Sony HT-S400 vs Samsung Q60C

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Let's take a look at the comparison between Sony HT-S400 and Samsung Q60C. It will become clear that among these two devices, the Q60C is more suitable for the role of a home soundbar. According to the results of our comparison, HT-S400 received 4.4 points out of 10 possible, and Q60C was rated 5.8 points.

Advantages Sony HT-S400 over Samsung Q60C

Advantages Samsung Q60C over Sony HT-S400

Audio features

The HT-S400 is rated 6 of 10 against 8 for the Q60C according to the audio features rating.

It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the HT-S400 and the Q60C.

There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound. It is worth noting one of the main differences, the HT-S400 has 2.1 channels, while the Q60C has 3.1 channels. Also, the output power of the soundbars under consideration is different, Sony HT-S400 has 330 (overall) W, and 340 (overall) W has the competitor.

Subwoofers

Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. Both reviewed devices are equipped with an external subwoofer. Competitors support wireless connection to a separate external subwoofer.

Multichannel surround

Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The HT-S400 received rating 5 out of 10 for multichannel audio processing, but the Q60C, in the same category, earned 10 out of 10 points.

The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. Dolby Atmos surround sound support is implemented only in Samsung Q60C.

DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. The manufacturer has implemented DTS:X technology only in Q60C.

Streaming services

The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services.

None of the two models is not implemented AirPlay function. The popular Spotify service cannot be used on both soundbars.

Connectivity

The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. Connectivity of competitors was rated 7 out of 10.

The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Such connection as via Wi-Fi is not possible on any of the devices in comparison.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The HT-S400 has 0/1 HDMI inputs/outputs, but the Q60C got 1/1 HDMI inputs/outputs from the manufacturer.

HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is basic for both soundbars. Connecting external devices via USB can be done on both models.

Features

Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room.

Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. In our case, the ability to control the soundbar using the app is not implemented in any of the competitors. None of these soundbars have a built-in microphone.

Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. However, it is impossible to create a multiroom system based on each of these soundbars.

Dimensions