Dolby Atmos Soundbar advice

[RyanGrant9400]

Which Dolby Atmos soundbar makes sense for me? I was wondering if anyone could provide me some insight since everything I list below is what I am learning for the first time. Budget is not a problem.

What I have currently:
A Sony HT-ST7 soundbar + subwoofer. There is a single HDMI in ARC output going to the TV ARC
I have a LG 2016 OLED 65 B6 TV.
Connected to it via HDMI are a PS4 Pro, Samsung UBD‑K8500 UHD Blu-ray player, and my cable Set Top box.
Currently, the TV is set to output sound through the ARC, switching between LPCM, DTS, Dolby based on the source.
My sources all go to the TV since the soundbar is old and does not let 4k HDR passthrough (which I use on the Samsung player and PS4).
The TV seems to passthrough 5.1 surround to the soundbar, but I can't tell for sure since I'm not a huge audiophile. PS4 outputs at Dolby Bitstream, Samsung at uncompressed bitstream. It seems like the B6 is capable of passing this to the soundbar, and the soundbar does recognize the source (DTS v Dolby v LCPM), but it doesn't say if it is outputting at 5.1 or 2.1.
I also have a small living room with rectangular walls and flat, standard ceiling. Wiring for a full surround setup is not feasible.

What I want:
I want to upgrade my soundbar. I would like to get the full Atmos experience on some of my UHD Blu-rays through the Samsung player. I also use the Plex app on my TV for most of my other watching content, and a majority of time on the PS4. Basically, the soundbar needs to be able to be an upgrade for 1) Plex through the B6, 2) UHD Blurays through the Samsung player, 3) the PS4 Pro.
I wanted to know which soundbar -- the Sony HT-ST5000 or Samsung HW-K950 makes sense for me. From my understanding, here are some preliminary concerns
Sony -- Unlike the Samsung, there are no rear speakers. Not out, so no reviews yet
Samsung -- Unlike the Sony, it cannot decode DTS. I have no idea how much of a practical problem this can be for me. It seems like I can get the PS4 to output only in Dolby, but for those items in DTS in Plex? Will this end up being a downgrade? It can handle Atmos on the Samsung, and all my UHD Blurays say Dolby on them, so there should be no problem right, since the future standard will probably include Dolby?
Reviews are out, seem like people really like the audio but have some practical issues with this also.

 

[Alabalcho]

Forget about sound bars. You need proper A/V receiver. Stay clear from anything mentioning Home Theather - these cheap boxes have very limited (if at all) inputs.

5+1 is the one which will give you surround sound, although you might look at 7+1/7+2 for extra capabilities (eg second zone). You said you're not audiophile, so Atmos requirement might be an overkill (and overpriced).

Connect all gadgets to the receiver, use the TV for video only.

 

[RyanGrant9400]

Forget about sound bars. You need proper A/V receiver. Stay clear from anything mentioning Home Theather - these cheap boxes have very limited (if at all) inputs.

5+1 is the one which will give you surround sound, although you might look at 7+1/7+2 for extra capabilities (eg second zone). You said you're not audiophile, so Atmos requirement might be an overkill (and overpriced).

Connect all gadgets to the receiver, use the TV for video only.

I understand the whole debate in regards to a full setup v sound bar. The full setup is simply not possible in my situation though, and it seems overkill for the room I am using anyways. The soundbar seems like a simpler solution that will suit my needs. My current bar has suited me fine for the last 3 years, and the only reason I am thinking of changing is the fact that Atmos is now available in this soundbar format and I could definitely utilize it via my UHD Discs. Additionally my current bar doesn't sound like a full surround setup, but as I understand it, these bars both can.

Plus, having heard the HW-K950 at a Best Buy, I can say that it sounds fairly close to the full Atmos setup they had, at least to my untrained ears.

As I understand it, the Samsung HW-K950 and Sony HT-ST5000 are the two options in this Dolby Atmos Soundbar market, so I was more trying to get a feel for the comparison between the two/any major downsides to them. I respect the receiver solution, but it's just not a realistic option for me.

 

[Jongalt26]

The sony is being released in July, pre-orders in May.
There is also the Yamaha YSP-5600 that is available. Unfortunately the Yamaha wont pass-thru HDR signals but it should work as the end point in the chain (so your devices are plugged into the tv, with Arc to the sound bar. ) It does pass-thru 4k, atmos, dts etc.

Supposedly the samsung will release firmware for 5.1 DTS support on their bar. I dont know when though.

My gut is telling me the sony will be the best choice, especially at that price point. However, im in a similar position as you and i have no intention of waiting till july.

 

[zack.arasyd]

Thank you Ryan, Alabalcho & Jongal for the answers