Samsung HW-Q990H vs Bluesound PULSE CINEMA Soundbar Comparison

Samsung HW-Q990H vs Bluesound PULSE CINEMA

Samsung HW-Q990H

11.1.4-channel | $1,998

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Bluesound PULSE CINEMA

3.2.2-channel | $1,499

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Samsung HW-Q990H vs Bluesound PULSE CINEMA: the short answer

Across 13 features we can compare from the published specs, the Samsung HW-Q990H comes out ahead on 10 and the Bluesound PULSE CINEMA on 0. The biggest difference for movies is height: the Samsung HW-Q990H has 4 ceiling-firing channels and the Bluesound PULSE CINEMA has 2. Only the Samsung HW-Q990H comes with a subwoofer, which matters when comparing the prices.

Reasons to choose Samsung HW-Q990H over Bluesound PULSE CINEMA

Channel layout: 11.1.4 vs 3.2.2
Height channels: 4 vs 2
DTS:X: Yes vs No
HDMI inputs: 2 vs 0
Subwoofer: Included vs Optional
Rear speakers: Included vs Optional
Room correction: Yes vs No
Streaming: Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect vs Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect
Voice assistant: Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional vs Alexa optional
Dialogue enhancement: Yes vs No

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Samsung HW-Q990H	Bluesound PULSE CINEMA
Channel layout Counts speaker channels the bar actually has. More ear-level and height channels means a wider, taller sound field.	11.1.4	3.2.2
Height channels Drivers aimed at the ceiling, which is what makes Dolby Atmos sound overhead rather than just wide.	4	2
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
DTS:X	Yes	No
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.	2	0
Video pass-through	4K	—
Subwoofer Included beats optional beats none: a separate subwoofer is where deep bass comes from.	Included	Optional
Rear speakers Real rear speakers put effects behind you; without them surround is simulated from the front.	Included	Optional
Room correction	Yes	No
Streaming	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect
Voice assistant Built in, rather than through a separate smart speaker.	Alexa built-in, Google Assistant optional	Alexa optional
Dialogue enhancement	Yes	No
Height Lower is less likely to block the bottom of the TV picture.	2.88 in	2.94 in
Width / suits TVs from Neither is better: match the bar to your TV. See the size simulator below.	48.5 in / 65-inch	47.06 in / 55-inch
Drivers in the bar	15	12
Power (total, as published) Makers rate soundbar power differently, so the totals are not a like-for-like comparison.	—	599 W
Weight	16.1 lbs	14.75 lbs
List price	$1,998	$1,499

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 Samsung HW-Q990H, the dashed outline the Bluesound PULSE CINEMA. Pick your TV size and how it stands to see whether either would cover the picture.

Full Specifications

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.

Bluesound PULSE CINEMA Specifications

Sound
Channels	3.2.2
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	No
Drivers	Tweeters: 0.75" Dome (5); Midrange: 1.5"x3" Cone (5); Woofers: 4" (Cone (2); Enclosure: Passive Radiator
Power (bar, total)	599 watts
Subwoofer	Optional
Rear speakers	Optional
Virtual surround	Surround Upmixer
Dialogue enhancement	No
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	No
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	0
HDMI version	2.0
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	RCA
USB	USB-A
Subwoofer output	Mono-RCA, Wireless
HDMI CEC	No
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ac
Bluetooth	No
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn
Voice control	Alexa optional
App	Apple iOS, Android
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	47.06 x 2.94 x 5.56 in / 1195 x 75 x 141 mm
Weight	14.75 lbs / 6.69 kg
Wall mounting	Yes (bracket included)
Warranty	1 Year parts, 1 Year labour
List price	$1,499

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

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