We’re all familiar with Samsung’s The Frame, a smart TV disguised as a piece of fine art. Now, Samsung is preparing to launch the Music Frame, an old-fashioned photo frame with an integrated Atmos speaker array.
The Music Frame holds real photographs. It isn’t a digital photo frame, although it has a built-in IoT hub for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and SmartThings connectivity. You can use the Music Frame as a standalone wireless speaker, but it can also pair with Samsung TVs or soundbars for an expanded home theater experience. A single Music Frame should work well as a surround rear or L/R speaker channel, though Samsung is happy to sell you two Music Frames for a more robust setup.
There are six individual speakers inside each Music Frame—two tweeters, a set of mid-range drivers, and a pair of subwoofers. Like many other modern speakers, Music Frame automatically optimizes sound quality for your listening environment and has a very wide projection area. We can’t comment on sound quality until we hear the Music Frame in person.
On the back of the Music Frame, you’ll find a wall-mounting slot and a kickstand for tabletop use. There’s also a DC 19V power input and, oddly enough, an optical audio input. If you really want to pair the Music Frame with a random audio amplifier or non-Samsung TV, you’re free to do so over an optical connection.
But Samsung hasn’t announced Multiroom audio support for the Music Frame. This product seems like a perfect candidate for wireless whole-home audio, so let’s hope that Samsung does things right. In any case, the optical audio input could facilitate a DIY whole-home audio system, but you’d need to buy Arylic amplifier boards (or some similar hardware) and put in a bunch of tedious work on your own.
Note that Samsung isn’t the first company to turn a speaker into a nondescript decoration. The IKEA SYMFONISK, a Wi-Fi speaker that doubles as a piece of wall art, has been on sale for a few years. But the Music Frame is notable because it can hold actual photos. If you route the Music Frame’s power cable through the wall, it’ll look like an old-fashioned picture frame—a very neat idea.
The Samsung Music Frame launches sometime this year and comes with a selection of photographic prints. It’s joined by several other audio products, including Samsung’s HW-S800D, HW-S801D, and HW-700D ultra-slim soundbars. Pricing hasn’t been revealed by Samsung.
Source: Samsung
