Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

LG’s new 2020 Dolby Atmos soundbars sound like huge upgrades

Updated Dec 27th, 2019 8:18PM EST
LG new soundbars
Image: Paco Freire/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

LG has gotten a jump on the slew of CES 2020 announcements we’ll start to see more of the closer we get to the January 7 kickoff by teasing its 2020 lineup of soundbars that will be introduced during the annual industry showcase in Las Vegas.

The new soundbars promise all the features you’d expect — things like premium quality audio, ease of connectivity, and sleek designs that integrate quite nicely with LG’s TVs. The 2020 lineup will also bring features like “Image Elevation,” which the company says makes for a more impressive listening experience by “elevating the perceived height of lead instruments and vocals.” But the biggest new feature, the one LG is touting the most and which the new soundbars have already been making headlines for, is called AI Room Calibration — a system that automatically adjusts the output from these new soundbars to perfectly match the acoustics of whatever room you’re in.

“Our goal has always been to bring better sound to more people and by offering more great products that leverage our successful partnership with Meridian, our latest soundbars help achieve this,” said Park Hyung-woo, head of LG’s audio and video business, about the new soundbars the company will show off at CES.

Image source: LG
Image source: LG

This new feature for LG’s forthcoming premium soundbars works by recognizing and analyzing tones to accurately and automatically assess the dimensions of any given space — and to self-calibrate accordingly. Additionally, when playing content that’s been mastered with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, users will enjoy what LG promises is “breathtakingly realistic surround sound” that seems to originate from multiple directions. 

Other features of LG’s 2020 soundbar lineup include:

  • More cinema-like audio, with the optional SPK8 Wireless Rear Speaker Kit that’s compatible with most new LG soundbar models.
  • Google Assistant is also built into more models for 2020, which means users can control compatible smart home devices from their LG soundbar.
  • The flagship model also comes with two wireless rear speakers that help deliver 360 degrees of incredibly immersive sound.

The soundbars also rely on an advanced processing algorithm that can upscale file formats to near-studio quality.

Andy Meek Trending News Editor

Andy Meek is a reporter based in Memphis who has covered media, entertainment, and culture for over 20 years. His work has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, Forbes, and The Financial Times, and he’s written for BGR since 2015. Andy's coverage includes technology and entertainment, and he has a particular interest in all things streaming.

Over the years, he’s interviewed legendary figures in entertainment and tech that range from Stan Lee to John McAfee, Peter Thiel, and Reed Hastings.