JBL Bar 1300 vs Samsung HW-Q990F

91 facts in comparison

Based on 2,241 Reddit opinions. Close race—Bar 1300 edges ahead.

2.2K opinions
Bar 1300 leads by 2pts
Reddit's Pick
JBL Bar 1300
79%
B
Based on
1,378 Redditors
Winner

JBL Bar 1300

~$1,149.95
713 opinions

tldr; Slightly older than 1300X. Same detachable rear concept. Find on sale for excellent value JBL sound.

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VS
Samsung HW-Q990F
77%
B
Based on
3,579 Redditors

Samsung HW-Q990F

~$1,597.99
1,528 opinions

tldr; 2025 flagship with improved processing. Similar to Q990D but newer. Wait for price drops unless you need the latest.

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Sound QualityBass & SubwooferSurround SoundConnectivityBuild Quality
🎵SOU
🔇BAS
SUR
CON
🔧BUI
70
Points
74
Points

Score by Category

Sound Quality
63%80%
Bass & Subwoofer
90%54%
Surround Sound
63%95%
Connectivity
59%54%
Build Quality
63%74%

Why is Samsung HW-Q990F better than JBL Bar 1300?

  • Better surround (95% vs 63%)
  • Better sound quality (80% vs 63%)
  • Better build quality (74% vs 63%)
  • 11.1.4 Atmos configuration
  • Updated audio processing
  • Wireless Dolby rears
Based on 4,957 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Bar 1300

Winning by 2 points (79% vs 77%)

Better bass
Detachable wireless rears
11.1.4 Atmos channels
High confidence (4,957 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 4,957 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Bar 1300
7.9/10
1,378 mentions
Samsung HW-Q990F
7.7/10
3,579 mentions
BUILD QUALITY
Bar 13006.3/10
Samsung HW-Q990F7.4/10
SOUND QUALITY
Bar 13006.3/10
Samsung HW-Q990F8.0/10
BASS
Bar 13009.0/10
Samsung HW-Q990F5.4/10
SURROUND
Bar 13006.3/10
Samsung HW-Q990F9.5/10
VALUE
Bar 13008.0/10
Samsung HW-Q990F8.5/10
CONNECTIVITY
Bar 13005.9/10
Samsung HW-Q990F5.4/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Bar 1300: 2|Samsung HW-Q990F: 4
Build QualitySamsung HW-Q990F
Bar 130063%
Samsung HW-Q990F74%
Sound QualitySamsung HW-Q990F
Bar 130063%
Samsung HW-Q990F80%
BassBar 1300
Bar 130090%
Samsung HW-Q990F54%
SurroundSamsung HW-Q990F
Bar 130063%
Samsung HW-Q990F95%
ValueSamsung HW-Q990F
Bar 130080%
Samsung HW-Q990F85%
ConnectivityBar 1300
Bar 130059%
Samsung HW-Q990F54%
Bar 130079%
Samsung HW-Q990F77%
Close race - Bar 1300 edges ahead by 2 points

Key Specs

SpecJBL Bar 1300Samsung HW-Q990F
Sound System
11.1.4 channel
Total Speaker Power Output
1170W
Subwoofer Size
10 inch wireless
Frequency Response
33Hz - 20kHz
Surround Sound
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, MultiBeam

Key Highlights

JBL Bar 1300
Detachable wireless rears
11.1.4 Atmos channels
Battery-powered surrounds
Massive bass output
Legacy flagship
Samsung HW-Q990FWinner
11.1.4 Atmos configuration
Updated audio processing
Wireless Dolby rears
Q-Symphony 3.0 support
Improved dialogue clarity

Topic Battles

Bar 1300: 2|Tied: 0|Samsung HW-Q990F: 3
🎵Sound Quality
Samsung HW-Q990F wins
Bar 1300
63%
Samsung HW-Q990F
80%
🔇Bass & Subwoofer
Bar 1300 wins
Bar 1300
90%
Samsung HW-Q990F
54%
Surround Sound
Samsung HW-Q990F wins
Bar 1300
63%
Samsung HW-Q990F
95%
Connectivity
Bar 1300 wins
Bar 1300
59%
Samsung HW-Q990F
54%
🔧Build Quality
Samsung HW-Q990F wins
Bar 1300
63%
Samsung HW-Q990F
74%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for JBL Bar 1300

Best Praise
+21 pts
If you want full bass and your ears popped choose JBL with your eyes closed. If you want more sorround effects and a bigger soundstage choose Samsung. I own 2 JBL soundbars. 1000 and 1300. I like the rumble and the bass
r/Soundbars
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Top Criticism
+5 pts
Indeed JBL is a good option. We have 2 at home and are very happy with it. Incredibly better than our previous Sonos setup we got rid off because of the app issues which are still not solved despite what influencers are telling everywhere. Be aware that the JBL Bar 1300 (the first one not the Mark II) has a center channel issue, making the voices not very clear. This model seems to be avoided. That’s whe we got the Bar 1000 instead.
r/Soundbars
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Samsung HW-Q990F

Best Praise
+40 pts
Upgraded from 990D to 990F. I can hear into the future now.
r/Soundbars
View
Top Criticism
+15 pts
No, the Q990F is not worth 40% more than the Q990D. Just look at RTINGs, they quantity the sound quality out of both, they're almost identical besides the sub. Even the sub isn't that different between the two besides physical size.
r/Soundbars
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

JBL Bar 1300
Samsung HW-Q990F
$1200$1500$1800Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Low: $1092.45Low: $1196Current: $1699.95Current: $1597.99
JBL Bar 1300
All-time low: $899.95(2024-11)
$142 below 90-day avg
Samsung HW-Q990F
All-time low: $1077.95(2025-07)
$23 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

JBL Bar 1300 Wins
79%
1300
vs
77%
HW-Q990F

Close race, but JBL Bar 1300 edges ahead by 2 points based on 4,957 Reddit opinions.

Why Bar 1300Winner
  • Detachable wireless rears
  • 11.1.4 Atmos channels
  • Battery-powered surrounds
Why Samsung HW-Q990F
  • 11.1.4 Atmos configuration
  • Updated audio processing
  • More discussed (3,579 vs 1,378)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

41%Positive
Positive
41%
Neutral
48%
Negative
11%
Based on 1,378 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

33%Positive
Positive
33%
Neutral
57%
Negative
10%
Based on 3,579 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, JBL Bar 1300 or Samsung HW-Q990F?
Based on 4,957 Reddit comments, JBL Bar 1300 has a slight edge with 79% positive sentiment vs Samsung HW-Q990F's 77%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy JBL Bar 1300 or Samsung HW-Q990F?
Both have similar approval ratings (79% vs 77%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about JBL Bar 1300?
Reddit users highlight: Detachable wireless rears. 11.1.4 Atmos channels. Battery-powered surrounds. With 1,378 mentions and 79% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Samsung HW-Q990F?
Reddit users highlight: 11.1.4 Atmos configuration. Updated audio processing. Wireless Dolby rears. With 3,579 mentions and 77% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 4,957 Reddit comments: 1,378 about JBL Bar 1300 and 3,579 about Samsung HW-Q990F. Data was sourced from Soundbars community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

2,241 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 7/17/2026