New HW-Q990B soundbar experiencing intermittent sound drops. This is NOT the rear/subwoofer speaker disconnect problem. All sound from all speakers cuts out for a second, returns, cuts out again and then continues as normal for awhile. Video is never interrupted and it occurs during non-streaming activities such as gaming.
Examples: This happens when streaming from a device connected directly to the soundbar and then passing video to the TV via the HDMI ARC connection. It also happens when playing Playstation 5 connected directly to the TV and then passing audio to the soundbar via HDMI ARC.
I found an article identifying the exact same problem for other models on the Samsung website.
Wondering if anyone has a similar problem or if a Samsung moderator can let me know if this is an identified problem with the 990B and if a firmware fix is in the works to correct this.
I have the same issue since I’ve purchased a few years ago. All updates installed and same issue. I read it is Wi-Fi interference with the Bluetooth signal to the sub. I have no idea how to correct and it drives me crazy.
Thanks for the additional info. I also have read that having a Wi-Fi router near the soundbar unit could be a cause of interference. (Mine is nearby since I've hardwired all my gaming consoles and satellite box.)
Read on another forum that apparently the soundbar uses Channels 145-161 of the 5ghz wifi band. I manually set my router to channel 165 so there we be no chance of interference. It seemed to solve the problem at first but then the dropouts started happening again.
But who knows, maybe that will work for you. 🙂
I did discover a new firmware update (1010) was put out yesterday. The SmartThings app won't find it, but it can be downloaded directly on the Samsung site. I have yet to install and test. But maybe that will work for you. Good luck!
My issue is worse, sound drops but won't return until sound bar is either power cycled or inputs changed. Also occurs when devices like PS5, Nvidia Shield are plugged directly into the sound bars HDMI port. Does not impact the video signal. Impacts Dolby material only, if I change to media with DTS then sound returns, then drops when the Dolby material is back on.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Is this a problem that was evident immediately or did it develop over time?
I received a new product from the original seller but have yet to set it up to test it. If this one works out of the box, curious to know if I can expect trouble down the road.
Your assessment that Dolby may be part of the issue leads me to think it might have to do with how the audio is encoded. For example, some streaming apps seem to work fine, others (like HBO Max) tend to experience more audio issues for me.
Hi, I have this issue on firmware 10.10.0, although the pro amen occurred from day 1. For me Netflix Dolby content seems be be the trigger, rarely happens mid movie normally when browsing the Netflix menu, it but then no
audio. If I go and find content on another service eg: top gun in dts audio returns.
So it sounds like your audio disappears completely until you switch streaming service? Bizarre.
The first time I called Samsung support to troubleshoot, the first question they asked was, "What kind of TV do you have?" When I replied "Samsung" they immediately moved on to other possible suggestions.
Hi, I "possibly" have found a fix. Used the unit several times today, without the issue. Fix: Factory Reset, while powered on "symultaniously" press the "-" and "+" buttons on the sound bar until you see "init", then wait for it to power off.
When I set it up, I was cautious not to enable\set any features, so "auto eq" is off, "space fit is off" didn't enable virtual speaker. Will see how it goes and then try "auto eq", but looks like the "factory reset" sorted my issue out. Hope this helps others.
