TCL’s 8 Soundbars: 3 List Height Channels, 2 Add Surrounds
All eight list Dolby Atmos and HDMI eARC; six list DTS:X. Only the Q85H and S65K include rear speakers.
If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. It never affects our verdicts or scores — how that works. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
TCL’s US store lists 8 soundbars, and all 8 list Dolby Atmos and HDMI eARC, but 3 of the 8 carry a height number in their channel label: the Q85H (7.1.4), Q75H (5.1.2) and A65K (3.1.2). Only two come with rear speakers, the Q85H and the S65K.
The rest of the split is the subwoofer, DTS:X and the inputs. The S45H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) has no subwoofer, and the two H-coded S Class bars list DTS Virtual:X rather than DTS:X, and no HDMI input of their own. TCL sells all eight on its own store; the Q75H and S55H were sold out on 2 November. TCL’s TVs are in our separate TCL TV explainer.
The 8 soundbars side by side
From the feature lists and specification tables on us.tcl.com, read 2 November 2026. The A65K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) page has no specification table; its row comes from its feature list.
| Model | TCL’s line | Channels | Up-firing | Subwoofer | Rear speakers | DTS | Bar width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q85H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | Q Class | 7.1.4 | Bar and surrounds | Wireless, 6.5-inch | 2 wireless, with up-firing drivers | DTS:X | 41.5 in |
| Q75H | Q Class | 5.1.2 | Bar | Wireless, 6.5-inch | None named | DTS:X | 41.5 in |
| Q65H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | Q Class | 5.1 | No height number (see below) | Wireless, 6.5-inch | None named | DTS:X | 41.5 in |
| A65K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | Designer | 3.1.2 | Bar | Wireless, 6.5-inch | None named | DTS:X | Not listed |
| S65K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | S Class | 5.1 | No | Wireless, 6.5-inch | 2 wireless | DTS:X | 33.46 in |
| S60K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | S Class | 3.1 | No | Wireless, 6.5-inch | No | DTS:X | 33.46 in |
| S55H | S Class | 2.1 | Not listed | Wireless, 5.5-inch | None named | DTS Virtual:X | 31.89 in |
| S45H | S Class | 2.0 | Not listed | None; bass reflex port | None named | DTS Virtual:X | 31.89 in |
A higher list price does not always bring more speakers: the S65K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) includes two wireless rear speakers, and the Q65H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab), listed higher, names none.
Height channels: three bars, and one that is unclear
The Q85H is the only one with height drivers in both the bar and its two wireless surrounds, and TCL lists 15 speakers in all. The Q75H keeps the same 41.5-inch bar size and up-firing speakers in the bar, with 11 speakers and no surrounds named. The A65K is the Designer bar: TCL says “Audio by Bang & Olufsen”, lists up-firing speakers that “unlock Dolby Atmos height effects”, and calls its depth “UltraThin” without giving a figure.
The Q65H page does not agree with itself. Its label is 5.1 and its description names a wireless subwoofer and nothing else beside the bar, yet its specification table lists up-firing speakers and two satellite power cords. The Q75H table carries the same satellite cords with no surrounds named, so we take the channel label. A bar can process Atmos without height drivers, which our explainer on up-firing and virtual height covers.
Inputs: where the lines split
| Model | HDMI input | HDMI eARC | Optical | 3.5mm AUX | Bluetooth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q85H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | Yes, HDMI 2.0 | Yes | Yes | Not listed | 5.1 |
| Q75H | Yes, HDMI 2.0 | Yes | Yes | Not listed | 5.1 |
| Q65H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | Yes, HDMI 2.0 | Yes | Yes | Not listed | 5.1 |
| A65K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Version not listed |
| S65K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | “HDMI In 1”, no 4K pass-through | Yes | No | Not listed | 5.3 |
| S60K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | “HDMI In 1”, no 4K pass-through | Yes | No | Not listed | 5.3 |
| S55H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5.2 |
| S45H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5.2 |
A TV with only an optical output narrows the list to five: the three Q Class bars, the S55H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) and the S45H. The S65K and S60K tables also list no Wi-Fi and no AirPlay; the Q85H and Q75H feature lists name AirPlay 2, and the Q75H adds Wi-Fi 5. Lossless Atmos and DTS:X need eARC at both ends, while most streaming Atmos plays over ordinary ARC, as our ARC and eARC explainer sets out.
The Q Class bars and the two H-coded S Class bars list Roku TV Ready; the S65K and S60K (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) list Roku TV Ready: No and TCL TV Ready: Yes, along with ChoruSound, which TCL says plays the TV’s speakers together with the soundbar.
Prices on TCL’s store
Read on us.tcl.com, 2 November 2026. List is TCL’s crossed-out regular price; every model was on sale that day.
| Model | TCL list price | TCL store, 2 Nov |
|---|---|---|
| Q85H | $899.99 | $649.99 |
| Q75H | $799.99 | $499.99, sold out |
| A65K | $599.99 | $399.99 |
| Q65H | $499.99 | $349.99 |
| S65K | $399.99 | $299.99 |
| S60K | $299.99 | $179.99 |
| S55H | $199.99 | $119.99, sold out |
| S45H | $149.99 | $79.99 |
The same collection lists a Z100-SW subwoofer and two party speakers, which this page leaves out. Black Friday is 27 November, and these sale prices may move before then.
Who each one suits, by the specs
- Height from the bar and from the surrounds: the Q85H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab).
- Height from the bar, no surrounds: the Q75H, or the A65K for the Bang & Olufsen-branded Designer bar.
- Surrounds without height channels: the S65K, which lists no optical input.
- A bar and a sub, no surrounds or height number: the S60K (3.1), or the Q65H (5.1), which adds an HDMI input and optical.
- A TV with only an optical output: a Q Class bar, the S55H or the S45H.
- One box under the TV, no separate sub: the S45H, the only one of the 8 without a subwoofer.
Whether a bar needs a separate sub at all is what our subwoofer explainer works through from makers’ figures.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between TCL Q Class and S Class soundbars?
On TCL’s pages the three Q Class bars are 41.5 inches wide and list DTS:X, an HDMI input, an optical input and Roku TV Ready. The S Class bars are 31.9 to 33.5 inches; the S60K and S65K drop the optical input, and the S45H and S55H drop the HDMI input and DTS:X.
Which TCL soundbars have up-firing speakers?
Three carry a height number in their channel label: the Q85H (7.1.4), whose two wireless surrounds also have up-firing drivers, the Q75H (5.1.2) and the A65K Designer bar (3.1.2). The S65K and S60K tables list Up-Firing Speaker: No.
What is the difference between the TCL S65K and S60K?
The rear speakers. Both list a 33.46-inch bar, a centre channel and 6.5-inch wireless subwoofer. The S65K adds two wireless rear speakers, making it 5.1 against 3.1. TCL lists 630 watts for the S65K and 340 for the S60K.
Does the TCL Q65H have surround speakers?
TCL’s description and overview name a wireless subwoofer and no surround speakers, and its channel label is 5.1 with no height number. Its spec table lists up-firing speakers and two satellite power cords, lines the Q75H table also carries, so the page is not consistent.
Do TCL soundbars have an optical input?
Five of the eight list one: the Q85H, Q75H, Q65H, S55H and S45H. The S65K and S60K tables list Optical In: 0, and the A65K page does not mention one.
Which TCL soundbar has Bang & Olufsen sound?
The A65K, a 3.1.2 Designer Series bar with up-firing speakers and a wireless subwoofer with a 6.5-inch driver. TCL’s page says “Audio by Bang & Olufsen” and describes an ultrathin depth, but lists no dimensions.
How we researched this
No one at bitcritiq has handled this product. Everything here comes from published sources, listed below.
- What this cannot tell you
- We have not heard any of these soundbars, and this page does not rank them. TCL’s pages disagree with themselves in places. The Q65H is labelled 5.1, and its description names a wireless subwoofer but no surround speakers, yet its specification table lists up-firing speakers and two satellite power cords; the Q75H table lists the same satellite cords though it is a 5.1.2 bar with no surrounds named, so we read those lines as copied between pages and take the channel label and description. The Q85H overview says 620 watts and its specification table up to 860, so we give no wattage. The A65K page lists no bar width, Bluetooth version or optical input. The S65K and S60K tables list “HDMI In 1” and “4K Video Pass No” without saying whether that one port is the eARC port. The Q75H and S55H were marked sold out on 2 November, and every price was a sale price that day.
How we chose this, and what we did
- Why this subject
- Google Trends showed “tcl soundbar” rising 60% in our 1 November digest, and Search Console shows soundbar-series searches landing on our Samsung and Sonos soundbar pages. We had no page on TCL’s soundbars, whose Q Class, S Class and Designer names, and model codes ending in H or K, say little about which have height channels, surrounds, a subwoofer or an HDMI input. Our TCL TV explainer covers the TVs only.
- How we looked at it
- Read TCL’s US store (us.tcl.com) through a browser on 2 November 2026: the Sound Bars collection (two pages, nine items: six soundbars, the Z100-SW subwoofer and two party speakers), the Sound Bars menu, which also lists the S55H, and the model selector on the Q-Class pages, which also lists the Q75H. Then the product page of each of the eight soundbars: the feature list, the overview text and the specification table, read from page text. The A65K page has no specification table, so its row comes from its feature list and overview. Eight soundbars are covered, counted from the rows of our first table; the 3 with height channels are the rows whose channel label has a third number, and the 2 with rear speakers are the rows whose page names included surround or rear speakers. Prices are TCL’s own store: list is the crossed-out regular price, and the second column is what TCL charged that day. Where we say a model lists no optical input, the control is the same connectivity table listing HDMI and Bluetooth: the S65K and S60K tables read “Optical In 0” beside “HDMI In 1” and “Bluetooth Yes (Version 5.3)”.
What this rests on
6 claims, all official. Nothing here was measured by bitcritiq — see how we test for why. Open a claim to read the source it came from.
TCL’s US store lists eight soundbars on 2 November 2026: six in its Sound Bars collection, plus the S55H and Q75H, both marked sold out.Official
Sound Bars collection: S45H, Q85H, Q65H, S60K, S65K, A65K (with the Z100-SW subwoofer and TP300K and TP200K party speakers). Sound Bars menu also lists “S CLASS 2.1 CH… S55H”. Q-Class model selector: “SELECT A MODEL Q65H Q75H Q85H”. S55H and Q75H pages: “Sold out”.
Three list height channels in their channel label: the Q85H (7.1.4), Q75H (5.1.2) and A65K (3.1.2).Official
Q85H: “Number of Channels 7.1.4”, “Sound Bar with Up-Firing Speakers”, “Wireless Surrounds with Up-Firing Speakers”. Q75H: “Number of Channels 5.1.2”, “Soundbar with Up-Firing Speakers”. A65K: “3.1.2 Designer Series Soundbar”, “Up-firing speakers unlock Dolby Atmos® height effects”.
Only the Q85H and S65K include rear or surround speakers.Official
Q85H: “7.1.4 Channel Sound Bar System with Wireless Subwoofer and Wireless Satellite Speakers”. S65K: “Wireless Rear Speaker Included Yes”, “Up-Firing Speaker No”. S60K: “Wireless Rear Speaker Included No”.
The S55H and S45H list Dolby Atmos with DTS Virtual:X, not DTS:X, and no HDMI input; both list an optical input and a 3.5mm AUX input.Official
S45H and S55H tables: “Dolby Processing Dolby Atmos DTS Virtual:X Yes … HDMI Input No HDMI eARC 2.0 … Optic Digital Audio Yes 3.5mm AUX Input Yes”. S45H: “Total Speakers 2”; S55H: “Total Speakers 3”, “Wireless Subwoofer with 5.5” Driver”.
The S65K and S60K list no optical input, no Wi-Fi and no AirPlay; the three Q Class bars list an HDMI 2.0 input alongside eARC and an optical input.Official
S65K and S60K: “HDMI In 1 HDMI Out 0 HDMI ARC Yes (eARC 2.1) … Optical In 0 Bluetooth Yes (Version 5.3) Wi-Fi No … Works with Apple AirPlay No”. Q85H, Q75H, Q65H: “HDMI Yes, 2.0 HDMI eARC Yes, 2.1 … Optical Digital Audio Yes”.
On 2 November TCL’s list prices ran from $149.99 for the S45H to $899.99 for the Q85H, with every model on sale.Official
Collection and product pages: S45H “Sale price $79.99 Regular price $149.99”; Q85H “Sale price $649.99 Regular price $899.99”.
Sources 9
- TCL Sound Bar Deals — TCL US (Sound Bars collection, pages 1 and 2)Officialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
- TCL Q85H Q Class 7.1.4 Channel Sound Bar — TCL USOfficialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
- TCL Q75H 5.1.2-Channel Soundbar — TCL USOfficialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
- TCL Q65H 5.1-Channel Soundbar with Dolby Atmos — TCL USOfficialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
Show 5 more · 5 official or standards
- TCL A65K Designer Series 3.1.2 Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos — TCL USOfficialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
- TCL S65K Series 5.1 Channel Dolby Atmos Sound Bar — TCL USOfficialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
- TCL S60K Series 3.1 Channel Dolby Atmos Sound Bar — TCL USOfficialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
- TCL S55H 2.1-Channel Soundbar with Subwoofer — TCL USOfficialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
- TCL S45H 2.0-Channel Soundbar with Dolby Atmos — TCL USOfficialaccessed Nov 2, 2026
Pass it on
Know someone weighing this up? Send them the answer.
bitcritiq.com/cw74The link is permanent: it opens this article for good, even if the title changes.
No email, no account
Follow bitcritiq
Every new article, in whatever reader you already use.
Subscribe by RSSAll the ways to follow
Using Chrome on Android? Open the browser menu and tap Follow. New articles then turn up in the Following tab in Discover.
read next
To Use One TV Remote, Turn On HDMI-CEC at Both Ends
Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG Simplink, Sony BRAVIA Sync, Vizio CEC. Consoles, Apple TV and Switch 2 have their own switch.
7 TV Makers Build AirPlay Into Some Sets, No Apple TV Needed
Samsung lists 2018–2025 sets and LG 2018–2024. Switch AirPlay on in the TV’s settings, then use Screen Mirroring in Control Center.
Soap Opera Effect: Set the TV’s Motion Setting to Off
Samsung calls it Auto Motion Plus, LG TruMotion, Sony Motionflow, Roku Action Smoothing. Filmmaker Mode switches it off where offered.
4 of 5 TV Platforms: Antenna and HDMI Work Without Sign-In
Google TV’s basic mode needs no account or internet. Vizio and Samsung let you skip signing in; on Roku it depends on the model.