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  1. Table of Contents
  2. Top
  3. Main Differences
  4. Design
    1. Style - Bar
    2. Style - Subwoofer
    3. Style - Satellites
    4. Dimensions - Bar
    5. Dimensions - Subwoofer
    6. Dimensions - Satellites
    7. Mounting
    8. Build Quality
    9. In The Box
  5. Sound
    1. Stereo Frequency Response
    2. Stereo Frequency Response With Preliminary Calibration
    3. Stereo Soundstage
    4. Stereo Dynamics
    5. Center
    6. Surround 5.1
    7. Height (Atmos)
    8. Sound Enhancement Features
  6. Connectivity
    1. Inputs/Outputs - Bar
    2. Audio Format Support: ARC/eARC
    3. Audio Format Support: HDMI In
    4. Audio Format Support: Optical
    5. Audio Latency: ARC
    6. Audio Latency: HDMI In
    7. Audio Latency: Optical
    8. Video Passthrough To TV
    9. Wireless Playback
  7. Additional Features
    1. Interface
    2. Bar Controls
    3. Remote
    4. Voice Assistants Support
  8. Comments

Nakamichi DRAGON vs Samsung HW-Q990D

Side-by-Side Comparison

Products

Nakamichi DRAGON
Samsung HW-Q990D

Tested using Methodology v1.3

Updated Feb 06, 2025 09:24 PM

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Tested using Methodology v1.3

Updated Mar 04, 2025 08:07 PM

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Nakamichi DRAGON Picture
Samsung HW-Q990D Picture

Variants

  • DRAGON (Black)
  • HW-Q990D (Black)

Our Verdict

Nakamichi DRAGON

Samsung HW-Q990D

The Samsung HW-Q990D is a better value soundbar than the Nakamichi DRAGON. It has a more balanced default frequency response, more flexible sound customization options, and better wireless connectivity. The two are neck-and-neck when it comes to other facets of the sound, like center channel performance and dynamics, although the Nakamichi has a wider, more immersive soundstage. Those who value extremely high-end features, like DTS:X Pro compatibility, three HDMI In ports, and the ability to add up to four subs, might be able to justify the additional outlay for the Nakamichi. For most users, the Samsung's excellent Atmos performance and extremely accurate sound will be more than enough. 

0

Main Differences for

Threshold 

0.10

Mixed Usage 

8.1
8.6

Stereo Frequency Response 
 

7.8
8.5

Dialogue Enhancement 
 

No
Yes

Full Comparison

Design

Style - Bar  

Style photo - bar  

Nakamichi DRAGON Style photo - bar
Samsung HW-Q990D Style photo - bar

Show text

Style - Subwoofer  

Style photo - sub  

Nakamichi DRAGON Style photo - sub
Samsung HW-Q990D Style photo - sub

Sub Wireless 
 

Yes
Yes

Enclosure 
 

Ported
Ported

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Style - Satellites  

Style photo - satellites  

Nakamichi DRAGON Style photo - satellites
Samsung HW-Q990D Style photo - satellites

Satellite Wireless 
 

Yes
Yes

Show text

Dimensions - Bar  

Dimensions photo - bar  

Nakamichi DRAGON Dimensions photo - bar
Samsung HW-Q990D Dimensions photo - bar

Width  

58.3" (148.0 cm)
48.5" (123.2 cm)

Height  

4.3" (11.0 cm)
2.7" (6.9 cm)

Depth  

7.8" (19.8 cm)
5.4" (13.8 cm)

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Dimensions - Subwoofer  

Dimensions photo - sub  

Nakamichi DRAGON Dimensions photo - sub
Samsung HW-Q990D Dimensions photo - sub

Width  

11.8" (30.0 cm)
8.8" (22.4 cm)

Height  

20.8" (52.8 cm)
16.1" (40.9 cm)

Depth  

11.1" (28.2 cm)
16.1" (40.9 cm)

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Dimensions - Satellites  

Dimensions photo - satellites  

Nakamichi DRAGON Dimensions photo - satellites
Samsung HW-Q990D Dimensions photo - satellites

Width  

9.1" (23.0 cm)
5.1" (13.0 cm)

Height  

10.0" (25.5 cm)
7.8" (19.9 cm)

Depth  

8.3" (21.1 cm)
5.6" (14.1 cm)

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Mounting 
 

Bar Mounting Holes  

Nakamichi DRAGON Bar Mounting Holes
Samsung HW-Q990D Bar Mounting Holes

Satellite Mounting Holes  

Nakamichi DRAGON Satellite Mounting Holes
Samsung HW-Q990D Satellite Mounting Holes

Mountable Bar 
 

Yes
Yes

Bar Brackets Included 
 

No
Yes

Mountable Satellites 
 

Yes
Yes

Satellite Brackets Included 
 

No
No

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Build Quality 
 

8.0
8.5

Build quality photo  

Nakamichi DRAGON Build quality photo
Samsung HW-Q990D Build quality photo

Show text

In The Box 
 

In The Box photo   

Nakamichi DRAGON In The Box photo
Samsung HW-Q990D In The Box photo

Show text

Sound

Stereo Frequency Response 
 

7.8
8.5

Stereo Setup  

Nakamichi DRAGON Stereo Setup
Samsung HW-Q990D Stereo Setup

Raw Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Frequency Response Small  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Channels 
 

11.4.6
11.1.4

Tested Preset 
 

Music 1
Standard

Slope 
 

-1.08
-0.32

Standard Error 
 

4.18 dB
2.32 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

28.3 Hz
27.5 Hz

High-Frequency Extension 
 

13.7 kHz
19.9 kHz

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Stereo Frequency Response With Preliminary Calibration 
 

8.1
8.5

Frequency Response Calibrated  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Suggested Preset 
 

Music 1
Standard

Suggested Bass Setting 
 

5
0

Suggested Treble Setting 
 

10
0

Slope 
 

-0.50
-0.28

Standard Error 
 

3.44 dB
2.37 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

28.3 Hz
27.5 Hz

High-Frequency Extension 
 

19.6 kHz
19.9 kHz

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Stereo Soundstage 
 

8.0
7.5

Crosstalk  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Crosstalk Error 
 

1.93 dB
2.43 dB

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Stereo Dynamics 
 

9.4
9.1

Dynamic Range Compression  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

109.5 dB SPL
99.4 dB SPL

DRC @ 90dB 
 

0.61 dB
0.32 dB

DRC @ Max Volume 
 

1.64 dB
0.81 dB

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Center 
 

8.5
8.8

Center Setup  

Nakamichi DRAGON Center Setup
Samsung HW-Q990D Center Setup

Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Localization 
 

Discrete
Discrete

Slope 
 

-0.09
-0.22

Std. Err. 
 

3.51 dB
2.24 dB

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

101.9 dB SPL
96.2 dB SPL

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

0.23
0.24

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

1.67
1.99

Show text

Surround 5.1 
 

8.8
8.4

Surround Setup  

Nakamichi DRAGON Surround Setup
Samsung HW-Q990D Surround Setup

Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Localization 
 

Discrete
Discrete

Slope 
 

-0.64
-0.16

Std. Err. 
 

3.04 dB
2.83 dB

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

105.3 dB SPL
93.2 dB SPL

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

0.39
0.56

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

2.25
3.00

7.1 Rears 
 

Yes
Yes

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Height (Atmos) 
 

6.5
6.8

Height Setup  

Nakamichi DRAGON Height Setup
Samsung HW-Q990D Height Setup

H Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Localization 
 

Phantom (Side Firing, Front Firing Bar and Up Firing Satellites)
Phantom (Up Firing, Bar & Satellites)

Slope 
 

-0.70
-0.23

Std. Err. 
 

4.22 dB
3.76 dB

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

95.6 dB SPL
91.4 dB SPL

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

3.07
0.53

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

0.98
1.46

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Sound Enhancement Features 
 

6.2
9.5

Room Correction 
 

No
Yes

Dialogue Enhancement 
 

No
Yes

Auto-Volume/Night Mode 
 

Yes
Yes

Subwoofer Level Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

Bass Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

Treble Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

EQ 
 

Presets
Graphic + Presets

Surround Level Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

Rear Level Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

Height Level Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

Virtual Surround 
 

Yes
Yes

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Connectivity

Inputs/Outputs - Bar 
 

Physical Connections Bar Photo 1  

Nakamichi DRAGON Physical Connections Bar Photo 1
Samsung HW-Q990D Physical Connections Bar Photo 1

Physical Connections Bar Photo 2  

Nakamichi DRAGON Physical Connections Bar Photo 2
Samsung HW-Q990D Physical Connections Bar Photo 2

Optical Audio In 
 

1
1

HDMI Out 
 

eARC
eARC

HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth 
 

Yes
Yes

Full HDMI In 
 

3
2

Analog Audio In 3.5mm (Aux) 
 

1
No

RCA In 
 

No
No

USB for Files 
 

No
No

Ethernet 
 

No
No

Subwoofer Output 
 

No
No

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Audio Format Support: ARC/eARC 
 

10
10

Dolby Atmos 
 

Supported
Supported

Dolby Digital 
 

Supported
Supported

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

Supported
Supported

Dolby TrueHD 
 

Supported
Supported

DTS 
 

Supported
Supported

DTS:X 
 

Supported
Supported

DTS-HD MA 
 

Supported
Supported

PCM Channels 
 

Up To 7.1
Up To 7.1

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Audio Format Support: HDMI In 
 

10
10

Dolby Atmos 
 

Supported
Supported

Dolby Digital 
 

Supported
Supported

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

Supported
Supported

Dolby TrueHD 
 

Supported
Supported

DTS 
 

Supported
Supported

DTS:X 
 

Supported
Supported

DTS-HD MA 
 

Supported
Supported

PCM Channels 
 

Up To 7.1
Up To 7.1

Show text

Audio Format Support: Optical 
 

10
10

Dolby Digital 
 

Supported
Supported

DTS 
 

Supported
Supported

PCM Channels 
 

2.0
2.0

Show text

Audio Latency: ARC 
 

7.9
9.3

ARC Latency Video  

PCM-2.0 ch 
 

45 ms
34 ms

PCM-5.1 ch 
 

45 ms
40 ms

Dolby MAT (PCM) Atmos 
 

61 ms
58 ms

Dolby Digital 
 

101 ms
79 ms

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

111 ms
86 ms

Dolby Digital Plus Atmos 
 

125 ms
90 ms

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Audio Latency: HDMI In 
 

7.6
9.4

HDMI Latency Video  

PCM-2.0 ch 
 

110 ms
34 ms

PCM-5.1 ch 
 

44 ms
35 ms

Dolby MAT (PCM) Atmos 
 

66 ms
63 ms

Dolby Digital 
 

119 ms
97 ms

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

115 ms
89 ms

Dolby Digital Plus Atmos 
 

129 ms
95 ms

Show text

Audio Latency: Optical 
 

8.9
9.1

Optical Latency Video  

PCM-2.0 ch 
 

99 ms
97 ms

Dolby Digital 
 

158 ms
156 ms

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Video Passthrough To TV 
 

10
10

1080p Max Refresh Rate 
 

120Hz
120Hz

1080p @ 4:4:4 Max Refresh Rate 
 

120Hz
120Hz

4k Max Refresh Rate 
 

120Hz
120Hz

4k @ 120Hz @ 10-Bit 
 

Supported
Supported

4k @ 4:4:4 Max Refresh Rate 
 

120Hz
120Hz

8k Max Refresh Rate 
 

60Hz
60Hz

HDR10 Passthrough 
 

Yes
Yes

HDR10+ Passthrough 
 

Yes
Yes

Dolby Vision Passthrough 
 

Yes
Yes

HDMI Forum VRR Passthrough 
 

Yes
Yes

FreeSync Passthrough 
 

Yes
Yes

G-SYNC Passthrough 
 

Yes
Yes

ALLM Passthrough 
 

Yes
Yes

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Wireless Playback 
 

6.0
10

Bluetooth 
 

Yes
Yes

Wi-Fi Playback 
 

No
Yes

Chromecast built-in 
 

No
Yes

Apple AirPlay 
 

No
Yes

Spotify Connect 
 

No
Yes

Show text

Additional Features

Interface 
 

Interface photo  

Nakamichi DRAGON Interface photo
Samsung HW-Q990D Interface photo

Display 
 

Yes
Yes

Show text

Bar Controls 
 

Controls photo  

Nakamichi DRAGON Controls photo
Samsung HW-Q990D Controls photo

Show text

Remote  

Remote photo  

Nakamichi DRAGON Remote photo
Samsung HW-Q990D Remote photo

Show text

Voice Assistants Support 
 

Amazon Alexa 
 

No
Yes (Built-in)

Google Assistant 
 

No
No

Apple Siri 
 

No
No

Microphone Mute 
 

No
Yes

Show text

Nakamichi DRAGON

Samsung HW-Q990D

Comments

  1. Comparison

Nakamichi DRAGON vs Samsung HW-Q990D: Main Discussion

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