Samsung HW-B550

Features
Connections
Controls

Features

Active Soundbar Speaker: The HW-B550's active soundbar speaker houses a total of four drivers in a stereo configuration and is powered by a built-in 160W amplifier (40 watts to each driver) for dynamic, room-filling sound from your movie and music soundtracks. The soundbar can be mounted on the wall with the included wall-mount brackets (wall screws not supplied) or simply placed on a table-top.

Wireless Powered Sub: The included wireless powered sub receives its low-frequency audio signal wirelessly from the soundbar via 2.4GHz transmission. There are no cords to connect, except the AC power cord. The wireless powered sub features a front-firing 6" woofer inside a bass-reflex cabinet with a rear-firing port. The woofer is powered by a built-in 250 watt amplifier. The wireless powered subwoofer can be positioned anywhere in the room (up to 32.8' away from soundbar) to achieve maximum audio performance.

Dolby Digital + DTS Virtual:X: The Samsung HW-B550 soundbar system employs decoders compatible with Dolby Digital (2ch) & DTS (2ch), plus offers DTS Virtual X surround. DTS Virtual:X uses proprietary audio processing techniques inside the soundbar to create spacious 3D sound (including the sensation of height) from any content, and without the need for up-firing or in-ceiling speakers. You'll enjoy a wider, higher, more immersive audio experience from your favorite TV shows, movies, music, and sports.

Sound Modes: The Samsung HW-B550 soundbar speaker system offers 5 different sound modes that can be used with a variety of content.

• Adaptive Sound Lite: The soundbar automatically analyzes your sound sources to optimize the audio track for your specific content. Whether it's a loud sports match or a drama with quiet dialog, you can count on the soundbar to provide clear sounds for optimized TV viewing.
• Surround Sound Expansion: The Surround Sound Expansion mode delivers a more realistic and immersive audio experience by adding depth and spaciousness to the movie soundtrack. From nearly any corner of the room, Surround Sound Expansion blankets the listening area both sideways and up to screen level for a more immersive surround effect. 
• Bass Boost: When you want to turn up the bass for maximum immersion, activate Bass Boost mode on the soundbar. The included subwoofer takes the powerful, deeper bass to the next level, surrounding you with a fuller sound.
• Game Mode: Connect your gaming console (Xbox one, PS4, Nintendo Switch) and compatible Samsung QLED TV to the Samsung A-Series soundbar to boost your gaming experience. Game Mode delivers optimize sound, while offering clear directional sound to gain the advantage.
• Standard: Select Standard mode if you simply want to enjoy 2ch stereo playback.

Audio Enhancements: The Samsung HW-B550 provides various audio adjustments to customize your listening experience.

• Voice Enhance: Voice Enhance amplifies dialog and vocals in movie and music soundtracks so they can heard better over sound effects and instruments.
• Night Mode: Night Mode compresses the dynamic range of the movie or music soundtrack, so there is less volume difference between soft and loud passages when watching late at night.
• Bass & Treble: You can adjust the soundbar's Bass & Treble from - to +6 to tailer the sound more to your preference.
• Auto AV Sync: Auto AV Sync can be used to help sync video to audio when connected to a TV. Video may look slower than the audio if it is connected to a digital TV. If this occurs, you can activate the Auto AV Sync.

Optional Wireless Surround Kit: The optional SWA-9100S or SWA-9200S Wireless Surround Kit (sold separately) lets you add rear speakers to the HW-B550 soundbar system without all the wires. Together with the HW-B550, you can create a 4.1 channel system for a real surround sound experience. The Wireless Surround Kit consists of a wireless receiver module and two rear speakers (the wireless rear module is built into one of the speakers in the SWA-9200S kit). The wireless receiver module receives a wireless audio signal from the HW-B550 soundbar, so you don't have to run speaker wire from the soundbar to the rear speakers. The wireless receiver module for the SWA-9100S or SWA-9200S does have to connect to an AC wall outlet via its power cord, and be wired to the rear speakers using the included speaker cables.

Connections

HDMI 1.4: The Samsung HW-B550's soundbar is outfitted with one HDMI 1.4 input and one HDMI 1.4 output (ARC compatible). The HDMI input allows you to connect your Ultra-HD Blu-ray player or cable/satellite box directly to the soundbar and then from its HDMI ARC output to your flat-panel TV. The HDMI 1.4 input and output support 1080p Pass-Through, Dolby Digital (2ch), DTS (2ch), and ARC.

ARC (Audio Return Channel): The unit's HDMI output supports the ARC function. This allows you to connect your Blu-ray player or satellite/cable box directly to the soundbar system's HDMI input and connect the soundbar's HDMI output to your television for audio from the soundbar system or your TV. Your TV must also be ARC compatible. The Samsung HW-B550 only supports Dolby Digital (2ch), DTS (2ch) and PCM (2ch).

• Because with some televisions, the ARC-enabled HDMI input will only pass 2ch PCM from devices connected to the TV via HDMI or analog, we recommend that you connect your Blu-ray/DVD player and Satellite/Cable box to the soundbar directly; and then connect the soundbar's ARC-enabled HDMI output to your TV's ARC-enabled HDMI input. This setup will give you the best overall sound performance.
• The HDMI ARC out is not eARC compatible and does not support Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby True-HD, Dolby Digital Plus, or DTS-HD.

Optical Digital Input: The Samsung HW-B550's soundbar is equipped with an optical (toslink) digital input to connect your television, Blu-ray/DVD player, or satellite/cable box. The optical digital input supports Dolby Digital (2ch), DTS (2ch) and PCM (2ch). The optical digital output of some flat-panel TVs only send a Dolby Digital/DTS audio signal when receiving Dolby Digital/DTS surround sound from the TV's built-in tuner, network connection, or connected USB device; and will output only 2ch PCM from sources connected to the TV via HDMI, or RCA (like your Blue-ray/DVD player or satellite/cable box).

Note: The HW-B550 is not equipped with an analog audio input.

Built-in Bluetooth: The Samsung HW-B550 features built-in Bluetooth for wireless connection between the soundbar speaker system and your Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices for wireless music streaming, as well as a wireless connection between the soundbar speaker and Bluetooth A2DP enabled TVs. The HW-B550's Bluetooth function has a wireless range of approximately 32.8'.

• Bluetooth Audio Streaming: You can wirelessly stream stored music and music apps from your Bluetooth-enabled devices; like your smartphone, tablet, computer, or laptop to the Samsung HW-B550 and enjoy music with high quality stereo sound, all without wires (SBC and AAC codecs are supported). You can even connect two different Bluetooth source devices at the same time and seamlessly switch between both devices. The HW-B550's remote can be used to control Play/Pause and Skip functions (advanced music navigation is still handled from your Bluetooth source device. The HW-B550 does not display song/artist information (song/artist info is still viewed on your Bluetooth source device).
• Wireless TV Connection: You can simplify the installation of the HW-B550 by eliminating the need for a wired connection between a Bluetooth-enabled TV and the soundbar. Simply plug the soundbar and the subwoofer into AC power and follow the simple pairing instructions to wirelessly connect the soundbar to a Bluetooth A2DP enabled TV. When a TV is connected using Bluetooth, audio is transmitted in stereo (not Dolby Digital or DTS). Only one TV can be paired and connected at a time.

Note: This system does not support Bluetooth hands-free communication for making and answering phone calls.

USB Port: You can connect and play music files from external USB mass storage class devices (such as a USB thumbdrive) using the soundbar's rear-panel USB-A port. The HW-B550 supports playback of a variety of music files (including Hi-Res) loaded onto a compatible USB device formatted in FAT16/32. You can control basic playback functions; such as Play/Pause, Previous/Next Track, and Repeat. The system will also charge (5V/0.5A) your connected USB device. Compatible music files include -

• AAC: 32-48kHz; 32-320kbps
• AIFF: 32-192kHz; 1024-9216kbps
• FLAC: 32-192kHz; 162-8100kbps
• MP3: 8-48kHz; 8-320kbps
• OGG: 32-48kHz; 32-320kbps
• WAV: 32-192kHz; 1024-9216kbps
• WMA: 32-48kHz; 32-320kbps

Note: The USB port does not support USB hubs, card-readers, computers, Apple iOS devices, or Android devices.

Power Requirements: The active soundbar speaker and the wireless powered subwoofer will both have to be plugged into an AC power outlet or surge protector (sold separately). The active soundbar includes an AC power adapter with an attached 58" DC cord and detachable 5' AC power cord. The wireless powered sub includes a detachable 5' AC power cord.

Firmware Updates (via USB): Samsung may offer updates for the soundbar's system firmware in the future. If an update is offered, you can download the firmware update from Samsung's Support website onto a USB thumbdrive inserted in your computer. Once the firmware is downloaded on your USB thumbdrive, plug the USB device into the soundbar's USB port for update.

Controls

Remote & Top-Panel Controls: The included IR remote control provides wireless operation of the Samsung HW-B550 system. There are also top-panel controls (including Power, Source, and Volume) on the soundbar speaker.

TV Remote Control: When the HW-B550 system is connected to a Samsung Smart TV (released in 2017 or later), the soundbar can be controlled using the TV's remote control. This function also allows you to use the TV menu to adjust the soundfield and various settings, as well as the volume and mute. You can also program Sony, LG, Vizio, Sharp, Panasonic, and Toshiba TV remotes to control Power/On Off, Volume Up/Down, and Mute functions of the HW-B550 soundbar system.

Auto Power On/Off: The Samsung HW-B550 soundbar system offers Auto Power On/Off functionality.

• Power Link (Auto On): The wireless audio soundbar system is automatically turned on when you turn on your TV or any device connected to the wireless audio soundbar system with an optical cable.
• Bluetooth Power On: If a previously paired Bluetooth device (including a Samsung SoundConnect compatible TV) tries to pair with the soundbar when the Bluetooth Power On function is activated and the soundbar is turned off, the soundbar turns on automatically.
• Auto Off:  If a TV or any device connected to the HW-B550 soundbar system is off and there is no audio signal, the soundbar system will turn off after 5 minutes.