LG Xboom XL9T

Closer to a PA system than a Bluetooth speaker, the $799.99 LG Xboom XL9T offers an impressive 1,000W of power, customizable lighting effects, and guitar and mic inputs for your karaoke night. Built-in wheels help offset its tremendous size and weight, but the speaker doesn't support hi-res audio playback, which limits the quality of its massive output. If you primarily care about filling a big space with big sound, the XL9T does so very well and can easily bring life to your party. But LG's $599.99 Xboom XL7 delivers almost as much volume, has similarly customizable LEDs, and includes the same inputs for $200 less, making it a better choice overall.

Design: A Tower of Power

The XL9T is a monster of a party speaker, coming in at 38.9 by 20.6 by 18.9 inches (HWD) and 60.6 pounds. It stands taller than most mini fridges and makes the XL7 look small by comparison (27.6 by 12.2 by 12.4 inches, 34.2 pounds). We haven't tested it yet, but for comparison, Sony's $1,199 ULT Tower 10 (43.5 by 16.5 by 16.9 inches, 63.9 pounds) is around the same size.

(Credit: Mark Knapp)

In terms of design, the XL9T borrows a lot from the XL7—it's essentially just a larger version that stacks considerably higher. The extra space means there's room for larger Xboom logos on either side of the black and red plastic frame. Like the XL7, the XL9T features several lighting zones. Ring lights outline the woofers, while a digital LED screen (called the Pixel Art Display) is between the woofers and tweeters. You can configure the latter to display graphics and text via the companion app. The speaker also sports various other LEDs and three strobe lights. All can flash to the beat of the music, though the strobes do so most accurately.

Whereas the XL7 features a pair of 2.5-inch tweeters and a single 8-inch woofer, the XL9T steps up to 3-inch tweeters and dual 8-inch woofers. A smooth, curved grille covers these components. As for power, each tweeter and woofer respectively pumps out up to 200W and 300W, for a total of 1,000W. The XL7 tops out at 250W, though Sony's ULT Tower 10 matches the XL9T's 1,000W.

(Credit: Mark Knapp)

The speaker can't deliver hi-res audio. It works with just the AAC and SBC codecs and supports only MP3 and WMA files over USB. These limitations mean sonic elements like cymbals tend to suffer from compression. For comparison, the Sony ULT Tower 10 supports the hi-res LDAC codec and can play uncompressed WAV files.

The good news is that the XL9T offers multipoint connectivity. You can also pair a second XL9T via the Party Link feature for a greater sense of stereo sound, though that might be prohibitively expensive. Many more affordable models, including LG's XL7 and Sony's $499.99 ULT Field 7, offer a similar feature.

The speaker can stand upright (it leans slightly back to angle the drivers upward) but also has thick rubber feet on its left and right sides to accommodate a horizontal placement. LG includes a pair of wheels on the back edge and a handle at the top to ease transport.

(Credit: Mark Knapp)

Dedicated controls are on the top. You get a power button, a button for enabling the Sound Boost feature, and a button for switching the audio source. LED indicators above that last button show the current selection. Large dials flank the controls, one for volume and the other for lighting. I find it concerning that the volume dial has no hard limits; it simply adjusts volume digitally with no visual indicators. Therefore, it's difficult to ensure that the volume is at a safe level when you turn the speaker on or while you are using it. The second dial cycles through lighting and display presets. Each dial also has a button in the middle. The one on the volume dial controls playback, while the one on the lighting dial toggles between lighting zones or turns the lights off (if you hold down for two seconds).

The rear of the speaker features one large reflex port and two covered ports. The bottom port is for the angled power cable and benefits from the protection of a rubber flap that seals it from the elements. The other covered area features two quarter-inch jacks for microphones with individual volume knobs; these work independently of the main volume knob. You can press the Mic Echo button to apply a reverb effect or the Guitar button to plug a guitar into one of the jacks. Otherwise, there's a USB-A port for local playback. I wish LG included 3.5mm and XLR mic inputs here. You get a 3.5mm jack on the Sony ULT Tower 10, for comparison.

(Credit: Mark Knapp)

An IPX4 rating means the speaker should survive splashes of water, though LG says to dry it off before using or charging it. This rating also doesn't apply if you set the speaker up horizontally. The Sony ULT Field 7 has a much higher IP67 rating, so it's a better choice for rough conditions.

There's no speakerphone, but we don't expect that feature on a speaker like this.

App Experience

Although the onboard controls are sensible, the Xboom app (available for Android and iOS) is the best way to manage most aspects of the speaker. Critically, it’s what you need to set up a connection to a second speaker. I appreciate that the app doesn’t require an account or any tedious setup steps.

(Credit: LG/PCMag)

Input and volume controls are accessible here, as is an adjustable EQ with three bands. But the app is most useful for controlling the lighting. Instead of slowly cycling through options via the onboard controls, you can simply select the effect you want. Here, you can also write custom messages and configure what graphics appear on the Pixel Art Display.

(Credit: LG/PCMag)

A handful of DJ and karaoke tools are available, too. DJs can utilize infamous air horn and disc-scratching samples, while singers can apply various voice effects.

Sound: As Big as You'd Expect

The XL9T is made for pumping jams, and its Sound Boost button adds some serious energy with a single press. In a home setting, you won't need to go over about 30% volume. But that's not the purpose of this speaker, so I moved it outdoors to really crank it up. It covers serious ground, sending audio further than it can maintain a Bluetooth connection.

Overall, the speaker produces reasonably balanced sound by default. Bass tones are ever present and the treble rings out brightly, though the mids are a bit subdued. Like other party speakers, it doesn't deliver any stereo separation and music can sometimes sound a little flat as a result (despite the volume). Moreover, the lack of hi-res playback support over a Bluetooth or USB connection means you miss out on some detail.

Tracks like The Knife’s “Silent Shout” play to the speaker's strengths. The MIDI lines sing out of the tweeters, while the woofers keep the bass line barreling forward with force. The sub-bass is mostly within the range of the XL9T’s drivers.

(Credit: Mark Knapp)

Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” reveals the speaker's limitations. Although most of the track comes across with power (especially with the Sound Boost feature active), the lowest sub-bass notes are lacking. The speaker carries a lot of energy down to 30Hz and can even scratch 25Hz, but it misses 20Hz. As a result, there are gaps in the bass line throughout the track.

Bill Calahan’s “Drover” doesn’t call for the sub-bass nearly as much, so it sounds quite rich. His baritone vocals are fully present, while the tweeters lend the various instruments a pleasant edge. The latter treatment is especially true for the percussion. Just keep in mind that tracks with this level of nuance sound a bit muddled with the Sound Boost mode active.

Verdict: Sensationally Loud, If Not Quite Sensible

The LG Xboom XL9T is a serious audio tower for outdoor parties that can pump out music at staggering volume levels. It produces fairly balanced audio, features an entertaining array of LED lighting, and supports both guitar and mic inputs. That said, we expect higher-quality playback options and more immersive sound for the price. You get all the same features from LG's Xboom XL7 (minus a bit of volume) for $200 less, so it's ultimately a better value. Or, you can also consider upgrading to the Sony ULT Tower 10 if you want more inputs, a better IP rating, and hi-res audio support.