LG S70TY test: A soundbar that isn’t very immersive, but that delivers the basics

Far from models equipped with lateral and vertical transducers, the S70TY focuses more on sound realism and dialogue quality in LG’s speech. However, the manufacturer does not abandon the idea of ​​specialization, especially in the central position. Thanks to the presence of a single vertical speaker, an unusual arrangement to say the least.

For the rest, LG relies on a proven formula: large soundbar, ample connectivity provided, dedicated subwoofer.

The whole thing is expandable, as it is possible to add a pair of satellites behind the SPT8-S. A set that combines all the elements is also sold under the name LG S70TR.

Price and availability.

The LG S70TY will be available from April 2024 at an introductory price of €349. The S70TR, which includes two additional satellites, was launched for €449.

Test conditions

We tested the S70TY set under firmware version 24071852 with the LG ThinQ app at version 5.0.36320.

Simple in appearance, not particularly ambitious, the LG S70TY is nonetheless surprisingly serious about looks. Large enough (950mm) to work with 42- to 65-inch screens, flat (63mm) and narrow enough (115mm) to accommodate most configurations, it’s an elegant combination between discretion and elegance. makes Its completely matte anthracite gray dress matches the overall design much better, as it is completely parallel, but embellished with a few small touches. The most successful is undoubtedly its beveled facade.

Although we can’t talk about a dense (barely 3 kg) or premium device, the LG S70TY compensates for the absence of fabric and the low proportion of metal (only the front grill) with a very serious chassis. The brand actually opts for a plastic that isn’t too bulky. cheap Apart from its matte appearance, its surface is slightly attractive, which is very pleasant to the touch.

The Wireless Subwoofer is a bit more classic, but again quite sophisticated. Rather compact and discreet, it also has a bevelled facade, hence a certain stylistic unity.

Accessories

Unsurprisingly, the packaging consists of a remote control (batteries included), a wall-mount bracket and an HDMI cable.

Without being a true audio center, the LG S70TY largely delivers on the essentials. The bar thus integrates an HDMI 2.1 input compatible with 4K/120 Hz, VRR and ALLM, an HDMI eARC port, an optical input, as well as a USB-A port for charging and playing audio content on the keys. is So this model is supplied no less than the high-end S95TR reference, and we can only criticize it for the absence of a line input (jack or RCA).

On the other hand, its fairly affordable positioning reflects the absence of associated capabilities. Only one Bluetooth chip is included, useful both for connection to a dedicated app and for use as an audio receiver. For this mod, the Bluetooth 5.1 chip doesn’t work as a miracle. We are not entitled to fast pairing, nor to multipoint connections, nor to advanced codecs. As for latency, measured at 280 ms, it’s within average for a product of this genre, too long to detect any sound-image lag.

As with the brand’s recent bars, LG’s user experience is a bit confusing, but overall effective. The first feature to overcome, the front display is not represented by a small alphanumeric screen, but by three RGB LEDs arranged in a vertical configuration. Thus a small color code is associated with the different inputs, but also within the volume framework with the combination between the color and the number of lit LEDs. Of course, a really good display is clearly more intuitive than LG’s solution, but here the LEDs are readable in any case and the brand combines more complex settings (including sound modes) with voice prompts.

This display goes hand in hand with the classic LG remote control. Similar to almost all of the manufacturer’s modern soundbars, it’s not particularly rich in settings, but it’s easy enough to use as long as you stick to the basic functions. For users of recent LG TVs, a dedicated interface is available, which highlights all the adjustments. Finally, and this is a surprise, the integrated touch controls on the soundbar are the most obvious: power on/off, input selection, volume and Bluetooth pairing.

To support its new generation of soundbars, LG is gradually moving away from the dedicated LG Soundbar app to LG ThinQ, a kind of gas factory that houses all of its connected products, from TVs to washing machines. (includes Bluetooth) are being brought together. If getting started is unnecessarily tedious for a user who just wants to use the soundbar, the dedicated interface remains almost the same as it once was in the product settings. Very convenient in this case, ThinQ allows access to all settings without going through endless tree structures.

Described as 3.1.1, the LG S70TY’s architecture is relatively unusual, as its Atmos compatibility is based on a vertically positioned speaker. The surround dimension does not rely on any transducers integrated into the sides. The soundbar has a tweeter + oval woofer pair at each end, a mid-high speaker in the middle, and another mid-high speaker in the middle at the top. Six speakers in total, then. The subwoofer remains completely classic and features a single woofer with bass-reflex loading. All this with an output power of 400 W according to LG, a number that doesn’t mean much in the absence of precision on the measurement.

Overall effective, because it doesn’t fall into the disadvantages of many entry-level competitors, the S70TY is neither bad nor impressive. The truth is that its technical quality translates into a sound signature without extreme imbalances, but laced with oscillations at the upper end of the spectrum.

Most impressively, the subwoofer manages to sing very low and with a certain power. Dropping down to only the lowest frequencies, it produces great amplitude, so its capabilities are more than adequate for a classic-sized room. As we can guess, this element obviously does not compete with high-end creations. Aside from the crossover effect with the soundbar, which results in a slight reduction in the low-mids, this subwoofer isn’t very responsive. This model is primarily about helping, not listening.

If the mids are flawless, with a good level of detail and a certain unity, the high mids and treble remain the S70TY’s weak point, LG only barely manages to deliver in this area. The sound is not offensive but lacks consistency and simplicity. In addition to low dynamics, we can note some overflow and hiss, especially at high volumes. In general, the AI ​​Sound Pro mode fares better than the others, as the sound quality isn’t fundamentally better with this setting, but the treble signature is the most pleasant, neither too forward nor too far back.

Playing hard on its quirky architecture, the S70TY isn’t an immersion model, despite some strengths.

A rather expected observation at first, the surround dimension is almost absent, limited to a few faint horizontal effects, while the Atmos representation is simply non-existent. Thus, sound localization is limited to an extended, realistic and precise stereo effect.

Like the S95TR, the product’s biggest advantage lies in its center channel, which is amplified by a vertical speaker. The latter, far from blurring the sounds, manages to give them additional depth, like relief. This pair of transducers allows the LG to broadcast very rich dialogue, which stands out from the rest of the mix. So we’re clearly dealing with a proposition up against the likes of the TCL S55H and Hisense HS2100, which sacrifice the symmetry we can witness here for the more brilliant, but blurry, rendering.

A small advantage for owners of modern LG TVs: the presence of Wow Orchestra technology, which uses screen speakers to improve localization, can constitute a significant plus.