LG today announced a new lineup of audio products to be unveiled at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, with the aptly named LG Soundbar leading the way. The less-simple model number is S95Q4, and it’s billed as a “premium” soundbar with 810watts of power and 9.1.5 channels of surround sound, plus Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support for good measure. It also will support IMAX Enhanced.
Look closely at the rear speakers and you’ll note the inclusion of upward-firing drivers. The rears are designed to cover 135 degrees of range across the six channels, which the company says should be noticeable in smaller rooms.
For larger rooms, the soundbar itself has “a sensitive receiver” that allows for even greater distance between the main unit and the rear speakers and subwoofer, which LG says “eliminates drops or lags in audio output for distraction-free viewing and listening.” There’s also a “Music Mode” from Meridian Audio that can up-mix two-channel audio to 7.1 surround sound.
There’s no way a soundbar like this doesn’t ship without smart assistants on board, and the S95QR will work with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, “and other A.I. assistants,” LG says. You’ll be able to control music, adjust volume, and change sound modes with your voice. And if you pair the soundbar with the LG WOWCAST dongle, you’ll get lossless multichannel audio wirelessly.
There’s a little something here for gamers, with a variable refresh rate and automatic low latency mode, with the goal to keep things in sync. Notably, however, 4K 120Hz HDR passthrough is not supported for gaming.
No word on pricing or availability just yet. We’ll get a look at the S95QR at CES in January.
