LG OLED55E9PLA
The E9 combines an already superb OLED picture with fine sound quality, so does that mean there’s no need to add a soundbar?
Buy a flatscreen TV, then add a soundbar. That tends to be our advice when reviewing televisions. Of course, there is always an exception to the rule, where the audio exceeds expectations. LG is hoping that its 55in OLED55E9PLA TV is one of those exceptions.
This TV comes straight out of LG’S OLED class of 2019, which has already proved a hit thanks to the five-star OLED65C9PLA. Moving up to E9 from C9 brings a couple of aesthetic tweaks, but the main difference is in the audio performance. There are more speakers (4.2ch compared with 2.2ch), more power (60W against 40W) and different positioning (forward-vs down-firing).
Before we settle down for a Netflix binge, we employ the One Touch Sound Tuning feature, which uses a test tone to set up the TV’S sound to suit your room. We also switch the on-screen toggle for the Dolby Atmos mode. While the E9 won't be able to recreate the effects of a dedicated multi-speaker Atmos system, it sounds more expansive with it on.
New audio processing
Brand new for 2019 is LG’S audio processing technology, AI Sound, which employs an algorithm to create a virtual 5.1 effect. It opens up the soundfield, but by adding extra width and height there’s a trade-off in that you sacrifice body and solidity. This shift in balance means it doesn't suit standard stereo broadcasts.
Compared with the C9, this E9 sounds bigger and bolder, with a greater sense of scale. We play The Dark Knight, and as Batman embarks on his mission to extract Lau from Hong Kong, Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack combines with the action, amplifying the sense of drama.
Sounds such as gunfire and breaking glass don’t sound thin or hard, and there’s a pleasing solidity to dialogue. As Lau is whisked away by Batman’s skyhook, the rumble of bass as his plane flies overhead has impressive weight and power. The OLED55E9PLA adopts LG’S Floating Screen design. The bottom edge of the set is transparent, giving the impression that the TV is hovering above the surface. The screen is as slender as you could wish for from an OLED, with the tiniest of bezels around the edge.
As is the case with most OLED TVS, the need to squeeze in all the sockets, tuners and speakers means that the side profile bulges out towards the bottom. But even at its thickest, it’s a little over 5cm deep.
Future-proof features
LG has packed the OLED55E9PLA with features, including four HDMI inputs that meet the HDMI 2.1 standard – they support EARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). LG’S premium OLEDS are the only models we’ve seen that offer this way of future-proofing your TV.
Other connections include three USBS, ethernet, optical, aerial and satellite connections. There’s a wired headphone output plus the option of beaming sound to a pair of Bluetooth headphones.
Powering the E9 is the secondgeneration version of LG’S Alpha 9 processor from 2018. New for this year’s models, it adds AI technology designed automatically to optimise picture and sound, based on the content played and the room in which the TV is located.
The new chip also means 2019 sets should be smarter, allowing for more advanced and conversational interactions with LG’S Thinq, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Hold the mic mutton on the Magic Remote and the virtual assistant performs a range of tasks, such as changing inputs and searching for specific content, all of which the LG does with minimal fuss.
LG’S WEBOS operating system has a familiar look and feel with the colourful tiles in the Launcher Bar acting as your main way of navigating between channels, apps and inputs. All the expected apps are here – Netflix and Amazon Video are on board, as are pay-as-you-go movie streaming services such as Google Play Movies & TV and Rakuten. 4K resolution is supported,
although not all HDR formats are – the E9 can handle Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG, but not HDR10+.
While WEBOS is still bright, colourful and intuitive, other menus are still overly complicated and confusing. There are separate picture presets for standard dynamic range content, HDR and Dolby Vision – it requires a bit of work to set the TV up. Thankfully, the E9’s picture looks good straight out of the box.
A spectacular image (still)
LG’S policy when it comes to its OLED ranges throws up a number of positives on the picture front. Four model lines, C9, E9, W9 and R9 all boast identical TV technology. The same panel, the same picture processing engine, and in theory, the same picture. And our testing with the E9 shows it’s a match for the C9. The IMAX formatted scenes on The Dark Knight 4K Blu-ray look spectacular. During the opening heist as the robbers zip-line between buildings, there's a superb level of detail and insight. When the Joker drops by Gotham General to see Harvey, the detail and definition in his scarred, psychotic face and smudged make-up is eerily realistic, especially when illuminated by bright, punchy beams of sunshine.
As the hospital goes up in flames, the LG serves up a fiery inferno of piercing yellow and orange hues that contrast with thick, black, billowing clouds of smoke. The E9 reveals the grainy texture of the film transfer, but still manages to produce a wholly convincing picture.
We switch to the 4K disc of Aquaman, and as Aquaman and Mera dive off the cliffs of Sicily into the ocean below, you’re drawn into the scene. As the camera switches to an overhead shot, the LG’S clarity and crispness produces an immense sense of depth, with the image remaining stable and controlled. The greys and whites of the cliff face are carefully considered, while the topaz blue ocean appears vivid and inviting.
Even when faced with upscaling Full HD, the LG doesn’t panic. Showing This Morning via Freeview Play, the picture enjoys great stability and crispness. You’d have no idea the E9 was doing so much number-crunching behind the scenes. While the LG communicates the brightest whites and the darkest blacks well, the best Samsung QLEDS extract even more detail at either end of the scale. The LG’S motion handling is acceptable, but we still find Sony’s Motionflow a little more natural.
Having said that, you’ll struggle to find such a well-rounded performance at this screen size. The OLED55E9PLA produces the kind of picture we’d hoped for, and supplements it with excellent sound quality. You’d need to spend a lot on a soundbar to improve the audio significantly, so the fact you’re getting improved sound not only justifies the jump in price, but also cements this television’s five-star rating.
“The OLED55E9PLA produces the kind of picture we had hoped for, and supplements it with excellent sound quality“