Not every living room has enough space for a large speaker system. That's why LG's soundbar is only 58 mm high and 1.2 m wide, weighing a good 6 kg. This offers the flexibility to place the soundbar either on a TV stand (for which it stands on three rubberized strips) or to mount it directly under the TV with the wall bracket.
The streamlined soundbar is made from a combination of plastic and metal, which creates an attractive look. The front and sides are enclosed by a metal grille, which was also used for the top drivers.
The subwoofer, in turn, stands on four rubberized feet. It also has an anthracite-colored plastic surface, while the front, back, and sides have a black fabric grille. The pairing button, located on the back, can be operated with a pointed object.
5.1.2 System
LG has installed a total of seven drivers in the SJ9 Soundbar. Two of them are on the sides; they are responsible for the surround channels. Another three drivers are located in the middle behind the fine-mesh grille and are therefore to be understood as front and center channels. The last two drivers are on top of the device, as they are responsible for overhead effects and direct their sound waves towards the ceiling. The whole thing is rounded off with the wireless subwoofer, which handles the low-frequency signals. This is the recipe for the SJ9's precise sound reproduction!
Of course, the film experience should also be of the best quality, which is why 4K passthrough has been integrated. This is, so to speak, the ideal combination of sound and image!
Subwoofer
The rather square subwoofer and the slim soundbar connect wirelessly automatically as soon as the devices are switched on. So, you only have to worry about the power supply for both.
The 160 mm woofer ensures sufficient dynamics and depth. There is a Sound Effect button on the remote control, which allows various presets to be called up, and the night function noticeably dampens the bass level.
Operation
As already mentioned, the soundbar comes with a remote control. In many cases, the basic functions can even be controlled with the existing TV remote control. In addition, there is a free Music Flow Player app for many smart devices. It masters the most important functions such as sound mode and volume, and also allows the combination of different streaming products, which means that multi-room systems can also be set up.
The classic operating elements such as On/Off, WLAN, +/- are located on the back of the soundbar as push buttons, but can also be easily operated from the front thanks to the logos placed on the top.
Audio features and sound
First of all, it should be mentioned that the soundbar supports WAV, FLAC and ALAC audio files up to 96 kHz/24-bit. However, an automatic scaling function is also integrated to optimize audio signals from sources with lower resolution.
Another function is Adaptive Sound Control. This ensures clearer dialogues and boosts the bass when action content is played back. This is achieved by real-time analysis of the current playback, during which the sound is adjusted. In addition, the SJ9 features LG Auto Sound to ensure optimal sound at any volume. This clearly shows that sound quality plays an extremely important role in the SJ9.
The LG SJ9 reproduces emphasis, spaciousness, and dynamics. It delivers convincing sound regardless of whether music is fed from a smart device or a film is played via the TV. And, of course, the advantages of Dolby Atmos quickly become apparent: In the correct listening position, the 3D sound effect is remarkable.
Connections
The soundbar can be connected to the network via cable using the Ethernet slot. However, since Wi-Fi is also integrated, this option is also available. Using the Wi-Fi connection is recommended because it enables access to the multimedia package. The Google Home app on a smartphone or tablet can be used to connect to the SJ9, thus providing the Chromecast Audio software. This includes playing music tracks, podcasts, and radio stations. In addition, access to Spotify, Google Play Music, Deezer, and TuneIn is also guaranteed. Bonus: The SJ9 has Bluetooth integration, which allows direct playback from compatible smart devices. This also benefits the Auto Music Play function: The SJ9 recognizes devices that have already been paired and automatically starts music playback.
The soundbar has one HDMI input and one HDMI output, both equipped with HDMI 2.0 including HDCP 2.2. The Audio Return Channel and the single-cable connection to the TV also run through these. Of course, the audio signal is also transmitted in this way. Ultra HD signals with HDR are received and looped through to the TV without loss.
In addition to the optical digital connection, analog signals from iOS and Android devices can be fed in via the 3.5 mm cinch input.
Conclusion
To bring an acoustic cinema feeling into your own four walls, the elegant combination of soundbar and wireless subwoofer LG SJ9 is ideal. The tasteful design and high technical standard of the duo ensure that the devices offer great potential in both auditory and visual areas to enjoy films, series and, of course, music with great pleasure.
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