Britain’s KEF was on-site to demonstrate the new KEF XIO Dolby Atmos soundbar at Audio Advice Live 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina, on August 1-3, and at first listen, the company’s first soundbar turned out to be everything I’d expected from the well-regarded speaker manufacturer.
Like other examples of the best soundbars, the KEF XIO is a Dolby Atmos model that also supports DTS: X. It uses 12 total drivers in a 5.1.2-channel configuration powered by 820 watts. KEF is also working on a surround sound feature to support KEF wireless speakers, an upgrade that will make XIO systems 5.1.4-channel compatible when it arrives in fall 2025.
At $2,499 / $1,999 / AU$3,600, the XIO is priced at the high end of the spectrum compared to other top standalone soundbars such as the Sonos Arc Ultra. But KEF adds some design flourishes to the XIO to help justify the added cost, with a key one being an internal gyroscope that detects if the soundbar is installed in a wall-mount (vertical) or shelf (horizontal) configuration and configures the sound output accordingly. A similar feature can be found on the new Samsung HW-QS700F.
The XIO has a premium design with an aluminum top plate and fabric mesh grilles in black or silver finishes. Connections include HDMI eARC and optical digital inputs as well as an RCA output for a wired subwoofer connection. Wireless connection to a compatible KEF subwoofer, such as the KC92 model used in the company's Audio Advice Live demo, is also supported.
Along with Bluetooth, both AirPlay and Google Cast are supported for wireless music streaming, along with Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. Amazon Music, Qobuz, Deezer, and more services can also be streamed over Wi-Fi via the KEF Connect app – available for Android and iOS – which is additionally used for setup and sound adjustments.
Music first
To support its claims for the XIO as a ‘high-performance audio system that happens to be in the form of a soundbar,’ KEF started its demo with a music track, Hey Laura, from Gregory Porter Live in Berlin. This vocal-led jazz track had a crisp, yet warm sound, and Porter’s vocals were natural and full-bodied. Also, instruments like guitar, standup bass, and drums all cut through clearly in the mix in a way that typical soundbars are rarely able to manage.
The We Will Rock You scene from the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody turned out to be one of the more popular demo tracks at Audio Advice Live 25, and it sounded great on the XIO, with the super-compact KC92 subwoofer adding an extra layer of low-frequency depth to the fans stomping their feet on the stadium floorboards. KEF specs the XIO’s low frequency extension at 34Hz (+/-3dB), which should be plenty enough for most folks – a good thing, considering adding a single KC92 ($2,499 ) will double the total system price.
KEF wrapped things up with the motorcycle race/King Kong scene from Ready Player One, another popular demo at the show, and the system’s clarity, dynamics, and sound effects positioning all exceeded my expectations for an all-in-one soundbar plus subwoofer-based system.
The KEF XIO is available now, and TechRadar’s full review of it will post shortly. It's still early to say, but from what I heard at Audio Advice Live 25, the KEF XIO may very well end up dominating the high-end all-in-one soundbar space.
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