Design and build:

Bose 900 and Samsung Q990B soundbars are made of plastic and covered with metal grilles. Bose has a glass top panel that looks good but might attract fingerprints. The rear speakers of Q990B setup also has plastic body and metal grilles. On the other hand, the subwoofer is made of wood. Comparing Bose 900 vs Samsung Q990B, the Q990B soundbar is longer in width.

They are both suitable for large TV sizes, around 75 to 80”. They are wall mountable where the Samsung HW-990B comes with mounting brackets.

Performance:

Comparing Bose 900 vs Samsung Q990B, the HW-Q990B is a 11.1.4 channel bar whereas the 900 model has 5.1.2 configuration. Samsung HW-Q990B is a 360-sound system that consists of rear speakers and a subwoofer. A total of 15 driver array work together to deliver room-filling sound. The rear speakers deliver surround sound along with height effects. This system can create a powerful hemisphere of sound around the user. It has good clarity and richness.

It has around 100 dB SPL which means the Q990B is louder than the Bose 900. With an independent subwoofer, bass response is deep and pack a punch. Comparing the Q990B Samsung vs Bose 900, the Samsung offers more powerful surrounds, height and low ends. Both the bars deliver clear voices with a dedicated center and voice improvement option.

Bose 900 has 9 driver arrays, and it uses multiple features in order to improve the sound. PhaseGuide Technology is responsible for 3-dimensional sound whereas TrueSpace adds Atmos effects to stereo contents. For a cleaner bass, QuietPort feature comes in. The soundbar has well-defined, silky and rich sound performance. Height effects are present due to up-firing drivers.

This is a great all-in-one solution in a single bar. It has a broader soundfield that feels wider than the bar. Compared to this, the Q990B soundbar also has a wider soundstage with excellent accuracy. Users will notice that the sound follows the object on screen. Surrounds are good but comparing this to Q990B, the Samsung wins. The 900 Bose soundbar is a good choice for music. It has good instrumental sounds and can handle different music genre quite well.

Features:

Bose excels in terms of multiroom system. The 900 model can be a part of Bose ecosystem. It allows creating a maximum of 4 zones where streaming through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is supported only. While the 900 model supports both Chromecast and Airplay 2, the Q990B only has Airplay 2. Airplay allows streaming files from Apple devices and Airplay apps.

Streaming through the Samsung Q990B is different and unique due to Tap Sound feature. Here you can stream sound by touching the soundbar with the desired smartphone and play music file through it. Both the bars can play content from internet radio and online apps.

Connectivity:

Both the soundbars have optical and HDMI eARC ports. Along with these Samsung has 2 HDMI In while the Bose 900 has an Ethernet and sub out port. as well. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are available in these models.

Multiple speaker pairing:

Bose 900 is compatible with Bose Surround Speaker and Surround 700 speaker. Subwoofers are also available: Bose Bass Module 500 or 700 models. A SimpleSync feature allows connecting the bar with another device like Bose Bluetooth speaker or headphone.

Control options:

Unlike Bose 900 has only has an Action and mic mute button, Samsung offers several physical controls. This includes volume up/down, input change and mic mute options.

While they both have built-in microphones, the Q990B supports only Amazon Alexa and Bose 900 has both Alexa and Google Assistant. They have a mic mute button which means you do not have to worry about privacy. These soundbars have handy remote control. Bose has a sleek and small remote while the Q990B has a larger one. With HDMI-CEC, users are able to use the bar remote for TV or gaming console over HDMI.

Q990B’s remote control has a navigation pad along with buttons for mute, sound mode, channel level, tone control, etc. In case the bar is paired with a 2017 or up Samsung models, users can use the TV remote for the bar. The soundbars also include a mobile app named as Bose Music app and SmartThings app. Bose Music app is available for setup, controls, etc.

Settings:

Samsung Q990B is full of tweaking options. It has multiple sound modes including Game Pro, Stereo, etc. It uses SpaceFit feature for room calibration. The included subwoofer uses Auto SubEQ to enhance the low ends based on room layout. It also has a 7-band EQ, dialogue enhancement, night mode, and other options to adjust the sound. There is also virtual surround option, and you can adjust the level of rear, sub, height and center.

Bose 900 uses ADAPTiQ feature as a room calibration software. It also has voice enhancement, night mode along with bass/treble and height level adjustments. The bass and treble options is quite useful to tweak the sound as per your preference.

Cost:

Comparing Bose 900 vs Samsung Q990B, the Bose 900 is more affordable but as a standalone bar it seems costly. Samsung HW-Q990B is available for under $1000. So, between the two, a cheaper option is the Bose 900.

FAQ:

What is Q-Symphony in Samsung Q990B soundbars?

The Q-Symphony feature in the HW-Q990 soundbar allows users to connect Samsung TV (2021 and higher models) to the soundbar wirelessly. The bar syncs with the TV producing more realistic and cinematic sound. The following TV models are compatible with the bar: Frame TV Series, Q60, Q70, Q80, Q85, Q90, Q800, Q950 and Q900.

Can I create a multiroom system with Chromecast in Bose 900?

The Chromecast feature allows building multiroom system with other Chromecast enabled speakers. Stream same contents in all rooms or different in each from Tidal, Spotify, or Pandora. For control, use the Google Home app or Google Assistant.