For the uninitiated, X By Kygo is a dedicated Norwegian headphone specialist with international DJ, songwriter and producer Kygo at the helm. Every headphone’s sonic performance is fine-tuned by Kygo and his team of expert audio engineers – and Xellence is the firm's newest release.
Visually, the illuminated X is a striking aesthetic, and you can also expect active noise-cancellation, your own personal hearing ID using Mimi Sound Personalization technology (the free Android/iOS X by Kygo App also uses real-time adjustments which promise to "tailor the Xellence’s sound to your needs") and 30 hours of continuous playtime; 10 from the buds (8 hours with ANC on) plus an extra 20 hours from the wireless charging case. If you’re in a rush, a quick 15-minute charge via USB-C should provide two hours of juice, too.
The earbuds are IPX5-rated for sweat and water resistance, so they’re protected from sudden spells of rain or your weekly spin class.
The touch capacitative buttons on the earbuds boast easy playback control, call-handling or access to Siri and Google Now voice assistants on the go.
In addition, an ambient mode promises a fully transparent listen for when you want to be aware of your surroundings without stopping your music. Want them to pause automatically when you remove them? They will! The Xellence headphones also feature a proximity sensor that automatically pauses playback when the buds are removed.
Bluetooth 5.0, aptX and AAC codecs are supported, which should equal a rock-solid connection and CD-quality wireless audio streams from any device.
The X by Kygo Xellence is available now in black or white finishes with matching charging case, priced at £179 ($239).
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