LG US95TR

The LG US95TR is the brand’s latest flagship soundbar, and is designed to produce an immersive spatial audio experience from a 9.1.5-channel system that adds an extra centre height speaker.

The new model will delight gamers with its inclusion of 4K/120Hz passthrough, while other new features include support for the brand’s WOW Cast, WOW Orchestra and WOW Interface wireless connectivity, plus a slightly revised design. It also retains all the strengths of previous generations, with 810W of powerful built-in amplification along with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

LG has dropped IMAX Enhanced this year, along with one of the HDMI inputs, and there’s still no support for HDR10+ - but nevertheless the US95TR looks to offer a convenient alternative to a separates-based multichannel audio system. How does it really compare? Let’s find out…

Sound quality

The LG US95TR is capable of generating a wonderfully immersive sonic experience thanks to its 9.1.5 channel speaker layout (although the Samsung HW-Q990D remains the channel-count champ with its 11.1.4 configuration). The US95TR boasts among the most substantial surround speakers of any soundbar system, allowing it to create a solid presence at the rear.

All these drivers are the reason the LG is capable of delivering a spatial audio soundstage that’s on a par with a separates-based system, although I remain unconvinced by the addition of a fifth height channel over the centre speaker. In testing I never really feel I am getting much benefit from this extra driver, although it does allow dialogue to be raised to the height of the screen.

Conversely, the US95TR’s rear speakers are crucial to creating a sense of full immersion - and their sheer size ensures a solid sonic delivery at the back. This allows for a believable 360-degree soundstage that envelops you as sonic effects move from front to back and side to side. It’s this genuine surround presence that differentiates the LG from competing, but less capable, soundbars.

These surround channels are also vital in creating a three-dimensional sound field, which is so important when decoding and delivering object-based audio. When combined with the overhead channels created by the up-firing drivers at the front and rear, the result is a seamless hemisphere of sound around and over you, within which audio objects can be moved with great precision.

I have a test sequence that includes a helicopter circling overhead via only the height channels, and the LG is one of the few soundbars capable of correctly rendering this effect. The same goes for scenes where sounds move around the room - the US95TR does an amazing job of steering these effects seamlessly from speaker to speaker, creating a soundstage that’s totally believable.

The use of identical drivers enhances the tonal balance throughout the sound field, creating a cohesive presentation. The sophisticated processing populates the acoustic dome with audio objects that are placed into three-dimensional space with precision, allowing you to locate specific sound effects. The result is an experience that’s not only incredibly realistic, but often quite visceral.

The inclusion of a separate subwoofer is fairly common with higher-end soundbars - but often these bass-makers are the weakest link, either not going deep enough or swamping the rest of the soundstage with low frequencies. Thankfully this isn’t the case with the US95TR, and the sub does a great job of laying down a foundation of clean, controlled bass that enhances the low end.

The use of higher quality speakers throughout allows the LG to produce a composed and focused delivery, with excellent detail retrieval. As a result, this soundbar isn’t just aimed at film fans, and is instead a cracking all-rounder with two-channel performance that’s ideal for music thanks to its clarity, excellent stereo imaging, and subwoofer that crosses over seamlessly at lower frequencies.

Gamers will also enjoy this system’s precision and overall cohesion, which allows sound effects to completely immerse you as they move around within a three-dimensional sound field. This makes it easier to hear anything creeping up behind you while playing Resident Evil, but also means there’s a terrifying realism as sounds pan and steer smoothly with respect to your point of view.

Living with

The LG US95TR enjoys a redesign, although at first glance it doesn’t look much different from the previous S95QR. Take a closer look and you realise the dimensions are slightly different, the styling is more minimalist, the grilles are composed of metal mesh, and the finish is matte black.

The front display has also been revised - but here LG’s pursuit of minimalism has gone too far. It’s now composed of just three multi-coloured LEDs. So, unless you have a very good memory, you’ll struggle to recall what all the different colour combinations actually mean.

The main unit is suited to screen sizes of 55in or bigger, and has front-, side- and upward-firing drivers. The wireless subwoofer uses a front-ported design with a side-firing 8in driver, and is styled to match the main unit. The wireless rear speakers each have forward-, side- and upward-firing drivers, and are among the most substantial you’ll see included with a soundbar.

The US95TR supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X spatial audio, and delivers both of these object-based formats using a 9.1.5-channel system that’s driven by a total of 810W of amplification. This isn’t just good news for film fans, as a lot of music is being mixed in Atmos these days - and the use of high-quality speakers and hi-res audio support ups the bar’s audiophile credentials.

As always, I should point out that although the sub and rears are wireless, meaning no speaker cables snaking around the room, they’re not wire-less - so you will have to plug them into a total of four power sockets. As for the up-firing drivers, they literally bounce sound beams off the ceiling to create the illusion of overhead channels - so the lower and flatter your ceiling is, the better the results.

Once you’ve installed everything, setup is incredibly easy - the LG remote app takes you through the entire process. The main unit, subwoofer and rear speakers will automatically sync with each other, while LG’s AI Sound Pro feature analyses the audio and automatically applies room correction algorithms to optimise the sound for your specific acoustic environment.

There are plenty of manual controls in the app for all the tweakers, along with various sound presets such as Standard, Music, Game, Sport, Cinema and Bass Blast. In addition, LG includes a Night mode so you can binge or game without waking the rest of the household, plus there’s also Clear Voice Pro for making dialogue more intelligible to the hard of hearing.

The app offers certain settings that can’t be accessed any other way and doubles as a controller. There are basic controls on the top of the ‘bar, though, and LG includes a remote reminiscent of its TV zappers. You even have the option of using the TV remote when connected via HDMI-CEC or your own voice thanks to built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Home smart assistants.

The LG US95TR houses its connections in a recess on the rear, with an HDMI input and an output that supports eARC. It’s a shame LG has dropped the second HDMI input, but at least it now loops-through 4K/120Hz, ALLM, VRR, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision (although still no HDR10+).

In terms of other physical connections, there’s an optical digital audio input and a USB port. The wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth, wi-fi, Chromecast and AirPlay 2, plus there’s support for Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect.

The soundbar supports WOW Cast, enabling you to connect wirelessly to a supporting LG TV. It also includes WOW Orchestra, which allows the soundbar’s speakers to work in unison with those on a compatible LG TV, creating a larger front soundstage. There’s also a feature called WOW Interface, which provides access to certain controls using the TV’s remote and menus.

I happen to have the LG C4 OLED TV in for review at the same time as the US95TR, which affords me the opportunity of testing the various WOW features. I’m pleased to say that, thanks to WOW Cast, the ‘bar wirelessly connects to the TV without any issues, which is great news if you plan on wall-mounting and don’t want to run an HDMI cable from the TV to the soundbar.

The WOW Orchestra feature also works flawlessly, seamlessly syncing the TV and soundbar into a single cohesive audio system. While the front soundstage feels even bigger, I prefer using just the soundbar because its speakers are larger and thus more capable. The WOW Interface also works, allowing access to the US95TR’s controls from the C4’s menus.

Conclusion

The LG US95TR delivers a genuinely immersive spatial audio experience that can rival comparable separates-based systems while also being cheaper and a lot easier to set up. There’s no denying the 9.1.5-channel system, with its extra centre height channel, creates a layered bubble of sound that will literally elevate the sonic capabilities of your display.

The main unit delivers both width and height, helping to create a wall of sound at the front of the room, while the substantial rear speakers generate a solid surround presence and back height channels. Add in the beefy subwoofer and you have a system that offers deep, controlled bass combined with cohesive and realistic sonic envelopment.

The expert decoding of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X will keep film fans happy, while quality speakers and hi-res audio support are sure to put a smile on any music-lover’s face. There’s an excellent set of features, plus the new design ensures the US95TR is both robust and discreet. Finally, the addition of 4K/120Hz passthrough is good news for gamers.

In fact, the only real disappointments are a confusing front display, ongoing lack of HDR10+ passthrough and sudden loss of an HDMI input. Otherwise, this excellent soundbar covers all the bases, and if you also have an LG TV the US95TR might even WOW you with its ability to seamlessly integrate the two to create an even larger sonic presence at the front of the room.

Listening notes

Beverley Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix)

This long-awaited sequel proves Eddie Murphy still has the comedy chops as it delivers big laughs along with plenty of action, where the emphasis is on practical stunts. An amazingly dynamic Dolby Atmos soundtrack delivers full immersion thanks to extensive use of the height channels (especially during the scene where Axel and his new partner commandeer a helicopter).

Jurassic Park (4K Blu-ray)

This dino-classic has graced countless demos over the years, and for good reason. The new DTS:X soundtrack is a viscerally immersive experience, especially during the infamous T-Rex attack. From the torrential downpour and the T-Rex’s ear-piercing roar to the famous bass notes that announce her arrival, this remains an enthralling masterclass in spatial audio sound design.

Tenet (4K Blu-ray)

This temporal thriller may only have a 5.1 mix but it’s a perfect example of a well-executed sound design that uses scale and dynamic range to great effect. The bass is off the charts, especially during the climactic battle, while the kitchen fight is a great demonstration of using sound effects to not only sell the action but also to create a realistic environment through subtle acoustic cues.

If you want a sonic all-rounder that delivers the goods with movies, music and gaming, this feature-packed and highly capable range-topper expertly demonstrates the immersive capabilities of a premium soundbar. It’s also cheaper, and less hassle, than going down the separates route.