Both TVs share a solid common foundation for audio passthrough: stereo speakers, Dolby Audio, DTS:X, and full HDMI ARC/eARC support, meaning either can cleanly hand off audio to an external soundbar or AV receiver. Where they diverge is in their respective format exclusives. The LG OLED83B5PUA supports Dolby Atmos — the object-based surround format now standard on most streaming platforms and 4K Blu-rays — while the Hisense 85A6Q supports Dolby Digital Plus, an enhanced version of the core Dolby Digital codec used widely in streaming compression.
In practical terms, Dolby Atmos is the more impactful feature for most users today. It enables height and spatial audio cues when content is mixed for it, and it is natively supported by Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and most major streaming services. Dolby Digital Plus, while useful for efficient audio delivery, does not add the same dimensional soundstage. That said, if either TV is paired with an eARC-capable soundbar, the soundbar's own Atmos or DTS:X decoding takes over regardless — so the distinction matters most for users relying purely on the TV's internal processing.
For built-in audio format support, the LG OLED83B5PUA holds the edge by virtue of Dolby Atmos compatibility, which is more relevant to current and future content libraries than Dolby Digital Plus. Users who plan to connect an external audio system via eARC will find both TVs equally capable as a transport, but those leaning on internal decoding will get a more immersive result from the LG.