Samsung aims to take the pain out of Dolby Atmos setup with its new soundbar

By Kris Wouk Published January 7, 2016

Samsung HW-K950 Dolby Atmos Soundbar — Image used with permission by copyright holder

CES 2016 kicks into full swing this week, and ahead of the show proper, Samsung has been showing off some of the fresh, new products it will be debuting. So far we’ve seen a lot about the company’s TVs, and now it’s sharing some details about the audio lineup it is bringing to the show.

The company announced some updates to its Wireless Audio 360 series, but we’ll get to that in a moment, because there’s bigger news here. Samsung has announced the new HW-K950 soundbar, and it features Dolby Atmos, a technology not seen before in a soundbar from the company.

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The HW-K950 features 5.1.4-channel sound, which is produced using two upward-facing speakers in addition to the three main speakers on the soundbar. This allows sound to come from above you, as well as in front of or behind you. In addition to the main soundbar, which is 2.1 inches tall, a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers are included as well.

Samsung CES 2016 audio lineup — Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Our 2016 lineup of audio products offers the most immersive sound ever experienced in the home,” Samsung vice president of visual display business John JY Kim said in a press release issued yesterday. “Samsung’s new soundbar with Dolby Atmos technology, delivers the ultimate in cinematic home entertainment, especially when paired with Samsung’s new SUHD TVs.”

The company also announced that it will be bringing new colors and patterns to its Wireless Audio 360 line, also known as Radiant360. The Sonos competitor uses Samsung’s proprietary Ring Radiator technology, and features a touch-enabled interface. The company says that the line will soon be even easier to use with an updated multiroom app for phones and tablets as well as apps for its Gear S and S2 smartwatches.

Both the Wireless Audio 360 line and the new HW-K950 soundbar will be on display at Samsung’s booth at CES, located at number 11096 in the Central Hall. The show officially kicks off on Wednesday, January 6, and runs through Saturday, January 9.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

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