It was around this time last year that I reviewed LG’s SL8YG, a 3.1.2 soundbar equipped with upfiring 2.5-inch drivers and both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X processing. What was notable about that model, as well as other soundbars to arrive from LG in 2019, was the company’s effort to go upscale via a sleek new design and custom processing from England’s Meridian Audio. The new SN8YG reviewed here continues that upward trajectory, mostly through the addition of a few key features.
Design-wise, the SN8YG has a similar look to last year’s model. The soundbar’s 2.2-inch height allows for placement in front of a TV without worry about intruding on the screen’s bottom, and its curved edges and aluminum mesh wraparound provide a welcome respite from the blocky, insubstantial look of some other bars. A sizeable alphanumeric LED display indicates active input, volume level, and audio processing mode among other status info. LG’s wireless subwoofer has a 7-inch driver and mirrors the soundbar’s look. It’s also compact enough that it can be easily tucked away out of sight.
New features found on the SN8YG include an HDMI output with eARC for routing uncompressed high-res and Atmos soundtracks back from a compatible TV, AI Room Calibration to customize the sound to your room, and AI Sound Pro processing to adjust sound for specific content. The bar’s 4K HDMI pass-through also supports HDCP 2.3 content protection—the latest version—along with Dolby Vision. Carryover features include Bluetooth and Chromecast built-in for wireless audio streaming, playback support for up to 24-bit/96kHz high-res audio files (from an attached USB drive), and Google Assistant.
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The Big Clean
Chances are you probably do not think about the state of your electronic devices too often. Oh, you might think about all the upgrades you would like to make; where you would put those new tower speakers, or how a second or third subwoofer would really tame those bass modes in your room, or how much more cinematic a larger screen would be. Sure, you think about that part of your system. But how often do you think about the well-being of your system?
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