KEF XIO vs Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

XIO compared with AMBEO Soundbar Max

	KEFXIO	SennheiserAMBEO Soundbar Max
Overview
Released
Released	July 2025	2019
Sound
Type
Type	Soundbar	Soundbar
Channels
Channels	5.1.2	5.1.4 virtual
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	Thirteen drivers; six 100 mm cellulose-sandwich low/mid drivers, five 25 mm aluminium tweeters and two 90 mm upward-firing cellulose full-range drivers. The 5.1.4 presentation is virtual surround from the bar, without rear satellites. Originally sold as AMBEO Soundbar; renamed Max in 2022 when Plus was introduced, rather than a new hardware generation
Amplifiers
Amplifiers	Twelve Class D amplifiers; 820 W instantaneous total power rating	Thirteen class-D amplifiers; 250 W RMS and 500 W peak total audio power according to the manufacturer manual
Frequency response
Frequency response	34 Hz–20 kHz (±3 dB, measured at 85 dB/1 m); maximum SPL 102 dB at 1 m	30 Hz–20 kHz (-3 dB, manufacturer)
Audio formats
Audio formats	Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Sony 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H	Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS:X, DTS-HD and MPEG-H; multichannel LPCM. Current UK product page also lists Sony 360 Reality Audio; available formats depend on input and software
Room tuning
Room tuning	Intelligent Placement Technology; Default, Movie, Music, Direct, Dialogue and Night modes	Included external calibration microphone measures the room and listening position; AMBEO processing uses room reflections for virtual height and surround. Light, Standard and Boost processing levels; performance depends on placement and room surfaces
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	IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; 2.4 and 5 GHz, 2×2 MIMO; wired Ethernet available
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 4.2, class 1, with SBC and AAC; NFC pairing
Ports
Ports	HDMI 2.1 eARC, optical, service USB-C, Ethernet and RCA subwoofer output; no HDMI input	Three HDMI 2.0a inputs and one HDMI TV eARC/ARC output; up to 4K at 60 Hz with Dolby Vision passthrough. Optical S/PDIF, stereo RCA input, mono RCA subwoofer pre-out, Ethernet, USB-A accessory power/service updates and 2.5 mm calibration-microphone input; USB does not provide music-file playback
Streaming
Streaming	AirPlay, Google Cast, UPnP, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and regional in-app services	AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and UPnP network streaming on current software; service availability varies by region
Multi-room
Multi-room	Optional KW2 receiver for compatible wireless subwoofers. KEF still lists wireless rear-speaker support as a future firmware update.	Network music streaming; an external subwoofer connects through the wired RCA pre-out. No wireless rear-speaker expansion is specified for Max
App
App	KEF Connect	Sennheiser Smart Control for setup, calibration, equaliser, sound profiles and updates; current AMBEO OS2 adds adjustable voice enhancement
Design
Weight
Weight	10.5 kg (better)	18.5 kg
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	On-bar buttons, infrared remote, OLED status display and AMBEO indicator; Movie, Music, News, Sports and Neutral profiles, plus night mode
Microphones
Microphones	–	Included external omnidirectional room-calibration microphone; no integrated voice assistant is specified for Max
Mounting
Mounting	Supplied wall-mounting kit and template	Tabletop placement or optional SB01-WM wall bracket; room-calibration instructions require space around the bar and an unobstructed upward sound path
Size
Size	1210 × 70 × 165 mm (width × height × depth)	Approximately 1265 × 135 × 171 mm (W × H × D, including feet), or 1265 × 125 × 171 mm without feet, from the model SB01 manual; the UK product table rounds width to 126 cm and repeats the same height for both entries
Colours
Colours	Silver Grey or Slate Black	Black fabric grille with brushed aluminium housing
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, country-specific power cable, approximately 1 m HDMI cable, remote with CR2032 battery, calibration microphone with holder and approximately 5 m cable, quick guide and safety guide