Music, Framed
A speaker that blends beautifully into your home decor
The idea of speakers on a picture frame is not new, but Samsung appeared not to hold back with its punches when it created the Music Frame LS60D. It is a 6-speaker 4.6kg square frame with a removable front panel that displays real pictures. The included panel can fit an 8×10-inch photo, and you can buy separate Art Panels with different designs to make it your own. Just like The Frame TV, bezels of different colours can be purchased for the Music Frame.
Similarly, there are a handful of customisations available to personalise the audio through the SmartThings smartphone app. Besides the preset sound modes, further adjustments are available using the 7-band equaliser. The Music Frame supports Wi-Fi music streaming straight from your favourite app like Spotify and AirPlay, or connecting to Bluetooth for other content. I was surprised to see an optical port which supports direct digital audio.
Mind you, these speakers are designed to be heard in big spaces. With a volume level of 12, the audio easily fills the bedroom. At 40, it is considered loud for the living room of an apartment. I can imagine the Music Frame deployed at art galleries or visual installations and still packs punches for visitors. The bass response is impressive for its size, and the midrange offers great warmth with controlled harmonics. The upper midrange can sound shimmery and the upper treble does not penetrate.
So I would say the speakers are great for playing background music but not for delivering songs that demand clarity at the upper registers. The Music Frame features a few audio technologies, including Dolby Atmos, the more popular choice for enjoying the surround audio experience. The spatial experience can be enhanced with SpaceFit Sound which analyses the room to tailor the sound to the space, while dialogues can sound clearer with Active Voice Amplifier.
Packed with six speakers and two exposed when connected to compatible Samsung TVs like The Frame 2024, up to two Music Frames can supplement the audio experience through Q-Symphony technology, which cleverly extends the audio mapping to the Music Frame so that the background elements seem to flow across the field while keeping the dialogue centred. Note that all the devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and there were times when one of the devices did not seem to connect successfully, rendering the Q-Symphony audio mode unusable.
It also seems that there is no visible option to enable stereo mode when two Music Frames are available. There is a Group Play option but it only streams the same stereo audio to both Frames instead of splitting the channel. Also, I am not a fan of the touch-enable buttons though. While using my fingers to locate them, it would trigger unwanted actions.
We say:
Impressive powerful speakers in artful disguise, the Music Frame will find
its way into large spaces and deliver music for immersive enjoyment.
Rating 4/5
S$899
samsung.com.sg
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Speakers 6
Channels 2
Dolby ATMOS Music, ATMOS, Dolby Digital Plus
Sound Modes Adaptive, Music, Standard
Connectivity Optical, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, AirPlay, USB Operating Power 18W
Dimensions 353 x 364.8 x 143.4 mm
Weight 4.6 kg
