After much anticipation, LG’s Sonos-rivalling premium home cinema system, Sound Suite, launched earlier this month.
As the first such system boasting Dolby Atmos FlexConnect technology, Sound Suite arrived promising revolutionary flexibility in terms of system configuration and speaker placement – and in those regards, it largely delivers.
Article continues belowBut, having spent two weeks using the Sound Suite system both in our dedicated test room and at home, there are actually lots of things that I really like about LG’s Dolby Atmos home cinema solution.
So let’s spend some time giving praise where it’s due by detailing Sound Suite’s many strengths – before embarking on the less pleasant task of flagging its weaknesses.
Strengths
Excellent Dolby Atmos placement
The way Dolby Atmos is handled is without doubt the Sound Suite system’s most impressive quality.
During Blade Runner 2049, audio adverts float convincingly above the listening position, while environmental effects occupy precise positions within the room. In F1, commentary sits neatly overhead and fireworks spread convincingly across the ceiling.
The system consistently places sounds in very specific three-dimensional locations, creating an impressively immersive Atmos bubble.
Huge cinematic scale
A closely related quality is Sound Suite's ability to fill a room with sound.
From the opening moments of Blade Runner 2049 to the chaotic musical sequence in Sinners, the presentation feels genuinely epic and cinematic. Sound spreads widely across the room rather than appearing confined to the speakers themselves.
Even when the speaker placement isn’t ideal, the system still produces a soundfield that feels satisfyingly expansive.
Oodles of deep, powerful bass
The bundled subwoofer delivers seriously deep and powerful bass.
Impacts, explosions and the heavy smacks of cars colliding in F1 land with tremendous weight, and the system digs impressively deep into the low frequencies.
That bass can occasionally become a little overbearing and lacks some precision, but in terms of sheer depth and presence it’s undeniably impressive.
Loads of punch and energy
The Sound Suite system never sounds timid.
Action scenes hit hard, with plenty of punch helping crashes, gunshots and musical moments feel impactful and exciting.
It may sometimes prioritise brute force over finesse, but if you want your movies to feel energetic and dramatic, LG’s system certainly delivers.
Impressively flexible speaker placement
Dolby Atmos FlexConnect technology is what truly sets the Sound Suite system apart.
Rather than demanding perfectly symmetrical speaker placement, the system analyses where each speaker sits and adjusts the soundfield accordingly. Even in less-than-ideal layouts, it manages to produce a surprisingly coherent and immersive presentation.
It can’t perform miracles, and it's well worth making the effort to place the speakers in the 'correct' positions if possible, but FlexConnect does a remarkably convincing job of compensating for awkward setups.
A stylish soundbar with a useful OLED display
The H7 soundbar itself is an attractive and nicely made piece of kit.
Its clean design looks suitably premium, and the inclusion of a small OLED display is genuinely helpful, clearly showing volume levels, input changes and the currently playing audio format.
It’s a thoughtful touch that many competing soundbars still omit.
Big, stylish M7 surround speakers
The M7 surround speakers are larger than many wireless surrounds, but that size works in their favour.
They look stylish and substantial, and their larger cabinets likely help contribute to the system’s expansive soundstage.
They also integrate neatly with the rest of the system, allowing Atmos effects to move smoothly through the room.
Customisable ambient speaker lighting
LG has added a bit of visual flair with customisable lighting built into the speakers and soundbar.
Through the app you can adjust the ambient illumination to suit your room or mood, adding a subtle cinematic atmosphere to movie nights.
It’s hardly essential, but it’s a fun extra that helps the Sound Suite system feel a little more distinctive.
A sensibly streamlined set of sound modes
Thankfully, LG hasn’t overloaded the system with endless sound presets.
There are just five main options – AI Sound Pro+, Standard, Clear Voice Pro+, Bass Boost and Custom EQ – and most users will find that Standard works best for the majority of content.
The relatively restrained selection makes the system easier to use and reduces the temptation to endlessly fiddle with settings.
A proper bundled remote control
Unlike some rivals that rely entirely on apps or TV remotes, LG also includes a dedicated remote control.
It feels a little light and plasticky, but the buttons are clearly labelled and straightforward to use, making everyday operation simple.
That said, a dedicated Night Mode button would have been a welcome addition.
Weaknesses
A cold and somewhat aggressive sound
While the Sound Suite system excels at scale and impact, it struggles with warmth and subtlety.
Treble and bass reign supreme here, leaving the midrange rather lacking, and there's a forthrightness to the delivery that feels quite shouty.
The overall tonal balance leans towards the cold and aggressive side, which can make the presentation a little fatiguing.
Dialogue can sound brash
Dialogue reproduction is one of the system’s weaker areas.
Voices frequently sound raspy and slightly synthetic, lacking the warmth and natural texture that help speech feel convincing.
Compared with rival systems such as Sonos’ Arc Ultra-based home theatres, voices often feel flatter and less expressive.
Background effects are sometimes exaggerated
The system also has a tendency to push background sounds too far forward.
Ambient noises that should remain subtle occasionally become overly prominent, drawing attention away from the dialogue or main action.
The result can feel slightly unnatural, as though the system is over-emphasising certain elements of the soundtrack.
AI sound processing makes things worse
LG’s AI Upmix and AI Sound Pro+ modes initially sound impressive because they increase scale and weight.
Unfortunately, they also exaggerate background effects and give voices an unnatural, echoey character.
In practice, the Standard mode with AI Upmix disabled delivers the most natural and balanced performance.
No HDMI inputs on the soundbar
While not a unique flaw to the Sound Suite H7 (the Sonos Arc Ultra is another notable culprit), connectivity is more limited than it should be.
The soundbar lacks dedicated HDMI inputs, meaning all sources must be connected to your TV rather than directly into the soundbar.
It’s won't be a deal-breaker for everyone, but those with loads of sources will be frustrated.
No DTS:X support
While not terribly surprising, given how closely LG appears to have worked with Dolby on this debut FlexConnect system, the lack of DTS:X compatibility here is a shame.
While Dolby Atmos is certainly the dominant immersive format, plenty of discs and some streaming services feature DTS:X.
Its absence slightly limits the system’s format flexibility.
The sub and surrounds feel less premium than the soundbar
While the H7 soundbar itself feels nicely built, the other components don’t quite match its premium feel.
The subwoofer and surround speakers feel lighter and less substantial, creating a slight mismatch in perceived quality across the system.
It’s not a huge problem, but it does slightly undermine the premium impression.
Early software bugs
During testing, we encountered a number of frustrating software issues.
Initial setup proved surprisingly fiddly, with each component requiring its own wi-fi connection process and the subwoofer using a different pairing method entirely.
At one point the system also powered on at extremely high volume and refused to respond properly to the remote controls until the app was opened – a genuinely unpleasant experience.
Fingers crossed these issues will quickly be solved via software updates.
No bundle discounts yet
At present, LG isn’t offering any meaningful discounts for buying multiple Sound Suite components together.
Given that the system is clearly designed to be built into a full ecosystem, bundled pricing would make the proposition more attractive – especially considering that Sonos offers big discounts on its system bundles.
As things stand, assembling the full setup feels rather expensive.
MORE:
Read the full LG Sound Suite H7 and LG Sound Suite system reviews
Here are the best soundbars and best surround systems you can buy right now
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