Yeah, once I saw Andrew Robinson tell the truth about the dragon, I realize the other 50 UA-camrs that I saw were all just brown noses to Nakamichi Dragon. I want to thank you for your honest review and not kissing booty. I am going to wait for reviews for the $9000 upgraded dragon. And if it’s at least 80% good with the reviews, then I’m going to order the top option of the dragon. I will just lower my expectation so I won’t be so upset with it. I spend a lot more than $10,000 on surround system. Even though the dragon might see pricey people. To me it’s still a very good deal.
I felt this was a really thoughtful , sensible , and insightful video, especially in the aftermath of what happened between Andrew Robinson and never enough tech. You covered the strongpoints and the limitations equally.
I liked this because it's just a review from a guy that just wants to listen to great sound. I recently upgraded from the Samsung Q990B to the Q990D, before I pressed the button and made the purchase I watched so many reviews. If I listened to the expert reviews with all their technical know how, I probably wouldn't have gone for it. But I did and I'm not disappointed., the Q990D is a real upgrade on the Q990B. I guess what I'm trying to say is, sometimes the experts disappear up their own bottoms with all the technical jargon. It's difficult to try and find a review that just gives you basics. That's why I like this guy, he talks the language of the average guy on the street.
I just got this system $1,000 off for black Friday, I see your points, but for how clean it is to set up (no wires) and is pretty much plug and play and the attention to quality. For a regular upper middle class fella like me with money (but not a lot of it)...this is perfect for what I was looking for...a LOT of channels with simplicity and won't rattle my neighbors windows from by having subs that are only 8" instead of my usual 12" that get the cops called on me.
Honest Take: I do love my dragon!! Does it offer insane audio separation? Not really. Is this the best "soundbar home theater system" available? By far.
This is the key. It's a soundbar system, and in that realm, it absolutely dominates. I've been into home theater for over 30 years. Can it compete with my $100k home theater sound system? Nope. Does it blow me away in my master bedroom where my wife won't let me drill holes on the walls and ceiling to put speakers everywhere? Yes. No question. Bottom line, if you can do separates, including in-ceiling speakers etc, then do it. If you have limited space, limited budget, or have to do a bar, you owe it to yourself to check out the dragon.
@@billmulvihill8452 What is your definition of low bass? I'm telling you it shakes the hell out of my bedroom. Are you going to get infrasonics out of a soundbar? Of course not. I will be buying a pair of the new subs to add on just for fun but it's really already way over the top IMO, especially given how cheap it is. Give it a try. You can always send it back. I accidentally ordered 2 and they took back the second one no questions asked. I just had to take it back to UPS.
Great review and you're quite honest about it. It does sound like a movie theater without the bass of course but I really want people that don't own a Dragon to understand that this is not always a great thing. Personally, I would avoid the Dragon for a few reasons. 1. Any soundbar plays deeper - the Q990C was rated at 28.7hz by Rtings. The Shockwafe with dual sub was measured at 48hz by Rtings - should have gone with one. The Dragon doesn't seem to do better. I'm not a bass head but if I'm forced to have 2 subs in my room, I'd want them to play bass, not top out at 40-50hz like a tower speaker. 2. Home theater sound is superior to Cinema Sound - the Dragon has a Cinema sound but it doesn't look like it's possible to switch to Home Theater. 3. Ear damage - prolonged listening at higher volumes to compensate for bad design will damage your ears over time and will cost you the ability to enjoy sound. 4. Inability to turn down subs without impacting soundbar sound. 5. Expensive and large without much to show for that extra size and cost. 6. Oops, I forgot - no room correction which could be #1 depending on who you ask. As for the 4 new subs, they cost twice as much as the soundbar + the 2 subs and they are proprietary and useless if the soundbar fails. At that price differential, the $1,800 Ambeo and Sonos Arc would be no brainers. Just buy a 83 inch LG G4 with the savings.
@@mordimeshita1754 how many watts do you think you ACTUALLY need? LOL! tell me you know nothing about audio/electricity without telling me you know nothing.
@@warmfreeze you don't understand what I say I say the amplifier say 11 speaker may 120 wot RMS for channel but they have only total 600 wot L had to do problem is get hot end compression the sound not so good on 1000$ amplifier and you need good speaker to 1000$ but if it's strong with 90w+ dBspl in 1 mater is not working good with the speaker because you need to 4 volume to 40% in the speaker and more because it's wake amplifier and not sound good you need to know what amplifier is not limit your speaker and not get hot
@@mordimeshita1754 you realize that wattage doesn't make the audio sound better right? a lot of audiophile amps only put out 10w-50w.. your argument makes no sense because you don't understand speaker efficiency. you can easily make a set of klipsch RP-800 speakers blow your ears off with only 25w/ channel..
I rec’d the Dragon in late May. This is the 1st review that essentially captures my feelings on the product. However I do feel STRONGLY that I was lied to at worst or misled at best about the specs and abilities of the system. AND then asked to pony up another $1,500 to $6,000 to get what I thought I was buying in a 11.4.6 system. NFW will Nakamichi get another dime of my money EVER AGAIN! As an alternative I have figured out how to add (2) SVS PB1000 Subs to my system giving me the system that should have been! I like my system a lot now! That said, had I known then what I know now, I would have made a different choice! I hope people vote with their wallet and not let companies get away with charging their customers to fix THEIR mistakes. The 20% introductory price discount (of a $1,500/sub) that was supposed to be forum only special offer is an ABSOLUTE slap in the face.
The q990c and q990d are great especially when connected with late QLED Samsung TV that support Q-symphony. I'm a witness. If you recall the official video of Samsung q950A, it was said that the The q series are designed to be optimized by the QLED Samsung TVs. Samsung Soundbars are great with other TV brands. But perform a lot better with Samsung QLED, OLED NeoQled TVs that support Q-symphony. The sound is not just loud, but it is immersive with much more detail.
Great review. Your experience mirrors mine almost exactly but I was coming from the Sonos Arc. I noticed almost immediately that my two Sonos subs were better than the Dragon dual subs but everything else coming from the soundbar was an improvement with the Dragon. Maybe it’s just me but when I play Spider-Man into the spider verse 4k Blu-ray , it becomes super obvious that the dragon has some issues with the low end. The new subs are so expensive! I’ll repurpose this system at some point and think about a traditional AV system.
@@LoKnowswhat would be the best home theater/sound bar what about Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 Channel Dolby Atmos/DTS:X Soundbar eARC and SSE Max Technology would that be any different.
I can see where people like and dislike the dragon. Every room is different. I prefer a really good pair of powered speakers or Stereo amp with a good pair of Stereo Speakers paired with a Sub compared to a soundbar system. The atmos effect is awesome at first but then i just don't notice it anymore. I have a Bose Smartbar 600 with two Base module 500s and the surround cubes wich kind of suck. I thought the lower mids and mid bass were lacking. I'm happier with my SVS Prime Wireless hooked up to the WiimM Ultra and with a 10" Magnolia Sonance Sub. Bottoming out subwoofers is the worst feeling. Your problem with the Subs may be poor placement. Not every system is for everyone or every room. I've been into home theatre since 1993 and have had crap and good results. Good review on your experience.
I turn up volume on my 990c soundbar to 10 out of 100 my wife comes in my movie watching room and says "sounds like World War 2" whats going on! Was wanting a Nakamichi Dragon 11.4.6 and almost pulled the trigger and bought one, but I ended up getting the 990c soundbar and a new C2 LG OLED because my theater room is small with a low ceiling. So the 990c was more than a enough for the size of my room.
As an owner of Samsung Q990C I’m surprised you thought it was lacking in power. I run my soundbar @ around 20-25 max (out of 100). Even at those levels I have grumbling from my wife on the other side of the house. I do not even dare to run Q990C at anything beyond 30 because sound is quickly becoming deafening. And Q990C sub, when placed properly in the room is authoritative, making action movie experience truly theater like. Too bad, Dragon is not the ultimate solution you were looking for. Just don’t buy into their ‘magical new subs’ - it’s an investment that would never pay for itself.
It's hard to describe it, there is a difference between power and brute force. I'm telling you the Q990C really satisfied me, but I think my own wandering diminished the Q990c to an unfair level, while at the same time, putting the Dragon at an unrealistic level. The Dragon is a stronger system. Do people NEED a stronger system? Totally up to them.
@@LoKnows I hear you. Every time I think to myself that maybe there is something better out there, I put on some Dolby Atmos music on Apple TV just to remind myself why I fell in love with Q990.
I have the Q990D and the audio separation, and spacing is really good. As far as bass, I felt like it was lacking at times, especially with music. In most reviews and Samsung diagrams, you noticed how the sub is positioned on the floor to the right of the TV. I've tried this and also tried the left side. I noticed the difference between the 2 positions. But I found that placing the sub behind the seating position between the 2 surround speakers with the woofer protector facing away from the seating position is best. It absolutely fills the room evenly with booming bass, so much so that I had to adjust the bass level downward as well as the woofer in the app.
I also concur with your findings of having the sub to the right is a lot better than on the left side. I am guessing in my room there is a wall 3-5 feet has made the differences. The tweeter driver on the Q990 can never be as good as the dragon AMT drivers. AMT are a lot cleaner may be overly bright for some. The biggest issue with the dragon subs is the cone materials carbon fibre. Carbon fibres may be superior in strength but not in sound.
No these where just a matter of time. When this came out and i saw the price i knew this would happen. I don’t care how much you pay for a soundbar or how big you make it, at the end of the day it’s still a soundbar
funny thing is soundbar reddit forum already knew the dragon would be all hype before it even was widely released to public. andrew just re-confirmed it
The sound from the subs you are describing sounds more like port noise than bottoming out. Possibly it could be the sound of the sub's limiter engaging to avoid the driver destroying itself. The only actual measurements of the dragon seem to indicate they go nowhere fast below 40 Hz
Nice review Sir! Have the Q990C and yes its an amazing SB, but it doesn't hit hard. However, its so simple to use and its a fun system. This is why the Sony A9/ Quad is so cool, it gives you the bubble of sound, however you lose a center channel. I've run phantom center with my main system which includes tower speakers and a receiver. It works very good, but their is always an advantage to a center channel.
Great video and honest response on how you felt about the Dragon. I had high hopes when this launched as it solves the issue of having to run wires throughout your home in order to acheive Dolby Atmos. But the more and more I have seen and watched videos of the Dragon they have clearly missed the mark on what they touted when this was coming. Not having Wifi or any room crrection or calibration just is a miss on there mark. When you are going to launch a lengedary name like the Dragon it better live up to what the products used to be like back in the day when Nakamichi was around. Now they want you to spend $1,500 each for 12" subs is outrageous....... When they are asking you to spend over 3k for a soundbar and that is what it is you should have the ablity to add your own subs at that point. I have an SVS Pro 2000 and now way these new 12's sound better than SVS or hit as hard. They need to stop camparing it to 5k separate system as it stands no chance against one of these systems.
Thanks! It does sound great, right!! I always have my friends sit in the middle (money position) and play a demo for them. Trying to break down the sub-issue to them is pointless.
@@LoKnowsAs it is with most people like me. You have to have extremely high standards to have problems with the dragon with DTS X lossless audio or Atmos. Ready Player One, Ambulance, Beekeeper, Dune1 and Dune 2, The greatest showman , and Baby driver will impress 95% of people on the original dragon
U described me perfectly. I convince myself of items and look at reviews and such. My bad lol and ya I never have found the full immersion bubble like they have in the box
I'll be honest with you. I couldn't tell you what that means. Did the audio sound thin? No. Did it sound full? Sometimes. At times my brain was expecting low sounds to be present during higher than bass sections. Hope that makes sense.
I also really want 2 more satellite speakers for the front of the room to make the soundstage wider for the size of our projector screen, but they claim the channels are maxed out. Is this true?
I have a new Sony AVR and it has room correction. I still had to get a measuring tape and measure from the speakers to the sofa. Why do you guys make a big deal about this for Nakamichi?
Just discovered your channel through this video and I really enjoyed your take on the Dragon experience. It itched the curiosity I had when first hearing about the Dragon. Thank you for sharing. Hope Nakamichi is able to send you the 12" subs for testing so you can save some cash and decide after experiencing them whether they're worth the price. Anyhow, I look forward to more tech reviews and would love to hear your take on versus videos between the Dragon and a traditional home theater should you choose to go that route. Cheers!
Yep! I wish i had this review before I bought it. I like it, but it has to be turned up pretty loud before it really starts to shine. The base is lacking for 4 drivers in 2 boxes. I went back to my Sonos ARC and 2 subs. Its a great system but is more suitable for very large spaces.
Nice and balanced review! You hit it on the nail in regards to all the weaknesses. It seems like Naka is offering a $300 discount for early subwoofer expansion buyers. I’m honesty tempted to buy it despite feeling Naka didn’t deliver on their 20hz advertisement. I think it would add that extra Umph I wished the subs had. Are you selling the Dragon stands by any chance? I currently hacked a third party stand but would love to get the authentic stand for a more reasonable price than their retail costs. anyway, thanks again for the excellent review!
You used the perfect word, TEMPTED! Naka tempted me the 1st time and I caved in, I'm struggling about being tempted a 2nd time, even though they are making it tough. Sorry, bro, keeping the stands. I think a lot of my issues are the placement, so I'm holding on to them just in case.
If I were looking for a soundbar, I would seriously consider the Q990C for $1,000 since it plays lower and delivers some surround sound and has room correction. Room Correction is almost more important than the system choice. If you're looking for a system that does it all without a sub, the Sennheiser Ambeo Max is the only one capable of bass without a subwoofer. Sennheiser also has another smaller system with a sub but the Max is their flagship. And finally there's the 800lb gorilla - the Sonos Arc which is very modular and does it all. Most people are very impressed with the Sonos Sub especially at its price point.
Hola buenas tardes muy buen video mi oregunta es la siguiente como ya tienes la experiencia con un home cinema y la mejor barra de Samsung y Nakamichi dragón para ud cual tiene mejor inmersión Nakamichi, dragon o la tope gama de Samsung
Te recomiendo compres barra de sonido Samsung HW-990B, calidad sonido dolby atmos y a la vez tiene la suficiente potencia para poder vivir experiencia como cine. 😂 Nakamichi solo vende bulla, no logra separaracion de sonidos agudos y voz cuando utiliza dolby atmos. 990B no necesitas pagar mas por la serie C o D top gama alta de Samsung. 🎉 Para mi gusto barras gama alta de Samsung, mucho mejor en comparacion Nakamichi Dragon. Ahora si te gusta la bulla y extruendo, compra Dragon. Yo tengo 990B de Samsung tiene 100 volumen solo llego utilizar 25, aveces 30 me retumba todo departamento. 😂 No esta mal la idea dos bajos para barra de cine pero, 900B nunca lo nesitas, tengo mi bajo menos dos volumen regulado bien potente. Osea para mi gusto, Samsung barras de sonido a partir 990B en adelante tienen mejor inmersion de sonido en comparacion Nakamichi solo vende bulla. Cuando salieron mercado barra de sonido 990B, siguientes versiones no existe ninguna diferencia, no gastes dinero por nada. Puedes encontrar 990B por 1000 DolareS, yo pague un año atras $1,500. 😅 Casa de mi hermano tenia Nakamichi version anterior Dragon, era potente sonido pero faltaba separacion de sonidos. Para mi gusto, Nakamichi sobrevalorado. Lo dice alguien, no sabia nada de barras de sonido y televisores smart, pagando precio aprendi leccion, ahora soy un master barras de sonido y tv smart. Como dice chico del video, si quieres separacion de sonido y total inmersion dolbi atmos, mandate por la linea de barras de sonido de la serie 990 de samsung comenzando por la B en adelante segun tu presupuesto dinero.
sony needs to let you add another sub with that system. people say one of the best fur sound all around. some mention issues with it so hopefully overtime can be improved.
Beleive it or not, the bass issue reared it's head on my 1 of 500 when I upgraded the firmware from 1.0 to 2.0 and continued with firmware 2.1....the original firmware that came with it was the best sounding one to me, they screwed up the CEC control aswell
"The king is naked"... The price of $3500 us dollars and the Nakamichi marketing are creating very high expectations. There is no excuse for this poor bass performance and to add more salt to the wound, Nakamichi are offering new subs for $1200. Hilarious...
Whats funny is that most people dont know what they need or want until its been invented, and then they say i need it. I'd say for your average joe, most sound bars are going to be better than any sound coming out of a tv ,and anyone who is that picky, nothing is ever satisfying. So with that said . The thing that grabs me the most wireless, and of course, all of them , speakers. And what makes the insides tick. The other is the true Atmos. Now the cost well they weren't trying to reach the the average joe i was talking about. I love movies without any political agenda behind them, just straight up raw scary fast action or sifi gladiator with no one trying to brain wash me into their agenda. Im debating now. Should i or should i not.
That price is bordering a traditional setup. $1500 per sub is way too much. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm willing to bet their $1500 sub can't run with a base model svs or rel.
Andrew created a monster with his dragon review. It’s the flood gates opening now. It’s like when one woman is like, “i was inappropriately hit on by this famous CEO or politician”..then one week later 20 other people come forward with the same claim after like 20 years of silence…. Next thing you know someone releases a “tell all book”……..Thus are “dragon sucks” videos after a year of “it’s the best system ever” reviews…all the victims are coming forward..Andrew inspired them to be brave. Now all we gotta do is wait for the Dragon “tell-all” book
I don't agree about you being a beta tester. They are a company on the move. We aren't used to a company actively talking to customers and quickly making both software and hardware updates. We aren't used to the level of top notch customer service. Some folks I know won't buy the first year of an all new designed automobile for the same reason. I've never heard of someone that bought a new design model car a beta tester though.
The Nakamichi sound bars are overpiced hype I fell for the hype a few years back was disappointed with the sound returned it and got the samsung soundbar they have the best overall sound quality soundbar on the markret.
Why didn’t you listen to music? You spend that kind of money on it and you don’t even try to listen to music on it? Not a thorough review of it then. Should I spend another 4,000 for a music system in that room? I don’t think so! Next time please add a music opinion on any soundbar system!
as much as they say its not a sounbar.. its a soundbar... with the soundstage of a soundbar... a $4000 soundbar. any $2500 9 channel AVR and atmos speakers combo you get on amazon will sound 100x better. in fact i think they klipsch atmos setup with dual 12" subs and onkyo 9 channel AVR is on sale for $2000 on amazon right now.. LOL
Onkyo is a dead company they not the real company they sell it from the company of pioneer another company onkyo is problem of HDMI to get hot and is dead and they want half the price to fix it nobody buy it and the prices go down and down
😂😂😂😂😂😂This guys a liberal 😂😂😂😂talk about kicking something when it’s at its lowest 😂😂😂😂😂😂Chris really provided a lane for these lames to run thru now like vultures and crows they circle over the wounded thing waiting hoping for it to die so they can feed.😂😂😂😂 I’m straight calling BS ON THIS.
Get yours here: amzn.to/3T0bULJ 🐲
The new Nakamichi 12" sub looks identical to the Rel s/812s .. which is a pretty badass sub.
Yeah, once I saw Andrew Robinson tell the truth about the dragon, I realize the other 50 UA-camrs that I saw were all just brown noses to Nakamichi Dragon. I want to thank you for your honest review and not kissing booty. I am going to wait for reviews for the $9000 upgraded dragon. And if it’s at least 80% good with the reviews, then I’m going to order the top option of the dragon. I will just lower my expectation so I won’t be so upset with it. I spend a lot more than $10,000 on surround system. Even though the dragon might see pricey people. To me it’s still a very good deal.
@@RedLeo-pf9yo Might it be worth waiting to see what Sonos can offer with the Arc and Sub Gen 3 replacements due out any month now?
@@matttafaktI would say the new sub is a cheap imitation of the REL.
I felt this was a really thoughtful , sensible , and insightful video, especially in the aftermath of what happened between Andrew Robinson and never enough tech. You covered the strongpoints and the limitations equally.
I liked this because it's just a review from a guy that just wants to listen to great sound. I recently upgraded from the Samsung Q990B to the Q990D, before I pressed the button and made the purchase I watched so many reviews. If I listened to the expert reviews with all their technical know how, I probably wouldn't have gone for it. But I did and I'm not disappointed., the Q990D is a real upgrade on the Q990B. I guess what I'm trying to say is, sometimes the experts disappear up their own bottoms with all the technical jargon. It's difficult to try and find a review that just gives you basics. That's why I like this guy, he talks the language of the average guy on the street.
Thanks!! That’s what I wanted to get across.
I just got this system $1,000 off for black Friday, I see your points, but for how clean it is to set up (no wires) and is pretty much plug and play and the attention to quality. For a regular upper middle class fella like me with money (but not a lot of it)...this is perfect for what I was looking for...a LOT of channels with simplicity and won't rattle my neighbors windows from by having subs that are only 8" instead of my usual 12" that get the cops called on me.
Kudos to you sir, I now subscribe because of your scary close to Andrew Robinsons review. This is what we need more than anything, Honesty !!!
Honest Take: I do love my dragon!! Does it offer insane audio separation? Not really. Is this the best "soundbar home theater system" available? By far.
This is the key. It's a soundbar system, and in that realm, it absolutely dominates. I've been into home theater for over 30 years. Can it compete with my $100k home theater sound system? Nope. Does it blow me away in my master bedroom where my wife won't let me drill holes on the walls and ceiling to put speakers everywhere? Yes. No question. Bottom line, if you can do separates, including in-ceiling speakers etc, then do it. If you have limited space, limited budget, or have to do a bar, you owe it to yourself to check out the dragon.
@@bluered3228
And get practically no low bass out of the soundbar.🤔
@@billmulvihill8452 What is your definition of low bass? I'm telling you it shakes the hell out of my bedroom. Are you going to get infrasonics out of a soundbar? Of course not. I will be buying a pair of the new subs to add on just for fun but it's really already way over the top IMO, especially given how cheap it is. Give it a try. You can always send it back. I accidentally ordered 2 and they took back the second one no questions asked. I just had to take it back to UPS.
@@bluered3228 WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!! Lets not just brush over what you just said. $100K home theater???!!!!
@@LoKnows lol. Paradigm persona speakers, mcintosh amps and trinnov 16 processor. Add on the 97 inch G2 and wiring and you're there.
Great review and you're quite honest about it. It does sound like a movie theater without the bass of course but I really want people that don't own a Dragon to understand that this is not always a great thing. Personally, I would avoid the Dragon for a few reasons.
1. Any soundbar plays deeper - the Q990C was rated at 28.7hz by Rtings. The Shockwafe with dual sub was measured at 48hz by Rtings - should have gone with one. The Dragon doesn't seem to do better. I'm not a bass head but if I'm forced to have 2 subs in my room, I'd want them to play bass, not top out at 40-50hz like a tower speaker.
2. Home theater sound is superior to Cinema Sound - the Dragon has a Cinema sound but it doesn't look like it's possible to switch to Home Theater.
3. Ear damage - prolonged listening at higher volumes to compensate for bad design will damage your ears over time and will cost you the ability to enjoy sound.
4. Inability to turn down subs without impacting soundbar sound.
5. Expensive and large without much to show for that extra size and cost.
6. Oops, I forgot - no room correction which could be #1 depending on who you ask.
As for the 4 new subs, they cost twice as much as the soundbar + the 2 subs and they are proprietary and useless if the soundbar fails. At that price differential, the $1,800 Ambeo and Sonos Arc would be no brainers. Just buy a 83 inch LG G4 with the savings.
i still think $1500 is the cut off price for soundbars.. anything over $1500 and you are not getting your moneys worth without going to an AVR.
@@warmfreezeI don't think that a 2000 dollar receiver that gives only 40 watts for channel and only 600 watts total can do the job is bullshit
@@mordimeshita1754 how many watts do you think you ACTUALLY need? LOL! tell me you know nothing about audio/electricity without telling me you know nothing.
@@warmfreeze you don't understand what I say I say the amplifier say 11 speaker may 120 wot RMS for channel but they have only total 600 wot L had to do problem is get hot end compression the sound not so good on 1000$ amplifier and you need good speaker to 1000$ but if it's strong with 90w+ dBspl in 1 mater is not working good with the speaker because you need to 4 volume to 40% in the speaker and more because it's wake amplifier and not sound good you need to know what amplifier is not limit your speaker and not get hot
@@mordimeshita1754 you realize that wattage doesn't make the audio sound better right? a lot of audiophile amps only put out 10w-50w.. your argument makes no sense because you don't understand speaker efficiency. you can easily make a set of klipsch RP-800 speakers blow your ears off with only 25w/ channel..
I love my dragon in my small 2nd floor apartment my neighbors love it too 😅
I rec’d the Dragon in late May. This is the 1st review that essentially captures my feelings on the product. However I do feel STRONGLY that I was lied to at worst or misled at best about the specs and abilities of the system. AND then asked to pony up another $1,500 to $6,000 to get what I thought I was buying in a 11.4.6 system. NFW will Nakamichi get another dime of my money EVER AGAIN! As an alternative I have figured out how to add (2) SVS PB1000 Subs to my system giving me the system that should have been! I like my system a lot now! That said, had I known then what I know now, I would have made a different choice! I hope people vote with their wallet and not let companies get away with charging their customers to fix THEIR mistakes. The 20% introductory price discount (of a $1,500/sub) that was supposed to be forum only special offer is an ABSOLUTE slap in the face.
Fake News...
Do you mind sharing how you hooked up your SVS subs with your Dragon?
What would you recommend as alternative then?
Great review. I am experiencing exactly what you are describing and I feel the same way.
The q990c and q990d are great especially when connected with late QLED Samsung TV that support Q-symphony. I'm a witness. If you recall the official video of Samsung q950A, it was said that the The q series are designed to be optimized by the QLED Samsung TVs.
Samsung Soundbars are great with other TV brands. But perform a lot better with Samsung QLED, OLED NeoQled TVs that support Q-symphony.
The sound is not just loud, but it is immersive with much more detail.
Great review. Your experience mirrors mine almost exactly but I was coming from the Sonos Arc. I noticed almost immediately that my two Sonos subs were better than the Dragon dual subs but everything else coming from the soundbar was an improvement with the Dragon. Maybe it’s just me but when I play Spider-Man into the spider verse 4k Blu-ray , it becomes super obvious that the dragon has some issues with the low end. The new subs are so expensive! I’ll repurpose this system at some point and think about a traditional AV system.
I’m with you, I’ll run the Dragon to the ground, but my next system will definitely be an AV system too.
@@LoKnowswhat would be the best home theater/sound bar what about Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 Channel Dolby Atmos/DTS:X Soundbar eARC and SSE Max Technology would that be any different.
I can see where people like and dislike the dragon. Every room is different. I prefer a really good pair of powered speakers or Stereo amp with a good pair of Stereo Speakers paired with a Sub compared to a soundbar system.
The atmos effect is awesome at first but then i just don't notice it anymore. I have a Bose Smartbar 600 with two Base module 500s and the surround cubes wich kind of suck. I thought the lower mids and mid bass were lacking. I'm happier with my SVS Prime Wireless hooked up to the WiimM Ultra and with a 10" Magnolia Sonance Sub.
Bottoming out subwoofers is the worst feeling. Your problem with the Subs may be poor placement. Not every system is for everyone or every room. I've been into home theatre since 1993 and have had crap and good results. Good review on your experience.
I turn up volume on my 990c soundbar to 10 out of 100 my wife comes in my movie watching room and says "sounds like World War 2" whats going on! Was wanting a Nakamichi Dragon 11.4.6 and almost pulled the trigger and bought one, but I ended up getting the 990c soundbar and a new C2 LG OLED because my theater room is small with a low ceiling. So the 990c was more than a enough for the size of my room.
I have the 990D and I hear the same complain. Volume 10 is too loud for her...
How low is your ceiling and how big is the room?
If you got the Dragon it would have been World War 3…😂
Got the full Sonos setup and have the same issue. Great sound but I think my neighbours gonna hate me 😂
As an owner of Samsung Q990C I’m surprised you thought it was lacking in power. I run my soundbar @ around 20-25 max (out of 100). Even at those levels I have grumbling from my wife on the other side of the house. I do not even dare to run Q990C at anything beyond 30 because sound is quickly becoming deafening. And Q990C sub, when placed properly in the room is authoritative, making action movie experience truly theater like.
Too bad, Dragon is not the ultimate solution you were looking for. Just don’t buy into their ‘magical new subs’ - it’s an investment that would never pay for itself.
It's hard to describe it, there is a difference between power and brute force. I'm telling you the Q990C really satisfied me, but I think my own wandering diminished the Q990c to an unfair level, while at the same time, putting the Dragon at an unrealistic level. The Dragon is a stronger system. Do people NEED a stronger system? Totally up to them.
@@LoKnows I hear you. Every time I think to myself that maybe there is something better out there, I put on some Dolby Atmos music on Apple TV just to remind myself why I fell in love with Q990.
I have the Q990D and the audio separation, and spacing is really good. As far as bass, I felt like it was lacking at times, especially with music. In most reviews and Samsung diagrams, you noticed how the sub is positioned on the floor to the right of the TV. I've tried this and also tried the left side. I noticed the difference between the 2 positions. But I found that placing the sub behind the seating position between the 2 surround speakers with the woofer protector facing away from the seating position is best. It absolutely fills the room evenly with booming bass, so much so that I had to adjust the bass level downward as well as the woofer in the app.
I also concur with your findings of having the sub to the right is a lot better than on the left side. I am guessing in my room there is a wall 3-5 feet has made the differences. The tweeter driver on the Q990 can never be as good as the dragon AMT drivers. AMT are a lot cleaner may be overly bright for some. The biggest issue with the dragon subs is the cone materials carbon fibre. Carbon fibres may be superior in strength but not in sound.
Andrew Robinson got everybody making their own dragon videos now 😂
Ride it until the wheels fall off! 🤣But I've been wanting to make my own for a while.
You ain’t lying. Mans a whole year behind and now the modular 12 coming out and wants the algos to bless him
No these where just a matter of time. When this came out and i saw the price i knew this would happen. I don’t care how much you pay for a soundbar or how big you make it, at the end of the day it’s still a soundbar
Yeah that sounds about right....
funny thing is soundbar reddit forum already knew the dragon would be all hype before it even was widely released to public. andrew just re-confirmed it
The sound from the subs you are describing sounds more like port noise than bottoming out. Possibly it could be the sound of the sub's limiter engaging to avoid the driver destroying itself. The only actual measurements of the dragon seem to indicate they go nowhere fast below 40 Hz
Thanks, will definitely look into that.
Nice review Sir! Have the Q990C and yes its an amazing SB, but it doesn't hit hard. However, its so simple to use and its a fun system. This is why the Sony A9/ Quad is so cool, it gives you the bubble of sound, however you lose a center channel. I've run phantom center with my main system which includes tower speakers and a receiver. It works very good, but their is always an advantage to a center channel.
Great video and honest response on how you felt about the Dragon. I had high hopes when this launched as it solves the issue of having to run wires throughout your home in order to acheive Dolby Atmos. But the more and more I have seen and watched videos of the Dragon they have clearly missed the mark on what they touted when this was coming. Not having Wifi or any room crrection or calibration just is a miss on there mark. When you are going to launch a lengedary name like the Dragon it better live up to what the products used to be like back in the day when Nakamichi was around. Now they want you to spend $1,500 each for 12" subs is outrageous....... When they are asking you to spend over 3k for a soundbar and that is what it is you should have the ablity to add your own subs at that point. I have an SVS Pro 2000 and now way these new 12's sound better than SVS or hit as hard. They need to stop camparing it to 5k separate system as it stands no chance against one of these systems.
I love your honest and i love my dragon. It sounds incredible to me and all my guests
Thanks! It does sound great, right!! I always have my friends sit in the middle (money position) and play a demo for them. Trying to break down the sub-issue to them is pointless.
@@LoKnowsAs it is with most people like me. You have to have extremely high standards to have problems with the dragon with DTS X lossless audio or Atmos. Ready Player One, Ambulance, Beekeeper, Dune1 and Dune 2, The greatest showman , and Baby driver will impress 95% of people on the original dragon
U described me perfectly. I convince myself of items and look at reviews and such. My bad lol and ya I never have found the full immersion bubble like they have in the box
nice video keep it up. I guess nakamachi followed the "fake it until you make it" approach. and we all know where this lead....
I would rather get active speakers before any soundbar regardless of price. Great honest review, good sir. Sorry about the bittersweet experience.
+1 like for Tim the toolman reference + imitation. Great review!
Sorry if i missed this innthe review but how did you feel about the mid range of the system? In two reviews, they stated that it was a little weak.
I'll be honest with you. I couldn't tell you what that means. Did the audio sound thin? No. Did it sound full? Sometimes. At times my brain was expecting low sounds to be present during higher than bass sections. Hope that makes sense.
I also really want 2 more satellite speakers for the front of the room to make the soundstage wider for the size of our projector screen, but they claim the channels are maxed out. Is this true?
I have no idea, but if they can go from 2 physical subs to all sudden four. I think it’s possible.
@@LoKnows Your fingertips to the tech gods' ears
glad i went ambeo max with pb3000 sub. the best combo
I have a new Sony AVR and it has room correction. I still had to get a measuring tape and measure from the speakers to the sofa. Why do you guys make a big deal about this for Nakamichi?
prob because for the sony avr it'd probably make a difference
awesome real world experience review, thank you
Just discovered your channel through this video and I really enjoyed your take on the Dragon experience. It itched the curiosity I had when first hearing about the Dragon. Thank you for sharing. Hope Nakamichi is able to send you the 12" subs for testing so you can save some cash and decide after experiencing them whether they're worth the price.
Anyhow, I look forward to more tech reviews and would love to hear your take on versus videos between the Dragon and a traditional home theater should you choose to go that route. Cheers!
Thanks for the feedback!! It would be nice to get to test the subs 😬
So for an apartment would you recommend the sonos?. I want a solid Atmos experience but not to scare my neighbors lol
Yep! I wish i had this review before I bought it. I like it, but it has to be turned up pretty loud before it really starts to shine. The base is lacking for 4 drivers in 2 boxes. I went back to my Sonos ARC and 2 subs.
Its a great system but is more suitable for very large spaces.
Great content, worth a sub. Curious: what are the crossover settings?
Nice and balanced review! You hit it on the nail in regards to all the weaknesses. It seems like Naka is offering a $300 discount for early subwoofer expansion buyers. I’m honesty tempted to buy it despite feeling Naka didn’t deliver on their 20hz advertisement. I think it would add that extra Umph I wished the subs had. Are you selling the Dragon stands by any chance? I currently hacked a third party stand but would love to get the authentic stand for a more reasonable price than their retail costs. anyway, thanks again for the excellent review!
You used the perfect word, TEMPTED! Naka tempted me the 1st time and I caved in, I'm struggling about being tempted a 2nd time, even though they are making it tough.
Sorry, bro, keeping the stands. I think a lot of my issues are the placement, so I'm holding on to them just in case.
If I were looking for a soundbar, I would seriously consider the Q990C for $1,000 since it plays lower and delivers some surround sound and has room correction. Room Correction is almost more important than the system choice.
If you're looking for a system that does it all without a sub, the Sennheiser Ambeo Max is the only one capable of bass without a subwoofer. Sennheiser also has another smaller system with a sub but the Max is their flagship.
And finally there's the 800lb gorilla - the Sonos Arc which is very modular and does it all. Most people are very impressed with the Sonos Sub especially at its price point.
Hola buenas tardes muy buen video mi oregunta es la siguiente como ya tienes la experiencia con un home cinema y la mejor barra de Samsung y Nakamichi dragón para ud cual tiene mejor inmersión Nakamichi, dragon o la tope gama de Samsung
Te recomiendo compres barra de sonido Samsung HW-990B, calidad sonido dolby atmos y a la vez tiene la suficiente potencia para poder vivir experiencia como cine. 😂 Nakamichi solo vende bulla, no logra separaracion de sonidos agudos y voz cuando utiliza dolby atmos. 990B no necesitas pagar mas por la serie C o D top gama alta de Samsung. 🎉 Para mi gusto barras gama alta de Samsung, mucho mejor en comparacion Nakamichi Dragon. Ahora si te gusta la bulla y extruendo, compra Dragon. Yo tengo 990B de Samsung tiene 100 volumen solo llego utilizar 25, aveces 30 me retumba todo departamento. 😂 No esta mal la idea dos bajos para barra de cine pero, 900B nunca lo nesitas, tengo mi bajo menos dos volumen regulado bien potente. Osea para mi gusto, Samsung barras de sonido a partir 990B en adelante tienen mejor inmersion de sonido en comparacion Nakamichi solo vende bulla. Cuando salieron mercado barra de sonido 990B, siguientes versiones no existe ninguna diferencia, no gastes dinero por nada. Puedes encontrar 990B por 1000 DolareS, yo pague un año atras $1,500. 😅 Casa de mi hermano tenia Nakamichi version anterior Dragon, era potente sonido pero faltaba separacion de sonidos. Para mi gusto, Nakamichi sobrevalorado. Lo dice alguien, no sabia nada de barras de sonido y televisores smart, pagando precio aprendi leccion, ahora soy un master barras de sonido y tv smart. Como dice chico del video, si quieres separacion de sonido y total inmersion dolbi atmos, mandate por la linea de barras de sonido de la serie 990 de samsung comenzando por la B en adelante segun tu presupuesto dinero.
Sounds like maybe the Bravia Quad is the right choice for you
sony needs to let you add another sub with that system. people say one of the best fur sound all around. some mention issues with it so hopefully overtime can be improved.
It's like being promised by hype a Clydesdale only to receive a pony.
You should’ve got a Sonos art pair of Sonos subs and a pair of Sonos fives!! Outstanding!👍
Mike Gonet.
He was that guy in high school who always did upper body and never leg day.
We called him the Human Y.
Beleive it or not, the bass issue reared it's head on my 1 of 500 when I upgraded the firmware from 1.0 to 2.0 and continued with firmware 2.1....the original firmware that came with it was the best sounding one to me, they screwed up the CEC control aswell
"The king is naked"... The price of $3500 us dollars and the Nakamichi marketing are creating very high expectations. There is no excuse for this poor bass performance and to add more salt to the wound, Nakamichi are offering new subs for $1200. Hilarious...
Whats funny is that most people dont know what they need or want until its been invented, and then they say i need it.
I'd say for your average joe, most sound bars are going to be better than any sound coming out of a tv ,and anyone who is that picky, nothing is ever satisfying.
So with that said .
The thing that grabs me the most wireless, and of course, all of them , speakers.
And what makes the insides tick.
The other is the true Atmos.
Now the cost well they weren't trying to reach the the average joe i was talking about.
I love movies without any political agenda behind them, just straight up raw scary fast action or sifi gladiator with no one trying to brain wash me into their agenda.
Im debating now. Should i or should i not.
Hardcore audiophiles are doing separates with a dedicated center speaker.
I want to be so hardcore, that the Dragon IS the center channel.
@@LoKnows I prefer a Revel Voice2 myself.
@@scruffy8861 Nakamichi would probably call that a sub given its low frequency extension 😂
You can buy converter boxes to but better subs for your soundbar
That price is bordering a traditional setup. $1500 per sub is way too much. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm willing to bet their $1500 sub can't run with a base model svs or rel.
$1500 is crazy way too much
i'm pretty sure the new 12" Nakamichi Sub is a rel s/812s
Andrew created a monster with his dragon review. It’s the flood gates opening now. It’s like when one woman is like, “i was inappropriately hit on by this famous CEO or politician”..then one week later 20 other people come forward with the same claim after like 20 years of silence…. Next thing you know someone releases a “tell all book”……..Thus are “dragon sucks” videos after a year of “it’s the best system ever” reviews…all the victims are coming forward..Andrew inspired them to be brave. Now all we gotta do is wait for the Dragon “tell-all” book
Will you be checking out the new 12 inch subs ?
I probably, will. Realistically, will have to start with 1 sub first.
Good video
I don't agree about you being a beta tester. They are a company on the move. We aren't used to a company actively talking to customers and quickly making both software and hardware updates. We aren't used to the level of top notch customer service. Some folks I know won't buy the first year of an all new designed automobile for the same reason. I've never heard of someone that bought a new design model car a beta tester though.
The Nakamichi sound bars are overpiced hype I fell for the hype a few years back was disappointed with the sound returned it and got the samsung soundbar they have the best overall sound quality soundbar on the markret.
I do believe the JBL BAR 1300 is the best soundbar for my 30 sqm-living room, and it is cheaper than this Nakamichi Dragon
I truly feel for dragon early adopters. No words. Good vid. 👍🤪🏳️🌈
No soundbar beats separates.
Andrew is going to cry in the car now 😂😂😂😂
did not go over any of the speakers and it was just talk with no spec
We will wait for another review to come make a video defending Nakamichi. 🤣😅
Prefer my Sony HT-A9
Seems like lot of people are out to slay their own dragon😂😂😂
Why didn’t you listen to music?
You spend that kind of money on it and you don’t even try to listen to music on it?
Not a thorough review of it then.
Should I spend another 4,000 for a music system in that room?
I don’t think so!
Next time please add a music opinion on any soundbar system!
Over price sound bar that’s it!
as much as they say its not a sounbar.. its a soundbar... with the soundstage of a soundbar... a $4000 soundbar. any $2500 9 channel AVR and atmos speakers combo you get on amazon will sound 100x better. in fact i think they klipsch atmos setup with dual 12" subs and onkyo 9 channel AVR is on sale for $2000 on amazon right now.. LOL
Onkyo is a dead company they not the real company they sell it from the company of pioneer another company onkyo is problem of HDMI to get hot and is dead and they want half the price to fix it nobody buy it and the prices go down and down
@@mordimeshita1754 did you read anything i said, or just cherry pick only that part specifically?
I need someone to please gift me one.ill pay it foward one day
😂😂😂😂😂😂This guys a liberal 😂😂😂😂talk about kicking something when it’s at its lowest 😂😂😂😂😂😂Chris really provided a lane for these lames to run thru now like vultures and crows they circle over the wounded thing waiting hoping for it to die so they can feed.😂😂😂😂 I’m straight calling BS ON THIS.
Boring