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By Samsung Newsroom
It is no secret that Samsung Electronics — the global leader in TV manufacturing for 17 consecutive years — also has a strong presence in the soundbar market, boasting an impressive nine-year reign since 2013. The secret to Samsung’s success lies within a dynamic team of innovative engineers who are pioneering the way people consume content. At the heart of this change is Samsung’s advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the company’s use of AI to improve sound and picture quality across its screens.
Following the first installment of this series about the significance of hardware innovation in achieving premium sound quality, Samsung Newsroom sat down with its engineers once again to take a closer look at Samsung’s remarkable AI features that helped create a state-of-the-art sound experience.
Embracing AI for Sonic Perfection: Tuning Your Sound to Your Environment
“Ironically, I don’t recall sound engineers being interested in AI in the beginning when we started seeing a boom in the technology,” said Sunmin Kim, Head of the Sound Device Lab, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. But with an intuition that AI could help improve TV sound, the Sound Device Lab decided to get a head start, about six years ago, in exploring AI and its applications to sound technologies.
Then, a shift occurred. With the advent of the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and its application to Samsung’s flagship TVs, the possibilities of applying AI technology to TV audio were unlocked. The team fast-tracked machine learning for its TVs which led to significant early successes. Kim is confident that AI has and will continue to exponentially elevate the viewing experience by enhancing TV sound in numerous and profound ways.
▲ “AI plays a critical role in improving the user experience on our screens,” said Kim.
Samsung’s advanced AI applications include a deep learning algorithm that distinguishes and separates the primary voice on the screen from other sounds. Before, an equalizer feature simply adjusted the high-, middle- and low-pitched sounds within humans’ audible frequency range — approximately 20 to 20,000Hz — to improve sound quality. The 2023 TVs and screens go above and beyond, providing deeper and greater details by analyzing content scene by scene and accentuating various audio elements including human voices, background music and sound effects. Additionally, this optimization process happens behind the scenes so that users can enjoy optimal sound effortlessly.
SpaceFit Sound: Tailoring Audio to Your Space
The listening environment and its acoustic properties must be considered to truly optimize sound from TVs. Samsung’s latest TVs come with the SpaceFit Sound feature that leverages AI technology to assess surrounding environments and ensure sound is appropriately adjusted. The feature utilizes the TV’s built-in microphone to automatically identify various factors present in the room, such as the distance between the TV and the wall as well as the room’s acoustic properties, to measure the reflection of the TV’s sound. AI is used to enhance the sound accordingly.
▲ SpaceFit Sound leverages AI to learn the acoustic properties of the environment and calibrates the sound accordingly.
“Through continuous research and analysis, we found certain frequency patterns that are more susceptible to change based on a device’s surroundings, potentially impacting the TV’s sound quality,” said Kibeom Kim. “The built-in microphone identifies changes in acoustic properties and sound caused by factors like a carpet or an empty room to optimize sound regardless of the TV’s location.”
“Traditionally, TVs use a set of dedicated sounds to check sound through the mic. SpaceFit Sound, on the other hand, utilizes real content to analyze viewing environments and modifies sound accordingly,” Kim explained. “The technology was designed not only for real scenarios but also real-time circumstances as the feature automatically and conveniently adjusts sound.”
▲ Samsung’s SpaceFit Sound has become the industry’s first technology to earn the Spatial Sound Optimization certification from VDE.
In recognition of the company’s dedication to innovation and user-centric design, Samsung’s SpaceFit Sound also became the first audio technology to receive the Spatial Sound Optimization certification from Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE) in 2021.
Q-Symphony 3.0: Harnessing Hyperconnectivity for Three-Dimensional Sound
Whether it’s through bigger screens or deeper acoustics, today’s viewers desire more cinematic experiences. Q-Symphony is a proprietary technology from Samsung that orchestrates a harmonious interplay between a TV’s speakers and a connected soundbar, resulting in a richer, more vibrant audio experience. As the name suggests, the feature allows two audio outputs to synchronize, similar to a carefully conducted concerto, creating a unified, immersive soundstage. More specifically, the soundbar plays primary audio channels, while the TV speakers add background and surround sounds to create a dynamic and three-dimensional audio experience.
▲ Q-Symphony allows soundbar and TV speakers to work in perfect sync, producing harmonious blends of sound for immersive experiences.
Despite the apparent simplicity in concept, Q-Symphony leverages a wide range of AI technologies to produce and sync sounds with such accuracy. Any gaps in sound levels between the TV speakers and soundbar must be precisely synced to prevent unwanted echoes and achieve perfect audio harmony. Over the years, Samsung engineers have tirelessly worked to refine this technology. Q-Symphony 1.0, which originally utilized the TV’s top speakers, evolved into Q-Symphony 2.0, which controls all speakers with improved channel separation technology for a greater sense of depth and immersion.
The latest Q-Symphony 3.0 takes sound to the next level by integrating the neural processor and AI-based real-time voice separation technology. This advanced Q-Symphony feature provides three-dimensional sound by distinguishing and optimizing various audio elements including voices, background music and sound effects based on the type of content and users’ volume settings. The resulting sound is a perfect replication of the audio track the creators intended.
Samsung’s AI algorithm can also take the input signals and play them through multiple channels, whether it’s the soundbar or all the TV speakers, customizing each channel for powerful and dynamic sounds. In addition to content featuring Dolby Atmos or 5.1-channel audio, content with regular stereo channels can also be processed to create 20 individual channels. This means that any media can be delivered with exceptionally immersive sound quality on Samsung TVs and soundbars.
▲ “Q-Symphony is a revolutionary algorithm by Samsung that can masterfully synchronize audio volume and timing in perfect harmony,” said Kim.
“The sound offered through Q-Symphony is so immersive that viewers feel as though they are physically present on set with so many different background sounds coming alive through the feature,” said Kim.
Unifying Picture and Sound Experiences for Optimal Viewing Experiences
Today, AI sits at the core of Samsung’s audio strategy with its applications extending across numerous products. This widespread adoption of AI has resulted in features like Q-Symphony and SpaceFit Sound that enrich the audio experience, alongside other audio technologies that breathe life into content through dialogue and movement. Additional capabilities include Active Voice Amplifier, which adjusts and improves dialogue clarity with the speaker and surrounding noise in mind, Human Tracking Sound, which dynamically reproduces the sound based on the position of the on-screen speaker, and OTS Pro, which creates a dynamic soundscape based on the movement of objects or the speaker on the screen.
These features are the outcome of two symbiotic AI technologies: a content analysis model and a sound separation model. The neural processors work with both auditory and visual cues, among other signals, to create the perfect audio experience that syncs with what is happening on the screen. Despite the complexity of this process, Samsung was able to bring these features to life by forming a cross-departmental team of engineers and pooling resources across picture, sound and other departments.
The Future of Sound: Reshaping Audio Experiences With Samsung’s Sound Device Lab
▲ (From left) Seongsu Park, Sunmin Kim and Kibeom Kim at the Sound Device Lab are on a mission to capture audio just as the artists intended.
In the Sound Device Lab, there is a clear and unwavering goal that guides every innovation: recreate the original sound as closely as the artists intended, with consumers top of mind. AI is a critical tool that enables Samsung to do this.
Sunmin Kim, who heads the Sound Device Lab, believes that sound is just one side of the coin: “The focus on sound quality is a given, but all innovations that made breakthroughs came from user-centric design. Sound settings and features need to be straightforward and user friendly.”
Seongsu Park noted that 70% of TV sound comes from the product while the remaining 30% is shaped by the space in which the sound is played: “Our products will continue to leverage the latest measurement systems and AI algorithms to analyze space and sound settings for optimal sound quality.”
On a final note, Kibeom Kim also shared the Sound Lab’s ambition in the era of multi-device sound experiences initiated by the Q-Symphony feature: “There is unlimited potential in Q-Symphony to produce audio that works in perfect harmony. We will continue to improve inter-device connectivity and enhance the feature for our users.”
Samsung is committed to delivering premium experiences for consumers, prioritizing their needs through innovative products. With a strong track record as a market leader for 17 consecutive years, Samsung will continue to enhance the viewing experience and drive sound innovation.
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By Samsung Newsroom
Sound has the power to transform how we enjoy visual media, from movies to TV shows. Premium audio brings content to life by invoking emotions — complementing what is on screen and sometimes even foreshadowing what will come next. Sound adds depth and texture to the narrative, enhancing the viewer’s connection to the story unfolding.
▲ One of Samsung’s industry-leading anechoic chambers in Suwon is used to accurately evaluate the audio performance for various products.
Samsung Newsroom sat down with Sunmin Kim and Seongsu Park from the Sound Device Lab within the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics to discuss the importance of audio in delivering a superior viewing experience as well as Samsung’s latest innovations in sound and picture quality.
▲ Samsung’s sound engineers explain why audio is so important for the TV viewing experience and introduce some of the latest features based on artificial intelligence (AI).
Bringing Content to Life Through Sound
“Sound plays a very important role in making the content we consume immersive,” said Sunmin Kim, Head of the Sound Device Lab, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. Be it romantic films, funny TV shows or even live sports broadcasts, Kim believes that a majority of the emotional impact from visual content is delivered through sound. “For example, it’s often the background music and sound effects that make horror films more terrifying. If you were to turn off the sound, many scenes wouldn’t be as scary. In fact, you may even find some scenes to be funny.”
▲ “The Sound Device Lab is committed to developing optimal solutions that deliver sound just as artists intended,” said Kim, Head of the Sound Device Lab, Visual Display Business.
“Film, TV and music directors are all artists. And what’s important to me is that they work to amplify stories through sound effects and music,” said Kim. “The goal here at the Sound Device Lab is to deliver content to viewers as the artists intended.”
This can be a daunting task because production and viewing environments tend to vary significantly. Seongsu Park, who oversees speaker development and audio evaluation in the Sound Device Lab, shared some of the challenges his team faces.
“Audio for movies and TV shows, in general, are mixed to a reference level of approximately 85 decibels (dB), equivalent to volume levels found in a movie theater. However, at home, many viewers watch the content at lower volumes. According to our research, many TV viewers reduce the volume to around 60dB, and some even to 20dB, to avoid disturbing neighbors,” explained Park. This means that dialogues that would have been audible in the mixing studio may be indiscernible in the living room. Engineers must consider additional differences in consumers’ viewing environments such as curtains, furniture and other elements that might absorb or deflect sound waves.
▲ “We’ve moved on from front-facing speakers to speakers all around the TV,” said Park of Samsung’s Visual Display Business.
The Sound Device Lab found solutions in the form of hardware and software innovations. From the hardware side, multiple smaller, specialized speakers were introduced to provide surround sound. The software side tuned these speakers to form a balanced audio experience and remixed the sound signals to ensure key sound factors are delivered to viewers.
From Few, Front-Facing to Many, Everywhere-Facing Speakers
TVs are usually limited to their set form factor when producing sound. Recently, this limitation has become increasingly restrictive for sound engineers as TVs have become slimmer from both the front and side. “In the past, huge front-facing stereo speakers were on each side of the TV screen. Current TV designs deny such placement,” said Park. “We were forced to dig deep.”
▲ TV designs have become thinner and slimmer, forcing sound engineers to get creative.
The Sound Device Lab responded to the challenge by developing multiple smaller speaker units for its TVs and placing them away from plain sight. By arranging these units in different directions and coordinating the audio output, the team was able to simulate surround sound.
This technology is further pushed in models that feature Neural Processing Units (NPUs), such as the Neural Quantum Processor found on select Neo QLED TV models, by unlocking features such as Object Tracking Sound (OTS). OTS identifies picture and audio objects on the screen in real time before matching, tracking and coordinating multiple speakers to create a dynamic three-dimensional soundscape.
▲ The latest Samsung TVs utilize a number of distributed speakers to offer a more 3D-like sound.1
To support slimmer bezels and flat-to-the-wall TV designs, sound engineers also had to reduce the physical size of the speakers. Speakers operate by physically pushing out air, so in many cases, speaker performance is directly affected by size. As the Sound Device Lab could not physically enlarge the speakers, it instead focused on the range of movement.
“Let’s say the moving range of a speaker driver is 100. Using 50-70% of that range was considered to be sufficient. To respond to slimmer TV designs, however, we raised that range to 80-85%,” explained Park. “As we fit smaller but more efficient speakers in our TVs, we were not only able to accommodate the slimmer design, but we also ended up improving the collective sound performance.”
▲ A wide range of speakers are strategically positioned in recent Samsung TVs, including up-firing and side-firing hidden center speakers as well as woofers that bounce deep bass off the walls.1
Creating Perfect Balance From Every Angle
While adding speakers resulted in a more immersive and dynamic audio experience, it posed another challenge. Sound engineers had to fine-tune and balance the multiple speakers to achieve a perfect blend of sound. With many speakers operating at differing frequency ranges and all facing different directions, tuning them to work in unison as a single balanced unit became exponentially difficult — but it had to be done.
The effort started with gathering accurate data. In anechoic and semi-anechoic chambers, the Sound Device Lab members measured TV sounds from 323 different points, covering the entire range of TV viewing, for each of the settings until the frequency and volume balance was optimal. After that, they took each model to listening rooms and simulated various real-life living room settings to ensure the speakers were tuned to perfection.
▲ Direct sounds, sans echoes and reverberations, are measured and tuned at a total of 323 points by adjusting TV angles. This is an essential process in tuning each unit to an optimal sound balance.
▲ (Clockwise from the top left) The images represent the following: (1) a graph measuring Sound Pressure Level (SPL) by frequency band at a specific angle, (2) SPL in a specific frequency space, (3) SPL by distance for all frequency bands and SPL by frequency band at an angle from a specific direction and (4) a graph combining measurements from all 323 points. This is the process of finding a “Target Curve” that ensures even sound distribution within the human hearing range, tuning each speaker to deliver excellent sound quality from any angle.
Future-Proofing Sound
As the global TV market leader for 17 consecutive years, Samsung remains committed to innovating the TV experience. So, what’s next?
“I was shocked when a colleague told me that the volume keys are the most frequently pressed buttons on a TV remote. This signals a clear inconvenience. So, it has become a vision of mine to remove the volume buttons completely from the remote control,” shared Park, expressing his desire to enable Samsung TVs to automatically adjust the volume based on surrounding noise.
“Great technology produces and delivers accurate sound,” said Kim. “We will continue to incorporate our long-running expertise with newer technologies such as AI to create as close a reference sound as possible.”
In the next part of this series, Samsung Newsroom will explore the role of AI in elevating audio performance and sound experiences.
1 Speaker locations may vary by model.
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By Samsung Newsroom
Samsung Electronics recently launched its new television lineup for 2023, which boasts a range of technological advancements designed to deliver superior picture quality, sound performance and usability. Since March of this year, reviewers worldwide were given early access to Samsung’s newest Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K and OLED TVs, and it is evident that the 2023 lineup is already generating considerable buzz.
With upgraded premium features and innovations that enable unparalleled viewing experiences, Samsung 2023 TVs are already setting a new benchmark for high-end screens. Below are some key highlights of the early reviews.
▼ List of Featured Articles (In alphabetical order for each segment)
[Neo QLED 8K] Techaeris, Techradar
[Neo QLED 4K] Newsweek, T3, Trusted Reviews
[OLED] HD Guru, Home Cinema Choice, Sound & Vision
[Q Symphony] Trusted Reviews
Future-Proof Your Home Entertainment With Neo QLED 8K
▲ Samsung Neo QLED 8K
Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K is at the forefront of cutting-edge screen technology, setting industry standards year over year. With the latest in upscaling technology and advanced features, the quality of Neo QLED 8K has been highly regarded for years, and the 2023 lineup now joins the ranks with positive reviews.
At the center of Neo QLED 8K’s immaculate display is the Neural Quantum Processor 8K that manages numerous neural networks and algorithms. The SoC leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to make sure every detail on the screen shines. Together with Quantum Matrix Technology Pro, it enables precise backlight control that illuminates every highlight while showing deep black levels.
Outlets such as Techaeris highlighted the Neo QLED 8K, saying, “The 75″ 8K Samsung QN900C Neo-QLED TV is a fantastic television,” and ranked the device as a ‘Top Pick 2023’ for the outlet. The outlet noted that, “if you want to future-proof your entertainment space, the Samsung QN900C is an excellent choice.”
TechRadar also praised the Neo QLED 8K (QN900C) for its upscaling technology, noting that “Samsung’s top 8K TV has a gloriously detailed picture,” thanks to its Neural Quantum Processor. “There were many moments while viewing when I silently uttered ‘wow’, and that’s certainly not something I find myself doing with every TV I test,” the review noted. (TechRadar, 02/2023)
Bringing True-To-Life Colors and Striking Contrast With Neo QLED 4K
Drawing from the technological advancements of the Neo QLED 8K lineup, Samsung’s 2023 Neo QLED 4K TVs are already making headlines for producing stunning visuals in pristine 4K resolution.
Recognizing the QN95C for its screen technologies that provide quality viewing experiences for consumers no matter what they watch, Newsweek commended the TV, saying, “The Samsung 65QN95C is an incredibly bright, feature-packed 4K TV with everything that gamers and binge-watchers will love.” The review also stated that, “The Samsung QN95C is one of the best TVs you can buy, delivering near OLED black levels and great performance while gaming or streaming.”
T3 honored the QN95C with its ‘Platinum Award’ and giving the TV five out of five stars in its review. In comparing it to other screens, T3 noted, “The Samsung QN95C delivers outstanding image quality that rivals any OLED on the market.” (T3, 03/2023)
Trusted Reviews compared the QN95’s capabilities to other devices on the market as well, stating that, “There’s simply no other LCD TV out there that uses local dimming that limits backlight blooming as well as the QE65QN95C.” The publication also complimented the device’s Quantum Matrix Technology, noting, “Samsung has taken things a step further with their latest Mini LED TV, which boasts a massive increase in dimming zones — and the results are nothing short of spectacular.”
The Neo QLED 4K’s Neural Quantum Processor 4K and Quantum Matrix Technology come together for brilliant detail and sensational contrast, as Trusted Reviews said, “Together with Samsung’s already well-established prowess when it comes to local dimming and power management, this huge dimming zone increase has the potential to take picture quality to a whole new level.”
Game-Changing OLED Experience Powered by Neural Quantum Processor 4K
▲ Samsung OLED
Samsung’s mission is, in part, to meet the diverse demands of consumers by providing them with a wide variety of screens for their homes. Its latest TV lineup offers a range of premium screens, with something for every scenario and every consumer, including Samsung’s 2023 OLED TVs that offer dynamic picture quality with deep black levels and lively colors.
Samsung OLED features incredible peak brightness that does not sacrifice deep black levels or breathtaking contrast thanks in part to its advanced processing. HD Guru noted in its review that Samsung’s latest S95C enjoys, “a significant brightness boost while maintaining 100% color volume.” Home Cinema Choice also commended the S95C’s impressive color quality, giving the device a “Best Buy” distinction, and stating, “improvements in brightness and color punch have been achieved without seemingly any detriment to the deep black levels we’ve come to expect from OLED-based technologies.”
Samsung OLEDs also retain the core strengths of OLED technology while overcoming the inherent limitations of OLED’s brightness by leveraging its Neural Quantum Processor 4K. “The 77-inch S95C delivers a potent combination of quantum dot OLED vibrance, reference-level color accuracy, and hyperfast gaming,” as noted by Sound & Vision. The reviewer also recognized the Samsung dedication to innovation, noting of the S95C, “It’s been a long journey to arrive at a TV that fully expresses creative intent right out of the box, but this is it.”
Lifelike Soundstage Powered by Q-Symphony and Sound Remastering
▲ Speakers on the rear side of Samsung Neo QLED (QN900C)
A key component to providing cinematic at-home entertainment is rich and immersive sound that complements a lifelike picture, which Samsung delivers in full through its 2023 lineup.
Samsung 2023 TVs feature innovations such as Adaptive Sound+, which uses AI technology to remaster each sound object, ensuring all audio is clear and at just the right volume. It also continues to leverage Q-Symphony, applying AI to enhance the harmonic sound of combined TV speakers and soundbars.
Samsung’s 2023 TV lineup has received numerous recognitions for its immersive soundscape, with outlets such as Trusted Reviews commenting that, “The QE65QN95C also offers an AI-enhanced version of Samsung’s Q Symphony feature this year, too, enabling the speakers in the TV to combine with those in a Samsung soundbar more effectively to create a larger, more detailed soundstage.” The outlet rated the TV as ‘Highly Recommended,’ and gave it five out of five stars.
Samsung continues to revolutionize the industry, reinforcing its legacy as the global leader in the TV market for 17 years. To learn more about Samsung’s 2023 TV lineup, visit https://www.samsung.com.
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By Samsung Newsroom
The end of a year is the perfect time to gather friends and family and celebrate the year that has passed as well as the one that is to come. When it comes to planning the perfect year-end party, curating the perfect playlist is a must — but so is ensuring that your audio devices are able to set the tone all night long for that perfect celebratory mood.
In order to help you make your celebration unforgettable, Samsung Newsroom has put together some ideas of ways you can ensure your party is the best in town with Samsung’s sound technologies.
Ultra Slim Soundbar: Rock Out in Style
For those who prioritize style as well as great audio quality, Samsung’s Ultra Slim Soundbar (S801B) is the perfect choice for your year-end celebrations. As its name suggests, the Ultra Slim Soundbar features an incredibly slim design of just 38mm in height and 40mm in thickness — a size equivalent to that of a soda can — meaning that its wall-mounted design is sure to stand out. You can also install it freely around your space thanks to its wireless connectivity to ensure your sound system blends seamlessly into your surroundings.
If you’re looking to further personalize your space, you can give your Soundbar a boost with the Ultra Slim Soundbar Skin (SCFBS8[BW/TK]) released earlier this year, which comes in warm brown and teak colors. Paired with your The Frame and its elegant, modern design, you are set to enjoy not only top-level audio experiences but also a cozy, festive feel.
Despite its slim appearance, the Ultra Slim Soundbar is capable of powerful sound. Designed with 3.1.2-channel technology that features seven front speakers and one subwoofer centered on the top two speakers, the Ultra Slim Soundbar provides complete and truly surround-sound experiences. Dolby Atmos support also further contributes to providing you with captivating entertainment experiences.
S-Series Soundbar: Envelop Your Space With Truly Immersive Sound
For those who love to set the scene with truly immersive sound experiences during a celebration or party, the S-Series Soundbar is the soundbar for you.
The S-Series Soundbar delivers rich, room-filling surround sound able to reach every person in the room. This compact, 67cm, all-in-one 5.0-channel soundbar has an impressive four built-in woofers and three tweeter speakers, providing you with a fully immersive, 3D sound experience — all without the need for a subwoofer.
In addition, Adaptive Sound technology is able to analyze the source of any sound in order to automatically deliver optimized audio based on its specific genre. Experience the best, most immersive audio for each and every type of content you’re enjoying, whether it’s a sports game, a classical performance or an action movie.
Your S-Series Soundbar can be easily connected to your Samsung Smart TV and is the first soundbar in the industry to support Dolby Atmos connection for room-filling, optimized 3D sound.
Q-Series Soundbar: Bring the Cinema Experience Into Your Home
If you’re looking to celebrate the year-end season with your favorite movies or TV shows, you can transform your home into a cinema with the room-filling sound of Samsung’s premium soundbar, the Q-Series Soundbar (Q990B).
With an astounding 17 front surround sound speakers, one subwoofer and four up-firing speakers, the Q-Series Soundbar fills the room with truly cinematic surround sound. Synced with your Samsung Neo QLEDs, these 22-channel speakers can deliver truly immersive surround sound experiences like no other.
Samsung’s proprietary Q-Symphony technology allows for compatible TVs and soundbars to play audio at the same time, in sync, taking your listening experiences to the next level through powerful sound quality. Meanwhile, Spacefit Sound technology optimizes your audio based on the structure and layout of your room, providing you with sound that is perfectly crafted for your space and rivals a VIP seat in a movie theater.
In addition, the Q-Series Soundbar has been recognized by renowned global media outlets for its immersive sound experiences, as well as its sleek design.
Sound Tower: Take the Party Spirit to the Next Level
If you’re planning to celebrate the year-end with a bang and throw a party, the Sound Tower (MX-ST90B) is a must-have. This oval Sound Tower fills up virtually any space with 3D audio. The 24.5cm speaker with a built-in woofer provides the perfect punching bass experience, with up to 1700W bass boosting for a beat that sets the party mood perfectly.
In addition to its powerful audio capabilities, the Sound Tower’s various light modes provide an audio-visual harmony that truly matches the mood of the night. Its Bluetooth multi-connection, which allows for two smart devices to be connected simultaneously, and its Group Play functionality, which connects up to 10 Sound Towers, really help you get the party started both indoors as well as outdoors.
Be sure to finish your year strong with Samsung’s range of soundbar and Sound Tower devices. Once you’ve chosen your perfect soundbar based on your own preferences and purposes, enjoy enriching sound during your year-end festivities and beyond.
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By Samsung Newsroom
Samsung Research1 America’s Audio Lab has been working towards its mandate of ‘taking Samsung’s audio technology to the top of the industry’ since its foundation. From making improvements in the pure audio sphere to building leadership in advancing TV sound technology, the Audio Lab has surprised the entire industry with innovative solutions including the Q-Symphony and OTS (Object Tracking Sound) technologies.
Following the release of the HW-S800B Ultra Slim Soundbar for Samsung’s QLED TV line-up, which was unveiled earlier this year at CES, Samsung Newsroom spoke to Ema Souza Blanes at Audio Lab of Samsung Research America. She is the person behind the process for product validation and research that includes countless listening tests, all of which are conducted to deliver the best possible immersive viewing experiences with the finest sound.
▲ Ema Souza Blanes at Audio Lab of Samsung Research America
1. Briefly tell us about yourself and your role in the Samsung Audio Lab.
I am a French audio engineer, and after graduating from the engineering school Arts et Métiers ParisTech (ENSAM) and the Paris-Saclay University, I joined the Samsung Research America’s Audio Lab in Valencia, California. My role with the Audio Lab is to run listening tests for product validation and overall research purposes.
2. What is a new or recent trend happening in the soundbar industry?
Immersion is a topical subject in soundbar development, with the inclusion of more advanced audio technologies such as Dolby Atmos in home audio. Soundbars have also naturally followed the TV design trend with the intent of blending into the home décor with a sleek and discreet build. Though, despite these new slim designs, sound quality and immersion yet remain at the heart of soundbar development.
3. Samsung has recently released the ultra-slim soundbar HW-S800B. What were some of the primary objectives for this model?
The design process of the HW-S800B was dedicated to combining all aspects of these recent trends into one product. We aimed to develop a soundbar that blends seamlessly with discreet screens such as The Frame, which challenged us when it came to customization and optimization due to its slim design.
▲ HW-S800B
4. The soundbar’s depth and height are 1.6” x 1.5”, which is a difficult size in which to include all amplifiers and multi-channel speakers. Can you describe some of the challenges you faced during the development process?
Most soundbars in the market that are designed to be slim or small typically have a weaker integration of the subwoofer to the soundbar. The result is a colored sound, especially when it comes to voices. The challenge was to avoid this effect and to ensure that voices are maintained in the center of the sound field. This required custom soundbar transducers and a design capable of low crossover frequency to the subwoofer.
5. We noticed that the subwoofer appears different from past models. Can you elaborate on this difference?
Most subwoofers feature a port to enhance the bass response. Since the HW-S800B’s subwoofer has a smaller enclosure which limits the port size, we recognized that this would cause turbulent air motion, resulting in distortion and less bass. This constraint was addressed by designing a custom passive radiator in place of a port and a long-excursion 6.5” woofer that is able to displace as much air as a larger woofer.
6. Similar to other premium Samsung soundbars, this model features a wireless connection between the soundbar and TV along with Dolby Atmos sound technology. Why should consumers want these capabilities?
Samsung’s 2022 soundbars come with Wireless Dolby Atmos connectivity, a wireless Smart TV-to-soundbar connection in which both the screen and soundbar speakers deliver an incredible audio experience with no distracting cables. It allows for smoother on-wall mounting setups by minimizing the number of visible cables. Nobody wants their homes cluttered or disorganized, and we are living in a time, in which more consumers are eyeing products that perfectly blend their sophisticated, personal style in and out of the home with technological innovation for a better, connected experience. I believe our soundbars exemplify this desire that we’re seeing in the consumer electronics industry.
7. Samsung’s Q-Symphony sound technology has also significantly improved in the past year. What are some of the upgrades over the previous version?
In the 2021 TV models, Q-Symphony combined the power of the top speakers and the soundbar. The new Q-Symphony enhances the surround sound and feeling of immersion through channel separation technology. This enables the soundbar and TV speakers to work together with all the speakers on the TVs, including the top, bottom and side speakers, providing for an expansive, powerful soundscape.
8. Is there anything else we should know about the Audio Lab and your work?
Running listening tests is crucial to ensure the quality of our products. At Samsung, we work closely with our skilled listeners in various and rigorous listening tests where they give their opinion on our products including the comparison between our previous models. The HW-S800B is no exception and showed compelling results while also competing with much larger soundbars.
▲ Samsung Research America’s Audio Lab
1 Samsung Research, acting as Samsung Electronics’ advanced R&D hub, leads the development of future technologies for the company’s Device eXperience (DX) Division.
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