When Roku first introduced its wireless audio platform in 2018, TCL was the main name attached to the initiative, but Roku’s in-house speakers (the Roku TV Wireless Speakers and Roku Wireless Subwoofer) were the only products to launch in the first couple of years. Now, TCL’s Roku TV soundbar is finally here, in the form of the $179.99 Alto R1. It connects quickly and easily to any Roku TV, such as the TCL R6-Series and the Hisense R7G series. It doesn’t support spatial audio or any other type of simulated surround sound, but it offers surprisingly strong audio for the price. You can ever pair it with a Roku Wireless Subwoofer if you want some deep rumble. It’s a solid alternative to Roku’s own speakers, especially if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution.
Just for Roku TVs
First, to clear up any potential confusion, Roku offers two wired soundbars, the Streambar ($129.99) and the Streambar Pro ($179.99), which integrate Roku media streaming features. However, those models aren’t part of the wireless Roku TV platform (and can work with any TV, not just Roku models), thus making the Alto R1 the first Roku TV wireless soundbar.
The Alto R1 looks decidedly plain. Its boxy design consists entirely of flat, rectangular panels and right-angle edges. No curves or embellishments interrupt the minimalist aesthetic. Only a matte black plastic chassis with a black grille cloth adorns the front, while a single white indicator LED sits behind it. The soundbar measures 2.5 by 31.5 by 3.9 inches (HWD) and is compact enough to easily fit below most standing TV screens. The back of the soundbar houses a connector for the power cable, as well as a reset button.
Setting up the Alto R1 is quick and seamless if you have a Roku TV. Again, if you don’t have a Roku TV, you can’t use the soundbar at all; it simply won’t work with TVs that don’t use the Roku TV platform, or with Roku media streamers, such as the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. With the right TV though, all you need to do is plug in the soundbar, turn on the TV, and hold the remote’s Home button down for five seconds. When the wireless audio setup menu appears, simply select Wireless Soundbar. The TV will automatically connect to the soundbar, install any firmware updates, and pair the two devices.
Once the soundbar connects to your TV, you can control it entirely via the TV’s remote and menu system. That includes switching to Bass Boost and Bass Reduction modes, as well as enabling automatic volume adjustment and speech clarity enhancement. You can also use the TV’s menu to pair Bluetooth audio devices with the soundbar and play sound through it. That’s all convenient, but one downside is that the soundbar can’t work independently of your TV; you need to turn your TV on and enable Bluetooth to play anything through the Alto R1.
Stereo Power
TCL doesn’t specify the size of the Alto R1’s drivers, but the soundbar has two 30W drivers and two 25W drivers for 2.0-channel stereo sound. The R1 supports Dolby audio, but not Dolby Atmos spatial audio. That said, you can augment the soundbar with the Roku Wireless Subwoofer. TCL doesn’t currently sell any complementary subwoofer or satellites for use with the soundbar.
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We tested the Alto R1 on its own to get an accurate sense of its performance. Despite its slim size, the speaker can get surprisingly loud; you probably won’t need to push its volume level past 40% in most listening situations. It can produce a pretty big sound field, though its stereo design means the audio stays largely centered around the TV. Even with Dolby audio, you don’t get the precise directional imaging you would with a Dolby Atmos-compatible or multi-channel-simulating soundbar, such as the Sonos Beam. It reaches far enough into the low frequencies to provide a sense of thunder, but it doesn’t produce the wall-vibrating, ultra-low frequencies that are possible with a separate subwoofer.
Even without sub-bass frequencies, the Alto R1 impresses with its audio range. Voices in The Matrix sound clear and full, while the creepy industrial soundtrack, with its low sweeps and high stings, come across robustly. It’s limited to a stereo mix, however, so the most directional imaging you get are subtle left-right pans.
The Alto R1 also presents Star Wars: Galaxy of Sounds impressively. The hums, squeals, and clashes of lightsabers are loud and forceful. Darth Vader’s breathing gets enough low-end presence to sound appropriately sinister, and the crash of rubble receives plenty of realistic texture. Again, the speaker can’t shake the walls and you won’t be able to pinpoint exactly where all of the sounds originate, but it can still fill the room with powerful sound.
Our bass test track, The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” filled my living room with well-rounded thumps from the kick drum hits. The Alto R1 won’t fool you into thinking there’s a subwoofer in the room, but the bass still sounds forceful. However, distortion started to creep in once I pushed the volume levels past 60%; be careful when playing particularly bass-heavy music through the soundbar if you tend to crank it up.
The opening acoustic guitar plucks in Yes’ “Roundabout” get plenty of string texture thanks to the driver’s strong high-frequency response, along with solid resonance in the lower frequencies. When the track properly kicks in, the bassline offers solid punchiness, but can use a bit more bass presence. The drums, guitar, and vocals all take center stage in the mix.
The backbeat in The Crystal Method’s “Born Too Slow” gets enough force in the low-mids to punch through the mix and lend a properly ominous presence to the track, despite the soundbar not driving any real low-end rumble. Unsurprisingly, the riffs and screeching vocals stand out, though the thump of the beat is just enough to balance them out.
Inexpensive and Hassle-Free…With the Right TV
The $180 TCL Alto R1 is a powerful and easy way to significantly improve the sound coming from your Roku TV. It doesn’t have any surround sound features on its own, though, and your TV needs to be turned on if you want to stream music over Bluetooth to the soundbar. Still, it’s relatively affordable, offers surprisingly strong audio sound even without a subwoofer, and easily integrates with your TV without taking up any ports or running any wire besides a power cable, making it a good alternative to Roku’s own Wireless Speakers if you’re looking for a one-piece solution.
If you don’t have a Roku TV, the aforementioned Roku Streambar Pro offers similar audio performance to the Alto R1, and its built-in Roku features let you use it as a media streamer. Like the Alto R1, it also works alongside the Roku Wireless Subwoofer and Roku TV Wireless Speakers. But if you want surround sound in one package, consider spending more for the $349.99 Vizio M51-H6 or the $449 Sonos Beam. The M51-H6 is a multi-part soundbar that includes a subwoofer and rear surround satellites, while the Beam is a one-piece speaker that offers surprisingly good directional audio and support for Dolby Atmos.
