LG’s 2026 TVs and soundbars get the Dolby Atmos FlexConnect treatment | Daily Reports Online
- LG will launch its Sound Suite Dolby Atmos FlexConnect speakers at CES
- Options include the H7 soundbar, M7 and M7 speakers, and W7 subwoofer
- The H7 is the first FlexConnect soundbar and it can be used with any TV
The system performs a quick and easy calibration step, and presto – you’ve got immersive Atmos sound, and you didn’t have to reconfigure your furniture, run wires, or buy special accessories. That’s the theory, at least.
LG H7 soundbar and M7 and M5 wireless speakers
LG isn’t the first company to launch a FlexConnect system. That mantle is owned by TCL, which debuted its TCL Z100 Dolby Atmos FlexConnect speakers and subwoofer earlier this year. However, where TCL’s Z100 speakers are only compatible with its 2025 and newer mini-LED TVs, LG gives you more options.
LG’s FlexConnect speakers can connect to compatible LG TVs, but its new FlexConnect-enabled soundbar, the LG H7, will work with any TV. The H7 is a 20-driver beast with four built-in woofers, eight passive bass radiators, and three dedicated up-firing units.
Whether you go with an LG TV or the H7 as your Dolby Atmos FlexConnect hub (or “lead device”), you can choose between two models of wireless FlexConnect speakers to go with it: the M5, a mono speaker with a front-firing tweeter/woofer combo and an up-firing driver for Atmos height channel effects, or the larger M7, a stereo unit with two full-range drivers, a woofer, and an up-firing driver.
LG’s FlexConnect W7 subwoofer can be used with any of these arrangements. It produces the deepest bass of any LG subwoofer (down to 25.9Hz, according to the company) via an 8-inch driver, and can be mounted horizontally or vertically.
LG’s Dolby Atmos FlexConnect system is also more versatile than TCL’s in terms of the maximum number of speakers. TCL’s mini-LED TVs can only support a total of four Z100 FlexConnect speakers, including the Z100-SW subwoofer. LG, by contrast, can handle four speakers plus a sub, for a total of five wireless units. Depending on the model and number of speakers, an LG FlexConnect system can deliver up to a staggering 13.1.7 channels.
As I mentioned above, automatic room calibration is standard for Dolby Atmos FlexConnect systems, but LG has taken things a little further with its Sound Follow feature. Using the LG ThinQ app, it can tailor the room tuning to your specific seating location.
LG’s premium 2026 TVs will arrive with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect capability, but owners of 2025 LG OLED C- and G-Series TVs will also get the technology via a planned firmware update.
LG Sound Suite: a more flexible FlexConnect option?
I had a chance to hear TCL’s Z100-based Dolby Atmos FlexConnect system back in August. I enjoyed the level of movie immersion it offered through just three satellite speakers and a subwoofer, but I was especially impressed by its ability to render Dolby Atmos Music.
So, should we have high hopes for LG Sound Suite? Given that LG has far more experience than TCL in creating Dolby Atmos home theater sound systems (LG’s flagship Atmos soundbar systems, such as the LG S95TR, routinely end up among our most recommended), I suspect LG’s FlexConnect implementation will perform just as well, and possibly better than an equivalent TCL setup.
Where LG will have an advantage is its soundbar-based FlexConnect systems. LG’s H7 soundbar could prove to be a new top pick, especially when it’s decked out with four M7 speakers and a W7 sub. Of course, none of this will be cheap.
TCL’s Z100 speakers sell for $400 USD apiece, and judging by their specs, the M5 may be priced lower than that, but the M7 could be higher. I wouldn’t be surprised if the ultimate 13.1.7 package (one H7, four M7, one W7) ended up close to $3,000 (around £2,250 / AU$4,500).
The best soundbars for all budgets
