Samsung HW-QS700F speaker bar review: complex design, automatic adjustment

It’s great to see Samsung offer new things for 2025. Over the past few years, the company has been updating its existing designs, especially its best-quality speakers. I was very surprised when CES’s company() saw something brand new on CES. This model doesn’t have the immersive sound provided by more expensive fellows, but there are several handy features including the ability to adapt to which way you place it.

The QS700F is only unveiled at dolby Atmos in a 3.1.2 channel speaker configuration. Eight total drivers provide sound here, much smaller than the 11.1.4 channel sound on the exploded Q990F. But the QS700F costs half the cost, and this affordable, adaptable model will serve you for those living in smaller spaces or smaller living rooms.

design

With the QS700F, Samsung narrowed the extra angle of the Q990F because there is no side drive drive here. This gives the soundbar a simplified, brick-like rectangular shape, with little attention in front of the TV. The QS700F is also short when placed horizontally on a table or mantle, which means it won’t stop your TV.

Samsung chose to use a fixed, round perforated speaker grille around the sides and back to wrap the entire surface. On the top, there is a more refined horizontal cover that gives the soundbar a more refined look. This also means that when you flip and rotate it to mount it on the wall, you will get the best side of the speaker. While the included wireless subwoofer won’t win any design awards, it’s a compact unit with a square of less than 10 inches.

To keep the appearance clean, Samsung placed its logo on the side instead of the front. It also keeps the onboard controls simple, which is important because they will show up significantly if the soundbar is mounted with wall mounts. These buttons are the basic icons for source, volume and power, and the color is color so they blend well even in line of sight. Around the back you will find wired connections: HDMI input (EARC), an HDMI output and an optical port.

Like most Soundbars, the QS700F has some LEDs on the front as a visual cues when adjusting the volume or making other adjustments. But when you raise or lower the volume, there is an annoying mini-lighting show. A flashing LED is enough each time the button is pressed. There is also an LED that blinks when the note bar is muted, which I think is a too many step. You might think that if you use soundbars in other directions you can avoid seeing them, but I regret to notify you that if the QS700F wall-mounted wall-mounted there is another set of LEDs on the top.

Software and features

There are many features to discuss on the QS700F, but the most important feature is called convertible fitting. There is an accelerometer inside the soundbar that detects whether you place the speaker on the wall or mount it on the wall. It will then automatically adjust which drivers’ front and back channels come from which drivers. The driver positioning ensures that the correct section unit is tilted correctly and is filled with sound in both positions in the room. The convertible fit works very well and I can’t tell the huge difference in audio quality between the two directions. It sounds like the center channel (vocals and dialogue) is slightly larger in the wall-mounted position, but that’s not too much attention.

Other notable tools include wireless Dolby Atmospheric with compatible TVs as well as Wi-Fi Connectivity Powers AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Roon Service, and Tidal Connect. Interestingly, the QS700F and Samsung’s virtual assistant Bixby cannot be used for voice controls. Instead, you will hire Google Assistant through Google Home.

Then there are some convenient features that require Samsung TVs, as they are the main features of speakers and therefore need to be considered. First is Samsung’s Q-Myphony Tech, which allows you to use the TV speaker in line with the speaker. This will produce “more powerful, more subtle sound” and can also improve clarity with certain models equipped with AI-Ai-Apecy TVS. Since I don’t have a Samsung TV, I can’t test this, but I can’t see that more speakers can be a bad thing.

If you have one of the TVs with a built-in microphone, you can only calibrate with Samsung’s SpaceFit Sound Pro Room. For this purpose, the QS700F does not have a microphone, so if you don’t have one of the monitors you need, you’ll have to settle in for stock adjustments. You will also miss the Active Voice Amplifier Pro, as this model does not support more powerful dialog tweaks. There is a voice enhancement mode on the QS700F, but it is not powerful. Want to use wireless Dolby Atmos? It can only be used with 2022-2025 Samsung TVs, which makes it another proprietary feature.

Another position behind Samsung’s flagship Q990F Soundbar is video propagation. The latter offers 4K at 120Hz, while the QS700F manages 4K only at 60Hz. I realize that this doesn’t matter to a lot of people, but it can be disappointing for gamers and movie lovers.

Like other recent Samsung speakers, the QS700F can be controlled via the SmartThings app. It contains a variety of presets, settings and other options, including the ability to adjust channel output, fine-tune audio synchronization, and switch input. Since most of the things you do here are related to audio performance, I will talk more about the app later.

Sound quality

The QS700F provides 3.1.2 channel audio and supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X. Thanks to the driver that caused the startup, this is the real Atmos sound, unlike some Soundbars that only offer virtualized versions. Of the eight speakers in the soundbar, the QS700F has three main channels and two breathing channels. Of course, the “1” in the middle is the wireless subwoofer.

Overall, the QS700F has a clear and clear sound, providing plenty of detail for film and music. Despite the smaller package, the compact still produces a lot of booming bass, so there is a lot of thunder in the action scenes Top Gun: Mavericks. The audio bar can also handle all directional audio Formula One: Driving to survive. I did notice that the overall immersion is not as high as the Sonos Arc Ultra, and I just moved out to install the QS700F. This is not surprising, but it does highlight the limitations of the 3.1.2 channel soundbar. For smaller spaces with four right angles, they are good enough, but the high ceilings and irregular rooms do require more channels and rear speakers.

In music, the vocals through the central channel are prominent, and for some listeners, they may be overdoing it. You can adjust this in the app, but I don’t mind. The highs and lows are both presented properly, and the subwoofer hits when the song needs it. If you want the QS700F to be used as a music setting in addition to enhanced TV audio, Soundbar will provide you with good service. As I’ve already mentioned, it supports multiple ways to tune from your phone without having to get off the sofa.

There are a variety of sound modes to help you find the right adjustments for the content. These include Surrounding, Game Professional, Adaptive, DTS Virtual:X and Standard. I found that adaptability is best for all-around use because it automatically adjusts the audio based on what is being played. And, unless you really want to solve the settings regularly, adaptive allows you to “set it and forget it” while still letting the QS700F’s sound power shine.

In Advanced Sound Settings, there are some options for sound and bass enhancement as well as a convenient night mode that lowers the low frequency when someone in your home is sleeping. There are also some settings for medium bass that provide “deep, rich bass sound” and simulate a wider sound field without rear speakers. You can clearly hear that enabling presets and modes will change the audio to some extent, so their utilities may depend on when and where you use the QS700F.

compete

Both Samsung and Sony have new 3.1.2 channels Dolby Atmos Soundbars for 2025. Of course, there is no neat direction trick for the QS700F, but there are still many direct similarities between the two. They all come with subwoofers in the box and offer a variety of sound modes. Dolby Atmos and DTS: X audio on the BAR 6 is greatly helped by speakers and Sony’s virtual surround sound technology. Like Samsung, some features require one of the company’s TVs – such as the AI-Power Zoom 3 dialog Boost. Sony’s soundbar is priced at $650 and will not save you the QS700F at the full price.

Let’s not forget Sonos. This is the closest thing to the QS700F in the company’s lineup, but there are some warnings. The beam does not have a speaker that starts, so the Atmos sound is completely virtualized and you can tell the difference. You can indeed swap TV audio from Ace headsets, but you have to fight the battle that is going on. The newer crossbars are cheap at $499, but with a subwoofer added, you’ll definitely expect to spend another $429 (sub mini) or $700 (Part 4). This add-on makes this option more expensive than the QS700F.

wrap up

It’s the fresh air of Samsung’s home theater lineup, and it offers something new when its flagship Q990 model has only a modest refresh. Of course, some of the most convenient features require one of the company’s TVs, but that’s how Samsung and some competitions have been running for years. The biggest item you’ll miss is room calibration, especially if you plan to use the QS700F in a space with high ceilings or a lot of angles.

Apart from warnings, the best thing about speakers is their automatic orientation adjustment. If your TV and/or its location changes, change it before you are ready to upgrade your audio settings, which gives you a second option. The QS700F’s eyes are easy, and these devices aren’t always the case. So ultimately, if you’re willing to endure the limitations of Dolby Atmos in 3.1.2, the combination of functionality, design and audio performance makes this note bar a worthwhile contender.