Once you buy an OLED, there's no going back; we've been recommending the LG OLED as the "best TV to buy" every year until Samsung finally catches up in 2021 with the QN 90A Neo QLED.

As an owner of a 2019 LG OLED C9, I continue to be in awe of its vibrant colors and deep jet blacks. There really is no comparison when switching from LCD TVs. Well, except for the latest mini LED TVs. Unfortunately, my LG OLED C9 has one major drawback, and that is Dolby Atmos audio.

For some reason, using Dolby Atmos on some devices (in my case, the Xbox Series X console) causes a significant delay in the audio. In games, lip-sync can feel off by a second or two, which can be jarring. Unfortunately, there is no way to reduce the audio delay in the settings, either on the TV, soundbar, or Xbox itself.

A Google search reveals several users complaining about this issue on Reddit and forum threads. The problem seems to be mainly limited to LG OLED TVs, regardless of year, including the latest LG C1 OLED. The problem also seems to be most noticeable on the Xbox Series X, although delays are also present on the PS5, 4K Blu-ray players, and streaming apps. However, it is not a significant problem.

"Other than that, I love the TV, but it's a common problem with LG OLEDs and it's crazy to see it on a $1500+ TV," said user fracas in a Resetera forum thread.

This is a sentiment I share, as do many others who have saved money for LG OLEDs. One solution to minimize the audio lag is to change the digital audio output from auto to pass-through, or to turn off Atmos altogether and go to 5.1 uncompressed. Of course, the power that Dolby Atmos brings, especially the Dolby Atmos 3D audio experience, is discussed in detail in the "Dolby Atmos Explained" article. switching from eARC to analog output via optical cable is another option, but has significant drawbacks in sound quality.

The only solution I have found was in a Reddit thread two years ago. It requires a lot of specific tinkering between the TV's internal speaker settings and the Dolby Atmos settings. Nevertheless, the delay is still present, just not as noticeable.

For the Xbox Series X, one AV Forums user noted that switching the audio format from Dolby Atmos to DTS in the Xbox's settings can solve this annoying latency problem. The problem is that you lose the 120 Hz and variable refresh rate, which was the point of purchasing the LG OLED in the first place.

Reddit user CoopaClown suggested purchasing a Thenaudio eARC Audio Processor for $228. But that's a big ask for a customer who spends more than $2,000 for a TV and audio setup.

And that's the problem: With little communication from LG itself, users are left to fend for themselves with half-baked solutions. Unlike other brands, LG does not have a well-maintained community forum where customers can ask questions while LG technicians provide solutions, in contrast to Samsung, which has a large community forum with over 12 million members and 24,000 threads.

Tom's Guide has contacted LG about this issue, but has not yet received a response. We will update this article as soon as we receive a response.

Until a reply is received, users will have to continue tinkering with settings or take more drastic measures. In another AV forum thread, user BennyNL has finally reached his limit. I have tried everything possible and searched the internet for hours. Nothing helps."