CANVAS HiFi - What's New?

 

New Danish HiFi Brand in Collaboration with the World’s Largest TV Manufacturer

CANVAS HiFi and Samsung launch The HiFi Frame – where art, design, sound, TV, and technology merge CANVAS HiFi and Samsung proudly present The HiFi Frame – a new icon that unites CANVAS HiFi’s award-winning sound technology, Samsungs market-leading TV design, and a unique artistic collaboration.

The HiFi Frame is designed to fit seamlessly with all of Samsungs flagship TVs. The result is a perfect integration, where sound and picture appear as one complete work of art in the home.

"The HiFi Frame is a combination of the industry’s best sound and best picture in a single design that complements our most exclusive TV series. It is aimed at consumers who demand both experience and aesthetics at the absolute highest level," says PM and PR Samsung, Knut Eirik Rornes.

A Special Partnership with Carsten Beck

The new concept also frames a creative collaboration with Danish artist Carsten Beck, known for his geometric and tactile works. In the meeting between CANVAS HiFi front cover and Samsung’s premium TVs with Art Mode, a dialogue emerges between the analog and the digital:

Beck’s physical works on the HiFi Frame are mirrored in their digital counterparts in Art Mode – merging art, sound, and technology into a curated expression.

"This is not just a soundbar and a TV – it is a new way of thinking about home entertainment. The HiFi Frame is an invitation to a universe of design, simplicity, and cultural relevance," says CANVAS CEO, Laust Nielsen.

A New Standard for Home Entertainment

With The HiFi Frame, CANVAS HiFi and Samsung set a new standard: a product where design, technology, and art enhance each other – transforming the home into a gallery of sound, image, and aesthetics.

Canvas HiFi Unveils Another Industry First✅️

CANVAS is proud to introduce a world premiere, of what we believe is a world-first in soundbar innovation, at Munich High-End: A completely new crossover and tuning system, developed by their Chief Technology Officer, Benno Baun Meldgaard. Renowned for his award-winning loudspeaker designs with Gamut, Raidho, Scansonic-HD, and Gryphon, Benno brings true high-end audio expertise to the CANVAS soundbar.

At the core of this breakthrough is Benno’s proprietary “stepped slope” crossover technology. This design ensures seamless integration between drivers, followed by a steeper acoustic slope that significantly reduces out-of-band distortion. The result is exceptional phase and impulse alignment, delivering precise sound staging and timing—performance typically reserved for reference-grade loudspeakers.

The new Organic Master Tuning follows Benno’s signature psychoacoustic approach, fine-tuned not in a lab, but in a real living room. This method focuses on how sound is actually perceived, rather than 

just how it measures. 

The outcome is a natural, open, and highly detailed listening experience—

unprecedented in a soundbar. This added clarity and openness also means the system is more revealing, especially with recordings of lesser quality. To accommodate different preferences, we’re not replacing our current, more 

forgiving Neutral Master Tuning. Instead, both tunings will be available, with an upcoming app allowing users to switch between them at any time. (Neutral or Organic Master Tuning.This level of flexibility is made possible by the exceptionally powerful DSP processor built into every Canvas soundbar.

For existing Canvas owners, there’s no need to take action: The new Master Tuning will be delivered automatically via our Over-The-Air (OTA) update system, at no additional cost.

Canvas continues to push the limits of soundbar technology by delivering uncompromising audio performance and high-end design to every home.

Samsung SUHD TV Is Here In Malaysia

On Thursday 2nd June 2016,  marked the official launch of Samsung new SUHD TV line up in Malaysia. Set in the PETRONAS Twin Towers, it marked a symbolic message from Samsung that their new line up is a symbol of the peak of current technologies in the AV sector.

I was lucky to be among the first in Malaysia to experience this new line up by Samsung. Being an early adopter of previous models (first LED and first UHD Curve TV) when it was launched in 2009 and 2014 respectively, I could not miss this chance to see the new line up.

The event kicked off at about 230 pm with the opening remark by the President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, Mr. Lee Sang Hoon where he mentioned some of Samsung excellent key milestone in providing technologies after technologies to the TV sets in our home

This was followed by Mr Jimmy Tan, Head of Consumer Electronics Business who explains further about Quantum Dot and HDR technologies being applied in this new line up.

“In the ever-changing climate, Samsung has always been about providing the ultimate experience in picture quality for our consumers, and that is how we came to create our new line of SUHD TVs. It is for our consumers that we focus our efforts to provide stunning brightness and contrast with the most realistic colour and clarity for every viewing environment.” 

After that, the media people was given the chance to experience the new TV line up in all its glory. I must say that this new line up has given another big leap in the visual side of things. I love my UHD Curve TV but with Quantum Dot and HDR, the colours are even more vibrant than my 2014 model.

Below is some information provided by the organiser:

Supreme Picture Quality with Quantum dot display 

Equipped with the impeccable Quantum dot technology, the 2016 SUHD TVs offer the most astounding true-to-life picture quality – providing a completely immersive, cinematic experience in the comfort of your own living room. The Quantum dot display can express 64 times more delicate colour expressions than conventional TVs, giving consumers the ability to properly see various shades of colours a conventional TV cannot showcase.

This year, all Samsung SUHD TVs feature the ability to provide a premium high dynamic range (HDR) experience, with the industry’s maximum 1,000 nit HDR for a higher level of contrast between light and dark images. The Ultra Black panel technology reduces reflection that interferes with the TV viewing experience. With that, viewers can enjoy watching TV comfortably in any environment without being interrupted by glare. 

360 design for Unparalleled Immersion 

Four years after introducing the first Curved TVs to the world, Samsung took on a new challenge; designing the world’s first bezel-less Curved TV to provide a more immersive viewing experience. Eliminating even the slightest elements, down to removing the screws, the SUHD TVs are an example of 360-degree design that looks stunning from any angle, allowing the TV to serve as part of a room’s interior design. 

With no bezel that normally functions as the border, the viewer’s attention is focused purely on what matters most – captivating content on the screen and maximising the immersive experience. 

Unlimited, Seamless Entertainment through Single Access and Single Remote

Samsung has also brought a significant change to its Smart TV service, Smart Hub. The Smart Hub – powered by Tizen OS, allows quick and easy navigation through content by integrating diverse content such as broadcasting programs, internet video services and games, as well as the default menu all on the screen. 

The 2016 SUHD TVs also eliminate the need to juggle multiple remote controls. It automatically recognizes the type of set-top box, game console, OTT box or home theatre system that is connected to the TV. This allows users to control all of the external devices with the Smart Control remote — with no setup required.

Samsung’s 2016 line of SUHD TVs can be purchased starting the month of June at any Samsung Experience Store and authorised dealerships – price ranging from RM 5,999 – RM 99,999 (inclusive 6% GST).  

Enjoying Movie With BT Headphones

Just realised that my curve TV comes a with a BT function for headphones. Will be testing the experience with a movie soon.

Sexy and Curvacious: Samsung UA65HU9000

As mentioned in my SVS cylinder sub review, 2014 will be a home theatre upgrading journey.

As the subwoofer journey have been completed, I am moving on to the TV and front and centre speakers.

My dream of setting up a projector and screen is now shattered forever as the final proposed installation set up does not provide the right aesthatic enviroment in our common living room.

Hence, a new TV was purchased instead. It was a war between Samsung UHD curve 65", Sony 4K TV 65" and Sony 70" LED. And the Samsung won. Plus, I received a Galaxy S5 as a free gift.

Pictures first before the full review.

Darbee Does KL !

I have been missing a lot on TV performance for the past few years. When you think that you are already looking at the best display, you find out that as much digital audio development, image too is developing at a high pace.

After the ISF calibration done a few weeks back, I was introduced to this piece of device, specially brought from the US of A. OK, I lied hehehe... I was actually introduced to this unit even before the calibration was done. But I wanted to the calibration to be done first before testing out this unit.

So what is a DarbeeVision Darblet?? It is actually a device that takes HDMI video experience to new heights. Performance = 1080pHD/60 in real time.

An HDMI accessory that will add intense depth and clarity to any video -- enabling ultra-immersive visuals. As a video processor module in a small housing, DarbeeVision technology simply plugs into any HDMI media device and will enhance the output of any video stream, like DVD, Blu-ray, smart phone, and media players and any digital broadcast -- on both standard and high-definition TVs. 

OK, that was taken straight off their website at http://darbeevision.com

It basically enhances further one's TV viewing experience. Even with the ISF calibration, the enhancement can still be seen when this device is connected,.

Another exciting fact about this unit is that it is actually fully made in the US of A. Look at the stamp on the back of the unit.

The unit nicely packed in a carton box and inside the box is the Darbee unit, a 5V power supply plug, credit card size remote and a one page manual.

Do NOTE that the power supply plug is a 2 pin US plug, so you would need a 3 pin adaptor.

How do you connect it? You will need an extra HDMI cable. From your source, plug in the HDMI cable into the HDMI INPUT of the Darbee and take the other HDMI cable, plug it from the HDMI Output of the Darbee and into your TV.

In my case, I connected from the output of my Yamaha receiver into the Darbee where there are 5 HDMI sources connected to the Yamaha namely Oppo 95EU BDP, Marantz DVD player, ASTRO Byond, Apple TV and a Philips DVD recorder.

The impact can be seen instantaneously as soon as you power up the device.

Do NOTE that the unit needs to be ON for an image to be displayed on your TV.

On the remote, you can easily turn the Darbee On or OFF to compare the image with and without the Darbee. And when it is ON, you can also increase and decrease the 'processing effect' from 0 to 120%

There are also 3 different preset mode:

1. Hi Def: Specific for Hi Def sources like BluRay

2. Gaming: Self explanatory

3. Full Pop: The strongest effect, but some possible visible artifacts.

Performance

Played 2 movies today....The Last Holiday and Dances with Wolves. On The Last Holiday, the Darbee gave an astonishing vibrant expression of colour contrast especially red items. I played around the % setting and found that 80% looks the best portarying Queen Latifah's unique face feature.

Dance with Wolves however was a bit tricky. At 80%, the detail shown by Darbee made the picture look a bit unrealistic. Had to lower down to 50% before the enhancement looks more natural.

The unit was preset on Hi Def on  both movies.

With ASTRO B.yond content, the HD channels looks very vivid but it needs to at 100% in order to see a good difference. SD content however, does not benefit much from the Darbee. I can say it a bit non-existance actually.

Putting on a more recent Blu Ray (Hobbit), was when the Darbee really shines. The details shown on Gollum character was life like and did not portray it as graphic effect.

The best enhancement however happened on Apple TV. Watching Spiderman (Full HD version) on ATV, it benefit from the Darbee a very rich and detail portrayal of the Spidey suit and the night scenes are more detailed without loosing the nocturnal environment.

The beauty about this unit is that it can be adjusted to suit the best required viewing need for any individual requirement. Depending on the quality of the HD content,  people can adjust the Darbee effect to suit their preference.

But for me personally, anything above 100% will make the image looks unnatural.

This unit can be purchased from AV Designs, Mezzanine floor, Bangunan Rohas Perkasa. It is retailed at RM1300 and for those who are looking at improving your movie viewing pleasure, this unit might meet your requirement.