KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: which premium soundbar should you buy?

The five-star Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max has been our favourite premium soundbar since we tested it back in 2019, when it earned a What Hi-Fi? Award for its overall excellent performance. Fast forward to 2025, and it has remained on that esteemed list ever since.

However a new player has entered the scene that could well trump the Sennheiser – and anyone familiar with the world of hi-fi should recognise the name.

The KEF XIO directly challenges our long-time favourite with a similar specification sheet in a smaller package. Can the Ambeo Soundbar Max hold its own against this newcomer? Let's find out.

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: price

The XIO launched at £1999 / $2500 / AU$3600. It is still early days for the product, but we are hoping to see its price drop during sales events such as Black Friday.

Higher up the price ladder is the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max which was first released at £2199 / $2500 / AU$4000.

Since its launch, we have seen that price drop to as low as £1549 in the occasional sale. It is now regularly available for £1999 in the UK, placing it in direct competition with the KEF.

**Winner: draw**

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: build

Both soundbars take very different approaches when it comes to their design.

The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max is quite the beast, weighing in at 18.5kg. The brand has opted for this beefy build to negate the need for an external subwoofer, instead favouring large drivers capable of covering a far more significant portion of the frequency range.

Because of its size, the Ambeo will inevitably block a few inches of the bottom of your TV screen if placed in front (unless you raise your telly of course), so it is best enjoyed wall-mounted. It's worth considering if this is something you think would work for you, and finding the perfect positioning can be a bit of a tricky task.

Still, once it is set up, the soundbar is quite straightforward to use. It has a screen display on the front of the 'bar, which is handy for knowing at a glance what EQ mode has been selected.

The KEF comes in a sleeker package with relatively compact dimensions. You can wall-mount the soundbar or keep it flat on a table, so it is rather more flexible than the Sennheiser.

The differences continue under the hood. With the XIO, there are six Uni-Q MX drivers, three of which are on the top of the soundbar for upward-firing sound when the 'bar is placed on a stand under the TV, but with the central unit unemployed in that orientation. The rest are facing forward.

When the soundbar is wall mounted, though, it intelligently deciphers which position it has been placed in and redesignates the drivers. So what were the upward-firing drivers now take on the role of the left and right channels, with the previously unused middle unit taking on the vital centre-channel role.

There's no display with the XIO, which can make it difficult to tell what setting has been selected. Overall, though, the KEF's sleeker design and enhanced flexibility when it comes to placement mean it beats the Sennheiser in this category.

**Winner: KEF XIO**

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: features

One negative of the KEF XIO when it comes to physical connections is that it does not have an HDMI passthrough, instead including only HDMI eARC and optical.

The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max boasts three HDMI 2.0 inputs and one HDMI 2.1 port, which supports eARC, meaning it can handle Dolby Atmos in its lossless True HD format.

While these ports aren't capable of delivering next-gen gaming features such as VRR and ALLM, they can pass through signals from external sources in 4K HDR, including Dolby Vision.

That's a big positive for those looking to wire up all their connections through the soundbar instead of the TV.

Both models have an app to customise your listening experience and have Bluetooth connectivity. The XIO uses the KEF Connect app, where you can calibrate the soundbar to the room, switch to different EQ sound profiles and use the various streaming services.

The Sennheiser Smart Control app also offers "a dizzying number of sound personalisation options", as we say in our review. When we tested it, we did find that the Smart Control app was a bit clunky to navigate.

It also includes a microphone in the box, which allows for a simple automatic room calibration setup – something the KEF does not feature.

All the big hitters in audio format support are included with both 'bars, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Sony 360 Audio.

The same can be said in terms of music streaming support, although there are a few differences here. Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Cast are available on the Ambeo but not the XIO.

Both soundbars also support Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. KEF's model does, however, offer more options with Deezer, Qobuz and Amazon Music all on the cards.

The lack of physical connections on the XIO here means that the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max must take the crown for features.

*Winner: Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max**

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: sound

Now for the main event. When we tested the Sennheiser model, we were immediately blown away by its floor-shaking bass yet overall balanced sonic performance.

While watching Unbroken, for example, we find that the Ambeo provides a "brilliant, focused build up as the plane approaches, then a huge, room-filling zoom as it flies by."

The quality of dialogue is not sacrificed, either. Voices feel natural and weighty, with the bass frequencies helping to flesh them out.

With the XIO, we get a more transparent listening experience, as each frequency is clear and unconfused. It does not reach the same weight of bass as the Sennheiser, but we find during testing that this is not so much of a problem.

We comment in our review: "The KEF counters with more clarity, greater precision in the way sounds are rendered and notably more finesse in the way low-level dynamics are delivered. It’s the more transparent performer, and it ultimately gives us greater insight into the soundtrack being played."

Moving on to their performance with music, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max manages to portray a coherent and warm sound. When listening to The Two of Us by The Beatles through Tidal, we say it is not the "snappiest speaker we have heard" but does still manage a "rhythmically astute" performance.

The XIO, on the other hand, impresses us just as much with music as it does with films. KEF's entry captures the excitement of the music more than the Sennheiser, with a brilliant musicality.

In fact, we say that it can "easily serve as a standalone music system, which is more than we can say for the vast majority of soundbars that come our way."

Because of the XIO's excellently expressive performance and coherent meld of frequencies, it's a no-brainer for this category.

**Winner: KEF XIO**

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: verdict

Even though these soundbars will cost you the same price now, there are quite a few differences in terms of the audio quality they offer.

Where the Sennheiser is a brilliant performer with a bass-heavy but overall balanced sound, the KEF XIO provides such an easy listening-experience as both a home cinema and a standalone music system.

The XIO's lack of physical connections may be a drawback, but it more than makes up for it with its compact design and overall sound quality.

**Overall winner: KEF XIO**

MORE:

Read the full review of the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max

And here's our in-depth look at the KEF XIO

These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars right now