As free-standing speakers go, they’re a compact pair – but unleash them and you’ll feel your eyebrows rocket skyward. (Don’t worry, it’s a natural reaction. It happens to us all the time when we visit our listening rooms.)

The Xeo 30 replaces the older Xeo 6. But our designers didn’t just want to start from the ground up. They – and you – love those modern classics, which is why they’ve smoothed, softened and refined the look rather than giving it a complete overhaul. Square is out, rounded is in; the metal driver parts are black and sleek; the infra-red control module is effortlessly integrated under the woofers…

Xeo 30: upgraded DSP and new tuning

Take off the smart new black grille and you’ll find a 28mm Esotec soft-dome tweeter and twin 14cm Esotec MSP woofers. They all use the same tech that’s made our loudspeakers so celebrated since we started out in 1977: lightweight aluminium voice-coils, innovative magnet systems, proprietary diaphragm materials and more. And each driver’s performance has been brought totally up to date with its own individually tuned, individually optimised 65W amplifier.

Under the hood, cutting-edge DSP (digital signal processing) works away to keep those amps performing at their best. Our engineers looked towards our professional studio speakers – the LYD 5s, specifically to hone the technology’s characteristics. And that means they’ve been able to draw a line directly from the performer, through the recording studio, to your living room. You’ll hear only what the artist wanted you to hear when they laid down their tracks.

The new Xeo 30’s updated firmware improves compressor and limiter performance for improved dynamics, along with a simplified 2.5-way crossover. It’s also widened the overlap between the tweeter and woofers’ frequency ranges for incredible integration from top to bottom, as well as giving improved bass and off-axis performance (so now even people out to the sides can enjoy the music just as much as the people on the sofa). We used a similar approach on the new Focus XD range.

Simplifying the crossover also gives the DSP engine a chance to rev-up more on speaker-position compensation for improvements in free-standing, against-the-wall and in-the-corner placements. The bass-port design further enhances low-frequency performance too, for even greater weight and punch.

The Xeo 30’s master speaker now has direct inputs. There’s 24-bit/192kHz-compatible Toslink digital optical for hi-res sources, as well as stereo RCA phono and 3.5mm minijack inputs for myriad other sources. And, of course, you can stream in wireless 24/96 hi-res from the optional Dynaudio Connect box, which gives you even more input options.

Want to go full wireless from your smartphone or other Bluetooth device? There’s built-in high-quality aptX Bluetooth on board for total convenience. We’d say it’s as easy as ‘plug-and-play’, but… well… no plugs. The two speakers (both of which can be set to either left or right channels depending on how you want to set them up) communicate with each other using a full-fat 24-bit/96kHz signal, so you can be sure you’re hearing the smallest of details in your music without having to fret about which cables and interconnects to buy.

And because we know you don’t want the hassle of having to get out of your seat in the middle of a great listening session, we’ve even upgraded the remote control. Now it controls the direct inputs as well as the Dynaudio Connect box, and even works over a greater distance.