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

Product Information

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. 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. Moving from music streaming to making a call, it’s a similar story. There’s the promise of stereo calls – and, if you take a lot of calls then the you’ll be pleased to learn that the E7/1000 handle the task well enough.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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.Maybe we’re reading too much into it. Maybe they just thought it was a cool name. Kygo Xenon price and availability A search brings up results that include a colourless, odourless gas (Xe); a tyrant from ancient Greek; and the codename for the Xbox 360. 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. The Kygo Life A11/800 offer everything you need from a pair of headphones in 2020. There's active noise cancellation that's enabled via a physical button or through the Kygo app (more on that in a bit), the option to listen to the headphones in a wired capacity for when battery life is at a premium, a proximity sensor so they pause the moment you take them off, voice command support, and NFC pairing for users with compatible devices.

In reality, audiophiles will wish they could manipulate the equalizer in a traditional way, but if you don't know much about individual settings, presets could be a simpler solution. 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. 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. 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.

Surprisingly good wireless headphones

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… For the most part, everything works rather brilliantly too. The moment you open the box, everything feels intelligently designed. Lift up the lid of the box and you're presented with straightforward pairing instructions, which genuinely take seconds to work through. That level of intuitiveness continues as you use the headphones. It all just works in a way that's akin to Apple-style design at its best – simple yet effective. 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. Controls are located on the right ear cup and are a mixture of physical and touch sensitive buttons. The power, ANC, and ambient sound modes are controlled by three physical buttons on the side of the cup. These are easily located and you're told through the headphones the mode you're in, which is very helpful. 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.

Like all the headphones we’ve tested from the Kygo, the Xenon is a comfortable pair of headphones to wear.Both the A11/800 and E7/1000 sounded okay, but there was certainly room for improvement. The Xenon display a similar character to the A11/800, but are less brash and more distinguished tonally. 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.