We've currently tested 22 LG soundbars, including all of the models in the 2022 lineup. The brand makes well-built soundbars with lots of connectivity options, but the models we've tested don't always stand out in respect to sound quality. See our recommendations for the best LG soundbars below.
Updates
- 06/07/2022 LG S95QR reviewed
- 06/06/2022 LG S80QY reviewed
- 05/25/2022 LG S75Q reviewed
- 05/20/2022 LG S65Q reviewed
- 05/19/2022 LG S90QY reviewed
Best LG Soundbars
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Best LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage7.8Dialogue/TV Shows7.9Music7.8Movies7.7Channels9.1.5The LG S95QR is the best LG soundbar we've tested. It's a premium 9.1.5 setup with lots of features, and its versatile performance makes it suitable for listening to everything from music to movies to TV shows. The design is pretty unique, with two up-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos content, as well as an additional up-firing center channel. Dialogue is clear and present in the mix, and the extra center channel slightly improves the location of the dialogue in the soundstage. However, it doesn't stand out compared to other bars that come with just a traditional front-firing driver. Like most premium setups, it also has a room correction feature, and with it enabled, the bar's bass-heavy sound adds lots of boom and punch to the mix. It's a bit muddy, but you can easily use its bass and treble adjustments to create a more neutral sound.
This soundbar stands out when it comes to movies—multichannel content, including surround sound formats like Dolby Digital, as well as height content like Dolby Atmos, is immersive, and sound effects seem like they're coming from all around you. Compared to last year's LG SP11RA, its satellites have an additional front-facing driver built-in, which helps to more accurately represent the action in the soundstage. While sound doesn't extend quite as wide as other premium models like the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module or the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers, it still does a really good job.
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Best Upper Mid-Range LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage7.7Dialogue/TV Shows8.0Music7.8Movies7.5Channels5.1.3If you're looking for a versatile 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, along with another that acts as a second center channel. It has lots of the same features, including room correction, and its default sound is fairly even, especially in the mids, where voices and lead instruments reproduce. Its dedicated subwoofer provides an extended low-bass, so there's plenty of thump in the mix. It's a solid option if you don't have space for rear speakers in your setup.
This soundbar also supports multichannel content like Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos, which you can find on many different streaming platforms and Blu-rays. However, since it doesn't come with discrete satellites, it uses side-firing surround channels built into the bar itself to represent sound effects in the soundstage. The resulting experience isn't as immersive, and sound seems like it's just coming from speakers placed in front of you. Its Atmos performance is just okay, too. However, you can always add rear speakers if you want to improve the performance.
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Best Mid-Range LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage8.0Dialogue/TV Shows8.2Music8.2Movies7.7Channels5.1.2The LG SP9YA is the previous generation of the LG S90QY, and it's a more affordable alternative for those who want a more wallet-friendly soundbar. This 5.1.2 setup comes with one less channel—while it has a front-firing center, it doesn't have an up-firing center like the next generation. There's a small difference in the sound, as you notice a little less height to dialogue in the mix. That said, you have to look hard to recognize the difference, and it may not be worth it.
Otherwise, there isn't a huge difference between the bars when it comes to sound. Thanks to its balanced performance, the SP9YA reproduces clear and detailed voices and lead instruments, with an extended bass that brings the rumble in action-packed scenes. As a result, it's suitable for lots of different types of audio content, including Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital. There's the same selection of sound enhancement tools compared to the S90QY, and while it doesn't come with satellites, you can always add them on separately. Ultimately, it's a good value for the price.
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Best Budget LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage7.0Dialogue/TV Shows7.7Music7.1Movies6.5Channels3.1The best budget LG soundbar is the LG S65Q. It's an affordable setup that doesn't come with as many bells and whistles as the top picks on our list, but if you're just looking for a simple addition to your living room, you may find it a better value. With a 3.1 configuration, this soundbar is designed mostly for listening to stereo content, which includes most music and TV shows. Voices and dialogue are clear and easy to follow, and lead instruments are reproduced with accuracy from the jump. Its discrete center channel improves its vocal reproduction, too.
If you watch a lot of content on streaming platforms, you're in luck—this soundbar supports common 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital. It has to downmix it into stereo to play it, which does take away from 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 a lot of Atmos content, it's still a great choice to enhance stereo sound.
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Best Small LG Soundbar
Mixed Usage6.6Dialogue/TV Shows6.8Music6.6Movies6.5Channels3.1.2If you live in a small apartment or are low on space in your living room, the LG Eclair QP5 is a great way to enhance your listening experience without crowding your space. This premium 3.1.2 soundbar measures just under twelve inches in width, making it one of the smallest Dolby Atmos soundbars we've tested. Despite its small size, it uses psychoacoustic principles to stretch sound into the space around you, so the soundstage extends well past the edges of the bar itself. As a result, you feel like sound effects come from all around you, especially when you watch multi-channel content like Dolby Digital or Dolby Atmos.
It's a more affordable soundbar that doesn't come with a room correction feature like the LG S95QR, so it sounds a little different depending on the space you're in. You can make up for this a bit with its bass and treble adjustments and even use its EQ presets to customize its output. 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 can still pack a punch.
Compared to other brands
- 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.
- 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, either. 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.
Like Sony or Samsung, LG makes different 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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Dec 14, 2022: No changes in product picks after verifying their accuracy and availability.
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Sep 14, 2022: Added the LG SP9YA as 'Best Mid-Range'.
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Jun 16, 2022: Updated article with 2022 lineup. Replaced the LG SP11RA with the LG S95QR, the LG SP9YA with the LG S90QY, and the LG SP8YA with the LG S65Q.
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Feb 16, 2022: Added the LG Eclair QP5 as 'Best Small'.
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Nov 18, 2021: No changes in product picks after verifying their accuracy and availability.
Conclusion
LG is a brand well-known for its wide range of TVs, but they've also been making quite a few different soundbar models over the past few years. They're generally very well-built, with many different 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 that you like.
