Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. Products

Samsung unveils its baby M3 multi-room speaker, new curved sound bar at IFA

Ryan Waniata
By

samsung unveils m3 multi room speaker new curved soundbar ifa shape
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Samsung took the long road in filling out its obligatory multi-room speaker family, but today at IFA in Berlin, the company unveiled the latest (and smallest) piece of its multi-room speaker lineup: the Shape M3. The speaker will join the rest of Samsung’s Shape multi-room speakers, all of which are able to communicate over Wi-Fi via a centralized app. In addition, Samsung revealed what it’s calling the first sound bar “with a curved form factor,” the HW-H7500, built to accentuate its curved LED TV lineup.

Related: LG dives into multi-room speakers with its new hi-res Music Flow system

Recommended Videos

Shape M3 speaker ($200)

The compact M3 (WAM350) speaker joins Samsung’s already rich multi-room speaker stable, as the most affordable of the bunch. With its new entry-level model, Samsung now boasts one of the most diverse speaker systems available. The lineup includes the larger pyramid-style Shape speakers, the M5, and the flagship M7, as well as Samsung’s HW-H750 sound bar, the HT-H6500WM home theater system, and the BD-H6500 Blu-ray player.

Following the rise in popularity of the multi-room speaker archetype, it was only a matter of time before the M3 appeared. The Sonos blueprint, which seems to be almost akin to the constitution of multi-room speakers, offers three sizes (and price ranges) of speakers, with the Play:1 as the most price-friendly of the bunch. At the same price and general size, the M3 looks to compete with the popular Play:1 directly. Copycats from the likes of Denon, and more recently, LG, have all carefully carved out similar three-tiered offerings (often with a sound bar in the mix), and Samsung’s latest piece completes the trifecta, as it were.

As those familiar with multi-room speaker systems can guess, all of the pieces in Samsung’s lineup can work individually, or together throughout the home with virtually zero latency, through the company’s Wireless Multiroom App from a phone or mobile device. The app allows users to choose music from their own catalog, or play tunes from a variety of Internet radio services including Amazon Cloud Player, Pandora, Spotify, Rhapsody, TuneIn Radio, and others.

Related: Sonos Play:1 review

HW-H7500 Curved Sound bar ($800)

Samsung-soundbar-edit1While the H7500 doesn’t fit into Samsung’s growing multi-room family, it does present another missing piece we’ve expected from the company that helped pioneer the curve in home theater design. Users who love the sleek bend of Samsung’s curved 55 and 65-inch HD and 4K/UHD TVs can now accentuate the design with a matching piece of supplementary sound.

Related: Are curved TVs a gimmick? Yup, but we still love them. Here’s why 

The $800 bar and wireless subwoofer offer some top-shelf features to go along with the system’s ambitious pricing, including a brushed aluminum finish, and support for 8.1 channel sound. In addition, Samsung TV owners are rewarded with a few extra features, including the ability to control the EQ from their TV remote, and wireless connection over Bluetooth via Samsung’s proprietary “TV SoundConnect” system. As per usual, Samsung’s latest gear rewards users for sticking with the brand across the board.

Both of Samsung’s new pieces appear to be available immediately for purchase. The company will be showing off the new components this week at IFA, so stay tuned as we look for a chance to go ears-on with them to see how they hold up.

Topics
Ryan Waniata
Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
Tidal vs. Qobuz: Which hi-res music streaming service is for you?
Tidal app showing on iPhone 15 Pro.

Spotify and Apple Music may be the most popular music streaming services in the world, but services like Tidal and Qobuz offer plenty of great features and a higher level of listening to anyone making a switch. Each offers hi-res audio and is available on desktop and mobile devices. Thanks to a recent switch in Tidal subscriptions, the prices between the two services are now very comparable, although one is slightly cheaper.

Below, we compare Tidal and Qobuz based on price, sound quality, and supported devices to determine which platform is better.
Price
For many years, Tidal has stood out for its hi-res music offerings, a feature long shared with Qobuz. However, the landscape has changed, and now other services like Apple Music and Amazon Music (and soon Spotify, hopefully) have also ventured into the hi-res music space.

Read more
OTC hearing aid sale discounts 15 models, from just $80
Bose SoundControl Hearing Aids

If you need a hearing aid, you’re going to love the OTC hearing aid sale going on at Crutchfield right now. Currently, you can buy a pair for as little as just $80 with up to $500 to be saved on select models. With 15 models in the sale, we recommend you click the button below to see what’s on sale for yourself. But you can also read on while we highlight some of our favorite hearing aid deals. Don’t delay as the deals are unlikely to stick around for long.

What to shop for in the Crutchfield hearing aid sale
With some of the best OTC hearing aids including models from Lexie, go straight for the . It’s currently $799 instead of $849. It has a slim, visually discreet profile with a behind-the-ear fit style. A built-in feedback management system helps reduce high-pitched feedback while there’s a noise reduction circuit which decreases the volume of constant background sounds such as vacuum cleaners or A/C units. It also has level-dependent gain and compression which keeps loud noises from becoming too loud during conversations. The app also provides bass and treble controls along with left/right balance adjustments, and directional focus modes. It’s a really well-rounded hearing aid.

Read more
GoldenEar subwoofers are up to $755 off for a limited time
The GoldenEar SuperSub XXL subwoofer in the living room.

Upgrading your home theater setup's sound output is easily achieved by buying from soundbar deals, but if you want extra bass, you'll want to purchase a subwoofer. If you're thinking about it, you may want to checkout Crutchfield's sale on GoldenEar subwoofers with prices that start at $595. These premium subwoofers will give you all the bass that you need for watching streaming shows, epic movies, sports programs, and any other form of content, but you'll have to hurry with your decision on what to buy because these discounts are only available for a limited time.

What to buy in Crutchfield's GoldenEar subwoofers sale
The cheapest option in Crutchfield's GoldenEar subwoofers sale is still pretty powerful -- the GoldenEar ForceField 3, which is an 8-inch subwoofer with digital signal processing and a built-in 500-watt RMS digital amplifier. You'll also get a front-firing 8-inch long-throw woofer and a 9-inch by 11-inch down-firing passive radiator for , for savings of $55 on its original price of $650. You can also take a step up with the GoldenEar ForceField 30, which offers most of the same features but with an updated design with a curved top and metal grills, for instead of $900 following a $155 discount, or the GoldenEar ForceField 40 with a front-firing 10-inch long-throw woofer and an 11-inch by 13-inch down-firing passive radiator for a , down by $205 from $1,200 originally.

Read more