After years of playing second fiddle to picture quality, TV sound is experiencing something of a renaissance, thanks to innovative sound technologies like Sony's Acoustic Surface technology and Sony's Object Tracking Sound (OTS). Samsung. But what do they offer and how do they differ from each other? In the early days of Pro-Logic surround sound, television audio took a big step forward with the CRT television, which came with additional speakers and Dolby decoders. But the switch to LCD flat panel displays put an end to the audio enhancement. For nearly a decade, sound suffered as picture clarity and television design took center stage. It wasn't until the advent of the soundbar that viewers realized what was missing in their ears. Today, with incremental improvements in picture quality becoming a harder sell, TV manufacturers are once again looking for ways to enhance the TV audio experience. However, there is no consensus approach, which leads to some exciting (if confusing) options for buyers. Sony and Samsung, with their aforementioned technologies, are leading the way when it comes to better sounding car audio, but they have taken very different approaches. This is what you need to know.
Sony Acoustic Surface Audio explained
Sony OLED displays use Acoustic Surface audio technology to deliver surround sound (literally) from the surface of the TV screen. We've seen several iterations of the Acoustic Surface audio since its release, most recently the Acoustic Surface+, but they all take the same approach. Instead of using conventional speakers, either facing forward or facing downward, Sony's system relies on actuators that literally vibrate the TV panel, in turn creating high-pitched sound. and medium. These actuators connect directly to the rear of the panel, housed in aluminum baskets, which improve rigidity for improved dynamics. And no, you can't see the screen vibrate even at high volumes. These Sony TVs use two (a stereo pair) or three (adding a center channel) actuators, which allow sounds to be panned and positioned on the screen relative to the original sound mix. This allows for a true stereo image with clearly defined dialogue, with vocals locked to neutral. It's a nifty design, but the actuators have a limit in that they can't provide low-end bass. They are best suited for medium and high frequencies. Therefore, Sony associates them with a more conventional subwoofer on the back of the device. This fleshed out the soundstage and added a movie-style rumble.
![Sony A8H OLED]()
Sony A8H OLED (Image credit: Sony) This use of actuators also allows the TV to be used as a center channel speaker in a larger home theater setup that uses separate speakers for left, right and surround functions, grouping the different modules. amplifying the set and re-amplifying the input signal. Acoustic Surface technology, combined with Sony's S-Force audio processor, also enables a virtual soundstage. The technology is compatible with stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Atmos sound sources. The problem is that Sony can't use their actuator sound system with LED LCD TVs because it has to vibrate the panel and the LED assemblies have annoying backlighting. So it took a different, but related, approach to delivering better sound on board. First introduced at CES 2020, Sony introduced the Frame Tweeter that literally turns the frame of its flagship ZH8 8K into a speaker. This Frame Tweeter technology literally vibrates the frame of the TV, creating a high-pitched sound that seems to come directly from the screen. Sony told us that you need to test a plethora of different metal materials to find one that vibrates at the right frequencies. Surprisingly, what the engineers have created works quite well. The highs are crisp and crisp and do exactly what they want to do. The downside is that the technology is inherently expensive, and associated with expensive OLED panel technology, so don't expect it to migrate too far up the TV value chain just yet.
![Samsung Q800T QLED]()
Samsung Q800T QLED (Image credit: Samsung)
Samsung OTS object tracking sound explained
Samsung's rival TV audio system is OTS (Object Tracking Sound), which like Acoustic Surface Audio adds directionality to movement on the screen. It uses software paired with small conventional controllers to achieve the effect. With OTS, the dialogue is locked in the center of the scene, while the objects appear to move. QLED models with OTS (the Q80T and above) hide an additional pair of speakers at the top left and rear right. As a result, the TV features an exceptionally wide and loud soundstage. The smaller speakers built into the device box, the more immersive the listening experience becomes. The higher-end Samsung Q950TS has a 4.2.2 speaker setup, as it has small drivers placed on the top, bottom, and sides of the screen, driven by object tracking software that manages stage direction. sonorous. The set also comes with built-in sound calibration, using the remote's built-in microphone, to optimize performance for your listening room. Perhaps Samsung's most inventive audio innovation is Symphony Sound. Rather than simply delegating audio tasks to an HDMI ARC-connected soundbar, Symphony Sound integrates a compatible Samsung soundbar, such as the Q900T, with its integrated OTS sound system into its TVs, to provide an immersive Dolby listening experience. Atmos from a unified bar and screen. . Picture enhancements may continue to dominate TV headlines for now, but there's real innovation coming from audio, too. Hear more announcements when the 2021 CES Virtual Expo kicks off in January, too.