Our Verdict
Decent for mixed usage. Unfortunately, the LG SK9Y has a bright sound profile with a noticeable lack of bass. On the upside, it still has a decent performance for voices and dialogue in movies, but gives a slightly boring sound for music and movies with lots of bass. It also supports Atmos for a more immersive experience with height channels. Unfortunately, its soundstage is fairly narrow and won’t feel as wide as the bar itself.
- Well-built design.
- Lots of connectivity options.
- Disappointing and narrow soundstage.
- Bright sound profile.
- Lacks bass.
- Doesn’t get very loud.
Good for dialog. The LG SK9Y can be used for audio content like audiobooks and podcasts thanks to the accurate reproduction of the mid-range frequencies. However, it doesn’t get very loud but should be loud enough for casual listening. On the upside, you can easily stream content wirelessly via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There’s also a dialogue enhancement feature, which will help make dialogue even clearer.
Decent for music. This soundbar has a bright sound profile that lacks bass that not everybody will like. Unfortunately, its soundstage is fairly narrow and doesn’t sound wide. On the upside, it can get loud for a casual listening session but won’t be ideal for large rooms or parties. At least it performs well at max volume and doesn’t compress. You can also EQ it slightly to your preference and stream content wirelessly from your smart device.
Decent for movies. It doesn’t have a very wide soundstage and surround objects feel diffused, but, on the upside, it supports Atmos for a more immersive experience. The sound profile of this bar lacks bass so it might not be ideal for action-packed movies as some may feel it's a bit boring. On the upside, it performs accurately at high volume, although its maximum volume output isn’t the highest, but it should be fine for most.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 07, 2023: Confirmed in the Voice Assistant Support box that the bar supports Google Assistant through third-party devices.
- Updated Apr 06, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 27, 2019: Review published.
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Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The LG SK9Y is a decent soundbar but has a fairly bright sound profile, which is disappointing considering its price point and the fact it has a dedicated wireless subwoofer. It also seems to be limited when it comes to loudness, as the SK9Y is noticeably quieter than most other high-end soundbars. See our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars with subwoofer.
The Samsung HW-Q60R and the LG SK9Y have similar performance in mixed usage. The Samsung has a much better build quality, better center channel performance, and is more customizable; however, the LG has up-firing speakers to simulate height in Dolby Atmos content, has Chromecast built-in, and has more input selection.
The LG SN9YG is a better overall 5.1.2 soundbar than the LG SK9Y. The SN9YG feels better built, it's able to produce more bass, and it can louder. It has a slightly better center channel and surround performance, and there are also significantly more sound enhancement features. The SN9YG has eARC support as well as DTS:X support over its Full HDMI In port. However, the SK9Y has a significantly better height performance.
The Vizio SB36512-F6 is a better overall soundbar than the LG SK9Y since we haven’t tested the SK9Y with the optional satellites. The Vizio can get louder and has a great stereo frequency response. Its dedicated center channels also perform quite significantly better for dialog, but the Vizio lacks a dialog enhancement feature, which the LG does have. The LG soundbar is also better-built and should perform better with discrete surround speakers. It also has Wi-Fi compatibility and Chromecast built-in.
The LG SK9Y and Samsung HW-Q80R are both 5.1.2 setups, but the Samsung performs better in a variety of uses. The LG doesn't get very loud and it has a bright sound profile lacking bass. However, the Samsung has a more neutral sound profile that can produce deep thump and rumble. On the downside, the Samsung doesn't have as good surround sound performance.
Test Results
