I had a chance to test and compare two models: LG SL5Y vs Yamaha YAS-107 and this review should help people who are looking for a good soundbar. The LG SL5Y was rated 5, while the Yamaha YAS-107 has a rating 6.8. The soundbars are equipped with a different number of buttons, power, volume down, volume up, function for the SL5Y and input, mute, volume down, volume up, power for the YAS-107.
Each of the models under consideration has active amplification type. A noticeable difference is the number of channels that SL5Y has 2.1 and YAS-107 has 2.0. These rivals can be compared in terms of power, 400 (overall) versus 120 according to devices. A built-in subwoofer is available only in the Yamaha YAS-107. An external subwoofer connects to the SL5Y via wireless, but YAS-107 has wired connection type. Audio features and specs of considered models we rated 7 out of 10 in our ranking. The YAS-107 can play audio from Spotify.
Both models do not have a wireless Wi-Fi interface. Soundbars from this comparison have Bluetooth support. There are 1/1 HDMI inputs/outputs in the LG SL5Y versus 1/0 HDMIs in the Yamaha YAS-107. As in the SL5Y, so in the YAS-107 there is the HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC). We rated the connectivity of the SL5Y at 7 out of 10, while the YAS-107 was rated 6/10.
The manufacturer of the YAS-107 provides a device control application. Soundbars in this review are not equipped with a microphone. The models under consideration cannot become part of a multiroom system.
Dolby Atmos audio decoder support is not implemented in either the SL5Y or YAS-107. Devices from this comparison cannot process surround sound due to lack of DTS:X. The same score of 6/10 was put to the soundbars for multichannel surround support.