The LG SN9YG is a well-built 5.1.2 setup from 2020. Thanks to its wireless subwoofer, this soundbar has a bass-heavy but slightly boxy sound profile. It's still suitable for most audio content, and if you prefer a different sound profile, it has an outstanding amount of sound enhancement features to help tweak and customize it to your liking. Room correction is only available via the companion app, though. That said, it can get quite loud, and it supports Atmos content as well. It also has a wide array of physical inputs and wireless connectivity options, so it's easy to play your favorite content from the bar. You can even use it as a hub between your TV and another device like a gaming console. On the downside, there's distortion at max volume, but luckily, this can be hard to hear with real-life content.
Our Verdict
The LG SN9YG is good for mixed use. Its bass-heavy sound profile is well-suited for action films and there are also several other EQ presets available to better suit your audio content if you prefer. While it has a poor height performance, it supports Atmos, and it gets loud enough for a large or crowded room. If you're using it for TV shows, it can reproduce dialogue clearly, and there are other features like room correction and dialogue enhancement available.
- Can get loud with few thumping or compression artifacts.
- Supports Atmos for an immersive experience.
- EQ presets available.
- Has room correction feature.
- Distortion at max volume.
The LG SN9YG is good for dialogue and TV shows. It has a balanced sound, particularly in the mid-range, which makes it well-suited for reproducing vocal-centric content like podcasts. There's a dialogue enhancement feature as well as an auto-volume feature available that can help to further improve your vocal content experience. If you like to stream audiobooks from your phone, this soundbar supports several different kinds of wireless playback, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
- Several wireless connectivity options available.
- Has room correction feature.
- Dialogue enhancement feature only available on DTS-enabled content.
The LG SN9YG is very good for music. It has a bass-heavy and boxy sound profile but if you don't like it, there are four other EQ presets available, which can help you get the best sound out of your audio. The bar can also get loud enough for a large room or a crowded environment like a house party. There's even a room correction feature, but it's only available via its companion app.
- Can get loud with few thumping or compression artifacts.
- EQ presets available.
- Has room correction feature.
- Distortion at max volume.
The LG SN9YG is good for movies. This soundbar has a slightly bass-heavy sound profile that helps to bring out the excitement from explosion-packed action movies, and it can get loud enough to fill a large or crowded room. Although it supports Atmos, its height performance is poor. Luckily, this soundbar has an outstanding amount of customization features, which is nice.
- Can get loud with few thumping or compression artifacts.
- Supports Atmos for an immersive experience.
- EQ presets available.
- Has room correction feature.
- Distortion at max volume.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 24, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 21, 2020: The Dynamics tests have been reconducted due to a value input bug.
- Updated Aug 14, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Aug 11, 2020: Early access published.
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Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The LG SN9YG soundbar is a 5.1.2 channel setup from 2020. Although it has a bass-heavy sound profile that some users may find boxy, it offers a wide array of sound enhancement features to customize its sound. When compared to the 2019 LG SL10YG, this soundbar has eARC support and it has an improved center, surround, and height performance. It's also a close rival of the Vizio SB36512-F6 as it can support DTS:X over an HDMI In connection. If you're looking for more soundbars, check out the best soundbars 5.1, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars for movies.
The LG SP9YA is the upgraded version of the LG SN9YG, and it has a better overall performance. The SP9YA has a better soundstage performance, and it gets louder. It also comes with more features, including more EQ presets and an LG TV AI Processor advertised to create a more immersive sound with compatible LG TVs. It supports Apple AirPlay too. That said, some users may prefer the SN9YG's built-in voice assistant support, while the SP9YA requires a third-party device to use the voice assistant.
The LG SN9YG is a better soundbar than the standalone Sonos Arc. The LG has a dedicated subwoofer reproducing a more extended low-bass. It also has EQ presets, a Full HDMI In port, and wireless playback options. However, the Sonos offers better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. You can also upgrade it to the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers for better performance.
The LG SN9YG is better 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 has less compression at max volume, and more sound enhancement features are available. However, the Sonos is still a solid choice for listeners who want a small, standalone setup. It's better built with better soundstage, center, and surround performances.
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.
Test Results
