Xavian NEOX2 speakers review

This is our second review of Xavian speaker here at Mono & Stereo. Our senior editor Kenneth already reviewed the Xavian XN VIRTUOSA loudspeakers here: link and loved them. 

This time Roberto Barleta of Xavian arranged for the pair of Xavian NEOX2 speakers. NEOX2 are from the new range and represent a great value at normal foot print. 

The founder of the company, Roberto Barletta, began to “play” with the home made construction of speakers when he was 14 years old. Since 1988 he has been working on development of loudspeaker systems and analogue amplifiers.

Xavian uses a quarter century of experience already transforming in tradition you may recognize listening and looking at them.

Xavian is a Czech independent, family owned company. Xavian must not fullfill financial expectation of founds, banks and other corporations. Development, production and quality controls are made “in-house” in their unique factory in Prague-Hostivice.

Used parts and components are of world class quality, exclusively coming from Czech republic, Denmark and Italy. Production does not use any parts coming from far East.

Finish and care for detail of our cabinets are very well known worldwide thanks to their unique artisanal level. The offer of the most different kind of real wood veneers is uncommonly wide and varied. Xavian is proud to be one of the few brands on the planet using custom-made Danish Scan-Speak drivers. They for sure need no introduction. 

Interestingly Xavian is almost 20 years a part of Czech economy: taxes are paied only in Czech republic and they do their job with passion and love, the best way as they know.

The all new Xavian NEOX2 speakers is compact bass-reflex “tower” , that is easy to setup and place in the most living rooms. With dimensions 900 x 180 x 250 mm and weighting 18 kg these speakers are easy to integrated and can be unpacked and installed by a single person. 

NEOX2 were designed with a universality in mind. Xavian design team voiced the NEOX2 in the way, that they can be ready to listen all the different music styles and genres. As you’ll find later on they project the music far larger then they appear with a controlled, focused and musical impact. 

Hands on NEOX2 fells like a matured, solid and nicely designed product. It shows, that Xavian is no rookie when it comes to the production and design of the loudspeakers. 

NEOX2 can be ordered in various finishes. From cherry, walnut, maple, bianco, nero to rosso passione finishes. These speakers are completely hand-made in Prague

Let us look under the “hood” of these little, mighty giants. Xavian NEOX2 speakers implements bass driver unit, Mid-bass driver and tweeter. For the lower frequency range Xavian have choosen Scan-Speak special custom made 150 mm driver consitinng of impregnated paper membrane with low – distortion “motor” and soft dust-cap. 

And for the high-frequency range Xavian team dedicated a selected 26 mm voice coil impregnated soft dome design tweeter with copper short circuiting ring and wide angle dispersion design.

Xavian NEOX2 is 2.5 way damped bass-reflex box with stylish rear aluminium bass ports. Speakers cabinets consists of 22 mm hand crafted MDF wood boards and all three drivers have their own dedicated chamber. For the footprint of 900 x 180 x 250 mm NEOX2  offers quite a wide frequency ranger of 42 – 20000 Hz (-3 dB on Nominal impedance of NEOX2 is 4 ohms with crossover frequency at 250 / 2600 Hz and sensitivity 89 dB(2V/1m). With recommended power amplification of 30 – 200 W this opens up the door to quite large selection of amplifiers. 

I always say, that first note strike tell a lot if not everything. NEOX2 speakers really surprised me. I for sure didn’t expect the soundstage and the depth coming from this sized speakers. Even in the room of 25m2+ they filled up the sound projection in an impressively large scale. These are the players! As I called them at the beginning of the review, NEOX2 are a little, big mighty giants. They’re not only throwing the larger scale musical soundstage, but also embrace the music in radiant way. Let us find more. 

What would any speakers means without a stand out musical sounding experience. Loudspeakers these days should be designed aesthetically pleasing, but without sounding any good, their raison d’être is solely missed. 

I cannot get passed through the most important factor or NEOX2 leitmotif. Its timbre, tone and colour. Roberto got it right. As Kenneth reported in his review: “The Virtuosa takes you on a musical journey with a ton of history to tell. It will grow on you in time in such a way that you would most likely not part with them. They are amongst the best valued speakers out there and will grow on and with you. The better electronic you match them with, the better they get PERIOD!” I can conclude in similar fashion. These speakers got it right in grand, musical way. 

This is what I love and prefer in speakers or any high-end component. Ability to shift you to the plane where music matters and can revive its space time continuum! When speakers are designed properly they become a trough time machine, that can open up the history of music and take you back to the greatest moments created. Xavian NEOX2 have that potency and it quickly shows when paired with the right amplifier. Be it a Toscanini, Miles, Mr. Fitzgerald or even modern electronic music. NEOX2 got the ability to move the air in the interactive way, that capture both aural senses and address the inner musical urge. 

Davian NEOX2 were designed to enjoy the music and forget about the world around it. They don’t chase the unnatural fake overblown highs or artificial dynamics, that we’re pushed to believe matters. No! NEOX2 speakers breathe with a life like energy, that closely resembles the music as it is. Warm, with a tint of dark nature and most importantly musically engaging. 

I’ve tried NEOX2 with quite few of the solid state as well as tube amplifiers. Nicely designed tube integrated amplifier or power amplifier can quickly drive the NEOX2 to the full bloom. It is the same with solid state camp. While they can be driven to satisfaction with fewer watts I would say that good 100W of AB class solid state power brings the most solid playback. It opens up an energetic inner power and really reveal what these speakers are capable of. 

As such NEOX2 speakers are bout tube and solid state friendly. You just have to choose the right combination to do them real justice and make them shine. 

I was really surprised by the sound output of Xavian NEOX2 speakers. This are by no means not small floor standing speakers. Be it sound that they project or musical impact. 

I really love the way, that Robert Barleta “voiced” the speakers. They are really musical and bring out the best in music across all the genres. Their focused projection and impressively full bodied sound, emerge with three dimensionality, that is usually connected with quite bigger speakers. It shows, that a lot of thought went into designing these musical boxes. 

Xavian NEOX2 represent a new wave of contemporary speakers, that are not only room friendly, but aesthetically pleasing to the eye with their elegant classical looks. They’re priced right, design right and they sound right. 

These speakers holds more then enough true audiophile DNA to please a wide array of demanding music lovers. Most importantly they’re designed to enjoy the music and get lost into the endless hours of reproduction. 

Highly recommended!

Bass frequency unit:

special custom made 150 mm Scan-Speak, impregnated paper membrane, low – distortion “motor”, soft dust-cap

Mid-bass frequency unit:

special custom made 150 mm Scan-Speak, impregnated paper membrane, low – distortion “motor”, soft dust-cap

High frequency unit:

selected XAVIAN impregnated soft dome design – 26 mm voice coil, copper shortcircuiting ring, wide angle dispersion design

System type:

2.5 ways damped bass-reflex, rear aluminium ports

Cabinet:

22 mm MDF hand-crafted, 3 chambers

Frequency response:

( -3 dB on reference axis ): 42 – 20000 Hz

Connection:

1 pair of singly mounted XAVIAN binding posts

Nominal impedance:

4 ohms

Crossover frequency:

250 / 2600 Hz

Sensitivity (2V/1m):

89 dB

Recommended power amplification:

30 – 200 W

Dimensions (HxWxD):

900 x 180 x 250 mm

Net weight (1 unit):

18 kg

XAVIAN ELECTRONICS s.r.o.

Unique factory

Za Mlýnem 114

253 01 Hostivice – Prague

Czech republic

www.xavian.cz

info@xavian.cz

+420 734 528 189