LG – 3.1.2 Channel Soundbar with Dolby Atmos – Black

No firmware update available. Some features are not working such as volume control using cec, power control via cec, etc. System is too new and I would recommend waiting until the new firmware is posted and all the problems fixed. Sound seems okay, but for a 3.1.2 system it really send to be lacking compared to the Vizio m51-h6 I recently had. That system has been recalled it seems like. I will give this system a week to start working correctly or it will likely be returned. For $800 I expected seamless and effortless connection to my LG CX TV

After 13 years with my beloved Pioneer Kuro 5010 plasma TV, I finally moved into the 4K world with the recent purchase of an LG GX 77″ TV (which I’ve been very happy with so far). Because my old receiver would not support 4K or any of the new sound standards, I decided to upgrade my receiver as well. After purchasing a fairly high-end unit (NAD), I was still finding small issues with things not working the way they should. I then came to a realization that I wanted to drastically simplify my setup. I don’t want my home audio to be my second hobby. After doing quite a bit of research, I decided to give soundbars a shot.
I landed on this soundbar due to it’s favorable reviews (being the same brand as my TV actually had very little to do with it) and strangely enough, width (the stand it sits on is a touch under 48″, limiting my choices). I also added the optional rear speakers which BB thankfully discounted when purchased together. This was another limiting factor to my decision as I wanted to make use of my existing ceiling speaker wire. Most of the more expensive units need the rear speakers plugged in and I just don’t have a good space to put speakers behind our couch to do that. This is usually because those rear speakers also have up-firing Atmos speakers.
Setup was simple and I had zero issues with the wireless subwoofer & wireless receiver for the rear speakers pairing to the bar. With my existing floor speakers and large center speaker still in place, I powered on the soundbar and started playing music. I was truly and quite literally shocked at the sound quality! For a second, I actually thought I still had my old speakers on and had accidentally played to them instead. I had no idea something so small could deliver such a great and powerful sound. The sub is also very impressive (echoing the reviews I read). The soundbar itself also looks very sleek and modern.
I wanted something that I could airplay my music to without turning on the TV and it works great (something that the $$$ receiver couldn’t do). Movies also sound as good or better than the receiver I had purchased. I’ve also accomplished my goal of a simple and sleek setup. No more receiver, floor speakers, giant center channel speaker, blu-ray player, and Harmony universal remote. Now we exclusively use the remote that comes with the new Apple 4K TV (where we watch a majority of our content). We keep the TV remote around in the rare cases we want to watch live sports with the HD antenna.
To summarize, I am 100% satisfied with this soundbar (and the optional rear speakers which I recommend you pick up). I believe the next model up simply adds 2 side speakers to the bar which adds to the length (too long for our stand) and an extra $200. Otherwise, they are identical. You’ll have to decide if those two extra speakers are worth $100 each.
As far as negatives, I originally couldn’t figure out how to rename the device in my AirPlay list as the steps listed in the online manual do longer seem applicable (this is probably due to changes on Apple’s side). I resolved this my installing the Apple HomeKit app on my phone. After adding the bar, I was able to rename it through that app. Speaking of apps, the updated app for this soundbar is also great. Very simple interface and a vast improvement over the previous version. I’ve played with the various sound modes and I think they really do improve your experience depending on what you are listening to (although the default Sound AI mode also works great if you’d rather not change settings all the time). I hope that LG eventually releases an iOS widget for the app so that I can quickly switch b/w the various sound modes. For now, I’ve just created a Shortcut to the app as a widget instead.
For those in a similar mindset of wanting to simplify your home theater setup, I highly recommend giving this soundbar a try. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a room full of old AV equipment I need to sell 🙂