Built on the open 3D audio standard, Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF), Eclipsa Audio optimizes the spatial positioning of sound for playback devices such as TVs and soundbars to deliver a more immersive listening experience. From the music on stage to the cheers of the audience, the technology brings musicals and live performances on Samsung TV Plus to life.

Eclipsa Audio is the result of close collaboration between Samsung Research, which developed the underlying 3D audio technology, and the Visual Display (VD) Business, which brought it to Samsung products and services.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Woohyun Nam, Head of the Display Innovation Lab at Samsung Research, and Joonhun Choi, Head of Samsung TV Plus at the VD Business, to learn more about Eclipsa Audio and the story behind its development.

A Front-Row Experience at Home

A live performance is about more than what appears on screen. From performers’ voices and music on stage to the applause and cheers of the audience, Eclipsa Audio on Samsung TV Plus adds a new dimension to the viewing experience.

Q. What is the biggest difference consumers will notice with Eclipsa Audio on Samsung TV Plus?

Choi: People can now enjoy the excitement of musicals and live performances from home. While Samsung TV Plus makes this content more accessible, Eclipsa Audio recreates the rich, immersive sound of the venue in the living room.

Rather than simply watching on screen, viewers can immerse themselves more deeply in its music and emotion.

* For the best listening experience, earbuds are recommended.

Q. Audio plays a particularly important role in the musicals recently added to Samsung TV Plus. How does Eclipsa Audio enhance that experience?

Nam: Unlike typical video content, musicals rely on performers’ singing and dialogue, orchestral music, sound effects and audience reactions to create an emotional impact. Eclipsa Audio captures each of these elements with its own spatial characteristics. Performers’ voices remain clear and centered, the orchestra surrounds the stage with rich, expansive sound and audience reactions seem to come from all around the viewer.

Eclipsa Audio also adjusts sound balance and placement based on the playback setup, whether viewers are listening through a TV alone or with a connected soundbar. As a result, they can experience the depth of the stage, the richness of the music and the audience’s energy from the comfort of home.

Spatial Audio for Live Performances

A live performance comes to life when every sound — and its position within the venue — is faithfully reproduced. Spatial audio technology is key to creating that experience.

Q. How does Eclipsa Audio recreate the immersive atmosphere of a live performance?

Nam: Eclipsa Audio goes beyond stereo by reproducing sound in three-dimensional space. Instead of limiting sound to the left and right channels, it incorporates front, back, left, right and height information to create a more realistic sense of space. Performers’ voices, musical instruments, venue acoustics and audience reactions are reproduced with their original positioning intact, making viewers feel as though they’re sitting in the audience.

Built on the IAMF standard, Eclipsa Audio reconstructs the spatial information embedded in the content, including the position and movement of sounds, to match the speaker configuration of a TV or soundbar. This preserves the depth and immersion intended by the creator, naturally bringing the live performance experience into the home.

Because IAMF is an open standard independent of any specific codec or licensing model, Eclipsa Audio can be extended across a wide range of content and devices. Beyond musicals and concerts, it delivers immersive audio for movies, sports and other content where realistic sound is essential.

From Innovation to Implementation

Bringing Eclipsa Audio to Samsung TV Plus required close collaboration between Samsung Research and the VD Business. Together, the two organizations combined expertise in audio technology research and product implementation.

Q. How did Samsung Research and the VD Business collaborate to bring Eclipsa Audio to Samsung TV Plus?

Nam: Samsung Research developed the core audio technologies and underlying system to ensure Eclipsa Audio content could be reliably transmitted and played back on Samsung TV Plus. We built the IAMF-based framework for spatial audio metadata and developed the encoding and playback technologies needed to support it. We also ensured compatibility across different setups, including TVs and soundbars, while allowing unsupported devices to play content in standard stereo.

In short, Samsung Research laid the technical foundation that enabled Eclipsa Audio to move beyond the research stage and operate reliably on Samsung TV Plus.

Choi: The VD Business commercialized Eclipsa Audio for Samsung TVs, secured compatible content for Samsung TV Plus and made it available to viewers.

Q. What was the biggest focus when integrating Eclipsa Audio?

Nam: Our top priority was ensuring viewers could fully experience the immersion of a live performance. We worked closely with the VD Business to verify that Eclipsa Audio could be delivered seamlessly through Samsung TV Plus and that the spatial audio of live performances was faithfully reproduced.

One of the most important tests took place in a 280-seat concert venue with a professional sound engineering company. Using a live performance, we captured the venue’s spatial audio, converted it to Eclipsa Audio, streamed it live through a Samsung TV Plus channel and played it back on a Samsung TV. We verified that the music, vocals, audience reactions and venue acoustics were recreated accurately, validating both the technology and viewing experience.

Choi: We focused on securing Eclipsa Audio content and encouraging content partners to adopt the technology. Because spatial audio was still unfamiliar to many production companies, implementation required extensive preparation and collaboration. We demonstrated how Eclipsa Audio could create a more immersive viewing experience while helping their content reach a wider audience.

Q. What was the biggest challenge in bringing Eclipsa Audio to Samsung TV Plus?

Choi: The biggest challenge was ensuring a seamless transition between Eclipsa Audio content and stereo advertisements. Samsung TV Plus is a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service, meaning content delivered in IAMF-based immersive audio must transition seamlessly to stereo advertisements within the same viewing session.

It was also important to ensure smooth transitions without disrupting audio timing or audio-video synchronization. Samsung Research evaluated technical solutions based on audio formats and processing technologies, while the VD Business shared the service requirements and advertising delivery system. The two teams developed transition policies that enabled stable playback throughout.

Nam: Another challenge was making sure content played seamlessly across a wide range of devices — including TVs, TVs paired with soundbars and devices that do not support Eclipsa Audio. We developed a playback architecture that delivers immersive audio on supported devices while automatically playing standard stereo on unsupported ones.

Expanding the Live Entertainment Experience

Eclipsa Audio takes the at-home live performance experience a step further, giving viewers new ways to enjoy content.

Q. How have users responded so far? Do you have any tips for getting the most out of live performance content?

Choi: Users said they felt as though they were sitting in the audience at a live performance. Some even said that certain scenes were more satisfying than watching from a small theater. Many also noticed a clear difference compared with content that doesn’t support Eclipsa Audio and hoped to see more compatible content and features.

For the best experience, I recommend pairing a Samsung TV with a Samsung soundbar. Together, they deliver rich multi-channel audio that enhances spatial depth, allowing viewers to hear the music, performers’ voices and audience reactions more naturally. I also recommend using Multi-Cam feature. Viewers can switch between the full-stage and close-up views during key moments, focusing on a particular performer’s expressions and movements.

Q. What are your goals and plans for the future?

Nam: Our goal is to make the technology disappear, allowing users to simply enjoy better sound. We want viewers to turn on their TV and instantly feel as though they’re at a live performance or in the middle of a stadium during a sporting event. Long term, we hope to deliver more personalized audio experiences. For music, viewers could emphasize vocals or specific instruments, while for sports, they could choose between commentary and venue sound.

“Our vision is ‘Spatial Audio for Everyone,’ where anyone can enjoy Eclipsa Audio through Samsung TV Plus.”

Choi: Beyond musicals, we plan to expand Eclipsa Audio to K-pop concerts, classical performances, movies and sports. Ultimately, we want Samsung TV Plus to become a platform for live entertainment, making high-quality performances accessible to everyone, anytime, and anywhere.

“We aim to bring the immersive atmosphere and spatial depth of a premium live venue into the living room.”

Samsung TV Plus and Eclipsa Audio will continue to evolve, delivering even more immersive viewing experiences. By combining advanced audio technology and streaming services together, Samsung is redefining how people experience entertainment.

Now in its 14th year, the seminar provides field experts with hands-on experiences of Samsung’s latest TV lineup ahead of its official release. This year, the seminar will be showcasing technologies related to AI-powered picture quality, immersive sound, and next-generation viewing experiences.

Revolutionizing the Screen Experience With AI

Samsung’s 2025 TVs will feature powerful AI-driven features designed to enhance the user experience. At the heart of this innovation is Vision AI, an advanced platform that personalizes and simplifies the way users interact with their screens. Features such as Click to Search allows viewers to instantly access relevant information about on-screen content, while Live Translate provides real-time audio translations for seamless global viewing. Quick Remote transforms a smartphone into a control hub, offering a more intuitive and connected experience.

Samsung has also introduced a seamless multi-device experience, enabling effortless content sharing and control across Samsung devices. Features like Storage Share, which allows easy file transfers between Galaxy devices and TVs, and Multi Control, which lets users operate multiple Samsung devices with a single keyboard and mouse, create a more connected and streamlined ecosystem.

Next-Generation OLED & Neo QLED Picture Quality

Samsung’s 2025 OLED TVs introduce Glare Free 2.0, minimizing reflections for a crystal-clear and immersive experience. Powered by the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor and 128 neural networks, AI Upscaling sharpens details with remarkable precision, while OLED HDR technology boosts brightness and contrast.

The 2025 Neo QLED 4K lineup features advanced local dimming for deeper blacks and enhanced HDR accuracy. AI Motion Enhancer, previously exclusive to 8K models, is now available in 4K TVs, delivering ultra-smooth visuals ideal for sports and action-packed content.

Expanding the Lifestyle TV Portfolio

Samsung’s Lifestyle TV lineup continues to push boundaries of design and innovation, blending cutting-edge technology with personalized home aesthetics.

The Frame Pro redefines both entertainment and home décor, now featuring Mini-LED Local Dimming for enhanced brightness and lifelike picture quality. With access to over 3,000 digital artworks via Samsung Art Store, users can instantly transform their TV into a stunning personal gallery. The addition of Wi-Fi 7 ensures seamless installation, reducing cable clutter for a cleaner, more sophisticated setup.

Meanwhile, The Premiere 5 offers a compact yet powerful projection experience with touch interaction, making it ideal for gaming, education, and immersive home entertainment. Designed for versatility, it delivers immersive visuals in a range of environments, from classrooms to home theaters and much more.

Introducing the Next Era of Immersive Sound

Samsung is redefining audio innovation with Eclipsa Audio, the industry’s first IAMF 3D sound technology developed in collaboration with Google. This advanced system optimizes spatial sound by analyzing environmental reflections, delivering a deeply immersive surround sound experience.

At the 2025 Tech Seminar, attendees will be among the first to experience Eclipsa Audio firsthand and see its seamless integration with Samsung’s latest soundbars for a next-level home theater experience.

“At Samsung, we’re committed to making all the devices you use smarter and more connected,” said Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Whether it’s using Vision AI to automatically optimize your TV settings or AI-powered services to make activities such as search or home management simpler, we’re showing how technology can feel more personal and tangible than ever before.”

Following the Frankfurt event, Samsung will bring the Tech Seminar series to key regions including Southeast Asia and Latin America, providing more industry professionals with exclusive hands-on previews of its AI-powered display and audio innovations ahead of their market launch.

▲ Kevin Cha from Samsung’s Picture Quality Solution Lab explains how Glare Free 2.0 technology and OLED HDR technology enhance viewing comfort.

▲ Haylie Jung from Samsung’s Picture Quality Solution Lab highlights advanced local dimming and AI-powered enhancements in the 2025 Neo QLED 4K, featuring the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor.

▲ Steffen Greb from Samsung’s ECSO demonstrates Vision AI and seamless multi-device connectivity across Samsung products.

▲ Deokhwan Kim from Samsung’s Picture Quality Solution Lab demonstrates The Premiere 5’s touch capabilities.

▲ Hyungwoo Kim from Samsung’s Sound Device Lab showcases Eclipsa Audio, Samsung’s 3D audio technology, allowing users to enjoy immersive three-dimensional sound experience.

Samsung Newsroom took a closer look at the technology behind Eclipsa Audio and how it delivers lifelike 3D spatial audio.

Developing 3D Spatial Audio Technology

In 2023, the Alliance for Open Media (AOM) — a global consortium that includes Samsung, Google, Netflix, Meta and other leading companies — officially adopted Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF) as the industry standard for 3D audio. Developed by Samsung and Google, this innovative 3D audio format is currently available to content creators under the brand name Eclipsa Audio.

Eclipsa Audio establishes a shared protocol between different types of media content and the devices that play them. The format delivers a deeply immersive listening experience by optimizing and adapting audio positioning, intensity, spatial reflections and other sound elements to various output environments, such as cinemas, home theater systems, gaming consoles and mobile devices.

Depending on the output device, the technology can render sound from multiple directions — including from the front, back, left, right, above and below — to create a sense of spatial depth and presence within the scene being watched. In a concert video for instance, Eclipsa Audio presents the artist’s performance in crystal-clear detail while also capturing the energy of the audience, making the viewer feel as if they are physically there.

Designed for Optimal 3D Audio in Everyday Life

Among the growing range of technologies enhancing 3D sound — including surround sound, immersive audio and spatial audio — Eclipsa Audio was specifically designed to provide a 3D audio experience optimized for everyday listening.

Traditionally, 3D audio content is created with the assumption that it will be played in environments equipped with multiple surround speakers. However, most home entertainment setups primarily consist of a TV and a soundbar — making it challenging to accurately replicate the content creator’s intended spatial audio effects. Eclipsa Audio overcomes this limitation by automatically analyzing sound elements in each segment of a film — from whispered dialogue to the roar of fighter jets in the background — and delivering a dynamic 3D audio effect fine-tuned for the viewer’s home environment.

Building a 3D Audio Ecosystem With Open-Source Technology

Eclipsa Audio’s open-source framework sets it apart from other 3D audio technologies by allowing anyone to create 3D audio content without paying royalties. Following its debut at CES 2025, the technology has been met with enthusiasm from content creators and has gained momentum across media platforms and online communities.

In this way, Eclipsa Audio serves as an open vessel in which content creators can integrate 3D audio elements from all directions without restrictions. By democratizing spatial audio, Eclipsa Audio empowers content creators and ensures that consumers experience sound as intended — regardless of their audio setup.

Eclipsa Audio on Samsung TVs

Eclipsa Audio’s immersive 3D sound performs at its best when paired with exceptional hardware. To make that peak performance a reality, Samsung and Google have worked tirelessly to provide consumers with Eclipsa Audio-supported 3D audio content — soon to be available via the YouTube app on Samsung’s latest TVs. Eclipsa Audio is set to roll out across the company’s entire 2025 TV lineup from the Crystal UHD series to the premium flagship Neo QLED 8K models.¹

Most Samsung TVs are equipped with stereo speakers at the bottom of the screen, and for QLED 4K models and above, additional speakers are positioned at the top. Flagship models, though, come with extra benefits. Besides surround speakers added to the rear of the sides, their top-positioned speakers are specially designed for height perception. Eclipsa Audio reflects sound off the ceiling with these special speakers, creating an effect that allows viewers to experience upward-directional audio — such as the sensation of an object flying overhead. Pairing the TV with a soundbar further enhances the experience, producing richer and more expansive 3D spatial audio.

Eclipsa Audio has established the foundation for a 3D audio content ecosystem by bringing industry leaders — from device manufacturers to content platforms — together under a unified standard. In an era where streaming services blur the line between content creation and consumption, Eclipsa Audio unlocks new possibilities for immersive sound that Samsung is determined to further expand.

¹ Rollout schedule and service details may vary depending on the TV model.

Samsung Electronics today announced the integration of Eclipsa Audio — a groundbreaking 3D audio technology developed in partnership with Google — into its 2025 TV and soundbar lineup. By empowering creators to craft dynamic, immersive audio content and enabling seamless playback on Samsung TVs, Eclipsa Audio brings captivating audio and visual experiences closer to consumers than ever before.

“We are proud to lead the industry with the integration of Eclipsa Audio into our 2025 TV and soundbar lineup,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President and Head of the R&D Team, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics. “This innovation opens new possibilities for immersive audio experiences and reinforces our commitment to shaping the future of home entertainment.”

Innovating the Home Entertainment Experience

Samsung, the global leader in the TV market for 18 consecutive years, is redefining home entertainment with the integration of Eclipsa Audio. With the largest market share over 75 inches worldwide, Samsung TVs are poised to make this groundbreaking technology accessible to more consumers than ever before.

Eclipsa Audio allows creators to adjust audio data such as the location and intensity of sounds, along with spatial reflections, to create an immersive three-dimensional sound experience.

As the first in the industry to adopt Eclipsa Audio, Samsung is integrating the technology across its 2025 TV lineup — from the Crystal UHD series to the premium flagship Neo QLED 8K models — to ensure that consumers who want to experience this advanced technology can choose from a wide range of options.

Expanding Content and Playback

Starting in 2025, creators will be able to upload videos with Eclipsa Audio tracks to YouTube. Viewers with 2025 Samsung devices will be able to watch YouTube videos with premium spatial audio when available.

To ensure consistent audio quality, Samsung and Google are working with the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA) to create a certification program for devices using Eclipsa Audio, ensuring that consumers experience the highest standards of sound fidelity.

“We believe that Eclipsa Audio has the potential to change the way we experience sound,” said Jim Bankoski, Vice President of Engineering, Google Chrome. “We are excited to see how the creator community uses it to create new and innovative audio experiences.”