Dynaudio Xeo 10

Replacing a five-star product is never easy, especially when it’s a former Award-winner with a reputation to uphold. These Dynaudio Xeo 10s are active speakers that, back in 2018, were faced with the daunting task of succeeding the 2017 Award-winning Xeo 2s – and rose to the challenge. We can’t say we were very surprised though, given that the Danish brand has had excellent form in this category in recent years.

The Xeo 10s are an appealing proposition for those looking for a combination of great sound and compact design.

Expand your connectivity

If you want more inputs and wireless features, the Dynaudio Connect box offers extra inputs along with DLNA streaming up to 24-bit/192khz and Spotify Connect. It will cost you an extra £295, however.

The Xeo 10s are two-way actives, with each driver powered by a dedicated 65W amplifier. Dynaudio says this configuration allows it to fine tune the amplifier to match the drivers, and have greater control over the performance.

While the Xeo 10s keep their predecessor’s 28mm soft-dome tweeter, their 14cm MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) mid/bass driver has a different configuration. The DSP crossover was retuned, too, to improve dispersion, as well as performance at high volumes.

Placement flexibility

The speakers don’t have a wire connecting them to each other (you just need to connect each to the mains), so there’s more freedom in where you place them. A switch at the back of each enclosure optimises the Xeo’s output for specific positions – close to a wall, in a corner, or out in free space – so the sound can be balanced accordingly.

Just as on the older Xeo 2s, connections include a pair of line-level inputs, a 3.5mm jack and an optical input that supports 24-bit/96khz files. You also get Bluetooth – a big part of the Xeo 10s’ appeal is being able to connect a wide variety of sources to it. You can easily use the Xeo 10s with your hi-fi sources, or your laptop and smartphone, or even use them as TV speakers. They’re a versatile pair.

Two LEDS on each speaker indicate they’re turned on and connected, while the touch-sensitive controls on top of the speakers are simple to operate. We do end up using the nice remote control for changing volume and inputs more regularly, though.

A neat aluminium baffle fronts these speakers, and there's not a single screw in sight. This gives the Xeo 10s a cleaner and more minimalist look than that of their predecessors.

The dimensions remain the same: this is a compact pair that will be at home on a desktop or bookshelf if you’re short on space. The Xeos come in satin black or satin white, and build quality remains sturdy.

We’re less taken with the aesthetics though. The plastic moulded cabinet (especially the back panel) and aluminium front are nicely made, but don’t feel as luxurious as they should for speakers costing £1300. There’s a utilitarian feel to the Xeo 10s, which is fine if you’re placing them in brackets but it doesn’t immediately feel like you’ve had your money’s worth.

Don’t judge them by their size

That feeling dissipates once you start playing music through the Dynaudios, as they sound fantastic. They have the

same spirit as their predecessors – namely, a do-it-all attitude that’s confident with every element of delivering music – but it’s the level of clarity and scale that really stands out.

For small speakers, they sure belt out a large and spacious soundstage. These boxes have no problem going loud: they remain clean and don’t harden up when pushed to high volume levels, which is very impressive for speakers of their kind and size.

Clarity and confidence

“Nothing trips them up. These speakers keep up with the song’s funky rhythms and charge through the tune with an infectious energy”

There’s authority to the sound, too – every strand of Girlfriend by Christine and the Queens is delivered with utmost clarity and confidence.

Nothing trips them up. These speakers time well, keeping up with the song’s funky rhythms and charging through the tune with an energy that’s infectious and endlessly listenable. The sound is agile and speedy, the tonal balance even. The leading edges of notes are clean and precise, but never sound clinical.

There’s a good deal of satisfying weight and grunt to the low end – again surprising because of their size. But the thundering drums and raucous guitars of A Perfect Circle’s Judith have plenty of wallop. The basslines on Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams are punchy and are pulled taut. Voices are projected clearly and with ample detail – every lyric and vocal nuance is enunciated clearly.

In fact, we have so much fun listening to the Xeo 10s that we forget we’ve been streaming songs over Bluetooth for most of the time. Wireless is usually a compromise, but the Xeo 10s’ Bluetooth presentation enjoys a sophistication that is unrivalled in most other audio products. It’s worth noting that we do occasionally experience stutters when streaming from a smartphone and laptop, but it’s not sustained.

Switching to the line-level inputs grounds the music even further. There’s that bit more grip, solidity and detail compared with streaming via Bluetooth. The overall presentation remains the same across the inputs.

There’s a growing trend of active speakers on the market, but immediate rivals to the Dynaudio Xeo 10s are still fairly hard to find.

Performance

One obvious option is the KEF LSXS (£999, p26), which are more stylish and pack in more streaming features, but the Dynaudios deliver greater scale and genuine bass weight. Although not in this round-up, another option is the Award-winning non-wireless Acoustic Energy AE1 Active (£1000). They don’t have the Xeo 10s' features but do offer a performance that’s more comparable with traditional hi-fi separates.

The Dynaudios are pricier than both of these options, but not to the detriment of their star rating. If you want a versatile, great-sounding pair of speakers that refuse to compromise performance for the sake of convenience, they’re definitely worth considering.