LG SL8YG soundbar review: Generally excellent sound quality, though only in certain circumstances

LG’s SL8YG soundbar fulfills the goal of delivering better sound than what your TV’s puny audio system puts out, and it goes one step further, offering Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound from a single speaker and a wireless subwoofer. Once it’s set up properly—and you’re sitting in the right spot—it sounds really good. It has other limitations, however, that are surprising at its price point.

Features

The LG SL8YG soundbar measures 41.7 x 2.2 x 4.7 inches (WxHxD) and weighs in at a hefty 9.7 pounds. You can mount it on the wall with the included mounting brackets or simply place it on the stand in front of the TV. The sub is relatively compact at 8.7 x 15.4 x 12.3 inches (WxHxD) with a weight of 17.2 pounds. The sub connects to the soundbar wirelessly using a dedicated 5GHz protocol, so it can be easily placed anywhere in the room. Of course, both units must be plugged into an AC power outlet.

As I mentioned at the outset, the SL8YG offers Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio, which reproduces sounds coming from various directions, including overhead. Atmos and DTS:X can utilize many configurations of speakers around and above the listener; in this case, there are three front channels and two overhead channels. Including the subwoofer, this is known as a 3.1.2 configuration (three front channels, one subwoofer channel, two overhead channels). The overhead channels rely on speaker drivers aimed at the ceiling, which reflects the sound back down to the listener. Of course, the ceiling must be flat and reflective for this to be effective.

LG

A total of eight drivers are housed in the sealed soundbar enclosure. Each of the three front channels are reproduced by a 0.8-inch silk-dome tweeter and a 1.6 x 3.9-inch woofer, while two 2.5-inch, upward-facing drivers reproduce the overhead…