- The Kef Xio sound bar costs £ 1,999 / $ 2,499 / au $ 3,600
- Dolby Atmos, DTS: X and Sony 360 reality audio
- 5.1.2 channels with 12 class D amplifiers
Audio Legend Kef has been busy: not only his team collaborated with nothing in the headphones (1), but also presented his first sound bar Dolby Atmos. The team is clearly very proud of it, and promises an “transcendent” audio experience.
At $ 2,499 / £ 1,999 This is clearly one for high -end cinemas. It is a sound bar in one of 5.1.2 channels with 12 class D amplifiers that put an 820W frankness of total power.
Despite that, the Xio sound bar is still very deep enough to look good on a wall. And where many sound bars are made specifically for films, Kef says that the Xio has also taken music.
KEF XIO SOUND BAR: Key features
The sound bar has six UNI-Q MX controllers, which are smaller versions of the UNI-Q controllers that you will find in larger KEF speakers. These are special because they are two speakers in one: a smaller controller is located in the center of the large speaker cone, creating a broader sound scenario between them that forms a clear audio signal.
Three of these controllers are placed in the upper part for the ascending shooting audio and the other three forward. They are combined with four low P185 controllers, which are rectangular controllers that KEF says they have the same radiant area as a standard circular controller of 10 cm. The rectangular shape means that the sound bar can accommodate more drivers without adding in bulk: similar racing drivers are used in many of the best sound bars.
Despite this great low -level power, it should not get much on the path of unwanted vibration: KEF says the way he has arranged drivers, with two pairs in opposite directions, which means that each controller cancels the vibration of his opposite.
The Xio also presents KEF's pending speed control technology, which calls Veco. It is a sensor that monitors the cones of the P185 controller, adjusting the movement to compensate for any error that detects to minimize distortion and compression.
Another key acronym is honey, abbreviation of the musical integrity engine. This is a set of DSP algorithms made specifically for the Xio to handle multichannel processing, virtualization and object placement. The result, says Kef, is “transcendent sound landscapes.”
The Xio works with all the main streamers, including Tidal, Amazon Music, Qobuz and Deezer, and has HDMI EARC, optics and subwoofer exits. You can also add any KEF subwoofer through the optional KW2 wireless receiver.
The KEF XIO is available through early access to today's members, on July 8, and goes on sale on July 18. It will also be available as of certain retailers, including Peter Tyson AV and severe Sound & Vision in the United Kingdom, with greater retail availability from August 8, 2025.
