LG S95TR Soundbar ZDNET's key takeaways The LG S95TR soundbar with wireless subwoofer is currently on sale for $996.
The LGS95TR may be expensive, but the high-quality audio is easily worth the price.
The soundbar has many features, but some of the best ones require a newer LG TV model. View now at Best Buy View now at Amazon more buying choices
It's been a year since LG released the S95TR soundbar, following much hype, as a high-end complement to its newest OLED TVs. The soundbar and wireless subwoofer setup come with a host of impressive features, including Dolby Atmos and DTS: X surround sound, and lots of extra features accessible through its app. While it's no longer the latest model, it's proven to still be a welcome addition in any home entertainment space.
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The S95TR includes four components: a main soundbar, a subwoofer, and two small rear speakers. The subwoofer and rear speakers are wireless, so you don't need additional cords besides the power connections and the main HDMI cord.
The main concern that prevented me from committing to a surround sound setup in the first place was dealing with wires running across my room, so I appreciate that this system is partially wireless.
Unfortunately, you must download the LG Soundbar app to use all the features. It's a little inconvenient that this is separate from the LG ThinQ app that controls LG TVs, especially given that you'll probably use it regularly, but that's a minor quibble.
The setup is simple. After plugging in the speakers in the instructed order, installing the app, and adding the soundbar to the app, the speakers undergo a tuning process specific to your room setup. I played a movie before using AI Room Calibration, and I can attest that it made a noticeable difference in how things sounded.
I then used the TV's built-in speakers to get a baseline for testing this soundbar. Over the noise of two kids and a dog in the house, I had to turn the volume more than halfway to hear comfortably: 65 out of 100. Conversely, when I switched the audio to the soundbar, it was more than loud enough in the 40s. Right away, I knew it would be a serious upgrade.
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