LG SQC4R: problems, parts and running costs
Checked: 2026-10-29
Summary
The SQC4R is a discontinued 4.1-channel LG soundbar with a wireless subwoofer and wireless rear speakers, LG MSRP $399.00, one-year parts-and-labor warranty. The documented limitations are the buying risk: no HDMI input or output, an unresolved Bluetooth version conflict (4.0 on LG’s page versus 5.3 in the shared manual), no published amplifier power or measured performance, and no independent test data. It is a defensible buy only well below the $399.00 manufacturer list price, and only for a buyer who does not need HDMI or verified sound quality.
Common problems and fixes
- No HDMI input or output — the quick-start sheet shows the bar connected to the TV by optical cable, with external devices connected to the TV over HDMI, so there is no HDMI ARC or eARC pass-through on the bar. Workaround: run audio over optical or the 3.5 mm input; buyers who need HDMI pass-through should choose a different model. Warranty does not add HDMI. [1][4]
- Bluetooth version stated two ways — LG’s product page states Bluetooth 4.0, while the shared owner’s manual’s general Bluetooth section states Bluetooth 5.3. The manual also covers SPQ4-S and S67S3-S, so the 5.3 line may describe a sibling model. Treat 4.0 as the SQC4R figure until confirmed, and verify before buying if Bluetooth version matters for your phone or TV. [1][3]
- Discontinued and out of stock on LG’s site — LG lists the model as discontinued and out of stock at a $399.00 MSRP, and no replacement-parts channel or service path beyond the standard warranty was confirmed. Plan on no manufacturer support after the one-year warranty. [1]
- No published amplifier power or measured performance — no wattage, frequency response, maximum SPL or THD is published anywhere in the product page or manual, so output and bass extension cannot be compared with other models. [1][3]
- No independent test of this model — RTINGS does not list the SQC4R among the 256 soundbars it has tested, and searches of Wirecutter, Tom’s Guide, CNET and PCMag returned general best-soundbar roundups with no SQC4R coverage. There is no measurement of dialogue, bass or surround processing for it. [5]
- Dimension discrepancy between page and manual — the sound bar width is 25.9 in on the product page versus 26.0 in (660.0 mm) in the manual, and the subwoofer is 7.3 x 11.9 x 8.1 in on the page versus 6.8 x 11.9 x 8.0 in (171.8 x 301.0 x 204.0 mm) in the manual. Use the manual’s millimetre figures for cabinet planning. [1][3]
Parts and consumables
- No filters, pods or subscriptions — audio runs over optical, analog, USB or Bluetooth, and nothing recurring is documented, so there is nothing to buy to keep it working beyond the hardware itself. [1]
- No documented replacement parts — no service-parts catalogue or extended-warranty option for the SQC4R was found, and parts availability for a discontinued model is uncertain. [1][2]
Yearly running cost
Not enough data. No filter, pod or subscription is documented, and no wattage is published, so electricity cannot be estimated. The only potentially recurring hardware is the external AC adapter, whose price and availability are unconfirmed.
When it is a good buy
No non-manufacturer store price was verified in this pass, so there is no price threshold from another store to quote; LG’s $399.00 figure is a manufacturer list price for a discontinued, out-of-stock model, not a selling price. The published feature set (4.1 channels, wireless rear kit, Dolby Digital, adjustable sub and rear levels, auto power features) is typical of mid-tier LG soundbars of the period, and whether that price was competitive against better-tested contemporaries cannot be resolved from the sources read.
- Well below $399.00 — defensible only if you accept the undocumented performance and the one-year warranty, and do not need HDMI.
- $399.00 or above — not defensible, because the same money buys a model with published power, a confirmed Bluetooth version and an independent test.
Named alternatives from the sources:
- SPQ4-S or S67S3-S — sibling models covered by the same owner’s manual; the better choice if the manual’s Bluetooth 5.3 line applies to them rather than to the SQC4R, or if you want a model still documented in that manual. [3]