“Our new soundbars combine exceptional audio quality with seamless convenience,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “With advanced AI technology in the HW-Q990F and the HW-QS700F’s innovative convertible design, these soundbars effortlessly adapt to any environment, delivering an immersive and personalized audio experience for every user.”

HW-Q990F: Redefining Flagship Audio Performance

As the successor to the highly acclaimed HW-Q990D, the HW-Q990F takes home audio to new heights. It features newly engineered dual active subwoofers that deliver robust bass and ultra-low-frequency precision. Plus, a new cube design reduces the subwoofers to half the size of its predecessor, minimizing resonance and blending flawlessly into modern interiors with a refined serrated finish.

The HW-Q990F also delivers advanced AI-driven sound optimization through features such as:

• Dynamic Bass Control: Enhances clarity in low-frequency ranges by utilizing non-linear bass management for balanced and distortion-free sound.
• Q-Symphony: Immerses the user in 3D surround sound by detecting the position of wireless speakers like the Music Frame and automatically optimizing audio effects based on its distance and angle.
• Active Voice Amplifier Pro: Provides real-time content analysis that reduces background noise and emphasizes dialogue for an enhanced viewing experience.

Additionally, the HW-Q990F utilizes the Samsung TV’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in Q-Symphony mode, making dialogue clearer and delivering more immersive, synchronized audio.

HW-QS700F: Versatility Meets Elegance and Superior Sound

The HW-QS700F offers even more versatility in home audio with its sleek design and innovative gyro-sensor technology. Suitable for both wall-mounted and tabletop setups, this soundbar adapts to the user’s space. Its built-in gyro-sensor can automatically detect whether it’s positioned vertically or horizontally, fine-tuning the audio output to ensure optimal clarity and immersive sound in any configuration.

With its slim, modern profile, the HW-QS700F integrates into any room. Its adaptive design offers flexibility without compromising style, making it the perfect companion for a cinematic wall-mounted display or a minimalist tabletop setup. This soundbar delivers an audio experience as sophisticated as its design — ideal for users who demand both elegance and performance.

For more information, visit Samsung.com.

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.

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

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

Q: 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

Q:. 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.

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

But this change in viewing trends doesn’t mean that you should have to miss out on the immersive, cinematic experiences that movie theaters are able to provide. In order to help provide you with the tools to enjoy cinema-esque picture and sound quality when watching a movie at home, Samsung Newsroom has done a deep dive into the Samsung Neo QLED 8K and the latest premium soundbar.

1. Catch All the Fine Texturing and Details On-Screen Thanks to Quantum Mini LEDs

Even for fast-paced action films, your display should be able to keep up without you missing a single moment of the movie. In order to achieve this, the control your TV has over its LED lights is important for delivering details – which is why the 2021 Neo QLED 8K comes equipped with Quantum Mini LED¹ for more precise control of thousands of tightly-packed LEDs.

Samsung Electronics’ proprietary micro-layer technology expresses images more vividly and accurately. Micro layers inside each LED eliminate unnatural noise among thousands of LED elements – the secret behind how these TVs can express all the fine details on-screen, including a character’s skin tone and even their drops of sweat.

2. Never Miss a Moment of the Action, Even in Darkness, With Quantum Matrix Technology

Detailed blacks and high contrast are key to delivering realistic fight scenes that take place in darkness in action movies. Quantum Matrix Technology, Samsung’s proprietary local dimming technology, allows for clear contrast between dark and light areas on-screen.

Quantum Matrix Technology enhances the LED brightness level from 10-bit to 12-bit, which means that the TV can control its lighting up to 4,096 levels – four times² more than conventional displays. The TV’s local brightness booster efficiently distributes power and improves peak brightness by harnessing unused electrical power from darker areas to brighter ones.

3. Enjoy the Classics Upscaled to High Resolution With the Neo Quantum Processor

When watching classic movies, you may often find that the picture quality is poorer compared to the movies produced today, and may also have found yourself wishing that the picture and resolution were better. The Samsung Neo QLED 8K is capable of upscaling the picture quality of a movie, even older ones, to a higher resolution thanks to its Quantum Mini LEDs, Quantum Matrix Technology and its Neo Quantum Processor, which is armed with powerful AI upscaling technologies.

Based on an artificial neural network, the Neo Quantum Processor’s deep learning imitates the learning mechanism of humans to train its AI. The Neo QLED 8K’s Neo Quantum Processor now uses 16 multi-neural networks, whereas conventional technologies only use a single neural network. Each of the 16 networks divides up the content based on the input resolution and picture quality and then accurately analyzes all kinds of factors including edge handling, details and noise level. This then allows the processor to enhance a movie’s picture clarity without stalling, even for movies made in lower resolutions.

4. Immerse Yourself in Ultimate Sound With the World’s First 11.1.4-Channel Dolby Atmos Soundbar

A truly cinematic viewing experience isn’t complete without a sound system capable of creating truly immersive and realistic audio experiences. Given the growing number of users who enjoy watching movies at home, the need for premium sound experiences capable of delivering you that­ realistic rain downpour or airplane departure is also growing.

The immersive sound in a movie theater comes from high-performance speakers that fill both the walls and the ceiling; Dolby Atmos movie theaters use up to 400 speakers to create that audio experience. But now, with the Samsung HW-Q950A soundbar, you, too can enjoy a theater-like three-dimensional experience at home without the need to install any extra speakers thanks to its 11.1.4 channel speakers and Dolby Atmos technology.

5. A TV and a Soundbar That Operate in Perfect Harmony Thanks to Q-Symphony

When connecting your soundbar to the TV to watch movie at home, your TV’s built-in speakers are automatically disabled to allow the soundbar to emit sound due to technological limitations regarding compatibility between different devices and content. Samsung has been working to overcome this issue with its industry-leading TV and audio technology.

With the newly-introduced Q-Symphony, Samsung TVs and soundbars work together to produce the most room-filling surround sound experiences. While the soundbar itself is capable of providing rich and deep audio on its own, Q-Symphony lets you enjoy another level of cinematic experience at home as both the TV and the soundbar work together.

Samsung Audio Lab is behind the success of this technology. Samsung Electronics established the Samsung Audio Lab in California, United States in order to gather top-level sound experts and engineers to continue developing audio technologies and provide the best possible sound experiences to users.

¹ Compared to the LED module height featured in the 2020 Samsung UHD TV, each 2021 Neo QLED 8K’s Quantum Mini LED is 1/40 the size.

² 10-bit: 210 = 1,024 levels of control; 12-bit: 212 = 4,096 levels.

▲ (From left) Mingyo Oh, Haekwang Park and Shinhye Choi, at Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business behind Premium Soundbar, the HW-Q950A

With the increasing popularity of large screen televisions and the continued addition of further OTT (over-the-top) services, more users are looking to establish a theater-like experience in their homes. On top of that, social distancing measures have required people to go out less, stoking their desire to enjoy premium visual and audio experiences from home.

Full, clear and deep sound plays a crucial role in ensuring that content is delivered as it was originally intended. Paving the way for new audio experiences, Samsung Electronics introduced its high-end soundbar models, the HW-Q950A and HW-Q900A, in May of this year. The new premium models take sound quality to the next level with up to 16 channels and a host of enhanced functions that bring even greater satisfaction to users. Samsung Newsroom met with the product experts of the 2021 soundbar models to find out the secret behind their powerful and precise sound.

11.1.4-Channel Surround Sound That Fills the Entire Room

▲ Haekwang Park, Principal Engineer at the Sound Device Lab, Samsung’s Visual Display Business

Thanks to our ever-evolving content culture, sound is getting richer, fuller and more expressive. The days of one-directional (mono) sound are long gone as we have ushered in the era of multi-directional channels that allow sound to fill up the surrounding space. “Sound is becoming increasingly important as people nowadays watch a wide variety of programs that place more emphasis on audio quality, such as music shows and films,” says Haekwang Park, Principal Engineer from the Sound lab at Samsung’s Visual Display Business.

To live up to consumers’ heightened expectations, Samsung has spared no effort in developing high-quality soundbar products that deliver very realistic sound. In 2016, Samsung brought its first 5.1.4-channel soundbar model to market. This soundbar was equipped with left, right and middle channels, two rear channels, a subwoofer and four upward-firing speakers, and delivered immersive, three-dimensional surround sound. More channels were added to later models, including a surround channel on the side of the soundbar and a wide surround channel to deliver sound from the front and sides. In 2020, Samsung introduced a 9.1.4-channel model.

In 2021, Samsung went a step further with its latest 11.1.4-channel model, the HW-Q950A, which features two rear surround channels. Product planner Mingyo Oh explained that, “The newly added channels are located on the sides of the rear surround speakers. They add liveliness to dynamic scenes involving things like airplanes in flight and car chases by allowing the sound to hit the side walls before it bounces back to where the audience is positioned.” The premium soundbar delivers an outstanding audio experience by filling previously quiet moments with powerful, immersive sound.

▲ Mingyo Oh from the Product Planning Group at Samsung’s Visual Display Business

Delivering Sound Exactly as Intended With Advanced Rendering and Waveguide Techniques

A channel is a passage for sound that dictates which direction it travels. This is why having a higher number of channels provides better, smoother sound. It usually requires costly equipments to offer 11.1.4-channel sound, but Samsung’s HW-Q950A is able to provide a breathtaking 3D surround sound experience with only four speakers thanks to its unparalleled rendering and waveguide techniques.

Rendering is the process of creating a way for the audio output to deliver sound exactly as the artist intended. The Samsung developers made it possible to deliver an optimal acoustic experience with the soundbar system by tapping into its cutting-edge rendering technology. “To provide the most natural audio experience to users, we have carefully designed our products to deliver sound seamlessly. The HW-Q950A soundbar delivers sound that is reflected in various directions and arrives at users’ ears at the optimal angle,” related Shinhye Choi.

▲ Shinhye Choi from the Global Product Marketing Group at Samsung’s Visual Display Business

An advanced waveguide technique is also indispensable when it comes to delivering next-level sound. A multi-channel speaker emits sound in multiple directions, and the waveguide technique allows components in the speaker to deliver sound in the direction intended by the developer. Haekwang Park reported that, “Top-tier experts at the Visual Display Business’s Sound Lab and Samsung Audio Lab in California came together to design the parts that went into the speakers. Our soundbar models are meticulously constructed to deliver world-class sound performance.”

How SpaceFit Sound+ and Q-Symphony Further Elevate the Viewing Experience

Usually, most of the sound emitted by speakers hits walls or curtains before reaching the audience’s ears. This explains why the same sound is heard differently depending on the dimensions and layout of the viewing environment. Samsung’s HW-Q950A soundbar and 2021 TV models deliver stunning sound that tunes into users’ viewing environments by analyzing the dimensions of the space they’re in using SpaceFit Sound+.

SpaceFit Sound+ combines SpaceFit Sound technology, which delivers optimized audio, and Auto EQ (auto equalizer) technology. Together, the SpaceFit Sound and Auto EQ solutions use embedded microphones to thoroughly survey the viewing space, and then feed that data to the soundbar to enable it to deliver a tailored sound experience.

But the collaboration between the Samsung TV and the soundbar does not stop there. Samsung’s innovative, proprietary Q-Symphony technology additionally combines and enhances the sound generated by the TV and soundbar to guarantee optimal sound quality. Normally, when you connect a soundbar to your TV, the sound is emitted only from the soundbar. What’s more, some technical issues involving out-of-sync sound and tone disparities between the two devices had been observed. Q-Symphony overcomes these issues by incorporating a stereoscopic sound effect that allows sound to play through the speakers that wrap around the TV in addition to through the soundbar, providing richer and more realistic sound compared to when sound is produced through the soundbar alone.

Combining Truly Rich Sound With Highly Convenient Functionality

As with other models, Samsung has placed great emphasis on creating a new level of acoustic immersion with the HW-Q950A. But that doesn’t mean it can’t also include a host of convenient features. To begin with, the Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) feature clarifies dialogue in the viewer’s favorite shows to help them hear on-screen conversations clearly amid a variety of background noises. With an embedded microphone, the soundbar automatically measures noise levels and enhances voices if the noise continues for more than three seconds or surpasses a certain threshold.

And the HW-Q950A optimizes sound for different types of scenes, such as those with loud sound effects and dialogue-heavy scenes. For instance, the Adaptive Sound feature analyzes sound signals to deliver an optimal sound experience for each scene. Moreover, Game Mode Pro delivers a powerful, immersive gaming experience with subwoofers and upward-firing speakers. The Tap Sound feature also enables users to simply tap their smartphones on the soundbar when listening to a song to take their listening experience to the next level.

The motto of Samsung’s soundbar developers is to get the basics right when it comes to sound. “We are working our hardest to deliver sound of the highest quality,” the developers related. “We do this by collaborating closely with groups of experts and employing Samsung’s advanced measuring and simulation techniques to set clear standards for what we define as ‘optimal’ sound.”

The developers’ ultimate goal is to deliver a best-in-class acoustic experience to users regardless of the type of content they’re consuming, or the specific features of their viewing environment. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that they make this dream a reality.

Since introducing their very first soundbar at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2008, Samsung Electronics has continued to release soundbar solutions packed with innovative technologies so that users can enjoy truly immersive TV experiences.

Take a look at the infographic below to learn more about the history of Samsung’s leading soundbars and to find out how they have been charting new territories in audio quality since 2008.

In addition to holding first place in the global TV market for fourteen straight years, Samsung Electronics has also maintained the number one position in terms of market share for soundbars.¹ What’s more, Samsung’s ‘Q-Symphony’ feature now allows joint playback once a soundbar is paired with a television. With its ability to produce rich, immersive surround sound from both the TV speakers and the soundbar, Q-Symphony picked up the ‘Best of Innovation’ award at CES 2020.

Following on from our previous piece exploring the sound technologies of Samsung’s QLED 8K TVs, we present Samsung’s soundbar solutions, which are bringing dynamic surround sound to the home entertainment environment.

Perfect Harmony – The Building Blocks of Q-Symphony

Until recently, using conventional TV speakers and soundbars simultaneously could lead to the audio playback getting out of sync with the scenes playing on the screen, meaning that TV speakers had to be muted when using a soundbar. However, Samsung’s 2020 QLED TVs are equipped with upper speakers, enabling simultaneous use of TV speakers and a soundbar. Furthermore, Q-Symphony technology has unlocked compatibility between the 2020 Q80T TVs (which include the moving sound feature for models 55 inches and wider) and the 2020 Q Series soundbars.

The idea for Q-Symphony started from an idea to provide higher quality surround sound by using the upper TV speaker in combination with a soundbar. To make this hybrid solution a reality, the sounds from the TV speakers and soundbar had to be synchronized in terms of timing and volume.

Moreover, in the latest technology, the respective roles of the TV speakers and the soundbar have been clearly distinguished to allow for better harmonization of sounds. While the soundbar delivers primary sounds such as human voices, the upper speaker delivers the ambient sound effects. In this way, the two devices avoid interfering with one another, and provide a richer sound experience.

Hearing is believing ­- experience the reality of Q-Symphony above.

A Top-tier Soundbar – Nine Channels with Just Four Speakers

The current top sound specifications for a home theater system are a 9.1.4-channel set-up, which would ordinarily require a total of 14 speakers. However, the top-of-the-line HW-Q950T Soundbar from the 2020 Q Series is capable of realizing these excellent channel specs with only four speakers.

Following the advent of the home theater market in the 1990s, users were afforded the chance to experience surround sound that covered not only the left and right-hand sides, but also the front and rear too. Further down the line, the 2014 introduction of Dolby’s ATMOS technology enabled 3D surround sound that covered sounds from the top and bottom too.

Samsung’s development of premium surround sound hasn’t happened overnight though. In 2016, Samsung released the HW-K950, a soundbar that only required four speakers to provide 5.1.4-channel surround sound. Samsung didn’t stop there though, instead introducing the HW-Q90R, a 7.1.4-channel soundbar that featured a rear surround channel. This year, Samsung took another step forward with its introduction of the HW-Q950T, a 9.1.4-channel soundbar equipped with two additional wide channels.

Dynamic Sound from a Wide Range of Angles

Representing the next stage in the progression from the HW-Q90R soundbar, the aforementioned HW-Q950T 9.1.4-channel soundbar, features two wide channels that deliver sound at angles of 60° to either side of the center. To provide fuller sound, the speakers at the far right and left, which provide the surround sound, have been moved to the edges of the soundbar. Furthermore, two additional speakers that are oriented at an angle that is optimized for wide channel functionality have been incorporated in the far left and right positions.

With wide channel functionality, users can benefit from sound being emitted from a host of different angles and benefit from a more complete audio experience. This effect additionally provides a broader sense of realism, and, by adding vitality to the movements on the screen, guarantees a better experience when watching content such as concerts, musical performances and films.

Maximizing the Audio Experience

Before being finalized, all of Samsung’s soundbars undergo a final tuning process at Samsung’s Audio Lab in Valencia, California. The high-level expertise of the Samsung Audio Lab are well established, as was demonstrated when three of the lab’s papers were selected among the top 10 papers by the Audio Engineering Society at AES 2019. Likewise, Samsung more broadly is working to optimize users’ audio experiences by applying powerful, innovative technology to its soundbars.

Over recent years, the home audio experience has been constantly evolving and diversifying to offer users increasingly vivid sound experiences. Now, as the industry looks to realize the next stage in the evolution of sound, Samsung is providing comprehensive sound solutions for the future of top-tier audio experiences.

¹ According to global market research firm FutureSource, from 2014 (the first year to officially include soundbars in the survey) until 2019, Samsung has maintained the top spot globally in terms of soundbar market share.

With its 2020 QLED 8K TVs and AI sound technologies, Samsung has raised the bar for TV audio experiences. Object Tracking Sound+ uses AI-based software to match the movement of audio with movement on-screen; Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) tracks the user’s audio environment; and Q-Symphony creates a more realistic, three-dimensional sound.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with the sound developers of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business to learn more about their extensive capabilities and the journey to fostering innovation in sound.

(From left to right) Youngtae Kim (Sound Lab), Jongbae Kim (Sound Lab), Yoonjae Lee (Sound Device Lab) and Sunmin Kim (Sound Lab)

Object Tracking Sound+: Reading the Room for More Realistic Audio Experiences

Action movies with amazing sound arrangements provide the most realistic experiences when experienced at movie theaters. This is because movie theaters have multi-channel speakers with 3D sound placed on almost all the walls (including the ceiling), as well as around the screen. Compared with two-channel sound that features speakers only on the left- and right-hand sides, the multi-channel speakers in a movie theater deliver a more refined sense of realism. So how can this realism be recreated in the home? Samsung’s sound developers came up with Object Tracking Sound+ technology, in which sound follows movement onscreen through six speakers built into the TV.

Thanks to this technology, a video’s audio follows the action on-screen in real time. When a car moves from the left to the right-hand side of the screen, so will the sound it makes; and when a heavy object drops from the top to the bottom of the screen, so will the audio.

When developing the 2020 QLED 8K TVs, Samsung’s TV developers increased the number of QLED TV speakers from two to six in order to realize sound that can mimic action. “By placing two speakers on each side of the screen, as well as on the top and bottom, we enabled the dissemination of sound in all directions from a total of six speakers,” explained Jongbae Kim. “The distance between the two main speakers has been widened as much as possible, and the additional speakers have been installed in order to maximize sound across all axes to be as three-dimensional as possible. For example, we placed speakers on the upper side of the screen to enable the movement of sound in a vertical direction for a more immersive sound experience.” Additionally, Kim highlighted how, despite the complex nature of a TV structure that includes six embedded speakers, the team managed to keep the design of the TV slim and minimal.

In order to ensure audio will follow on-screen movements accurately, it is important to understand the original intentions of content creators. “The role of a sound engineer is to increase the consistency between the action onscreen and its accompanying audio track when mixing. The location information of sound in a piece of video content, including sound panning information, is subsequently audio-signaled into the audio channel by the sound engineer – something we must be able to track in order to reproduce the location and movement of a content’s audio accurately,” noted Jongbae Kim. “Our Object Tracking Sound+ technology analyzes the location information contained in these audio signals as originally placed during mixing. This means the TV can then effectively distribute the sound amongst its six speakers by distinguishing between sound orientations and whether or not the audio source is on-screen, off-screen, close-up or distant.”

AVA: Intelligent Noise Detection to Enhance Voice Clarity

When that crucial scene in the show you are watching is overwhelmed by mixer sound or an important breaking news report is obscured by loud thunder, the act of reaching for the remote to adjust the TV’s volume can come too late. This is why the team developed their AVA technology, which recognizes exterior noises and increases the volume of voices in content accordingly if surrounding conditions become too loud.

The way it works is intelligent. The TV’s sound sensor, attached to the bottom middle of the TV, takes in audio from the content onscreen as well as its surrounding environs. AI technology then compares the volume levels of the two types of sound, and if external sounds are found to be louder than that of the TV’s content, it will selectively raise the TV’s volume. “The system does not have one set definition of noise,” explained Sunmin Kim. “It considers any and all elements that disturb enjoyment of content as noise. When exterior sounds persist above a certain decibel level, that is when the system registers it as ‘noise’.”

However, AVA technology does not just raise the volume of the TV when it recognizes a louder environment, as this would only contribute to a boisterous room experience. “The system harnesses AI to keep sound effect and background audio levels consistent and to only raise the volume of voice audio,” highlighted Sunmin Kim. “Our research showed us that the majority of content is dialogue-heavy, so we believe that enhancing the delivery of dialogue would be most beneficial to aid comprehension.”

Q-Symphony: Creating a Multi-Dimensional Soundscape

One of key elements to achieving a realistic sound during content playback on a TV is three-dimensionality, which encompasses both horizontal and vertical audio characteristics. Until recently, these perspectives had been being developed separately by the TV and Soundbar teams. However, with the inclusion of upper side speakers on Samsung’s 2020 QLED 8K TVs, the team developed an all-inclusive solution that utilizes the capabilities of both the TV and the soundbar in perfect harmony. Q-Symphony is a feature that plays audio using both the TV speakers and the soundbar at the same time, and as an industry first achievement, the Q-Symphony technology was even recognized with a Best of Innovation Award at CES 2020.

“The core of Q-symphony, which manages sound playback harmoniously using speakers with different characteristics, is technology that follows the sound playback rules which are determined in advance and exchanges the necessary information between the TV and the soundbar, when connected. This approach allows for a superior reproduced sound experience,” explained Yoonjae Lee. “A key element of the technology is a special algorithm that we created which divides and harmonizes sounds seamlessly between the TV’s speakers and soundbar.”

During development, challenge arose regarding the quality of dialogue reproduction. When both the soundbar and the TV speakers played dialogue simultaneously, the sound quality was noticeably diminished. However, the sound development team were able to resolve this issue by separating the main sound track, including dialogue, from the entire signal and assigning the different tracks to the TV speakers and soundbar respectively. “In the 2020 QLED 8K TV range, the voice signal is extracted and removed from the sound being reproduced by the TV’s embedded speakers, which are then assigned to play ambient sound signals such as sound effects,” explained Lee. “The soundbar then reproduces the main sound involving any dialogue. With this technology, Q-Symphony harnesses the advantages of both TV speakers and the soundbar in order to deliver the best, and most harmonious, sound experience to users.”

Working Together to Develop the Perfect Sound Experience

The sound development team agreed that realizing the addition of speakers, the new placement of speakers and the AI harmonization with the soundbar on the 2020 QLED 8K TV range was possible because of close coordination with a variety of other teams. “When developing new TVs, all areas need to be in sync with their innovations,” noted Youngtae Kim. “We came together in suggesting various solutions to overcome each and every technological hurdle with an open mind.”

Youngtae Kim (left) and Sunmin Kim introduce the innovative sound technologies of the 2020 QLED 8K TV range

The sound development team has always been and always will be dedicated to developing the best possible audio experiences for users. As well as working with Samsung’s Audio Lab based in the U.S. for the future audio technology, the team also works with Samsung Research’s R&D Centers, universities and start-up experts around the world. “We want to bring about sound experiences that are as natural and as real as possible,” explained Youngtae Kim. “To achieve this, we will continue to work hard to understand the end-to-end process of the sound and realize sounds in our TVs.”

Samsung’s sound innovation also helps to realize its vision of ‘Screens Everywhere’. “In the future, we will bolster the use of AI so that users do not even need to use a remote control to find the perfect audio balance when enjoying their favorite content,” said Sunmin Kim. “As time goes by, TV installation environments, lifestyles and age groups will be diversified. We want users to enjoy the sound of their content as intended, regardless of content type or listening environment.”

Just as Samsung TVs have ranked number one globally for 14 consecutive years,¹ the company’s soundbars also hold the number one position in the global soundbar market. Samsung has held the number one spot in the global soundbar industry ever since international research firm Futuresource Consulting started officially recording in 2014. According to Futuresource, Samsung ranks number one in sales revenue, maintains 21.8 percent of the global market share, and accounted for 16.5 percent of the industry sales volume in 2019.

All Samsung soundbars and audio technology are tuned at the Samsung Audio Lab in Valencia, California, just outside of Los Angeles. Thanks to continuous efforts from the Samsung Audio Lab, the ‘Q series’, a part of its 2019 premium soundbar lineup, boasts high quality sound for which it garnered positive reviews from key tech media in the U.S. and Europe.

“It is rewarding to see that our competitiveness in the audio market over the last several years has culminated in this result,” said Seong Cho, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Product Marketing of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We will ensure Samsung remains an industry leader in both the global TV and soundbar market for years to come.”

Samsung’s position as the soundbar market leader will be further strengthened through synergies with Samsung TVs. The 2020 QLED models, which include new and proprietary AI technologies to improve audio as well as picture quality, provide new standards of home audio and entertainment. Using the TV speakers in conjunction with a soundbar to establish the optimal sound, the Q-Symphony feature will produce richer surround sound and provide Samsung’s most immersive audio experience to-date to consumers. This technology received the CES 2020 Best of Innovation award, and is standardized across the entire range of Samsung’s soundbars (above Q60T) and some QLED models (above Q80T).

For more information, please visit https://www.samsung.com.

¹ Source – Omdia, Jan-2020. Ranking in terms of shipments. Results are not an endorsement of Samsung. Any reliance on these results is at the third-party’s own risk.

Allan Devantier, Audio Lab Head, Samsung Research America

Devantier started working for Samsung in October of 2013. By January of 2014, Samsung had acquired lab space and recruited four staff members, and by October of that year the staff had grown to number 10 engineers and research scientists and the Audio Lab had been made fully functional. From there, the lab was ready to begin working towards its mandate of ‘taking Samsung’s audio technology to the top of the industry.’

Devantier says that “The first product we worked on was the Radiant 360 loudspeaker – it was actually the first mass-market speaker to feature 360-degree sound. We were the industry leader, and now 360-degree speakers have grown very popular in the market.”

Evolutionary Change

Cut to the present, when Samsung’s LA Audio Lab is staffed by more than 20 people with over 300 collective years of experience in the audio field between them. Eleven members of the team hold Master’s or Ph.D. degrees in audio technology, while eight are both engineers and musicians who continue to play in bands. The lab also collaborates extensively with Samsung’s audio engineering teams in Korea.

“Our focus starts at the ear of the listener,” Devantier explains, “then expands out to the listening environment – the transducers (woofers and tweeters), amplifiers, and digital signal processors (DSPs).” And this emphasis has led to a steady stream of important contributions coming out of the lab. Whereas, in 2014, industry publications awarded Samsung’s Soundbar solutions a rating of three-and-a-half stars out of five, by 2019 the average score for Samsung Soundbars had been lifted to four-and-a-half stars. What’s more, in 2019 the HW-Q90R premium Soundbar model received a perfect five-star rating from a number of industry publications. In addition to improvements in the pure audio sphere, the Samsung Audio Lab has contributed to remarkable advancements in TV sound quality as well.

The Samsung Audio Lab has proven its ability to discern changes in the audio market and act upon them swiftly, as is demonstrated by the nature of its recent innovations. The Q-Symphony solution announced at this year’s CES enables a TV equipped with a Soundbar to provide surround sound that closely reproduces the spatial feeling of original sound fields. Devantier explains that Q-Symphony “uses the top-firing speakers in the TV to improve envelopment and immersion.”

Another example of this cutting-edge innovation is Samsung’s OTS (Object Tracking Sound) technology. To improve upon Soundbar technology that allows sound to be delivered in fixed directions, the lab developed TVs that incorporate speakers not just on the bottom and sides of the screen, but in the top left and right sections as well. This allows OTS technology to make use of deep learning that can recognize what kind of content is being displayed on the screen and deliver multichannel sound accordingly. Thus, users can enjoy actual, physical surround sound that is not only immersive but is specifically tailored to whatever they are watching at the time.

What’s more, in 2020 Samsung’s Q-Symphony and OTS technologies are coming together to truly maximize the potential of both solutions. While OTS delivers multichannel surround sound through the TV speakers, Q-Symphony makes the TV-speaker-Soundbar combination possible, enabling the TV’s speakers to provide rich, lively surround sound while the Soundbar delivers powerful, absorbing bass.

Taking Audio into the Future

The inception of AI is set to reshape the audio industry, and Samsung is working to anticipate the changes it will bring about. Asked to outline what he sees as AI’s role in the audio industry, Devantier says, “I think we can use AI to help our loudspeakers play louder, with more perceived bass and less perceived distortion. AI will also help make old recordings sound better and allow our loudspeakers to adapt to different listening environments.”

Another way in which AI is empowering future solutions is by enabling features like Active Voice Amplifier (AVA). Samsung’s AVA feature makes it possible for the TV to recognize the audiovisual space environment and provide sound that is optimized not only for the content being displayed on the screen, but also for the viewing space that the consumer is in. In 2020, sensors embedded in QLED solutions will make optimized viewing possible, even in rooms with high levels of noise. For instance, if a user is watching something and a member of their family switches a blender on in the adjoining kitchen, the system will adjust to ensure that the dialogue remains audible to the viewer in real-time despite the unexpected peripheral noise.

As far as how his lab will contribute to delivering better audio going forward, Devantier reports that it will continue to meet the needs of customers who are looking for “high quality and portable sound” while improving and expanding its OTS technology. “Maybe one day we will develop a loudspeaker that sounds great, plays very loud and is nearly invisible or exceptionally small and portable,” Devantier concludes, “Until that time, we will continue to produce solutions that make incremental improvements to sound quality.

Samsung Audio Lab