Not everyone's hearing is the same, and the new Xellence true wireless earphones account for this by offering real-time sound profile tweaking courtesy of a mobile app. The sweat-resistant buds also feature active noise cancellation, Bluetooth 5.0 signal stability and are fine tuned by renowned DJ, songwriter and producer Kygo.
That personal sound profile comes courtesy of Mimi Sound Personalization processing technology delivered via an iOS/Android companion app, which optimizes the signal in real time to tailor the sound to a user's hearing to deliver "a brilliantly customized listening experience that also protects your hearing."
The Xellence earphones wirelessly connect to a music source such as a smartphone over Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX and AAC codec support for CD-quality, stable streams. They rock 10-mm drivers for a frequency response of 20 Hz - 20 kHz and 97-dB sensitivity, and feature active noise cancellation technology for reducing the impact of noise from the world around you – though there is a transparency mode built in for when you need to be aware of your surroundings, such as when walking through bustling city streets.
Like other products in the X by Kygo catalog, the new true wireless earphones have undergone sonic tweaking from the man himself, together with a team of audio engineers. Each earbud comes with 10 hours of per charge battery life with ANC switched off or eight hours with it powered on, with an extra 20 hours available from the included charging case. The buds also sport a proximity sensor that pauses playback when they're removed.
Elsewhere, there's touch control of playback and call taking, where X literally marks the spot in the shape of an LED-illuminated logo on the outer housing, and an IPX5 rating means that you can wear them at the gym or while running for shelter in a sudden downpour.
The X by Kygo Xellence ANC earphones are available now in black or white for US$239. That puts them in the same price ballpark as Sony's WF-1000XM3 noise-canceling earbuds, and a little cheaper than Apple's AirPods Pro.
Product page: Xellence