{"id":118130,"date":"2020-09-08T19:14:50","date_gmt":"2020-09-08T18:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techweekmag.com\/?p=118130"},"modified":"2021-04-08T08:23:53","modified_gmt":"2021-04-08T07:23:53","slug":"lg-sn7y-review-dolby-atmos-soundbar-at-a-budget-price","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/speakers\/lg-sn7y-review-dolby-atmos-soundbar-at-a-budget-price\/","title":{"rendered":"LG SN7Y Review \u2022 Dolby Atmos soundbar at a budget price"},"content":{"rendered":"

Of all the soundbars in LG’s 2020 lineup, the SN7Y may be the most intriguing.\u00a0Soundbar LG SN7Y – 3.1.2-channel soundbar with support for a large number of audio formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. At the same time, the soundbar has a price that is much lower than the flagship models from the same company.\u00a0The system lacks rear speakers for true surround sound.<\/p>\n

As a result, SN7Y faces serious competition from companies such as Samsung, Vizio and Sony.\u00a0Despite this drawback, the panel in question is quite serious competition for these panels in its price range.\u00a0In this LG SN7Y review we will try to identify the strengths and weaknesses of this panel.<\/p>\n

LG SN7Y: Design<\/h3>\n

Unlike the flagship model\u00a0LG SN11R,\u00a0the LG SN7Y soundbar is 89cm wide.Almost the same size as the\u00a02020\u00a0Sony HT-G700\u00a0.\u00a0Despite its small width, the panel looks like an expensive product due to its smooth surface.\u00a0The SN7Y soundbar is equipped with speakers for left, center and right channels.<\/p>\n

There is also a pair of speakers with upward sound to provide the height channels of the\u00a03.1.2\u00a0system\u00a0.\u00a0LG once again did not reveal the details of the speakers themselves, except that each has a power of 30W, and the power of the high-altitude speakers is 35W each.\u00a0The included wireless subwoofer weighs approximately 7.7 kg.<\/p>\n

This weight is very close compared to Sony’s 7.25kg wireless woofer.\u00a0It is disappointing that the user will not be able to get the 5.1.2 channels that the Vizio soundbar has at the same price.\u00a0This is because rear speakers are not included.<\/p>\n

There is an option to purchase an additional set of rear speakers from LG as an add-on to the system, but then the price will increase by $ 180.\u00a0The remote control is identical to the one supplied with the SN11R.\u00a0Both remotes lack the Google Assistant button.\u00a0The reason is that, sadly, the SN7Y is not equipped with wireless Wi-Fi.<\/p>\n

\"LG<\/a><\/p>\n

Settings<\/h3>\n

The only benefit of not having rear speakers or Wi-Fi is the ease of setup for this system.\u00a0There are no wires to connect between the panel itself and the subwoofer as in a traditional Vizio system.\u00a0There is also no app to download and configure soundbar settings.\u00a0The SN7Y is much easier.<\/p>\n

Once turned on, the soundbar and subwoofer will connect to each other wirelessly.\u00a0This connection has already become the standard for most wireless accessories.\u00a0Of course, the soundbar must also be connected to the TV.\u00a0Once this connection is established, you can start using the system.\u00a0The subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room.<\/p>\n

Sound quality<\/h3>\n

As with the SN11R, LG has done an admirable job of setting up the SN7Y to handle most audio files.\u00a0The panel supports 24-bit \/ 192 kHz high-resolution audio, as well as an extensive list of surround sound formats including Dolby Atmos, DTS Digital Surround, DTS: X, Dolby Digital Plus and more.\u00a0The soundbar can also accept FLAC, WAV and AAC formats, including via USB.<\/p>\n

In addition, the panel has a variety of preset sound modes to choose from, including AI Sound Pro, Standard, Music, Bass Blast, Bass Blast +, Movie (Dolby Surround), DTS: X, and Dolby Atmos.\u00a0Simply put, this system supports many functions and many ways to customize the sound for every taste.<\/p>\n

LG’s partnership with Meridian Technology appears to have produced fruitful results.\u00a0Audio when listening to music and watching movies sounds great.\u00a0While the SN11RG sounds a lot nicer, the SN7Y also has a lot to offer for the price.<\/p>\n

When watching movies, it’s amazing how realistic action and clear dialogue are effectively combined.\u00a0It is speculated that most users will love this soundbar even without the rear speakers.\u00a0When watching movies, it is best to set it to Cinema because it sounds better in this mode than with standard settings.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the subwoofer for the SN7Y is not particularly impressive.\u00a0Cannon shots in naval battles sound uncertain.\u00a0However, the overall sound of the Sony HT-G700 and LG SN7Y is on par.\u00a0However, the detailing of the low frequencies of the Sony subwoofer definitely beats LG’s woofer.<\/p>\n

\"LG<\/a><\/p>\n

Dolby Atmos<\/h3>\n

If we consider the work of the LG SN7Y soundbar in Dolby Atmos mode, then this moment deserves a separate section.\u00a0A quick turn-on of the SN7Y Dolby Atmos Demo Mode is achieved by holding the “F” button on the remote for five seconds.<\/p>\n

Various effects of birds flying, raindrops falling from above and thunder cracking in the sky sound very natural.\u00a0This proves once again that the soundbar is following in the footsteps of its more expensive siblings in terms of Atmos playback.\u00a0Of course, more expensive models sound better.\u00a0But the way the SN7Y plays Atmos at this price is certainly impressive.<\/p>\n

If the Sony HT-G700 has more bass, then the SN7Y should be preferred when listening to Dolby Atmos content.\u00a0The HT-G700 has only front speakers and uses audio processing technology to create a convincing 7.1.2 virtual experience.\u00a0SN7Y works like a traditional home theater system with actual headroom or ceiling speakers.<\/p>\n

\"LG<\/a><\/p>\n

Connections<\/h3>\n

The LG SN7Y Speaker Bar has one HDMI HDCP 2.3 input and a corresponding HDMI output that supports 4K pass-through, Dolby Vision and HDR10.\u00a0Sony HT-G700 has the same number of outputs.\u00a0However, HT-G700 supports eARC and LG is limited to ARC channel.\u00a0The SN7Y bar also has optical audio input and USB input.<\/p>\n

Should you buy the LG SN7Y<\/h3>\n

The LG SN7Y has a few flaws that its competitors don’t, but it’s still a very good sounding soundbar that plays Dolby Atmos confidently at such a low price.\u00a0The balance between price and quality is important.<\/p>\n

If we analyze this criterion, then the panel in question is slightly better than the SN11R.\u00a0The latter no doubt sounds better due to its superior sound and performance.\u00a0However, price matters too.\u00a0Therefore, in our opinion the SN7Y provides the best return on investment.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n

It remains to talk about the alternatives. The $ 500 Vizio 5.1.2 system includes Wi-Fi and a pair of rear speakers for the same price, while the $ 500 Sony HT-G700 has a more powerful subwoofer. But when it comes to Atmos mode, LG’s SN7Y delivers one of the very best sounds in this price range.<\/p>\n

In other words, while the SN7Y’s subwoofer isn’t particularly impressive and Wi-Fi is lacking, it’s a soundbar that should be seriously considered if you want quality Atmos for little money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Of all the soundbars in LG’s 2020 lineup, the SN7Y may be the most intriguing.\u00a0Soundbar LG SN7Y – 3.1.2-channel soundbar with support for a large number of audio formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. At the same time, the soundbar has a price that is much lower than the flagship models from the same […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10404,"featured_media":118142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[646],"tags":[778],"class_list":{"0":"post-118130","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-speakers","8":"tag-reviews"},"acf":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10404"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118130\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}