Williams Pelegrin
From an 8K TV with Mini-LED technology and affordable smartphones to true wireless earbuds and a foldable phone, TCL had a busy time at CES 2020. The company’s announcements didn’t end there, as it also unveiled the Alto 9+. It might look like an unassuming soundbar, but the Alto 9+ packs a few tricks up its sleeve.
The highlight feature is the Alto 9+’s use of Ray-Danz technology. Notice how the left and right sides of the main speaker are curved. It’s not just for show—the Ray-Danz tech uses backward-tilted side speakers to beam sound waves toward curved reflectors. This allows the Alto 9+ to bend the sound around the room, with a third front-firing speaker delivering voice positioning. There’s also a wireless subwoofer and Dolby Atmos for added depth on horizontal and vertical planes.
The end result is a much wider “sweet spot,” the area you sit in to get immersed in the sound. It also results in 360-degree surround sound without the use of extra upward-firing speakers.
Another standout feature of the Alto 9+ is it being the first “Roku TV Ready” soundbar. That means you can fully control the Alto 9+ from a Roku TV’s menus or a Roku TV remote. For example, you can control the soundbar’s sound modes, bass and treble settings, and more. Rounding out the features is compatibility with Chromecast and AirPlay 2, letting you stream content from your devices to the soundbar.
The Alto 9+ will be available in early 2020 for around $400 to $500. There’s no word yet on regional availability.
