Nathan Rizzuti, dedicated to Gadget Review for over 4 years, specializes in home entertainment technology and purchasing decisions. Outside of work, Nathan finds solace in playing bluegrass. With 50 months of consistent contributions at GadgetReview, Nathan’s expertise lies in navigating the realms of home entertainment technology and aiding purchasing decisions. His insightful articles, such as “Oh Ballers of Pittsburgh, Where Art Thou,” reflect a unique perspective that resonates with readers.
Considering its strong room calibration and customization, the LG SP9YA may be worth the price for those who prioritize personalized audio. But potential interference with 5 GHz networks and poor surround performance may be a dealbreaker for some.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
Released in 2021, the LG SP9YA is a high-end 5.1.2 channel soundbar that boasts an exceptionally nuanced and detailed audio output for both home theater setups and casual living room use.
Similar to the top speakers in the market, it features a high number of customization options with an intuitive UI for easy navigation and supports Dolby Atmos to deliver a wide soundstage.
In addition, it comes with a dedicated subwoofer unit for thumping bass, just like the best-rated soundbars available today. Moreover, it supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay and has a built-in Chromecast module for effortless wireless streaming from both Android and iOS.
Its I/O section consists of a full-speed HDMI passthrough port, an optical audio jack, and a USB port for playing back audio files from a thumb drive. However, if you need even more HDMI passthrough ports to double as an HDMI hub, do check out our LG SP11RA review today.
Consensus
our Verdict
The LG SP9YA soundbar provides low latency for synced audio and video. It also versatile, connecting to all common formats of wireless connectivity.
The bar has good sound quality, with its AI Room Calibration, bass and treble adjustments, and good stereo soundstage, it offers a neutral, balanced sound suitable for music and dialogue-centric content. The touch-sensitive controls are also intuitive, responsive, and easy to use.
However, its surround performance is lackluster, affecting the immersive experience. Users have reported interference issues with 5 GHz wireless networks, which can be a major drawback for those relying on high-speed internet.
While the build quality is impressive, with a durable design, the fabric covering on the subwoofer has raised durability concerns. Additionally, the smartphone app connectivity has been a pain point for some customers.
ReasonS to Buy
AI Room Calibration for neutral, balanced sound
Bass and treble adjustments for personalized audio
Good latency performance for synced audio and video
Impressive stereo soundstage with accurate positioning
Wide range of wireless playback options
Touch-sensitive controls for easy operation
Supports Dolby Atmos and surround content
Impressive build quality with solid construction
Dialog enhancement feature for clear voices
Lots of sound customization features and EQ presets
Reason to Avoid
Poor surround performance isn’t a great immersive experience
Doesn’t get very loud, limiting its volume range
No graphic EQ for fine-tuning audio
May cause interference with 5 GHz wireless networks
Limited lip sync issue
LED screen is always on, potentially distracting
Fabric covering on the subwoofer could be prone to damage
No hardwire option for the subwoofer
Some complaints about wireless subwoofer syncing issues
Smartphone app connectivity issues reported
LG SP9YA Specs
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Depth
5.7"
Dialogue Enhancement Feature
Yes
Energy Star Certified
Yes
HDMI ARC
Yes
Height
2.2"
Subwoofer
Included
Surround Sound Supported
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X
Voice Assistant
No
Wall Mountable
Yes
Weight
13.9 lbs
Width
48.3"
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
Yes
Works With
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Soundbars based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Low End Roll Off (Hz)
35.125
High End Roll Off (Hz)
15,565.829
Max Volume Test (db)
91.8
Latency (ms)
82
THD @ 80dB
0.65
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Released in 2021, the LG SP9YA is a high-end 5.1.2 channel soundbar that boasts an exceptionally nuanced and detailed audio output for both home theater…
Released in 2021, the LG SP9YA is a high-end 5.1.2 channel soundbar that boasts an exceptionally nuanced and detailed audio output for both home theater setups and casual living room use.
Similar to the top speakers in the market, it features a high number of customization options with an intuitive UI for easy navigation and supports Dolby Atmos to deliver a wide soundstage.
In addition, it comes with a dedicated subwoofer unit for thumping bass, just like the best-rated soundbars available today. Moreover, it supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay and has a built-in Chromecast module for effortless wireless streaming from both Android and iOS.
Its I/O section consists of a full-speed HDMI passthrough port, an optical audio jack, and a USB port for playing back audio files from a thumb drive. However, if you need even more HDMI passthrough ports to double as an HDMI hub, do check out our LG SP11RA review today.
The LG SP9YA features a wider 5.1.2 speaker setup that has a much more expansive soundstage than the 3.1.2 channel LG SP8YA soundbar. Unlike the…
The LG SP9YA features a wider 5.1.2 speaker setup that has a much more expansive soundstage than the 3.1.2 channel LG SP8YA soundbar. Unlike the SP9YA soundbar, the SP8YA has to downmix surround sound content down to stereo in order to play it. To find out more about the SP8YA soundbar, make sure to visit our LG SP8YA review today.
Despite featuring a 5.0.2 channel speaker setup, the Sonos Arc soundbar has a slightly better soundstage and Dolby Atmos performance compared to the LG SP9YA….
Despite featuring a 5.0.2 channel speaker setup, the Sonos Arc soundbar has a slightly better soundstage and Dolby Atmos performance compared to the LG SP9YA. The Sonos soundbar can also be upgraded with additional speakers. However, the LG soundbar does have a better bass output, thanks to its dedicated subwoofer unit, and it features audio equalizer presets for better customization.
Featuring a 7.1.2 channel speaker setup, the Samsung HW-Q900A performs a bit better than the LG SP9YA soundbar in regards to the soundstage and Dolby…
Featuring a 7.1.2 channel speaker setup, the Samsung HW-Q900A performs a bit better than the LG SP9YA soundbar in regards to the soundstage and Dolby Atmos. It also has a built-in microphone with native Amazon Alexa support to double as a smart speaker, unlike the SP9YA soundbar. And at 98.3 dB, the Samsung soundbar gets much louder than the LG system (91.8 dB) with fewer compression artifacts at the max volume. However, the LG soundbar does have a much better build quality and supports Chromecast.
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Depth
5.7"
4.7"
4.56"
5.4"
Dialogue Enhancement Feature
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Energy Star Certified
Yes
No
No
No
HDMI ARC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Height
2.2"
2.2"
3.43"
2.7"
Subwoofer
Included
Included
Optional (sold separately)
Included
Surround Sound Supported
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X
Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Digital Surround, DTS-HD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Surround Sound
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X
