Samsung intros new pedestal-style Sound Stand, along with new 2014 sound bars
Samsung joins Zvox and Bose with a flat sound bar designed to fit under your TV, rather than in front of it.
Samsung has been making sound bars for years, but aside from the occasional glowing vacuum tube, they all have a similar long, thin look.
The new Samsung HW-H600 Sound Stand is the first pedestal-style sound bar from the company, designed to sit under your TV, rather than in front of it. It's not a new idea, but it's a good one. The pedestal design typically offers a sleeker look and avoids the issue of the sound bar blocking your TV's remote sensor, which is a common problem on traditional sound bars. Sitting under the TV also allows for a larger overall footprint, which can help deliver superior sonics.
The HW-H600 is designed to fit TVs from 32 inches to 55 inches and measures an unusually slender 1.4 inches high. Samsung is calling it a "4.2 channel system", which feels a little generous; there's a built-in subwoofer, but I doubt you'll get any true dual subwoofer benefits on a system like this. There's also built-in Bluetooth, and the HW-H600 works with Samsung's Sound Connect feature, which means it can connect with compatible Samsung TVs via Bluetooth rather than making a separate connection.
Samsung also announced the HW-H750 sound bar, which is compatible with the Samsung Shape wireless audio platform, so it will be have the same streaming audio capabilities as last year's Samsung Shape M7. It packs 320 watts of power and built-in Bluetooth, and it uses a vacuum tube preamplifier, similar to that of last year's HW-F850. Speaking of the HW-F850, that model will be carried over from last year, along with the entry-level F355.
Pricing and availability hasn't been announced for the new sound bars, although they're typically released in early spring.