[Mania] "Speaker or Interior Decor?"... Trying Samsung's 'Music Frame'

Review of Frame-Type Speaker 'Music Frame'

Can Change Photos and Pictures, Highly Useful as Decor
Equipped with Woofer, Dolby Atmos, and AI Features
Price is 599,000 KRW

"Is that sound coming from a frame?"

This was the first phrase the family repeatedly said as the product started working. A speaker that no one recognized as a speaker until it was explicitly mentioned. Samsung Electronics' 'Music Frame' is a product that stays true to its original electronic device function while focusing on harmonizing with the user's living space. It is a product that can fully satisfy those who feel disappointed with the design of conventional soundbars or speakers.

I borrowed the Music Frame and used it personally for two weeks. The Music Frame is square-shaped, measuring 35.3 cm in width and height, with a thickness of 5.4 cm, and weighs 4.2 kg. Although it felt heavier than expected, it is not a portable speaker but a product designed to be placed upright on a table or shelf indoors or hung on the wall like a picture frame, so it was not inconvenient.

The product's simplicity without requiring separate assembly or installation is an advantage. The stand can be easily attached to the main body, and the wall-hanging method is as simple as hanging a picture frame, allowing immediate use without spending much time.

Samsung Electronics' frame-type speaker 'Music Frame'.
Photo by Han Yeju

Above all, the biggest feature of this product is that it is designed in a frame shape, allowing a speaker?usually considered a TV peripheral device?to be used as an interior decoration item. The fact that users can freely change the photos or pictures inserted is highly attractive. Samsung Electronics explains that this reflects consumers' opinions that design is important when purchasing actual audio products. Through Samsung.com’s 'Custom Studio,' users can create art panels with images reflecting their personal tastes and use them as 'my own gallery.'

Simply changing the image can alter the atmosphere of the home, so it would be useful to insert favorite paintings or family photos. When I replaced the default turntable-shaped image attached to the product with an additional art panel included in the package, it felt like an entirely different product.

Users can freely change the images in the music frame to any photo or picture they want.
Photo by Han Yeju

The speaker's original function was not overlooked. The Music Frame can be wirelessly connected without spatial restrictions via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Although not very visible, the Music Frame is equipped with a total of six speakers. It contains two tweeters, two midranges, and two woofers, producing sound from three different directions. It also features Dolby Atmos in a 2.0 channel stereo system, delivering powerful sound output of 120 watts.

It provides immersive sound that seems to come from the front, sides, and even above, making it suitable for supplementing the insufficient TV speakers or enjoying intense music with stable sound. It also supports voice commands via Google Assistant and device control through the SmartThings hub.

Rear view of the Music Frame product. Equipped with Dolby Atmos and more.
[Photo by Han Yeju]

Integration with the SmartThings app is also possible. The app offers different sound modes: 'Standard,' 'Music,' and 'AI (Artificial Intelligence) Sound.' Among these, AI Sound analyzes the playing content in real-time and automatically finds the optimal sound based on its characteristics. It performs automatic equalizing according to the content genre such as music, movies, or games, delivering sound suitable for the situation.

The Music Frame was recognized for its design originality by winning the 'iF Design Award 2024,' one of the world's top three design awards, at the German International Design Competition this year. Collaborative design is also an anticipated aspect. Recently, a special edition was released in collaboration with the fashion brand Jiyong Kim. It applied a fabric art panel made using the brand’s unique 'sun bleach' technique, which scorches and fades fabric with sunlight.

The price is 599,000 KRW. While it cannot be called cheap, considering that the product is a speaker and has a high level of design completeness to be used as an interior item, it seems to be a reasonable price.