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The LG Soundbar is the first soundbar with an upward-firing center speaker
- LG debuts the LG Soundbar, formally titled the LG S95QR, ahead of CES 2022.
- The LG Soundbar has five upward-firing channels and the first center upward-firing speaker.
- The soundbar has a 9.1.5-channel system that works well with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content.
On Friday, LG announced the LG S95QR Soundbar and teased its new line of audio products for gamers, home theater aficionados, and music enthusiasts. The LG Soundbar has premium features like an 810W output and 9.1.5 channels of audio for realistic surround sound. This advanced home theater setup supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and IMAX Enhanced to further improve the three-dimensional listening experience.
This audio system sports five upward-firing channels — three of which reside in the soundbar, while the other two sit in the individual wireless rear speaker channels. Upward-firing speaker systems reflect soundwaves from a room’s ceiling back down to the listener, which creates a more realistic sense of sound than speakers firing directly at the listener. This audio system bundle also includes a subwoofer to handle bass notes like the “boom” from an action movie or “thump” in your favorite song’s bassline.
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The rear speakers boast six channels with four front/side drivers to complement the two upward-firing drivers. These rear speakers can disperse sound across 135 degrees. A wide spread of sound like this gives the listener more flexibility and plays well for smaller rooms. At the same time, its receiver supports a large distance between the soundbar, subwoofer, and rear speakers, giving those with larger rooms more placement options.
The LG Soundbar works just as well in large rooms as it does in small ones.
LG uses Merdian Audio Horizon technology for Music Mode. This takes two-channel audio content and up-mixes it to 7.1-channel audio for a more realistic sound. Listeners who want lossless wireless audio can pair the soundbar with the LG Wowcast Wi-Fi dongle (sold separately). The LG Soundbar also supports high-quality streaming services and smart assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The S95QR is also a treat for gamers with its variable refresh rate and automatic low latency mode. Whether you’re a casual or competitive gamer, you need not experience audio-visual lag. Interestingly, LG omits supports for 4K, 120Hz HDR passthrough, though.
LG has yet to announce pricing and availability for the LG S95QR Soundbar but will showcase the speaker at CES 2022. LG will also display its complete 2022 soundbar line, the LG XBOOM 360 Bluetooth speaker, UltraGear Gaming Speaker, and its Tone Free line of true wireless earphones.