The popularity of traditional 5.1-channel home theater systems that are wired together has gone down in recent years. This trend is primarily because of the success of soundbars and wireless setups from VIZIO, SONOS and others. Consumers like the ability to enhance their audio without the headache of an extensive setup.
Today, Samsung is expanding its line of home theater equipment with a focus on shoppers that desire a high-end experience. With 4K compatibility, wireless 5.1-channel surround sound and a big price tag, it will be interesting to see how these new releases fare in comparison to the competition.
Samsung has announced two soundbar systems that are each available for purchase today. Up first is the HW-K950 that retails for $1,499. That’s a significant jump from VIZIO’s offerings and even more than the pricier SONOS PLAYBAR. The larger of today’s two announcements is a complete home theater system based around a central soundbar. There are also wireless satellite speakers in the rear alongside a subwoofer. Samsung’s move to eliminate all wires in this release does make it more attractive than lesser-priced options on the market.
The smaller HW-K850 bundle retails for $999 but you lose the two rear satellite speakers. Both of the models in today’s announcement are compatible with Samsung’s Radiant360 speakers, so you can pair multiple ones together for a whole home audio setup. Additionally, there is support for Dolby Atmos and Bluetooth connectivity plus Wi-Fi, too. Each of the speakers can be controlled via Samsung’s Multiroom smartphone app.
Be sure to swing by our Home Theater guide for even more deals on components, speakers and other audio necessities. More details on Samsung’s latest products can be found below in the press release.
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[9to5-press-release]
Samsung Announces U.S. Retail Availability of HW-K950 and HW-K850 Soundbars Featuring Dolby Atmos
RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics America, Inc., the leader in home entertainment, today announced the HW-K950, featuring Dolby Atmos®, is now available at retailers nationwide. The HW-K950 is the world’s first 5.1.4 playback system to offer captivating, next-generation home theater sound. The new soundbar sports 15 speakers, including four upward-firing Dolby Atmos enabled speakers that are found in the front soundbar and two rear wireless speakers1. The HW-K950 delivers crystal clear sound that feels like it comes from all around, including above, to bring to life the sounds of music, movies, television shows and video games. The 3.1.2 playback HW-K850 soundbar with Dolby Atmos and wireless sub is now available as well.
“As the availability of 4K content continues to grow, we developed a premium sound solution to complement our premium home entertainment portfolio,” said Jim Kiczek, Vice President of Audio/Visual Product Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. “The HW-K950 and HW-K850 soundbars with Dolby Atmos serve as the optimal companions to our spectacular 4K SUHD television and Ultra HD Blu-ray player line-up by providing consumers with an incredible next-generation home entertainment audio experience that features powerful, room-filling multidimensional sound.”
Tuned at the state-of-the-art Samsung Audio Lab in Valencia, Calif., the HW-K950 and HW-K850 soundbars are the company’s first to offer Dolby Atmos moving sound. Both produce a rich, full sound that is big enough to fill the room, yet detailed enough to deliver realistic, cinematic sounds, from an arrow shooting across the room to a hummingbird flying overhead. Additionally, the HW-K950 and HW-K850 soundbars offer 4K pass-through to deliver the best in audio and picture quality via a simple HDMI® connection. Now, consumers can connect any 4K video source like a UHD Blu-ray player through the soundbar to the TV for rich sound and 4K picture quality.
At only 2.1 inches high, the HW-K950 and HW-K850 sit perfectly under Samsung TVs and are a seamless addition to any home. For easy set-up, the soundbar syncs wirelessly with the accompanying subwoofer and rear speakers to produce dynamic sound. For added simplicity and connectivity, consumers can now control certain functions on these and all new 2016 Samsung soundbars solely from their Samsung TV remote. Finally, consumers can play their favorite music right from their compatible mobile device via built-in Bluetooth connectivity, and they can also stream music by connecting the soundbars via WiFi to the Samsung Multiroom app.
The Samsung HW-K950 and HW-K850 soundbars featuring Dolby Atmos have an MSRP of $1499 and $999, respectively, and are now available at retailers nationwide.
For more, visit www.samsung.com.
About Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos delivers moving audio—sound that can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in three-dimensional space, including overhead. It brings entertainment alive all around the audience in a powerfully immersive and emotive experience. To learn more about Dolby Atmos, visit dolby.com/Atmos.
About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovative leader in consumer electronics, mobile devices and enterprise solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA is pushing beyond the limits of today’s technology and providing consumers and organizations with a portfolio of groundbreaking products in appliances, home entertainment, Internet of Things, mobile computing, smartphones, virtual reality, wireless infrastructure and wearables, in addition to offering leading content and services related to mobile payments, 360-degree VR video, customer support and more. Samsung is a pioneering leader in smartphones and HDTVs in the U.S. and one of America’s fastest growing home appliance brands. To discover more about
Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com. For the latest Samsung news, please visit news.samsung.com/us and follow us @SamsungNewsUS.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.
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