Today at CES 2020, the TCL Alto 9+ Soundbar has been unveiled. It features an aggressive look that houses triple-channel speakers. While TCL doesn’t get specific, it does compare its new release with options “typically reserved for high-end home theater systems.” This is due in part to its support for Dolby Atmos and RAY·DANZ technology, which beams sound towards reflector units to create “an even wider soundstage than mainstream digital signal processing.”
TCL Alto 9+ is Dolby Atmos and Roku TV-ready
Alto 9+ is here, and it packs 3.1-channel audio. Thanks to support for Dolby Atmos, this unit can be virtually adjusted to give your audio more height. With upward-firing drivers, Alto 9+ can make audio sound great similar around the entire room instead of reserving the best audio for who is sitting directly in front of it.
One of the most attractive features here is that TCL Alto 9+ is Roku TV-ready. This unit further expands the simple pairing tech found in Roku’s wireless speakers and the joint Walmart release of its Onn Soundbar. Once TCL’s latest version has been paired, it can be configured directly from a Roku TV’s built-in settings.
This approach helps keep the number of remotes in the living room to a minimum and makes configurations much more approachable to everyone in the family, not just the tech-savvy ones. We have yet to see what the bundled subwoofer looks like, but it TCL touts wireless connectivity and “powerful, ground-shaking bass.”
Pricing and availability
There’s no doubt that TCL Alto 9+ rests at the high-end of the company’s existing soundbar lineup. While neither an official launch date or cost has been announced, interested parties should expect it to arrive in early 2020 with a sticker price of somewhere in the $400 price range.
9to5Toys’ Take
Ever since companies like Sonos, Apple, Google, and Amazon began getting serious about audio quality, there’s no doubt that the landscape is more competitive than ever. This is especially true of soundbars with what seems like an unending list of options.
Bearing this in mind, once a baseline of great audio has been met, an example areas where companies can include an easy setup process, smart home integration, and a minimal amount of necessary wiring. While TCL does well by adding automatic (and wireless) configuration for Roku TVs, the company seems to leave apparent points on the table by leaving out integration with Alexa, Assistant, and more.
Make sure you head over to our CES hub for additional details on all of the most significant announcements out of Las Vegas.
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