LG S80QY: problems, parts and running costs
Checked: 2026-10-28
Summary
The LG S80QY commonly suffers from poor surround sound performance because it ships without rear speakers, it doesn’t get as loud as rivals and has no graphic EQ, and a treble dip pushes higher-pitched sounds toward the back of the mix. Running costs are limited to electricity at 99 W typical draw, and it is a good buy around $300-500 if you do not need discrete surround.
Common problems and fixes
- No rear speakers — the system cannot deliver true surround without the optional SPQ8-S kit; RTINGS rates surround performance “poor” and states the bar downmixes Dolby Digital/DTS content to stereo. Add the LG SPQ8-S rear-speaker kit to reach 5.1.3 [3][4]
- No graphic EQ — there is no graphic equalizer; bass and treble are adjusted from the remote and LED display, not in LG’s app, so deeper tone correction is not possible [3][4]
- Treble dip — higher-pitched sounds are nudged toward the back of the mix; TechRadar found a -1 treble cut worked best in their room [4]
- Bulky design — the bar and subwoofer are large; TechRadar describes the subwoofer as “looks like a desktop PC” and lists the bulky design as a reason to avoid it. The bar is 5.3 inches deep, so it protrudes noticeably if wall-mounted under a flush wall-mounted TV [4][2]
Parts and consumables
- SPQ8-S rear-speaker kit (part number SPQ8-S) — about $200 at TechRadar (October 2022); converts the system from 3.1.3 to 5.1.3 surround [4]
- No replaceable parts or consumables reported.
Yearly running cost
Electricity only: 99 W typical consumption (59 W soundbar, 40 W subwoofer) and 0.5 W standby. No filters, pods or subscriptions are needed, and no recurring consumable costs are reported. A dollar figure per year cannot be computed from the available data because no electricity rate is given in the source material.
When it is a good buy
Street prices fell well below the $899 launch price, and TechRadar notes the model “regularly sold at a deep discount from its listed price” (October 2022) [4].
- Around $500-700 (discounted street price, 2022): fair-to-good value, only if you specifically want the up-firing center for dialogue and do not need discrete surround [4]
- Around $300-500 (discounted street price, 2022): good value for a 3.1.3 Atmos system with eARC, a second HDMI input, Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and VRR/ALLM, provided you accept the missing rear speakers [4]
- Below $300 (discounted street price, 2022): strong value for the feature set, with the caveat that it is a discontinued 2022 design with no confirmed long-term reliability data [1][4]