KEF XIO

KEF's first soundbar does not disappoint

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KEF was one of the first specialist hi-fi manufacturers to get into home cinema speaker packages back in the early ‘90s, and it has continued to operate in the market since then. It may come as a surprise, therefore, that the brand is only now releasing its first soundbar.

Enter the XIO, a 5.1.2 premium soundbar that KEF says is designed to excel with music as well as movies - a tough ask considering most soundbars struggle to achieve that duality.

The XIO launches at £1999, placing it against the Award-winning Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max - our current benchmark at this price.

Visual appeal

The XIO comes in a choice of two finishes, black or silver, with cloth grille panels covering the ends, front and back. Unlike its Sennheiser rival, it fits nicely under a TV thanks to its shallow height. It has an overall mature and premium appearance, too, which we think will blend well into most living rooms.

This relatively thin design is quite a feat considering the XIO houses an impressive 12 drive units, each with a dedicated Class D power amplifier. Added together, KEF claims the complement of amplifiers delivers a meaty 820W of peak power.

There are six Uni-Q MX drivers, three of which are on the top of the soundbar for upward-firing sound, but with the one in the centre employed only when the soundbar is wall-mounted. That leaves the remaining three facing forward.