The TCL S45H also has an integrated bass port.

I have this soundbar and currently my tone adjustments are +1 Bass and -1 Treble then we recently got a renovation and now my tonal adjustments are +2 Bass and +/- 0 Treble and also calibrated via TCL Home App. I’m using most of the presets specially the Music and Movie modes. When in Standard EQ mode this soundbar sounds lifeless almost like only an amplifier and the speaker itself and the only goal is to produce sound.

But when in Music and Movie mode it doesn’t sound that bad. The processing kicks in.

In Music mode it brings the bass and treble frequencies a bit and cuts a little of the mid frequencies making it sounds V-Shaped.

In Movie mode, this is where it brings most of its bass depending on the scene. The dialog are clear but it lacks the mid bass or the weight of the vocal. But there are also some movies where the vocal sounds fuller. The overall clarity are present though I’m not impressed with its Dolby processing due to driver and design limitations. But its there and it wasn’t bad at all just manage your expectations.

Surprisingly, the Voice mode is actually much better than turning ON the Dialog Enhancer. In voice, it does emphasis the vocal and automatically raises its presence to bring out most of the dialog detail. I’m using this mode when watching news.

Also, but maybe it’s just how our home are constructed. I’ve notice that most of the bass frequencies are at the sides of the soundbar a few meters away. I can’t confirm this but maybe you can try to listen to this soundbar at the sides in a few inches away LOL 🤣

BTW I’m new to RTINGS but I’m a silent reader and now I’m making noise LOL 😂

Nov 16, 2024 09:33 AM By adamjames37

1

There appears to be another variant with the model number S4BH which is exclusive to Best Buy. It appears to be identical to the S45H. It is mentioned in the review that using the Tutti Choral feature with a compatible TCL TV with up-firing speakers will result in a 2.0.2 output. Does this mean that if this sound bar is used with a 65QM851G, for example, with Tutti Choral enabled, that the TV’s subwoofer will be disabled? What about the TV’s left and right channels? Since tutti is an Italian word that means “all” or “together” I would think enabling the Tutti Choral feature would make use of all available speakers. I’m a little confused as to how the S45H would integrate with a TV such as the 65QM851G when the feature is enabled.

Hey adamjames37,

Thank you for letting us know about the TCL S4BH variant. I’ll add that to the review shortly. So, I tried to look into your TV’s compatibility with the Tutti Choral feature, but I was unable to find a reliable North American source for TCL TV compatibility and the Tutti Choral feature with this specific soundbar. TCL advises checking your TV’s specs, but the manual for your TV doesn’t mention the feature, so that might mean it’s not compatible. (I found other lists for European model variants mentioning the X955 with a different TCL soundbar, but sometimes, there are differences in performance and features, even between regional variants, and I’m not confident that means it’s compatible.) My best advice is to reach out to TCL support to ask them.

As for what the feature does, we haven’t tested it, but TCL indicates Tutti Choral uses the up-firing drivers (if the TV has them–and your TV does). So, my understanding is that’s the main advantage since the S45H doesn’t have any up-firing drivers, so in theory, this could improve the height performance of the soundbar depending on the TV’s placement. I think it disables the rest of the TV’s drivers, though, based on TCL’s text. Honestly, unless output volume is an issue, your TV has a greater low-end extension than this soundbar, but if you want more volume, it might be worth a look. That said, if it’s compatible, it might be a lateral move instead of a substantial improvement. Let us know if you go for it!

There appears to be another variant with the model number S4BH which is exclusive to Best Buy. It appears to be identical to the S45H.

It is mentioned in the review that using the Tutti Choral feature with a compatible TCL TV with up-firing speakers will result in a 2.0.2 output. Does this mean that if this sound bar is used with a 65QM851G, for example, with Tutti Choral enabled, that the TV’s subwoofer will be disabled? What about the TV’s left and right channels?

Since tutti is an Italian word that means “all” or “together” I would think enabling the Tutti Choral feature would make use of all available speakers. I’m a little confused as to how the S45H would integrate with a TV such as the 65QM851G when the feature is enabled.