77

Samsung HW T550 Review

True Score

68
71
1

Experts

19
50

Consumers

Expert Rankings

The budget-friendly Samsung HW-T550 is a great upgrade over TV speakers because of its balanced sound profile, punchy bass, customizable EQ presets, and smooth Bluetooth pairing. However, the laggy Bluetooth, limited soundstage, inaccurate surround sound, and occasionally disconnecting subwoofer won’t appeal to cinephiles.

Overview

Released in 2020, the Samsung HW-T550 is a budget 2.1-channel soundbar that touts a wide stereo soundstage to fill large living rooms.

Similar to some of the highest-rated speakers available today, this soundbar can get extremely loud, which is excellent for those looking for a soundbar that can do the job during parties and events.

However, unlike the highest-ranked soundbars in the industry, it does not have Dolby Atmos for a wide surround soundstage.

The soundbar features a wireless wooden subwoofer unit that connects to the model using Bluetooth, which is the only available wireless connectivity method as it lacks Wi-Fi, Chromecast, or Apple AirPlay.

Thankfully, it does have one of the later versions of Bluetooth, which means you can connect multiple devices (up to two) to stream audio wirelessly.

In terms of wired connectivity, the Samsung HW-T550 soundbar features one HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) passthrough port (but sadly, it isn’t full-speed, meaning it can’t pass through a 4K signal), one optical audio port, and a USB 2.0 port to play audio files from external hard drives and thumb drives without much hassle, but lacks any 3.5 mm auxiliary audio jack.

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

our Verdict

The Samsung HW-T550 soundbar easily connects to TVs using Bluetooth, full HDMI, and ARC, but the wireless subwoofer occasionally disconnects from the soundbar.

While you won’t face any audio disturbances, there’s no low-latency Bluetooth support, resulting in delays during movies. The sound signature is well-balanced with punchy bass, but there’s no Atmos, the surround sound is inaccurate, and the stereo soundstage could be wider.

The handy OneRemote allows for quick adjustments like tweaking the EQ settings. The HW-T550 sports a metal grille, and its plastic build seems durable, but the subwoofer’s low-quality construction and fragile speaker fabric can be displeasing.

It has responsive input commands, and toggles between seven EQ presets based on your preferences. However, the lack of a smartphone app limits convenience.

True Score

68

Reasons to Buy

  • Seamless wired connectivity
  • No audio disturbances
  • Balanced sound with perfect bass
  • Easy to use OneRemote
  • Durable build
  • Seven EQ presets

Reasons to Avoid

  • Wireless subwoofer disconnects at times
  • Bluetooth connection causes lag
  • Relatively flat soundstage
  • No Dolby Atmos
  • Inaccurate surround sound
  • Low-quality subwoofer build
  • Speaker fabric prone to tearing
  • No app

Specifications

Bluetooth EnabledYes
Depth3.4"
Dialogue Enhancement FeatureYes
Energy Star CertifiedYes
HDMI ARCYes
Height2.2"
Number of Channels2.1
SubwooferIncluded
Surround Sound SupportedDolby Digital, DTS, DTS Virtual:X, DTS:X
Voice AssistantNo
Wall MountableYes
Weight4.6 lbs
Width33.9"
Wireless ConnectivityBluetooth
Wireless Subwoofer ConnectivityYes
Works WithBluetooth, Remote Control

All Specs

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Product Comparison

True Score

68
69
78
NR

Ranking

#

77

/

153

#

76

/

153

#

22

/

153

#

/

Market Context

Released in 2020, the Samsung HW-T550 is a budget 2.1-channel soundbar that touts a wide stereo soundstage to fill large living rooms. Similar to some of…

Released in 2020, the Samsung HW-T550 is a budget 2.1-channel soundbar that touts a wide stereo soundstage to fill large living rooms.

Similar to some of the highest-rated speakers available today, this soundbar can get extremely loud, which is excellent for those looking for a soundbar that can do the job during parties and events.

However, unlike the highest-ranked soundbars in the industry, it does not have Dolby Atmos for a wide surround soundstage.

The soundbar features a wireless wooden subwoofer unit that connects to the model using Bluetooth, which is the only available wireless connectivity method as it lacks Wi-Fi, Chromecast, or Apple AirPlay.

Thankfully, it does have one of the later versions of Bluetooth, which means you can connect multiple devices (up to two) to stream audio wirelessly.

In terms of wired connectivity, the Samsung HW-T550 soundbar features one HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) passthrough port (but sadly, it isn’t full-speed, meaning it can’t pass through a 4K signal), one optical audio port, and a USB 2.0 port to play audio files from external hard drives and thumb drives without much hassle, but lacks any 3.5 mm auxiliary audio jack.

The Samsung HW-A550 is essentially a newer version of the Samsung HW-T550 soundbar, and as a result, both perform very similarly in all regards, and…

The Samsung HW-A550 is essentially a newer version of the Samsung HW-T550 soundbar, and as a result, both perform very similarly in all regards, and both feature a 2.1-channel speaker setup. However, the newer A550 soundbar does have more EQ presets than the T550. It also features a full-speed HDMI passthrough that the older T550 soundbar lacks. But the T550 features a better subwoofer than the A550 that can reproduce slightly more low-extended bass.

Despite both coming with a 2.1-channel speaker setup, the Samsung HW-T550 features a wider stereo soundstage than the Sony HT-S350 soundbar. The HW-T550 also comes…

Despite both coming with a 2.1-channel speaker setup, the Samsung HW-T550 features a wider stereo soundstage than the Sony HT-S350 soundbar. The HW-T550 also comes with a better wooden wireless subwoofer than the S350 soundbar that reproduces more extended low bass out of the box. In addition, the T550 features a flatter frequency response curve than the HT-S350 soundbar, resulting in better vocals, dialogues, and high-pitched notes with a neutral true-to-life sound profile.

Both the JBL Bar 2.1 and the Samsung HW-T550 soundbars feature a similar 2.1 channel speaker setup and perform almost identically in all aspects. However,…

Both the JBL Bar 2.1 and the Samsung HW-T550 soundbars feature a similar 2.1 channel speaker setup and perform almost identically in all aspects. However, the JBL soundbar does have a built-in microphone and supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa natively, which the Samsung model lacks. The JBL Bar 2.1 also features Wi-Fi, but the T550 doesn’t.

Bluetooth Enabled

Yes

Yes

Yes

Depth

3.4"

3.3"

3.5"

Dialogue Enhancement Feature

Yes

Yes

na

Energy Star Certified

Yes

Yes

HDMI ARC

Yes

Yes

na

Height

2.2"

2.2"

2.5"

Dig Deeper

Read review →: Samsung A550 Soundbar Review Read review →: Sony HT S350 Review

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

71

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

19

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

68

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

  • Rtings
    A

    Trust Score

    71
    The Samsung HW-T550 is a decent overall soundbar. This 2.1 setup has a well-balanced sound… read more

    By:

    Jake Thauvette

Customer Score Breakdown

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