17 Aug
Blog

JBL Tour One Review: ANC Headphones With Super Call Quality

JBL Tour One wireless noise-canceling headphones.

JBL Tour One test report: Noise canceling cans for frequent callers

RRP $ 300.00

"A large battery and a pleasant call quality make these cans ideal for work or travel."

advantages

  • Effective ANC

  • Good sound quality

  • Excellent call quality

  • Great battery life

disadvantage

  • No sidetone for calls

  • No aptX / aptX HD / LDAC codecs

Right now, Sony's $ 350 WH-1000XM4 are the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy. We like them so much that they also top our list of the best wireless headphones and the best headphones overall. Sony's success has not gone unnoticed by its competitors, which has led to several attempts to mimic the XM4, including JBL's $ 300 Tour One.

The Tour One isn't just a bit like the XM4. From size, weight, shape, and materials to controls and features, it's almost like JBL used the XM4 as a blueprint for the Tour One and then figured out how to sell it for $ 50 less.

The question you're probably asking is, should I buy the Tour One and save that $ 50, or has JBL trimmed too many features to slip below the price of the XM4? I think the Sony headphones are still the ones to buy, but JBL still managed to make the Tour One worth it thanks to a few things it does really well. Let's get into that.

What's in the box?

Scope of delivery of the wireless JBL Tour One headphones with noise cancellation.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

JBL still has a lot to learn about sustainable packaging. The Tour One Box contains a lot of foam padding and coated cardboard, which makes recycling difficult.

Open the box and you will find the Tour One in its own semi-rigid zippered tote bag. This is your first hint that JBL was inspired by Sony. Not only is the case almost exactly the same size and shape as the one Sony uses for both the WH-1000XM3 and XM4, but it also has the same mesh pocket sewn to one side for small accessories or perhaps a credit Card and ID can be used if you have taken it to the gym.

Inside the case, the Tour One is folded into exactly the same position as the Sony cans and there is a paper insert with a diagram to remind you how to put the headphones in to make them fit again, just like Sony did.

If Sony's designs are too conservative for you, the Tour One adds just enough bling not to look boring.

The similarities continue into the small compartment that houses the included accessories: a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, a 3.5mm to 2.5mm analog cable and a Double pin flight adapter.

Unlike Sony, JBL's charging cable actually has a usable length (40 inches compared to Sony's ridiculously short 9 inches). The USB-A side is reversible for rate-free use – a nice touch.

design

JBL Tour One wireless noise-canceling headphones next to the Sony WH-1000XM4.JBL Tour One (left) and Sony WH-1000XM4. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Given the similarity of the Tour One to the WH-1000XM4, the overall design is hard to criticize. It has a compact shape that keeps the ear cups and headband close to your head so you don't look like you've just walked off the set of a daft punk video.

The auricles pivot, fold, and articulate gently to adapt to the shape of your head. The headband is well padded and the sliders move with a precise "notch" that is both easy to adjust and secure once adjusted.

The Tour One are still very light and very comfortable.

JBL has given the Tour One a slightly satin finish to the plastics and added some black chrome accents that give the cans an extremely high-quality look. If Sony's designs are too conservative for you, the Tour One adds just enough bling not to look boring.

In terms of controls, JBL is improving Sony's design. JBL keeps things simple by replacing Sony's swipe gestures for a combination of simple taps on the right earcup for playback controls and a dedicated set of buttons for volume. A combined power / Bluetooth pairing switch on the right ear cup and a single multifunction button on the left ear cup round off the Tour One's controls.

Comfort, controls and connections

The wireless JBL Tour One headphones with noise cancellation control the close-up.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Although not quite as light as the WH-1000XM4 (9.45 ounces vs. 8.95 ounces), the Tour One is still very light and very comfortable. The ear pads and headband are generously padded and I was able to wear them for three hours without getting tired, even with glasses. One thing that bothered me towards the end of this period was the depth of the auricles. My ears stick out quite a bit – maybe a little more than average – and their outer edges are touching the inner lining. At some point this pressure point needed some relief.

If your ears are like mine, both the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Bose Noise Canceling Headphones offer 700 deeper ear cups.

The Tour One's hinged hinges are great for wearing around your neck, and they fold properly so that the ear cups are facing down and the ear cushions are against your collarbone. Sony does this too, but Bose makes the peculiar decision to put the headband's far less comfortable sliders on your collarbone.

Despite its comfortable fit, the Tour One has a greater tendency to move on its head than the Bose or Sony. It's by no means a deal breaker, but if you want a full-size set of cans for the gym as well as the office or airplane cabin, keep this in mind.

The controls of the Tour One are very easy to use. The single, double, and triple tap touches on the right earcup register every time (as long as you tap the center) and I like having a power button that turns the headphones on instantly. The Bose 700 also turns on instantly, but the Sony XM4s require more patience with a gesture of pressing and holding the power button.

Using the JBL Headphones app offers some adjustments to the controls. Both the multifunction button and the tap-and-hold gesture on the touch panel can be set to control the Active Noise Canceling (ANC) / TalkThru modes or to trigger your voice assistant.

The bluetooth connectivity is excellent.

The auto-pause option works really well. If you pull the ear cups away from your head, the melodies will pause immediately and then resume just as quickly when they are snapped back into place. You can deactivate the function in the headphones app if you want.

The bluetooth connectivity is excellent. Even though I wasn't considered a Class 1 Bluetooth device like the Beats Studio 3 headphones, I was still able to leave my phone at my desk and walk all the way to my garage (about 18 meters, one floor and several walls in terms of the distance). and the signal stayed strong. You can also connect the Tour One to two Bluetooth devices at the same time, although this once caused a static noise that was fixed by disconnecting and reconnecting my phone.

Sound quality

JBL Tour One wireless noise-canceling headphones.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Out of the box, the Tour One has a relatively neutral EQ. There's a nice definition over the frequencies and excellent clarity in the upper mids and highs. The bass reproduction is snappy and not intrusive. You can tell that JBL has tuned these sockets as genre-independent as possible, which is in contrast to headphones, which tend to be low-end.

Compared to the Sony XM4, the Tour One doesn't offer as much warmth or such a wide soundstage, but the difference isn't that big. Strangely enough, the Tour One, just like the other flagship radio sockets from JBL, the Club One, are not equipped with high-quality Bluetooth codecs such as aptX, aptX HD or LDAC. While you can play frequencies from 20 Hz to 40 kHz (and are therefore considered Hi-Res audio compatible), you will never experience this anywhere when using the headphones wirelessly. The XM4 gives you LDAC, which doesn't do much for iPhone owners, but offers better sound quality for those with Android phones.

When you listen via bluetooth you can enjoy the bones of the song, but when you are wired you can hear its soul.

And that's a shame, because if you connect the Tour One to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with the supplied analog cable, they deliver a lot more depth and resonance.

One of my favorite test tracks is Billie Eilish's Bad Guy. Not only does it have incredibly deep bass, but it also superimposes Eilish's whispering voice, creating a torture chamber for audio equipment. It's also a deceptively complex shot. When you listen via bluetooth you can enjoy the bones of the song, but when you are wired you can hear its soul. Suddenly Eilish is not only whispering through the lyrics, she is whispering directly in your ear – it's an ASMR-level experience that creates goosebumps.

I don't want to miss out on the wireless performance too much as it's actually very good, and I like the fact that you can access EQ presets and manual EQ adjustments from within the app. This can radically change the sound signature of the Tour One. So if you're not a fan of the so-called flat EQ, you don't have to put up with it.

Noise cancellation and transparency

JBL Tour One headphones with wireless noise cancellation in close-up.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Tour One does a good job of canceling out external noise, but its performance can be a little uneven. Unlike the Sony XM4 and Bose 700, the Tour One seems to struggle to produce a nice, even canceling effect. I have a fan under my desk that produces both even sound and even wind. JBL's ANC blocks it well enough, but it cannot decide exactly which of the fan’s frequencies to block, so you can actually hear it chasing around and the result can be a little uncomfortable.

This mostly happens when you use JBL's True Adaptive ANC mode which tries to respond to your listening conditions in real time. Turning this feature off helped a lot. To be fair, my desk fan situation is a minor anomaly – I wasn't even aware of the problem at other times – but both the Sony XM4 and Bose 700 handled it flawlessly, with the Bose being by far the best of the three.

The Silent Now mode is useful if you just want to be quiet: it activates ANC, but keeps Bluetooth communication switched off, saving the battery when you need it.

In short, I've never tested wireless headphones with better call quality than the Tour One.

JBL gives you two different transparency modes to choose from, and both of them have their advantages. For a better general awareness of your surroundings, you can choose Ambient Aware – which lets in a lot of external sounds without affecting your music. Or, if you actually need to talk to someone, you can activate TalkThru mode, which is just like Ambient Aware but also drops the volume of your audio to a point where it is barely noticeable.

Oddly enough, you can toggle between full ANC mode and TalkThru by double-clicking the multifunction button. However, if you want to switch between ANC and Ambient Aware, you need to switch between three modes: ANC>, Ambient Aware>, Ambient Aware Off> ANC.

Call quality

JBL Tour One wireless headphones with noise-canceling headband in close-up.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

So far, most of the qualities of the JBL Tour One have more or less placed them where one would expect them to be compared to the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700. But one area where the Tour One blows away those other headphones is their call quality.

I could walk down a very busy street, with varying degrees of traffic noise, including loud buses and some construction equipment, and yet if you listen to the recording I made you would swear I was sitting alone in a quiet park – so little outside noise got recorded by the microphones of the Tour One.

Not only will your voice be interrupted by these competing sounds, but it will sound really good too. The Tour One captures and preserves the lower notes of your voice, adding depth and resonance to it, which is in sharp contrast to most other headphones and earbuds.

In short, I've never tested wireless headphones with better call quality than the Tour One.

The only caveat here is that JBL has dedicated all of the Tour One's microphones to noise suppression and voice quality optimization, which means there is no sideline and no way to be in Ambient Aware mode or TalkThru mode while on a call to stay. While your callers will love your sound, they may not hear your own voice as clearly.

Battery life

JBL Tour One wireless noise-canceling headphones, folded.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

JBL claims that the Tour One gives you 50 hours of battery life if you disable ANC, and about half that if you leave it on. I didn't run it for a full charge / discharge cycle, but after about 10 hours of playing music at 50% volume with ANC, the JBL Headphones app gave me a 55% battery level, which is pretty close to what JBL claims.

These are great numbers. Better than Sony, better than Bose, and even a tiny bit better than the Marshall Monitor ANC II, our best premium cans for battery life to date.

They take two hours to empty, but you can get three hours of playtime on a 10 minute quick charge.

Extras

JBL's Tour series, which includes the Tour One headphones and Tour Pro + True Wireless earbuds, is one of the few on the market that offers hands-free access to the Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa of your choice.

Once you've chosen your assistant, you can say “Hey Google” or “Alexa” and then ask for anything – including controls for playback, answering calls, and volume. When you use this option, one of the gestures on the multifunction button is released, giving you more control over other headphone functions.

I only tested Amazon's Alexa, but it worked just fine. JBL hasn't stated whether using the speakerphone will reduce battery life (and I haven't been able to determine if it does), but it is very likely that it will.

You also get JBL's My Alarm feature, which lets you choose from a variety of soothing sounds, combined with a customizable sleep timer.

Our opinion

For those looking for premium noise-canceling headphones, the JBL Tour One offers an excellent (and cheaper) alternative to Sony and Bose, with only a few sacrifices for the cheaper price. And they're killers for phone calls.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, overall it is Sony WH-1000XM4 are still a better set of noise-canceling headphones that outperform the Tour One in sound quality, ANC, comfort, and Hi-Res wireless audio. But if you can't find them on sale, they're a fair bit more expensive than the JBL Tour One. If you don't mind the compromises, I see no reason not to buy the Tour One instead of the Sony's.

How long will they last?

As far as I can tell, both the build quality and materials of the Tour One are superb, and I suspect they are roughly on par with the Sony and Bose models in terms of durability. They may even have an advantage thanks to their longer battery life, as batteries in a set of wireless headphones are usually the first part to deteriorate.

JBL supports the Tour One with a one-year guarantee.

Should you buy it?

Yes. They're a solid option for anyone looking for comfortable noise-canceling headphones with good sound quality, great battery life, and great call quality

Editor's recommendations



29 Aug
Blog

Razer BlackShark V2 Review: Quality Gaming Headset For Less

Player with Razer BlackShark headset

Razer BlackShark V2 review: premium headset, good price

"The sound profiles are definitely the best feature of this headset."

  • Sound profiles and easy customization

  • Solid audio

  • Superior microphone performance

Player with Razer BlackShark headsetPhoto courtesy of Razer

The Razer BlackShark V2 – and with it the cheaper V2 X – offers exceptional performance at an exceptional price. The BlackShark V2 combines audio quality with the much rarer solid microphone performance.

THX game profiles are for sure the best feature of this headset.

The base price of $ 100 also makes this headset a great value. There are plenty of cheaper models out there, including the $ 60 V2 X, but few offer as many features as the BlackShark. Lots of the digital trends Top gaming headset picks Go for more than double the price of the BlackShark.

Sound profiles

THX game profiles are easily the BlackShark V2's best feature, allowing you to customize the EQ settings for each game individually. It comes with by default Profiles for several popular games including Apex Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Valorant. Not every game has a preset profile, but the Razer Synapse app makes it easy to change the settings regardless. You just have to do more of the work yourself.

The cheaper V2 X skips THX Spatial Audio right away, but you can add it through the app for $ 20. Given the total cost of $ 80 for the headset and app, this isn't a bad deal, and you get most of the best features of the flagship V2 at a slight discount. It also works a lot better than some of the spatial audio we've seen, and often tries not to mimic the feel of surround sound.

Many hardware and accessory manufacturers simulate how a product increases the “immersion” or the feeling of really being in the game. Most of the time this is just marketing, but that honestly feels amazing. For example, you can use the EQ settings to adjust the steps in first person shooters or the music and ambient sounds in a game like Death Stranding. This doesn't lead to consoles of course, but it's a fantastic experience on PC. But the right audio device can make a difference on consoles too, and the BlackShark V2 definitely did. I was thrilled to boot up Ghost of Tsushima and hear the rustle of the wind or Resident Evil 3 where I enjoyed using sound as a strategy.

The triple drivers are designed to isolate treble, bass, and midrange, the last of which is often ignored. It's a small difference, but I noticed the added detail.

Razer BlackShark headset on the deskPhoto courtesy of Razer

Microphone test

It's easy to ignore the importance of a headset's microphone quality. How often do you listen to yourself? But you've probably felt the frustration of a muddy-sounding teammate, or someone drowned out by background noise, especially when competing with game noise.

The microphone is very flexible and I found it easy to get it in an optimal position so that my AC power in the background was less of a problem. The foam microphone cover also smoothens the sound and avoids harsh consonant noises. This is especially important if you plan to use the BlackShark for streaming as well. Small details can mean getting a new follower or clicking a viewer off.

The microphone is also detachable, which is a nice bonus for Storage or travel, and it is more accessible for possible exchange. I also find that detachable microphones are usually longer and more flexible than built-in microphones that need to be folded up or rolled back into the headset.

When I work from home, my current favorite gaming headset often does double duty. I grab a headset for Zoom calls, Spotify sessions, and game breaks as soon as I'm practically signed out. Audio is less important for work meetings, but I got people to comment on how clear I sounded on a video call in addition to playing games.

Player with Razer BlackShark headsetPhoto courtesy of Razer

Mirror models

My biggest problem with both headsets is the look.

The BlackShark V2 and V2 X are very similar. They might be too similar. Both are very comfortable, have good microphone and audio quality, and are easy to use, but the more expensive V2 does everything a little better. The cheaper V2 X has slightly less advanced foam for its ear cushions, the cable is more rubber than threaded, it only plugs into a 3.5mm jack, and it doesn't have “advanced microphone control functions”.

What matters, however, is not the list of details. This is how they feel. And frankly, the differences feel relatively small in practice. This is less of a blow to the V2 than more proof of the V2 X. For anyone looking for a well-rounded entry-level headset, it's worth a look.

Nevertheless, I found myself in the direction of the full V2. As small as these differences are, they are still there. So if you are ready to drop that $ 100 then don't settle for not having to.

My biggest problem with both headsets is the look.

I feel like a helicopter pilot carrying them. And it's not just the microphone, the pillow, that surely amplifies this effect, a fact that I'd be happy to endure to improve fidelity. The headsets can only be described as bulbous. And I'm sure some of it is hard to avoid. Razer emphasized the BlackShark's triple drivers that are designed to deliver this fantastic sound. But I still didn't like wearing them for that reason. The headsets aren't heavy, but they look clunky and clumsy. And while I might care less if my gaming mouse isn't the most aesthetic, others can see my headphones.

Our opinion

The Razer BlackShark V2 and V2 X are solid headsets with a good price. The V2 is certainly better, but those looking to spend a little less will not be disappointed with the V2 X either.

Is there a better alternative?

There are so many headsets out there that it is easy to paralyze yourself with choice. Yes, there are other good headsets out there at this price point, but the BlackShark V2 is better than average. And it works fine on all devices.

How long it will take?

Despite the design differences between the two models, both are robust. They are well built and should last a while. The BlackShark V2's THX Spatial audio and game profiles are a nice touch too. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw more iterations of this function in the future.

Should you buy it?

If you are looking for a good entry-level to mid-range headset with quality audio and microphone in the market, definitely it. It works very well when you want to work on shape. If aesthetics are a must, they might not be for you.

Editor's recommendations




07 Aug
Blog

Polk Audio Signa S3 Review: Quality Bar, Steep Competition

Polk Audio Signa S3 soundbar

"Polk's high-quality Signa S3 soundbar is a lot right, but it lacks key features for the price."

  • Smooth design

  • High quality stereo sound

  • Wi-Fi connectivity

  • Limited low end

  • Missing surround sound

The soundbar marketplace is deceptive. It doesn't matter how good your features are or how great your sound is. If there's something better for the same price, you'll be the odd bar.

That's the tough lesson Polk Audio's new $ 250 Signa S3 sound bar system is learning. It's a solid option on its own as it's a Wi-Fi enabled soundbar with effective two-channel sound, but Polk just forgot about the budget monster waiting in the opposite corner of the ring. If you don't know who we are talking about, you are close to it.

design

At various times in the past, both myself and my staff at Digital Trends have praised the soundbars that can be heard but not seen. That said, the bars that feature a design that doesn't protrude and blend in so well with the room that you won't know it's there if it's not emitting sound to you – the Bose Soundbar 700 is here one good example of success.

Polk Audio Signa S3 soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Soundbars from Vizio, LG, Samsung and the like have done this to one degree or another in the past. And I'd argue that the Polk Signa S3 probably fits that category too, and I like the aesthetics of this particular soundbar more than, say, the Vizio counterpart. One notable point is that the color and shape of this bar appear less harsh in comparison. The Vizio V-series is a black, brick-shaped bar with a slightly less black grille. The polk looks softer and tastier with a lighter, grayer grille that plays off the otherwise black bar well. This color is paired with a more rounded shape without all of the sharp edges, which I liked too.

The Signa S3 is a little over two inches tall and around 35 inches wide, which fits closely with competitors like the Vizio V series. There are two pairs of tweeters and mid-range speakers in the 2.1 channel strip. For comparison purposes, the Vizio has a dedicated driver for the center channel of its 5.1 configuration. One driver doesn't seem like much of a difference, but as we'll see in a moment, that particular driver is a crucial one.

The wireless subwoofer for the Signa S3 is front-ported and follows the footprint of soundbar woofers such as the LG SN7Y. They're so similar in size, in fact, that it took my significant other a week to release the submarine in the corner of the room. It was different from the week before. That gave me my first concerns, as the subwoofer for the SN7Y did not impress me with its performance. More on that in a moment.

The remote control for the Signa S3 feels a bit cheap, but is conveniently located on the smaller side and is easy to hold. The Signa S3 supports Polk's AnyRemote technology, which means it should automatically respond to IR signals from most TVs it is connected to. According to Polk's website, the Signa S3 works seamlessly with Samsung, LG, Vizio, TCL, and Sony TV remote controls for volume control, as well as most CEC-enabled TVs.

configuration

The Signa S3 has a book report size quick start guide that includes it. I strongly recommend that you do your homework. Take it from someone who has been too persistent to read manuals for years: if you put pride aside and let the included documentation guide you through setting up the soundbar, things just get infinitely easier.

Polk Audio Signa S3 soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

It starts like any typical soundbar: plug your soundbar into your TV, plug both the bar and subwoofer into power, plug the included AAA battery into your remote, and turn everything on. The subwoofer should automatically connect to the bar and the entire system should be ready for playback in a matter of moments.

Unlike some competitive bars where the input that the soundbar is plugged into is literally written for you, the Signa S3 tells you this via a horizontal row of LED lights.

It all went smoothly for me, but the next few steps gave me a break. Unlike some competitive bars where the input that the soundbar is plugged into is literally written for you – the LG SN7Y mentioned above comes to mind – the Signa S3 tells you this via a horizontal row of LED lights. Some make sense (a single blue light indicates the bar is in bluetooth mode), but beyond that it gets confusing. Fortunately, it is broken down for you in the quick start guide and acts as a translator for the foreign language of lights the S3 is talking to you.

The guide also directs you to the Google Home app, which you can use to connect the Signa S3 to Wi-Fi. This is a very simple process. It's a smooth transition from the tutorial to the Home app as the app walks you step-by-step through adding your network and tweaking your bar. I didn't have the resources to try at the time, but I'm confident that a far less tech-savvy person can get this system fully up and running in 15 minutes. In my opinion, that's the hallmark of a good, easy-to-use soundbar.

links

Even by soundbar standards, the Signa S3 keeps things limited when it comes to connections. There is a single HDMI ARC port, a digital optical port, and an AUX input. For context, the Vizio V-Series adds a 3.5mm stereo audio input as well as a USB port to the mix. I recorded before saying that most soundbars need additional connections, and I stand by that. But that's a soundbar on a budget of $ 250, after all. More HDMI ports would have been great, but at the price, it's not a deal-breaker.

Polk Audio Signa S3 soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

This is where the Signa S3 gets a great value at least in terms of connections in my opinion. Unlike much more expensive bars like the LG SN7Y and Sony HT-G700, this Polk Bar has built-in Wi-Fi. This is huge for my money as it opens up a world of possibilities. For this reason, Google Chromecast is built into the bar, with options for streaming Google Play Music, Spotify, and many other services right into the bar. Plus, you can control your music with a device equipped with the Google Assistant, and group your soundbar with other Chromecast-enabled speakers to create whole-house sound. In addition, your soundbar may receive automatic software updates to keep the product better over time.

This Polk Bar has built-in WiFi. This is huge for my money as it opens up a world of possibilities.

The Signa S3 also has a Bluetooth connection. But with the option to stream Wi-Fi and enjoy sound with no dropouts or disconnections, I don't know why you would ever choose the former over the latter. By equipping their bar with Wi-Fi, Polk has not only done what all soundbars – including the competing Vizio V series – should do, but also what we believe there should be no excuse not to do so in 2020 .

Sound quality

This is the make-or-break category for the Signa S3. For some, the stereo sound produced is comfortable enough and well worth the price of admission. But for others hoping for an even more immersive experience with their soundbar, they will likely want to look elsewhere.

Polk Audio Signa S3 soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The thing is, this is really not a controversial – or even controversial – statement. Finally, the Signa S3 is a 2.1-channel soundbar. It will work better with audio that is meant to be heard in stereo (i.e. music) and worse with content that benefits from a surround sound setup (most TV shows and movies). Polk gets a little sneaky when he says it supports the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound format, which it technically does. It simply cannot be reproduced as it is again only a two-channel bar. Not all support is the same here, so the language is irritatingly misleading.

For the music, I found this bar to be excellent. Polk is a company that has made a name for itself in the audio space, unlike the bigger brands like Vizio, Samsung and LG. The company has made music-friendly speakers in the past so it came as no surprise to me that the bar can wonderfully clearly reproduce tracks like Mumford & Sons' Lover of the Light. As for the bass, the S3's compact woofer has handled short, punchy deep tones effectively. However, when the sub was asked to go deeper, or when the bass was increased using the beam's remote control, it succumbed to the limitations of its size and unfortunately sounded like it was stretching for a frequency it just couldn't quite reach . If you're not asking too much, you'll be happy with this subwoofer – you just have to know what it can and can't do.

If you try to squeeze five (or more) channels into two the result just won't turn out what it's supposed to.

I want to be as clear as possible with this soundbar when it comes to watching movies or TV shows: objectively speaking, this is an instant and significant improvement over standard TV speakers and brings you the way this content is meant to be heard , far closer. The clarity I mentioned when discussing music is still there, and the sub adds a modest rumble to your listening experience.

But for the third time, and probably not the last, it's a numbers game. If you try to squeeze five (or more) channels into two the result just won't turn out what it's supposed to. In that regard, I'll be taking advantage of the Vizio V-series 5.1 setup or the impact Dolby Atmos had on the LG SN7Y's 3.1.2 configuration, albeit at a significantly higher price. Maybe I'm just too used to having noises above or behind me, but my selection of tests (Mad Max: Fury Road, John Wick, A Quiet Place) just weren't the same audio glasses I was supposed to be getting be on the Signa S3.

The Signa S3 has three sound modes that you can use to customize your audio: The Movie mode "improves audio playback in TVs and movies," Polk said. Night mode attenuates bass and dynamic sounds to keep the neighbors at bay. and music mode is good for music. These all work in that they are the best preset for any situation, but don't expect them to be breakthrough modes that will change the way you play audio dramatically. The same goes for Polk's speech adaptation feature, which allows you to switch between three different levels of speech enhancement. It's helpful, but not as helpful as having a dedicated center channel.

Our opinion

The Polk Signa S3 is a 2.1 channel soundbar that does exactly what it was designed to do. That said, the bar picks up the provided audio and creates a fun listening experience that is exponentially better than anything standard TV speakers could produce. The problem is that its value is being damaged by competitors bringing more to the table without much of a drag on cost. A year ago, having surround sound at that price might not have been that important. But the bar (no pun intended) has been raised and it overshadows an otherwise good system.

Is there a better alternative?

The $ 250 Vizio V series gives you a 5.1 experience for the same price, which makes it a better option for a movie night, though I would still prefer the Signa S3's sound for stereo music. The $ 350 Yamaha YAS-209 is a more advanced alternative to the Polk. Amazon Alexa is integrated into the bar and compatible with DTS: Virtual X. However, like the Signa S3, it does not have true surround sound.

How long it will take?

Polk has a two year warranty on this pole which is also a well made product. With the bonus of software updates, this bar should be able to be a fixture under your television.

Should you buy it

I think it depends on your use case. The Polk Audio Signa S3 has a lot going for it, including built-in WiFi and exceptional stereo sound. If your plan is to not only use a soundbar for movies but also get a healthy dose of music on the go, I would have no hesitation in suggesting the Signa S3. But I think most people value surround sound over streaming music, which makes the Vizio V series a better option for the average consumer. In other words, Vizio, the king of values, wins through a difficult decision.

Editor's recommendations




24 Jul
Blog

LG SN7Y Soundbar Review: Affordable, Quality Dolby Atmos

LG SN7Y soundbar

"The LG SN7Y is nailing Dolby Atmos at an affordable price of $ 500."

  • Sleek design

  • Easy setup

  • Solid overall sound quality

  • Impressive Dolby Atmos

Of all the sound bars in LG's 2020 range, the SN7Y is possibly the most fascinating. It's a 3.1.2-channel soundbar system with support for a variety of audio formats – including Dolby Atmos and DTS: X Chief – that offers a much cheaper entry fee than the company's flagship models.

The system lacks the rear speakers for real surround sound and there is strong competition from Samsung, Vizio and Sony. After spending a lot of time with this bar, one thing is clear: without a doubt, the $ 500 SN7Y deserves a place at the table of the affordable Atmos soundbars.

design

After you've reviewed LG's premium SN11RG long before you received the SN7Y, the similarities between the two ends of the spectrum are hard to miss. One is of course much larger; The SN11RG is 57 inches wide compared to the 35-inch SN7Y, which closely matches competitors like the Sony HT-G700 (38.58-inch). Otherwise, the SN7Y is a miniature version of its relatively more expensive relative design with a sleek surface that resembles a much more expensive product.

LG SN7Y soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The bar itself contains drivers for the front left, middle and right channels as well as a pair of loudspeakers to provide the height channels of the 3.1.2 system. LG has gone into details about the actual drivers again, apart from the fact that they are each powered at 30 watts and the heights are 35 watts each. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean much.

The included wireless subwoofer has a rear opening and weighs around 17 pounds. Again, this is very close compared to Sony's 16-pound radio woofer. There are no rear speakers in this setup. This is a disappointment when you get a full 5.1.2 setup from Vizio for the same price. You can choose to purchase the LG rear speaker kit to complete the system. However, we are talking about another $ 180.

The remote control is almost identical to the accessories that come with the SN11RG, with the exception of a Google Assistant button, which is missing on the remote control for the SN7Y. That's because this bar doesn't have Wi-Fi, a sad fact we'll cover later.

configuration

Possibly the only advantage when there are no rear speakers or WiFi is the added simplicity of setting up this system. There are no cables to connect between rear speakers and subwoofers like a conventional Vizio system, and no app to download and configure the soundbar settings found in a product like the Sonos Beam. It's much slimmer with the SN7Y.

LG SN7Y soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The soundbar needs power, as does the subwoofer. Once powered on, they are paired wirelessly, as is standard with most wireless sub-setups. The soundbar must of course be connected to your display, and I will go into the various types of connections this bar offers in a moment. Once this connection is established, you can enjoy the system.

Since you don't have to worry about the rear speakers, you can place your subwoofer anywhere in your room. It's no secret that subwoofers have different reactions depending on where they're placed in a room. However, wired rear speaker setups always limit the position of your woofer. Without setbacks and even if you choose the wireless stern kit, LG puts you in the driver's seat to determine the best placement for your submarine.

links

The LG SN7Y has an HDMI HDCP 2.3 input and a corresponding HDMI output that supports 4K, Dolby Vision and HDR10 passages. The number of entries is limited, but not unexpected. The HT-G700 from Sony has the same setup, but supports eARC, while the LG is limited to ARC. The SN7Y also has an optical audio input and a USB input to round off an essentially uneventful series of physical connections. I can't knock LG for this, as many competitors have similar connection options at this price. I just wish we had more ways to connect for $ 500. But judging by general adversity that is changing in this regard (Polk Audio's new soundbar is one of the exceptions), my wishes may be in the minority here.

LG SN7Y soundbar remote controlNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Here's my legitimate concern about the SN7Y connection: Just like the Sony HT-G700, the SN7Y doesn't have Wi-Fi compatibility, which may have been a forgivable sin in the past few years. But it's 2020. It's problematic to bring out a $ 500 audio product that can't connect to Wi-Fi. This is illustrated by the fact that the Vizio and Samsung alternatives both support this.

A typical example: While you can stream to the SN7Y using Bluetooth 4.0 technology, you will inevitably find some connection problems. If you just chill on the couch and listen to music, you will probably be fine. For example, if you are having a dinner in the back yard and forget to leave your phone in the living room, the rest of the house has to endure noise that is constantly interrupted until you are within range. In comparison, Wi-Fi has long been the more reliable streaming option and should be included in all sound bars in this price range.

Sound quality

Like the SN11RG, LG has set up the SN7Y remarkably for most audio tasks. The bar supports high-resolution 24-bit / 192 kHz audio and a list of surround sound formats, including Dolby Atmos, DTS Digital Surround, DTS: X, Dolby Digital Plus, and more. The soundbar can also accept the formats FLAC, WAV and AAC via USB.

LG SN7Y soundbar subwooferNick Woodard / Digital Trends

There are also many preset sound modes to choose from, including AI Sound Pro, Standard, Music, Bass Blast, Bass Blast +, Film (Dolby Surround), DTS: X and Dolby Atmos. Simply put, there are a number of things this system supports and a number of ways to customize the sound of this system.

To be honest, none of this would matter if the bar didn't sound good. LG's partnership with Meridian Technology appears to have been fruitful as both music and movie content about both LG bars that I reviewed this year were exceptional. The SN11RG was far more comfortable, as the price would show, but the SN7Y has a lot to offer for the price.

Listening to music – with samples from Childish Gambinos Me and Your Mama to Midlands Burn Out – provided impressive clarity. Watching films effectively mixed lifelike action sequences and clear dialogues in films like Star Wars: Episode IX – Skywalker's Rise for a cinematic experience that I think most people would be fans of – even without rear speakers. I also appreciated the way different sound modes improved the audio rather than seemingly artificially increasing the frequencies. The film mode sounded better than the standard settings for films, and the same applies to music.

However, I am a little amazed by this LG subwoofer. The submarine for the SN7Y was generally not very convincing. Cult naval battles in the original Pirates of the Caribbean are said to have some weight behind these cannonball shots, and I missed that very much. For what it's worth, I thought the overall sound of the Sony HT-G700 and the LG SN7Y were equivalent, but the low-end detail in this Sony sub definitely outperformed the LG woofer.

Dolby Atmos

I had to assign Atmos a separate category in this test because LG's height channels in this system are more of a heading than a footnote in the audio area. I was already very impressed with the Dolby Atmos capabilities of the LG SN11RG, although it was entirely possible that the SN7Y could have been a completely different story. After all, we work with two channels with a lower height and overall less power.

LG SN7Y soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The rapid activation of the Dolby Atmos demo mode of the SN7Y, in which an Atmos demo is played by pressing the "F" key on the remote control for five seconds, eliminated all doubts, although I made some selections from our list of the best Have watched Dolby Atmos films for a good degree. The various effects of birds fluttering through the air, raindrops from above and thunder in the sky convinced me that this bar is following in the footsteps of its more expensive siblings in terms of Atmo's skill. Of course not to the same extent, since they are located at opposite ends of the Atmos spectrum. But what the SN7Y can do to add dimension to the sound at this price is impressive.

In this category, I preferred the SN7Y to the Sony HT-G700, which I honestly expected. The HT-G700 only has front-firing drivers and uses sound processing technology to achieve a sufficiently convincing virtual 7.1.2 effect. If you don't do anything unpredictable and have a product at a comparable price with drivers that fire noise towards the ceiling and then return to your listening position, virtual effects are almost certainly surpassed. The SN7Y worked as expected, just as a traditional home theater system with actual height or ceiling speakers would likely outperform the high-powered speakers in a sound bar. With a few exceptions (the Sennheiser Ambeo comes to mind) this is the general order of things.

Our opinion

The LG SN7Y has some flaws that its rivals don't have, but it is still a very good sounding sound bar that Dolby Atmos is nailing for $ 500. A balance between features and price is important, which is why I give this bar a slightly better score than the SN11RG at $ 1,600. The latter is undoubtedly the better system thanks to its superior sound and properties. But value is important, and I honestly believe that the SN7Y offers better value for money.

Is there a better alternative?

In a way yes. In another way, no. The $ 500 Vizio 5.1.2 system gives you Wi-Fi and two rear speakers at exactly the same price, and the $ 500 Sony HT-G700 has a more powerful subwoofer. But the LG has produced some of the best Atmos sounds in this price range. The $ 400 Sonos Beam also deserves to participate in this conversation due to all of its features. However, you'll have to pay significantly more to switch to a full surround setup with Sonos, or jump to $ 800 for the Arc to get Dolby Atmos support.

How long it will take?

The LG SN7Y has a typical one-year warranty, and while I don't necessarily want to drop this soundbar repeatedly or expose it to other forms of abuse, the build quality seems exceptional, and it has plenty of support for formats it should be kept in relevant years to come.

Should you buy it

Yes. Although I wasn't impressed with the subwoofer and I really wished this bar had Wi-Fi, the SN7Y is a bar that you should definitely consider if you want Atmos without breaking the bank.

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