A Quick Review of the LG S95TR Soundbar
11 min readLG S95TR Soundbar
In recent years, LG has continued to push the boundaries of home entertainment from which LG S95TR Soundbar came out.
In recent years, LG has continued to push the boundaries of home entertainment, resulting in the creation of the LG S95TR Soundbar.
The company offers consumers not only top-tier displays but also advanced audio systems to enhance the viewing experience.
One such product is the LG S95TR Soundbar, a flagship home theater system that promises to take sound quality to new heights, especially when paired with an LG TV.
Thanks to features like Wow Orchestra and AI room calibration, the S95TR delivers an immersive and optimized sound experience that’s perfect for movie nights at home.
Let’s dive into what makes the LG S95TR a standout soundbar, its improvements over its predecessor, the S95QR, and why it’s a perfect match for your LG TV.
LG S95TR Design and Build: Sleek and Seamless Integration
The LG S95TR is not just an audio powerhouse; it’s also designed to seamlessly fit into your living space.
At first glance, the LG S95TR seems to follow the same design philosophy as many other high-end soundbars.
However, compared to its predecessor, the S95QR, the new S95TR features a more minimal and refined design.
LG S95TR Soundbar
The soundbar is relatively wide, which might make it difficult to fit between the legs of many TVs, but its low profile ensures it won’t obstruct your screen.
It features a predominantly black plastic body which now features a metal grill covering the front and sides, replacing the fabric covering of the previous model.
This not only offers a sturdier build but also enhances the overall aesthetic, making it less reflective and less likely to draw attention away from your TV screen.
LG S95TR Soundbar: Upfiring Speakers
Another subtle but important change is the rounded edges and the more concealed upward-firing drivers, which help the soundbar blend into your home theater setup.
The three upfiring speakers include a central upfiring channel designed to improve dialogue clarity, making it easier to hear what’s being said without cranking up the volume.
LG S95TR Soundbar: Subwoofer and Satellites
The subwoofer and two rear satellite speakers are encased in black plastic with fabric coverings, giving them a modern, understated look.
These components are essentially unchanged from the previous generation.
The satellite speakers and subwoofer are also wireless, giving you the flexibility to place them anywhere in the room without worrying about running extensive cables.
Additionally, the improved wireless range ensures that you don’t experience any signal dropouts or audio skipping—something that often plagues wireless systems.
LG S95TR Soundbar: Mounting
For those who prefer wall mounting, the S95TR makes it a breeze.
Thanks to the included wall-mounting kit for both the soundbar and rear speakers, you have flexible placement options.
The system is lightweight and compact, and since the speakers only require simple double-barrel AC ports for power, you won’t have to deal with bulky adapters or messy cables.
Connectivity and Features: Packed with Advanced Audio Tech
As expected from a flagship soundbar, the LG S95TR offers a variety of connectivity options to suit different setups.
It comes loaded with features that enhance both wired and wireless connectivity.
LG S95TR Soundbar: HDMI Ports
It comes with two HDMI ports, one of which is an eARC port that supports most common audio formats.
This allows for seamless communication with your TV, ensuring that high-quality audio formats like Dolby Digital and DTS are delivered in full resolution.
The S95TR also includes 4K passthrough, making it easy to connect external devices like a Blu-ray player or gaming console.
However, it falls short of supporting full HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which limits some gaming and video features.
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X:
The soundbar supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, two of the most popular object-based surround sound formats.
These technologies allow for a more lifelike audio experience, with sound moving around the room in a three-dimensional space.
LG S95TR Soundbar: Gaming Features
While the soundbar can pass through 4K at 120Hz, it only supports an 8-bit signal, which reduces color depth in HDR content.
Gamers with next-gen consoles should consider bypassing the soundbar and connecting directly to the TV’s HDMI 2.1 port to maintain full color depth and resolution.
Despite this, the soundbar does support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), both of which are important for smooth, tear-free gaming.
LG S95TR Soundbar: WOWcast
For those who prefer a wireless setup, the LG WOWcast feature enables you to connect the soundbar to an LG TV without cables.
The Wow Orchestra feature ensures that your TV’s built-in speakers work alongside the soundbar, enhancing the center channel and making dialogue clearer.
However, this wireless connection introduces higher latency, which can lead to audio-video sync issues.
For the best performance, a wired HDMI connection is recommended.
Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast
Whether you’re an iPhone or Android user, you can easily stream music to the soundbar.
While Wi-Fi offers better sound quality for streaming, Bluetooth is an excellent alternative for guests or when Wi-Fi isn’t available.
LG S95TR Soundbar: AI Sound Pro
The soundbar automatically adjusts sound settings based on the content you’re watching, optimizing audio for movies, music, sports, and more.
The Alpha 9 AI processor in LG TVs also works with the soundbar to automatically optimize sound based on the content, whether it’s a high-octane action movie or a quiet drama.
Voice Assistant Compatibility
Unfortunately, the LG S95TR does not have built-in voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, but it can be paired with third-party devices such as Google Home or Amazon Echo for voice control.
LG Soundbar App
For those who prefer hands-on control, the LG Soundbar app offers an easy way to adjust settings and start the AI calibration process. When paired with an LG TV, you can access all your soundbar settings directly from the TV’s interface, making it even more convenient.
The LG Soundbar app becomes essential for controlling advanced features like AI room calibration, Auto Volume, and AV Sync.
However, because the soundbar only has a small display with light indicators (rather than a digital readout), adjusting settings directly on the soundbar can be challenging.
Enhanced with LG TV Integration
While the LG S95TR is compatible with any TV, pairing it with an LG TV unlocks additional benefits.
One of the most exciting features of the LG S95TR is Wow Orchestra, a revolutionary technology that allows the soundbar to work in harmony with your LG TV’s built-in speakers.
Instead of relying solely on the soundbar for audio output, Wow Orchestra integrates the TV’s speakers into the sound system, creating a more expansive and immersive soundstage.
When you pair the S95TR with an LG TV, like the LG OLED Evo C3, you’ll immediately notice the difference in audio quality.
The TV’s speakers contribute to the soundbar’s center channel, enhancing clarity, especially for dialogue-heavy scenes.
This feature is particularly useful for films where understanding every word is crucial to the experience.
In addition, the soundbar and TV speakers work together to fill the room with sound, creating a more immersive environment that makes you feel like you’re right in the middle of the action.
Sound/Audio Performance: A True Cinematic Experience
When it comes to audio quality, the LG S95TR sounds phenomenal. This soundbar doesn’t just look good; it excels in several areas, although it does have some limitations.
With five upward-firing drivers, dual front-firing drivers, and side-firing tweeters, this soundbar offers a truly immersive 3D sound experience.
Whether you’re watching a Dolby Atmos-enabled movie or listening to music, the sound is rich, detailed, and dynamic.
LG S95TR Soundbar: Bass and Dialogue Clarity
The soundbar delivers a well-balanced sound profile with deep, satisfying bass, courtesy of the subwoofer.
This subwoofer provides a punchy bass that you can truly feel. However, the bass can occasionally sound a bit too boomy, overpowering the more delicate mid and high frequencies.
Dialogue clarity is particularly impressive, thanks to the upfiring center speaker, which ensures that voices are crisp and easy to understand without being drowned out by background noise.
Additionally, the rear satellite speakers deliver excellent surround sound, immersing you deeper into the action on screen.
LG S95TR Soundbar: Dolby Atmos and Surround Sound
The 9.1.4 channel setup offers an immersive surround sound experience, especially with Dolby Atmos content.
The three upfiring speakers on the soundbar, combined with the upfiring speakers on the rear satellites, create a sense of height, adding depth and dimension to the soundscape.
The sense of verticality delivered by the upward-firing drivers makes it feel like sounds are coming from above and around you—perfect for creating a Dolby Atmos or DTS:X environment.
However, while the system performs well in delivering surround sound, it doesn’t quite achieve the same level of spatial accuracy as some competitors, such as the Samsung HW-Q990D.
Basically, its Dolby Atmos performance is somewhat underwhelming.
The system struggles to produce enough height to make you feel fully enveloped in sound.
This is especially noticeable during scenes where overhead effects, such as helicopters flying overhead or rain pouring down from above, are crucial.
This lack of height immersion can be somewhat disappointing for Atmos enthusiasts.
Additionally, the rear satellite speakers—while effective—are not perfectly level-matched with the soundbar, and they can sound overly quiet, even with adjustments.
This issue becomes more noticeable in large rooms, where the sound from the satellites can get lost in the overall mix.
LG S95TR Soundbar: Customization and EQ Settings
Out of the box, the sound might not be perfectly tuned for everyone’s taste, but this can be easily rectified with the EQ presets available in the app.
Adjusting the bass to -2 and increasing the treble to +3 can help create a more neutral sound signature, reducing the overpowering bass and bringing out more detail in the dialogue and high frequencies.
LG S95TR Soundbar: Volume and Compression
The LG S95TR can get extremely loud, capable of filling large open spaces with minimal distortion.
Even at maximum volume, audio compression is kept to a minimum, ensuring that the sound remains clear and balanced.
Upgraded AI Calibration
The LG S95TR isn’t just about adding more speakers; it’s about enhancing the quality of sound.
One of the major upgrades from the S95QR is the integration of AI room calibration.
This AI-powered feature fine-tunes the soundbar’s output based on the acoustics of your room, ensuring optimal sound quality no matter where you place your speakers.
“Upgraded AI Calibration: Tailored Sound for Any Room”
Whether you position a satellite speaker high on a shelf or tuck another one in a corner, the AI calibration tool adjusts the sound to compensate for the different speaker placements.
This means that no matter how irregular your room might be, the S95TR will optimize the sound for a balanced, immersive experience.
The AI calibration uses your phone’s microphone to analyze the room’s acoustics, then adjusts the sound levels, accordingly, ensuring that you get the best possible listening experience.
To demonstrate, after calibration, the rear speakers in the S95TR system become more relaxed and natural, eliminating any harshness that might have been present before.
This results in a smoother, more pleasant sound that feels tailored to your space, delivering a cinematic experience even in smaller rooms.
Should You Buy the LG S95TR?
If you’re in search of a high-quality soundbar that excels in immersive audio and you have the budget for it, the LG S95TR emerges as a strong contender.
However, the decision to purchase the LG S95TR soundbar hinges on your specific needs and preferences.
Here are some key points to consider, drawn from recent reviews:
For LG TV Owners
If you own an LG TV, the S95TR is a fantastic choice. It integrates seamlessly with your TV, and you can take full advantage of features like WOW Orchestra, which synchronizes the soundbar with your TV speakers for a more immersive experience.
The ability to use WOWcast for wireless connectivity (despite the minor latency) further enhances its appeal for LG users.
For General Consumers
For non-LG users, the S95TR is still a solid option, offering well-balanced sound, impressive dialogue clarity, and great bass response.
However, if Dolby Atmos is a priority for you, or if you’re a gamer needing full HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, you might want to consider alternatives like the Samsung HW-Q990D, which offers better surround sound accuracy and full HDMI 2.1 support.
For Budget-Conscious Buyers
If you’re budget-conscious and looking to save some money, the previous generation LG S95QR is still a strong contender.
While it lacks some of the S95TR’s refinements, such as improved software and additional upfiring speakers, it can be found at a lower price and still delivers excellent sound quality with minor calibrations.
Additionally, if your main requirement for a soundbar is casual listening, you may wish to consider exploring other options that provide better value for your specific needs.
Final Note
The LG S95TR is a powerful, feature-rich soundbar offering great value, especially for LG TV owners.
It delivers room-filling sound, cinematic immersion, and incredible flexibility. Its 9.1.4 channel setup, deep bass, and clear dialogue make it a strong contender for a premium home theater experience.
However, its lack of full HDMI 2.1 support and less-than-perfect Atmos performance may be deal-breakers for some.
For those seeking top-tier surround sound accuracy, the Samsung HW-Q990D might be a better choice.
With features like Wow Orchestra, AI room calibration, and Dolby Atmos support, the S95TR elevates any TV-watching experience.
Pairing it with an LG OLED Evo C3 unlocks even more features, creating an unbeatable home entertainment setup.
If crystal-clear dialogue, powerful bass, and room-optimized sound are priorities, the LG S95TR is an excellent choice.
It delivers a fantastic audio experience and is a top contender in the high-end soundbar market.
Whether you’re watching movies, gaming, or streaming music, this soundbar can handle it all.
However, it’s important to weigh the S95TR’s strengths and weaknesses against your specific needs.
Thank you for reading, and if you’re interested in exploring the LG S95TR or LG OLED TVs, be sure to check out the links below for more information.
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