The LG S90QY soundbar is a terrific performer, with LG’s unique up-firing centre channel adding extra clear voice and producing a more well-rounded, room-filling sound.

It is an all-in-one soundbar with a separate sub-woofer. That means it uses psychoacoustics to bounce up-firing 3D height sounds off the ceiling and side-firing sounds off the side walls. If you have the right room, the results are pretty spectacular. If you don’t, you will need to look at the $2049 LG S95QR 9.1.5 with dedicated rear forward-and-up-firing speakers.

All Dolby Atmos all-in-one soundbars use side-firing speakers (surround sound appearing to come from the sides) and up-firing speakers (3D spatial height). To be immersive, you must have left/right walls within a metre or so of each end of the sound bar and a standard 2.4m ceiling. You need a sitting position between 3-4 metres from the screen.

If you don’t have that, you must use discrete rear-and-up-firing speakers like the LG S95QR.

As you can imagine, we have tested a lot of Dolby Atmos soundbars. We look for a few main things.

The LG S90QY exceeds these parameters and, in our opinion, is the second-best in the LG 2022 Soundbar range – something completely different.

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.

LG is the first to incorporate a dedicated up-firing centre channel. In this soundbar, you get

LG would have you believe so, but in reality, clear voice needs to be forward firing from the screen. It perhaps adds some height but no extra sound stage definition. Let’s just say the 2022 range with an up-firing centre channel is more about bragging rights.

Atmos is fairly forward-centric immersive, though it doesn’t really replicate sounds from above or behind you. Also, its surround performance isn’t the best.

It is a Pass with the right room, but it is a Fail for the typical open-plan lounge room.

But, in reality, most viewing is free-to-air or from a streaming service and will be in surround sound (Dolby Digital or DTS to 5.1). You only experience Dolby Atmos with a Dolby Vision/Atmos content and capable TV. Most are very happy with 5.1 sound.

Regardless of the nine speakers, all non-Dolby Atmos metadata downmixes to the speaker’s capability.

Music – AAC/AAC+ or SBC generally downmixed to 2.1 but also may be upscaled up to 24-bit/96kHz

Press the remote control button to select the most content-appropriate sound. We recommend AI or Clear Voice if required.

There are also user-selectable settings for Bass, Treble, Centre, Subwoofer, Height Centre and Height Channels.

Compatible 2022 LG TVs have TV Sound Mode Share. LG says this feature enhances the sound quality, but we did not measure much difference either way.

At 62mm heigh, it can obscure some TVs, and at 1200mm long, it won’t fit between many TV legs. Check before buying.

You could add the SPQ8-S 140W wireless 2.0ch rear speaker kit for $299, but these are just to reinforce surround sound – not 3D height. These add two extra channels for Dolby Atmos, e.g., 7.1.3, but for all other content, it is more to reinforce the 5.1.3 surround. PS – these are already part of the $1349 S80QR soundbar.

The setup is a little clunky – you need to power a wireless box and run cables from it to the speakers.

The LG partnership with British audio specialist Meridian brings its prestige and refined sound to this product.

Looking at the white noise generator frequency chart below, you see very strong bass building 35-50Hz and the flat (good) all the way. This is an exceptional frequency response, and you are rewarded with excellent quality TV and music sound.

It is technically a neutral sound signature (good) with a slight out-of-the-box bass emphasis.

You can read more How to tell if you have good music (sound signature is the key – guide).

It is one of the best all-in-ones (plus a sub-woofer), and the performance is commensurate with the $1399 price. But most users do not have the right room and, as such, won’t really get the Dolby Atmos and surround they deserve (it is good but not great).

We will be reviewing the $2049 LG S95QR 9.1.4 soundbar (seen for $1580) with discrete rear forward-and-up-firing speakers soon, and we suspect that if you want the real Dolby Atmos experience with immersive 3D height and surround, that this is your only option.

The centre up-firing speaker is a good concept but try as we may, it really did not add enough to crow about.

Its biggest competition is the LG S95QR 9.1.5 Dolby Atmos discrete soundbar if you can get it for $1580. With this, you don’t have to worry about psychoacoustics; if you play Dolby Atmos sound, you will feel it. Surround sound will be a definite improvement too.

It is hard because the LG S90QY soundbar can be a spectacular performer in the right psychoacoustic-friendly room (like a media room). If you have that, there are no downsides, and it would rate well.

But the reality is that most don’t have that room, and this, like every other all-in-one, is a very forward-centric soundbar that doesn’t do Dolby Atmos or surround sound justice.

Given its quality, sound quality, range of pre-sets and reasonable price, it has our recommendation with caveats.

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