#Lg soundbar with wireless sub drivers
#Lg soundbar with wireless sub upgrade

Even better, the SP9YA supports eARC, an “enhanced” version of ARC that allows for lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio tracks, which typically grace Blu-ray discs. Doing so means you’ll be able to connect as many video sources as your TV’s HDMI inputs will allow, and you’ll also be able to hear audio from your TV’s built-in streaming apps through the soundbar. The other option is to connect your video sources to your TV’s HDMI inputs, and then send audio down to the soundbar’s HDMI-ARC port. The LG SP9YA comes with an HDMI input, an HDMI output that also supports HDMI-ARC and eARC, an optical input, and a USB port that can access a variety of audio file formats, including FLAC files. Instead, it’s better off somewhere behind your TV, preferably not too close to a wall. Meanwhile, the 8.7 x 15.4 x 12.3-inch, 13.9-pound subwoofer is mid-sized as far as wireless subs go, which is to say that it’s not something you could (or would want to) tuck discretely next to your sofa. That said, the soundbar also has a fairly low profile, allowing it to sit below my low-slung set while barely grazing the bottom edge of the screen. Measuring 48 x 2.2 x 5.7 inches (WxHxD), the 13.9-pound SP9YA is quite wide, stretching the entire length of the media cabinet that holds my 55-inch LG C9 OLED TV.

#Lg soundbar with wireless sub drivers

If you have ceiling beams or a vaulted ceiling, upfiring drivers for Atmos or DTS:X won’t cut it in those cases, you might be better off with a soundbar that employs virtualization for height cues. But while upfiring drivers are a common feature of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X-supporting soundbars, they require a certain type of ceiling to function properly-namely, a flat, sound-reflecting ceiling that’s between 7 and 14.5 feet in height. The upfiring drivers supply Dolby Atmos and DTS:X height cues by bouncing sound off your ceiling, an easier and more affordable alternative to height speakers that are actually installed in your ceiling. The LG SP9YA delivers its surround effects via side-firing drivers rather than physical surround speakers. Finally, the wireless subwoofer has a 7-inch driver. On top of the soundbar housing are two up-firing 2.5-inch drivers that deliver height cues for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks.

The left, right, and center channels each get their own oval-shaped woofers (40x100mm) and tweeters (also 40x100mm), which are flanked by circular 2.5-inch side woofers that supply audio for the two surround channels. In any event, the SP9YA features a total of 11 drivers, including 10 in the main soundbar unit.

#Lg soundbar with wireless sub upgrade

Fortunately, you can upgrade the SP9YA using LG’s $180 SPK8-S Wireless Rear Speaker Kit Remove non-product link for a full-on 7.1.2 setup, but LG didn’t supply us with the kit for this review. As we’ll see (and hear) later, these drivers on the side of the soundbar can’t quite compete with separate surround speakers. As I mentioned earlier, LG counts the SP9YA’s pair of side-firing drivers as surround channels, making it a 5.1.2 soundbar rather than a 3.1.2 configuration. LG bills the SP9YA as a 5.1.2-channel soundbar, so it’s a little confusing when you open the box to find only the main soundbar unit and the wireless subwoofer, but no wireless surround speakers.

Click that link to read reviews of competing products, along with a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping. This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best soundbars.