Our verdict
The LG SQM1 is a small soundbar for people whose TV speakers make dialogue hard to follow. It is about 65cm wide, 8cm high and 10cm deep and weighs about 2kg, according to Stiftung Warentest's listing, so it fits under most TVs. Our recorded specification gives 40W of power and two speakers. It connects to the TV by an optical digital cable, and it also has Bluetooth playback and a night mode, which reduces loud peaks for late viewing. There is no HDMI connection and no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, and there is no separate subwoofer, so bass is limited. At £49.99 on 1 August 2026 it is a modest upgrade for a small budget.
Buy it if
- Your TV has an optical output and dialogue is the main problem
- You have a small room or shelf and need a compact bar
- You have a very small budget near £49.99
Skip it if
- Your TV only has HDMI ARC and no optical output
- You want Atmos, deep bass or a subwoofer
- You want one remote for TV volume and power via HDMI
How it would fit your home
Clearer news and dramas
Two speakers and 40W push speech forward, so dialogue is easier to follow at a lower volume.
Late-night viewing
Night mode helps keep sudden loud sounds from waking others, which suits shared homes.
Music from a phone
Bluetooth playback lets you play music from a phone, though sound is best suited to background listening.
The details, in plain English
Sound and power
Our recorded specification lists 40W of power and two speakers, so this is a stereo bar rather than a surround system. That is enough to lift TV speech above typical built-in speakers and fill a small room. LG lists adaptive sound in our specification, which adjusts output to the content. There is no separate subwoofer, so expect limited bass. The bar aims for clear speech, not cinema impact.
Connections
Stiftung Warentest lists an optical digital input, Bluetooth playback, one analogue audio input and a USB port that it describes as for service only. It lists no HDMI. Optical is a single digital audio cable from the TV to the bar. With no HDMI, check that your TV has an optical output before you buy.
Size and fit
Stiftung Warentest gives the bar as 8cm high, 65cm wide and 10cm deep, weighing 2kg. That is compact and should fit on most TV stands and shelves, though measure your own before buying. On a very large TV it may look small.
Formats and modes
Stiftung Warentest lists a night mode and no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. Atmos is a format that adds height and movement to sound, so films that use it will play in standard surround or stereo. For a bar aimed at clearer speech, that limit matters less. Night mode reduces the gap between loud effects and quiet speech, which helps in flats and shared homes.
Strengths and drawbacks
What it does well
- Optical digital input: connects to most TVs with a single cable
- 40W and two speakers: a clear step up in speech volume from typical thin TV speakers
- Bluetooth playback: stream music from a phone or tablet
- Night mode to keep loud scenes and quiet dialogue closer in volume
- Compact at about 65cm wide, 8cm high, 10cm deep and 2kg
What to watch out for
- No HDMI connection, so no HDMI ARC control from the TV remote
- No Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support
- With no separate subwoofer or rear speakers, bass and surround are limited
- Marketing channel counts and virtual effects do not guarantee clear dialogue
At £49.99 the SQM1 competes with other very small budget soundbars. Compare connections first, since this model has optical but no HDMI, and check whether a rival includes a subwoofer.
Alternatives we have reviewed
| Product | Our verdict | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 LG SQM1 (this one) | A cheap, compact way to make TV speech clearer, provided your TV has an optical output and you do not need HDMI, surround sound or deep bass. | £49.99Standard retail package, Price recorded 1 Aug 2026 | Check price |
 Hisense HS2100 | A cheap way to add bass and clearer TV sound, provided your TV can connect by HDMI or optical and you do not expect true surround sound. | £81Standard retail package, Price recorded 1 Aug 2026 | Check price |
 Hisense HS3100 | A practical low-cost step up from thin TV speakers if you have room and a spare socket for the included wireless subwoofer. | £95Standard retail package, Price recorded 20 Sept 2026 | Check price |
 LG US40T | A sensible budget step up from TV speakers if you want a wireless subwoofer for fuller films and do not need Dolby Atmos or Wi-Fi. | £159Standard retail package, Price recorded 1 Aug 2026 | Check price |
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Where our findings come from
Research-based review: we did not test this soundbar. Size, connections and modes come from Stiftung Warentest's listing, and the power, speaker count and adaptive audio come from our recorded specification. LG UK's product information was used to confirm the model.