Verdict
Rather ingenious in conception and offer an enjoyable sound , the Samsung Music Frame is a gimmick for those who want a speaker that meld into their home base .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Lifestyle has become the voguish unexampled terminal figure in the AV universe , of which you’re able to add the Samsung Music Frame to a growing leaning .
What is a lifestyle product ? It ’s probably wanton to draw what it ’s not . AV and hi - fi product are often consider as hard to understand , a product pitched to the life-style side softens that view , making it easier for an audience that prefers easiness over complexity .
Which is what ( hopefully ) Samsung is looking to rein with its Music Frame – strike into a market that wants quality sound but presented in a fashion that take in it approachable .
Design
The Music Frame could be sort as one - of - a - kind if it were n’t for that peskySonos IKEA Symfonisk Picture Frame ’s existence . It ’s the same construct , a wireless speaker in the pattern of a picture frame .
There is only one size and at 353 x 363 mm ( WH ) it ’s straightforward forge ; and with its depth of 143 mm it ’s in reality fairly thick . It comes with a stall that ’s easy enough to slither in and out , and which tilts the talker at an angle . you could go cables down and through the stand if you need to bring a sense of neatness to the surface area .
At 5.9 kilogram it ’s hefty too . The stand is small enough that it could be perched on a shelf , or you’re able to wall mount it with the included screws and brackets . Connections are located in a break up around the back but it can be fiddly plugging things in . Around the front and below the figure are a set of LEDs that are just about visible and go on Samsung ’s reliance on baffling blinking light for its displays .
There are touch sensitive controls that cover input switching , intensity , mike on / off but they ’re placed in an inconvenient position . If you want to conform the speaker ’s placement , the best mode is to grab it by the can as the placement of the controls meant I ended up accidentally throw the stimulus or turning the mic off .
The ‘ lifestyle ’ aspect of this ‘ loudspeaker system ’ is that you may change the picture within the frame . you’re able to add your own pictorial memories within the border or a custom artistry panel that can be purchase from a third party trafficker ( for the sum of £ 50 ) . Lift the frame and then draw , and you ’re on your way to customise the look so it gibe your décor .
Features
In terms of connectivity there ’s an optical remark to connect it to a ( sooner small ) television or hi - fi separate that support that type of connectedness .
Wirelessly there ’s Wi - Fi : AirPlay 2 , Google Cast , Spotify Connect , Tidal Connect and Bluetooth 5.2 , though it ’s worth note that Google Cast is limited to 16 - bit/44.1kHz ( annoying if you have a Qobuz subscription ) .
If you ’re an proprietor of a Samsung Galaxy smartphone you may tip to plug in to the Music Frame and send strain via that method acting . It ’s also Roon Tested , making it compatible with Roon systems .
There ’s Google Home support or you could choose to swim in the waters of Samsung ’s SmartThings and connect to other IoT gimmick in the base . Alexa is built - in but there ’s no Bixby documentation .
There is wireless Dolby Atmos support even though it ’s a 2.0 stereo speaker . The Music Frame also endorse Dolby 5.1 , Dolby Digital Plus and LPCM tracks .
Samsung related features descend in the contour of Q - Symphony , which synchronise the Music Frame ’s speakers with a Samsung TV ’s speakers for a bigger auditory sensation . The SpaceFit Sound automatically optimise the speaker unit ’s auditory sensation in relation to the space it ’s in , which should mean you get the best phone wherever its lay . combat-ready Voice Amplifier squawk up talks / vocals over any spikes in noise in a way .
It was also laggy with Google Cast on my smartphone but much well over Spotify / Tidal Connect , AirPlay and Bluetooth .
Sound Quality
So how does the Samsung Music Frame sound ? somewhat good as long as you ’re not expecting the high fidelity .
Both the midrange and triplex performance are clear , and basso is honorable , though lacks a bit of welly out of the box . Adjusting the bass EQ does provide more warmth and depth , though it can encroach on the midrange , squashing the amount of space available for vocal .
There ’s a decent sense of energy and rhythm to the Music Frame with Chromeo ’s Do n’t Turn The Lights On and Lake Street Drive ’s Hypotheticals , but its signified of dynamism is small rather than major . Every strain be at the same volume , what ought to be crest and falls are more mild jut , if that – its excitement with a small ‘ Es ’ .
It ’s not the spacious operation with stereo tracks – euphony seldom breaches beyond the breadth of the speaker itself – but despite that , the Music Frame puts in a broad execution thanks to its six speaker .
The speech sound takes on more of a vertical shape , vocal in the center with instrumentation roaming around the side and below . It does mean there is n’t much depth to the sound , vocal and harmonies with En Vogue ’s Do n’t Let Go all exist on the same plane but the Music Frame has a effective sense of contingent and breakup to avoid it all dogsled together – there ’s decent crispness to cymbal crashes and decent slug to the kick tympan while the electrical guitar is n’t completely obscured .
Every caterpillar track I fling to the Music Frame places a priority on vocals . Isaac Merrit Singer voices always come through with clearness , and there ’s a convincing sense of realism to them – they ’re not of necessity warm - sounding or snappy , but tonally singers fathom more or less how they should even if some extra tanning sharpness and pizzazz would not go amiss .
soprano is clear and decently detailed but not particularly bright with GoGo Penguin ’s rub out by Sunlight . There ’s lilliputian to no version in the high frequency notes the Music Frame relay race , and once the freshwater bass and instrumental role amount into gambol with that rail , treble battle to stand out and feel weak . The top oddment performance plays it a lilliputian safe when it could have done with more bite and polish . raise the treble EQ out of the blue raised the degree of noise in the Song dynasty .
As I mentioned before , the bass is fine but the loudspeaker get along a cropper with tracks that require depth and tycoon like Bodyrox Yeah Yeah . More gratuitous power and slam would be overnice , and while EQ adjustments bring that power and depth it does affect the midrange .
The speaker unit ’s Bluetooth performance is warmer , not as detailed or unclouded but still a firm try . Compared to Wi - Fi , it is n’t as tawdry nor as energetic , so hear via Wi - Fi is the better method .
The Music Frame can play Atmos Music rails , offering a slightly more spacious soundfield than stereo playback but it ’s not as determine – there ’s a faint sensation of where instrumental role are beyond the physical body but I ca n’t pinpoint the precise location . There ’s more depth present but the caveat is that song lack weight , and audio thinner than they ought to .
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Should you buy it?
Do n’t want a speaker that evidently looks like a loudspeaker system ? The Music Frame smartly immingle with the rest of the article of furniture
The price has move down but there are well - sounding loudspeaker system useable for less than the Music Frame , specially if you ’re an audio purist
Final Thoughts
There ’s a clever sense of ingenuity about the Music Frame , a verbaliser you would n’t think was a talker if you walk into a elbow room . It seamlessly becomes a part of the surroundings , and the performance it produces is enjoyable .
But in Christ Within of its RRP and the mountain of competition with the like of theSonos geological era 300 , theAudio Pro C20andBluesound Pulse M , the Music Frame is n’t as good a performer as either of those speakers . It finger as if you ’re paying extra for the lifestyle view , and for £ 499/$399 I think it ’s reasonable to expect high quality audio frequency .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every wireless speaker we review thoroughly over an extended period of meter . We practice industry stock tests to equate features properly . We ’ll always tell you what we observe . We never , ever , accept money to survey a intersection .
retrieve out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
The Music Frame can be paries - mounted and comes with all the necessary screws and brackets included .
