The TCL Alto 8+ Fire TV Edition is a 2.1 setup with a built-in subwoofer. It gives you access to the Amazon Fire TV 4k streaming media player, which organizes your streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Now into one place via your TV. Thanks to its balanced mid-range, it's ideal for listening to dialogue-heavy content like podcasts and TV shows. However, it doesn't support Atmos content or 4k passthrough, and it downmixes surround content into stereo. On the upside, once it's connected to your TV, you can use this soundbar to access sound customization options like a dialogue enhancement feature, an auto-volume mode, and EQ presets.
Note: It seems that TCL has discontinued this version of the TCL 8+. In 2021, the manufacturer released the TCL Alto 8+ (TS8212), which is a 2.1.2 setup, and the TCL Alto 8+ (TS813), which is a 3.1.2 setup. Our results aren't representative for these setups.
Our Verdict
The TCL Alto 8+ is mediocre for mixed usage. Out-of-the-box, it has a well-balanced and neutral mid-range that makes it ideal for reproducing dialogue-heavy content like TV shows and podcasts. This soundbar supports surround content, though it downmixes it to stereo, and it doesn't support Atmos content, which isn't ideal if you watch a lot of movies. However, it has some sound customization features, including dialogue enhancement and three EQ presets to help you adjust the sound to your liking.
- Three EQ presets.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Doesn't support Atmos.
- Lacking low-bass.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
The TCL Alto 8+ is decent for dialogue and TV shows. It's very neutral and balanced in the mid-range, which is ideal for reproducing voices and dialogue clearly and accurately. There's even a dialogue enhancement feature to help make voices sound more clear and crisp. You can also stream your favorite podcasts and audiobooks to the bar using Bluetooth. It can get reasonably loud, though there are some compression artifacts present at max volume. Unfortunately, this 2.1 soundbar doesn't have a dedicated center channel, so its phantom center doesn't sound quite as clear and real as a discrete setup.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
- Not Wi-Fi compatible.
The TCL Alto 8+ is acceptable for music. Out-of-the-box, its sound profile is a bit punchy and boomy, but it's still suitable for many music genres. That said, though it has a subwoofer integrated into the bar, it lacks low-bass, so fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop may be disappointed by the lack of thump in the mix. On the upside, it has some sound enhancement features to help you customize the sound to your liking, including three EQ presets.
- Three EQ presets.
- Balanced, neutral mid and treble ranges.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Lacking low-bass.
- No bass or treble adjustment features.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
The TCL Alto 8+ is sub-par for movies. It has a slightly punchy and boomy overall sound profile out-of-the-box, and it's lacking low-bass, so you won't feel the deep thumps and rumbles from movie scores and action-packed scenes. This bar can get reasonably loud, but there are some compression artifacts when it's played at max volume. While it supports surround content, it has to downmix it into stereo to play it, which isn't as immersive. It also doesn't support Atmos content.
- Doesn't support Atmos.
- Downmixes surround content to stereo.
- Lacking low-bass.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 29, 2024: Updated text in Stereo Dynamics, Audio Latency: ARC, and Audio Latency: Optical boxes with new methodology from TBU 1.3. Some updates to the usages as well.
- Updated Jan 29, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench Update 1.3. If applicable, we've retested stereo sound based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Additionally, we've expanded our audio latency tests to the following boxes: Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Jun 19, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.2. Updated the results for audio format support via ARC/eARC, HDMI In, and Optical. Added Video Passthrough to TV results as well.
- Updated Mar 20, 2023: Added cable lengths to In The Box.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The TCL Alto 8+ comes in 'Black', and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
Our results represent the 2020 model of this soundbar. However, since then, it appears that TCL has discontinued this setup. They've since released two additional versions of the TCL Alto 8+, including the TS8212 2.1.2 channel setup, and the TS813 3.1.2 channel setup. Unlike the model we tested, both of these soundbars support Dolby Atmos content.
If you come across another version of this soundbar, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The TCL Alto 8+ Fire TV Edition is a 2.1 setup with an integrated subwoofer. Like the Roku Smart Soundbar, it also comes with an integrated media streamer. Once you connect it to your TV, you can use this soundbar to access the Amazon Fire TV 4k media streamer, which gathers all of your favorite streaming platforms into one place. This soundbar can also play surround content, but it doesn't support Dolby Atmos.
If you're looking for more soundbars, check out our recommendations for the best soundbars under $200, the best soundbars under $300, and the best soundbars for dialogue.
The TCL S55H is an improvement on the TCL Alto 8+ in most aspects. While both soundbars feature a 2.1 setup, the S55H features a more balanced default sound that's less dominated by bass frequencies. It can also get louder with less compression as you crank the volume, and its center and surrounds performances are a step up. Furthermore, the S55H also features Atmos compatibility and AI Sonic-Adaptation, which tunes the sound to your room's acoustics. The only thing in favor of the Alto 8+ is a slightly wider stereo soundstage.
The Roku Smart Soundbar is a better overall soundbar than the TCL Alto 8+, though both bars perform very similarly. Neither bar supports Dolby Atmos content. However, they both give you access to a media streaming player - the Roku media player for the Roku bar and the Amazon Fire TV 4k media streamer for the TCL. The Roku supports Wi-Fi streaming and it has a companion app, unlike the TCL. The Roku also has a better-balanced sound when playing content through both its center channel and when downmixing surround content into stereo. However, the TCL has a more focused soundstage.
The TCL Alto 9+ is a bit better for mixed usage than the TCL Alto 8+. The 9+ is a 3.1 setup with a dedicated subwoofer that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It's better built, and it supports Dolby Atmos content. It also has a better center channel performance. That said, the 8+ has a better soundstage.
The TCL Alto 8+ is a better overall soundbar than the TCL Alto 5+. Both are 2.1 soundbars that don't support Dolby Atmos or DTS content. The 5+ has a muddy sound profile compared to the 8+, so its sound isn't as neutral or well-balanced. The 8+ also has more features, including an integrated Amazon Fire TV 4k streaming platform, an auto volume feature, and an HDMI ARC port. That being said, the 5+ feels slightly better-built than the 8+.
The TCL Alto 7+ is a slightly better overall soundbar than the TCL Alto 8+, though depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The 7+ feels better-built, and it comes with a dedicated subwoofer, whereas the 8+ has a subwoofer built into the bar. The 7+ has better center and surround performances, too. However, the 8+ comes with more features, including an auto-volume mode and access to Amazon Fire TV 4k media streamer.
The Yamaha YAS-209 is a better overall soundbar than the TCL Alto 8+. The Yamaha is better-built, and it has a more neutral sound profile with a more extended low bass. The Yamaha also has a better-balanced sound on its center and surround channels. It also has more features, such as a virtual surround setting, and it supports 4k passthrough through its HDMI In port, which the TCL lacks. That said, the TCL comes with an auto-volume mode, unlike the Yamaha.
The Samsung HW-Q70R is a better overall soundbar than the TCL Alto 8+. Unlike the 2.1 TCL, the 3.1.2 Samsung supports Atmos content and has a discrete center channel that performs better than the TCL. The Samsung's default sound profile is a bit more neutral and has a more extended bass than the TCL. The Samsung can also get louder, and it has less compression at max volume. That said, unlike the Samsung, the TCL comes with an auto volume feature and a built-in Amazon Fire TV 4k media streamer.
The TCL Alto 6+ is a better 2.1 setup than the TCL Alto 8+. The Alto 6+ is better built, comes with a separate subwoofer, and has a more neutral sound profile. It can also get louder, and its center and surround performance are better as well.
The TCL Alto 8+ and the TCL Alto 8i have similar overall performances, and depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The 8+ is better for dialogue-centric content because it has a dialogue enhancement feature. It also offers built-in access to the Amazon Fire TV player. However, the 8i is better built and better for movies because it supports Dolby Atmos content. The 8i also supports 4k passthrough.
The Samsung HW-A450 is a better soundbar than the TCL Alto 8+. The Samsung has a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, a better dynamics performance, and offers more sound enhancement features like a graphic EQ. However, the TCL has an HDMI ARC port.
Test Results
The TCL Alto 8+ is a simple soundbar. It's wrapped in a charcoal-colored fabric across the top and the front of the bar. The rest of the bar is black plastic with a glossy finish. The subwoofer is integrated into the bar. There are control buttons on the right side, and the display screen is on the front of the bar on the right side.
The subwoofer is integrated into the soundbar.
The TCL Alto 8+ is a fairly long soundbar. It likely won't fit between the legs of a 55" TV. However, it also isn't very tall, so it shouldn't block your screen unless your TV sits flush on the table.
The TCL Alto 8+ Fire TV Edition has a fair build quality. It's mostly made of plastic, which feels solid and sturdy, but its glossy finish is prone to fingerprints. Also, the fabric covering the top and front of the bar could get dirty or rip easily.
- Manual
- Power cord (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- Optical cable (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- HDMI cable (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- Remote with batteries (2x AAA)
- Wall-mounting brackets (2x) with template
- Wall screws, wall anchors, mounting screws (2x each)
The TCL Alto 8+ Fire TV Edition has an alright frequency response. It's lacking a bit of low-bass, so it can't reproduce the low thumps and rumbles found in action-packed scenes or bass-heavy music genres. It's also a bit punchy and boomy. That said, the mid and treble ranges are quite neutral and well-balanced, making it suitable for vocal-heavy content like podcasts and audiobooks. There are also three EQ presets to help you adjust the sound.
The TCL Alto 8+ has a decent stereo soundstage. The soundstage is a little wider than the bar itself, but the bar doesn't have any tricks to make it sound wider than that. The soundstage has an okay focus, though, so objects seem to come from a fairly accurate pinpoint location rather than a more general area.
This soundbar gets loud enough to fill an average-sized living room with sound. However, some pumping and compression artifacts are present when you push it to max volume.
The TCL Alto 8+ is a 2.1 soundbar system, so it doesn't have a dedicated center channel. Instead, it uses its left and right speakers to create a sound in the center, which won't sound as clear and real as a discrete center channel. Although it's a bit bass-heavy, there isn't much bass frequency on center channel tracks, so it should sound fairly balanced thanks to the neutral mid and treble ranges.
The TCL Alto 8+ has a bad surrounds performance. It downmixes surrounds content into stereo to play it, which won't sound as immersive as dedicated surround speakers. As a result, sound may seem like it's coming from straight in front of you instead of all around you. It also sounds a bit bass-heavy, which may be overwhelming for some listeners. If you're looking for a 2.1 setup from TCL with a better surround performance, check out the TCL Alto 6+.
This soundbar doesn't support Atmos content. If you want a similar setup that supports Atmos, check out the TCL Alto 8i.
The TCL Alto 8+ has a poor selection of sound enhancement features. It comes with three EQ presets (Movie, Music, and News) to help you adjust the sound based on what you're listening to. The 'News' preset is a dialogue enhancement feature, which helps make voices sound more clear and crisp. There's also an auto-volume feature to help balance the volume level between different programs, but it's only accessible in the bar settings when you're connected to your TV. On the downside, there isn't a room correction feature, so the bar may sound differently depending on the room you use it in.
This soundbar has several connectivity options. Unfortunately, it lacks a full HDMI In port, so you can't use this soundbar as a hub between your different devices. There isn't a 3.5mm AUX port, either, so you can't wired connect older devices to the bar.
Update 01/13/2021: We re-evaluated our methodology for ARC support and concluded that DTS and Dolby Digital+ support should be reported the same over an ARC connection as over an HDMI IN and Optical connection, so we updated our results from "Yes" to "No". Some TVs, like the one we initially used for testing, may convert this content, but other TV brands may not. Ultimately, your experience may vary depending on your TV.
Through its HDMI ARC port, the TCL Alto 8+ supports Dolby Digital content, which is commonly found on Blu-ray discs and popular streaming platforms. However, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos, which may be disappointing for some movie fans.
This soundbar doesn't have an HDMI In port.
While the TCL Alto 8+ supports Dolby Digital content via its Optical port, it doesn't support DTS content, which might be disappointing for some.
Over an ARC connection, this soundbar offers low audio latency. You can playback common surround sound formats like Dolby Digital without any noticeable lip-synching issues.
Audio latency is decent over an Optical connection. It falls on the higher side, particularly with Dolby Digital content, so the audio you hear isn't always in sync with the video you see on screen. Some apps and TVs can compensate for latency differently, though.
The TCL Alto 8+ doesn't have a Full HDMI In port, so it doesn't support passthrough and can't be used as a hub between your devices and your TV.
You can connect devices like your smartphone or tablet to the soundbar wirelessly via Bluetooth. However, you won't be able to connect devices using Wi-Fi, Chromecast, or Apple AirPlay.
The TCL Alto 8+ has a simple display on the right side of the front of the bar. It displays the current input, volume level, and sound mode. There's also a white dot that appears on the screen when the bar is off or in standby mode.
On the right side of the bar, there are physical buttons that allow you to power the bar on/off, change the input, connect to Bluetooth, and control the volume.
