So I've been in the market for a Dolby Atmos soundbar to replace a Yamaha YSP-2700. Four contenders: Sennheiser Ambeo; this Samsung HW-Q950T; LG SN11RG and the Sonos Arc.
All have their pros and cons. Thanks to sites like this, I was able to do my research and make an informed decision as to how I would spend my money to best suit my specific needs. (I've had a full 5.1 and receiver set up in the past. I am done, done, done with cables and speaker mounting. I accept that there's a trade off in terms of sound quality but, again, it's my money and my choice).
Ultimately, it came down to the Samsung or the Sonos Arc. I came really close to pulling the trigger on the Samsung HW-Q950T: the 9.1.4 set up in particular really pushed my gadget/techie buttons. But I was put off by three things: the intermittent speaker connection issues reported on previous Samsung soundbars; the lack of firmware updates to either address these issues or add new features/functions (software only sure but during the lifespan of my YSP-2700 for example, Yamaha added support for Spotify Connect and new Dolby formats. Point is firmware updates are important) and finally, the amount of frustrated owners on Samsung (and other) fourms.
So I pulled the trigger on a Sonos Arc 5.1.2 Surround Set (Arc + Sub Gen 3 + 2x One SLs). (I should add that my Sony 65AF9 supports eARC and, other than the usual streaming services, I only have two sources: a rarely used Freesat box and a Shield TV 2019 for watching NAS-stored 4k movie rips. Basically, I was used to plugging in sources to the TV anyway and it's a cleaner install - the single HDMI connection on the Arc didn't worry me at all).
This is my first Sonos purchase. The debacle with the switch to os S2 didn't put me off (frankly, if I get ten years out of this set up on my main TV I'm happy. The Arc can always be re-purposed to a second TV set, and the sub and One SLs used in another room for music).
The key for me was that this is a product that will improve with age through firmware updates (since launch, the fw has been updated four or five times to the current 12.0.5, including a fix for the notorious bass issue. Sonos will also be adding supporting for LPCM in a fuure update).
And it sounds STUNNING. Dolby Atmos is a revelation (whether lossy DD+ through Netflix/Disney+, or lossless TrueHD from my movie rips). The sound is immersive to the extent that you often can't tell where it's coming from (and also appears to come from where there are no physical speakers - freaky!) Like someone else said, I recommend going to the Dolby website and downloading the various Atmos demo files.
Is Sonos perfect? No, of course not. Is the Arc perfect? No, of course not (pretty darn close though). Is any soundbar perfect? No, of course not. Is there a shiny new product that will make me green with envy around the corner? Yes. Obviously. Always.
I wish nothing but goodness and hassle-free enjoyment to any HW-Q950T or SN11RG owners out there. It's very possible that either produces a more immersive experience than the Sonos Arc set up (for my own peace of mind, I have no intention of finding out!) But, bottom line, I got exactly what I expected (actually, the degree of immersion has exceeded expectations) and am super happy with my choice.
Do your research, spend your money in the best way that works for you and, most importantly, enjoy