Adventures in AV: LG Sound Suite didn't hit the sonic mark, but we're really impressed by its headlining feature

We just finished testing LG's latest flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar and, if you've read our full reviews for the Sound Suite H7 and the Sound Suite system, you'll know that despite a few redeeming features, we ultimately found both products' performance to be a let-down.

The hard, shouty and sibilant sound unfortunately overshadowed the expansive, powerful and detailed qualities of the soundbar and system, which wasn't the outcome we were hoping for.

That being said, there are some positive aspects that we mentioned in our full review, and there's one I'd like to focus on as it stood out as a highlight that other soundbars simply can't match.

In our full review of the Sound Suite H7, we stated that "we have to give the H7 kudos for being the first FlexConnect-enabled soundbar on the market", and this is where the H7 stands out among the competition.

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is a long-fabled feature which has been bubbling in the background for a few years now, and it's finally entered the soundbar market with the LG Sound Suite H7, alongside the M5 and M7 Dolby Atmos wi-fi speakers.

While LG isn't technically the first to bring a FlexConnect system to market, that credit technically goes to TCL's Z100 speakers, which are currently only available in select markets; these are the first FlexConnect speakers to make their way into our AV testing room.

And what an impression they've made. While their sonic characteristics aren't ideal, the implementation of the flexible speaker placement and what they add to the systems market really is worth praising.

The ease of plonking these speakers down and calibrating them with a press of a button really is appealing. And with our reviews out, we can confirm the system really does do a lot of the hard work for you, automatically working out how to best adjust the sound, regardless of where the speakers are in your listening room.

The Sound Suite system that we tested is also called the Immerse Suite 7 Pro here in the UK, and it consists of the H7 soundbar, two M7 speakers and the W7 subwoofer. The appeal here is that, unlike many other soundbar packages, these speakers can work pretty much anywhere, meaning you needn't stress about where you should put them in your room.

They can work as rear-surrounds, or if you want to reinforce the H7 soundbar, you can use them as front left and right channels with the soundbar acting as an overpowered centre channel. You can even pair an additional set of speakers if you want, front left and right channels alongside rear surrounds.

Now, it's worth noting that Samsung technically supports this on the HW-Q990F, as you can designate the surround speakers as additional front speakers to work alongside the bar. However, this is more of a "one-or-the-other" solution rather than the true flexibility that the LG system provides – hence the "Flex" in FlexConnect.

LG's ThinQ app makes optimising the sound very simple, thanks to the Sound Follow feature, which can identify the user's position in the room and tailor the sound to best suit their seating position. This can be adjusted by a simple press of a button, and it works pretty seamlessly in our experience.

And that ease of use is backed by a genuine sonic improvement, which makes the sound more immersive. While the H7 alone handles Dolby Atmos height effects well, and it creates a big, bold sound in itself, those qualities are hugely upgraded with the inclusion of two M7 Dolby Atmos speakers.

The "bubble of sound" that we keenly seek out with any Dolby Atmos soundbar system is superbly realised with this system, as we find ourselves placed squarely into the centre of the action with the Sound Suite system. Height effects are placed with impressive accuracy, and the sound feels even bigger and more powerful than it does with the soundbar by itself.

We tested everything from jets soaring overhead in Civil War to the booming dystopian hologram adverts being beamed onto the side of a building in Blade Runner 2049, and in every instance, we were wowed by how the surround speakers could keep up with the main soundbar.

The flexibility of how and where you can place the speakers, plus the genuine improvement to the surround sound experience signals to us that Dolby Atmos FlexConnect could really shake up the future of home cinema speakers and soundbars.

And while Sound Suite wasn't the sonic spectacle we were hoping for, it did a great job of demonstrating the capabilities of FlexConnect, and I, for one, can't wait to see where it goes.

MORE:

Read our full LG Sound Suite H7 review

As well as our LG Sound Suite System review

And check out our picks for the best surround sound systems