Wifi, The Future Of Hifi? Dynaudio Xeo Series Loudspeakers.

Dynaudio Xeo 5 floor stand speakers on demo at CMY Audio & Visual Damansara Uptown showroom.

I remember well a remark to end all cable debates when it comes to audio discussion, "The Best Cable Should Sound Like No Cable"! Yes, folks high end cable discussion still split opinions like no other hifi component, and now comes an innovation so close to the ideal "no cable is best" scenario, yet opens a whole new can of worms altogether in the hifi cable, or is it wifi discussions?

Dynaudio's new Xeo series of loudspeakers are quite possibly the most ambitious wifi transmission based hifi in the high end dom. CMY Audio & Visual recently launch them with fanfare at their Damansara Uptown PJ showroom, but I missed the event due to work commitments(un-like most people, I had a job too, you know?).

The Xeo series looks just like the X-cite series in gloss coloured finish. Note the power ON/OFF button with LED.

So this little preview serves to test and hear for myself if this wifi hifi is worth our serious attention? CMY Audio & Visual Damansara Uptown showroom had a pair of floor standing Xeo 5 on demo complete with NAS(Network Audio Storage) supplying 16 bit CD quality tunes via USB connection to Dynaudio's Xeo transmitter box, which is said to be effective up to 100 meters, depending on indoor domestic construction. The more solid walls, the less effective the transmission rates. However, in the demo set up, the transmitter is sited not too far away, and there were no signal drop outs through out the demo period of 35 minutes or so.

Various audiophile favorite tunes were used in the demo and the powered Xeo 5 speakers reproduced music with a refinement and maturity that only a pair of Dynaudio can. The music was reasonably detailed without too much losses compared to the lofty standards of a wired high end system. My only reservation is that the back ground noise(white hash) can be lowered for improved hifi performance, if there's any area to nit pick.

The Dynaudio Xeo loudspeakers are powered with an individual power cord each. That's about the only cable one can play with this speakers. 

I see a new kind of budget or mid-fi system option here, for those who are IT savvy or just plain lifestyle conscious folks. All one needs to do is to have a NAS set up and an iPhone or similar device as the master remote, and one can buy 1 or 2 pairs of Dynaudio Xeo to set up a single or dual zone hi-quality home audio system with not a single audio cable in sight, how cool is that, compared to a traditional wired system of black or silver boxes?

The discreet Xeo black box transmitter is no bigger than the size of a CD case.

This is probably the first serious assault at cable-less high end audio, and while the traditional wired high end audio system has nothing to lose sleep about for now, with advancing transmission technology filtering up stream in future development, there's certainly hope for the "no cable is best" argument to become a possible reality. Only time will tell, not if, but rather when it happens!

Go check 'em out and see if you like what you hear.

For demo appointment or enquiries, please contact Chan or Chua of CMY Audio & Visual at 03-77272419