I’ve been running the LG S70TY under the 65QNED86 for a few weeks, and on paper it looks like the right match: 3.1.1 channels, a centre up‑firing driver for dialogue, Dolby Atmos, and WOW Orchestra to sync with the TV. In Australia, the S70TY hovers in the sub‑$1,000 bracket on sale—often around AU$799–$999 depending on the retailer and timing—which matters because expectations should be set accordingly. You are, broadly, getting what you pay for in a sub‑$1,000 soundbar: cleaner dialogue, a tidier front stage, and easier day‑to‑day TV audio, but not the kind of impact or immersion that redefines movie night.
Setup wasn’t as smooth as I’d hoped. HDMI eARC handshakes cleanly once you’re there, and WOW Orchestra pairs the TV’s speakers with the bar, but the LG ThinQ app was a pain to get working. Account prompts, device discovery hiccups, and multiple retries turned what should be quick into a chore. Even after I got in, fiddling with channel levels, EQ presets and AI Sound Pro didn’t unlock the impact I wanted.
The core issue is bass. At moderate volumes, the low end stays reserved to the point where most of the time it didn’t feel like the subwoofer was active at all—present, but barely contributing. Kick drums thud politely, explosions bloom without slam, and game soundtracks lose that floor‑shaking weight that makes action sequences hit. Push volume high and the bass steps up, but that’s not how I want to watch in a shared space. This is exactly where the price shows: it holds the mix together, yet it rarely crosses into “felt” rather than “heard.”
Atmos is similarly restrained. The bar can suggest height cues, and WOW Orchestra lifts effects a touch by using the TV’s drivers, but I never got a convincing sense of overhead. Rain sounded “above-ish” rather than clearly overhead, and flyovers or ambient city noise didn’t travel in a way that made me look up. Across films and PS5 sessions, it was a subtle layer rather than an immersive bubble.
There are positives. The centre channel is the bright spot: dialogue is clearer, voices anchor on the screen, and I didn’t have to ride the volume during news, YouTube, or a Netflix binge. The front stage feels more organised than TV speakers alone, and the midrange is consistently clean—vocals, podcasts and acoustic sets come through without smear. Treble stays safe rather than sharp, which avoids fatigue but can make some tracks feel flat. Preset modes shuffle EQ around the edges—AI Sound Pro was the least fiddly for general viewing, and Game mode tightened footstep detail on PS5—but none of them solved the core issue of restrained bass, a mostly inactive‑feeling sub at normal volumes, and limited height.
Compared to the S80TR I reviewed before this, the gap is obvious. The S80TR throws a wider, more energetic stage and digs deeper into the low end without begging for high volume. It feels like a system with headroom. The S70TY, by contrast, plays tidy and conservative. If you’re upgrading from TV speakers, you’ll hear cleaner dialogue, a better anchored centre image, and a more coherent front. If you’re expecting cinematic oomph or notable Atmos immersion, you’ll likely be underwhelmed.
Daily usability (once you’re past the ThinQ setup) is fine. The remote is simple, the bar wakes correctly with the TV, Bluetooth pairing is quick for casual music, and WOW Orchestra integrates with minimal fuss. It’s easy to recommend for someone who just wants their TV to sound clearer and more organised. It’s a tougher sell if you care about dynamic impact.
My verdict, with price in mind: the S70TY makes TV watching better and slots neatly into the sub‑$1,000 tier in Australia, but it rarely excites. Bass feels shy at normal volumes—often like the subwoofer isn’t doing much—and Atmos never delivers a genuine overhead effect. If you need clarity and a clean front stage on a budget, this will do the job. If you want movie‑night punch and convincing height, spend more or go straight to the S80TR, which impressed me in exactly the ways the S70TY didn’t.
LG Australia kindly loaned the S70TY soundbar to PowerUp for the purpose of this review
