Samsung now owns Denon, Bowers & Wilkins, Marantz, Polk,

[Rupam]

Samsung now owns Denon, Bowers & Wilkins, Marantz, Polk — what just happened and why it matters​

Samsung now owns Denon, Bowers & Wilkins, Marantz, Polk, and more audio brands

The Sound United portfolio will operate as a standalone business under Samsung’s audio empire.

www.theverge.com

Okay — big news for anyone who likes good sound (and even for people who only notice sound when Netflix subtitles are off). Samsung’s Harman unit has completed the acquisition of Sound United — the company that owned a stack of famous audio brands such as Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, HEOS, Classé and Boston Acoustics — in a deal that’s being reported at about $350 million. This effectively folds those classic hi-fi names into the Samsung/Harman family that already includes JBL and Harman Kardon.

Samsung’s move makes a lot of sense once you stitch the pieces together: first, buying B&W, Denon, Marantz and the like is an instant shortcut to premium credibility — these names still carry heavy weight with enthusiasts, so Samsung instantly boosts the perceived audio chops of its TVs, soundbars and car deals (as The Verge pointed out). Beyond the badge, it’s a classic ecosystem play — Samsung already bundles hardware and services, and owning proven audio IP lets it weave tuned sound, DSP and streaming features deeper into TVs, Galaxy devices and Harman’s car infotainment business, which improves margins and locks users into its stack. Practical economics are just as important: making high-end speakers and receivers is one thing, but global distribution, manufacturing scale and after-sales networks are what turn small volume hi-fi into a sustainable business — and Harman already has those channels, which should lower unit costs and raise profitability. On the seller side, Sound United’s parent Masimo seems to be refocusing (and dealing with its own distractions), so divesting non-core audio assets cleans up their balance sheet and lets them concentrate on core businesses. Finally, the premium audio market itself is under pressure from smart-speaker commoditisation, streaming and rising component costs, so independent niche brands struggle to fund R&D and global distribution on their own — consolidation is often the survival route.

If Samsung standardises DSP or streaming stacks across brands, some model differentiation could vanish. The worst outcome: great badges, similar internals.
Over time, service networks under Harman may actually improve repair turnaround in places like India — if Samsung decides to invest properly. That’s a potential upside.

As someone who loves proper stereo sound, I’m a little torn. On one hand, better global distribution and deeper R&D budgets could revive some classic lines and bring better tech to Indian buyers. On the other hand, corporate consolidation often leads to short-term product-padding (slap a famous badge on a budget model) and software choices that prioritise ecosystems over sound purity.


For buyers in India: if you’re buying a true hi-fi separates or an upper-end B&W/Marantz/Denon piece, buy from reputable dealers, ask about warranty and firmware/update policy, and keep receipts. If Samsung respects brand autonomy (and their press says it will run as a standalone unit), there’s reason to be cautiously optimistic

 

[jai1611]

On the plus side, they will all be Roon Ready because Samsung also owns Roon

Now that Yamaha seems to be getting out of the AVR business, if Denon/Marantz also step back, we will have almost no entry level AVRs options