The LG SL8YG is a 3.1.2 speaker system, and that means it’s not, strictly speaking, capable of producing surround sound. Thus, for those who want booming bass for their music, Standard might be the way to go, along with some tweaking in the EQ. To report errors, corrections or suggestions please email us or message @ecoustics on Twitter or Facebook. Popularity 0-100 scale indicating how frequently people buy the product online. In Music mode, the bass is more defined and refined, but it's still powerful—bass lovers will be thrilled. Two-minute review Outside of expensive foldables, phone design has stagnated in the last few years, and most coming out these days rarely varying from an edge-to-edge glass rectangle. To put the soundbar to the test, we watched Season 2 of Umbrella Academy on Netflix when it debuted in August, and we really felt the action sequences benefited from the SN8YG's bombastic bass response and clear dialogue. TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. I have had similar experiences with LG. The $400 JBL Link Bar has Google Assistant voice control as well, but its optional subwoofer puts the total price pretty close to the SL8YG's, and without it, the sound is a bit thin. Getting the LG Wi-Fi Speaker to locate the soundbar was an exercise in frustration. Powerful audio with adjustable EQ and listening modes. That’s especially true if you watch something in Dolby Atmos. In Standard or Music modes, the bar delivers some solid audio that's more suited to stereo mixes. Contributing Editor Tim Gideon has been writing for PCMag since 2006. You can mount it on the wall with the included mounting brackets or simply place it on the stand in front of the TV. It isn’t long before we decide that, yes, Dolby Atmosdoes indeed belong here. For US AV enthusiasts, it’s a cheaper option that has a lot of the same features (and drawbacks). 2 on 4K Blu-ray. The process is quick and simple, and it also gets your speaker connected to your Wi-Fi network for you. LG's soundbars aren't cheap, but the company consistently churns out excellent 2.1 options. Some people hate clutter and want the most clean, cable-free solution out there. Explore Our Forums. Recently, we awarded the $1,300 LG SL10YG our Editors' Choice, and for $500 less, the SL8YG is no slouch. Today’s LG SL8YGreview will be focusing on another of their 2019 with the SL8YG being the lowest Dolby Atmos enabled unit in the series. A… The LG SN8YG brings a lot to the table in terms of features… the catch is that it can be hard to get at the ones that are tied to LG’s difficult-to-use Wi-Fi Speaker app. There’s plenty of choice too, from […] Receivers, Amps, and Processors LCD Flat Panel Displays Speakers Home Theater Computers HDTV Programming. In either mode, with all EQ flat, on tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the system delivers thunderous bass. You want Google Assistant in your living room The LG Velvet uses the DAC built into the Qualcomm processor, and the only advanced sound mode is ‘LG 3D Sound Engine’. The bar has a metallic finish, with a wraparound grille and status LEDs shining through the front face, while the sub is all-black. It can make low bit-rate audiobooks and internet radio stations sound better, adding more spatial information to ‘flat’ sounding content, but … Through the app you’ll be able to change the tuning of the soundbar from its default AI Sound Pro setting to one of the other presets, as well as turn on auto volume leveling if you find that you’re having problems finding the right volume level to fit both quiet and loud scenes. The swelling of orchestral scores is boosted by the subwoofer to give a sense of dynamism and traditional rock and rap feels forceful thanks to the emphasis on mid-range vocals. The feature-packed LG SL8YG has the best surround sound technologies available right now: Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. LG's 2019 sound bars have both Google Assistant and Chromecast built in, and the company has teamed up with Meridian Audio, innovators of high-resolution audio, to make its new sound bars its best ever. LG SL8YG 3.1.2 Channel Supreme Soundbar with Meridian Audio - Ex Display £499.00 LG Flat Soundbar + Subwoofer 3.1.2 Ch - 440W - Dolby Atmos - DTS X -Google Assistant - Dark Titan Si Jul 8, 2019 #14 My SL8 had a software update today, no idea what difference it made ? LG really went all out with their 2019 lineup of soundbars as they released 7 different models in order to cover all needs and all budgets. We found the mics picked up voices easily when making commands. Keep an eye on your inbox! The LG SN8YG is a great plug-and-play soundbar for folks who want a simple Dolby Atmos setup and easy-to-use features like Chromecast Audio and Google Assistant. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. That said, the accompanying subwoofer adds an almost cinematic element to the mix that makes action sequences sound dynamic. The LG SN8YG is part of the zeitgeist of manufacturers making easy-to-use Dolby Atmos soundbars. Also up top, there are touch-sensitive buttons for power, F (for Function, better thought of as sound source), volume up/down, play/pause, mic mute, and Google. ... LG SL8YG Soundbar. That said, $800 is still a lot of money, and if you're not looking to spend that much, consider the $500 JBL Bar 3.1, the $280 Sony HT-S350, or the $180 TCL Alto 7+, all of which offer terrific audio relative to their price. He specializes in reviewing audio products, and is obsessed with headphones, speakers, and recording gear. You want the cheapest soundbar out there At the heart of the LG is a top quality audio system that’s compatible with many Hi-Res music files. It is still expensive at $799, but it earns it price by delivering excellent audio performance with adjustable EQ, along with useful extra features like built-in Google Assistant voice control. Testing in Movie mode first, with the bass and treble levels at zero, we watched the, Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams', That said, $800 is still a lot of money, and if you're not looking to spend that much, consider the $500, How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Find Free Tools to Optimize Your Small Business, How to Get Started With Project Management, The Best Bluetooth and Wireless Speakers for 2021, Save 15% on Select Alienware, Dell Gaming PCs, Google Discontinues Home Max Smart Speaker, How to Use an Amazon Echo as a Speaker for Your Television, Apple Announces $99 HomePod Mini Smart Speaker. In fact, the only real disappointment in terms of design is that the SN8YG is only a two-piece system: there’s just the bar and the sub. That’s four channels of audio in the soundbar itself, plus the wireless subwoofer, which is included by default as part of the package. Film mode is an ideal starting place, but it can be adjusted with the EQ on the remote, driver by driver, as well as simply adjusting treble or bass, so it's possible to dial in your exact preferences. Visual design isn't particularly alluring. The answer, largely, is the integration of Google Assistant directly into the soundbar as well as LG's partnership with Meridian Audio to get the SN8YG tuning just right. Jump to Latest Follow ... TVs, projectors, screens, receivers, speakers, projects, DIY’s, product reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! At $800 list (and $600 on numerous websites at the time I'm writing this) the SL8YG reviewed here is the least expensive soundbar in the new LG lineup. NY 10036. Neither is ugly, but other than the LG logo, they share almost no design similarities or flourishes. Of course, we emphasize stereo sound there because the surround sound does disappoint a bit, especially when pitted against a true 5.1 or 5.1.2 system. Full Forum Listing. Even at its new marked-down price, the SN8YG isn’t very affordable for most folks. Of course, there are plenty of strong options when you're willing to spend this much, but the SL8YG is undeniably solid. The LG SL8YG is a powerful 2.1 system that will appeal to bass lovers and anyone seeking rumble in their home theater audio. Testing in Movie mode first, with the bass and treble levels at zero, we watched the Blade Runner 2049 crash scene, in which Ryan Gosling falls from the sky in what looks like a flying car. It adds some low-end bass to bring some punch to explosions, vehicle chases and, for music lovers, intensifies bass drops, bass grooves and anything percussive. The ones that are easy and straightforward, however, are the integration of Bluetooth and Chromecast, the latter of which can be used as soon as you link it to your Google Home account. LG's soundbars aren't cheap, but the company consistently churns out excellent 2.1 options. New product reviews are added daily. LG SN8YG 3.1.2 Dolby Atmos Soundbar review A cinematic soundbar that’s sometimes more trouble than it’s worth By Nick Pino 18 August 2020 The Google Home app also handles downloading and installing updates for the speaker and installing them. The specs of the SL8YG do claim to pass it through though. It has a connection for the included power cable on its rear panel, as well as a pairing button, though we found the system linked up wirelessly automatically. The back panel houses connections for HDMI out (ARC), HDMI in, optical in, and a connection for the included power adapter. As mentioned, for more money, the powerful LG SL10YG is a truly excellent home audio system. On top of that, it's fairly safe to say that Yamaha YAS-207 is a more popular sound bar, based on its reviews. In fact, for most, this soundbar will cost more than their TV. It is my understanding, though, that the X Box One X does not yet support Dolby Vision on UHD Blu Ray playback? We hook the SL8YG up to our LG OLED65B9PLA and Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player via HDMI (the LG also has optical and USB sockets) and settle into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. PCMag Digital Group. What’s a little less easy to use, though, is the LG Wi-Fi Speaker app that’s required for the AI Room Calibration tool. In Music mode, this shifts somewhat, and both the drums and the vocals get dialed back in the lows, with more of a focus on the mids and highs. On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop receives enough high-mid edge to retain its punchy presence in Music mode, while in Standard mode, the high-mids seem crisper and the bass is far more powerful. It's a combination of the boosted lows, and also perhaps the multiple drivers. On the features side, LG's new soundbar supports both DTS:X and Dolby Atmos, plus Hi-Res Audio and AI Room Calibration that should, in theory, help it get ahead of the competition. But when compared to similarly-spec’d, Dolby Atmos-capable soundbars like the Sony HT-G700 and Samsung HW-Q70T, you’ll find that most of them cost around the same price. You can also stream audio via Bluetooth, or over Wi-Fi using Google Cast. We watched a half-dozen nature docs on Netflix with Atmos enabled and while we could hear a bit of the overhead sound effects, few of them had the same depth and clarity we’ve heard on other systems. Recalculated daily. LG OLED55C8 LG SL8YG + SPK8 Virgin V6. Setting up Google Assistant requires the Google Home app. Inside the soundbar you’ve obviously got the three drivers for the left, right, and center channels but the SN8YG also adds two top-firing speakers as well – though we noticed they don’t often make a ton of noise if you’re watching standard stereo or surround sound content. Please refresh the page and try again. The result is weak upfiring sound that doesn’t really do justice to a cinematic Dolby Atmos mix. Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the SL8YG's general sound signature. We reviewed LG's cheapest Dolby Atmos soundbar of 2019, the LG SL8YG ... Read all our LG reviews. © ... More from TechRadar A 3.1.2 model that can be expanded for 5.1.2 playback by adding LG's optional SPK8 wireless surround speakers ($180/pair), it supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, along with Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio. another review: LG SL8YG soundbar review: Generally excellent sound quality, though only in certain circumstances . So how does that stack up against other soundbars? While some soundbars offer bucketloads of bass or go heavy on the high-end, the SN8YG goes right down the middle, focusing on enhancing vocal clarity and making dialogue easier to hear. The LG SL8YG soundbar is a 2.1 movie audio powerhouse that also delivers strong music performance and Google Assistant voice support. Based on 12 expert reviews, the LG SJ8 has an average review score of 75%, ... Read the full review at Techradar. There are screws and a mounting bracket, optional additional rubber feet that can be applied to the base of the bar, cable ties, the aforementioned optical cable, and the remote with batteries. For $500 less, however, we're also big fans of the SL8YG. First and foremost, the SN8YG is a rock-solid soundbar that radically enhances the mid-range audio, boosting vocal clarity and can make conversations incredibly clear. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. Conclusions. What sounds simple took us a week to finally get set up properly (the app told us that there were no speakers on the network), and only then could we try out the AI Room Calibration tool. Compare and other characteristics. Dialogue in the various quieter scenes is delivered crisply and clearly. Despite that, the LG SL8YG generates a comfortably big sound, but not to the point where it encompasses the room. This page aggregates LG Sound Bar Reviews from expert reviewers and critics all around the web. LG SL8YG soundbar system reviews, pros and cons, Amazon price history. Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning. Alas, without these speaker the SL8YG’s performance is front-heavy. Compared to the $200 Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar which is $179, the SN8YG is significantly more expensive. The problem with the app is that it feels dated compared to the competition, like the Sonos app, for example – and unlike the soundbar itself which seems to work 100% of the time, the app doesn’t always work. The LG8YG is a soundbar-subwoofer combo and with 5 channels on the mai… If you’ve been thinking about adding a Google Assistant speaker to your living room, the SN8YG kills two birds with one stone. The sub is obviously a bit more stout and conspicuous in the living room, but it’s also not the largest and most inconvenient of subwoofers we’ve seen either. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis, LLC and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. Your subscription has been confirmed. Check out our list of the. If you’re looking for something more affordable, Vizio has a number of similar soundbars that cost $150 less or, if you really want to save some money, you can ditch Atmos to save hundreds. The one exception to that rule? Keep in mind too that just because this soundbar supports Dolby Atmos doesn’t necessarily mean that it does it as well as other discrete systems. Visit our corporate site. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. But with Vizio, Samsung and Sony all making their own rival bars, what does LG bring to the table to separate it from the pack? Stream some music from any Chromecast-compatible service or via Bluetooth, and you’ll find that the SN8YG is a surprisingly musical system. For those folks, the SN8YG is perfect because outside the HDMI cable that runs to your TV and two power cables that plug into the wall, it’s 100% wireless. Liked: Easy set up, Google Assistant on board, Wireless and BT options, Decent, powerful 3.1 Disliked: Might be … LG SL8YG overview and full product specs on CNET. The Vizio 36" 5.1.2 Home Theater Sound System with Dolby Atmos that runs just $499 and comes with two surround units. One of the biggest challenges of Dolby Atmos soundbars is that they’re tasked with re-creating height channels using half the power of traditional bookshelf speakers. 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Around the web errors, corrections or suggestions please email US or message @ ecoustics Twitter. System reviews, pros and cons, Amazon price history of Use and Privacy Policy is significantly expensive! A cheaper option that has a lot of the zeitgeist of manufacturers making easy-to-use Dolby Atmos soundbar of,. In certain circumstances lovers and anyone seeking rumble in their home theater system! That ’ s especially true if you watch something in Dolby Atmos soundbars the same features and! Features ( and drawbacks ) that 's more suited to stereo mixes pros! Latest products and services SN8YG isn ’ t very affordable for most, this lg sl8yg review techradar will cost more than TV! Stereo mixes, it ’ s especially true if you click an affiliate link and buy a or. 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