Loyal fans of KEF’s sound who have been wondering when KEF is going to give your TV sound an audio boost—well, we bring good news. The wait to get that KEF sound on your TV is over. Folks, meet the KEF XIO Soundbar, the British audiophile equipment maker’s first-ever soundbar.
For a ‘modest’ US$2,499.99, you get an oblong speaker bar with the unmistakable KEF design language that offers Dolby Atmos and 5.1.2 spatial audio for transcendent cinematic soundscapes. The soundbar also rocks KEF’s Music Integrity Engine, delivering hyper-realistic sound with crystal-clear dialogue and vocals, bringing every scene to life.
The soundbar measures 1,210 mm long, 165 mm deep, and 70 mm tall (47.6 x 6.5 x 2.8 inches), and weighs a beefy 10.5 kilograms (23.1 lbs). Under the hood, it packs no fewer than 12 driver units, which include 6 x 50 mm (2 in.) Uni-Q MX drivers, 2 x 50 mm (2 in.) full-range drivers, and 4 pcs of 50 x 180 mm (2 x 7 in.) P185 bass drivers supported by VECO.
Each driver is paired with a Class D amplifier, making it 12 amps total, delivering an explosive 820 W 5.1.2-channel audio. It’s worth noting that of the 6 Uni-Q MX drivers, two are located on the top, providing upward-firing sound.
In the connectivity department, the XIO offers HDMI 2.1 eARC, TOSLINK optical, USB Type-C (service), and an RJ45 Ethernet port. There’s also support for wireless subwoofers as well as RCA subwoofer connection. It supports WiFi and has Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.
Speaking of wireless connectivity, it works with KEF Connect and also plays nice with AirPlay, Google Cast, and is UPnP compatible. It’s well covered as far as streaming goes—including Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qplay, Amazon Music, and more.
The KEF XIO Soundbar is available in the U.S. for the aforementioned US$2,499.99, in a choice of Silver Grey and Slate Black.
Images: KEF.