Whether you have just taken it out of the box or it has been ol’ reliable you have noticed it has now disappointed you.
LG sound bars are not cheap ranging from 100 dollars to thousands of dollars, so naturally, you expect the thing to work.
Fortunately, most of the reasons the LG soundbar would cut out are fixable yourself.
So, before you call this helpless object a series of obscenities and take to percussive maintenance consider following alone while troubleshooting these reasons why your LG soundbar may be cutting out.
Why Does my LG Sound Bar Keep Cutting Out?
There are many reasons why your LG soundbar is cutting out or not working entirely, varying from mechanical to technical issues.
The issue could be the smallest wiring fix all the way to a fundamental flaw with your soundbar.
It is vital to start small and work your way to more complex problems. Doing this will save you from the “oh, I’m an idiot” moment when you lunge to the most complicated conclusion when actually your cat loosened a wire.
Loose or Old Cables
If you have already made sure the soundbar is even on or plugged in, a loos wire cable could be the culprit.
Most people are not interested in proper cable management, so the back of your television probably looks like a nonsensical pit of snakes.
One possibility is that a cable got loosened and is not entirely plugged into the soundbar or the television.
Check that you have a solid connection. Make sure every cable is where it should be. If you are unsure where exactly the wires should be inserted, search the model of your LG soundbar + manual and you will find clear instructions.
Also, check the integrity of the cables that you are using. The wires that come with LG soundbars are good quality, but they may have been bent or frayed in the shameful mess of cords that we all tuck behind our entertainment systems.
If you are using old wires, inherited from an older soundbar or cords you found in your TV stand when you bought it off the Facebook marketplace, upgrade to new ones.
This is the least you can check before moving on to see what is causing the soundbar to keep cutting out.
Bluetooth Overload
If you primarily connect your soundbar by cable then skip this step.
If you connect your soundbar using Bluetooth, there could be anoverload of Bluetooth traffic in your space. Similar to when you try to make a phone call or send a text in a crowded area, and the result is spotty. Your living room could be experiencing a similar issue.
Seemingly every device connects through the magic of Bluetooth these days from speakers to lightbulbs, so your connection to the soundbar specifically is competing with all the others. This can cause a weaker connection and the result is the soundbar will keep cutting out.
Try connecting your soundbar to the gizmo-known cable. See if this stops it from cutting out.
Incorrect Output Settings
The reason the soundbar keeps cutting out could be the output settings on your TV. It is possible that, for whatever reason, the output settings on your TV got changed or that when you first set up the soundbar you are playing the sound through a suboptimal setting.
One headache involved with combining the soundbar and the television is that every TV is different, so there is no one way to describe how to toggle your settings. In general, going to the menu and going to any icon related to sound/speakers and playing with output settings is a decent start.
If the LG soundbar is not working at all, make sure to turn off your TV’s audio output.
If the LG soundbar is cutting out, toggle your digital output settings. A quick technical lesson in digital audio output will help make this clear. Essentially, in the settings, there will be two options, auto, and PCM.
PCM stands for “pulse-code modulation” and it is an uncompressed, interpretation of audio. It is optimal if you play audio out of the speakers of your TV which may have been the case before you moved to a soundbar.
In general, you do not want to use PCM if you are using a soundbar. PCM works best for outputs of less than two channels like TV speakers. LG soundbars are all more than 2 channels, commonly 2.1 or 5.1 channels. So, make sure your digital output setting is set to “auto”.
Basically, ensure that the settings on your TV are optimal for your soundbar.
Always be sure to restart your system after making changes to the settings.
Update your Firmware and Software
Gone are the days of simply plugging in a device and it just works until it does not. Seemingly every electronic needs to download some software before it does what it was born to do.
The LG soundbar is no exception. Software updates help maintain quality, update features and provide security patches. We have traded instant convenience for quality at the expense of a twenty-minute inconvenience.
If your LG soundbar is not operating on updated software, the speaker is susceptible to bugs. Each model is different, so try each method if you do not know which is best for your soundbar.
First, start with a simple software update on the LG soundbar app that you can control through your phone. Make sure you are using the most up-to-date update of the app.
If you are using the soundbar as part of a home theater system, like one connected with an LG TV, then check for updates through the menu
Open the menu and go to settings
In settings, scroll down and click “software”
Click “update”
Your system should let you know if you need to update and if it is up to date, skip to the next method
If you see that you need to update, follow the prompts and allow some time to download the update file
Restart your system and check if that fixed the issue
If none of the above has worked, you will need to update the firmware manually. Updating the firmware on the soundbar will require some more effort, but will give you optimal performance.
In general, this is how you update your firmware. You need a USB stick, completely wiped, and the LG sound bar remote.
Search for the Software/Firmware updates and the model number on your computer
Turn on the soundbar and follow the prompts in the menu
Full disclosure, each model of the soundbar is different. There is an incredible vastness of models of the LG soundbar and each year gets more sophisticated.
While there are plenty of universal methods, not all models follow the same rules. Some LG soundbars are connected to the internet, so they can perform updates automatically.
You need to research your specific model to pinpoint the precise update method.
Mechanical Issue
Sometimes stuff just breaks. Your soundbar may have taken a fall without your knowledge or had some beer poured on it during a Super Bowl party. Assess the device for physical damage like a dent or crack.
A soundbar older than 6 years is liable to wear down naturally. A soundbar that cuts out despite ensuring the aforementioned is not the problem is a sign that it is giving out and needs to be fixed or replaced.
If it is an internal, technical issue then the soundbar should be handled by an expert.
Wrapping Up
If none of the above has resolved the issue then it is up to you to weigh the options between getting it assessed by a tech expert and possibly buying a new soundbar outright.
My name is Anita Jones, and my home cinema setup is my pride and joy.
I have created Cinema Equip to walk you through everything you need to know about making your own home cinema. From audio to picture quality, setup to troubleshooting, I have you covered.
So, what are you waiting for? Dive into my website and start planning for your very own cinema room!
