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The $79 TCL Alto 8 Plus 2.1.2ch Soundbar Is a Big Upgrade From Your TV's Built-In Speakers
Features Dolby Atmos surround sound and a discrete wireless subwoofer.
Starting this week, Walmart has dropped the price of the TCL Alto 8 Plus 2.1.2ch Soundbar and Subwoofer Bundle to just $79 with free shipping. This bundle normally retails for $259.99. This is an excellent budget price for a soundbar setup that's going to sound significantly better than the audio coming out of your TV's built-in speakers.
TCL Alto 8 Plus 2.1.2ch Soundbar with Subwoofer for $79
The TCL Alto 8 Plus soundbar measures 40" long, whereas most soundbars at this price point are under 30". A longer soundbar allows the speakers contained inside to be spread further apart for better spatial sound. It also complements bigger TVs (55 inches an up) aesthetically. The Alto 8 Plus boasts a pretty decent feature-set given the low price point. For starters, in addition to the standard 2.1ch channel layout, you get two additional height channels for Dolby Atmos surround sound. Not surprisingly, this isn't as good as a true discrete Atmos speaker setup, but it still offers better immersion than a pair of stereo speakers. Even more importantly, the bundle includes a separate wireless subwoofer, which is absolutely essential for rounding out the low end.
This soundbar will be a significant improvement over most built-in TV speakers. Speaker setups can easily cost thousands of dollars, but the audiophile market represents a classic case of diminishing returns. In order to get a soundbar setup that sounds significantly better than the Alto 8 Plus, you'll probably have to pony up a lot more money.
Check out the Sonos Father's Day Sale for high-end options
If you're looking for significantly better speakers and you've got a generous budget, Sonos has kicked off its Father's Day Sale early. You can save up to 25% off its most popular soundbars and speakers, including the first discount I've seen on its flagship Arc Ultra soundbar. Although these deals are all available from Sonos direct, I'd recommend getting them from a retailer like Amazon or Target where you can get faster shipping, easier better return policy, and potential rewards (for example, Amazon Prime cardholders and Target Circle cardholders both get 5% cashback).
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
