Soundbars used to be a compromise. You bought one because you didn’t want to deal with the wires, the amps, the subwoofers, the speaker stands. You wanted a cleaner setup, even if it meant giving up actual home theatre sound. But LG’s new soundbar lineup in South Africa doesn’t feel like a compromise anymore. It feels like the real thing — just neater, smarter, and less annoying.
Take the S95QR. It’s got a ridiculous 9.1.5-channel setup, wireless rear speakers, a 6-inch subwoofer, and support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. It’s the kind of overkill that finally makes soundbars feel like they belong in a proper home entertainment system. Even the more compact SC9S still manages to push serious sound thanks to LG’s AI Room Calibration Pro, which analyses your space and tunes the sound accordingly. Yes, like a nerdy interior decorator, but for acoustics.
These soundbars actually talk to your LG TV
Pairing an LG soundbar with an LG OLED TV — especially the 2024 C Series — gets you WOW Orchestra. The name is silly, but the result isn’t: the soundbar works with your TV speakers instead of overriding them, meaning better clarity, more defined dialogue, and a proper front soundstage. Basically, your TV stops sounding like a tin can and starts sounding like it has lungs.
It also means you don’t need a spaghetti bowl of wires to get spatial audio. Most of these soundbars come with wireless rear speakers, and HDMI eARC handles the rest. No third-party hubs. No setup nightmare.
LG’s smart enough not to lock you in
You’re not stuck with LG’s ecosystem, either. These soundbars support Google Assistant, Alexa, Apple AirPlay 2, and Chromecast. They’re platform-agnostic, in a good way. You can stream from basically anywhere, using whatever device you already have, and not feel like you’re being punished for not buying the entire LG smart home suite.
And yes, Bluetooth’s still here if you’re that person who insists on streaming music directly from your phone at the worst possible bitrate.
So, is it worth it?
If you’ve got an LG OLED TV, the answer is yes. The synergy is real. If you don’t? It’s still worth considering — especially the S60Q and SC9S for mid-range setups. You’re getting more features and better spatial performance than Samsung’s equivalent soundbars at similar price points.
And if you’re the type who used to roll your eyes at soundbars? These might make you change your tune.