Samsung has just announced the availability of its 2023 Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV and Samsung Neo QLED 4K TV ultra-premium models.

The next generation Neo QLED models kick-start the highly anticipated roll out of Samsung 2023 home entertainment portfolio which includes Samsung’s award-winning home audio soundbar solutions championed by the premium Q-Series range. With a focus on powerful performance, enhanced connectivity, and advanced personalisation; Samsung’s 2023 line-up provides screen options for any preference and lifestyle, all from the Global No.1 TV brand for 17 years running.

“We’re proud to deliver a range of Neo QLED TVs and Q-Series soundbars that Australians can count on to provide premium big screen home cinema experiences to suit every lifestyle,” said Jeremy Senior, Vice President- Consumer Electronics, Samsung Australia.

“Beyond making large screen sizes and premium picture quality more accessible than ever, openness and connectivity are what set’s our 2023 TV range apart. We see the role of TVs in 2023 as being a central hub for monitoring and controlling the multitude of digital devices in the home. Via the integrated Samsung Smart Hub feature, that dream is now a reality. The result is a personalised experience that can entertain while adding new levels of convenience from the leading TV brand that Australians can trust.”

Samsung Neo QLED 8K TVs and Samsung Neo QLED 4K TVs combine brilliant picture and design with dynamic audio and seamless connectivity resulting in a versatile screen vivid enough for bright rooms. Images look incredible thanks to Samsung Quantum Mini LED technology that powers up to 33 million pixels and delivers a billion colours. With an advanced Neural Quantum Processor, Samsung Neo QLED TVs upgrade content automatically to either 4K or 8K resolution based on the model for improved detail using 14-bit processing and AI upscaling.

Both models deliver bright highlights and a wide range of colours that have been validated by the experts at Pantone. High-resolution panels automatically apply real-time, scene-by-scene High Dynamic Range (HDR) effects with new Auto HDR Remastering to deliver extraordinary contrast. Plus, there’s not a bad seat in the house with Anti-Glare and Ultra Viewing Angle technology that displays clear 8K or 4K quality content at virtually any angle or light, producing vivid colour across the screen.

Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K TV line includes incredible picture quality with an Infinity Display design making it virtually bezel and border-free for an edge-to-edge 8K picture. Experience 8K quality in a billion colours with intense contrast powered by a grid of Samsung Quantum Mini LEDs.

Its ultra-powerful Neural Quantum processor plays content at its full potential and uses AI-based processing to upscale the picture to 8K resolution – no matter how the content was created. Plus, the viewing experience is complemented by life-like sound with Dolby Atmos, Object Tracking Sound Pro, Adaptive sound, and Q-Symphony 3.0.

With exceptional motion up to 4K 144Hz, Samsung Neo QLED 8K levels up your gaming experience with consistently crisp visuals at incredibly high speeds. The TV virtually eliminates lag and motion blur via Real Game Enhancer, while the combination of built-in features such as Xbox Game Pass, Game Bar, Ultrawide Game View, and Freesync Premium Pro help gamers take control, take on the competition, and take their gaming performance to new heights. Plus, the redesigned Slim One Connect box helps keep messy cables out of sight.

The Samsung Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (QN900C) is available in 85-inches, 75-inches, and 65-inches.

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Sony today announced its newest soundbar, the HT-S2000.

This 3.1ch Dolby Atmos / DTS:X soundbar delivers cinematic surround sound by Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround. Thanks to a newly developed up mixer, this soundbar delivers a three-dimensional surround experience even when playing stereo content.

The centre speaker ensures clear dialogue, while the built-in dual subwoofer delivers deep bass. This soundbar will also be the first compatible device for the new Sony | Home Entertainment Connect app.

With Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround, the HT-S2000 creates cinematic surround sound that lets consumers enjoy the thrill of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. With Sony’s virtual surround technology, the soundbar can position sound in vertical space. S-Force PRO virtually reproduces the surround sound field, with audio coming from both sides. Entertainment lovers can enjoy rich, cinematic surround sound without cluttering their living space.

With Sony’s newly developed up mixer, users can experience three-dimensional surround sound not only with surround sound format content, but also with stereo content, like streaming video or music services. Analysing the track in real time, Sony’s new algorithm extracts individual sound objects depending on their localisation and reallocates them, resulting in three-dimensional surround sound.

The powerful speakers include a dedicated centre speaker for clear dialogue and built-in dual subwoofer for punchy bass.

They work together to deliver clear and wide-ranging sound throughout the room. Sony’s X-balanced Speaker Unit is the key technology to achieve louder sound pressure with less distortion and greater vocal clarity.

Setting up and using the soundbar is easier than ever with the Sony | Home Entertainment Connect app. It can guide the user through initial settings, assist with troubleshooting, and give full control of volume, sound fields and more right from their smartphone. It also offers the user useful information such as recommendation of features, new software updates and more.

The optional wireless subwoofer (SA-SW5 / SA-SW3)2 will add rich bass sound. For even more cinematic thrills, including sound directly behind, add Sony’s optional wireless rear speakers (SA-RS3S)2.

Paired with a compatible BRAVIA XR TVTM13, soundbar sound settings automatically appear on the BRAVIA Quick Settings menu for easy control.

The HT-S2000 will be available from late April 2023

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Sony has just announced its 2023 BRAVIA XR TV lineup, with Cognitive Processor XR, for the ultimate home entertainment experience.

There are four new models in the BRAVIA XR line: X90L Full Array LED, A95L QD-OLED, A80L OLED and X95L 4K HDR Mini LED. All models are equipped with features to provide consumers with an immersive experience for watching movies, streaming apps, gaming and more.

2023 BRAVIA XR TVs have the updated Cognitive Processor XR, featuring the all new XR Clear Image technology, which improves noise reduction and clarity with motion, reducing blur and creating scenes bursting with action.

The Cognitive Processor XR enables better backlight control of local dimming zones, increased brightness, and decreased blooming.

Additionally, each model offers Acoustic Centre Sync, which allows the use of both TV and Sony soundbar sound for richer bass and a wider sound field for the ultimate, immersive at-home audio experience.

If you’re looking for an even more immersive sound experience, each model also works with Sony soundbars to offer 360 Spatial Sound Mapping which generates phantom speakers and sound field optimisation.

The A95L and A80L models feature Acoustic Surface Audio+ with actuators that vibrate to produce sound from the entire screen, perfectly matching the action.

The 2023 BRAVIA XR lineup also allows gamers to take their PlayStation® 5 gaming to the next level with exclusive features, including Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode. These features provide for optimised picture quality while gaming and streaming.

Other features include an easy-to-use Game Menu where gamers can tailor their settings to their preferences, such as turning on or off VRR or Motion Blur Reduction with quick access.

The Game Menu also allows users to increase the brightness in dark areas to easily spot objects and opponents with the Black Equaliser and can easily take aim on their opponents with six types of crosshairs.

Coming this year is the ability to customise the size of the screen with the Screen Size feature to concentrate gaming with a smaller, focused screen.

The A95L model also features Multi-View, where users can watch walk-throughs and gameplay guides side-by-side while simultaneously playing their favourite titles.

We are proud to be sharing our new line up of exceptional home entertainment options with our consumers. The L series line up continues to bring Sony’s best spatial entertainment and gaming experiences with superior picture and sound quality. – Keiskue Tsuru, Head of TV Australia & New Zealand.

Additionally, Sony is keeping its commitment to decreasing plastic usage through its Road to Zero initiative.

To reduce environmental impact, Sony is working on multiple aspects of the product life cycle and is using twice as much Sony Recycle Plastic (SORPLAS) in BRIVIA XR TV’s this year. Sony is also committed to an improvement of transportation efficiency, and the reviewing of energy consumption during product use.

The new Eco Dashboard included on all 2023 models allows users to easily customise energy saving preferences and settings, saving energy bills over the lifecycle of the product.

The new BRAVIA XR TV lineup will be available from May 2023.

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The days of expensive set top boxes cluttering your TV unit are well and truly over.

As we all progress in to smart TVs in our homes and gaming dens, depending on your particular model, you’ll find there’s an App for everything.

But not all smart TVs have all of the apps, and cannot install everything – or do not have any apps at all.

Amazon have the answer here with their Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

Yep, it’s 4K, but if your tele isn’t 4K don’t stress it will still work at a lower resolution.

From the box you’ll have all of the bits you need. The Fire Stick 4K Max, an HDMI extender, remote and USB AC power adaptor.

I recommend setting up using the HDMI extender as most TVs HDMI ports are notched in to a hard to reach and sometimes fiddly placing.

Plug it in to a spare HDMI port and power the Fire Stick 4K Max up.

The Fire Stick 4K Max has a built-in 1.8GHz Quad-core processor which prevents any lag (Android based smart TVs can be notorious for needing full restarts), it’s quick and super responsive.

Setting up is via an on-screen guide, recommend you use or get the Amazon app, and Amazon have embraced the future of home WiFi and added WiFi 6.

In a few clicks you’re good to go and now turned perhaps an ageing tele in to a whole new device of smarts.

Your usual suspects are already there, Netflix for example and of course Amazon’s very own Prime. And Alexa is your smart assistant. Mirror from your Android smartphone and even play mobile games on the Fire Stick.

You can use the Fire Stick 4K Max to watch local channels digitally, these are generally free.

Visual enhancements such as Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HDR10+ are built-in as well as Dolby Atmos to bolster sound. For Dolby Atmos though, I do recommend using an external soundbar or similar that is compatible to really get the audio experience.

If an app that you want isn’t already there, most likely you’ll be able to download it from the store real quick.

My setup included using WiFi 6 and with that and due to the processing power of the Fire Stick 4K Max I’ve not had any lag, drops or needed to restart the device at all.

If your TV has an ARC3 port, use that. As the remote will then be able to control your TV as well as the onscreen entertainment.

The Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max comes in at around $100 (NZD) and is super charged, super quick and not only breathes new live in to an older flat screen TV, it also offers up a wealth of options and features that your current model may not offer.

The post AMAZON FIRE TV STICK 4K MAX REVIEW appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Hisense has just announced that they have launched in the New Zealand market, with a competitive range of TVs available to Kiwi customers.

Established in 1969, Hisense has seen success around the world, including Australia, where it has become one of the leading brands for innovation across a growing range of categories including TV and home entertainment, refrigeration, laundry, and air conditioning.

“After over 15 years in the Australian market, we’re excited to be heading across the ditch to launch a range of quality Hisense products for New Zealand customers,” said Nick Peters, Head of Marketing, Hisense Australia.

“With consumers now spoilt for choice across TVs, home entertainment and whitegoods, we’re committed to offering feature rich products at competitive prices that cater to the needs of Kiwi households across the country”.

Hisense Product Specialist, Chris Mayer said, “We’re arriving in New Zealand with a strong fleet of products across three competitive categories, with the aim of providing smart and aesthetic tech solutions that you’re proud to show off in the home.

“Our TV range offers industry-leading visual and audio tech, while our fridges, washers and dryers add style to your home, without jeopardising on efficiency and functionality. I’m really looking forward to seeing Kiwis embrace the Hisense range.”

Spearheading the launch is the ULED 4K TV Series U7HNZ and UHD 4K TV Series A7HNZ with premium features such as Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. Offering TV-bingers and movie-buffs a superb viewing experience in any room in the house, sizes will range from 43-inches to 98-inches.

Hisense’s UHD and ULED TVs combine the latest technology to deliver customers optimum picture and crystal-clear sound quality. Both models will boast Game Mode, Sports Mode, and in-built Alexa Voice Assistant, while the U7HNZ also gives customers the option of Google Assistant. Hisense’s proprietary VIDAA operating system will also be available across all new models, delivering a range of apps suited to every audience – from sport and reality TV to movies and free to air.

Hisense’s range of TV’s will be available online at the Hisense official website and leading retailers.

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Samsung Electronics New Zealand has today announced the local availability of its 2022 range of Soundbars featuring a world-first Wireless True Dolby Atmos experience.

The line-up of ten soundbar models have a new design and technical improvements that deliver an immersive and captivating sound quality.

Ryan Jolly, Samsung New Zealand Head of TV and Audio comments that Samsung continues to break barriers in audio innovation.

“The latest Soundbar range reflects Samsung’s dedication to constantly strive for audio excellence by producing quality 360-degree surround-sound and new calibration features that, when paired with any of Samsung’s 4K and 8K TV range, provide the customer with a fully immersive entertainment experience unlike anything they may have enjoyed at home before,” says Jolly.

The flagship Q990B incorporates 11.1.4ch surround sound including one subwoofer channel, four up-firing channels and two wireless rear speakers for an immersive Dolby Atmos & DTS:X experience creating an atmosphere of rich, room filling sound.

To offer a vivid surround sound effect, the 2022 soundbar line-up now incorporates new technology that allows for total sound calibration to the room. This includes enhancements to Q-Symphony, which allows for the soundbar to work alongside the speakers from the TV for an up to 22-channel Dolby Atmos experience when paired with compatible Samsung TV. Q-Symphony now has the ability to connect to all of the speakers on a compatible Samsung TV to execute audio in harmony with the soundbar, maximising the 3D sound effect on screen.

For a more customised experience, Space Fit Sound Advance will optimise the sound accordingly to the size of the room, it tests room reverberations from both the soundbar and subwoofer, while you’re enjoying your favourite content to continually ensure your Soundbar delivers an immersive performance, no matter what you are viewing or listening to.

“This latest range of Samsung soundbars truly transforms the home TV and audio experience for Kiwis with cutting edge innovations like Wireless True Dolby Atmos, Q-Symphony and SpaceFit Sound working harmoniously together to optimise the sound for the room and place you at the heart of the action,” says Jolly.

As more Kiwis wall mount their TVs, customers are increasingly looking for a soundbar that offers a complementary and slim design. The new S800B and S801B Ultra Slim Soundbars reset the standard in the slim soundbar category by packing a powerful punch at just 1.6-inch in depth and includes the same level of sound performance as existing, larger soundbars through Samsung’s proprietary technology. They deliver a powerful bass in the compact form by integrating passive radiator technology with its subwoofer and with true top-firing speaker channels it produces natural, room-filling Dolby Atmos sound. The slim, minimalist design is the ultimate in style, designed to sit perfectly underneath the TV or even separate as a standalone speaker.

Samsung soundbars support HDMI eARC Connection, Tap Sound and third-party connectivity features including Alexa, AirPlay 2 and built-in Chromecast ability, offering excellent usability with casting.

Samsung’s 2022 Soundbar range is available from June at selected retailers and online.

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Sonos has today announced Beam (Gen 2), a new version of its industry-leading compact smart soundbar for TV, music, gaming and more.

The new Beam delivers an upgraded, more immersive sound experience with greater depth and clarity, as well as support for Dolby Atmos.

Sonos also revealed plans to offer both Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos Music later this year via Amazon Music, giving listeners the ability to experience the highest quality streaming music and immersive 3D audio.

“We often talk about ‘Hollywood at Home’ being a real catalyst for our business, and Beam has played a huge part in this as one of the top-selling soundbars in its category”, said Patrick Spence, Sonos CEO. “Taking what we’ve learned over the years about great listening and home theatre, we’ve found a way to bring new features and significantly better sound to Beam, all in the same compact size that has proven extremely popular with customers.”

Enjoy panoramic sound on the latest generation of Beam, now with support for Dolby Atmos, just in time for Australia’s footy finals and new year movie releases, the new Beam is upgrading the home cinema experience.

Compatible with more than 100 streaming services available in the Sonos app, fans can expect exciting improvements across sound, design and packaging, including:

● 3D Audio with Dolby Atmos: Immersive sound technology that places you in the centre of the action, whether it’s experiencing planes as if they were flying overhead, hearing footsteps moving across the room or feeling the score all around you.

● Enhanced Sound, Same Size: With more processing power and newly developed phased speaker arrays, Beam steers and localises sound around the room for a lifelike experience. The speaker is also now compatible with HDMI eARC on your TV, so you can experience your favourite movies and games in even higher definition sound with support for new audio formats.

● Sleeker Design: An updated polycarbonate grille that’s precisely perforated allows the speaker to sound great  and blend seamlessly into your home, just like Sonos Arc.

● Easy, More Secure Set-Up: With just two cables and new NFC capabilities, setup is seamless and will have you listening in minutes. Simply open the Sonos app, follow a few prompts and tap your phone to Beam.

● Sustainable Sound: The new Beam features sustainable packaging, including a premium uncoated kraft paper, a gift box made of 97% sustainable paper and no single-use foam.

Like all Sonos products, the new Beam was tuned with the input of the Sonos Soundboard – a collection of leaders across music, film and more – to deliver the best and most authentic sound experience. You can also fine tune Beam’s sound with Trueplay, which detects and adapts the speaker’s sound for reflections off of walls and furniture, giving you the best listening experience for your room and setup.

Place Beam in front of a standing TV, or easily mount to the wall with the existing Sonos Wall Mount for Beam. Beam can be controlled with the Sonos app, your existing TV remote, multiple voice assistants, Apple AirPlay 2, music service apps and more. Listeners can use Beam on its own or expand wirelessly with a subwoofer and pair of rear speakers for even more immersive entertainment.

Launching later this year in select markets, Sonos plans to support Amazon Music’s Ultra High Definition audio, which will allow listeners to hear tracks in lossless audio up to 24-bit / 48kHz on their Sonos speakers, as well as Dolby Atmos Music, an immersive audio format that breaks the boundaries of traditional studio recordings and puts you inside the song, revealing every detail of the music.

Available at no extra cost to Amazon Music Unlimited customers, Ultra HD will be available to listen on all S2 devices, except Play:1, Play:3, Playbase and Playbar, while Dolby Atmos Music will be available to listen on Arc and Beam (Gen 2). Sonos also announced plans to add support for decoding DTS Digital Surround

Sound later this year via the S2 platform on Playbar, Playbase, Amp, both generations of Beam and Arc. Beam (Gen 2) will be available starting 6th October 2021.

The post Sonos Unveils Next Generation Beam appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

You’re not getting the full picture, or the full experience until you’ve experienced Sony’s newest in their Smart TV models – the Sony Bravia X90J.

A TV that is not only Android based, the Bravia X90J is a tele with a brain, similar to ours and how we sense our environment and of course digital entertainment.

At 55 inches the 4K screen is crisp, sharp and precise to the utmost detail with 4K upscaling.

Built with Cognitive A.I. the XR chipset mimics how we as mere humans hear and see stuff and then in our mushy grey matter otherwise called a brain, process that info at lightning speed.

Adapting and enhancing what we see on screen and hear via the Bravia X90J’s XR chip sound and vision.

Is it noticeable – does it really make a difference?

Having one of these TVs for a couple of weeks there was many a gaming marathon (PS5 and Xbox Series X) aswell as Netflix, Disney+ and Shudder marathons.

Already owning a Sony Bravia 4K TV myself I wondered if making the switch from a 2020 model to a 2021 XR chip equipped one would be any different.

First up was the familiarity, for me, of the Google TV layout.

It was not until I started binging a series on Netflix (the new He-Man animated series, which I’m still conflicted about) that the processing of the brightly coloured animations and fluidity of the action scenes really popped out.

The audio was interesting. At times the XR chip seemed to favour voice over soundtrack (as it should) but there were, on very brief occasions, where the background track near faded the voice acting.

This split second anomaly occurred on more than one occasion on both live action and animated or CGI entertainment with differing streaming platforms.

Still, it didn’t really dampen the overall experience.

So, does the Bravia X90J have game?

It sure does.

During my time with the Bravia X90J I opted for TV audio only (I usually have all entertainment and music audio going through a 7.2 surround set-up).

Playing games like The Ascent, Resident Evil 7 and a favourite to test gear out with; Borderlands 3.

Utilising Dolby Atmos and with a virtual 3D surround sound built-in (excellent for PS5 games that support 3D Audio) it was as if I had an external soundbar.

There were times where after I’d switch the TV off I’d then ‘remember’ to switch off my 7.2 channel amp – to realise, oh yeah, I’m not even using it.

The full array LED screen has a 120 FPS refresh up there with some gaming monitors. There’s no ghosting, little to no blurring and of course no screen lag to speak of.

This is the ultimate gaming TV.

On board you have one ethernet port (I used wireless connectivity without any issue), satellite and terrestrial sockets, a generous four HDMI including HDMI 2.1, headphone 3.5mm jack, Digital audio socket and two USB ports.

Sony forgot to add recording to USB drive though.

The TV stand does require a minimal DIY, and there’s something to be said for Sony’s ease of construction for their stands – pretty much lock n load. You can of course wall mount.

The Bravia X90J also comes with a smart remote.

Being Android based, you can at the press of a button ask Google to load up your favourite channel or streaming service… or whatever else you’d like to search for including apps on the Google Play store.

As far as 55 inch Smart TV’s go and given the real smarts built in to their Bravia X90J the price of one of these is alot less than expected – far blowing out their nearest competitor by well over a thousand dollars.

An extreme TV at a less than extreme price, the Bravia X90J should be a serious contender for your next upgrade, or even as a secondary gaming tele.

It pops, sizzles, has the best audio I’ve experienced on a TV yet and it processes your entertainment the same way you do.

Sony Bravia X90J – welcome to the show.

The post Sony Bravia X90J Smart TV Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Harman Kardon has launched the acclaimed Citation series of premium home speakers in New Zealand, including the Citation 200 and Citation Oasis, two new smart speaker additions announced globally in September at IFA Berlin.

Combining an innovative acoustic design delivering remarkable audio quality with cutting-edge technologies – including Google Voice Assistant, high-resolution audio, LCD touch screen and Chromecast built-in – Citation represents the next generation of home speakers.

From a design perspective, the sophistication shown in the Harman Kardon Citation series is unmatched. The speakers feature the brand’s signature industrial design accented with thoughtful elements, including elegant aluminum detailing. Bringing the whole refined and sleek look together is the Winter Grey or Classic Black wool fabric by Scandinavian textile designer Kvadrat, that is dirt-repellant and flame-retardant. Kvadrat source high quality wool from New Zealand and Australia for their fabrics, taking advantage of the natural, renewable, durable, and recyclable benefits this raw material can offer.

The Citation series delivers a dynamic listening experience, with options to use the speakers individually or build a powerful 5.1 channel surround sound system. Their multi-room capabilities allow for the control of amazing sound from any room, either playing from one music source or playing different tracks in different rooms.

To round out the incredible audio performance and extraordinary design, Citation also features built-in Google Assistant. Streaming the newest or most popular music is now quick and efficient with the combination of Google’s intelligent voice-activation. Smart voice control also makes tackling tasks as simple as saying “Hey Google,” to create calendar reminders, generate to-do lists, get the latest forecast, control smart home devices and more. Commands like “Hey Google, play some jazz” or “Hey Google, dim the lights,” perfectly regulates the ambiance in any room of the home.

“Discerning New Zealanders need their home entertainment systems to do more than just play music,” said Michael Sherman, Brand Activation Manager at Harman New Zealand. “While features like voice control and multi-room streaming are becoming standard, the Harman Kardon Citation Series is anything but. The pairing of our unprecedented audio legacy and premium design creates a listening experience that also complements the style of your home.”

Additionally, Harman Kardon Citation has Chromecast built-in, allowing over 300 audio and video streaming services to be easily accessed in HD quality. Once connected on the same Wi-Fi network as Citation, a smartphone, tablet or laptop can “cast” the latest chart-topping release or playlist from Chromecast-compatible apps.

The Citation lineup consists of various options to meet every listening need, including multiple countertop speaker options, a soundbar, powered subwoofer and tower speaker.

The range is available in New Zealand now, with Spark as the official launch partner.

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Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has rounded out its full 2020 Q-series soundbar line-up with the release of two new premium models including HW-Q950T and HW-Q900T.

The HW-Q950T delivers the audio quality of 9.1.4-channel, the maximum number of channels for currently available home-theatre systems in a single soundbar. The model packs in extra-powerful sound with two wireless rear up-firing speakers and also adds left and right wide channel speakers to the previous 7.1.4-channel system, allowing the audio output to express the motion on the screen in a more realistic way with greater immersion.

Both the HW-Q950T and HW-Q900T support Dolby Atmos – which transports listeners with immersive, moving audio that flows all around you, along with DTS:X from DTS for multi-dimensional audio technology. They also include eARC support to produce full, rich and high-quality surround sound like Dolby TrueHD.

Consumers can further enhance the immersive experience by connecting the soundbars to Samsung’s 2020 QLED TVs. Q-symphony activates and plays surround sound from both the TV and soundbar, creating incredible audio synergy with compatible TVs.

Improvements have also been made to the product design, on the top of the advancements in overall functionality. Compared to 2019 soundbar models, Samsung reduced the height of both of models to 69.5mm from 83mm to fit perfectly with the TV. The soundbars are also wrapped in Kvadrat textile, adding premium elegance while maximizing sound penetration.

“In collaboration with Audio Lab in the US, we have been able to develop multi-dimensional surround sound that can be more accessible at home, which was previously only possible with a separate home-theatre system,” said Seong Cho, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Product Marketing of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “In addition to improving sound quality, we also focused on fine-tuning the soundbar’s design aesthetic by using eco-friendly textiles, made by Danish premium brand Kvadrat.”

The two new models also feature SmartThings App and Alexa voice service, allowing users to command their favourite music streaming services, like Spotify, TuneIn, and iHeart Radio.

All Samsung soundbars are tuned at the Samsung Audio Lab in Valencia, California.

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