LG S80QY vs JBL Bar 9.1

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Votes 1 1
Rating 5 5

S80QY vs Bar 9.1 comparison chart

Overall
LG S80QY
7.8
JBL Bar 9.1
9
4
9
Multichannel surround
10
7

LG S80QY vs JBL Bar 9.1 review

LG S80QY
vs
JBL Bar 9.1

Being able to compare LG S80QY and JBL Bar 9.1 gave us an insight into what features and technologies these devices offer. Bar 9.1 turned out to be a more technological and better-sounding device than the S80QY. According to the results of our comparison, S80QY received 7.8 points out of 10 possible, and Bar 9.1 was rated 9 points.

Advantages LG S80QY over JBL Bar 9.1

  • Surround sound with DTS:X support

Advantages JBL Bar 9.1 over LG S80QY

  • Comes with 2 separate speakers
  • Possible to create a multi-room system
  • Voice control supports
  • App for remote control
  • Built-in microphone

Audio features

The S80QY is rated 7 of 10 against 9 for the Bar 9.1 according to the audio features rating.

S80QY
7
Bar 9.1
9

It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the S80QY and the Bar 9.1.

There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound. It is worth noting one of the main differences, the S80QY has 3.1.3 channels, while the Bar 9.1 has 9.1 channels. Also, the output power of the soundbars under consideration is different, LG S80QY has 350 (overall) W, and 820 (overall) W has the competitor.

S80QY Bar 9.1
Built-in channels3.1.39.1
Amplification typeactiveactive
Output power, W350 (overall)820 (overall)
Separate speaker (in package)02
Separate speaker connectionshas nothas not

Subwoofers

Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. Both reviewed devices are equipped with an external subwoofer. Competitors support wireless connection to a separate external subwoofer.

S80QY Bar 9.1
Built-in subwoofer
Separate subwoofer (in package)
Separate subwoofer connectionswirelesswireless

Multichannel surround

Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The S80QY received rating 10 out of 10 for multichannel audio processing, but the Bar 9.1, in the same category, earned 7 out of 10 points.

S80QY
10
Bar 9.1
7

The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. If we consider the models in terms of support for Dolby Atmos, then both soundbars can work with this technology.

DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. The manufacturer has implemented DTS:X technology only in S80QY.

S80QY Bar 9.1
Dolby Atmos
Dolby (other)Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus
DTS:X
DTS (other)DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS Digital Surround

Streaming services

The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services. The streaming services category rating is the same - 10 out of 10 points.

S80QY
10
Bar 9.1
10

The popular Spotify service is available on both soundbars. The streaming audio from Pandora, SoundCloud, it is possible to listen to each of soundbars.

S80QY Bar 9.1
Apple Music (AirPlay)
Amazon Music
Spotify
Other streaming servicesPandora, SoundCloudPandora, SoundCloud

Connectivity

The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. The devices received different ratings for connectivity: LG S80QY was rated 8 out of 10, and JBL Bar 9.1 was rated 10 out of 10.

S80QY
8
Bar 9.1
10

The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Wireless connection via Wi-Fi is possible on both devices.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The competitors in this comparison has 1/1 HDMI inputs/outputs.

HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is basic for both soundbars. Connecting external devices via USB can be done on both models.

S80QY Bar 9.1
WI-FI
Bluetooth
Ethernet (RJ45)00
NFC
HDMI input/output1/11/1
HDMI ARC
HDMI eARC
HDMI CEC
Optical digital input/output1/01/0
USB1 (USB 2.0)1 (USB 2.0)
Coaxial digital input/output0/00/0
Analog audio input/output (RCA)0/00/0
Headphone output00
Subwoofer output00

Features

Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room.

Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Bar 9.1 has its own remote control application. Only JBL Bar 9.1 has a built-in microphone.

Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. The Bar 9.1 has the ability to use a multiroom system.

S80QY Bar 9.1
Voice control
App control
Microphone
Remote control
Multi-room

Dimensions

S80QY Bar 9.1
Size (Wx H x D), cm/in110.7x55.1x25.6/43.6x21.7x10.188.4x6.2x1.2/34.8x2.4x4.7
Weight, kg/pounds4.4/9.93.7/8.1
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