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LG SN10YG Soundbar Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Reviewed Oct 19, 2020 at 09:00 am
Latest change: Test bench update Mar 26, 2021 at 01:47 pm
LG SN10YG Picture
8.0
Mixed Usage
8.2
Dialogue/TV Shows
8.1
Music
7.7
Movies

The LG SN10YG is a 5.1.2 channel setup with Google Assistant built-in. It has a bass-heavy but otherwise neutral sound profile suitable for a variety of content. Thanks to its full array of physical inputs and wireless connectivity options, it's easy to use this bar as a hub between a few devices. However, its surround and height performances are just alright. There's also some distortion present at max volume. That said, this setup still offers versatile overall performance, and has several sound enhancement features such as room correction and EQ presets available.

Our Verdict

8.0 Mixed Usage

The LG SN10YG is good for mixed use. It has a bass-heavy sound profile that can bring out sound effects in action movies or the thumpy bassline in hip-hop tracks. It offers several sound enhancement features including EQ presets, dialogue enhancement, and room correction so that you can tweak its sound to your liking. It can also get loud with few thumping and compression artifacts. It supports Atmos, although both its height and surround performances are just alright overall.

Pros
  • Supports Atmos and DTS content.
  • EQ presets available.
  • Has room correction feature.
Cons
  • Distortion present at max volume.
8.2 Dialogue/TV Shows

The LG SN10YG is decent for dialogue and TV shows. Although it has a bass-heavy sound profile, its mid and treble ranges are both quite neutral. It also has a dedicated center channel that can help reproduce clear and accurate dialogue. If you want more control over your audio experience, there's a dialogue enhancement feature as well as an auto-volume/night mode available. However, the dialogue enhancement feature only works with DTS-enabled content. You can also stream to the bar via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Chromecast built-in.

Pros
  • Has dialogue enhancement and auto-volume feature.
Cons
  • Distortion present at max volume.
8.1 Music

The LG SN10YG is very good for music. This soundbar has a thumpy and boomy sound profile that's well-suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop. If you prefer a bit less bass, there's a few EQ presets available to help tweak your audio to your liking. This bar can get loud, but there are minimal thumping and compression artifacts at max volume.

Pros
  • EQ presets available.
  • Has room correction feature.
Cons
  • Distortion present at max volume.
7.7 Movies

The LG SN10YG is good for movies. It has a bass-heavy sound profile that can help bring out the intensity of sound effects in action flicks, and it supports Atmos content, although its surround experience falls a bit short since it doesn't have satellites. Still, it offers quite a few sound enhancement features if you like to customize your audio experience. It can also get loud without too much compression.

Pros
  • Supports Atmos and DTS content.
  • EQ presets available.
  • Has room correction feature.
Cons
  • Distortion present at max volume.
  • 8.0 Mixed Usage
  • 8.2 Dialogue/TV Shows
  • 8.1 Music
  • 7.7 Movies
  1. Updated Mar 26, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
  2. Updated Oct 19, 2020: Review published.
  3. Updated Oct 05, 2020: Early access published.
  4. Updated Sep 30, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  5. Updated Sep 25, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  6. Updated Sep 19, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The LG SN10YG comes in one color variant: Black. You can see the label for the model we tested here. If you come across any other variants of this soundbar, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.

Compared To Other Soundbars

The LG SN10YG is a 5.1.2 setup from 2020. It offers a thumpy, boomy sound profile that's well-suited for movies or music as well as a variety of sound enhancement features if you prefer to tweak your audio. Like many soundbars in LG's 2020 lineup, it has Google Assistant built-in. However, unlike the LG SN9YG, which is a similarly performing 5.1.2 setup from 2020, it has two Full HDMI In ports. Check out our recommendations for the best soundbars 5.1, the best soundbars for music, and the best soundbars for movies.

LG SN9YG

The LG SN9YG and the LG SN10YG are both 5.1.2 setups with similar performances but are priced very differently. While both are similarly well-built and have the same sound enhancement features, the SN9YG is a bit shorter in length. It also performs better for vocal-centric content like TV shows. However, the SN10YG has the edge for music and movies. Its height performance is significantly better, and it offers two Full HDMI In ports.

LG SP9YA

The LG SP9YA is a slightly better soundbar than the LG SN10YG. The SP9YA offers a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, which some users may prefer over the SN10YG's more bass-heavy sound. Also, the SP9YA supports Apple AirPlay connectivity. That said, the SN10YG offers better surround and Atmos performances.

Sonos Arc

The LG SN10YG is a better soundbar than the standalone Sonos Arc. The LG has a wireless subwoofer, which helps it reproduce a thumpy, boomy bass. It offers more sound enhancement features like EQ presets and has a larger variety of physical inputs. However, the Sonos offers a better height and surround performance.

LG SN11RG

The LG SN11RG is slightly better than the LG SN10YG for mixed usage. Both soundbars perform quite similarly overall, but the SN11RG is a 7.1.4 setup that comes with discrete satellite speakers and offers a better surrounds performance compared to the 5.1.2 SN10YG.

LG SN8YG

The LG SN10YG is a bit better for mixed usage than the LG SN8YG. The SN10YG is better built. It has a better stereo soundstage and a better surround performance since it doesn't have to downmix surround content into stereo to play it like the SN8YG.

Sony HT-A7000

The LG SN10YG is better than the standalone Sony HT-A7000. The LG is a 5.1.2 setup with a dedicated sub included. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass, and it gets louder. Also, its Atmos performance is better. That said, the 7.1.2 Sony is better built. You can also upgrade it with a dedicated sub and satellites that are sold separately.

Bose Smart Soundbar 900

The LG SN10YG is better than the Bose Smart Soundbar 900. The LG is a 5.1.2 setup with a dedicated sub included. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass and has more sound enhancement features like EQ presets. Unlike the Bose, it has DTS support and a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough. The 5.1.2 Bose is better built with better soundstage and surround performances. You can also upgrade it with a sub and satellites sold separately.

Samsung HW-Q950T

The Samsung HW-Q950T is better than the LG SN10YG. The Samsung is a 9.1.4 setup that comes with discrete satellites which help create a better surround performance. It also gets louder, and it comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization. That said, the LG is better-built, and it has a room correction feature and Chromecast built-in support.

JBL Bar 9.1

The JBL Bar 9.1 is a better soundbar for most uses than the LG SN10YG. The JBL has a better-balanced sound profile suitable for a variety of audio content. It uses unique detachable satellite speakers, and it has a significantly better surround performance. You can even wirelessly stream audio to it using Apple AirPlay. However, the LG offers more sound enhancement features as well as two Full HDMI In ports.

Sony HT-G700

The LG SN10YG is better than the Sony HT-G700. The LG is a better-built soundbar that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It has a better soundstage performance, and it's also better for surround sound thanks to its dedicated surround channels. There are more sound enhancement features, too, including room correction.

LG SK10Y

The LG SN10YG is better than the LG SK10Y. The SN10YG has a better soundstage, and it reproduces a more extended low-bass. It also comes with a room correction feature, unlike the SK10Y. That said, only the SK10Y has built-in voice assistant support.

LG SP11RA

The LG SP11RA is slightly better for mixed usage than the LG SN10YG. The SP11RA is a 7.1.4 setup with a better surrounds performance. It also supports Apple AirPlay, unlike the SN10YG. That said, only the SN10YG has built-in voice assistant support, whereas you need to buy a third party device to use voice assistants with the SP11RA.

LG SL10YG

The LG SN10YG is overall a better 5.1.2 setup than the LG SL10YG. While both soundbars are similarly well-built, the SN10YG offers a significantly better center, surround, and height performance. It also has a room correction feature, and it supports eARC. However, the SL10YG can get louder with less pumping and compression artifacts.

Sony HT-Z9F

The LG SN10YG is better than the Sony HT-Z9F. The LG reproduces a more extended low-bass. It has better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. Unlike the Sony, it has room correction and built-in voice assistant support.

Samsung HW-Q900A

The Samsung HW-Q900A is a better soundbar than the LG SN10YG. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that gets louder and offers a better surround performance. It also comes with a graphic EQ so you can customize its sound. However, the 5.1.2 LG is better-built.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

The LG SN10YG is more versatile than the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). The LG is a 5.1.2 setup with a dedicated subwoofer that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction, and a Full HDMI In port for video passthrough. However, the Sonos is still a really good option if you want a small, standalone bar. Its soundstage and surround performances are better than the LG.

Samsung HW-Q950A

The Samsung HW-Q950A is better than the LG SN10YG. The Samsung is an 11.1.4 setup that comes with discrete satellite speakers. It gets louder, and it has better center, surround, and Atmos performances. It even comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization, unlike the LG. However, the LG is better built.

Samsung HW-Q850A

Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the LG SN10YG or the Samsung HW-Q850A. The Samsung comes with discrete satellite speakers that offer a better surrounds performance. It also has a graphic EQ for sound customization, and it gets louder, though with more compression at max volume. However, some listeners may prefer the LG's bass-heavy sound profile out-of-the-box and its room correction feature.

Samsung HW-Q600A

The LG SN10YG is better than the Samsung HW-Q600A. The LG is a 5.1.2 setup with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. Unlike the Samsung, it has room correction and built-in voice assistant support. It also offers more wireless playback options. That said, some users may prefer the Samsung's graphic EQ for sound customization.

Samsung HW-Q700A

The LG SN10YG is better for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-Q700A. The LG is a 5.1.2 setup with a better surrounds performance. It reproduces a more extended low-bass, and it has built-in voice assistant support. It also comes with a room correction feature. That said, only the 3.1.2 Samsung has a graphic EQ for sound customization.

Samsung HW-Q800A

The Samsung HW-Q800A is a bit better for mixed usage than the LG SN10YG. The Samsung has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, which some users may prefer over the LG's bass-heavy default sound. Unlike the LG, it comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization, and it has a better center channel performance. That said, only the LG comes with a room correction feature.

JBL Bar 5.1 Surround

The LG SN10YG is better than the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround. The LG supports Dolby Atmos content and has built-in voice assistant capabilities, unlike the JBL. It also has a better stereo soundstage and more sound enhancement features, such as dialogue enhancement. However, the JBL has a better surrounds performance.

Samsung HW-Q80R

The Samsung HW-Q80R is a better 5.1.2 setup overall than the LG SN10YG. The Samsung has a better-balanced sound profile, and it has a graphic EQ so that you can really tweak its sound. It can get much louder, which is well-suited for house parties or crowded rooms, and it offers a better center and height performance too. However, the LG has a room correction as well as an auto-volume feature. It also has a better surround performance, and you can wirelessly stream your favorite audio to the bar using Chromecast built-in too.

Sony HT-ST5000

The LG SN10YG is a bit better for mixed usage than the Sony HT-ST5000. The LG is a 5.1.2 setup that comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction as well as bass and treble adjustments. It also has built-in voice assistant support, unlike the Sony. That said, the Sony is better-built.

Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers

The Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers and the LG SN10YG are both 5.1.2 setups with different strengths. The Sonos is better-built, and it comes with two satellites to help give your audio a more immersive feel. It can get loud enough for a house party or crowded room, and its surround performance is significantly better. However, the LG has a few EQ presets if you like to tweak its sound profile, and it offers more connectivity options, both physical and wireless.

Samsung HW-Q800T

The LG SN10YG is slightly better for mixed usage than the Samsung HW-Q800T. The LG is a 5.1.2 setup that has better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. It also comes with a room correction feature and more wireless playback support. That said, the Samsung has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, which some listeners may prefer. It also comes with a graphic EQ, unlike the LG.

Samsung HW-Q900T

Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Samsung HW-Q900T or the LG SN10YG. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that gets louder and offers more sound customization features like a graphic EQ and presets. That said, the 5.1.2 LG is better built with better surround and Atmos performances. It also comes with a room correction feature and more wireless playback options.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style - Bar

The LG SN10YG Soundbar has a sleek black plastic look. It has two round metal grilles on the top of the bar to protect its up-firing speakers. There's also a metal grille that runs along the front and sides of the speakers.

Design
Style - Subwoofer

The subwoofer is made of hard plastic. Fabric covers three of its sides, but it can rip or collect dust. Its port is found on its back side.

Design
Style - Satellites

The LG SN10YG 5.1.2 doesn't have satellites. If you want a soundbar with satellites, check out the Samsung HW-Q850A.

Design
Dimensions - Bar
Width 56.8" (144.2 cm)
Height 2.5" (6.3 cm)
Depth 5.8" (14.7 cm)

The LG SN10YG is very long and most likely won't fit in between the legs of a 55" TV. However, it's quite low in height, so it shouldn't block your view of the TV unless the screen sits flush to the table.

Design
Dimensions - Subwoofer
Width 8.7" (22.1 cm)
Height 15.4" (39.1 cm)
Depth 12.3" (31.2 cm)

The subwoofer is about the size of an average desktop PC. It connects to the bar wirelessly, so you can place it anywhere you like, as long as it's connected to a power source.

Design
Dimensions - Satellites
Width N/A
Height N/A
Depth N/A

There are no satellites in this setup.

Design
Back - Bar
Bar Mounting
Universal (holes on underside)

The LG SN10YG has one opening on the left-hand side for its inputs. The power cable connects towards the middle-right of the bar. There are also universal holes located on its underside if you want to wall-mount this soundbar.

Design
Back - Subwoofer
Enclosure
Ported

The back of the subwoofer contains its port. The power cable connects above the port while the pairing button is located a bit further up, towards the top center.

Design
Back - Satellites
Mounting
No

There are no satellites in this setup.

8.0
Design
Build Quality

The LG SN10YG has a great build quality. It's made of good quality plastic. It has two round metal grilles to protect its up-firing speakers and a long metal grille to protect the front face and sides of the bar. The subwoofer is made of plastic, but it has a fabric wrap to protect its speakers which can get dirty or rip.

Design
In The Box
HDMI Cable Length
N/A
Digital Optical Cable Length
1.5 m (4.9 ft)

  • Manual
  • Optical cable
  • Remote and batteries (2x AAA)
  • Power cable for subwoofer
  • Wall-mounting plates with two screws

Sound
8.2
Sound
Stereo Frequency Response
Tested Preset
Standard
Slope
-0.81
Std. Err.
3.62 dB
Channels
5.1.2
Low-Frequency Extension
28.3 Hz
High-Frequency Extension
19.9 kHz

The LG SN10YG has a good stereo frequency response. Its bass is well-extended, so you can feel the thump and boom of sound effects in your favorite action flicks. The rest of the response is very neutral sounding, which makes this bar well-suited for a variety of audio content. However, some may find the bass a little too boomy. If you like to tweak its sound profile, there are several EQ presets available.

8.3
Sound
Stereo Frequency Response With Preliminary Calibration
Suggested Preset
Standard
Suggested Bass Setting
-4
Suggested Treble Setting
2
Slope
-0.37
Std. Err.
2.72 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
29.1 Hz
High-Frequency Extension
19.6 kHz
7.5
Sound
Stereo Soundstage
Crosstalk Error
2.17 dB

This soundbar has a good stereo soundstage. The soundstage is about the size of the bar itself, which is somewhat wide. It has really good focus, though, so objects are perceived as coming from accurate pinpoint locations, rather than general areas.

7.8
Sound
Stereo Dynamics
SPL @ Max Volume
91.8 dB SPL
DRC @ Max Volume
1.30 dB

The LG SN10YG has good stereo dynamics. It can get decently loud and it performs well at max volume, as there aren't many pumping or compression artifacts present.

6.7
Sound
Stereo Total Harmonic Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80dB
0.81
Weighted THD @ Max Volume
3.47

The LG SN10YG has an alright THD performance. There's a bit of distortion, particularly in the bass-range at a normal listening volume. However, when pushed to its max volume, there's a big jump in THD, particularly in the bass range. This may not be so audible with real-life content, though.

7.9
Sound
Center
Localization
Discrete
Slope
0.19
Std. Err.
3.73 dB
SPL @ Max Volume
88.5 dB SPL
Weighted THD @ 80dB
1.13
Weighted THD @ Max Volume
5.93

The LG SN10YG has an excellent center channel performance. Since it has a dedicated center speaker, it can reproduce clearer and more accurate dialogue in movies. It also has a fairly neutral sound profile, which further helps out vocal-centric content.

5.1
Sound
Surround 5.1
Localization
Phantom (Side Firing, Bar)
Slope
0.09
Std. Err.
6.29 dB
SPL @ Max Volume
91.6 dB SPL
Weighted THD @ 80dB
1.02
Weighted THD @ Max Volume
3.16
7.1 Rears
No

The LG SN10YG has a mediocre surround performance. The bar uses side-firing speakers to bounce sound off of your walls to give you the impression of a wide surround sound. However, this setup doesn't provide the most accurate and clear representation of surround objects in the soundstage, and it won't feel as real as discrete surround found with home theater speakers.

6.0
Sound
Height (Atmos)
Localization
Phantom (Up Firing, Bar)
Slope
-0.23
Std. Err.
4.64 dB
SPL @ Max Volume
87.9 dB SPL
Weighted THD @ 80dB
0.41
Weighted THD @ Max Volume
1.40

The LG SN10YG has a fair height performance. It uses its up-firing speakers to bounce sound off of your ceiling and walls to help give you the impression of height. However, the localization of objects is diffused, and it doesn't sound as real as discrete localization provided by down-firing speakers.

9.8
Sound
Sound Enhancement Features
Room Correction
Yes
Dialogue Enhancement
Yes
Auto-Volume/Night Mode
Yes
Subwoofer Level Adjustment
Yes
Bass Adjustment
Yes
Treble Adjustment
Yes
EQ
Presets
Surround Level Adjustment
Yes
Rear Level Adjustment
Yes
Height Level Adjustment
Yes
Virtual Surround
Yes

The LG SN10YG has fantastic connectivity features. It has a room correction feature, which helps to improve its sound based on your room's acoustics. There are a few EQ presets available if you prefer to customize its sound: 'AI Sound Pro', 'Bass Blast', 'Standard', 'Movie', and 'Music'. There's also a dialogue enhancement feature called 'Dialogue Control', which works with DTS-enabled content to help reproduce clear voices with less background noise.

Connectivity
Connectivity
Physical Inputs - Bar
Optical Audio In
1
HDMI ARC
1 (shared)
HDMI Out
1 (shared)
Full HDMI In
2
Analog Audio In 3.5mm (Aux)
No
RCA In
No
USB for Files
1
Ethernet
No

This soundbar has a wide selection of physical inputs, and you can even use it as a hub between your TV and your devices. However, it doesn't have an AUX input, so you can't directly connect older devices to the bar. On the upside, it does have a USB port, which is handy if you have music stored on a thumb drive or external drive.

10
Connectivity
Audio Format Support - ARC
eARC
Yes
Dolby Atmos
Yes
Dolby Digital
Yes
Dolby Digital Plus
Yes
DTS
Yes
DTS:X (eARC only)
Yes
Dolby TrueHD (eARC only)
Yes
DTS-HD MA (eARC only)
Yes
5.1 PCM (eARC only)
Yes

The LG SN10YG has outstanding audio format support via its ARC port. It supports Dolby Atmos as well as eARC, which allows you to play advanced object-based surround signals as well as high-quality lossless formats.

10
Connectivity
Audio Format Support - Full HDMI In
Dolby Atmos
Yes
DTS:X
Yes
Dolby Digital
Yes
Dolby Digital Plus
Yes
DTS
Yes
Dolby TrueHD
Yes
DTS-HD MA
Yes
5.1 PCM
Yes

This soundbar has fantastic audio format support via its Full HDMI In port. It can play all common surround and object-based formats, which are found in content from streaming services as well as Blu-ray discs, for an immersive experience.

10
Connectivity
Audio Format Support - Optical
Dolby Digital
Yes
DTS
Yes

The LG SN10YG supports Dolby Digital and DTS formats via Optical In, which are usually found on streaming platforms or Blu-ray discs.

7.1
Connectivity
Latency
ARC
86 ms
Optical
92 ms
Full HDMI In
77 ms
9.0
Connectivity
Wireless Playback
Bluetooth
Yes
Wi-Fi
Yes
Chromecast built-in
Yes
Apple AirPlay
No

The LG SN10YG has outstanding wireless playback options. You can easily stream your favorite albums via Wi-Fi or Chromecast built-in. If you prefer to use Bluetooth, it's available only after updating it through Google Home via Wi-Fi.

Connectivity
Other Input Specifications
4k @ 60 Hz Passthrough
Yes
4k @ 60 Hz @ 10 bit Passthrough
Yes
4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4 Passthrough
Yes
HDR10 Passthrough
Yes

When used as a hub between your PC and TV, the LG SN10YG can pass through the highest quality signals, resulting in clear and crisp text on your TV.

Connectivity
Connectivity - Subwoofer
Sub Wireless
Yes

The subwoofer connects wirelessly to the bar, so it only has a power cable.

Connectivity
Connectivity - Satellites
Sat Wireless
No

There are no satellites in the LG SN10YG's setup.

Additional Features
Additional Features
Interface
Display
Yes

The interface is located behind the metal grille towards the right-hand side of the bar. It displays your current input as well as your volume level.

Additional Features
Bar Controls

There are touch-sensitive buttons located on the top of the bar. You can turn the bar on/off, select the input, adjust the volume level, play/pause, mic mute, and control Google Assistant.

Additional Features
Remote
Universal Remote
No

The LG SN10YG's remote is fairly small and straightforward. You can control all of the bar's functions using the remote. However, you can't use it as a universal remote.

Additional Features
Voice Assistants Support
Amazon Alexa
No
Google Assistant
Yes (Built-in)
Apple Siri
No
Additional Features
App
App Name LG Wi-Fi Speaker
iOS Yes
Android Yes
Acts As A Remote
Yes
Controls Soundbar's Settings
All
Casts Device Files
Yes

The LG Wi-Fi Speaker app allows you to control most of the same features or settings found on the remote. However, you can only adjust bass and treble from the remote. That said, you can cast audio files using the app.

Additional Features
Other Features
Power Saving
Standby
HDMI CEC (TV Remote Control)
Yes

This soundbar enters standby when inactive for 15 minutes. Thanks to its HDMI ARC connection, you can also use your TV remote to control some basic functions of the bar.