Samsung Electronics’ Music Studio, a wireless Wi-Fi speaker, was born from this evolution. Drawing inspiration from an orb and a dot, visual representations of how sound expands, its design stands out as a distinctive presence in any space. Meanwhile, its finely tuned acoustics flood a space with lush, immersive sound, elevating the fundamental value of audio.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Jongmin Kim of the Product Planning Group, Jongbae Kim of the Sound Lab and Minsun Kang of the Product Design Group — all within the Visual Display (VD) Business Division — to explore how Music Studio redefines the boundaries between sound technology and design.

From Casual Listeners to Immersive Listeners: Tailoring the Listening Experience

The reasons people choose audio devices are more varied than ever, shaped by personal tastes and how they enjoy content. As immersive spatial audio from movies to games becomes a staple beyond just music, more listeners seek products that blend cutting-edge performance with inspired design.

Jongmin Kim explained the thinking behind Music Studio: “We focused on preserving the essence of sound while ensuring the product blends naturally into its surroundings, optimizing the overall user experience.” The decision to introduce two distinct models was based on in-depth consumer analysis. “We identified different needs between ‘casual listeners,’ who enjoy background music in their daily lives and ‘immersive listeners,’ who focus on the finer details of sound and fully engage with content,” Kim added. “Based on this, we differentiated the core value of each model to better serve each listening style.”

Collaboration with global partners was also a key factor in expanding the listening experience. “To deliver meaningful value to users, we worked closely with our partners,” Kim said. “As a result, we were able to introduce Spotify Tap — a Wi-Fi-based feature that allows users to start music with a single button press without using a smartphone — to Music Studio for the first time globally, creating a differentiated user experience unique to Samsung audio products.”

Bringing Live-Like Immersion to Everyday Spaces With Music Studio 7

Creating an immersive audio environment requires highly sophisticated sound engineering. Designed specifically for spatial audio, Music Studio 7 underwent nearly two years of development and validation. At its core is a 3.1.1 Channel system that delivers sound in four directions — front, left, right and upward — along with advanced acoustic technologies that precisely control each channel.

Jongbae Kim emphasized, “To create a sense of space from a single device, it is essential to control each channel so that sounds do not blend together. The ‘Waveguide’ and ‘Pattern Control’ technologies applied to Music Studio 7 are core technologies for spatial audio sound.”

The high-frequency range, which has strong directivity, can be easily controlled using the physical structure of the Waveguide. However, the mid-frequency range, which has relatively longer wavelengths, is difficult to narrow down in directivity using only the Waveguide. Pattern Control is a technology that suppresses specific sound areas using phase control signals. By inputting phase control signals based on Left, Right and Top channels into the front channel, it prevents the directivity of each channel from spreading unnecessarily. This enhances channel separation and delivers a more immersive sense of depth and 3D moving effects, even with a single speaker. Kim explained, “With these technologies, we have made it possible to clearly perceive the precise location and movement of sound using just one speaker.”

To push performance even further, AI Dynamic Bass Control tackles the low-frequency distortion often found in compact speakers. This technology automatically analyzes and fine-tunes the woofer’s nonlinear movement, delivering deep, powerful bass from a surprisingly small package.

Music Studio 5 Balances Design and Sound Through Refined Aesthetics

Music Studio 5 offers harmonious sound wrapped in sculptural elegance and lifestyle-oriented design. Minsun Kang shared, “One of our biggest challenges was preserving Music Studio’s unique look while making sure it excelled as a speaker.”

A key influence was the collaboration with acclaimed furniture designer Erwan Bouroullec, which helped define Samsung Audio’s design language. Kang noted, “Blending Bouroullec’s artistic vision with Samsung’s practical approach, we crafted a look that feels at home as part of daily life.” Early on, the team experimented with bold forms to spark creativity, but turning these ideas into a high-performing speaker brought unique technical hurdles in arranging components and perfecting the acoustic structure.

Kang shared, “To achieve both sculptural refinement and rich sound, we used a micro-perforated design on the front of the product. From afar, it stands out as a striking piece, but up close, its structure reveals the essence of audio.” In recognition of its design brilliance, Music Studio 5 was honored with the Gold Award at the prestigious iF Design Awards 2026. Kang added, “This achievement is the result of close teamwork with Bouroullec and the relentless dedication of our entire design team. We feel a special connection to this product, as it truly captures the meeting point of technology and aesthetics.”

In addition, Samsung’s proprietary Bluetooth audio codec, SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec), ensures stable, high-quality sound even without wires, perfectly uniting sleek design with top-tier performance.

Expanding the Sound Ecosystem With Q-Symphony

Rather than functioning as a standalone device, Music Studio offers an integrated entertainment experience through seamless connectivity and optimized sound synchronization across devices. As a Wi-Fi speaker with fully wireless connections except for power, it offers the flexibility to place it freely throughout the home. Jongmin Kim emphasized, “Regardless of where it is placed, Music Studio delivers sound optimized for the user’s listening environment, whether for music or video content.”

The Q-Symphony feature, which wirelessly connects with Samsung TVs, further enhances this experience. Supporting up to five devices simultaneously — including 2026 Wi-Fi speakers and soundbars — creates a more immersive surround-sound environment without limitations across product types.

Kim explained, “Users can freely configure the system to suit different spaces and use cases — for example, by connecting up to five Music Studio 7 units or pairing a Q-Series Soundbar with four Music Studio speakers. In such a configuration, the system supports up to 19.1.8-channel output, delivering dense, room-filling sound.”

He continued, “Our ultimate goal is to expand connectivity to a wide range of platforms — including partner products, TVs and mobile — so that users can experience optimal sound throughout every moment they engage with content.”

Going beyond the conventional speaker form, Music Studio sets a new standard for both performance and design. Samsung Audio’s innovation continues to enrich everyday spaces with immersive sound and refined aesthetics.

Now in its 15th year, the Tech Seminar brings together leading experts to experience Samsung’s newest technologies in a real-world setting. This year’s event focuses on how AI is reshaping the role of the screen — making it more adaptive, responsive and relevant in everyday life.

Across its 2026 lineup, Samsung is expanding AI-powered capabilities to all TV models, reinforcing its commitment to making intelligent, personalized viewing experiences more widely accessible.

Making the Screen More Helpful With Vision AI Companion

At the center of this year’s seminar is Vision AI Companion (VAC), Samsung’s integrated AI platform designed to make the TV more intuitive and context-aware.

Working as an intelligent companion, VAC helps users engage with content more naturally — from surfacing real-time information about what’s on screen to supporting everyday activities such as discovering recipes or planning travel. By connecting entertainment with everyday utility, it extends the role of the TV beyond content into a more central part of the smart home experience.

Samsung’s AI TV lineup elevates movies, sports and gaming with real-time optimization. AI Upscaling Pro sharpens low-resolution content with enhanced clarity, depth and contrast. AI Soccer Mode Pro adapts picture and sound to match the speed and intensity of live play. AI Sound Controller Pro analyzes dialogue, background music and sound effects, letting users fine-tune elements like crowd noise and commentary for a more immersive experience.

Advancing Picture Innovation Across Premium Displays

Samsung continues to expand its leadership in display innovation with its 2026 lineup. At the seminar, the company is showcasing its latest Micro RGB technology, delivering highly precise color control, deeper contrast and a more immersive visual experience.

Powered by the Micro RGB AI Engine Pro, the display continuously refines color and contrast in real time. It also achieves 100% color coverage of BT.2020, demonstrating highly accurate and lifelike color expression. A 75-inch model on display highlights the scalability of the technology, along with enhanced local dimming performance.

Samsung’s 2026 OLED lineup — including the S99H, S90H and S85H — offers expanded options across different viewing preferences, combining deep blacks, rich color and refined design. The flagship S99H features a FloatLayer Design for a lighter, more elevated presence, along with Pantone Validated ArtfulColor for more faithful color reproduction.

To improve viewing comfort across environments, Glare Free technology is now extended to the S90H, helping reduce reflections and maintain consistent picture quality in both bright and dim settings.

Extending Performance Across Gaming Displays and Lifestyle Audio

Samsung is also showcasing its display portfolio beyond TVs with new high-performance gaming monitors and lifestyle audio products. The gaming lineup on display includes the Odyssey G6 OLED gaming monitor (G60FS) with a 500Hz refresh rate, alongside the 32-inch Odyssey G8 (G80HS) featuring 6K resolution — delivering ultra-fast responsiveness and exceptional visual clarity for demanding environments.

In audio, Samsung is expanding its lifestyle portfolio with Music Studio 7 and Music Studio 5, combining immersive sound with design that blends naturally into modern living spaces.

Music Studio 7 features a 3.1.1-channel configuration and enhanced Q-Symphony, enabling more synchronized and immersive sound across connected devices. Music Studio 5 offers powerful audio performance in a more compact form, supported by AI Dynamic Bass Control for deeper, more balanced low frequencies without distortion.

Expanding AI Across the Entire Screen Experience

“This year, we are expanding advanced AI across our full lineup, from premium to more accessible models, while embedding Samsung’s distinctive AI capabilities throughout the entire screen experience,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics. “By bringing innovation to picture quality, sound and connectivity, we are redefining what users can expect from AI-powered screens.”

Samsung has maintained its position as the world’s No. 1 TV brand for 20 consecutive years, driven by continuous innovation in picture quality, sound and connected experiences.

Samsung Electronics today announced that it has maintained its leadership in the audio-visual sector as the world’s top soundbar brand for the 12th year in a row.

According to new research from Future Source, Samsung captured 21.5% of global soundbar revenue and 19.7% of unit volume in 2025, continuing its leadership streak that began in 2014. This milestone, along with two decades of global TV leadership,¹ reinforces Samsung’s position at the forefront of the home entertainment industry.

Samsung’s sustained success in the soundbar market is driven by advanced audio technology, immersive sound and seamless integration with Samsung TVs. Building on this foundation, Samsung will expand its 2026 audio lineup with new products that deliver cinema-quality sound tailored to different living environments.

The lineup will include:

• HW‑Q990H flagship soundbar, the successor to the HW‑Q990F
• All‑in‑one soundbar HW‑QS90H
• Bouroullec‑designed Music Studio 7 and Music Studio 5 Wi‑Fi speakers

“At Samsung, we take special pride in our soundbar brand and see it as a way to bring premium sound experiences to homes everywhere,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Being named the top soundbar brand in the world for the 12th consecutive year is not just a tremendous honor, but a testament to our commitment to premium home entertainment.”

1. Omdia Q4 2025 Public Display Report, by unit sales. ︎

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Bouroullec about the ideas behind the speakers’ design and his collaborative process with Samsung. The following responses have been modified for clarity and brevity. 

Orb and Dot: Speakers That Shape the Color of a Space 

Q. What inspired the Music Studio design? 

Music has the power to surround you and transform your mood and emotions. I see music and sound as air and light: they’re an essential part of a room’s atmosphere. They can change the mood — even the “color” of a space. To me, that was the best place to begin: an essential form to visualize sound.

I first drew symbols with an orb and a dot in the middle because this was inherently the skeleton of a “traditional” speaker. And then the forms came together. A moon-shaped orb would immediately connect the device to the idea of sound and music. Dots would visualize sound through time.

Of course, whether or not the language resonates depends on one’s imagination and cultural background. But I am happy with the way I was able to express my interpretation of sound and music. It was a joy to build a visual environment that enhances the symbolic and sculptural nature of Music Studio — defined by its orb and the dot at its center.

A Symphony of Design and Engineering

Q. How was the experience of collaborating with Samsung on an audio product?

Design is a practice that must go hand in hand with engineering. So of course Music Studio was conceived through a close dialogue between design and engineering. Based on my ideas, I first provided a form that engineering could build on. Then there has been a process of pure morphological transformation.

Because Samsung engineers have a deep, grounded knowledge in sound and technology, the process of developing the form into a product was very pleasant. The engineers’ ideas based on their expertise were inspiring, even.

Music Studio’s circular orb form, inspired by the origins of loudspeakers, connects directly to the geometry of sound. Refined through engineering, the shape evolved to enhance the acoustics while preserving its pure, sculptural presence.

In the end, the idea wasn’t compromised. Instead, it naturally evolved into a better form that enabled clearer sound and deeper bass. I am a creative person; my instruments are production tools, my notes are materials and my songs are everyday objects. If I were a musician, Samsung would be the most powerful orchestra I could ever play with.

Harmony: Connecting Sound and Space, Past and Present

Q. How do you feel about the final product and its fit in users’ spaces?

I aimed to convey an essential elegance through design. Designed to integrate naturally into any interior, Music Studio is a timeless and enduring companion for everyday life. In terms of form factor, a sturdy metal mesh front houses the speakers with precision, expressing honesty and function.

Design always builds on conventions and widely accepted symbols that have been refined over decades — sometimes over centuries. On the other hand, technology evolves and so does the way we use the devices.

So a key factor I focused on was to create a design that is both fresh enough to signal a new era in audio and pure enough to seamlessly integrate into various environments. Being “pure” means that Music Studio is easily connectable to the history of speakers. Being “fresh” means that it is able to incorporate new ways of experiencing audio content — like the addition of playlists and podcasts.

In the end, I believe the design language of Music Studio has a simplicity to it that enables it to blend with older functionalities and patterns while heralding newer and more contemporary experiences.

About the Music Studio Series

Introduced at The First Look 2026, Samsung’s Music Studio 5 and Music Studio 7 Wi-Fi speakers incorporate technology from Samsung’s Audio Lab and offer connectivity for Wi-Fi casting, streaming services, voice control and Bluetooth via Samsung Seamless Codec. Available in black and white, the models can be used as standalone speakers or paired with additional units or Samsung TVs via Q-Symphony for wider stereo sound or a full surround-sound setup.

About Erwan Bouroullec

Erwan Bouroullec, born in 1976, began his design career after studying contemporary art in Paris. He and his brother, Ronan, founded a design studio in 1999 and have since worked with brands including Vitra, Alessi, Kartell, Magis and Hay. Known for an emphasis on simplicity, functionality and natural aesthetics, Bouroullec’s work reflects a minimalist approach.

* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, color, pricing, components, performance, availability and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.