TCL Alto 8i 2.1 Soundbar Review

6.02 Mixed Usages
7.3 SOUND QUALITY
7.4 BASS ACCURACY :
5.4 AUDIO & VIDEO LATENCY:
3 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT FEATURES:
7 BUILD QUALITY :

TCL Alto 8i is a 2.1 channel standalone soundbar. It has two internal subwoofers that deliver clean and articulate bass. choose one from multiple sound modes to change the sound nature. Basic ports like HDMI ARC, 3.5mm, Optical, USB are available. It creates virtual surround sound but will not be as immersive as a 5.1 system. It can get pretty loud but is better to place in compact spaces.

Our Verdict

TCL Alto 8iworks well with movies and music. It supports Dolby Atmos that makes movies enjoyable with decent height effects, surrounds are good as well. There is no center channel but vocals are average. Use the remote to control the bar as there is no support for mobile app or voice. For a better sounding bar, check the Samsung HW-S60A.

PROS
  • Roku TV ready
  • One remote
  • Easy setup
  • Supports Bluetooth
  • Supports Dolby Atmos
CONS
  • No center channel
Specification

GENERAL

Number of Channel 2.1 Channel
Placement Type Wall-mountable
Connectivity Type Wireless
Subwoofer Feature Without Subwoofer
Rear Speaker N/A
Central Channel Speaker N/A
Audio Enhancement Features Yes
HDMI input/output Yes
Analog Audio In 3.5mm (Aux) Yes
Loudness High Volume ( > 92db )
Warranty 12 months Months

Connectivity:

Digital Optical Audio Input ( Toslink ) 1 Optical Audio Input
HDMI ARC 1 (shared)
HDMI Output 1 (shared)
Full HDMI Input 1 HDMI Input
Analog Audio In 3.5mm (Aux) 1
RCA Ports No
USB Port 1 USB Port
Ethernet Jack No

Audio Quality ( Tested )

Dialogue & Vocal Accuracy Frequency deviation from target is less than standard error (3.4 dB ); which means soundbar is very good to reproduce dialog and instrumental music
Bass Accuracy ( for music, film scores, movies, and games) Soundbar 's Low-Frequency-Extension is more than 35 Hz. Which means It can reproduce the deep thump and rumble in the low-bass accurately.
3- Dimensional Sound Accuracy ( Sound Stage) soundstage has good focus overall but but some sound tracks seem to be bit more diffused and lack separation.
Total Harmonic Distortion ( Center Channel ) No Dedicated Center Channel Speaker. So, it can not produce sound quite as clear as 3.0, 3.2 , 5.1 or 7.2 channels Soundbar. But It has decent center performance to produce accurate audio and dialogue.
Surround Sound Imaging ( Rear Channel ) No dedicated or alternative channel for surround content. So it downmixes surround content to stereo.
Streo Dynamics ( Loudness ): Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Volume is little bit more than standard deviation (<2 dB) and maximum valume is over 92 dB SPL
Audio & Video Latency Here no visible latency via ARC (158 ms) and Optical (147 ms) but visuals difference may found via Full HDMI Input (94 ms).

Audio Enhancement Features:

Digital Room Correction: N/A
Auto Volume Adjustment/ Night Mode: Yes
Equilizer Options: Presets
Bass Adjustment ( Thump & Punch of sound) Yes
Treble Adjustent ( Brightness and Clarity od Audio) Yes
Surround Level Adjustment: N/A
Virtual Surround Effect: Yes

Supported Audio Format ( HDMI ARC)

eARC Standard N/A
Dolby Atmos Yes
Dolby Digital Yes
Dolby Digital Plus Yes
DTS N/A
DTS: X N/A
Dolby True HD ( eARC only ) N/A
DTS- HD MA (eARC only) N/A
5.1 PCM ( eARC only ) N/A

Supported Audio Format (Full HDMI In' port ):

Dolby Atmos : Yes
DTS:X : N/A
Dolby Digital : Yes
Dolby Digital Plus: Yes
DTS : N/A
Dolby TrueHD : N/A
DTS-HD MA : N/A
5.1 PCM Yes

Audio Format Support ( Optical Port ):

Dolby Digital : Yes
DTS : N/A

Drivers Specs

Tweeter Size and Type : 1" x 2
Midrange Size & Types:
Woofer Size & Type :
Subwoofer Driver None

Build Material

Enclosure Integrated
Finish The great build quality. It's made of plastic which feels quite solid.
Color Black
Soundbar Width 39.0" (99.0 cm)
Soundbar Height 2.6" (6.5 cm)
Soundbar Depth 5.2" (13.3 cm)
Subwoofer Width N/A
Subwoofer Depth N/A
Where to buy
Amazon Buy on Amazon
Ebay Buy on Ebay

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