The Xellence do not fairly dwell as much as their title. Efficiency is affordable, and value a glance in the event you’re thinking about fashionable true wi-fi earbuds with some fascinating options, similar to sound personalisation. However the competitors is hard: with the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM3 across the identical worth, the Kygos can’t fairly compete on the degree required.
Execs
- Respectable sound
- Trendy seems
- Mimi sound personalisation
Cons
- Free match
- So-so ANC
- Not probably the most expressive of sounds
- Odd design quirks
Key Specs
- Assessment Worth: £179
- 10mm drivers
- Bluetooth 5.0
- AAC, aptX
- 20Hz-20kHz frequency vary
- Black, White finishes
The Xellence true wi-fi from Kygo are the Norwegian audio life-style model’s top-tier earbuds, packing type, sound personalisation and noise cancellation for round £200.
As an audio model, Kygo hasn’t fairly received me over. The Xenon over-ears had been good, a stable performer at a worth that was straightforward to dwell with, whereas the A11/800 and E7/1000 each introduced ups and downs.
So, I’m hoping the title Xellence is an effective omen. On paper, there’s loads of promise and intrigue – so can Kygo ship?
Kygo Xellence worth and availability
The Kygo Xellence had been introduced in late 2020 and went on sale within the UK not lengthy afterwards. At present, the earbuds are priced at £179 / $239 / €199, which is sort of first rate for a pair of ANC true wi-fi.
Kygo Xellence design – Cool seems, however not the perfect match
- Distinctive seems
- Responsive contact controls
- Free match
- Annoying button placement
As per Kygo’s different headphones, the Xellence are a particular, minimalist-looking set of buds. Out there in black and white color choices, every bud options an ‘X’ that lights up, in the event you select so within the companion app. The touch-control plate is a flat, round floor with a slick silver trim working across the outdoors edge, and the primary physique incorporates a sculpted profile that narrows into the ear tip like a corkscrew.
The intent – I think about – is to supply a match that works for a variety of ears. Sadly, my ears don’t seem like lined. Carrying the Xellence, they’ve by no means felt really safe, the looseness affecting the earbuds’ seal. The Xellence include 5 silicone ear-tips to fine-tune that match, however I can’t say that I’ve had a lot success.
Pushing and holding down the button discovered in direction of the sting of the buds brings up Siri/Google, or whichever digital assistant you favor. The position appears reasonably baffling: to entry it, you’ll be fiddling between your earlobe and the earbud, which merely dislodges the match. A wiser determination would have been to put that button on the highest edge for simpler entry.
The Xellence’s management scheme quantities to a faucet to regulate quantity; two faucets for play/pause; three faucets to skip by the headphones’ modes; plus a protracted press to skip tracks. It’s responsive, though I really feel it will have been extra intuitive to modify the variety of faucets for quantity and playback round. Whereas the Xellence look good, from a design standpoint there’s a sense of making an attempt slightly too onerous.
Kygo Xellence options – Sound personalisation is genuinely intriguing
- ANC isn’t probably the most convincing
- Personalised sound brings one thing totally different
- Stable characteristic set
The Xellence are wealthy within the characteristic division. There’s hybrid energetic noise cancellation, Bass Increase, IP resistance and 30 hours of battery. As such, they tick most – if not all – the bins for a £200 pair of true wi-fi.
My expertise of the Xellence’s noise-cancelling efficiency has been lukewarm. I’ve learn sturdy notices of the Xellence’s efficiency elsewhere, however in my estimation the extent of suppression they produce is simply okay. I can nonetheless hear sounds round me – a motorcycle revving within the distance, for instance – and even altering the ear-tips, outcomes have been related. There have been occasions, too, the place the noise cancelling merely didn’t interact when toggled on within the app.
The Xellence seem extra reliant on quantity to supply that barrier to exterior sounds, and as soon as an applicable degree has been discovered, a good quantity of outdoor noise is filtered out. Evaluate them to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds although, and the Bose are in a unique league altogether.
The Ambient Sound Mode fares slightly higher. Contemplating the power of the noise cancelling and seal, the swing isn’t as large as I’d like. There’s some peculiar noise to take care of, however there’s sufficient readability for consciousness of the quick environment. The noise can develop into annoying when no music is being performed, although.
With an IPX5 score, the Xellence resist sprays of water, which can make them helpful for working and/or health functions if you will get a stable match. Battery life is quoted 30 hours – 10 hours per cost – with ANC off. With it on, the determine drops to eight hours (24 in complete) – however both determine represents good worth, and ought to be sufficient to final a number of days. Quick-charging is supported, too – quarter-hour for an extra two hours by the pocketable (and classy) USB-C charging case.
As talked about, there’s a companion app – X by Kygo (Android/iOS), which isn’t to be confused with Kygo Sound app. From what I’ve been instructed, the Xellence true wi-fi require options that may’t be supported by the Sound app, therefore the necessity for 2 variations. Contained in the app are toggle switches for Bass Increase, ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, LED mild for ‘X’ brand and Proximity Sensor (auto pause performance). Essentially the most fascinating is true on the backside, within the Mimi Sound Outlined profile.
Mimi is an organization that works within the discipline of sound personalisation. I met representatives from the corporate after they had been bringing their expertise to Loewe TVs. Run the check and hear out for the disappearing ‘beeps’ among the many white noise, and it’ll create a sound profile tailor-made to your listening to capability. The concept is that you need to be capable to make out all of the element with out straining to listen to each phrase, whereas elevating the quantity shouldn’t lead to a lack of element.
How properly it really works is tough to quantify, since individuals’s listening to capability will differ primarily based on the person. For peace of thoughts, it’s helpful to have – one thing to safeguard the well being of your ears – and it marks the Xellence out from the remainder of the competitors.
Different options embody Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, aptX and AAC playback and the Auto-play performance. The Auto-play perform is overly keen – however, fortunately, it may be toggled off within the app.
Kygo Xellence sound – Stable sufficient, however not probably the most expressive
- Scientific sound
- Punchy bass (with Bass Increase engaged)
- Not probably the most expressive of performances
With the Mimi Listening to ID engaged, it’s slightly tough to make a definitive analysis since everyone seems to be more likely to hear one thing totally different. My expertise is that the Xellence initially sounded skinny: the shortage of stable match being a contributor right here, and whereas they had been clear and detailed, that readability and element existed in a soundstage notable by how sparse it sounded.
A mess around with the ear-tips – I opted for the most important – and a toggle of ANC and Bass Increase modes managed to fill out the soundstage of the Doves’ Firesuite to explain it in much less anaemic phrases.
Treble sounds had been detailed and vivid sufficient to be distinct within the Singapore Orchestra’s rendition of the Chelsea Tango, a observe that gives a good problem when it comes to dynamism – one the Xellence met with an entertaining description of highs and lows.
The mid-range is pure sufficient in tone; there’s sufficient perception for devices within the Singapore Orchestra to come back throughout as properly outlined and detailed. Whereas the Xellence goal for a impartial tone, they’re slightly too cool and medical. The Xellence’s neutrality subdues the vocals in Linkin Park’s Excessive Voltage and Thirty Seconds to Mars’ Assault, granting them much less a way of expression and dynamism.
Bass Increase provides a decent, punchy low-end with some extra vitality for many who need it. It resists the urge to puncture the mid-range, however in the event you discover it overwhelming then there’s the choice to show it off. For me, although, the efficiency is altogether much less enthusiastic with it off. You’ll wish to flip ANC on, too, since there’s a marked distinction with it on and off. With out it, music sounds cramped, as do vocals.
You’ll additionally wish to choose the fitting ear-tips. Swapping to totally different sizes finally ends up being reasonably vital: greater pairs add to a fuller soundstage however commerce slightly on element, whereas others filter by extra element however sound thinner. General, the Xellence sound fantastic – however my expertise was loads of experimenting to realize that. Different equally priced earbuds, such because the Ausounds AU-Stream Hybrid undertake an identical lean tone, however supply extra expression and dynamism.
Kygo Xellence conclusion
The Xellence are a superb effort, however the sum of their components doesn’t add as much as a convincing complete. There’s higher noise-cancelling efficiency available elsewhere, and there’s better-sounding true wi-fi for a similar worth, too. The Mimi Sound Profile differentiates the Kygo Xellence from the legion of different earbuds available on the market, however whereas there’s type, there isn’t sufficient substance to gate-crash the higher echelon of wi-fi earbud market.
You can purchase the Kygo Xellence if…
- You’re within the well being of your ears
With the Mimi Sound Outlined expertise built-in into the app, Kygo differentiates its buds from the trove of true wi-fi models in an fascinating method. By making a sound profile tailor-made to your listening to capability, you received’t stress your ears, regardless of the quantity at which you’re listening. Kygo and Mimi could possibly be onto one thing good right here…
You shouldn’t purchase the Kygo Xellence if…
- You’re after higher sound and ANC
The Xellence sound and ANC is okay. However for £200, ‘fantastic’ and ‘okay’ merely don’t reduce it. There are many different fashions within the true wi-fi sea, and there are higher ANC earbuds for lower than the price of the Kygo Xellence.
