Samsung MS750 & W700 review: A powerful entertainment sound combo from Samsung

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TA-ratings-94The Samsung MS750 soundbar and W700 subwoofer aren’t exactly the cheapest offerings on the market. But if you’ve already sunk a small fortune into a high-end TV like the Samsung Q8C, you’re probably not worried about the price tag. If you’re happy with your existing non-4K TV and are a serious sound buff, then you may be interested. But for most users who are still rocking a sub $500USD 1080p TV, you’re likely not going to want to spend $1200USD on a premium sound system. For those who are ready to spend that kind of cash, the Samsung MS750 soundbar and W700 subwoofer are a great bang for your buck. Read on for the full review of both!

Specifications

The Samsung MS750 & W700 have the following features and specifications:

Samsung MS750 Soundbar

  • Frequency Response (amp): 35Hz ~ 20KHz
  • Number of Channels: 5
  • Number of Speakers: 11
  • Dolby Digital: 5.1
  • Amp: Crystal Amplifier
  • Sound Modes: Standard, Music, Clear, Voice, Sports, Movies
  • HD Audio: Yes
  • UHQ 32bit Audio: Yes
  • 3D Video Pass: Yes
  • 4k (60Hz) Video Pass: Yes
  • HDR Pass: Yes
  • Supported Formats: WAV, FLAC, MP3, AAC, OGG, ALAC
  • Connectivity:
    • Audio Inputs
    • Bluetooth
    • 2x HDMI
    • HDMI Out
    • Optical
    • Auto Power Link
    • Wi-Fi
  • Dimensions (W x H x D): 45.28″ x 3.15″ x 5.13″
  • Weight: 13.89lbs

Samsung W700 Subwoofer

  • Number of Channels: 0.1
  • Number of Speakers: 1
  • Frequency Range: 27Hz ~ 120Hz
  • Driver Size: 10″
  • Distortion Cancelling: Yes
  • Dimensions (W x H x D): 12.60″ x 13.31″ x 12.60″
  • Weight: 32.19lbs

What’s In The Box

Samsung MS750

  • Soundbar
  • Power Cable
  • Remote Control
  • Wall Mount Kit
  • Batteries
  • Optical Cable
  • Instructions and Manuals

Samsung W700

  • Subwoofer
  • Power Cable
  • Wireless dongle and holder
  • Instructions and Manuals
Samsung MS750
There is no gaudy black plastic or dust attracting cloth on this soundbar.

Design

Most soundbars and subwoofers are generally similar when it comes to aesthetic looks. As such, the Samsung MS750 and W700 aren’t extremely unique when it comes to design but they are certainly not ugly. From my perspective, they’re very minimal and easy on the eyes and seem to blend in with existing decor as is. Of course, there are people who will disagree with that assessment given their black techie exterior.

The soundbar has a typical black steel mesh covering. I am glad that there is no cloth in the design as I’ve found cloth to pick up dust too easily. It’s a pretty large soundbar and can be mounted on the wall or laid flat in front of the TV, whichever you prefer. Laying it flat on the entertainment center works for us and it allows the 5.1 speakers to fire upward and bounce sound off the ceiling.

On the right side of the soundbar, you’ll find some very minimal controls, which is nice. The volume up/down buttons, source button, and power button are located here. Around the back, or bottom of the soundbar, depending on how you mount or set it up, you will find the power out to TV, power in, digital audio optical, wireless transmitter port, AUX in, HDMI x2, HDMI out, Wi-Fi setup button, and speaker add button.

Samsung MS750
The back ports of the MS750.

The design of the W700 is super simple and clean, just a black cube with a massive 10″ subwoofer. The only button here is the reset button on the back, there are no power buttons. The unit will power up automatically and search for a soundbar to pair to which we will cover in the ease of use section. The unit is pretty large so expect it to take a bit of space on your floor but it’s not obnoxious.

Overall, I really love the design of both the Samsung MS750 and the Samsung W700 subwoofer. I like that Samsung didn’t go with a cloth covering the units as it is easier to clean off dust and debris without it. I also think Samsung did a nice job of making this melt into your existing decor. The lack of shiny black gaudy plastics and black cloth help make it look much more elegant.

https://youtu.be/00PtWDKcycY

Ease of Use

Before we kick off the ease of use section it’s important to note that we set up the MS750 and W700 with a Samsung Q8C TV. This is important to note because the setup and pairing with a Samsung TV will likely be slightly easier and quicker than a non-Samsung TV. Samsung has really made it super simple to pair with your Samsung TV and both devices get a huge thumbs up for that.

There are a few ways to connect your MS750:

  • Optical cable (included)
  • HDMI cable (not included)
  • Bluetooth
  • Wi-Fi (Only available for Samsung TV’s made after 2014)

I think you will have the most success with non-Samsung TV’s using the optical or HDMI methods as these are direct inputs with no setup needed. I chose to set the MS750 up via Wi-Fi. Since I have also chosen to use the Samsung Smart Hub and connect my Samsung Q8C to Wi-Fi, this method was insanely easy. First, before powering on the soundbar, be sure your Samsung TV is on. Once you’re in the main menu of your Samsung TV you can power up the soundbar. Then press the mode button on the soundbar until you reach Wi-Fi mode. Once you’re there, you should see a popup on your TV screen asking to pair to the MS750, follow the quick instructions and you’re literally done.

You can jump into the sound settings on your TV and choose the sound modes you want from your soundbar. It’s really that simple when connecting using the Wi-Fi method. Once the soundbar is connected and if you have Samsung’s Smart Remote, you will only need the Smart Remote to control the MS750 and the TV. When you power the TV off, the soundbar will power off as well. It’s a seamless connection and works beautifully.

https://youtu.be/Bo3qzlGnsLQ

Setting up the W700 is just as easy, thanks to Samsung’s wireless dongle. Just unpack the W700, and get everything ready to plug in. Plug the wireless dongle into the back of the Samsung MS750 (and make sure the soundbar is off), then plug in the W700 to a power outlet. There is no power button and the subwoofer will power up when plugged in. Once plugged in, the W700 should have a blinking blue light on the front.

Hold the volume button down on the MS750 remote for 5-6 seconds until you see ID SET. Then power on the MS750 using the power button on the remote. The W700’s blue blinking light should turn solid blue indicating it is now paired with the MS750. This was super easy to do but I did have to do it twice as I messed up the first round because I missed one of the steps.

You can also stream content to the MS750 via Bluetooth from other devices like your smartphone. You can use the Samsung Multiroom app to connect to the soundbar and stream from your favorite apps on your smartphone. This is a feature I never used as I use my Chromecast to listen to music which is already plugged into the TV, but it is handy to have. Bluetooth connectivity is standard so you’ll need to keep your device within 30-45 feet of the soundbar to get the optimal signal.

Overall, the Samsung MS750 and Samsung W700 are super simple to setup and use. It gets even easier if you have an existing Samsung Smart TV that’s made after 2014, then it all works like a well-oiled machine. I suspect that setting this up wired with optical or HDMI on non-Samsung TVs is just as easy.

Samsung MS750
Upward firing speakers paired with the front speaker array deliver great sound.

Sound

As I mentioned before, this soundbar and subwoofer combo was connected to the Samsung Q8C which already has some impressive built-in speakers. That being said, even those impressive speakers can be outshone and boy were they ever with this combo. It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, the W700 subwoofer adds so much low end to both music and movies it really gives you that theater experience. The dynamics of movies is beautifully enhanced with the added rumble the W700 adds giving you the feeling you’re right in the action.

Of course, the low end isn’t where it’s all at. The MS750 adds so much depth to the experience with its front array of speakers firing straight at you and the two up firing speakers showering you from above. Now I’ve watched and read other reviews bashing the MS750 for being “thin” and not up to snuff, I can’t disagree more. Maybe I’ve not done enough higher-end soundbar reviews to know better but to my ears the MS750 and W700 combo really kill it.

Samsung MS750
The LED display on the MS750.

That being said, this isn’t a Dolby Atmos system, which can cost much more than this setup, but it certainly does a superb job of delivering excellent sound quality. If you want Atmos 5.1 or Atmos 7.1 you’re going to be investing a lot more than what this Samsung setup is going to cost you.

Overall, I think the Samsung MS750 and Samsung W700 combo deliver much more than the average consumer is going to really want. In other words, your average consumer is really going to love what this combination can deliver in terms of sound.

Price/Value

Normally these units are priced at $699.99USD for the MS750 and $499.99USD for the W700. Samsung has them on sale, as of this review, for $549.99USD for the MS750 and $399.99USD for the W700. You could save a few more bucks at Amazon where they’re priced at $547.99USD for the MS750 and $376.99USD for the W700. At the full retail price, it’s a hard pill to swallow. The sale prices make it a bit more bearable but I’d still love to see these priced at $499.99USD and $349.99USD which would make them a super deal. Still, at the current sale price, I think there’s a lot of value here.

Wrap Up

For the average consumer, this is a lot of money to invest in a sound system. I think the MS750 and W700 combo are a great upgrade to any TV but this may be overkill for those who are using sub $500USD TVs. If you’ve invested over $1000USD in your TV with 4K UHD HDR then this is certainly something worth considering. That’s not to say folks with sub $500USD shouldn’t buy this. By all means, if you’re looking to upgrade your sound and want to sink the money in, then go for it.

This combo is really the first soundbar/subwoofer combo of this caliber that I’ve used. Everything else has been basic sub $400USD solution and compared to those setups, the Samsung shines. For now, until I get other soundbar/subwoofer combos to review, this is by far the best I’ve used. So I highly recommend this if you’re OK with the price and don’t mind the bulk of the system.

*We were sent review units of the Samsung MS750 & W700 for the purposes of this review.

Last Updated on January 12, 2019.

Samsung MS750 & W700

$499.99+ USD

Design

9.0/10

Ease of Use

9.5/10

Sound

10.0/10

Price/Value

9.0/10

Nailed it

  • Nice design
  • Great front display
  • Excellent sound quality
  • Easy to set up

Needs work

  • Price tag is certainly not for everyone
  • Physically large
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