ms750
Latest
Samsung's $699 soundbar offers 32-bit audio, subwoofer-like bass (updated)
It's difficult for soundbars to stand out: they have to be very intelligent or sweet-sounding to rise above the rest. Samsung is clearly betting on that second strategy to stand out. It just started shipping the MS750 Sound+ Soundbar it unveiled back in January, and the emphasis here is on quality above all else. Spend $699 on this plain-looking gear and you'll get "Ultra High Quality" 32-bit audio upscaling that Samsung says should preserve the quality of a source. That's going to depend heavily on the source itself, so don't expect flawless audio from your favorite game or movie, but you can get "HD sound" from a mobile source like Samsung's own Multiroom App.
Samsung's second-gen UHD Blu-ray player helps simplify HDR
Next week at CES Samsung will debut its second Ultra HD Blu-ray player, along with new "Ultra High Quality" (UHQ) audio hardware. The M9500 Ultra HD Blu-ray player looks like any other deck, however, Samsung says it will be able to automatically set TV and audio levels by optimizing the content playing. That goes for HDR video, as well as Atmos or DTS-X audio. It also has built-in Bluetooth for private audio streaming to headphones, which is a nice touch, but already supported by a number of new TVs, and display 360-degree photos or videos streamed from mobile devices.
McIntosh unveils the high-end MS750 digital music server
High-end audio manufacturer McIntosh Laboratory (they were around long before a couple kids named Steve started fooling around in their garage) is looking to take back some space on the audiophile shelf from all those wannabe-pro upstarts like the Slim Transporter with its new MS750 music server. The unit features a 750GB drive, CD burner, and a FLAC encoder that can be run in real time from the unit's inputs, so purists can rip their precious vinyl at least without lossy encoding. In addition, the MS750 supports WMA, MP3, and AAC -- perfect for those newly DRM-free "high-quality" iTunes Plus tracks. Music can be streamed to and from the rig via the built-in Ethernet and McIntosh's Music Guide software, and the server can be network controlled or integrated into a home automation rig through the multiple RS-232 serial ports. All those connections don't come cheap, though -- McIntosh says the MS750 will set you back six large when it drops in June.
