X by Kygo A9/600 BT Headphones, Bluetooth 4.1, Over Ear - Black

Product Information

Perhaps your budget won’t let you go for the premium headphones. In which case the Kygo are a decent alternative. You shouldn’t buy the Kygo Xenon if… Elsewhere, the Xenon headphones offer Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity and support SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX-LL, the latter for improved audio synchronisation with video content. Voice commands are supported via the built-in microphones for Google or Siri. Xenon over-ears performance – A more measured sound The clamping force is well measured, so you can be rest assured that they’ll stay put on your head. Nor will they become uncomfortable over prolonged periods of use. In terms of what you can expect in terms of sound quality, we’d say the E7/1000 are pretty good – but there’s certainly room for improvement. They display decent power and some nice warm bass, but these earbuds aren’t so impressive in the mid-range and treble departments.

Of the current crop of Kygo headphones we’ve reviewed, the Xenon are the best-sounding pair of cans so far. Comparing them to the A11/800, in terms of audio performance alone, the Xenon are the headphones to opt for. There’s an air of consolidation about the Xenon’s feature set. It’s less comprehensive than the Kygo A11/800, which is a welcome relief considering the inconsistent nature of those headphones. Beneath that matte exterior are 6mm drivers, with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for pairing the E7/1000 with your Android and iPhone. We tried the buds with both, and aside from some issues with a Pixel phone, they played nice with an iPhone and a couple of other Android handsets. As mentioned, there's a Kygo Life app that works alongside the Kygo Life A11/800s. It's an immediately stylish-looking app that takes a different route to the equalizer you'll see in most other headphone apps.

Sound

Regardless of your views on the app, the Kygo Life A11/800 sound great, look pretty good, and offer plenty of convenient features. What more could you want from a pair of wireless headphones in 2020? A search brings up results that include a colourless, odourless gas (Xe); a tyrant from ancient Greek; and the codename for the Xbox 360. We'd have liked a less creaky build and slightly improved noise cancellation, but these are all fairly minor issues for the price. Audiophiles may also prefer to have 'true' control over the in-app equalizer settings, but if you're a casual listener, you'll appreciate feeling less like you need to be an expert to tweak how things sound. It's certainly quite entertaining to see what a difference an option makes.

Yes, it’s possible to find models that offer deeper bass and a more detailed mid-range elsewhere, but I found the Xenon to be a solid pair of cans. The differences between it and the A11/800 are small, but they add up to make the Xenon the best-sounding pair of headphones in the Kygo range so far. You should buy the Kygo Xenon if…

Surprisingly good wireless headphones

So, how do they sound? Featuring 10mm drivers, Kygo says that the Xcellence provide a "naturally deep and balanced sound", which can be fine-tuned via the X by Kygo app. According to Kygo, "this uses real-time adjustments to tailor the Xellence’s sound to your needs, delivering a brilliantly customized listening experience that also protects your hearing".

Compare the E7/1000 sound to a similarly priced pair of earbuds such as the Jaybird Vistas or Jabra’s sporty buds, then you can definitely expect to get something more balanced and rewarding if you demand seriously good sound quality to match a workout-friendly build. In terms of comfort and staying put, the E7/1000 certainly do the job. The ear wings sit snug to ensure a sturdy fit, and neither the silicone nor foam tips proved uncomfortable through runs and gym sessions. These earbuds are built for workouts – and based on our experience, they’re up to the task. Kygo E7/1000 performance – Good, but room for improvement They’re a step forward in terms of clarity over the A11/800, though, with John Williams’ The Rebellion is Reborn from The Last Jedi not sounding like a barrage of sound; these headphones are able to describe the orchestra with a better sense of detail and organisation. It’s enough detail to engage the listener in the sweeping and gentle nature of the song, providing a decent sense of timing and rhythm.Battery life registers at 24 hours, which is five more hours than the A11/800, and charging time from empty to full is identical at two hours. A music producer making headphones? Well, it worked for Beats by Dre, so why not Norwegian DJ Kygo? In fact, I've only heard of Kygo due to his exploits in the world of tech, starting with headphones and speakers, and more recently a partnership with Skagen to produce a special edition Falster 3 smartwatch. Active noise cancellation is divided up according to a few different options. There's 'full' noise cancellation, an awareness mode which cancels out 50% of all ambient sounds while still allowing you to hear people's voices, plus an ambient mode, which lets everything through for when you need to be aware of your surroundings. Kygo talks up the waterproof rating here, with the earbuds coming with an IPX7 certification. That means they can be submerged into water up to 1m deep. Accidentally drop your E7/1000 in a puddle on a run, and they should survive. Go for a swim with them in your ears, probably not so much. This rating more signifies that they’ll survive sweat and splashes of water. The only other redeeming feature of the E7/1000 are the small indicator lights, which sit in close proximity to the microphones. Those lights will essentially tell you when the buds are successfully paired to your phone; when they’re in call mode; or, are successfully charging inside of their case.

The only downside here, is that slight hissing when noise cancellation is activated and no sound is being played, but that's an issue that occurs with many noise-cancelling headphones and mostly comes down to the sensitivity of your ears. It only occurs when nothing else is playing, so you shouldn't come across it too often. Final verdict Kygo’s range of headphones won’t leave you wanting when it comes to distinctive design. Yes, while the Xenon’s basic design is like any other over-ear model – a set of ear cups attached by a headband – they do stand out from the crowd when it comes to aesthetics. I like the simple, minimalist design. The all-white body looks cool, and the large Xs on each ear cup gives the headphones some visual interest, without going overboard with the branding. Wearing them isn't going to suddenly promote you as a huge Kygo fan, which increases the appeal to those who don't know who the DJ is. The cups are just the right size too, perfectly maintaining a sleek profile on your head, while the headphones fold down into a handy size when you're done. Like all the headphones we’ve tested from the Kygo, the Xenon is a comfortable pair of headphones to wear.Instead of a bunch of settings to tweak, the Kygo Life app offers four presets – Bergen, New York, Los Angeles, and Ibiza. Supposedly, each is based on Kygo's view of the kind of music and ambience expected from each location. Los Angeles is meant to offer "ambient feel-good sounds" while Bergen should be ideal for quiet music and crisp sounds. You can move a dot around the screen to lean in a particular direction or go all in with one of the locations. Perhaps it’s a reference to the 1970’s Xenon nightclub in New York, which, according to its Wikipedia entry, was the only nightclub popular enough to compete with the famous Studio 54. It’d make sense, considering Kygo himself is a DJ of some renown. Noise cancellation at this price point can be hit and miss, but you’re not short of better-sounding options if you go a bit higher.