The word “soundbar” brings to mind images of a simple, all-in-one product that can single-handedly take care of your home theater audio. In truth, soundbars are rarely that simple. At the very least, they usually have a separate subwoofer to handle bass, and possibly satellite speakers for surround sound. These multi-part systems work great, but if you’re after something more streamlined, you may want to check out Samsung’s new MS750 Sound+ Soundbar, which hit retailers Wednesday.
Like the MS650 we reviewed recently (and raved about), the MS750 utilizes Samsung’s “one body” soundbar design, which packs the bass drivers directly into the bar itself, rather than off-loading them into a separate subwoofer. Samsung’s goal here is to eliminate any excess in the soundbar setup, and minimize its space in your home theater room.
The MS750 is packed with 11 speaker units — three wide-range tweeters, two vertical tweeters, and six woofers — all with dedicated amps. While the all-in-one nature of the MS750’s design may lead to questions about performance, Samsung assures that the system is a fully capable audio solution, claiming that the MS750 can reach down to sub-bass frequencies as low as 35Hz thanks to “anti-distortion technology.”
The MS750 Sound+ can also pull off virtual DSP surround sound. However, should you want a true 5.1 setup, Samsung also offers an optional subwoofer, the W700, which can further push the low end down to 27Hz. The $700 W700 is also compatible with the MS650 and MS6500 soundbars.
To underscore the compact nature of the MS750, Samsung designed the soundbar to attach to the bottom of Samsung UHD TVs with an optional bracket attachment. In this configuration, the MS750 can be plugged into the TV’s power socket, powering both itself and the TV, which has the added benefit of simple cable management and frees up an extra outlet.
Even if you’re not using the soundbar with a Samsung UHD TV, the MS750 features 4K UHD passthrough, as well as UHD 32-bit audio upscaling –handy features for those with a 4K setup.
As can be gleaned from the soundbar’s name, the MS750 Sound+ is the next step up from Samsung’s previous MS650 Sound+, which just so happens to be one of our favorite soundbars from this year. It won us over with its well-balanced delivery for both music and movies, and its simple design. Looking at the upgrades to the design that the MS750 Sound+ is bringing, we’re excited to get some hands-on (and ears-on) time with it.
The MS750 Sound+ is available now for $699, while the subwoofer will sell for $499. If you’re eager to know more about the soundbar, be sure to check Samsung’s official page.
Update: Correct pricing for soundbar and subwoofer.