Sending the boom
When it comes to entertainment, I believe good sound is just as important as visual fidelity. This is also why I always recommend accompanying any new TV with at least a solid soundbar as most internal speakers are simply not going to cut it. I have used a variety of different soundbars over time including cheap ones without a subwoofer, all the way up to the top-of-the-line tech. There are definitely differences in what you are using. Recently I checked out TCL’s flagship TV set, and they managed to set a standard for LED sets for sure. I was curious if they could do the same for soundbars. Enter the QM85H and its booming sound.
The TCL QM85H is a hefty boy. This is a full 7.1.4 system with surround speakers. For those not in the know, sound systems are described with various numbers, you have likely seen them when searching for them. The first number is the bar itself. So a number of 2 means it is stereo, while a number of 7 means it consists of all the channels such as center, left and right, surround left and right, and side left and right. The second number is for the subwoofer, while the final one is for the surround speakers. Most soundbars don’t have optional back speakers outside of the more high-end ones.
MSRP: $999.99
Taking this thing out of the box was an experience. The bar itself is massive. It is the largest soundbar I have ever used, and it is heavy. The design is very slick with a solid matte finish around most of the bar, then the top has a curved, glossy surface with lights that show up when in use. The front has a visual display that will pop up when turning on, changing volume, and so on. It is nice and legible even from a decent distance. The bar is nearly 42 inches wide, but it is only slightly higher than most soundbars, so it should sit under almost any TV as long as you have a few inches of clearance below it. It also comes with a wall mount kit if you want to go that route.
The remote is pretty standard fare. I paired this with the TCL QM851G so after setup, I really didn’t need it anymore. The TV has all the options directly in the menus and I was able to tweak just about anything from there. There is also an app available you can use to pretty much serve as the remote, so if you don’t want an extra remote laying around, there are options to stash it away, which I appreciate. I do love how I can adjust everything when paired with a TCL TV, it even has the mode where you can use the internal speakers in conjunction with the soundbar for immersive sound.
The surround speakers are pretty standard and small enough that they won’t be intrusive to my setup. They also have a screw for mounting to stands or the wall. They both require their own power supply which is my biggest gripe. The cables are not quite long enough to set them across the room if the outlet isn’t near. The cables are also large so hiding them can be an issue. The subwoofer is massive as well with a glossy front. I like the design all except for one piece. The speaker itself is exposed, while it is on the back, a cover would have been helpful. I am always worried something might puncture it if I have to move it. Also I have cats, so I have to watch them when they are near the woofer.
So yes, this is a bulky soundbar, but that is for a reason. This thing boasts a massive 860 watts of power, and it delivers. When I first set it up I decided to configure the room calibration. This uses AI Sonic to test the acoustics of your space to adjust the speakers properly so they bounce the sound correctly. THIS WAS LOUD. I scared everyone in my house as this thing blasted a static sound across the room. I was not prepared for this. It was worth it though, once set, I was able to switch it back and forth and it definitely made an improvement.
There are a host of sound modes out of the box. You can even set the intelligent settings on a TCL TV to adjust based on detected content. I did not care for this. Standard was the mode that resonated with me the most, so I mostly kept it on this for nearly all content. Even within the app there is not really an advanced equalizer available, but you can adjust the bass and treble levels as well as the levels for the surround speakers. Most of the EQ settings are built into the various sound modes, which for more hardcore audiophiles, will be a disappointment.
Now let’s get to the most important part, how does it sound? As I mentioned this thing packs a punch, it is very loud and chock full of bass. Normally I can send my soundbars up to around 10-15 without disturbing anyone. This thing has me setting it to around 5-6 most times. If I crank it up, it can really rock the house. This thing sounds amazing, and I wish I had a larger space to really let it loose. The tests I ran sounded amazing. Bass on explosions rock everything. Dialogue is very clear on nearly everything. If I had one gripe, it is that volumes between inputs can be really diverse. Sometimes some games sound much louder than others. I am assuming this is because of the encoding of the game itself.
The unit supports all forms of audio including Dolby Atmos, DTS, and everything in between. I had it set up through eArc, and my TV recognized it immediately. It has an HDMI passthrough, which is imperative to me. For past bars I had issues when using this feature. One thing I adore about this unit is that when I switch to the input of the soundbar on my TV, it automatically triggers the passthrough, so I don’t have to set it up via the remote. It is little things like this that make me smile.
Now for my biggest quirks with this. In addition to things already mentioned I also had issues where sometimes the sound would just drop. Power cycling my TV always fixes this. The pass through would also sometimes cause some visual noise at the top of the screen, again power cycling fixed this. I think these are caused by HDMI handshake issues, which are still broken in the year of our lord 2024. Amazing. Combined with my other quirks I have to say the list is small, and kind of nitpicky, but when something is this impressive, those are usually the things that stick out.
The TCL Q85H is an impressive soundbar that has spoiled me. It sounds amazing with movies, TV, and of course video games. It packs a punch with both bass and dialogue that are unmatched. I am not sure I could go back to inferior soundbars, let alone common TV speakers. Yes I am a snob when it comes to audio, and the Q85H delivers on nearly every front. It comes at a price, but as I always say, you get what you pay for.
Review hardware provided by publisher.
