LG Electronics is taking on Sonos in the surround sound arena with a new technology called the LG Sound Suite, which will be built into all of its higher-end televisions next year.
The LG Sound Suite relies on Dolby’s Atmos FlexConnect specification, which makes it possible to connect wireless speakers to TVs and audio systems in flexible locations, optimising sound for the specific layout of a room. The technology will be the foundation of LG’s upcoming flagship soundbar and support up to 3.1.1-channel Dolby Atmos, the company said.
With this update, it’s clear that LG wants to take on Sonos, which currently reigns supreme as the leader in wireless audio systems that can be expanded to accommodate multiple speakers. Other brands have struggled to match Sonos in this area, but LG believes it can leverage Dolby Atmos FlexConnect to position its own audio systems as a viable alternative, allowing users to place external speakers in strategic locations to create a truly immersive soundscape.
The company unveiled Sound Suite this week ahead of CES 2026, where it’s expected to reveal its full 2026 TV lineup for the first time. As such, this announcement is more of a teaser about one of the new capabilities we can expect to see in those TVs. The LG Sound Suite consists of a 3.1.2-channel soundbar, the LG H7, which features up-firing and side-firing units, a pair of compact external speakers – the M5 with 2.1.2-channels and the M7 with 4.1.2-channels – and an 8-inch subwoofer called the W7 that delivers bass at 25.9Hz.
LG said users will be able to combine these devices in different ways. For instance, someone might buy four M7 speakers and set them up as front and rear channels, connecting them directly to a new LG OLED TV, eliminating the need for a soundbar. Alternatively, they might invest in the H7 soundbar and a pair of M5 speakers. In either scenario, they can add more speakers in future.
The LG H7 is the company’s first soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, and it’s powered by the Alpha 11 Gen 3 processor that will also live in its upcoming OLED TVs. The speakers were designed by the Danish audio specialist Peerless Audio.
We should point out that LG isn’t the first TV brand to support Dolby Atmos FlexConnect. That honor went to TCL, which added the capability to its QM8K, QM7K, and QM6K Mini-LED TVs and launched a new soundbar and range of compatible speakers earlier this year. LG is, however, the first OLED TV manufacturer to introduce this new capability.
What’s especially interesting is the endless possibilities this new technology enables for sound enthusiasts, with up to 27 configurations currently available. LG said it’s possible to create a Dolby Atmos FlexConnect setup that features a maximum of 13.1.7 channels, made up of 13 ear-level channels, seven height channels and one subwoofer. To do this, someone would need to connect four speakers plus a soundbar to their TV, along with the subwoofer. Placement is extremely flexible thanks to Dolby’s auto-calibration feature, meaning the shape and size of the living room will have little bearing on the end result.
If there’s one weakness to this system it’s that speakers from different manufacturers are currently not supported, meaning users would be restricted to buying them from a single brand. When it first announced FlexConnect in 2023, Dolby promised that this would not be the case, so there’s hope that it will eventually add support for cross-brand speaker configurations.
LG said an unspecified number of its premium 2026 TVs, including some of its OLED models, will come with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect built in when they launch in the first half of next year. It hasn’t said so, but we’d be surprised if the tech doesn’t also find its way into LG’s upcoming Micro RGB evo TV as well. That’s highly anticipated as the company’s first-ever RGB LED model, which essentially uses an enhanced Mini-LED display panel.
In addition, LG promised to bring support for FlexConnect to 2025 models including the LG G5, C5, C5S and QNED9M via a firmware update next year.
The company is set to unveil all of its 2026 TVs in a couple of weeks’ time when CES kicks off in Las Vegas, so we can expect to learn much more about their audio capabilities then.
