The Alto 9 Plus includes a dedicated subwoofer. | Image: TCL
TCL has unveiled its latest Alto soundbars, which offer an affordable way of boosting a TV’s built-in sound. With the exception of the $59 Alto 3, all of the soundbars are certified as being “Roku TV Ready.” This means they should integrate seamlessly with TVs running Roku’s TV OS, allowing you to control and tune them with your TV’s remote. TCL’s Roku TV Ready soundbars range in price from $79 to $299.
At the top of the lineup is the Alto 9 Plus, which was first announced back at CES 2020. It’s equipped with Dolby’s Atmos, which adds height to the surround sound experience. However, rather than doing this with traditional upward-firing speakers, TCL says it’s using “virtual height channels” to create the impression of overhead sound,…