).
The previous model, the Q990C, isn't quite as good, but it's not far off, and it's currently available for a record-low £739 at AO.
A discount that massive is too hard to ignore, and that's the one I would buy even though the Q990D is ultimately better.
Now, before you barge head-long into purchasing, there is a catch: you need to be an 'AO Five Star' member to get that price. If you already are a member, you're all set, but non-members will need to pay £40 to join.
Ordinarily, that would put me off recommending a deal, but in this case the total cost of joining and then paying for the Q990C (£779) is still much lower than the cheapest price you'll find the soundbar for anywhere else.
Of course, if you really, really don't want to sign up for a membership, the standard non-member price of £809 is still lower than the Q990C has been previously. You can also get it for that price at Amazon if you prefer – click here to buy the Samsung Q990C for £809 at Amazon.
The Samsung Q990C soundbar package earned a respectable four-star review when we put it through its paces in our test room recently. We were impressed with its sense of scale, height and weight. Setting up the system is effortless and takes no time at all, which is always appreciated.
The main soundbar features centre, left, and right channels beneath its front grille which consist of 110 x 52mm racetrack drivers and a 52mm tweeter. On each end of the bar, there are ‘side’ and ‘wide’ full-range drivers. There are also two 50mm full-range up-firing drivers, one on either end of the bar which are used to help create the effect of Dolby Atmos audio.
The two surround speakers in the Q990C each house three drivers. The setup sees one driver firing forwards, one firing sideways, and one firing upwards. They combine well with the main soundbar to fill out the sound field and create a three-dimensional audio experience in quite an impressive way. The subwoofer adds weighty, extended low-end and integrates well with the rest of the system, creating an enjoyable, cohesive sound.
If you want something offering a full, rich and easy-going sound to improve your home cinema experience, then this deal on the Samsung Q990C is worth a look!
MORE:
Read our full Samsung Q990C review
These are the best soundbars recommended by our experts
These are the best surround sound systems we've reviewed
