We've tested 28 LG soundbars, including all of the models in the 2022 lineup, which will eventually be replaced by 2024 models. The brand makes well-built soundbars with lots of connectivity options, but the models we've tested don't always stand out in terms of sound quality. See our recommendations for the best LG soundbars below.
Updates
- 07/15/2024 LG S95TR reviewed
- 06/13/2024 LG SG10TY reviewed
- 12/14/2023 LG SP7R reviewed
- 11/02/2023 LG S77S reviewed
- 06/22/2023 LG SP8YA updated
Best LG Soundbars
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Best LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage7.9Dialogue/TV Shows8.0Music7.8Movies7.8Channels9.1.5The LG S95QR is the best LG soundbar we've tested. It's a premium 9.1.5 setup with many features, and its versatile performance makes it suitable for listening to everything from music to movies to TV shows. It has a unique design—in addition to a more traditional front-firing center channel, there's also an up-firing center channel to improve the localization of voices in the mix. As a result, it's really easy to follow along with the conversations in your favorite content, and you get a slightly more life-like feel.
This soundbar stands out when it comes to movies. Multichannel content, including surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and height content like Dolby Atmos, feels immersive, and sound effects seem to come from all around you. Compared to the older LG SP11RA, its satellites have an additional front-facing driver built-in, which helps to more accurately represent the action in the soundstage. Its stereo soundstage is impressive overall, though it doesn't extend quite as far as other premium models like the Samsung HW-Q990C or the Sonos Ultimate Immersive Set with Arc. However, these bars can be good alternatives if you're shopping for a high-end model.
Looking for this year's model? We've ordered the LG S95TR, and once we've tested it, we'll update this article!
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Best Upper Mid-Range LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage7.8Dialogue/TV Shows8.0Music7.9Movies7.5Channels5.1.3If you're looking for an LG soundbar at a more affordable price, check out the LG S90QY. This 5.1.3 setup was released in 2022, and like the LG S95QR, it comes with three up-firing channels—two of which are devoted to height content and another that acts as a second center channel. Also, this soundbar comes with a room correction feature to optimize its sound based on your room's unique acoustics. Since it comes without satellites, it's a great alternative for those without much space in their living rooms.
Like our top pick, this soundbar supports lots of different audio content common to both streaming platforms and Blu-rays, including Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos. It lacks satellite speakers, so its sound isn't as life-like as with the LG S95QR. Instead, it uses side-firing surround channels built into the bar to represent "phantom" sound effects in the soundstage. You can always upgrade to the LG S90QY with SPQ8-S Speaker Kit if you want to improve its surround sound, though it'll cost a bit more.
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Best Mid-Range LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage7.8Dialogue/TV Shows8.0Music7.9Movies7.5Channels3.1.3The LG S80QY is a great mid-range alternative to our top picks. This setup, released in 2022, offers many of the same features as its more premium cousins. For example, it includes a room correction tool and a second up-firing center channel to improve vocal clarity in the mix. Overall, its sound quality is impressive for the price, so everything from music to movies to TV shows sounds clear and accurate through the bar's drivers. Bass and treble adjustments allow you to customize its sound, too.
This Dolby Atmos soundbar supports many audio formats commonly found on streaming platforms and Blu-rays, including Dolby Digital. However, since it's a 3.1.3 setup, it has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it. The resulting sound is even less life-like than the LG S90QY's "phantom" surround. Audio seems like it's just coming from speakers placed in front of you rather than from all around your room. Fortunately, you can always add on satellites like the LG S80QR if you want to improve its surround performance down the line. However, this model may be a better value if you don't watch much surround content.
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Best Budget LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage7.0Dialogue/TV Shows7.7Music7.1Movies6.4Channels3.1Shopping on a budget? The LG S65Q might be the right pick for you. This affordable 3.1 setup comes with fewer bells and whistles than the top picks on our list, but it's still a solid upgrade over your existing TV speakers and won't break the bank. Overall, this setup is ideal for listening to stereo content, which includes most music and TV shows. Voices and lead instruments reproduce with great clarity and accuracy, and the discrete center channel works to improve dialogue reproduction. There's no room correction tool like with the LG S80QY, but you can manually adjust the bar's sound thanks to its bass and treble adjustments.
The bar is also suitable for watching movies, including more immersive audio formats like Dolby Digital. It can playback surround content, though it has to downmix it into stereo, which reduces the overall immersive feel. You can't watch Dolby Atmos content, which is disappointing, given how common it is on many different streamers. That said, if you don't subscribe to any streaming platforms and don't plan to watch much Atmos content, it's still a great choice to enhance stereo sound. This affordable setup is a great way to start for those new to the soundbar space.
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Best Small LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage6.6Dialogue/TV Shows6.8Music6.6Movies6.5Channels3.1.2Low on space? Live in a smaller apartment? Check out the LG Eclair QP5. This small and compact soundbar is ideal for those with limited room in their setup. The bar is just under 12 inches wide, so it fits easily under your TV screen or monitor. It also comes with a subwoofer to improve the overall bass reproduction. It's a small bar, but it still packs a punch—in fact, its soundstage extends well past the edges of the bar itself, so you get a more immersive feel. It's especially useful with more immersive audio formats like Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos.
This premium 3.1.2 soundbar is one of the smallest Dolby Atmos bars we've tested. However, it doesn't come with satellites, and you won't find a room correction feature like with the LG S95QR. As a result, it sounds different depending on the acoustics of your space. Thanks to the bass and treble adjustments, you can always make up for this manually. It supports TV Sound Mode Share, making it easy to pair the bar with a compatible LG TV for a more immersive sound. Whether you're listening to music, movies, or TV shows, this small setup is worth a look.
Compared To Other Brands
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Very good build quality.
LG soundbars are generally very well-built, even their more affordable models. Some companies cover their soundbars with a dark fabric that tends to collect dust, making the bar look dirty. Fortunately, the LG soundbars we've tested all have a more premium design, with a brushed metal or textured plastic finish that looks and feels more high-end. -
Great wireless playback options.
While most soundbars support Bluetooth, LG's soundbars tend to go above and beyond by supporting wireless playback over Wi-Fi, as well as Chromecast built-in. -
Lots of connectivity inputs.
All the LG soundbars we've tested have optical, HDMI ARC, and full-HDMI inputs, with the higher-end models often having two full HDMI inputs.
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No graphic EQ.
Most LG soundbars come with standard bass and treble adjustment features to help you customize their sound. It's suitable for more casual listeners, but audiophiles who like to control frequencies across the range will be disappointed by the lack of a full graphic EQ. -
Unremarkable stereo soundstages.
A natural soundstage helps make music, movies, and video games sound more immersive. While none of the LG soundbars we've tested have a particularly bad soundstage, none are very good. Generally, they're only about as wide as the bar itself, if not a bit narrower, and sound diffused. -
Low max volume.
The LG soundbars that we've tested have all been quieter than most. Their 2018 models were the worst offenders, but even their newer releases struggle to get as loud as the competition.
LG vs Samsung
Samsung and LG both manufacture soundbars that are available at a wide array of price points to address different market segments. You can find top-of-the-line models with room calibration tools to optimize their sound, as well as more budget-friendly options designed as simple upgrades over your TV speakers. That said, Samsung's bars tend to offer more customization tools, like a graphic EQ, so you have more control over their output across the range. Their soundstages are generally better than LG's bars, too.
LG vs Sony
Sony's soundbar lineup is slightly more limited than LG's, but you can still find everything from premium to budget-friendly models from the manufacturer. Both companies excel at dialogue reproduction, but LG tends to perform better with surround sound. Plus, they offer more customization tools on average than Sony, so you can make them sound more like you want.
Like Sony and Samsung, LG makes soundbars at several price points. While their higher-priced models are generally more feature-packed than their more affordable ones, all LG soundbars we've tested, regardless of price, have been well-built with lots of different physical input options. The best LG soundbars support additional surround sound formats and wireless playback options but don't deliver as premium an experience as other brands, especially when it comes to soundstage.
Recent Updates
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May 16, 2024: We've checked our picks for accuracy and product availability, but our recommendations haven't changed.
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Feb 16, 2024: While we've tested one new LG soundbar since our last update, our picks remain the same.
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Nov 22, 2023: Confirmed that product picks remain the best for their categories. Some text edits for clarity.
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Aug 28, 2023: No new LG soundbars tested since our last update. Some text updates.
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Jun 01, 2023: Confirmed product picks. Minor text updates for clarity.
Conclusion
LG is a brand well-known for its wide range of TVs, but they've also made quite a few different soundbar models over the past few years. They're generally well-built, with many physical inputs and wireless playback options. However, they don't deliver the best sound performance, mostly due to their fairly narrow, diffused soundstages. Fortunately, most of the models we've tested have a few different sound customization features, so you can usually tweak them a bit to get a sound profile you like.