Fact: sound quality from today’s TV’s isn’t great. As new TVs get thinner, sound usually takes a back seat to other things, like enhancements in picture and design. So if you want immersive home theater audio, that basically means a sound bar is now a requisite.
Luckily, TCL’s new Alto line of sound bars make it affordable to great sound for movies, TV, and even streaming music, without spending a ton. The line includes Alto 5 ($80) sound bar which is designed for 43-inch TVs, and the Alto 7 ($100) sound bar designed for TVs that are 55-inches and up.
Both sound bars have built-in Bluetooth for to stream music directly from your smartphone. A notable difference is that the Alto 7 sound bar is compatible with HDMI ARC, so you’re able to control the sound bar’s volume with the same remote as your TV. Both sound bars come in plus-sized models — the Alto 5+ ($150) and the Alto 7+ ($180) — which add a wireless subwoofer for extra bass.
