Unlock the Perfect Audio: Your Guide to Seamless Soundbar Integration with LG TVs
LG’s sleek, ultra-thin OLED TVs deliver some of the best picture quality on the market. But their slim design lacks the space for serious built-in speakers.
For truly immersive sound, an external soundbar is a must.
While LG soundbars seamlessly sync, models from other top brands like Sony, Samsung and Vizio can connect too.
With the right cables and settings, any soundbar can pair with an LG TV for upgraded audio.
This guide covers all the ways to connect a third-party soundbar for an audio boost. We’ll explore the cables, compatibility settings, and how to optimize surround sound.
With the proper setup, an LG OLED TV and added soundbar create a home theater worthy of Hollywood.
Now let’s dive into the different connection options and configuration steps for an external sound system.
Methods To Connect Other Soundbar Brands To An LG TV
Universal Compatibility: Connecting Soundbars from Any Brand to Your LG TV Made Easy
LG TVs work great with LG’s own soundbars using LG Sound Sync and other optimized connectivity.
But you can also connect soundbars from other brands like Samsung, Sony, Vizio, Bose and more.
There are several options to hook up a non-LG soundbar to an LG smart TV.
The most universal method is using an HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) connection.
Late-model LG TVs have HDMI ARC ports specifically for sending audio to a soundbar.
Simply use an HDMI cable from the TV’s HDMI ARC port to the soundbar HDMI IN port. This carries both audio and video over one cable.
If your TV doesn’t have HDMI ARC, you can use an optical digital audio connection. This carries multichannel sound from the LG TV to the optical input on the soundbar.
Make sure to set the TV audio out setting to “optical” rather than TV speakers.
For a soundbar with HDMI ports but no HDMI ARC, you can connect an HDMI cable from the LG TV to the soundbar HDMI IN.
Then use a separate optical cable from the TV optical out to the soundbar optical in for sending audio.
Bluetooth is another wireless option for connecting a third-party soundbar to an LG TV.
Pair the Bluetooth on both devices and ensure the TV audio output is set to Bluetooth. This allows wireless streaming but may have audio lag.
Some soundbars have analog RCA or 3.5mm aux inputs. You can use RCA cables from the LG TV headphone jack to the soundbar RCA ports.
Or an aux cable from the TV headphone to the aux input. Just note analog connections have lower quality than digital HDMI or optical.
With the right cables and settings, you can successfully connect a Samsung, Sony, Vizio, Bose or any other brand of soundbar to an LG smart TV.
Taking advantage of audio return channels and digital outputs ensures the best audio quality.
Universal remotes to control the soundbar with LG TV
Universal remotes let you have the ability to control multiple devices linked to the TV using just one control.
This allows you to have a more tidy living room and more capability to control devices around you with just a control.
Choosing a Universal Remote
When selecting a universal remote for an LG TV and soundbar, look for ones that specifically support both LG and your soundbar brand. Logitech Harmony remotes are a top choice, compatible with LG TVs and most major soundbar brands like Sony, Samsung, Vizio, Yamaha and more.
Setting Up Harmony Remote with LG TV
If using a Logitech Harmony, first set up the remote with the LG TV:
1. In the Harmony software, add the LG TV device and enter its model number.
2. Ensure the remote is paired with the Harmony Hub and pointed at the TV during setup. Follow on-screen instructions to configure commands.
3. Test basic functions like power, volume and channel changing to verify the TV is programmed properly.
Adding Soundbar Control To Your LG TV
After the LG TV is set up, add the soundbar:
1. Add your soundbar model to the Harmony software.
2. Select the input type that the soundbar is connected with – HDMI ARC, optical, Bluetooth, etc.
3. Sync the remote with Harmony Hub again after adding the soundbar.
4. Test powering on both devices and adjusting volume using the soundbar speakers.
Creating Activity for Both Devices
Finally, create a Harmony Activity that powers on and controls both the LG TV and soundbar together:
1. In the Harmony software, create a new Activity like “Watch TV” and add both the TV and soundbar.
2. Re-sync the remote so this activity is added.
3. Now the “Watch TV” activity will turn on both devices, switch to the correct TV input, and allow control over both in one place.
Getting Surround Sound To Work With An LG TV And Soundbar
Immerse Yourself in Sound: Mastering Surround Sound on LG TVs and Soundbars
Surround sound uses multiple speakers placed around the listener to create an immersive audio experience. Sounds can pan and move through the different channels, adding realism for movies, TV and games.
LG TVs support surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and DTS. To achieve surround sound, content with those formats needs to be passed to a compatible soundbar or speaker system.
Ways to Get Surround with an LG TV
There are a few options to get surround working with an LG TV:
Soundbar with Virtual Surround – Many soundbars simulate surround sound using their left, right and center speakers. This works well for adding an immersive effect.
Rear Speaker Kit – Some higher-end soundbars have the option to add separate rear speakers, creating a true surround setup. The rear speakers connect wirelessly to the soundbar.
Home Theater System – A full AV receiver and speaker package creates the ultimate surround sound. The LG TV HDMI ARC or optical output can connect to the receiver.
Setting Up Surround Sound on LG TV
Once the surround sound speaker system is connected, enable it in the LG TV settings:
1. Set the TV audio output to external speakers via HDMI ARC, optical, etc.
2. Enable any surround sound processing like Dolby Atmos in the TV’s audio settings.
3. Set the soundbar/receiver to surround sound mode. Define any speaker configurations.
4. Play surround-enabled content and test that audio plays properly from all connected speakers.
5. Adjust TV and speaker volumes to balance the surround effect.
Proper setup delivers impressive, cinema-like surround with an LG TV.
Using HDMI connections is recommended where possible for lossless digital audio. With the right devices, LG TVs can create an immersive home theater.
Soundbar settings when pairing with LG TV
Fine-Tune Your Soundbar: Navigating LG TV Settings for Seamless Audio Integration
Optimizing the settings on both devices is important to take full advantage of these features.
Soundbar Connectivity Settings
When connecting a soundbar to an LG TV, certain connectivity settings need to be configured.
Choosing between HDMI ARC and optical connections is important since HDMI ARC supports transfer of more audio data like Dolby Atmos while optical is limited to basic Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
If not using ARC, the HDMI input on the soundbar must match the audio output setting on the LG TV.
Configuring the digital audio format setting on the soundbar is also crucial – this should be changed to
Bitstream output so that Dolby and DTS formats from the TV can be passed through to the soundbar unprocessed.
LG TV Audio Settings
There are also some key audio settings that must be adjusted on the LG TV itself for proper pairing with a soundbar.
First, the digital sound out setting needs to be set to either optical or HDMI ARC, depending on how the soundbar is connected.
Bitstream output should also be enabled here. Other important settings include enabling processing for Dolby Atmos if that format is available in your content, decoder settings for DTS audio if applicable, and configuring the TV speaker controls.
For best audio quality, the TV speakers should be disabled and the external speaker system setting enabled.
Finally, the volume levels on both the TV and soundbar must be balanced properly so the audio is mixed well.
Testing Surround Sound
After configuring both devices, surround sound capabilities can be tested by playing content encoded with Dolby or DTS surround like a Blu-ray movie.
Listen for audio effects panning smoothly between the front, rear and side channels when enabled.
If the surround effect sounds uneven, the speaker levels and delays can be further adjusted in the soundbar’s audio settings menu.
With optimized connectivity, the right formats enabled, and volumes balanced, an LG TV and soundbar can work together to deliver an immersive surround sound experience.
Careful configuration provides the full capabilities of the advanced audio technologies built into both devices.
Soundbar And LG TV Audio Compatibility
Perfect Pairing: Achieving Flawless Audio Compatibility Between LG TVs and Soundbars
Modern LG TVs include surround sound technologies that need compatible soundbars to fully take advantage of them.
LG TV Audio Formats
The audio format support in recent LG television models includes decoding and passthrough for all major surround sound types:
Dolby Digital, the basic 5.1 channel system included with most TV broadcasts and DVDs, is handled through optical and HDMI ARC outputs.
Dolby Digital Plus, an enhanced version of Dolby Digital with more channels and higher bandwidth used in streaming and Blu-rays, can be passed through the HDMI ARC connection.
Dolby TrueHD, a lossless version of Dolby Digital Plus for the best possible audio quality, requires either an eARC connection or manually running an HDMI from the TV to the soundbar.
DTS is an audio system similar to Dolby Digital used for DVDs and streaming that also works over optical and HDMI ARC.
Its higher resolution equivalent DTS-HD needs eARC or HDMI passthrough.
Finally, Dolby Atmos, an immersive surround format with 3D audio objects, is best served by HDMI ARC though optical can pass a basic Dolby Digital mix.
Soundbar Compatibility
To leverage all of the LG TV’s audio formats, the paired soundbar system should include decoders for Dolby and DTS formats, HDMI connectivity with preferably eARC support, and Dolby Atmos processing capabilities if available.
The HDMI ARC or eARC connection is required to pass the high bandwidth Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD signals as well as Atmos object data.
Without soundbar compatibility for these advanced formats, audio will be limited to standard quality Dolby Digital 5.1 surround.
Checking format support ensures the LG TV and soundbar work together for full high-resolution, surround sound.
Conclusion
LG TVs provide an excellent home theater experience, especially when paired with a compatible soundbar.
While LG’s own soundbars integrate seamlessly, models from other brands can also connect for enhanced audio.
With the proper cables and settings, any soundbar can link to an LG smart TV’s HDMI ARC, optical, Bluetooth or analog ports.
For the best performance, match the TV and soundbar’s advanced surround sound capabilities like Dolby Atmos.
Universal remotes further simplify controlling both devices together.
With all connections optimized, an LG TV and third-party soundbar combine to deliver pristine, cinematic audio that completely transforms TV viewing.
Choosing the right soundbar that decodes the latest formats unlocks the full audio potential of an LG television.