The S80QY, LG’s newest soundbar, may be the device that rescues the well-known company from Dolby Atmos hell. Previous attempts to master the genre either overpriced themselves or lacked the resources to support their hefty price tags. Although the S80QY still lacks at least one component of the puzzle (the rear speakers), it does have the kind of connectivity and sound quality that might entice you to upgrade from the less expensive Atmos options. you can check our article on LG S80QY review.
Design
The LG S80QY soundbar shares a lot of design cues with other 2022 models from LG, such the LG S90QY and LG S95QR. Plastic makes up the majority of the bodily parts. The sides and front are covered with fabric. Three metal grilles, one for each of the upward-facing speakers, are located at the top of the case. Its dimensions are 1000 mm wide, 62 mm high, and 135 mm deep. The soundbar is small, which is one drawback. This enables you to set it up underneath the TV’s legs. On the other side, a 55-inch TV will not fit under it due to its width of one metre. Dimensions of the subwoofer are 405mm high, 202mm wide, and 401mm deep. To put it another way, the subwoofer’s size is fairly close to that of a desktop computer. This subwoofer may be positioned wherever you choose in your space because of its wireless connection. It is sufficient to connect the subwoofer to a power source in order to turn it on. The power cable and inputs are accessible through openings on the back of the S80QY soundbar. The holes are under the panel and can be used to fasten the panel to the wall. The subwoofer’s back is also very straightforward. Except for a connector for a network cable, it is empty. On the front, there is a USB port. The front’s ornamental fabric is very dense. There is no concern that it would break quickly. The subwoofer’s hardwood structure seems sturdy as well. In contrast to the cloth on the front, the fabric covering the sides is looser. The delivery set also includes two network cables for connecting the acoustic panel and subwoofer, a one and a half metre HDMI cable, mounting brackets with screws, an instruction manual, and a remote control with two AA batteries.
LG S80QY review: Features
The Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtrack formats are both supported by the 3.1.3 edition of LG’s soundbar. Additionally, it is IMAX Enhanced, however the advantages of that feature are unclear besides the fact that DTS:X processing is a must for IMAX. Its nine speakers may be amplified with 480 watts in total, with 220 watts going only to the subwoofer. The S80QY is distinctive in that it has a third up-firing driver that is used for dialogue delivery in addition to its front-facing speakers (for the left, right, and centre channels), subwoofer, and two up-firing drivers for Atmos overhead effects. This is a great way to improve dialogue clarity and “raise” voices to the screen level where they will sound more realistic, as we’ll cover in the Sound Quality section. There are HDMI eARC and standard HDMI connectors available, and these support Dolby Vision high dynamic range, VRR (variable refresh rate), and ALLM pass-through (Auto Low Latency Mode). Additionally, an optical digital input is available for connecting an older TV without HDMI eARC or ARC’s audio output. The S80QY supports AirPlay 2 and Chromecast built-in for audio streaming in addition to Bluetooth 5.0 wireless. Using an optional adapter that plugs into the TV’s HDMI eARC output, you can stream audio wirelessly from a TV to the soundbar using LG’s Wowcast, which is another wireless connection option. You can operate the smart speaker’s basic controls and other features hands-free thanks to built-in support for the Google and Alexa voice assistants. The S80QY has a wide variety of sound processing options, so before choosing your favorite, you might want to check them out via LG’s SoundBar setup app. We discovered that, of these, the Meridian-created Music mode performed admirably for, you guessed it, listening to music, while Standard was a solid choice for everything else.
Connectivity
The soundbar is reasonably close to what you would anticipate from a mid-range soundbar. Since many home theatres use streaming devices, media players, disc players, and even gaming consoles among other things, there is a greater need for HDMI ports as a result of the relatively small number of ports that are available. We do receive one USB port for streaming content from an external storage device, one HDMI input, one HDMI output, a digital audio optical input, and four HDMI ports in total. That’s all there is. also you will learn our article on LG S80QY review. It is important to note that all HDMI ports are the older HDMI 2.0 variety, which prevents them from supporting 4K@120Hz. This indicates that you are out of luck if you want to connect your gaming console to the soundbar for high frame rate gaming. Your only option in this situation is to connect your console to the TV and then the soundbar directly using the eARC. This year, however, is different in that all ports support both VRR and ALLM, so if you enjoy gaming but don’t give a hoot about HFR, connecting your console to the soundbar before the TV will be very advantageous for you. Additionally supported by the HDMI ports are 4K pass-through, Dolby Vision, HDR10, and CEC. Having only one input could also be problematic if you need to connect other devices. If this is the case, you must use the HDMI ports on the TV to fix the issue; otherwise, an HDMI switch will be required. Unfortunately, whether they are entry-level or flagship models, all soundbars have this issue.
LG S80QY review: Sound Quality
The LG S80QY is a fantastic, sound-quality-focused system that will enhance both your viewing and listening experiences. It features a lot of bass, strong Dolby Atmos performance, and a cool companion app to let you fine-tune the sound. Additionally, it is a contemporary soundbar with support for well-known smart assistants and streaming services. However, it isn’t a full surround sound setup right out of the box. The Vizio Elevate is substantially less expensive, while the Vizio M-Series 5.1.2 offers even greater savings while doing the same. The Samsung HW-Q950A is more expensive than the other options but currently is our preferred Dolby Atmos system. However, the Samsung isn’t too far off to at least take into consideration once the price of LG’s wireless back speaker kit is taken into account. But even without surround sound, the S80QY offers a fantastic audio experience in a small package. LG’s newest soundbar may be the perfect solution if you value excellent immersive sound and deep bass over rear speakers.
Price and availability
The LG S80QY’s market pricing has since fallen significantly below the $899 / £749 / AU$999 it originally cost when it was introduced in April 2022. Although it lies roughly in the middle of LG’s whole soundbar array, the S80QY is priced near the upper end of the soundbar market. The Sonos Arc, an all-in-one solution that adds angled drivers to produce virtual surround sound but lacks the wireless subwoofer of the S80QY, would be a direct rival. you read our article LG S80QY review.
LG S80QY review: Conclusion
The LG S80QY is excellent for a variety of uses. It boasts a very neutral sound right out of the box, and a dedicated subwoofer adds bottom boom. Voices and lead instruments in music and TV shows are reproduced fairly accurately, but the treble dip pushes higher-pitched sounds to the back of the mix. However, you can alter the sound to your preference. Additionally, it supports Dolby Atmos and can playback surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and DTS, but it must first downmix them into stereo in order to play them.
