Naim Mu-so Utopia vs Samsung HW-Q990H Soundbar Comparison

Naim Mu-so Utopia vs Samsung HW-Q990H

Naim Mu-so Utopia

7.1.2-channel | $6,500

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Samsung HW-Q990H

11.1.4-channel | $1,998

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Naim Mu-so Utopia vs Samsung HW-Q990H: the short answer

We can compare 12 features from the published specs. The Samsung HW-Q990H is ahead on 8, the Naim Mu-so Utopia on none, and 4 are ties. The biggest difference for movies is height: the Samsung HW-Q990H has 4 ceiling-firing channels and the Naim Mu-so Utopia has 2. Only the Samsung HW-Q990H comes with a subwoofer, which matters when comparing the prices.

Reasons to choose Samsung HW-Q990H over Naim Mu-so Utopia

Channel layout: 11.1.4 vs 7.1.2
Height channels: 4 vs 2
DTS:X: Yes vs No
HDMI inputs: 2 vs 0
Subwoofer: Included vs Optional
Rear speakers: Included vs None
Voice assistant: Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional vs Works with Siri and Google Home
Height: 2.88 in vs 4.65 in

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Naim Mu-so Utopia	Samsung HW-Q990H
Channel layout Counts speaker channels the bar actually has. More ear-level and height channels means a wider, taller sound field.	7.1.2	11.1.4
Height channels Drivers aimed at the ceiling, which is what makes Dolby Atmos sound overhead rather than just wide.	2	4
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
DTS:X	No	Yes
HDMI to the TV eARC carries lossless Dolby TrueHD and Atmos from the TV; plain ARC compresses them.	eARC	eARC
HDMI inputs A spare HDMI port for a games console or disc player.	0	2
Video pass-through	—	4K
Subwoofer Included beats optional beats none: a separate subwoofer is where deep bass comes from.	Optional	Included
Rear speakers Real rear speakers put effects behind you; without them surround is simulated from the front.	None	Included
Room correction	Yes	Yes
Streaming	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect
Voice assistant Built in, rather than through a separate smart speaker.	Works with Siri and Google Home	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional
Dialogue enhancement	—	Yes
Height Lower is less likely to block the bottom of the TV picture.	4.65 in	2.88 in
Width / suits TVs from Neither is better: match the bar to your TV. See the size simulator below.	39.37 in / 50-inch	48.5 in / 65-inch
Drivers in the bar	15	15
Power (total, as published) Makers rate soundbar power differently, so the totals are not a like-for-like comparison.	720 W	—
Weight	31.1 lbs	16.1 lbs
List price	$6,500	$1,998

Green marks the better figure where one is better. Dashes are specs the maker does not publish.

Size: Both Soundbars in Front of a TV

Drawn to scale. The solid bar is the Naim Mu-so Utopia, the dashed outline the Samsung HW-Q990H. Pick your TV size and how it stands to see whether either would cover the picture.

Full Specifications

Naim Mu-so Utopia Specifications

Sound
Channels	7.1.2
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	No
Drivers	Front: 3 x 6x3in woofers, 2 x 2.75in M-profile W-cone midrange, 2 x 1in PRISM tweeters; Sides: 4 x 1.5x2.75in full-range; Top: 4 x 1.5x2.75in full-range; Amplifiers: Class A/B (tweeters) and Class D, 3 x 84 W + 10 x 42 W + 2 x 24 W
Power (bar, total)	720 watts
Subwoofer	Optional
Rear speakers	None
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	Yes
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	0
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	No
USB	No
Subwoofer output	RCA (stereo pair)
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ax
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL
Voice control	Works with Siri and Google Home
App	Focal & Naim app (iOS, Android)
Remote included	No
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	39.37 x 4.65 x 11.61 in / 1000 x 118 x 295 mm
Weight	31.1 lbs / 14.1 kg
Wall mounting	No
List price	$6,500

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

Samsung HW-Q990H Specifications

Sound
Channels	11.1.4
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	Yes
Drivers	Tweeters: Dome (3); Woofers: Cones (12); Subwoofer: 8" Cone; Enclosure: Sealed(Bar),Radiator(Sub)
Subwoofer	Included
Rear speakers	Included
Virtual surround	Surround Sound Expansion
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	Yes
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	2
Video pass-through	4K
HDMI version	2.1
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	No
USB	No
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ac
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, YouTube Music
Voice control	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional
App	Apple iOS, Android
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	No
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	48.5 x 2.88 x 5.5 in / 1232 x 73 x 140 mm
Weight	16.1 lbs / 7.3 kg
Subwoofer size	9.75 x 9.88 x 10.44 in (W x H x D), 18.3 lbs
Wall mounting	Yes (bracket included)
Warranty	1 Year parts, 1 Year labour
List price	$1,998

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

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