KEF XIO vs Marshall Heston 120

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XIO compared with Heston 120

	KEFXIO	MarshallHeston 120
Overview
Released
Released	July 2025	2025
Sound
Type
Type	Soundbar	Soundbar
Channels
Channels	5.1.2	5.1.2
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
Drivers
Drivers	Six 50 mm Uni-Q MX, two 50 mm full-range and four 50 × 180 mm P185 bass drivers with VECO control	Two 2 × 5-inch bass drivers, two 3-inch mid-woofers, two 0.8-inch tweeters and five 2-inch full-range drivers; four passive radiators
Amplifiers
Amplifiers	Twelve Class D amplifiers; 820 W instantaneous total power rating	Eleven Class D amplifiers, listed as 2 × 50 W and 9 × 30 W; separately stated total output 150 W peak. These are different maker ratings, not an additive system power claim.
Frequency response
Frequency response	34 Hz–20 kHz (±3 dB, measured at 85 dB/1 m); maximum SPL 102 dB at 1 m	40 Hz–20 kHz; maximum SPL 95 dB
Audio formats
Audio formats	Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Sony 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H	Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
Room tuning
Room tuning	Intelligent Placement Technology; Default, Movie, Music, Direct, Dialogue and Night modes	Automatic calibration; Movie, Music, Night and Voice modes
Connections
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
AirPlay
AirPlay	Yes	Yes
HDMI eARC
HDMI eARC	Yes	Yes
Voice assistants
Voice assistants	None	None
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax; 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz	Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3, SBC, AAC and LC3; Auracast supported
Ports
Ports	HDMI 2.1 eARC, optical, service USB-C, Ethernet and RCA subwoofer output; no HDMI input	HDMI eARC, HDMI input with maker-stated 4K 120 Hz and Dolby Vision passthrough, stereo RCA input, mono RCA subwoofer output, USB-C and Ethernet; no optical input despite an erroneous Expert Reviews connection list
Streaming
Streaming	AirPlay, Google Cast, UPnP, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and regional in-app services	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect and airable radio
Multi-room
Multi-room	Optional KW2 receiver for compatible wireless subwoofers. KEF still lists wireless rear-speaker support as a future firmware update.	Optional Heston Sub 200 sold separately; AirPlay grouping through Apple Home
App
App	KEF Connect	Marshall app
Design
Weight
Weight	10.5 kg	7.04 kg (better)
Controls
Controls	Top-panel power, source, mute and volume buttons with source, Wi-Fi, volume and codec indicators; supplied infrared remote with playback, source and customisable favourite and sound-profile buttons	Rotary controls and preset buttons; TV remote through HDMI CEC. No separate remote supplied.
Microphones
Microphones	–	Two calibration microphones; no built-in voice assistant
Mounting
Mounting	Supplied wall-mounting kit and template	Optional Heston 120 wall mount
Size
Size	1210 × 70 × 165 mm (width × height × depth)	1100 × 76 × 145 mm (width × height × depth)
Colours
Colours	Silver Grey or Slate Black	Black
In the box
In the box	Soundbar, remote, AAA batteries, 2 m HDMI cable, 2 m power cable, wall-mounting template and kit, and printed materials	Soundbar, mains lead, HDMI cable and guides