- Cinema-ready immersive 3D surround sound is promised by the loudspeaker manufacturer KEF for the new KEF XIO soundbar, the first of its kind from the British company.
Soundbar systems have long since established themselves as a kind of standard when it comes to upgrading a TV set. Even though TV manufacturers have recognised that TV sets should also have a reasonable sound quality, an additional audio solution is simply essential for a reasonably convincing or even really appealing presentation of TV sound. The range of products on the market is correspondingly broad, with the spectrum ranging from simple, low-cost solutions to very powerful solutions with all the latest home cinema standards.
This wide range is now to be enriched by a solution that is clearly in the premium segment, namely the new KEF XIO soundbar and thus the very first soundbar from KEF. And a lot has been planned for this premiere, as the company promises nothing less than a cinema-ready experience and describes the new KEF XIO soundbar as a home entertainment system for television, films, music and gaming.
A first for KEF – the first soundbar
It is actually quite astonishing that KEF has not yet launched a soundbar on the market, especially considering that the soundbar market segment is dominated by well-known loudspeaker specialists.
However, this in no way means that KEF has not also tackled the issue of ‘good television sound’, albeit in a more traditional way, namely in the form of active loudspeaker systems such as those in the KEF Wireless Collection. Products such as the KEF LSX II LT WiFi HiFi Speaker or KEF LSX II are perfectly suited as a desktop audio solution to be placed next to a TV set, and the outstanding premium-class active speaker systems KEF LS50 Wireless II and KEF LS60 Wireless can of course also provide excellent service as an audio system when it comes to the best TV sound alone.
All of the above solutions are essentially classic audio systems, one could also speak of HiFi systems in their most compact form, but this only addresses a part of the consumer, all those who are traditionally prepared to integrate a pair of high-quality speaker systems into their living environment.
However, it must be clearly stated that many consumers want a solution that takes up hardly any additional space, especially around the TV set, that can be placed directly under the TV set and is therefore virtually unnoticeable, and ultimately a soundbar is the best way to achieve this.
KEF therefore came to the realisation that they should no longer ignore the topic of soundbars, but of course it was clear to the company from Maidstone that they would tackle it in the tried and tested way.
A soundbar designed in the tried and tested tradition
The KEF brand has always stood for a combination of technological innovation, design and craftsmanship, setting the standard in loudspeaker design throughout the decades since its foundation in 1961.
This is exactly what they have now set out to do with their first soundbar, which is now to be available in the form of the KEF XIO Soundbar.
The new KEF XIO Soundbar is said to be a solution that is essentially a HiFi system with the characteristic features of KEF, but in the form of a soundbar that can offer an unrivalled cinema experience.
A transformative home entertainment system
KEF refers to the new KEF XIO Soundbar as a transformative home entertainment system to emphasise that it has designed a solution that is capable of much more than just delivering good TV sound.
The new KEF XIO soundbar is designed to be a versatile home entertainment system that can deliver an immersive sound experience for TV, film, games and music alike, thanks to innovative technologies and decades of experience in developing speaker systems.
Extremely elegant appearance
But let’s start by describing the obvious, and that is clearly the extremely elegant design of the new KEF XIO soundbar. The manufacturer itself speaks of a minimalist design language that has been chosen so that the soundbar can be seamlessly integrated into any living environment.
Two colours are available, namely Slate Black and Silver Grey, whereby the housing initially has an aluminium cover and the speakers inside are protected by a particularly high-quality textile covering.
A special feature emphasised by KEF in this context is that the textile covering is splash-proof. This is particularly important because it allows the housing to be cleaned effectively with a damp cloth without leaving unsightly marks. In practical terms, this ensures the longevity of the product.
The KEF XIO soundbar measures no more than 1.210 mm in width, 70 mm in height and 165 mm in depth. According to the data sheet, it weighs 10,5 kg.
Wall mounting or placement on a TV cabinet
When it comes to placement around the TV set, the KEF XIO Soundbar offers the user a wide range of options. On the one hand, the soundbar can be placed flat directly under the TV set on the sideboard or lowboard, but wall mounting is also possible, as everything needed for this – drilling template, screws and wall plugs – is already included in the scope of delivery.
When wall-mounted, the KEF XIO soundbar is also mounted flat on the wall, so it is actually used both horizontally and vertically, but an optimal presentation is guaranteed in both cases.
KEF Uni-Q MX Driver in combination with full-range drivers
No fewer than six so-called KEF Uni-Q MX drivers are used in the new KEF XIO soundbar, whereby this is the smaller version of the KEF Uni-Q chassis. This is a so-called coaxial driver, which has a diameter of 50 mm and combines a mid-range driver with a dome tweeter in its centre. This is intended to achieve a particularly balanced and precise sound image, as the manufacturer promises.
But that’s not all: the KEF XIO soundbar also features two 50 mm full-range drivers, which are specifically designed to provide even more powerful reproduction in the important mid-frequency range.
KEF P185 bass driver in Racetrack design with P-Flex technology and KEF Velocity Control Technology
In order to guarantee powerful, rich bass despite the very compact dimensions, the developers at KEF rely on no less than four KEF P185 bass drivers in a racetrack design and thus very low overall depth in the case of the new KEF XIO soundbar. This means that they are rectangular-shaped woofers measuring 18 x 5 cm, with two of these woofers positioned back-to-back so that mechanical vibrations that damage the sound are eliminated from the outset in an opposing arrangement.
Another special feature of the drivers used here is the so-called KEF P-Flex technology, which has been taken directly from the KEF KC62 and KEF KC92 subwoofers from KEF. Essentially, this is a special moulding of the speaker surround, inspired by Japanese origami art, which ensures that the cone of the woofer always moves precisely, ultimately achieving a deeper bass response with consistently high clarity.
The so-called KEF Velocity Control Technology, abbreviated to VECO and for which KEF has filed a patent application, is also intended to make a significant contribution to the consistently clean performance of the woofers, free from distortion and compression effects.
The basis for this is a sensor integrated in the KEF P182 woofer that continuously monitors the movement of the cone, as well as a negative feedback loop to minimise distortion and compression and thus guarantee an undistorted, precise performance.
KEF Music Integrity Engine for Cinema
Another key aspect in achieving the particularly impressive performance promised by KEF is the so-called KEF Music Integrity Engine for Cinema. This is a DSP-based signal processing system that provides a series of DSP algorithms specially developed by KEF, which have of course been specially adapted to the KEF XIO soundbar in this specific case.
This is intended to provide a suite of DSP algorithms for multi-channel processing, including virtualisation and adaptive placement functions, which ensure an exceptional, realistic sound experience.
Designed as a 5.1.2-channel surround system for immersive 3D surround sound
Despite its very compact dimensions, the new KEF XIO soundbar contains a 5.1.2-channel surround system, which has been designed not only for stereo but also for surround sound based on the latest driver technology from the Kent-based loudspeaker manufacturer described above.
The system supports all relevant formats for immersive surround sound, from Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to Sony 360 Reality Audio, and is also able to upscale stereo content for playback in surround via an upmix function.
Three KEF Uni-Q MX drivers and the two full-range drivers are responsible for reproducing the main channels. The two remaining KEF Uni-Q MX drivers form the basis for immersive 3D surround sound and the woofers provide the solid bass foundation.
Class D amplifier
In order to achieve sufficient pressure, powerful amplifier modules are of course required, whereby in the case of the KEF XIO soundbar – not really surprisingly – particularly efficient Class D amplifier modules are used.
Twelve of these are available, with eight of them fuelling the six KEF Uni-Q MX drivers and two full-range drivers, and four fuelling the woofers. In fact, each driver of the KEF XIO soundbar has its own amplifier module.
This results in a total output of 820 watts, whereby this manufacturer’s specification is to be understood as peak output. It should also be mentioned at this point that the KEF XIO soundbar can reproduce a frequency range between 34 Hz and 20 kHz according to the data sheet.
KEF Intelligent Placement Technology
In order to be able to guarantee the most realistic surround experience possible, it is of course essential to optimise the sound to the individual room conditions. Room calibration and room correction are therefore required.
KEF takes care of this with the new KEF XIO soundbar using what is known as KEF Intelligent Placement Technology.
This is a calibration tool integrated into the KEF XIO soundbar that automatically adjusts the audio reproduction to the respective room conditions. This is particularly important in this case, as there is essentially only one sound source being used here, the drivers of which are controlled in such a way that the surround sound is achieved for the listener via reflections in the room. It is therefore essential that the travel times of the individual signals are optimised so that acoustic events are perceived from the left, right or rear, or even from above.
Incidentally, the KEF XIO soundbar automatically recognises whether it is being operated horizontally or vertically, i.e. placed on a piece of furniture or mounted on the wall. The soundbar detects this via a corresponding sensor in the first five minutes after switching on.
Connection sought
In order to use the KEF XIO soundbar as a versatile audio system in the living room, all relevant interfaces are of course required. First and foremost, of course, HDMI is available to establish a connection with a TV set.
The HDMI port functions as an eARC and supports HDMI CEC for centralised control, so that the TV remote control alone is enough to keep everything under control in the truest sense of the word.
There is also an optical S/PDIF interface as an alternative and an external subwoofer can be brought into play via an analogue RCA connection.
The KEF XIO soundbar can be integrated into the network via an RJ45 Ethernet interface, but it is also equipped with an integrated WiFi module in accordance with IEEE 802.11ax.
Of course, Bluetooth is also included, whereby it is Bluetooth 5.3, so that smartphones and tablets can be used directly as a source without having to rely on a network.
KEF W2 Wireless Platform – streaming in all its guises
It wouldn’t be a true All-in-One system if it didn’t offer flexible streaming. For the new KEF XIO soundbar, the British company is also relying on its tried-and-tested KEF W2 Wireless Platform, which has already proven its worth in the KEF Wireless Collection solutions.
This ensures that you can not only access your own content on the network, but that all relevant streaming services are also available. The KEF XIO Soundbar allows access to services such as TIDAL, Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz, Spotify, HIGHRESAUDIO and Internet Radio as well as podcasts.
The KEF XIO soundbar also supports the only real industry standard UPnP, as well as the Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, TIDAL Connect, Spotify Connect and Qobuz Connect streaming platforms.
Ideally equipped for Hi-res audio
Precisely because it offers such flexible access to a wide range of streaming variants, it should be mentioned that the KEF XIO soundbar supports signals with up to 24 bit and 384 kHz via the network and is therefore ideally equipped for Hi-res audio. For the sake of completeness, it should also be mentioned here that signals with up to 24 bit and 192 kHz are supported via the HDMI port and signals with 24 bit and 96 kHz via the optical S/PDIF interface.
Everything under control
As already mentioned, the KEF XIO soundbar will primarily be controlled via the TV remote control in everyday life, because you don’t need to do more than control the volume when watching TV. However, there is also an infrared remote control included with the soundbar, which is also used to control other important functions of the KEF XIO soundbar, such as input selection, playback control for streaming and the selection of sound presets.
Convenient control directly on the device is also possible, as the developers have actually implemented all the relevant controls on the top or front of the soundbar. There are also status LEDs to indicate the active input and an LED chain that visualises the volume.
However, the most flexible and convenient way to control the soundbar is clearly via the corresponding app, the KEF Connect app, which the manufacturer provides for both Apple iOS and Google Android.
The app should be downloaded before the KEF XIO soundbar is put into operation, as it is of course primarily used for simple initial installation, including the aforementioned room calibration. You can then make various manual optimisations, for example with the help of an equaliser, as well as practical functions such as a special dialogue mode and a night mode, but more on this later.
A look into the not-too-distant future
KEF is a company that always shines with very good customer support, and this includes successively developing products further and providing users with corresponding updates.
In the case of the KEF XIO soundbar, for example, this means that KEF is already working on being able to control any KEF subwoofer ‘wirelessly’ in the future. The KEF KW2 EX receiver will be available for this purpose.
It is also particularly exciting that this year it will probably be possible to use real surround speakers instead of just virtual surround. We can’t reveal any more about this yet, except that this can probably also be done ‘wirelessly’ and therefore particularly conveniently and easily.
Hands-on experience – the installation
When you unpack the new KEF XIO soundbar, you inevitably realise that it is a very slim, yet very heavy audio system. This guarantees solid workmanship, which, as we all know, is the best basis for rich, powerful sound.
Another very important aspect is also immediately apparent, namely the extremely elegant design and impeccable workmanship. Everything here has a very, very high-quality appearance, from the actual soundbar with its textile-covered chassis and elegant aluminium cover, the control panel on the top or front – horizontally or vertically depending on use – to the remote control. This clearly gives the impression right from the start that the KEF XIO soundbar must be categorised in the premium segment.
So let’s get to work, place the KEF XIO soundbar on our AV furniture under the TV, connect it to the TV set via HDMI and connect it to the network via cable. Yes, WiFi is available, but since the AV cabinet houses the central switch anyway, a cable is the most reliable and simplest solution for integrating it into the network.
Of course, before we put the good thing into operation, we download the latest version of the app from the Apple App Store or Google PLAY Store and the setup can begin.
The first step is to create a user account, unless you already have an account with KEF. Then search for the new device in the network, although this is a little more complex if you want to use the KEF XIO soundbar solely via WiFi. In this case, the first step is to connect it to the wireless network, but with the help of the app and its step-by-step instructions, this shouldn’t pose any real problems even for absolute laymen. At least not if you have the relevant data to hand, and that is first and foremost the password for the network…
Once connected to the network, the app checks whether the soundbar has the latest firmware. In most cases, an update will be required here, but this is done automatically within a few minutes without much user intervention.
The calibration function is then already available, with the app first asking for a few important parameters, such as the height at which the KEF XIO soundbar is placed and the approximate room size. It also asks whether an additional subwoofer is involved so that this can also be included in the optimisation accordingly.
The actual room calibration takes around 45 seconds and is carried out using various sound signals. It is important to ensure silence in the room in order to achieve truly accurate results. These are saved as a profile after calibration.
It only takes a few minutes to set up the KEF XIO soundbar for the first time, although you can of course adjust it yourself at any time using the app’s integrated equaliser, which offers various presets such as Movie, Music, Night, Dialogue and Direct. You can also start a new calibration here if you wish.
The app also has numerous other settings available, such as automatic input selection, the behaviour around standby mode, you can specify whether Dolby Atmos or DTS Virtual:X is used if stereo content is to be scaled up for surround sound, and you can specify which quality is used for streaming. A sleep timer and alarm function are also available here, which should not be forgotten.
In everyday life, the app is used to select the input for the soundbar, control the volume and, of course, to conveniently access content via a wide variety of streaming platforms and services.
Remarkably superior sound
Now we come to the most important point, the assessment of the sound, and there is no doubt that KEF is not promising too much when they talk about a soundbar in the premium segment, even a flexible audio system that is capable of much more than ‘just’ providing optimal TV sound.
In fact, we first chose music to assess the quality of the KEF XIO soundbar, namely from Blu-ray in the form of a live concert. The Police’s ‘Certifiable’, still one of our favourite tracks, which is performed with great aplomb here, even though the convincing performance of the three musicians is no easy task. Stewart Copeland’s playful drum part, Andy Summers’ extremely powerful, always slightly distorted guitar riffs, Sting’s sometimes powerful bass lines plus his vocals over all of this present a real challenge for any audio system, especially as the soundbar should also credibly reproduce the cheering audience via surround. And the KEF XIO soundbar can do it!
To further assess the qualities of the KEF XIO soundbar, especially for films, we used a colourful mix of different films and series from services such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Here, too, it was immediately apparent that the KEF XIO soundbar is undoubtedly one of the best soundbar systems on the market. The clear, precise, yet powerful performance was also remarkable here.
A crucial point is, of course, whether surround sound, especially immersive 3D surround sound, can be reproduced credibly. It should be said that this depends first and foremost on the room in which the KEF XIO soundbar is used. To put it in a nutshell, the room must be designed in such a way that it is actually possible to work with reflections. Even the best DSP engine and the most accurate room calibration cannot perform miracles.
In our living room, however, this worked surprisingly well, especially when you compare the new KEF XIO soundbar with what other calibres in the soundbar sector are capable of achieving with virtual surround sound. For example, we can say that the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max, which we have used ourselves for many years, is nowhere near what the new KEF XIO Soundbar is capable of. Other solutions from well-known manufacturers that we have been able to test over the years can hardly match the quality of the KEF XIO soundbar, especially when it comes to the presentation of immersive 3D surround sound. KEF has succeeded in creating a real masterpiece right from the start, which is the undoubted conclusion of our test.
Prices and availability
The new KEF XIO soundbar is now available from specialist retailers in black or silver, as described. The recommended retail price is listed at € 2.299,-.
Getting to the point
With the new KEF XIO soundbar, KEF is making people sit up and take notice in the truest sense of the word, presenting for the first time a soundbar that is causing a stir with a number of outstanding features. Firstly, there is the very elegant design, so that this solution fits seamlessly into any modern living environment. The fact that the soundbar can either be placed flat on a piece of furniture or mounted directly on the wall also contributes to this, as do the very compact dimensions. Nevertheless, the KEF XIO soundbar impresses with its outstanding sound: precise, detailed and powerful, it is completely convincing with both film and music. It can even credibly reproduce immersive 3D surround sound in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, so that you can enjoy a real cinema feeling in your living room with minimal effort. In addition, it can be used as a flexible audio system thanks to versatile streaming options, simple installation and intuitive operation also speak in favour of the new KEF XIO soundbar. With the new KEF XIO soundbar, KEF can therefore present a solution that can clearly be seen as a new reference in the soundbar system sector and is clearly recommended.
| Product | KEF XIO Soundbar |
|---|---|
| Price | € 2.299,- |
With the new KEF XIO soundbar, the renowned British speaker manufacturer KEF is presenting a soundbar for the first time, which makes it all the more remarkable that this solution immediately takes the lead, as it is a clear reference. This is due not only to the very appealing design and impeccable workmanship, but above all to the range of functions that make it a real All-in-One system, especially as the KEF XIO Soundbar also boasts impeccable sound, whether stereo or surround, music or film.
Positive
- Very elegant design
- Impeccable workmanship
- Simple installation including room calibration
- Extremely flexible streaming platform
- remarkable sound in stereo as well as surround
Negative
- an analogue input would have been desirable
Test Environment
- Samsung 77 Zoll OLED TV
- Apple iPhone 14 Pro
- Stromversorgung von Lab12
- HDMI-Kabel von AudioQuest
| Brand | KEF |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | KEF |
| Distribution | GP Acoustics GmbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HiFi BLOG |
Conclusion
Sound
Design
Handling
Price/Performance
Reference
The new KEF XIO soundbar offers everything you need in a modern, flexible All-in-One system that you want to use as a versatile audio system for your living room. Whether streaming from a smartphone or network, or for the best sound while watching TV, the KEF XIO soundbar really makes you sit up and take notice. It is fair to say that this is a solution in the premium segment that impresses with its captivating sound; the new KEF XIO soundbar can even deliver immersive 3D surround sound in convincing quality. It also looks extremely elegant, has a very compact design and shines with its simple installation and intuitive operation.
