LG S95TR

LG's one-box Dolby Atmos soundbar system is a fair way short of the best in class

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When done right, a soundbar speaker system of a soundbar, two wireless surround speakers and a wireless subwoofer can get surprisingly close to delivering the core experience of an AV receiver and 15 individual speakers. Little wonder that’s so appealing to so many people. The S95TR is LG’s take on the concept. Conceptually it is very similar to the Samsung HW-Q990D, which now looms large over this category.

As with the Samsung, its price tag makes the LG a decidedly premium proposition, but it’s worth considering that a Sonos set-up comprising an Arc Ultra, Sub 4 and two Era 300 speakers would currently set you back more. Sony’s new flagship soundbar meanwhile, the Bravia Theatre Bar 9, with surrounds and subwoofer costs ₹1,49,900.

The LG S95TR consists of a soundbar, two wireless surrounds and a wireless subwoofer. While the main soundbar itself is dimensionally very similar to that of the Samsung Q990D package, it looks more svelte, thanks to the more rounded corners and edges. The height of 63mm means the ’bar will sit in front of most TVs without obscuring the bottom of the screen, but the 125cm width might be an issue for some TV stands. The S95TR needs clear air above it in order to create Atmos, so don’t park it in a unit with a shelf above.

The two wireless surrounds are a bit chunky and angular, but a bracket is included in the box for wall-mounting. Again, you don’t want to put these in a little cubby hole as they need space above and to the sides in order to spread their sound around. It’s worth noting that the power cables for the wireless speakers aren’t particularly long (those supplied with the Samsung Q990D are much longer), and have an awkward right-angle design.

The wireless subwoofer, finally, is a fairly nondescript big, black block that is best positioned relatively close to the soundbar for best performance.