Customer Ratings & Reviews
- Model:
- HW-A40R/ZA
- SKU:
- 6454650
Rating by feature
- Value
Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars
- Quality
Rating 3.3 out of 5 stars
- Ease of Use
Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars
Customers are saying
Customers are enthusiastic about the HW-A40R 4ch Sound bar's sound quality, describing it as "very good" and "amazing." They also appreciate its user-friendly setup process and affordable price point. However, some users have expressed concerns about the quality of the rear speakers, volume level, connectivity issues, and insufficient bass.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Luv it.
||Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.The sound quality is excellent and the surround sound the back speakers offer is excellent.
I would recommend this to a friend - Cons mentioned:Bass
Not worth the buy
||Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I love Samsung, but this sound bar is NOT it. Not for me at least. It gets VERY loud, which I really like, but the base is terrible. If you're looking for bass, buy a sound bar that comes with a subwoofer. This will disappoint you. As far as the surround sound goes, the sound for the speakers is almost nonexistent! You really can't hear them. Even if you turn the sound bar all the way up, the volume coming from the surround sound speakers is too low to provide a good listening experience. I put this sound bar in my bedroom and was thoroughly disappointed. I can only imagine how this would be in a large space like a basement entertainment area. Overall, this was not a good buy.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hi Tiana,
Thank you for purchasing the Samsung HW-A40R and for sharing your review. Your feedback regarding the audio performance of the rear speakers is important to us and will be shared with our product teams.
There are a few settings and adjustments that can be made to increase the volume of the rear speakers to your liking. First, make sure you have the latest firmware version installed (ver1014). Once installed, with the Soundbar on, press and hold the STANDARD button on the remote control for about 6 seconds. Use the BASS Up/Down buttons to adjust the level of the REAR speakers between -6 to +6.
Additionally, turn off the soundbar, then press and hold the source button on the soundbar for 7 seconds to enable Gain Boost. With Gain Boost active, the rear speaker’s volume level will be increased when the soundbar is in Surround mode. This feature can be turned off by following the same process.
I hope this helps you further enjoy the audio experience. Should you ever have questions or need help, please call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG (ask for Soundbars), available 8AM - 12AM EST, 7 days a week.
For additional support resources, visit us on the Samsung website and click on the ‘Support’ link in the upper right corner of the homepage for:
1) Chat with Us/Product Help: To begin a chat or find solutions, choose ‘TVs & Home Theater’ and select your model & topic.
2) Manuals & Software
3) Warranty Info
4) Register a Product: For access to easy warranty support, convenient opt-in to special promos and offers, faster troubleshooting and service, and quick notification of system updates
5) Contact Us
~ Samsung Solutions
- Cons mentioned:Volume
Why Samsung?
||Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.For an electronics company who makes phone speakers better than sound bars with bluebooth... I had moderate expectations picking this out from BB and I realized this was the wrong decision for my home theater when I opened the box. The 2 mini speakers and connection tower are useless with the volume at max. From the soundbar, the speakers scratch a little and need an equalizer when connecting to devices. Maybe it's only this product, yet its better for a home gym or normal music playing.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hello,
Thank you for your review of the HW-A40R Soundbar and for your feedback regarding the volume issues you are experiencing with the included rear speakers. By design, the surround speakers are supposed to simulate sounds happening behind the viewer. Therefore, most of the time the surround channels are only used for ambient sounds, which are naturally lower in volume.
However, there are a few settings you can change to adjust the surround effect to your preference:
1) Download and install the latest firmware version
2) Once installed, with the Soundbar on, press and hold the STANDARD button on the remote control for about 6 seconds
3) The LEDs will blink to indicate you are in adjustment mode
4) Use the BASS Up/Down buttons to adjust the level of the REAR speakers between -6 to +6.
5) The adjustment mode will exit if the surround button is pressed, or if no button is pressed for 10 seconds
If the volume levels still seem to low for your preference, please be aware of the following:
1) Make sure that the source (e.g. TV output) is sending surround channels to the Soundbar. If the source is not capable of surround, then set the Surround mode to OFF on the Soundbar by pressing the Surround button on the remote.
2) If the source has surround channels, select the Surround Sound Mode from the Soundbar remote.
3) Turn off Dynamic Range Control. This is done by pressing and holding the SURROUND button for 5 seconds.
4) Turn off the soundbar, then press and hold the source button on the soundbar for 7 seconds to enable Gain Boost. With Gain Boost active, the rear speaker’s volume level will be increased when the soundbar is in Surround mode. This feature can be turned off by following the same process.
I hope these tips help to enhance your audio enjoyment.
If you need more help, Samsung is here for you. Please call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG, 8AM - 12AM EST (Ask for Soundbars), 7 days a week. Our LiveChat agents are also available by clicking on the ‘Support’ link on our website.
~ Samsung Solutions
- Cons mentioned:Bass
Poor
||Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I purchased this because it was just the right size to fit in my entertainment center. It was not too bad to set up just had to figure out the surround sound. The sound quality of the system is not very good at all. The based on the system is very poor and the sound Echoes every now and then. Just recently my system randomly starts to scan(it did this twice) and the volume on the system went out by itself a couple of times.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hi Vnote,
Thank you for purchasing the Samsung HW-A40R and for sharing your review. We appreciate your feedback regarding the performance of your new soundbar.
You can try manually optimizing your settings by pressing the SOUND MODE button on your remote, and then selecting the desired sound effect by choosing STANDARD or SURROUND SOUND.
For precise audio adjustments, you can use the 7-band frequency equalizer to optimize the sound for your room acoustics.
Additionally, there are two adjustments that can be made for bass and subwoofer:
1) Using the WOOFER button on the remote, you can adjust the volume of the subwoofer between -6 to +6 by toggling the button up or down. To set the subwoofer volume level to 0, press the button down
2) Adjust the bass control by pressing the SOUND CONTROL button (gear icon) on the remote control, then select BASS to increase the level. You can adjust the volume between -6 to +6 by using the Up/Down buttons.
I hope this helps you enjoy your audio experience. If you need further assistance, please know Samsung Customer Support is here to help. Please call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG (ask for Soundbars), available 8AM - 12AM EST, 7 days a week.
For additional support resources, visit us on the Samsung website and click on the ‘Support’ link in the upper right corner of the homepage for:
1) Chat with Us/Product Help: To begin a chat or find solutions, choose ‘TVs & Home Theater’ and select your model & topic.
2) Manuals & Software
3) Warranty Info
4) Register a Product: For access to easy warranty support, convenient opt-in to special promos and offers, faster troubleshooting and service, and quick notification of system updates
5) Contact Us
~ Samsung Solutions
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
sound great
||Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.great quality and sound for this price point. i will recommend
I would recommend this to a friend Unhappy
||Posted . Owned for 10 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Perhaps the worst purchase I made from Bestbuy. Really terrible speaker system
No, I would not recommend this to a friend- Pros mentioned:Easy setup
Big win for me!
||Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Completed my game room’s HW-R550/ZA Soundbar/Sub setup with the SWA-8500S rears included in this package, raised the rear levels to +6 as suggested on this forum and was a very happy camper. Then used the included soundbar in my master bedroom and let’s just say my wife was very thankful ; )
I would recommend this to a friend Its an ok product
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.The soundbar itself works great but the 2 other speaker don't work that well
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hello,
Thank you for sharing your experiences with the HW-A40R, your feedback is very important to us and will be shared with our product team.
I am sorry to see that you didn't not have a great experience with the rear speakers.
By design, the surround speakers are supposed to simulate sounds happening behind the viewer. Therefore, most of the time the surround channels are only used for ambient sounds, which are naturally lower in volume.
However, there are a few settings you can change to adjust the surround effect to your preference:
1) Make sure that the source (e.g. TV output) is sending surround channels to the Soundbar. If the source is not capable of surround, then set the Surround mode to OFF on the Soundbar by pressing the Surround button on the remote.
2) If the source has surround channels, select the Surround Sound Mode from the Soundbar remote.
3) Turn off Dynamic Range Control. This is done by pressing and holding the Sound Mode button while the Soundbar is in standby mode. To accomplish this, press and hold the SURROUND button for roughly 5 seconds.
Should you ever have questions or need help, please call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG (ask for Soundbars), available 8 AM – 12 AM EST, 7 days a week.
For additional support resources such as downloading a full manual, visit us on the Samsung website and click on the ‘Support’ link in the upper right corner of the homepage.
~Samsung Solutions
- Pros mentioned:Price
Good value purchase
||Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Good value for the $$. I have a Samsung TV so I wanted a Samsung sound bar to minimize remotes. Sound is crisp but not much bass.
I would recommend this to a friend Not Item Advertised
||Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Purchased an open box of this item. Received just the sound bar. No speakers or even a power cord as expected.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hello JeffreyM,
Thank you for purchasing the Samsung HW-A40R Soundbar. We appreciate you sharing your feedback regarding parts missing from your recent purchase.
We recommend contacting Best Buy directly for assistance. We hope your issue is resolved in a timely manner.
Should you ever have questions or need help, please call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG (ask for Soundbars), available 8 AM – 12 AM EST, 7 days a week.
For additional support resources such as downloading a full manual, visit us on the Samsung website and click on the ‘Support’ link in the upper right corner of the homepage.
~Samsung Solutions
- Pros mentioned:Easy setup
Nice for the price.
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Love this sound bar system. This was easy to set up and works great with my tv. This fits right under my tv.
I would recommend this to a friend - Cons mentioned:Bass, Rear speakers
You get what you pay for.
||Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Moved into new townhome and wanted to replace a Sony soundbar with a wireless sub to avoid disturbing neighbors. So I bought the Samsung to match the set. The Sony was better in every way. I wanted less bass and I got it! The wireless rear channel is active but have never heard any information coming from it. Changing the level of bass coming from the front doesn’t seen to change anything. One plus was it connected to the set effortlessly. Audio quality is good with plenty of volume, just low bass. Wish it had HDMI for ARC audio. This unit should serve the purpose for anyone on a budget. Oh, it does come with optical cable and speaker wire for the rear. I purchased both, then returned.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hello DanC,
Thank you for your review of the Samsung HW-A40R Soundbar and for sharing your experiences that have caused you to return your unit. Your experience is very important to us and will be shared with our product team.
Should you ever decide to give Samsung Soundbars another try and have questions or need assistance with settings, setup, or features, please know we are always here to help.
Call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG (ask for Soundbars), available 8 AM – 12 AM EST, 7 days a week.
~ Samsung Solutions
- Cons mentioned:Rear speakers
Good but cannot use surround without controller
||Posted . Owned for 1.5 years when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Soundbar works well but, I bought this in store on sale because it was open box, and the remote was not in my package. Apparently, there is no way to link the soundbar to the wireless surround speakers without the controller and I haven't been able to find just a controller for this soundbar for sale.
I would recommend this to a friend - Pros mentioned:Sound qualityCons mentioned:Rear speakers
Eehh
||Posted . Owned for 1.5 years when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Sound bar sounds great but the back speakers are garbage
No, I would not recommend this to a friend - Pros mentioned:Price
Just Ok
||Posted . Owned for more than 2 years when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.It is just ok. It was cheap, but not really worth it. Spend a little more and get something nicer
No, I would not recommend this to a friend - Pros mentioned:Sound qualityCons mentioned:Connectivity
Subwoofers do not work
||Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Two small subwoofers do not work and are not detectable by bluetooth. Soundquality for main soundbar is fine but subwoofers do not work at all and nor detect any current. Also tried connecting this subwoofer to Samsung Smart things app and it was unable to detect it. Need help from best buy to fix subwoofers.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hello VibhorJ,
Thank you for purchasing the HW-A40R Soundbar. I am sorry to see that your initial time with the Soundbar has not been ideal.
So you are aware, SmartThings will only work with a Soundbar that supports Wi-Fi which the HW-A40R does not support this feature.
Please know there are a wide range of options available to further tune the audio to your liking.
First, please be sure you have the latest firmware version installed. You can update to the latest firmware by downloading the firmware file from the Samsung Electronics Website, load the file onto a USB storage device, and connecting the USB storage device to the soundbar. Updating your firmware provides the latest improvements and features, such as the ability to adjust the volume of the rear speakers.
Once the latest firmware version has been installed, press, and hold the STANDARD button on the remote control for about 6 seconds then use the Bass Up/Down buttons to adjust the level of the rear speakers between -6 to +6.
Additionally, you may want to check the sound settings on your TV. If your Digital Output Audio Format is set to PCM then you will likely notice decreased performance with surround sound audio systems. Dolby options are designed for surround systems (like 3.1.2 or 7.1), whereas PCM provides great sound quality for stereo speakers.
I hope these tips help. For additional assistance please contact us at 1-800-SAMSUNG (ask for Soundbars), available 8 AM – 12 AM EST, 7 days a week.
LiveChat with an agent by clicking the ‘Support’ link on the Samsung website.
~Samsung Solutions
- Pros mentioned:Easy setupCons mentioned:Rear speakers
Overall pretty good
||Posted . Owned for 7 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Small speakers aren’t that great. Sound bar on the other hand is very great. Pretty easy to set up.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hello JuanG,
We appreciate you sharing your review of the HW-A40R and detailing your experience with the included Wireless Rear Speakers. Please know, there are a few adjustment settings available for the rear speakers after you update to the latest firmware version.
You can update the firmware by connecting a USB device with the firmware update stored on it to the USB port on your Soundbar.
1.Go to the Samsung Electronics website (www.samsung.com) → click on the “Support” option in the upper right corner.
2.Click on “Manuals & Software” from the pop-up list > TVs & Home Theater > Home Theater > Select your model
2. Download the firmware file (USB type).
3. Unzip the file to create a folder with the file name.
4. Store the created folder in a USB and then connect it to the Soundbar.
Once installed, with the Soundbar on, press and hold the STANDARD button on the remote control for about 6 seconds; the LEDs will blink to indicate you are in adjustment mode. You can then use the BASS Up/Down buttons to adjust the level of the REAR speakers between -6 to +6. The adjustment mode will exit if the surround button is pressed, or if no button is pressed for 10 seconds.
If you need more help, Samsung is here for you. Please call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG, 8AM - 12AM EST (Ask for Soundbars), 7 days a week. Our LiveChat agents are also available by clicking on the ‘Support’ link on our website.
~ Samsung Solutions
- Pros mentioned:Price, Sound quality
Surround sound
||Posted . Owned for 1.5 years when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Love my surround sound system. Easy hook up and operations of the product. Fair pricing.
I would recommend this to a friend - Cons mentioned:Rear speakers
Adequate sound
||Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I purchased an open box so i was able to obtain the otem for less then retail. The sound bar is good with the surround speakers lacking a separate volume control being a short coming of the product. We use it in our bedroom so the smaller area allows for better performance. I would not recommend for a larger room.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hello Arlo,
Thank you for purchasing the Samsung HW-A40R and for sharing your review. Your feedback regarding the audio performance of the rear speakers is important to us and will be shared with our product teams.
There are a few settings and adjustments that can be made to increase the volume of the rear speakers to your liking. First, make sure you have the latest firmware version installed. Once installed, with the Soundbar on, press and hold the STANDARD button on the remote control for about 6 seconds. Use the BASS Up/Down buttons to adjust the level of the REAR speakers between -6 to +6.
Additionally, turn off the soundbar, then press and hold the source button on the soundbar for 7 seconds to enable Gain Boost. With Gain Boost active, the rear speaker’s volume level will be increased when the soundbar is in Surround mode. This feature can be turned off by following the same process.
Should you ever have questions or need help, please call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG (ask for Soundbars), available 8 AM – 12 AM EST, 7 days a week.
For additional support resources such as downloading a full manual, visit us on the Samsung website and click on the ‘Support’ link in the upper right corner of the homepage.
~Samsung Solutions
- Cons mentioned:Rear speakers
Rears make it not worth it.
||Posted . Owned for 1 year when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I love the soundbar. I'm extremely disappointed in the rears. Connectivity was easy and setup was fine. The sound of of them is not acceptable. There's no settings to change them and they've now become paper weights, a waste of money for the added rears. Samsung usually has top notch, but they fall short here.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from Samsung
Posted .Hello Jonesiedoo,
We appreciate you sharing your review of the HW-A40R and detailing your experience with the included Wireless Rear Speakers. Please know, there are a few adjustment settings available for the rear speakers after you update to the latest firmware version.
You can update the firmware by connecting a USB device with the firmware update stored on it to the USB port on your Soundbar.
1.Go to the Samsung Electronics website (www.samsung.com) → click on the “Support” option in the upper right corner.
2.Click on “Manuals & Software” from the pop-up list > TVs & Home Theater > Home Theater > Select your model
2. Download the firmware file (USB type).
3. Unzip the file to create a folder with the file name.
4. Store the created folder in a USB and then connect it to the Soundbar.
Once installed, with the Soundbar on, press and hold the STANDARD button on the remote control for about 6 seconds; the LEDs will blink to indicate you are in adjustment mode. You can then use the BASS Up/Down buttons to adjust the level of the REAR speakers between -6 to +6. The adjustment mode will exit if the surround button is pressed, or if no button is pressed for 10 seconds.
I hope this tip helps you enjoy the experience with your new Samsung soundbar! Should you have additional questions regarding the audio settings available for your soundbar, call us at 1-800-SAMSUNG (ask for Soundbars), available 8 AM – 12 AM EST, 7 days a week.
LiveChat with an agent by clicking the ‘Support’ link on the Samsung website.
~Samsung Solutions