Music is always been different for everyone, the same song can portray different meanings for different people. So it is always been very confusing among the buyers what kind of music taste they have and what should they get, for different kinds of music. Also what is the purpose of the soundbar you are buying, is it for Music listening or Movie nights? So it depends from person to person. With all that in mind let’s explore Samsung B550/XL Soundbar.
Samsung is a household name in the Indian consumer market, be it TV, Soundbar or any other product they always innovate and stay on the edge. They have built trust among consumers with their excellent products and service all over India. So it is not a shock to us if you are searching good soundbar and you are going with Samsung.
Let’s clear out the doubt first about Why Choose Soundbars Instead Of Home Theatre Setups? Home theatre setups are costlier and need proper planning and wiring and where to install them. Tangling with wires or exposed wiring, many don’t like it. The solution is a soundbar setup. They sit at the front mostly, with a subwoofer which can be connected wirelessly or through a wire, but the point is they are minimal and occupy a little space. Now lets jump into Samsung B550/XL Soundbar Review.
Samsung B550/XL Soundbar Review
Samsung B550/XL Wireless Subwoofer
- Wireless Sound
- Game Mode
- Bass Boost
- Single Remote Control
- 410 W Output Power
- LED Display
- One Remote Control
- Dolby 5 Channel Sound
- 5 Speakers
Samsung B550/XL Specifications
It is 2.1 channel soundbar from Samsung with a total output of 410 Watts. The soundbar has four speakers which give a total output of 160 Watts and the subwoofer gives an output of 250 Watts, the subwoofer connects with the soundbar wirelessly. It comes with different types of connectivity options like Bluetooth, Optical, HDMI arc, and USB. It misses some connectivity options like AUX and SPDIF connections.
For different scenarios and use cases it has different Sound Modes like Bass Boost, Surround Sound Expansion, Game, Adaptive Lite, DTS Virtual: X and Standard mode.
| Samsung B550/XL | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Power | 160 + 250 W |
| Net Weight (Main Speaker) | 2.1 Kg |
| Net Weight (Sub Woofer) | 5.1 Kg |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, HDMI Arc, HDMI Passthrough, Optical Connection, USB Connection |
| Remote Controller | Included |
| Mounting Hardware | Included |
| Net Dimension (Main Speaker) (WxHxD) | 860.0 x 59.4 x 75.0 mm |
| Net Dimension (Sub Woofer) (WxHxD) | 184.0 x 346.0 x 295.0 mm |
Design
Design is a very important aspect of any product. Samsung has focused on the design very well. It comes with a very sleek design, nothing glossy or fancy design elements are used. So it will fit most people’s set-up very easily and complement it. If you have 43 inches or 50-inch TV it is a perfect fit, it will sit quietly under the TV without being an obstruction in your viewing experience. It has a front metal grill which looks excellent and with its slim profile, it adds to your setup.
The subwoofer sits on the floor, and with its industrial looks, it just bends with any sort of interior design. Readers may think why the hell he is talking about design so much. Yeah we know the sound is the most important aspect of a soundbar, some people also consider the design, and how it will fit in their home. So overall Samsung B550/XL is beautiful, sleek and modern. Let’s see about the other aspects of the Samsung B550/XL.
Connectivity
Samsung gives many options for connecting this soundbar to a television or using it as a standalone product. To connect Samsung B550/XL to a TV it offers an HDMI Arc connection which offers excellent sound quality and also enables the support for Dolby Digital and DTX virtual experience. Whenever you are streaming a movie which has Dolby Digital audio you can experience it via your soundbar.
Also, HDMI passthrough is supported. Besides that, it has Bluetooth connectivity with support for SBC and AAC codec which enables streaming of mp3 files of higher bit rates. For seamlessly connecting your phone and TV via Bluetooth it supports multiple Bluetooth connections. It surely adds to a premium experience.
It also supports optical connection and USB playback which many people still use for music listening. If you are one of them, Samsung B550/XL got you covered.
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| HDMI Arc | Yes |
| HDMI Passthrough | Yes |
| Optical Connection | Yes |
| USB Connection | Yes |
| Supported Audio Formats | AAC, WAV, FLAC, MP3, OGG, AIFF |
But what about sound? Tell us about it!
Sound Quality
Finally, the discussion come for which you guys are waiting eagerly. But as we talked about earlier there is no clear-cut answer when it comes to Sound.
This soundbar offers excellent sound quality. You will find the minute details in every song which you have never listened to due to a mediocre soundbar you are using previously. The instruments in this soundbar sound excellent with crystal-clear highs. In one word you can feel the ‘Chan Chan’ in Bollywood music or in classical. It is pretty detailed in the high frequency, and you will definitely enjoy the beats of the Samsung B550/XL.
The midrange or vocal may sound a little sharp in some songs as it is tuned V-shaped. The warmth in the vocals is clearly due, but manageable. If you are the kind of person who is sensitive about vocals it may not be the right choice for you. Don’t get me wrong, the vocals come out good all I wanted is some more warmth in the vocals. But it offers excellent clarity at this price, and the voice does not get muffled.
In the lower side of the frequency range, it just shines. The subwoofer does its job very well. The thumpyness it offers is amazing. You can literally feel the bass. It is sweet and overall elevates the music listening, but not overpowering at all. Also for watching shows and cinema it offers excellent dialogue delivery even in action sequences.
So the overall sound quality of the Samsung B550/XL is excellent, and Indian consumers will definitely enjoy its sound signature.
Sound Signature: V-shaped
Extras
Many of you are getting this for movie watching, so you may be clearly thinking about how it is movie watching. It has a great surround sound experience with Dolby Digital, also the dialogue delivery in different scenarios is great. DTS Virtual X creates spacious 3D sound, including the feeling of height through audio processing techniques. It has some differences which come in very handy. Like
Adaptive Sound Lite
The soundbar automatically analyzes your sound sources to optimize the audio track for your specific content. Whether it’s a loud sports match or a drama with quiet dialogue, you can count on the best soundbar to provide clear sounds for optimized TV viewing.
Game Mode
It offers an immersive and rich gaming experience with great sound effects.
Night Mode
It compresses the bass and delivers vocals in a quiet way.
Voice Enhance
Sometimes it is very hard to understand the dialogue like you in our British drama series Peaky Blinders, it is very hard. This mode enhances the dialogues so you can hear them clearly. Other than this there is also Bass boost, Surround sound enhancement mode.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent clarity
- Lower bass sound excellent
- Adequate connectivity options
- Good sound signature
- Loud
- Instrument separation is great
- DTX Virtual X spatializes the sound
Cons
- Sharp vocals can be an issue for some people
- No option to control bass, treble separately
- No 4K HDR passthrough
Conclusion
Samsung B550/XL is an excellent choice for under 20000. It has a great set of features like different modes, a sleek modern design and excellent sound quality for both music and movie-watching experiences. Overall Samsung B550/XL is a great package, if you are looking for the best home theatre and soundbars check it out, we already have a detailed article about it.
Hopefully, till now you have made the decision, if you have liked the article share it with your friends and family who are looking for the same. Until then take care and enjoy your holiday. Signing off.
FAQs: Best Samsung B550/XL Review
1. Does Samsung B550/XL have Dolby atmos support?
No. It only supports Dolby Digital and DTS Virtual X.
2. How many speakers Samsung B550/XL has?
Four in the soundbar and one in the subwoofer, so a total of five speakers.
3. Are different modes useful or gimmick?
No different modes are not gimmicked at all, they enhance the sound as per their description quite well.
