We got our hands on Samsung’s new Music Frame and came away impressed  

Samsung, one of the world leaders in home technology, turned heads several years ago with the launch of The Frame TV, which displays artwork when the TV isn’t in use. Building on that success, Samsung recently introduced the Music Frame, a high-quality speaker you can conceal behind your favorite photos or artwork. 

The BestReviews Testing Lab visited a Samsung facility to get a first look at the product, and we were impressed by the ingenuity and the power that it packed. In a market that features a ton of speakers, Samsung was able create something unique that should appeal to anyone who cares about both audio quality and aesthetics.

What is the Music Frame?

The testing team appreciated how easy it was to change the photos in the Music Frame.

Product specifications

Smart Home Compatibility: Bixby (Samsung Assistant), Alexa, Google | Audio Features: Dolby Atmos |  Connection Type: Bluetooth, Samsung Q-Symphony, USB (Type-A), Wi-Fi | Dimensions: 13.8” W x 2.1” D x 13.8” H | Weight: 9.3 lb

The Music Frame is a square photo frame that allows you to display any 8-by-8-inch photograph or other small piece of art while hiding six impressive speakers situated all around the frame. During testing, the Music Frame not only looked great mounted on the wall, but it sounded incredible, too, thanks to Dolby Atmos, which brings multidimensional surround sound to your listening experience. 

You can easily change the bezels, which come in various colors and textures to match your decor. And we found adding and replacing an image to be easy — you simply pull the matte photo holder off and replace it with a picture of your liking. In short, Samsung has once again come up with something truly unique by combining aesthetics and industry-leading audio into one beautiful product.

See how it compares to other products in its space — check out our reviews for the best Bluetooth speakers.

Price and where to buy

Samsung’s Music Frame costs $399.99 and is sold at Best Buy.

Why we like it

High-quality audio

We were really impressed by how rich and bassy the audio sounded on the Music Frame — not just for a picture frame but also when compared to some of the high-end Bluetooth speakers on the market. With one Music Frame, you can easily fill an entire room with immersive audio.

Pairing capability

During testing, one of the best features of the Music Frame was all the different pairing options it provided us. We could can use the speaker as a Bluetooth speaker, we could plug directly into it via USB-A or we could pair the speakers and create a home sound system using Samsung’s Q-Symphony. We could even connect to certain Samsung sound bars to create three-channel audio.

Interchangeable photos

With a unique design, the Music Frame allowed us to to add or change the photo on display with ease. Any 8-inch-by-8-inch photograph will work well, and it’s as easy as pulling the matte frame off and swapping the picture.

What we don’t like

It’s heavy

If there’s one knock on this impressive product, we’d say it’s the weight. It’s almost 10 pounds, which isn’t a ton, but it’s noticeably heavier than a picture frame or a Bluetooth speaker would be. This may be an issue for those who struggle with mobility if they want to move the Music Frame or swap the photo out.

Music Frame customizability

You can purchase bezels in different colors and textures to match your aesthetic.

As with Samsung’s The Frame TV, the Music Frame also allows for customization with the bezels. This gives customers the chance to change the look and feel of their Music Frame, based on the vibe they’re going for. The bezel options vary in color and texture, including a sleek wood design that can match the mood of the music you love to play. 

Samsung Q-Symphony capability

For a fuller sound, it’s simple to pair the Music Frame to another one to create two-channel audio.

An impressive feature of the Music Frame is that it can pair seamlessly with Samsung’s audio pairing suite, Q-Symphony. You can pair one Music Frame to another Music Frame to create two-channel audio, or you can even incorporate a 2024 Samsung sound bar to create a full, robust audio profile.

We tested two Music Frames that were paired with a Samsung sound bar to create a left, middle and right channel, and the sound was fantastic. Music was resoundingly loud and clear, making this a high-quality home audio setup. You can also use this same setup to play your TV audio, which rivals Apple HomePod’s TV audio capabilities.

Within the Samsung ecosystem, the Smart Things app allows you to set up, customize and control each Music Frame, whether you want to use them individually or paired to another speaker.

Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos makes the Music Frame’s audio rich and clear.

The Music Frame features audio from the industry leader in surround sound, Dolby Atmos. This allows you to play the highest-quality audio from different music-streaming apps to fill the home with bassy, clear audio.

Dolby Atmos also comes in handy when watching new movies, shows and other streaming media. It allows for super clear voices, loud soundtracks and booming sound effects, creating a home-theater setup that impresses.

How does it compare to other integrated speakers we’ve tested?

The Music Frame is almost in a lane of its own, with the only potential rivals coming in Ikea’s Symfonisk line. With that said, the audio quality is that of a high-end Bluetooth speaker, like the JBL Xtreme 3, which we tested and loved, and it’s more impressive than some of the low-to-mid-tier Bluetooth speakers.

This product captures two different types of consumer: those looking for design and aesthetics and those who want high-quality audio. The good news is it performs well in both areas, making this a great choice for lots of people.

Testing the Music Frame

The testing team noted how easy it was to pair the Music Frame with other Samsung devices.

During testing, we evaluated both practical and advanced applications in order to find the capabilities for every type of consumer. On a simple level, the Music Frame pairs easily with smartphones, tablets or laptops and can play any form of streaming audio. For most people, this will be their day-to-day use of the Music Frame.

After testing the basic functionality, we tested the Q-Symphony pairing and loved how rich it sounded. The devices all working in synchrony allowed for an immersive listening experience. This is one of the best-looking surround-sound products — maybe even the very best — that you can buy on the market today.

If you’re aiming to crank it up one more notch, the Smart Things app allows for fine-tuning, letting you pick the sound mode and use the equalizer to adjust the bass, treble and other audio settings to create the perfect listening experience.

Should you get the Samsung Music Frame?

The Music Frame’s high-quality audio and attractive design impressed the testing team.

To sum it all up, we loved the Samsung Music Frame, and it feels like a great gift to give any college grad to celebrate their success or friend to remember a concert or special event. For the price, the audio quality and functionality are incredibly impressive. For anyone looking to up their home audio setup in their house or create a modern aesthetic in their apartment, this is a great option that allows you to do both.