The LG S95AR replaces the LG S95TR as the 2025 flagship soundbar from the South Korean multinational conglomerate. That said, LG hasn't done much in terms of new flashy features; the S95AR continues support for wireless audio transmission with supported LG TVs with WOWCAST, and optional integration of your TV's speakers into the soundbar system with WOW Orchestra. Most of the design elements, dimensions, and components remain visually consistent between each generation as well, though hidden changes under the hood position the LGS95AR as a worthy successor that improves on an already solid formula.
Our Verdict
The LG S95AR is great for mixed usage. The soundbar supports many features, including channel, treble, and bass level adjustments, dialogue enhancement, and room correction. While the soundbar lacks a graphic EQ, these options should fulfil most people's requirements for customization. Plus, the soundbar also supports most common audio formats and can pass through dynamic HDR metadata (Dolby Vision) and variable refresh rate video signals up to 4k @ 120Hz, making it a great option for a living room PC setup, or for gaming. That said, the LG can't pass through HDMI 2.1 class bandwidth video signals, meaning you're stuck with 8-bit color depth when pushing the video passthrough to its limits on 4k.
AI Room Correction.
Solid surround and height channel performance.
Gets loud with minimal compression and distortion.
No HDMI 2.1 Bandwidth.
The LG S95AR is amazing for dialogue-filled TV shows. The soundbar has a dialogue enhancement preset and a night mode, so dramatic reveals in your favorite telenovela remain intelligible without disturbing family members in a neighboring room. While the center channel doesn't get particularly loud, it's still powerful enough for most living rooms and home theaters, rendering voices and speech naturally at typical listening levels. Meanwhile, the stereo channels' frequency response is balanced, matching our in-house target curve, so lilting instrumentals are reproduced naturally, without being honky or boomy.
AI Room Correction.
Solid surround and height channel performance.
Gets loud with minimal compression and distortion.
No HDMI 2.1 Bandwidth.
The LG S95AR is great for listening to music. The soundbar has a balanced signature that matches our in-room curve quite well, and you can adjust the bass amount or treble amount to taste. We found the soundstage to extend around the length of the bar using the 'Standard' EQ preset, though you can switch to 'Music' and/or enable the 'Surround Sound Setting' toggle to widen the soundstage or upmix stereo tracks, respectively. While the soundbar doesn't have a graphic EQ, it supports most wireless streaming, including Spotify Connect, so you can EQ your audio from your phone instead.
AI Room Correction.
Gets loud with minimal compression and distortion.
Supports wireless connections including Spotify Connect.
No graphic EQ.
The LG S95AR is great for movies. You can watch almost any content as the soundbar supports most common audio formats, including lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, and object-based Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Plus, the 9.1.4-ch setup flexes its muscles in immersive content with great discrete satellites and competitive height channel performance. The dedicated sub also enables the soundbar to reproduce low-frequency rumble to amp up the intensity of explosive action scenes, though sustained on-screen destruction may cause the subwoofer to rattle under load. If you're planning on watching movies with a higher framerate, the bar can't pass through 10-bit color in 4k @ 60Hz, so you might notice some color banding in dark scenes if you use your soundbar for video passthrough.
AI Room Correction.
Solid surround and height channel performance.
Gets loud with minimal compression and distortion.
No HDMI 2.1 Bandwidth.
Changelog
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Updated Aug 22, 2025:
We changed the channel count throughout this review from 9.1.5 to 9.1.4 because the center channel does not play Atmos content. We also tested this soundbar with compatible LG OLED TVs, and noted our subjective experiences in the Sound Enhancement Features and Inputs/Outputs - Bar sections of this review.
- Updated Aug 07, 2025: Review published.
- Updated Aug 04, 2025: Early access published.
- Updated Jul 17, 2025: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The LG S95AR comes in one variant: 'Black.' You can see a photo of our model's label here. If you come across another variant or colorway, let us know in the comments, and we'll update the review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The LG S95AR is LG's 2025 9.1.4-channel flagship soundbar. Compared to the previous generation LG S95TR, there are no major software improvements or design changes. That said, LG seems to have made improvements under the hood, with improved surround and height channel reproduction that more closely matches our in-room target. Moving to another competing South Korean brand, the Samsung HW-Q990F is quite similar to the LG in most respects, though the Samsung boasts an additional pair of surround drivers integrated in the main soundbar, bringing the channel total to 11.1.4. It also gets a good deal louder, which you may prefer if your home theater or living area is on the larger side, but there is some compression in the low- and mid-bass at max volume as a tradeoff.
If you're looking for more options check out our articles for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars with subwoofer.
The LG S95AR is the next generation of the LG S95TR. Both are very similar soundbars, supporting the same features, including WOWCAST (wireless audio connection to your TV) and AI Room Calibration. That said, the S95AR has a markedly improved surround and height channel performance, making the S95AR the better pickup if your movie repertoire involves a lot of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X releases that can make use of its superior verticality. On the other hand, the S95TR are a better value pickup if you mostly watch older soap operas and listen to music on your soundbar.
The LG S95AR and Samsung HW-Q990F are competing 2025 flagship soundbars. The Samsung is slightly better for most people; it gets louder and supports Eclipsa Audio, an open-source but not widely adopted object-based audio format. The Samsung bar also has an additional two surrounds positioned at the edges of the main soundbar, and the subwoofer isn't prone to rattling during sustained rumbly scenes. That said, if you have an LG TV and want to stream audio wirelessly to your soundbar, or add your TV speakers to your audio setup, the LG soundbar is the better pickup.
The LG S95AR and Sonos Arc Ultra are different soundbar setups. The Sonos is a 5.1.2-ch soundbar without a subwoofer or satellites, while the LG S95AR comes with both. If you mostly watch the news and don't need the expanded soundstage or low-bass, the LG likely isn't worth the extra spend. That said, the LG has an HDMI In port, making it a viable device hub if your TV's HDMI ports are less accessible.
The Samsung HW-Q910D and LG S95AR are comparable soundbars in their overall performance. While the LG has better height channel performance, likely due to its addition of two functional up-firing drivers on its satellites, the Samsung competes in most other respects. The cheaper Samsung has a graphic EQ and supports FreeSync passthrough, expanding your display options. Although the Samsung has a more user-friendly interface with a letter display, it's also more ergonomically restricted, as both satellites need to be wired to a wireless receiver, in contrast to the LG's wireless satellites.
Test Results
The LG S95AR doesn't depart from the design of the previous generation LG S95TR. The design features a metal grille along the front of the soundbar and incorporates plastic and metal components. The top of the bar has perforations for the left and right up-firing drivers and a dedicated metal grille for the center up-firing driver. Meanwhile, its touch-sensitive controls are offset and placed near the circular center grille, closer to the back of the soundbar. A small LG logo is positioned in the far right corner of the top surface of the bar.
The subwoofer design hasn't changed much from the previous generation LG S95TR. The wireless, ported subwoofer is primarily housed in a solid material, with fabric covering a large, side-facing driver. The metal back plate has a pairing button and a plug for the power cable.
The satellites have a plastic casing with mesh covering two angled drivers in each satellite. The tops of the satellites have a perforated metal grille to protect the up-firing drivers.
The bar is quite wide and won't fit between the legs of most TVs. That said, certain TVs that support wide and tall stand configurations, like the Sony BRAVIA 8 II OLED (65 inches), can accommodate this soundbar. However, take care not to block the up-firing drivers with the bottom of your TV.
The sub is about the size of a mid-tower PC case. You can also place it in an optimal position for listening, as it connects wirelessly to the soundbar system.
The satellites are larger when compared to those of other brands like the Samsung HW-Q910D. That said, they connect wirelessly to the soundbar system, so you can move them around without as many restrictions (though you'll still need to plug them in for power).
You can mount the soundbar and its satellites with the included brackets.
The soundbar has a great build quality. The construction is consistent across the bar, sub, and satellites. Their build is primarily solid plastic, with metal components for grilles and back plates (for inputs and connectors). The subwoofer's driver has a fabric covering, which isn't unusual, though this can rip if you don't handle the sub carefully.
- Simple manual
- Mounting template
- MyLG member card
- Remote with 2x AA batteries
- Mounting plates with 4x screws
- 4x power cables (1.5 m / 4.9 ft)
- HDMI cable (1.5 m / 4.9 ft)
With the 'Standard' EQ preset and room correction active, the LG S95AR has a balanced sound that closely matches our in-room target curve. Thanks to the dedicated sub, the soundbar's frequency response extends well into lower audible frequencies, making it a great choice for bassy EDM and dance music. While the sub can reproduce substantial low-bass rumble, its port can rattle or chuff when playing back content with extended bassy sections, like the Interstellar soundtrack. On the upside, vocals and higher-frequency sound effects are reproduced cleanly.
The soundbar features a number of presets, and you can see their performances. Through some subjective listening tests, we found 'Music' pushed vocals to the front and widened the listening experience. Meanwhile 'Sport' and 'Game' sound similar, boosting the bass and mid-range so you can keep track of what's going on for a long time without being fatigued by treble.
With bass ('-2') and treble ('2') adjustments, the soundbar can reproduce audio even closer to our target curve. In 'Standard' mode and after basic calibration, the soundbar has a restrained, but still full-bodied bass, and clear treble, rendering vocals and instruments present and detailed.
The LG S95AR has a good stereo soundstage. The width doesn't exceed the bar's ends, unlike on the previous generation LG S95TR. That said, the bar reproduces well-focused audio objects that are easy to pinpoint as they pan in a stereo image without gaps.
We noticed the 'Music' preset widened the soundstage a bit, which you can try if you'd like a more expanded listening experience.
The LG S95AR has great stereo dynamics. Its performance is virtually identical to the previous generation LG S95TR, with minimal compression artifacts even at max volume. That said, it doesn't get quite as loud as its predecessor, though it's definitely enough to fill most medium-sized listening rooms.
The LG S95AR has great center channel performance. The discrete center's frequency response closely resembles our in-room target curve, and gets decently loud. The mids and treble are relatively flat, so dialogue during heavy exposition scenes is comprehensible and natural. Interestingly, the center up-firing driver only activated in center channel tests (and not during our height channel tests), making it more of a secondary center channel.
The LG S95AR has impressive surround performance. In a significant improvement from LG's previous flagship, the LG S95AR, the soundbar system delivers solid low-frequency extension in our synthetic surround channel test. Its discrete satellites augment your sense of immersion over soundbars like the Samsung HW-Q800F, which only uses side-firing drivers on the main soundbar. Additionally, the satellites can get quite loud without introducing too much distortion at max volume, unlike the competing flagship Samsung HW-Q990F.
The LG S95AR has three up-firing drivers in the bar and one on each satellite speaker. Unlike discrete drivers, up-firing drivers rely on sound reflections to imitate sound coming from above you, facilitating a sense of height. Overall, the LG has a convincing height channel performance with a balanced tuning.
After subjective assessment of the bar's Atmos performance in our test scenes, we noticed elevated sound objects were reproduced convincingly as drones and large monsters extended above the TV. The soundbar also excelled at horizontal tracking as the subjects of shots traverse across the screen. However, we found content like towers toppling and explosions sounded front-loaded, missing the extended rumble of other soundbars like the Nakamichi Shockwafe Wireless. It's worth mentioning that 'AI Sound Pro' can push audio out to the satellites, but you'll lose some focus in the middle of the soundstage.
The soundbar has a superb suite of sound enhancement options, though you'll need the soundbar's companion app to access most of them. The soundbar can adjust its sound to your room with 'AI Room Calibration,' and you can manually tweak the levels of your subwoofer, surround, rear, and height channels. You also have access to a series of EQ presets: 'AI Sound Pro,' 'Standard,' 'Music,' 'Cinema,' 'Clear Voice,' 'Sports,' 'Game,' and 'Bass Blast.' The soundbar also features a night mode to reduce dynamic range, and a 'Surround Sound Setting' toggle to upmix stereo content. You can also integrate your compatible LG TV's speakers to expand the soundbar system's output with WOW Orchestra, although whether you'll experience an improvement depends on your taste and exact setup. We suggest testing out how WOW Orchestra works in your specific setup before committing to making it a central part of your home entertainment system.
The LG S95AR supports HDMI In, HDMI eARC, Optical, and USB inputs. The USB port supports MP3, AAC, OGGFLAC, and WAV formats.
You can also wirelessly connect the soundbar to a compatible LG TV (we tested with the LG C5 OLED) via WOWCAST. We didn't notice any lip-sync errors in a real content test with Ready Player One, and we've included a video demonstrating AV sync. That said, this likely varies depending on your devices (including your home networking setup).
We tested LG's WOW Orchestra feature with several compatible OLED TVs and found its performance to be mixed. While it can occasionally enhance the soundstage and add clarity, vocals sometimes feel recessed, particularly during quieter scenes. In general, the effect is subtle and varies depending on the connected TV, so we recommend testing the feature yourself.
The soundbar has fantastic eARC format support. It supports common audio formats from object-based Dolby Atmos to lossless 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, found on media like Blu-rays.
The LG S95AR supports our tested formats using the HDMI In port. This includes common audio formats in multiple channel configurations, lossless audio formats, and object-based formats (Dolby Atmos and DTS:X).
This bar supports Dolby Digital, DTS, and 2.0-ch PCM with its Optical port.
The soundbar has excellent latency via ARC. You likely won't experience any lip sync issues while you binge-watch the next big series on your TV's Netflix app. That said, devices and apps can compensate for latency differently, but you can adjust A/V sync on most modern TVs, and in this soundbar's app.
The LG S95AR has excellent audio latency via HDMI In. You can connect this bar to your console, and you shouldn't experience any jarring A/V desync. That said, this can vary depending on your setup, so you can always adjust your A/V sync via the soundbar's app and most TVs' settings.
The soundbar's Optical audio latency is very good. It's high for both PCM and Dolby Digital, and you'll likely notice A/V sync error without compensation. That said, you can adjust AV Sync through the soundbar's app or most TVs' settings to compensate for lip sync issues.
The LG S95AR has solid but limited video passthrough to TV options. While the soundbar supports variable refresh rate (G-Sync and HDMI Forum VRR) and dynamic HDR format (Dolby Vision) passthrough, its HDMI port has limited bandwidth. The LG can only pass through video signals up to 4k @ 120Hz (8-bit color, 4:2:0 chroma subsampling) or 4k @ 60Hz (8-bit color, 4:4:4 chroma subsampling).
When watching most shows and movies, you likely won't notice blocky gradients from lower color-depth, as modern content is still predominantly shipped in 24p. However, if you're gaming in 4k @ 120Hz, you might notice more prominent banding in dark settings or horror games.
The soundbar has fantastic wireless playback functionality. It supports Bluetooth and W-Fi Playback, Chromecast, Apple AirPlay, and Spotify Connect. You can also connect the soundbar to your TV wirelessly with WOWCAST, which eliminates the need for a cabled connection.
The soundbar has a pared down interface. Unlike competitors, like the Samsung HW-Q990F which features a dot matrix that displays scrolling letters, the LG relies on indicator lights and voice feedback. The indicator lights shift colors depending on the soundbar's volume (green, yellow, red), but you'll have to consult the app for a more precise number.
It's worth mentioning that the voice feedback is quite intrusive; the prompts are delayed and interfere with content, reducing the volume of whatever you're watching while the feedback is playing. While you can disable some of the prompts, you'll always hear voice feedback for sound tuning, settings, and information.
The soundbar has basic touch contols on the top of the bar, in front of its up-firing center driver. They allow you to power the device on/off, switch sources, adjust volume, and activate Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. For more in-depth adjustments, you can use the LG ThinQ app.
The soundbar remote has the same styling as other LG products, featuring a glossy black finish on the bottom half of its design. It supports basic controls, including volume controls and preset cycling. But if you're looking for more in-depth configuration options, you'll have to use the app.
When connected to a compatible display, you can also use your TV's remote to control basic functions (volume adjustment, mute/unmute). When using a supported LG TV (we tested with the LG C5 OLED), you can also switch sound presets in the TV's menus.