Weighing a Samsung vs LG soundbar comes down to the TV it will sit under, because each maker keeps its best tie-in features for its own sets.
Products in this guide
- Subwoofer and surround speakers in the box for 11.1.4 channels
- Two HDMI inputs beside the HDMI eARC link to the TV
- 9.1.5 channels with the included wireless rear speakers
- WOW Orchestra over HDMI or WOWCAST with a supporting LG TV
- Two channels at 50 W RMS in a 650 mm bar
- WOW Orchestra and SIMPLINK over one HDMI ARC cable to an LG TV
- Two channels at 20 W each in a 641 mm bar
- HDMI ARC and optical inputs, plus Bluetooth
Mix the brands and Q-Symphony or WOW Orchestra never shows up in the sound menu, even though the bar still plays the TV’s sound over HDMI.
Match the bar to your screen and your room, and either maker can give you Dolby Atmos and DTS:X from a system run by one remote.
The short answer and a side-by-side table come first, then each maker’s tie-ins, line-ups, add-on speakers and apps.
By the end, you’ll know which brand’s bar fits the set you own and what each choice leaves you to buy later.
Which Is Better, a Samsung or an LG Soundbar?
Your TV settles most of it. Neither brand is better across the board: a Samsung bar adds Q-Symphony and a Wi-Fi link on a Samsung TV, an LG bar adds WOW Orchestra and, on its bigger models, a WOWCAST link on an LG one, and both play any television’s sound over HDMI ARC or eARC.
So a Samsung TV points to a Samsung bar and an LG set to an LG bar, whenever the two bars on your shortlist are otherwise close. With a screen from neither maker, those extras drop away, and the choice rests on what’s in the box, what plugs into the bar and how it tunes itself to your room.
Already have an LG bar and a Samsung TV? Our guide to LG soundbars with Samsung TVs covers the settings each brand asks for.
How Does a Samsung vs LG Soundbar Compare Side by Side?
Those extras have names, and each maker documents its own. Here is a Samsung vs LG soundbar comparison row by row, from the same-brand features down to the app and the remote.
| Feature | Samsung | LG |
|---|---|---|
| Shared sound with the TV | Q-Symphony, with a supporting Samsung set | WOW Orchestra, with a supporting LG set |
| Wireless link to the set | Wi-Fi, listed under Sound Output as Soundbar Q-series (Wi-Fi) | LG WOWCAST, on bars and LG TVs that support it |
| Add-on rear kits | SWA-9500S, SWA-9250S, SWA-9200S | SPQ8-S for the SC9S, SPT8-S for the S70TY |
| Room calibration | SpaceFit Sound Pro | AI Room Calibration |
| Automatic sound mode | Adaptive Sound | AI Sound Pro |
| App | SmartThings | LG Soundbar app or LG ThinQ, by model and edition |
| Remote control over HDMI | Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) | SIMPLINK (HDMI-CEC) |
What Does a Samsung Soundbar Add on a Samsung TV?
The first two rows of that table are where the badge matters. On a Samsung TV that supports it, a Samsung bar runs Q-Symphony, which plays sound from the bar and the set at the same time, and Samsung’s Wi-Fi models can connect to the set without a cable.
Samsung’s 2025 user guide for the HW-Q990F, Q930F, Q900F and Q800F says Q-Symphony works with the codec the set supports and only over an HDMI cable, an optical cable or Wi-Fi. Samsung’s HW-Q800F spec sheet narrows the TVs: Q-Symphony needs a compatible 2020-2025 Samsung TV, and its Wireless Dolby Atmos link a 2022-2025 one.
The smaller bars keep Q-Symphony on a cable. Samsung’s HW-Q600F and HW-B750F guides support it only over HDMI or optical, and the HW-B400F’s manual doesn’t mention Q-Symphony at all.
A Samsung set can also switch on the bar’s room tuning. The 2025 guide’s second route to SpaceFit Sound Pro is Adaptive Sound+ in the TV’s AI Mode Settings, and it works only on some Samsung TVs connected to a soundbar.
For picks by model, our soundbar guide for Samsung TVs matches Samsung’s bars to Samsung TVs by tier and Q-Symphony.
What Does an LG Soundbar Add on an LG TV?
LG’s version of that same idea is WOW Orchestra. LG’s S95TR owner’s manual describes it as sound through the LG bar and the LG TV at once, switched on automatically when the bar is connected and chosen in the sound out menu.
The conditions mirror Samsung’s: WOW Orchestra works on some LG TV and soundbar models, follows the audio codec the set supports, and the S95TR’s manual asks you to enable eARC on the set. The cable rules differ by bar, since the S95TR, S90TR and S80TR manuals allow HDMI or WOWCAST and the S70TY and S20A manuals an HDMI cable only.
WOWCAST is LG’s wireless link to its TVs. LG’s webOS 2024 user guide says a soundbar that supports LG WOWCAST connects wirelessly without degraded sound, recommends a 5 GHz network and notes that the link doesn’t run on 6 GHz or DFS channels.
LG Sound Sync is one more tie-in. The S95TR’s manual says it lets the remote of a supporting LG set control the bar’s volume and mute over an optical cable.
Our best LG soundbar guide ranks the LG lineup by use case, from the S20A up to the S95TR.
What Happens When Your Soundbar and TV Brands Don’t Match?
Both of those features need a matching set. A Samsung bar on an LG TV, or an LG bar on a Samsung one, still plays the set’s sound over HDMI ARC or eARC, an optical cable or Bluetooth, but Q-Symphony, WOW Orchestra and the Wi-Fi or WOWCAST link drop out.
HDMI-CEC control goes by each TV maker’s own name, so the menu label changes with the TV brand. LG’s S95TR manual lists them: LG SIMPLINK, Sony BRAVIA Sync/Link, Philips EasyLink and Samsung Anynet+.
Samsung’s bars add a fallback for infrared remotes. Samsung’s guides list LG among the makers whose IR remotes can set the bar’s volume, once you turn the bar off, push the remote’s Woofer button up and hold it for 5 seconds, and step from Off-TV Remote, the default, to All-TV Remote.
Our guide to connecting a soundbar to a TV and our HDMI vs HDMI ARC explainer show where these brand extras sit on top of the core connection. For the full steps with a Samsung bar under an LG set, see hooking a Samsung bar up to an LG TV.
Still choosing between HDMI, optical and Bluetooth? Our HDMI vs optical guide and our TV-to-soundbar Bluetooth guide are worth a read.
How Do LG vs Samsung Soundbar Line-Ups Match Up?
With the matching question settled, the next difference is how each maker builds its range. Samsung splits its current bars into the Q-series for Dolby Atmos systems, the S-series and the B-series, while LG’s range runs from the two-channel S20A to the 9.1.5-channel S95TR.
| Tier | Samsung | LG |
|---|---|---|
| Full systems, rears in the box | HW-Q990F (11.1.4), HW-Q930F (9.1.4) | S95TR (9.1.5), S90TR (7.1.3), S80TR (5.1.3) |
| Dolby Atmos bar and subwoofer, rears optional | HW-Q900F, HW-Q800F (5.1.2), HW-Q600F (3.1.2) | SC9S (3.1.3), S70TY (3.1.1) |
| Bar and subwoofer, no Dolby Atmos | HW-B750F (5.1), HW-B550F (2.1) | S60TR (with rear speakers), S40T |
| Small two-channel bar | HW-B400F | S20A |
Samsung’s 2026 user guide for the HW-Q990H, Q930H, Q900H, Q800H and Q600H keeps the same split, with surround speakers in the box only for the HW-Q990H and HW-Q930H.
Samsung’s S-series sits outside that ladder, and its HW-S800D/S700D and HW-S60D/S61D manuals both list Q-Symphony and the Wi-Fi link.
LG’s 2025 US70TR manual shows a 950 mm bar with a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers that connect by speaker cable, with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X among its formats.
LG’s S95TR and S90TR are 1,250 mm (about 49.2 inches) across, wider than a 55-inch screen’s 48 inches. If the bar will go on the wall under the screen, our soundbar mounting guide is worth a look.
If channel numbers like 5.1.2 are new to you, our soundbar basics guide explains them, and our 2.1 vs 5.1 soundbar guide helps you decide when extra speakers are actually worth paying for. For Samsung’s tiers in more depth, see our list of Samsung’s current soundbars, ranked.
Which Brand Is Easier to Grow With Rear Speakers and a Subwoofer?
That middle tier is where growing the system comes in. Both makers sell rear kits for bars that come without them, and each kit adds two rear channels: Samsung’s SWA-9250S takes the HW-Q600F from 3.1.2 to 5.1.2 for Dolby Atmos and the HW-B750F from 5.1 to 7.1, and LG’s SPT8-S takes the S70TY from 3.1.1 to 5.1.1.
The SWA-9500S adds two height channels as well, taking the HW-Q800F from 5.1.2 to 7.1.4, while the SWA-9200S fits the HW-S700D and HW-S60D and LG’s SPQ8-S fits the SC9S.
Every LG bar above the S20A in the table lists a wireless subwoofer, and Samsung’s HW-S60D manual names an add-on subwoofer, the SWA-W510.
If you already own a Samsung bar, our list of which Samsung rear kit fits your model shows what can be added. Our guide to pairing a soundbar with a subwoofer covers the pairing step for the subwoofer itself.
Can a Samsung or LG Soundbar Tune Itself to Your Room?
Once the speakers are in place, both makers automate the room tuning. Samsung’s SpaceFit Sound Pro analyzes your listening space through the bar’s microphone and runs automatically, while LG’s AI Room Calibration analyzes the sound coming from the bar through a built-in microphone and fine-tunes the audio settings from the app.
Samsung’s 2025 user guide for the HW-Q990F, Q930F, Q900F and Q800F describes SpaceFit Sound Pro, and the HW-Q990D’s guide calls the same idea SpaceFit Sound. LG’s S95TR manual warns that the bar may play louder than you expect when calibration starts.
Not every bar has it: Samsung’s HW-Q600F guide doesn’t mention SpaceFit, and LG’s S70TY manual has no calibration step.
Each maker also has an automatic sound mode. Samsung’s Adaptive Sound analyzes content in real time and plays the sound it suits, while LG’s AI Sound Pro has artificial intelligence choose the sound settings for your content.
For voices, Samsung lists AVA Pro, which analyzes outside noise to keep dialogue clear, and LG lists Clear Voice Pro, which improves the quality of voices.
Placement still comes first, and our soundbar setup guide covers it before you run either calibration.
Which App and Remote Run Each Brand’s Soundbar?
That leaves the app and the remote. Samsung’s Q-series and S-series bars use the SmartThings app for volume, sound mode and advanced sound settings, while LG’s manuals name the LG Soundbar app or the LG ThinQ app, depending on the model and edition.
On LG’s side, the S95TR owner’s manual linked above uses the LG Soundbar app and says the LG ThinQ app can’t configure that bar, while LG’s online manual for the same bar runs AI Room Calibration in LG ThinQ, and the 2025 S20A manual registers the bar in LG ThinQ.
Each maker’s manual covers the bar’s own remote, and both brands’ bars follow the television’s remote over HDMI. LG’s webOS 2024 user guide turns SIMPLINK on under General, External Devices and HDMI Settings, and LG’s bar manuals list power, volume and mute among the functions a SIMPLINK-compatible LG TV remote controls.
Which Samsung or LG Soundbar Should You Buy?
Those differences come together in matched pairs at each end of the range. For a full system with rear speakers in the box, the choice is LG’s S95TR or Samsung’s HW-Q990D, and for a small bar under a bedroom or smaller screen, it’s LG’s S20A or Samsung’s HW-B400F.
The descriptions come from the makers’ manuals and spec pages. Every pick met Burton Acoustix’s rating, review and stock checks on 31 October 2026.
A Full System With Rear Speakers in the Box
Under an LG TV, the LG S95TR, with its wireless subwoofer and rear speakers in the box is the pick. Its spec page lists one HDMI input with 4K at 120 Hz in YCbCr 4:2:0 and a rear, a rear-side and a rear-top speaker in each wireless rear unit.
LG S95TR
Under a Samsung TV, the Samsung HW-Q990D, with its subwoofer and surround speakers in the box is the pick. Samsung’s HW-Q990D user guide gives 11.1.4 channels in its Surround, Game Pro and Adaptive Sound modes, and Samsung’s 2025 HW-Q990F keeps 11.1.4 channels with the surround speakers in the box.
Samsung HW-Q990D
A Small Bar for a Bedroom or Smaller TV
For an LG TV, the LG S20A, a 650 mm two-channel bar is the pick. At about 25.6 inches, it sits inside a 32-inch screen’s 27.9 inches.
LG S20A
For a Samsung TV, or any set with an IR remote, the Samsung HW-B400F, a 641 mm two-channel bar is the pick. Its IR-remote setting lists Samsung, LG, Sony and other makers’ remotes.
Samsung HW-B400F
The Bottom Line
Buy Samsung when you own a Samsung TV, since Q-Symphony, the Wi-Fi link and Adaptive Sound+ from the set’s menu only work there. Buy LG when you own an LG TV, for WOW Orchestra, WOWCAST on the bigger bars and LG Sound Sync.
With a set from neither maker, compare what’s in the box, the inputs and room calibration instead of the logo. Our guide to choosing a soundbar walks those questions in order, and our soundbar vs receiver guide covers the step beyond a bar.
If Sony is also on your list, see how Samsung’s systems line up against Sony’s and LG’s range set against Sony’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Samsung or LG better for movies?
Neither across the board, because the model decides it. Both makers’ flagships decode Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, while bars lower down, such as LG’s S40T and Samsung’s HW-B550F, list Dolby Digital and DTS instead, so choose by channels and height speakers first, then match the brand to your TV.
Should I match my soundbar brand to my TV?
Usually, if the two bars you’re weighing are close in hardware, since only a matching bar adds Q-Symphony and the Wi-Fi link for Samsung, or WOW Orchestra and WOWCAST for LG. A clearly better box from the other maker can still be the right buy.
Will a Samsung soundbar work with an LG TV remote?
Yes, for volume, if it’s an IR remote: Samsung’s manuals list LG among the makers whose IR remotes work through the bar’s All-TV Remote setting, with the set’s speaker output on an external speaker. Over HDMI, LG’s webOS guide says SIMPLINK works only with devices that carry the SIMPLINK logo.
Does WOW Orchestra work with a Samsung TV?
Not according to LG’s manuals, which describe WOW Orchestra only as a feature of an LG soundbar with an LG TV. On a Samsung set, an LG bar plays the set’s sound like any other bar, over HDMI ARC or eARC, optical or Bluetooth.
Which has more channels, the Samsung HW-Q990D or the LG S95TR?
Samsung’s HW-Q990D: its user guide gives 11.1.4 channels with the included surround speakers, against 9.1.5 in LG’s S95TR manual once its wireless rear speakers connect. The Samsung has two more main channels, 11 against 9, and the LG has one more height channel, 5 against 4.
