Is LG SC9S really as bad as What HIFI describes

Struggling to find a good solution for LG OLED C2 (65 inch version). I was really excited to read about the LG SC9S being designed specifically for C series LG OLED TV-s. But What HIFI (which I've considered a good source of audio advice in the past) is saying it's more or less crap: https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/lg-usc9s. I may be a tad bit paranoid, but they seem to have a negative bias towards LG soundbars (or hopefully they suck at device calibration), so I'm turning to you guys.

a) do you have an SC9S soundbar and how is it actually performing?

b) are there better LG alternatives in the mid-range (e.g. S80QY)?

c) what's a good mid-range solution for an LG OLED C2 TV (65 inch version) from other brands aside from LG? I'm also looking into Philips B8905 as it's said to be good value for money (https://www.techradar.com/reviews/philips-b8905).

Any and all advice greatly appreciated. Feeling pretty lost and tired of reading useless reviews.