That horizontal sound bar next to your crazy expensive, totally-not-gimmicky curved screen TV is such an eyesore. If only it were, you know, curved. Like your TV. Samsung clearly thinks this is a problem that’s begging to be solved, because the company has just announced… a curved soundbar. The sleek, aluminum-clad device is designed to match perfectly with the company’s 55 and 65-inch curved TV sets. Samsung says that you can either install it under your TV where the curves will be flush with each other, or mount it on a wall where you might just be able to pass it off as a piece of installation art. It also promises some decent 8.1-channel surround sound support on the soundbar and will throw in some side speakers for immersive audio.
Let’s say you bought a pricey curved TV, only to remember that your existing soundbar is (gasp!) flat. Will you have to live with that geometry mismatch for the life of your set? Not if Samsung has its way. It just unveiled the Curved Soundbar, which it says is the first audio system designed to match curved screens — specifically, the company’s 55- and 65-inch sets. The aluminum-clad device looks the part, of course, although it also promises some better-than-average audio with 8.1-channel surround support and side speakers that add to the immersion. There’s no word on just when the curvy peripheral will show up or how much it will cost, but it’s likely to sit on the higher end of the price spectrum. There is some good news if you’re not interested in expensive TV audio. Samsung is adding a low-end model, the M3 (below), to its multi-room wireless audio system. The firm isn’t saying just what kind of output you’ll get from the M3 right now, although it’s safe to presume that the smaller speaker won’t deliver quite as much oomph as the M5 or M7. It will, however, add rich Spotify Connect support; you’ll get to stream your tunes through multiple M-series speakers at the same time. It’s doubtful that the M3 will sway you from the Sonos Play:1 or other lower-cost wireless speakers that you might already own, but it’s nice to have another major alternative.
