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LG NB4530A soundbar review: the sound stick

The soundbar is made in the form of a thin and elegant “pipe” about the length of the 42-inch panel width. It also comes with a subwoofer – what today without it in a home theater system? Connection is wireless, via Bluetooth.

LG_NB4530A soundbar

LG NB4530A soundbar

Technical characteristics

Design

: main unit + subwoofer

Number of channels

: 2.1

Front speakers power RMS

: 80 x 2W

Subwoofer power RMS

: 150W

Decoders

: LPCM, Dolby Digital, DTS

Supported formats

: WMA, MP3

Extras

: Bluetooth

Dimensions of the main unit WxHxD

950 x 71 x 47 mm

Subwoofer size WxHxD

: 221×351.5x281mm

LG LG_NB4530A_2 soundbar

Interface

Inputs

Audio: mini-jack, optics, HDMI x 2, USB Type A

Outputs

: HDMI

The design

The soundbar is in the form of a slim and elegant “tube” approximately the width of a 42-inch panel. The system also includes a subwoofer that you can’t do without in a home theater system today? The connection is wireless, – Bluetooth.

The system has 2.1-channel sound, – t.e. The manufacturers tell you frankly that you can’t expect 3D sound. Perhaps, it is right because it is not a secret that it is very difficult for a soundbar to achieve “surround sound”, only few systems manage it due to the reflection from the walls, and their price is you know..

Besides, there is a USB player on board, which can read files of MP3 and WMA formats. The USB port is in the back, USB extension cable is included. Taking into account the small range of readable formats, such an arrangement will not cause much inconvenience – first of all, it is an audio system. The sound can be input using either analog connection stereo RCA to mini-jack or “digital” via HDMI or optical input.

There’s only one output, it’s HDMI, so you have to keep that in mind.

LG_NB4530A_1 LG_NB4530A soundbar

Media player

The test drive with 320 Gb hard drive and lots of files was analyzed by the device for a long time, about 40 seconds, after what it displayed the maximum number of files that it could read, 999. Anyway, the built-in USB-player is rather an extra function, a kind of “gift from the company” – it can read only audio files of some formats see: “Audio” . characteristics .

Functionality

When you connect an external source, such as a BD player or a media player via HDMI, the device can transcode the multi-channel sound to PCM stereo, – of course, for a full audio picture you need only two-channel sound.

If PCM coding is not set in the source or in the soundbar itself the dialogues can be lost – it should be taken into account as all the same the system is two-channel plus subwoofer .

NB4530A doesn’t have its own external menu, therefore all operations should be tracked on the internal built-in display. When you connect via HDMI to your “native” TV, you can control it with the Simplink function.

Bluetooth connection

If you want you can “connect” smartphone with the sound panel via Bluetooth and listen to music from your mobile device. With “fresh” LG TV sets, produced this year, the device exchanges the audio signal switching also via Bluetooth

Sound

Eight fixed equalizer settings or surround sound mode can be selected.

When you turn it on, especially while watching movies, the effect is noticeably stronger. The subwoofer volume can also be adjusted, which widens the scope of tuning.

The sound is very loud, there is even a little metallic tint, typical for digital amplifiers. There is a system of volume correction – if, for example, the difference between the quietest and loudest sound level in the movie is large, – or when switching television channels, the volume level is different – will equalize. True, when a quiet signal is input, the unit may not understand this and raise the sound level, resulting in a squeal. But to avoid such a phenomenon, you can apply the loudest signal and adjust the volume already in the soundbar.

Sound is noticeably softer than via “digital”, which is logical.

LG_NB4530A soundbar

Bottom line

Apparatus with powerful sound and stylish design at an affordable price. Can satisfy those movie buffs who value compactness over sound fidelity. Before buying we recommend to listen to it, preferably on your own material.

Happy

Stylish design, good stereo imaging, loud sound.

A shame

: metallic sound, no own menu, media player only reads audio files.

Tip

: If the source has a stereo RCA output and is not intimidated by the extra cable, the sound will be softer with an analog connection.

Price

: 12,700 Dollars.

LG_NB4530A_5 soundbar

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John Techno

Greetings, everyone! I am John Techno, and my expedition in the realm of household appliances has been a thrilling adventure spanning over 30 years. What began as a curiosity about the mechanics of these everyday marvels transformed into a fulfilling career journey.

Home appliances. Televisions. Computers. Photo equipment. Reviews and tests. How to choose and buy.
Comments: 2
  1. Marigold

    This review of the LG NB4530A soundbar is quite brief, leaving me with a few questions. How would you describe the overall sound quality? Does it have a subwoofer? How well does it handle different types of audio, like movies or music? Is it suitable for small or large rooms? And finally, does it offer any additional features or connectivity options?

    Reply
  2. Logan Hughes

    Could you please tell me more about the audio quality and performance of the LG NB4530A soundbar? How does it compare to other soundbars in its price range?

    Reply
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