LG SP9YA 5.1.2 Ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer (2021)

This was a massive upgrade from a 2.1 system for me, the center channel makes a world of a difference in terms of being able to hear dialogue with the way show audio is mixed these days. I got this on a massive deal for $499, so that was the only reason I purchased this one (SP9YA) over the newer model (S90QY). The unit itself is almost as wide as a 65" TV which is nice for a more uniform look in my setup. I have this mounted to an articulating TV mount under my LG TV, so the up-firing speakers are half-obstructed, but thats a sacrifice I was willing to make for the ability to have a fully turning TV setup.The setup out of the box was fine, the app setup however was a bit problematic to get to connect. When it finally did, I was able to calibrate the system which tuned it to my room. The app is handy, though I don't see myself opening it too frequently. The remote is adequate and has access to the necessary functions. I have it set up with eARC on my TV so I'm just using the TV remote instead of the soundbar remote. I'm using a 3ft Monoprice 8K HDMI 2.1 cable, which JUST reaches my TV eARC and soundbar inputs. I purchased an ISO-200SUB subwoofer isolator to reduce vibrations through shared walls/floors and that also tightened the sound up as well. The display on the soundbar is ALWAYS on. If that bothers you, cover it with tape. Too bad LG can't push out an update to dim after X seconds, or turn off entirely via the app. I don't know if they fixed it in the newer version either.Bluetooth works as expected, make sure to set your soundbar up to only be discoverable when on your wifi network. If you have many neighbors this will help reduce unwanted connectivity blasting their music of choice.The one MAJOR flaw is when the soundbar is on, it will tank your WiFi speeds due to the 5Ghz connection between bar and subwoofer. I have a gigabit connection and regularly pull 600Mbps down via WiFi with the bar off, and between 1/3 and 1/2 that when the bar is on. It's not a huge deal, but just something to consider if you have a lower bandwidth plan. Hardwiring is of course, unaffected.Overall happy with my purchase, I saved a few hundred bucks over the latest model and it sounds great in my living room.

This LG soundbar was a cinch to hook up to my LG oled TV, and the sound is awesome. This replaces a seven-speaker surround-sound set up, and I think the side-facing surround speakers on the soundbar recreate the surround effect nicely. Listening in Cinema mode engages the up-firing drivers, useful for Atmos and other Spatial Audio applications. Overall, the soundbar has performed reliably, though occasionally it fails to auto-start on TV startup. Minor quibble. Toggling off and back on usually solves the problem.

I don't personally have a lot of basis for comparing the SP9YA with its competition, but I've paid money for audio equipment before and IMO this unit is a good value. After testing it with some of my favorite music, I was really impressed by its balanced and detailed sound. I bought it for watching movies and TV, not listening to music, but now that I've heard what it can do I'll definitely be using it for both. It gets plenty loud, too. The included subwoofer is a substantial piece of equipment, with plenty of power to match the output of the bar even in loud, rumbly scenes. As a pair, they feel refined and complete.The surround performance may be more of a mixed bag. I'm often amazed by what modern audio systems can accomplish with cleverly arranged drivers and processing algorithms, but that's not really the case here. As somebody who isn't really a home theater aficionado, I don't know how the competition stacks up, but I can say that (while playing real Dolby Atmos content, verified on the bar's display) at no point has this system convinced my brain that something was directly to my right or left, let alone behind me or all around me. That's not to say it doesn't convey a good sense of space, but if you want "real" surround you'll probably want to buy the rear speakers or a different product altogether.I knew this about it based on reading reviews before I bought it. Surround performance isn't high on my list of priorities, but YMMV.---The only problem is the display, which faces directly out (toward the listener, presumably) and cannot be turned off. It will always display the audio source name, and my wife is never going to get tired of asking me what "E-ARC" is.It's not a large display, and it does dim after a few moments, but for some people it will be very distracting while watching movies and TV, especially in the dark. That it can't be turned off completely is just mindbogglingly stupid, an almost unbelievable misstep for what's otherwise a very competent product. I would give it five stars if not for this issue.There are, of course, solutions. But—again—it simply shouldn't be an issue in the first place.---Connectivity is good. I have it paired with an LG C2 and an Apple TV, and it happily powers on and off with the others and plays the correct audio formats reliably. Note that you'll want to connect it to your TV (or receiver, or whatever) with an HDMI cable rather than the included optical cable if you want Atmos support. I've also used it via Bluetooth, which worked as I'd expect. I haven't messed with the wifi/app stuff, because I've had no reason to. I expect it's a mess, but that's par for the course.Some others have reported the wireless connection between the bar and the subwoofer causing wifi interference. This is not the case for me: my living room is serviced by a cheap wifi 5 (802.11nac) access point sitting directly between the bar and the sub, and I've had zero issues with interference. Make of that what you will.Overall, I'm very satisfied with this soundbar.

Just downsized our house from a full blown 9:2 surround system to (OMG) a soundbar in the living room. As an audiophile I thought this would be terrible, not so. Given I had to give up a 9:2 system worth over $10K, this is just fine as we really listen more in our bedroom than the living room now. We got the surround add on's and I'm still playing with it. My friends love the sound but I'm an audio geek and while it's not that, it's smaller for this house and is just fine imho (as in the wife likes it better than the big PSB speakers that are still waiting in the garage for a home).