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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

Samsung HW-B650 vs TCL S55H

Side-by-Side Comparison

Products

Samsung HW-B650
TCL S55H

Tested using Methodology v1.3

Updated Jan 14, 2025 08:36 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v1.3

Updated Nov 13, 2024 07:59 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Samsung HW-B650 Picture
TCL S55H Picture
  1. Recommended in 2 articles:
  2. Budget
  3. Under $300

Variants

  • HW-B650 (Black)
  • S55H (Black)

Our Verdict

Samsung HW-B650

TCL S55H

The Samsung HW-B650 and the TCL S55H both fall into the budget soundbar category but fulfill slightly different purposes. The Samsung's 3.1 setup comes with a discrete center channel, which makes all the difference when compared to the TCL's simulated phantom center. It also has a more balanced default sound profile and a better dynamics performance, which makes it a great fit for those who value clear and detailed dialogue. It also has lower latency via HDMI and comes with an HDMI In port, meaning it can function as a hub between your console and TV. That said, the TCL is Atmos-compatible and comes with a better suite of sound enhancement features, like AI Sonic-Adaptation, which tunes the sound to your room's unique acoustic characteristics.

0

Main Differences for

Threshold 

0.10

Mixed Usage 

7.4
7.1

Height (Atmos) 
 

0.0
3.8

Stereo Frequency Response 
 

7.8
7.4

Center 
 

8.1
6.8

Full Comparison

Design

Style - Bar  

Style photo - bar  

Samsung HW-B650 Style photo - bar
TCL S55H Style photo - bar

Show text

Style - Subwoofer  

Style photo - sub  

Samsung HW-B650 Style photo - sub
TCL S55H Style photo - sub

Sub Wireless 
 

Yes
Yes

Enclosure 
 

Ported
Ported

Show text

Style - Satellites  

Style photo - satellites  

Samsung HW-B650 Style photo - satellites
TCL S55H Style photo - satellites

Satellite Wireless 
 

No
No

Show text

Dimensions - Bar  

Dimensions photo - bar  

Samsung HW-B650 Dimensions photo - bar
TCL S55H Dimensions photo - bar

Width  

40.6" (103.1 cm)
31.9" (81.1 cm)

Height  

2.2" (5.7 cm)
2.3" (5.9 cm)

Depth  

4.2" (10.6 cm)
3.8" (9.7 cm)

Show text

Dimensions - Subwoofer  

Dimensions photo - sub  

Samsung HW-B650 Dimensions photo - sub
TCL S55H Dimensions photo - sub

Width  

7.2" (18.4 cm)
7.7" (19.5 cm)

Height  

13.5" (34.2 cm)
12.5" (31.7 cm)

Depth  

11.7" (29.7 cm)
7.7" (19.5 cm)

Show text

Dimensions - Satellites  

Dimensions photo - satellites  

Samsung HW-B650 Dimensions photo - satellites
TCL S55H Dimensions photo - satellites

Width  

N/A
N/A

Height  

N/A
N/A

Depth  

N/A
N/A

Mounting 
 

Bar Mounting Holes  

Samsung HW-B650 Bar Mounting Holes
TCL S55H Bar Mounting Holes

Satellite Mounting Holes  

Samsung HW-B650 Satellite Mounting Holes
TCL S55H Satellite Mounting Holes

Mountable Bar 
 

Yes
Yes

Bar Brackets Included 
 

Yes
Yes

Mountable Satellites 
 

No
No

Satellite Brackets Included 
 

No
No

Show text

Build Quality 
 

7.5
7.0

Build quality photo  

Samsung HW-B650 Build quality photo
TCL S55H Build quality photo

Show text

In The Box 
 

In The Box photo   

Samsung HW-B650 In The Box photo
TCL S55H In The Box photo

Show text

Sound

Stereo Frequency Response 
 

7.8
7.4

Stereo Setup  

Samsung HW-B650 Stereo Setup
TCL S55H 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 
 

3.1
2.1

Tested Preset 
 

Standard
Standard

Slope 
 

-0.10
0.30

Standard Error 
 

2.91 dB
3.28 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

39.4 Hz
46.2 Hz

High-Frequency Extension 
 

19.9 kHz
16.5 kHz

Show text

Stereo Frequency Response With Preliminary Calibration 
 

7.8
7.8

Frequency Response Calibrated  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Suggested Preset 
 

Standard
Standard

Suggested Bass Setting 
 

0
2

Suggested Treble Setting 
 

0
0

Slope 
 

-0.10
-0.03

Standard Error 
 

2.91 dB
3.35 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

39.4 Hz
34.6 Hz

High-Frequency Extension 
 

19.9 kHz
16.7 kHz

Show text

Stereo Soundstage 
 

7.0
6.5

Crosstalk  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Crosstalk Error 
 

2.47 dB
3.31 dB

Show text

Stereo Dynamics 
 

8.5
8.0

Dynamic Range Compression  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

96.3 dB SPL
92.3 dB SPL

DRC @ 90dB 
 

0.68 dB
0.78 dB

DRC @ Max Volume 
 

1.15 dB
1.01 dB

Show text

Center 
 

8.1
6.8

Center Setup  

Samsung HW-B650 Center Setup
TCL S55H Center Setup

Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Localization 
 

Discrete
Phantom

Slope 
 

-0.22
1.04

Std. Err. 
 

3.09 dB
3.24 dB

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

89.1 dB SPL
96.1 dB SPL

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

0.63
0.67

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

4.12
1.67

Show text

Surround 5.1 
 

4.0
4.4

Surround Setup  

Samsung HW-B650 Surround Setup
TCL S55H Surround Setup

Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Localization 
 

Stereo (Downmix)
Stereo (Downmix)

Slope 
 

-0.30
0.10

Std. Err. 
 

3.57 dB
3.05 dB

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

91.2 dB SPL
96.7 dB SPL

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

0.79
0.65

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

3.13
1.71

7.1 Rears 
 

No
No

Show text

Height (Atmos) 
 

0.0
3.8

Height Setup  

Samsung HW-B650 Height Setup
TCL S55H Height Setup

H Frequency Response  

Samsung HW-B650 H Frequency Response
See details on graph tool

Localization 
 

Not Supported
Stereo (Downmix)

Slope 
 

N/A
0.00

Std. Err. 
 

N/A
3.01 dB

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

N/A
78.1 dB SPL

Weighted THD @ 80dB 
 

N/A
1.80

Weighted THD @ Max Volume 
 

N/A
0.35

Show text

Sound Enhancement Features 
 

7.4
6.8

Room Correction 
 

No
Yes

Dialogue Enhancement 
 

Yes
Yes

Auto-Volume/Night Mode 
 

Yes
Yes

Subwoofer Level Adjustment 
 

Yes
No

Bass Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

Treble Adjustment 
 

Yes
Yes

EQ 
 

Graphic + Presets
Presets

Surround Level Adjustment 
 

No
No

Rear Level Adjustment 
 

Yes
No

Height Level Adjustment 
 

No
No

Virtual Surround 
 

Yes
Yes

Show text

Connectivity

Inputs/Outputs - Bar 
 

Physical Connections Bar Photo 1  

Samsung HW-B650 Physical Connections Bar Photo 1
TCL S55H Physical Connections Bar Photo 1

Physical Connections Bar Photo 2  

Samsung HW-B650 Physical Connections Bar Photo 2
TCL S55H Physical Connections Bar Photo 2

Optical Audio In 
 

1
1

HDMI Out 
 

ARC
eARC

HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth 
 

No
No

Full HDMI In 
 

1
No

Analog Audio In 3.5mm (Aux) 
 

No
1

RCA In 
 

No
No

USB for Files 
 

1
1

Ethernet 
 

No
No

Subwoofer Output 
 

No
No

Show text

Audio Format Support: ARC/eARC 
 

6.3
8.3

Dolby Atmos 
 

Not Supported
Supported

Dolby Digital 
 

Supported
Supported

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

Dolby TrueHD 
 

Not Supported
Supported

DTS 
 

Supported
Supported

DTS:X 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

DTS-HD MA 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

PCM Channels 
 

2.0
2.0

Show text

Audio Format Support: HDMI In 
 

6.3
0.0

Dolby Atmos 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

Dolby Digital 
 

Supported
Not Supported

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

Dolby TrueHD 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

DTS 
 

Supported
Not Supported

DTS:X 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

DTS-HD MA 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

PCM Channels 
 

2.0
Not Supported

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 
 

8.9
6.1

ARC Latency Video  

PCM-2.0 ch 
 

82 ms
55 ms

PCM-5.1 ch 
 

82 ms
N/A

Dolby MAT (PCM) Atmos 
 

N/A
89 ms

Dolby Digital 
 

82 ms
146 ms

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

N/A
N/A

Dolby Digital Plus Atmos 
 

N/A
N/A

Show text

Audio Latency: HDMI In 
 

8.9
0.0

HDMI Latency Video  

PCM-2.0 ch 
 

82 ms
N/A

PCM-5.1 ch 
 

83 ms
N/A

Dolby MAT (PCM) Atmos 
 

N/A
N/A

Dolby Digital 
 

95 ms
N/A

Dolby Digital Plus 
 

N/A
N/A

Dolby Digital Plus Atmos 
 

N/A
N/A

Show text

Audio Latency: Optical 
 

6.7
8.2

Optical Latency Video  

PCM-2.0 ch 
 

161 ms
110 ms

Dolby Digital 
 

207 ms
168 ms

Show text

Video Passthrough To TV 
 

6.3
0.0

1080p Max Refresh Rate 
 

120Hz
Not Supported

1080p @ 4:4:4 Max Refresh Rate 
 

120Hz
Not Supported

4k Max Refresh Rate 
 

60Hz
Not Supported

4k @ 120Hz @ 10-Bit 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

4k @ 4:4:4 Max Refresh Rate 
 

30Hz
Not Supported

8k Max Refresh Rate 
 

Not Supported
Not Supported

HDR10 Passthrough 
 

No
No

HDR10+ Passthrough 
 

No
No

Dolby Vision Passthrough 
 

No
No

HDMI Forum VRR Passthrough 
 

No
No

FreeSync Passthrough 
 

No
No

G-SYNC Passthrough 
 

No
No

ALLM Passthrough 
 

No
No

Show text

Wireless Playback 
 

6.0
6.0

Bluetooth 
 

Yes
Yes

Wi-Fi Playback 
 

No
No

Chromecast built-in 
 

No
No

Apple AirPlay 
 

No
No

Spotify Connect 
 

No
No

Show text

Additional Features

Interface 
 

Interface photo  

Samsung HW-B650 Interface photo
TCL S55H Interface photo

Display 
 

Yes
Yes

Show text

Bar Controls 
 

Controls photo  

Samsung HW-B650 Controls photo
TCL S55H Controls photo

Show text

Remote  

Remote photo  

Samsung HW-B650 Remote photo
TCL S55H Remote photo

Show text

Voice Assistants Support 
 

Amazon Alexa 
 

No
No

Google Assistant 
 

No
No

Apple Siri 
 

No
No

Microphone Mute 
 

No
No

Samsung HW-B650

TCL S55H

Comments

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