The LG SP8YA is a 3.1.2 setup from 2021. It's the next generation of the LG SN8YG, and it comes with more EQ presets and a 2021 LG TV AI Processor that's advertised to sync up the bar with the speakers from compatible LG TVs for a more immersive sound, though we don't test for this feature. Also, its AI Room Calibration feature can automatically adjust audio reproduction based on the unique acoustic characteristics of the room you're listening in. With this feature, it has a bass-heavy sound profile that adds some thump and punch to your audio. It can also support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content.
Our Verdict
The LG SP8YA is very good for mixed usage. With its room correction feature turned on, it offers a bass-heavy sound profile that adds extra thump and punch to your audio, so you feel the rumble in bass-heavy music and action-packed movies. There are also lots of sound customization features available, and it supports Dolby Atmos content. However, it has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it, which doesn't sound very immersive.
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Bass and treble adjustments.
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Gets loud.
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Lots of wireless playback options.
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Downmixes surround into stereo.
The LG SP8YA is great for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. Thanks to its dedicated center channel, it can reproduce clear and accurate dialogue. There's also a dialogue enhancement feature to help make voices clear and crisp and an auto-volume mode to help balance the volume level between different programs. It also offers lots of wireless playback options, so you can stream podcasts and audiobooks from your mobile device to the bar.
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Dialogue enhancement feature.
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Lots of wireless playback options.
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Some distortion at max volume.
The LG SP8YA is great for music. It comes with an AI Room Calibration feature that automatically optimizes audio reproduction based on the space you're listening in. With this feature on, it has a bass-heavy sound profile that adds extra thump and punch to your audio. The rest of the range is still neutral enough to be suitable for lots of different music genres. There are also bass and treble adjustments as well as EQ presets to help you customize its sound.
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Bass and treble adjustments.
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Gets loud.
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No graphic EQ.
The LG SP8YA is good for movies. It gets loud, and its bass-heavy sound profile helps you feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed movie scenes. Thanks to its up-firing speakers, it supports Dolby Atmos content as well as DTS:X content. Unfortunately, it has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it, which doesn't sound very immersive.
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Bass and treble adjustments.
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Gets loud.
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Downmixes surround into stereo.
- Mixed Usage
- Dialogue/TV Shows
- Music
- Movies
- Updated Mar 01, 2023: Added cable lengths to In The Box.
- Updated Mar 01, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. With this update, we've added a Mounting test and added information aboutSubwoofer Output, Spotify Connect, and Microphone Mute.
- Updated Dec 15, 2022: Updated the bar's Stereo Soundstage score from 7.0 to 7.5.
- Updated Dec 22, 2021: Added third-party voice assistant support.
- Updated Aug 04, 2021: Added more information about auto-off and app device casting features.
- Updated May 17, 2021: Review published.
- Updated May 13, 2021: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The LG SP8YA soundbar comes in 'Black', and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version of this soundbar, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Soundbars
The LG SP8YA is a 3.1.2 soundbar that's the newer generation of the LG SN8YG. Unlike its predecessor, it comes with more EQ presets as well as an LG TV AI Processor to help create a more immersive sound with compatible LG TVs, though we don't test for this. It has lots of sound enhancement features, and it also supports Dolby Atmos Music. While it supports Alexa and Google Assistant, you need to purchase a third-party device to operate the voice assistants with the soundbar.
See our recommendations for the best LG soundbars, the best soundbars with a subwoofer, and the best soundbars.
The LG SP8YA and the LG S80QY are both very similar soundbars, and their performances in terms of sound aren't very different. The S80QY is a newer model, and it comes with an additional up-firing center channel that can slightly improve the localization of voices in the soundstage. It isn't noticeable to most listeners, so you don't notice a huge difference between the two bars.
The Sonos Arc is a better soundbar than the LG SP8YA. The Sonos is better-built, with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. However, the LG comes with a Full HDMI In port and a dedicated sub that helps reproduce a more extended low-bass. That said, you can upgrade the Sonos as the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers.
The LG SP9YA is a 5.1.2 soundbar that offers better performance than the 3.1.2 LG SP8YA. The SP9YA is better built, with a better soundstage performance. Also, thanks to its side-firing speakers, it doesn't have to downmix surround content into stereo to play it.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Sonos Beam. The LG comes with a dedicated sub that helps reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also has a better surround performance, more sound enhancement features, and more wireless playback options. Unlike the Sonos, it also supports Dolby Atmos content. That said, the Sonos is better-built, more compact, and offers a better soundstage. Unlike the LG, it also has built-in voice assistant support.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). The LG is a 3.1.2 setup with a subwoofer that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It can also get louder, and it supports more wireless playback options such as Bluetooth. Unlike the Sonos, it also comes with EQ presets. That said, the Sonos is still a solid choice for users who prefer a more compact standalone bar. It's better built, and it offers better soundstage and surround performances despite its smaller size.
The LG SP8YA is a better soundbar than the LG SPD7Y. The SP8YA has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, and it also reproduces a more extended low-bass. It comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction and some features that we don't test for like the LG AI TV Processor. It also supports more wireless playback options than the SPD7Y.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Sony HT-G700. The LG has a better soundstage performance and it supports more wireless playback options. Also, it reproduces a more extended low-bass. It even comes with more sound enhancement features, such as room correction.
The Samsung HW-Q800A is a better soundbar than the LG SP8YA. The Samsung is better-built with a better soundstage performance. It gets louder, though it has more compression at max volume, and it comes with a graphic EQ. However, the LG comes with a room correction feature and Chromecast built-in.
The LG SP8YA is a better soundbar than the LG SN8YG. The SP8YA is the next generation of the SN8YG, and it comes with more EQ presets and supports Apple AirPlay. It also gets louder with less compression at max volume. However, while the SN8YG has built-in Google Assistant, the SP8YA requires a third-party device for its voice assistant support.
The Vizio M Series M512a-H6 is better than the LG SP8YA. The Vizio is a 5.1.2 setup with discrete satellite speakers, so it offers a better surround performance. It also has a better stereo soundstage. That said, the 3.1.2 LG has more wireless playback options as well as a room correction feature.
The Samsung HW-Q800B is better than the LG SP8YA. The Samsung is a 5.1.2 setup, whereas the LG is a 3.1.2 setup. Since the Samsung has two side-firing drivers for surround sound, its performance is more clear and real overall. Its Atmos performance is better, too, so sound effects are more accurately represented.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the LG SP8YA or the Samsung HW-Q700A. The LG has a more extended low-bass out-of-the-box, with more wireless playback options and a room correction feature. However, the Samsung is better built, with a better soundstage performance and a graphic EQ for sound customization.
The LG SP8YA is better than the LG S75Q. The SP8YA is a 3.1.2 setup that reproduces a more extended low-bass, so you feel more thump and rumble in your audio. It comes with more sound enhancement features, like room correction, and it supports more wireless playback options.
The LG SP8YA is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q600A. The LG has a more extended low-bass, and it comes with a room correction feature. It also supports more wireless playback features and has a companion app. However, the Samsung is better-built and comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization.
The LG SP8YA is a better soundbar than the LG SP7Y. The SP8YA is a 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content and comes with a room correction feature. It reproduces a more extended low-bass and offers a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, which some users may prefer. It also supports more wireless playback options. That said, the 5.1 SP7Y has better soundstage and surround performances.
The LG SP8YA is better than the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround. The LG has a better soundstage and more sound enhancement features. It also supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the JBL. That said, the JBL is better-built, and it has a better surrounds performance.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the JBL Bar 9.1 or the LG SP8YA. The JBL is better-suited for movies. It's a 5.1.4 setup with discrete satellites that offers better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. However, the 3.1.2 LG is more customizable. Unlike the JBL, it has a dialogue enhancement mode as well as bass and treble adjustments.
The LG SP8YA is a better soundbar than the LG GX Soundbar. The SP8YA is better-built with a more extended low-bass. It offers room correction and more wireless playback options. Unlike the GX, it doesn't have to downmix Atmos content to play it. However, the GX gets louder, and it has a better soundstage performance.
The Vizio M Series M51ax-J6 is marginally better for mixed usage than the LG SP8YA. The Vizio is a 5.1 setup that comes with discrete satellites, and it offers a better surrounds performance. That said, the 3.1.2 LG is better built with more wireless playback support. It also has a room correction feature, unlike the Vizio.
The LG SP8YA is better than the LG SL10YG for most uses. The SP8YA is a 3.1.2 setup with better soundstage and center channel performances. It also comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction. However, the 5.1.2 SL10YG is a better choice for surround sound.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Sony HT-Z9F. The LG reproduces a more extended low-bass, so you feel more thump and rumble in your audio. It has a better Atmos performance, as well as more sound enhancement features like room correction. That said, the Sony is better built.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the LG SP8YA or the LG SN10YG. The SN10YG is a better built 5.1.2 setup with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. However, the 3.1.2 SP8YA has a better center channel performance, so it's a bit better-suited for dialogue-centric content like TV shows.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the 5.1.2 LG SN9YG or the 3.1.2 LG SP8YA. The SN9YG is better built, and it can play surround content without downmixing it to stereo. However, the SP8YA has more wireless playback options and it can get louder, albeit with more compression at max volume.
The Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers is a bit better than the LG SP8YA. The Sonos is a better-built 5.1.2 setup that comes with discrete satellite speakers. It has better surround, Atmos, and soundstage performances. It doesn't reproduce as much bass as the LG out-of-the-box, but you can easily use its bass and treble adjustments to customize its sound. That said, the LG is still a good choice for dialogue-centric content and music. Unlike the Sonos, it has Bluetooth connectivity.
The LG SP8YA is better than the LG SN6Y. The SP8YA supports Dolby Atmos content, and it offers more wireless playback options. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass. There are more sound enhancement features to choose from, too, including a room correction mode.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the LG SP8YA or the Samsung HW-Q850A. The Samsung is a 5.1.2 setup with discrete satellites that's better built. It also has better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. However, the 3.1.2 LG has a better center channel performance. It also comes with a room correction feature, unlike the Samsung.
The Vizio M Series M51a-H6 is better than the LG SP8YA. The Vizio is a 5.1 setup with discrete satellites, so it offers a better surrounds performance. However, the 3.1.2 LG is better built with more wireless playback options. Unlike the Vizio, it also has room correction.
The Vizio Elevate is better than the LG SP8YA. The Vizio is a better-built 5.1.4 setup that comes with discrete satellites. Thanks to its unique design with rotating sides, it has a better soundstage. It also offers better surround and Atmos performances. However, it doesn't offer as many sound enhancement features as the LG. Also, the LG is still a good choice, especially for users who mostly listen to dialogue-focused content like TV shows.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Samsung HW-Q800T or the LG SP8YA. The Samsung is better built with a graphic EQ for sound customization. However, the LG has more sound enhancement features like room correction and auto-volume, as well as more wireless playback options.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the LG SP8YA. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that has better soundstage and surround performances. It gets louder, and it has built-in voice assistant support. It even comes with more sound enhancement features, such as a graphic EQ.
The LG SP8YA is better than the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 900. The LG has a dedicated sub that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It offers more sound enhancement features, like EQ presets, and it has a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough. The Bose is better built with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. You can also upgrade it with a sub and satellites for better performance.
The LG SP8YA is better than the onn. 42" 5.1. 2. Dolby Atmos Soundbar for most uses. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup with more sound enhancement features, including room correction. It gets louder, and unlike the onn, it has DTS support. Also, its default sound is more neutral than the onn's bass-heavy sound.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module or the LG SP8YA. The Bose is a better built 5.1 setup with discrete satellites. It has better soundstage and surround performances. However, unlike the LG, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content. The LG also comes with some additional sound enhancement features, such as EQ presets and auto-volume mode.
The LG SP8YA is better than the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 700. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content. It comes with a dedicated sub, so it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also offers more sound enhancement features, like EQ presets, and its Full HDMI In port supports high-quality passthrough. That said, the Bose is better built with a better soundstage. You can also upgrade it to the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module for a better performance.
The LG SP8YA is better than the LG SK9Y for most uses. The SP8YA is a 3.1.2 setup that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It offers more sound enhancement features, including room correction, and it supports more audio formats like DTS:X. That said, the 5.1.2 SK9Y is still a good choice for mixed usage. It also has better surround and Atmos performances than the SP8YA.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Yamaha YAS-408. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup that offers a discrete center channel, so voices are more accurately anchored to a pinpoint location in the soundstage. Unlike the Yamaha, it also supports Dolby Atmos content. There are even more sound enhancement features available, including room correction.
The LG SP8YA is better than the LG SL6Y. The SP8YA is a 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the SL6Y. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass and supports more wireless playback options. Also, it has more sound enhancement features, including room correction. The 3.1 SL6Y is still a decent choice, especially for vocal-centric content like TV shows.
While the LG SP8YA and the LG SP11RA are both very premium setups, the SP11RA is marginally better overall. The SP11RA is a 7.1.4 setup with discrete satellites that offers better soundstage and surround performances. It's also better built compared to the 3.1.2 SP8YA.
The LG SP8YA is better for mixed usage than the Klipsch Cinema 600. The LG is a better-built 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content. There are more sound enhancement features available, including room correction. Unlike the Klipsch, it supports DTS content, and it comes with a Full HDMI In port. That said, the 3.1 Klipsch is still a good choice for dialogue-centric content like TV shows.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the LG SP8YA or the LG SN11RG. The SN11RG is a better-built 7.1.4 setup with discrete satellites. It has a better soundstage, and better surround and Atmos performances. That said, the 3.1.2 SP8YA has a better center channel performance. It also supports Apple AirPlay connectivity, unlike the SN11RG.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Yamaha YAS-209. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup that's better built. Unlike the Yamaha, it supports Dolby Atmos content. Also, it has a better center channel performance, and more sound enhancement features, including room correction.
The LG SP8YA is better than the LG S65Q. The SP8YA is a 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the S65Q. It's able to reproduce a more extended low-bass, too, and it has more premium features like room correction.
The LG SP8YA is better than the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup with a dedicated sub that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also has more sound enhancement features, such as dialogue enhancement. That said, the 5.0 JBL is better built with a better surrounds performance.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup with a dedicated subwoofer that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It's better-built, and it has better soundstage, center, surround, and Atmos performances. There are also more sound enhancement features available, including room correction. That said, the Sony is a simple, standalone bar that's still a decent choice for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. It just isn't as versatile as the LG.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module is better than the LG SP8YA. The Bose is a better-built 5.1.2 setup that comes with discrete satellites. It has a better soundstage. It's also a better choice for movies thanks to its Atmos and surround performances. That said, unlike the LG, it doesn't support DTS content. It also lacks a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough.
The LG SP8YA is a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-Q70T. The LG has a more extended low-bass to help you feel the deep thump and rumble in audio. It also comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction and auto-volume, and more wireless playback options. However, the Samsung is better-built and comes with a graphic EQ.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Samsung HW-Q60T. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the Samsung. It has a better center channel performance, and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. There are also more sound enhancement features, including room correction. That said, the 5.1 Samsung is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q950A is better than the LG SP8YA. The Samsung is an 11.1.4 setup with discrete satellites. It has better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. Also, it gets louder with less compression at max volume. That said, it doesn't support Chromecast built-in like the 3.1.2 LG.
The LG SP8YA and the Samsung HW-S800B are both 3.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbars with different strengths and weaknesses. The LG is a bigger bar, and it reproduces more bass. Plus, it has more inputs on hand, like Optical and HDMI In, meaning that it can do video passthrough unlike the Samsung. That said, its soundstage isn't quite as good, and its larger design isn't ideal if you don't have a ton of space in your setup.
The LG SP8YA is a better 3.1.2 soundbar than the LG Eclair QP5. The SP8YA has better center and surround performances. It's also a better pick for Atmos content. It gets louder with a little less compression at max volume. Unlike the Eclair, it has room correction and supports more wireless playback options. Some users may also prefer its more neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box. That said, the Eclair has a more compact design, so it's not too surprising that it struggles to get loud.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Denon Home Sound Bar 550. The LG comes with a dedicated sub and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also gets louder, and it has a better center channel performance. There are more sound enhancement features too, including room correction. That said, some users may prefer the Denon's standalone design. It has a better surrounds performance, too.
The LG SP8YA is better than the Samsung HW-A650. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content. It has a better surrounds performance, and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. However, it isn't as well-built as the Samsung.
Test Results
The LG SP8YA is a simple soundbar with a similar design to the LG SN8YG. It's mostly made of plastic, with metal grilles covering the front of the bar and the up-firing speakers on top of the bar.
The subwoofer is made of plastic. There's fabric covering three sides.
This setup doesn't come with satellites, but you can purchase LG SPK8 rear speakers separately.
The LG SP8YA soundbar is fairly wide, so it likely won't fit between the legs of a 55" TV. However, it isn't very tall, so it shouldn't block your TV screen unless your TV sits flush on your table. For a smaller 3.1.2 setup from LG, check out the LG Eclair QP5.
The sub is about the size of an average desktop computer. It connects wirelessly to the bar, so you have some flexibility in where you place it in your room.
The LG SP8YA soundbar has a good build quality. The bar is mostly made of plastic, which feels solid and durable. The metal grilles help to protect the drivers, too. The sub is also high-quality plastic; however, the fabric covering seems like it could rip or get dirty easily.
- Optical cable (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- 2x power cables (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- Adapter for the soundbar (built-in cable 4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- Mounting brackets with screws
- Remote with battery
- Manual with mounting template
The LG SP8YA soundbar has a great stereo frequency response. It comes with a room correction feature called AI Room Calibration that automatically optimizes audio reproduction based on the room you're listening in. With this feature turned on, it has a bass-heavy sound profile that adds extra thump and punch to your audio, so you feel the rumbles in action-packed movies and bass-heavy music. The rest of the range is fairly balanced, making it suitable for dialogue-centric content like podcasts and TV shows. However, since room correction relies on the acoustic capacities of your room, our results may be unique to our testing room. There are also bass and treble adjustments as well as some EQ presets to help you customize its sound.
We tested this soundbar with several different bass and treble calibration settings, but none of them brought the slope of its stereo frequency response closer to zero. As a result, we recommend its default settings if you prefer a more neutral sound.
The LG SP8YA soundbar has a good stereo soundstage performance. The soundstage is perceived to be a bit wider than the bar itself, but it doesn't have any tricks to make it sound wider than that. The focus is good, too. That means that sound objects, such as instruments in an orchestral recording, seem to come from pinpoint locations in the soundstage.
The LG SP8YA has a great stereo dynamics performance. It gets pretty loud, and there isn't a lot of compression when you play it at max volume. As a result, it's suitable for turning up the volume for parties or listening in large rooms.
The LG SP8YA has a satisfactory THD performance. At normal listening volumes, the amount of distortion falls within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction. At max volume, there's a jump in THD, especially in the bass to mid-range. This may not be noticeable with real-life content, though.
The LG SP8YA soundbar has an amazing center channel performance. This 3.1.2 setup comes with a dedicated center channel, which helps to reproduce dialogue more clearly and accurately in movies and TV shows. Its frequency response is quite balanced, too, especially in the mid-range, so voices are reproduced clearly and with detail.
The LG SP8YA has a poor surrounds performance. It has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it, so sound objects like voices and footsteps aren't as accurately localized in the soundstage. Audio seems like it's coming from in front of you rather than from speakers placed all around you.
The LG SP8YA has a middling Atmos performance. Unlike the LG S65Q, it uses two up-firing speakers on the bar to bounce sound off the ceiling and back down towards you, which gives the illusion of height. However, the localization of objects can sound diffused and not as real as down-firing speakers found with home theater setups.
The LG SP8YA has an incredible selection of sound enhancement features. Unlike the LG SPD7Y, it has the AI Room Calibration feature, which automatically optimizes audio reproduction based on the unique acoustic characteristics of the room you're listening in. If you prefer a different sound, you can customize it using the bass and treble adjustments. There are also some EQ presets: 'Standard', 'Bass Blast', 'AI Sound Pro', 'Cinema', 'Sports', 'Game', 'Clear Voice', and 'Music'. The 'Cinema' preset doubles as a virtual surround feature, which helps to create a more 3D sound. Overall, it comes with more features than other 3.1.2 bars like the LG S75Q.
This soundbar is also advertised to come with some sound enhancement features that we don't test. The manufacturer says it comes with the 2021 LG TV AI Processor, which helps sync up the bar with the speakers on compatible LG TVs to help create a more immersive listening experience. It also supports Dolby Atmos Music, which enhances music on compatible services like Amazon, Tidal, and Blu-ray Music.
The LG SP8YA comes with several inputs. There's a Full HDMI In port, which lets you use the bar as a hub between different devices. However, it lacks an AUX port, so you can't plug in older devices to playback audio.
The LG SP8YA has fantastic audio format support over its HDMI ARC port. It supports Dolby Digital and DTS, which are commonly found on Blu-ray discs and streaming services. Also, it supports lossless surround formats and object-based formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
The LG SP8YA also has incredible audio format support via Full HDMI In. It can play Dolby Digital and DTS content, which are common formats on Blu-rays and streaming platforms.
This soundbar also supports Dolby Digital and DTS via Optical, which is useful if you like watching Blu-ray discs and content from streaming platforms.
The LG SP8YA has a good latency performance. It has fairly low latency via ARC and Optical, so your audio and video are mostly in sync. However, you may notice a bit of a delay when watching content via Full HDMI In. That said, some apps and some TVs compensate for latency differently, so your experience may vary.
This soundbar supports all common wireless playback formats, so you can wirelessly stream audio from your mobile devices to the bar.
The LG SP8YA can passthrough the highest quality bandwidth signals. If you connect the bar to your TV and another device like a PC, text on the screen appears clear and crisp.
The LG SP8YA has a small display screen behind the metal grille. It shows you the input you're on and the volume level. Also, it shows you when you adjust a setting.
On the top middle of the bar, there are several controls. You can power the bar on/off, change the input, adjust the volume, play/pause audio, and set up Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
The remote is fairly simple and lets you control the bar's basic functions. However, it isn't a universal remote, so you can't use it to control your TV.
Update 12/22/2021: Added additional information about third-party voice assistant support.
The LG SP8YA doesn't have built-in voice assistant support. While it supports Google Assistant and Alexa, you need to connect the bar to another device that supports these features, like a Google Home or an Amazon Echo, to get it to work. You just need to set them up on the Google Home or Amazon Alexa apps respectively to use them.