Sound isn’t necessarily the first thing that people think about when watching shows and movies. That’s why in choosing the living room or home theater centerpiece, soundbars are usually an afterthought. The Samsung HW-Q600C Q Soundbar makes a compelling case to be what you splurge on to take your home entertainment to the next level. 

On paper, here are the top features that you’re getting with the HW-Q600C. 

• Dolby Atmos/DTS:X — 3D sound from every direction. 
• True 3.1.2ch Sound — Overhead audio with two up-firing channels.
• Q Symphony 3.0 — TV and Soundbar orchestrated in perfect harmony when paired with select Samsung TVs.
• Adaptive Sound — Sound optimized for each scene.

Set-up is also quick and easy. You have the option to use either the included HDMI cable or if you’re a stickler for a clean look, just connect via Bluetooth. Although, for best results, we recommend using the HDMI cable. Just be creative with your cable management. 

The Subwoofer also isn’t too big that it’ll distract from the look of your TV set-up. It can sit unassumingly right next to your TV stand. 

It also comes with a remote control. With it you can change the sound profile. You have four to choose from: Standard, Surround, Gamer Pro, and Adaptive. Although, I’ve mostly just used Surround. You can also control the volume of the subwoofer. If you’re using a compatible Samsung TV, you don’t really need to use it. Otherwise, it’s handy to keep around. 

So, what’s it like actually using the thing? It’s absolutely an elevated experience. 

Feel your entertainment

Feelings are never easy to describe. That’s why I say the HW-Q600C makes you feel your entertainment. Clean, clear, crisp sound has a way of immersing you in whatever you’re watching. And on certain content, the booming bass engulfs you completely. 

It’s really hard to put into words. If I were to visualize the feeling, it would look something like this: 

The booming bass, in particular, is what really sucks you in. The feeling is about as close as you’ll get to being in the VIP area of a concert or event. If you’re listening to music, you can almost feel your heartbeat synchronize with the sound. 

This is why I mostly stuck with the Surround sound profile. The two up-firing speakers go a long way in making you think like you’re actually surrounded by the sound. Then the subwoofer comes in to deliver a thumping bass. 

A new home cinema experience

I was feeling under the weather during one of the weekends that I had the HW-Q600C. I decided to have my annual rewatch of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame to help make myself feel better. It felt like a new experience again watching with the soundbar connected. 

The clearer dialogue was more heartfelt and the high-octane action more bombastic. It almost took me back to the time when I saw the films in cinema for the first time sans the loud cheers from the rest of the movie-goers. 

This feeling remains true even when you’re not watching blockbuster titles. With this set-up, I also watched a couple of weekly animé that I keep up with. In episode 42 of Jujutsu Kaisen, there was an emotional exchange between two characters. You’ll appreciate the voice acting more when experienced with the HW-Q600C. 

The same thing can be said even for short form content. I have a terrible habit of doom scrolling YouTube Shorts and TikTok before sleeping. But it’s almost an entirely different feeling too using your TV with the soundbar. It makes the already addicting content even more attention-grabbing. 

3D sound when you game 

NBA 2K23

I played three games while testing the HW-Q600C. Each one with a different feel. Each one also drastically improved with better audio. This is particularly true with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The game is a technical marvel visually. But playing with just the TV audio might leave you wanting. In fact, when I was reviewing the game, I had to resort to using headphones. This isn’t the case anymore with the HW-Q600C hooked up. It’s cliché to say, but now that I’m slowly going through my second playthrough, it is a hundred times more immersive. 

The other game I played is Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn. This one’s an actual review. It’s with this title that I had to tone down the subwoofer a little especially during combat. It gets pretty loud and thumps a lot when the characters shout their special moves. 

Lastly, there’s NBA 2K24 — my personal destresser. With the HW-Q600C, I started hearing things I couldn’t during my other playthroughs. Things like the ball bouncing and the on-court chatter sound clearer. Something about the soundbar helped isolate those sounds from the game commentary and music.  

White noise, music background

That SaChaeng verse in ‘Cry For Me’ by TWICE is intoxicating

Even when I’m not completely immersed in whatever’s on the TV, the soundbar still helped in elevating the experience. During work days, I like to have music playing, especially when I’m handling more mechanical tasks. I fire up YouTube and jump right into the TWICE, LE SSERAFIM mix on YouTube when I need a picker-upper. Other times when I’m not exactly thrilled with the kind of volume of emails I get, I turn to the angsty rock music I used to listen to in my teenage years. 

Sometimes I just have basketball or gaming podcasts playing while I sift through more work or while preparing meals. 

I probably sound like a broken record already at this point, but all these activities feel a little different when the sound is coming from such a quality machine that is the Samsung HW-Q600C Q Soundbar. It’s as if I go through my days with background music like I’m the main character of a show or movie. 

Is the Samsung HW-Q600C Q Soundbar your GadgetMatch?

It’s an easy yes if you’re looking to elevate how you experience your favorite piece of media. The Samsung HW-Q600C Q Soundbar makes you feel your entertainment in both tangible and intangible ways. It adds something extra to your favorite movies, shows, music, and everything in between.

We have to reiterate that this is an add-on. For most people, watching with just the TV audio can be perfectly fine. The soundbar is for anyone looking for more. 

It retails for PhP 23,999 or US$ 599.99. But as of writing, the soundbar is discounted at every major retailer. A quick web search showed prices as low as PhP 15,749 and US$ 329.99. That means now is the best time to grab one. 

It’s great if you’re pairing it with a Samsung TV like when I had the Samsung OLED S95C. But it works just as well with my non-Samsung TV.