LG SJ9, analysis and test of this soundbar with Dolby Atmos

The LG SJ9 is a high-end sound bar that is characterized by being compatible with Dolby Atmos sound . This soundbar has no less than 5.1.2 channels and first-rate sound. In addition, the large subwoofer that accompanies it allows us to boost the bass in a forceful way. And to all this we must add great wireless connectivity and compatibility with most formats. With an official price of 1,500 euros, we will be able to fill our room with powerful sound and the most current streaming services.

Sound bars are a great option to improve bad sound from LED televisions . They generally take up little space and avoid filling the room with speakers. The LG SJ9 offers us a power of 500W, enough to fill almost any room. We have had the opportunity to try it for a few days and we will tell you what we think.

LG SJ9 datasheet

Designed to attract attention

The first thing that strikes you when you receive the LG SJ9 is the size of its box. The packaging of it is huge and, after opening it, we discover the reason. This sound bar has been designed to be placed in conjunction with televisions 55 inches or larger . The bar measures 120 centimeters long, 14.5 deep and 5.8 high. It certainly does not go unnoticed. It's still low enough that it doesn't cover the sensor on most televisions.

But the reality is that we are not going to care that it is seen. LG has gotten a pretty nice design. The SJ9 features a stylish metallic gray finish, aluminum grilles and curved ends . At the top, the speakers designed to offer the height sound for the Dolby Atmos stand out. At the bottom we have three silver strips that run the length of the speaker grills.

The top cover appears to be made of plastic, but this does not detract from the feeling of quality. Precisely on the housing we will have painted some of the controls, although the buttons are located on the back . We have buttons for the volume, the source selection, the WiFi configuration and the multiroom system.

On the front, under the grille, we have an LED screen that will inform us of the status of the bar . It's a good size to view from the couch and shows us input, sound mode, and volume.

Wireless subwoofer

Accompanying the bar we have a wireless subwoofer . This one is also of a considerable size, although nothing to do with the more complex systems. It measures approximately 30 x 30 centimeters, with a height of almost 33 centimeters.

Its design is quite elegant for any room. The front part is covered in acoustic fabric and its corners are rounded. Both the fabric and the structure are black and have a considerable weight. This gives it a solid and stable appearance .

Technical characteristics

The LG SJ9 is a soundbar with a 5.1.2 channel configuration . That is, we have 3 front and 2 side speakers for surround sound. On the other hand, it has two height speakers for Dolby Atmos and a wireless subwoofer.

The front channels use 40 x 100mm woofers and 20mm tweeters. The rest of the channels only have woofers. The Bass Reflex subwoofer includes a 6.5-inch woofer. This set achieves a total power of 500W, divided into 43W per channel and 200W for the subwoofer .

The LG SJ9 soundbar is part of LG's MusicFlow family. Thus, we can use the wireless speakers of the MusicFlow family as rear channels , thus forming a real 5.1.2 system.

When it comes to sound formats, the LG SJ9 can handle just about anything. It supports Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Atmos and the rest of the formats . The only thing missing is the DTS: X, which we don't know if LG plans to add via a software update.

And if we put the cinema aside, we can listen to high resolution audio, since the LG SJ9 is capable of playing 24-bit 192 kHz files . It may even be capable of scaling lower resolution audio files.

Powerful sound with Dolby Atmos

To improve sound performance, the LG SJ9 features Adaptive Sound Control technology . This system automatically adjusts the sound equalization based on the content currently being played.

On the other hand, it also includes Auto Sound Engine . This system optimizes sound at any volume level and maintains precise frequencies at all times. This provides a suitable sound balance in any situation, regardless of volume.

In addition, the LG SJ9 offers four preset sound modes : Standard, Cinema, Music and Bass Blast. The latter is not recommended, as it exaggerates the bass excessively.

And now that we know what the LG SJ9 is capable of, it 's time to test it in real life . The first test we did with the Guardians of the Galaxy Blu-Ray. This one features high bitrate DTS sound, perfect for sound system testing.

The LG SJ9 achieves a wider soundstage than a normal soundbar . Surround effects are emitted from the sides of the bar to try to surround the viewer. In a first test we placed the sound bar in a cabinet that covered the bar on the sides. Here the enveloping effect was less pronounced. However, by changing it to a more open piece of furniture, with nothing on the sides, the effect is enhanced.

Not surprisingly, it can't compete with a real 5.1 system with rear-facing speakers. Despite good performance, the effects still appear to be coming from the sides of the TV and not the rear of the viewer .

Test with Dolby Atmos sound

The next test we do with the Mad Max Fury Road Blu-Ray. We chose this movie for its powerful soundtrack, but also because the English track is in Dolby Atmos.

The LG SJ9's performance with Dolby Atmos sound is quite good. The bar creates a sound box that precisely positions objects and moves them quickly if the scene requires it. Again, we will not achieve the same effect as if we have ceiling speakers, since the sound seems to come from the top of the screen.

Actually, much of the blame for this good performance lies with the power of the bar . We have a total of 300W on the soundbar and 200W on the subwoofer. This allows you to fill a large room without problems.

The subwoofer, without being excessive, does a good job. It offers some very interesting bass , especially when dealing with action movies. The explosions sound loud but controlled. A good test to see its importance is to remove it and use only the bar. The change is remarkable.

It does a good job with playing music too. The LG SJ9 achieves a detailed and well balanced sound , properly supported by the subwoofer. It is not that it is the best equipment for HiFi lovers, but for other users it will be more than enough.

Streaming music

The LG SJ9 sound bar is capable of playing almost any type of music from any source. The bar is equipped with WiFi and Ethernet connection so that we connect it to our network. It also has Bluetooth connectivity so that we can play music directly from the mobile.

The WiFi connection allows us to play the content we have on our network on the sound bar. For this we will need the MusicFlow application . It is an attractive application that shows the faceplates in full color and allows us to even slightly equalize.

We will even have Chromecast integrated , which will allow us to play content from the phone directly to the soundbar. We also have integrated Spotify Connect and other streaming services. However, to use Spotify it will be necessary to have a premium account for this service.

Conclusions and price

After testing it for a few days, we can say that the LG SJ9 is a great soundbar . If we do not want to fill the room with speakers, and it does not hurt to spend that money on a sound bar, it is a great option. The SJ9 generates a wide sound field and its power allows you to fill the room without problems.

If we add to this the large number of extra functions that the LG SJ9 has and a premium design, we have a more than interesting set.

But not everything is perfect. One of the buts that we can put is that we only have one HDMI input . That is, we can only connect one device directly to the bar. Well, two if we have the optical input.

The other is the price. The LG SJ9 has an official price of 1,500 euros . However, if we search well, it is possible to find it on the Internet with a price around 1,000 euros. The price is similar to that of the Samsung HW-K950, one of its more direct competitors.