LG QP5 Éclair soundbar review: miniaturization without (too many) concessions – digital technology

In a market as conservative as that of soundbars, populated with products that are renewed annually with very minor changes, it is a real event to see a “really” innovative reference landed. This is what LG is offering us in summer 2021, with the QP5 – nicknamed Éclair – which simply redefines the concept of a “compact” soundbar.

Because the machine is so puny that it could almost be confused, at first glance, with a portable speaker. But make no mistake: its manufacturer begs us to believe that it offers performance worthy of a “full size” soundbar. Its acoustic equipment in 3.1.2 is in any case to match: in addition to its wireless subwoofer, the bar itself is equipped with two dedicated height speakers, oriented towards the ceiling, thanks to which it intends to reproduce the three-dimensionality of Dolby Atmos and DTS: X tracks.

The LG QP5 has been available since August 2021 at the indicative price of € 699.99.

With its 30 cm wide, the QP5 is obviously a model of discretion. These small dimensions aren’t the only ones that allow it to blend very stealthily into most interiors. It also benefits from its minimalist design very worked and successful.

The materials that cover it (acoustic fabric and textured aluminum) are matt, which prevents parasitic reflections when watching a film. This does not mean unfortunately that all visual distractions are avoided: we are a little upset that the control LEDs on the front cannot be switched off during use.

The box, meanwhile, is not the same model of slenderness as the bar it accompanies. 30cm high and 40cm wide, it may even seem a bit out of place when it comes to the identity of the QP5. However, it resumes its design language without any failure, and should still be able to find a place in the living room without too much inelegance.

The connectivity of the QP5 conforms to the union minimum that is expected of a sound bar these days: an HDMI input and output, an optical S / PDIF input, and a Bluetooth interface to complete the whole.

It looks very ordinary, but the QP5 scores points thanks to its full support for the HDMI 2.1 standard. The output is thus eARC compatible, and the audio return channel can therefore be perfectly used to pass Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams – including, of course, in their Dolby Atmos and DTS: X variants. What’s more, the video signal transmission between HDMI input and output works smoothly on Ultra HD 120 Hz signals, including HDR10 or Dolby Vision, and even with Variable Refresh Rate. Something to delight the happy owners of a game console or a latest generation graphics card.

Regarding decoded formats, the bar supports almost all Dolby formats (the only exception being AC4, still very rarely used today), all DTS formats, and LPCM up to 7.1. Difficult to ask for more.

Finally, it should be noted that in Bluetooth the broadcasting latency is around 100 ms. The resulting sound / image mismatch comes close to what we consider at Digital as the realm of the acceptable; but it is still clearly perceptible. We strongly recommend that you reserve this solution for use with a smartphone or tablet, and prefer a wired connection (HDMI eARC or S / PDIF) for connection to the television.

Let’s face it right off the bat: evaluating the sound quality of a product like the QP5 is a tricky exercise. Should we have the severity to consider it as a sound bar like any other? Or should we admit from the outset that miniaturization, which already represents a considerable acoustic challenge on “classic” soundbars, imposes constraints on it, the obviousness of which calls for reconciliation?

To illustrate this dilemma, let us first of all evoke spatialization for once. Given the very small width of the bar, the latter must obviously make use of an artifice to build a soundstage that is not completely cramped. The device in question is very classic: the speakers of the left and right channels are oriented 3/4 towards the sides of the bar, in order to exploit the reflection of sound waves on the side walls of the room. listening to widen the stereophony. The result is surprisingly convincing: the directivity of the loudspeakers is perfectly calibrated to build a soundstage of quite satisfactory width, without any acoustic “hole” being really perceptible. The same applies to height effects (produced by reflections on the ceiling), the elevation of which is transcribed with very convincing clarity.

But the counterpart of this configuration is a serious lack of homogeneity of the scene: the central channel, which radiates directly to the listener without any intermediary, in fact sports tone characteristics very noticeably distinct from the left and right channels. . An object crossing the stage right through will therefore suddenly change its tone in the middle of its journey, then regain its initial tone on its way to the exit.

So the spatialization clearly doesn’t achieve the naturalness, the fade that a good full-size soundbar can produce – and let’s not even talk about a true multichannel setup. Still, there’s no denying the appeal of seeing such a small speaker reproduce Dolby Atmos and DTS: X signals so effectively. Even if, on the other hand, we must completely dispense with extending the surround scene towards the rear – this is a “real” 3.1.2, without any differentiation between the front channels and the side / rear channels – , the spatial immersion provided on compatible content is undeniably superior to that of a simple stereo.

The “pure” audio reproduction quality plays on a similar register, juxtaposing very surprising qualities with inevitable compromises. As for the former, we first note a reserve of power and a rather breathtaking dynamic. The small size of the bar does not prevent it from having a large trunk – while still providing excellent distortion control which only barely exceeds the percent threshold in a few places, which we consider to be the low threshold. ‘audible. The wealth of detail carved into the rendering is quite commendable.

On the other hand, the neutrality is somewhat lacking in the machine. By default, the reproduction is far too sparse in high frequencies. It is necessary to go to the tone parameters, available via the mobile application, and to push the treble control fully to find a little balance – it is in this configuration that all the measurements were taken. accompanying this test. But even then, there remains a very clear energy deficit in the upper mids. The ear gets used to it over time, but we all the same deplore a noticeable lack of presence of sound, and tone of voice which can at times take a somewhat disembodied turn.

As for the bass, they are slightly marred by the lack of fluidity of the crossover between the bar and the box – which is materialized on the measurement by the small hollow at 200 Hz. The extension provided by the box is not the most spectacular either, and will not satisfy lovers of shaky walls . These two criticisms being expressed, the subwoofer nevertheless does its job honestly, without any bad resonance, and with perfectly adequate responsiveness, if nothing better. It is however better, for its own good, to avoid pushing too much on the volume, under penalty of hearing it be guilty of some very unsightly clipping when it is requested. Fortunately, the problem should be very rare: given the really mind-blowing power reserve of the bar, it is doubtful that many of its owners will exceed even 50% of the maximum volume in normal use.