Honestly there is absolutely no chance I would be purchasing Sonos with that money. I would go for a true setup with it instead.
Comparison
Home Entertainment
Samsung HW-Q990F 11.1.4ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Best Full Surround Dolby Atmos Soundbar System
The Samsung HW-Q990F is a complete home theater audio system in one box: 11.1.4 channels, a redesigned wireless subwoofer, wireless rear speakers with upfiring drivers, HDMI 2.1 passthrough, and support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. It addresses the Sonos Arc Ultra's biggest gaps (passthrough, DTS, surrounds) and undercuts it by $100 CAD. The predecessor Q990D had a significant firmware bricking incident — the Q990F is the fixed follow-up.
10 mentions · 5 threadslast mention Jun 20268.5/ 10
ClearPick Score
Very Good
Score informed by 10 owner mentions across 5 Reddit threads · see every quote ↓
7 positive1 mixed2 negative
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Best Full Surround Dolby Atmos Soundbar System
Samsung HW-Q990F 11.1.4ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar
~$1298 CAD est. on Amazon.ca
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Every mention, sourced
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
Great write up. I just picked up the Q990F for $1499 the Arc and components is currently $3700. Hard to justify the price difference in my opinion.
Comparison
I fell for the 990F talk in this sub, and I am pretty satisfied. Got it from woot (still available at the same price) + a discount from RetailMeNot. Right now, I still have to experiment on placement For me, it's an upgrade, as the other place has an old Vizio sound bar / sub with and old Vizio TV.
Praise
Life's over for you. You'll be sticking your ear to the top and side speakers all the time to enjoy that feeling of Dolby Atmos or DTS: X content. Enjoy!
Mention
Was truly torn on this or the Q990D at major discount. This sealed the deal. It really is the exact same soundbar with just a better sub. IMO no sub in Soundbar Land is worth an up to $900 premium over its predecessor. Q990D it is. Now just a matter of waiting for the big price drop.
Comparison
I just replaced an M-Series Elevate with the Q990F. The Vizio was a terrific 5.1.2 soundbar but the Q990F is in a different league. I bought it on Woot for $967 with an Amazon Prime Visa (5% back in Amazon rewards) and RetailMeNot gave me another $50. I doubt you'll save much more over that on Black Friday.
Comparison
One thing though, I had an F series sub and did not like it whatsoever. I much prefer the D series sub. You could always give it a shot and return? I did and it was pretty seamless.
Complaint
Just bought mine yesterday. To be collected today. Richersounds price matched Crampton and Moore at £699 then beat it by £10. Bargain, if I do say so myself.
Praise
Got 990F for £890. Sonos for the same setup, costs around £2400. I would spend that much money for a proper home theatre system, than getting a Sonos.
Comparison
Found a HW-Q990F on sale brand-new in the box for $880 USD. Paired with a lg c9 OLED and it's a truly surreal experience. Immediately snatched it as soon as I could. Sounds insane, can't really turn it up beyond 30 volume without being a nuisance to the others in my home. Coming from a logitech z906 the difference is insane!
Praise
✅ What Works
- True 11.1.4 surround with wireless rears included in the box — this is a full home theater audio system that competes with dedicated AV receivers at a fraction of the complexity. The wireless rear speakers with upfiring drivers create genuinely immersive overhead surround
- HDMI 2.1 passthrough means you can run your devices through the soundbar without losing video quality or HDR — a feature the Sonos Arc Ultra lacks entirely at a similar price
- DTS:X and Dolby Atmos both supported — physical Blu-ray collections with DTS-HD tracks work at full quality, something Sonos can't offer
- Q-Symphony integration with Samsung TVs turns your TV speakers into additional channels — if you own a compatible Samsung TV, the combined system is genuinely more immersive than the soundbar alone
⚠️ Worth Knowing
- The 2024 Q990D was bricked by a firmware update — Samsung issued free repairs, but the incident raised reliability concerns about auto-updates on premium hardware. The Q990F addresses this with improved update protocols, but it's in the product's recent history
- Setup complexity is real — 11 channels with wireless rears, a subwoofer, and SmartThings integration is more involved than a single-bar system. The payoff is worth it for home theater enthusiasts, but casual users may find it overwhelming
- Rear speaker placement matters significantly — the wireless rears need to be within 4-5 feet of the listening position and have a clear line of sight to the main bar to maintain wireless connection. Not all room layouts accommodate this cleanly
- Physical footprint is substantial — the subwoofer cube (redesigned for Q990F to be more compact) still requires floor space near your TV setup
ClearPick Verdict
The Samsung HW-Q990F is the most complete soundbar system available in Canada — 11.1.4 channels, wireless rears, HDMI passthrough, and full DTS:X + Dolby Atmos support in one box at $1,298 CAD. It outperforms the Sonos Arc Ultra in surround immersion and connectivity, and it's the right pick for anyone who wants a full home theater audio system without running wires. The Q990D firmware incident is worth knowing, and the wireless rear connectivity can be finicky in crowded Wi-Fi environments.
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