beyerdynamic Xelento remote

Beyerdynamics Xelento Remote Generation 2



Introduction

Coming off the heels of their excellent first TWS effort the Free Byrd, along with a stellar reputation from the first-generation models, the Xelento Remote G2 and Xelento Wireless G2 are here. Senior Headphone Editor W. Jennings has glowing recommendations of the marque’s headphones for their superb detailed sound, along with the studio models, which are highly sought in the sound industry as well. Widely acclaimed for a crisp, clear top end, many of their top headphones mimic this signature for the consumer. The two models will be Beyerdynamics last new models for the year, and from the look are gems in the making.

Beyerdynamic has a long history of making headphones. Since the DT48 (Dynamic Telephone) was launched in 1937, Beyer has been at the forefront of innovative headphones, and the DT label still stands with many of their studio models representing history, heritage and quality sound offerings. It is no coincidence then that the DT 900 Pro X makes our list as one of the best models for studio work. The Xelento first generations were quite good from the reviews and based upon history alone, have a tough act to follow, but just might be worthy of inclusion in Beyer’s long vaunted history.


Specs:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Transducers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-way, dynamic (Beyerdynamic TESLA.11)
Acoustic design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closed
Frequency range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 – 50,000 Hz
Sound coupling to the ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In-ear
Ambient noise attenuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 dBA at 1 kHz
Nominal impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Ω
Nominal sound pressure level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 dB at 1 mW
Nominal power handling capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 mW
Max. sound pressure level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 dB SPL
T.H.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 0.02% at 1 kHz
Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MMCX (female)
Protection class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IPX4
Weight (without cable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 g
Hi-Res Audio certified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Yes

Connecting cable, jack balanced
Cable length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.30 m
Conductor material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Copper, silver-plated
Connection (earphone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MMCX (male)
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .None
Connection (player) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.4 mm jack, 5-pole (Pentaconn)

Connecting cable, jack unbalanced
Cable length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.30 m
Conductor material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Copper, silver-plated
Connection (earphone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MMCX (male)
Remote control . . . . . . 3-button, universal* with microphone
Microphone type . . . . . . . MEMS analogue, omnidirectional
Connection (player) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mini jack (3.5 mm), 4-pole (CTIA pinouts)

Hard case
Dimensions W x H x D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 x 134 x 24 mm



Unboxing:

Marketed as audible jewelry, the Xelento models are made right at the company headquarters in Heilbronn. Hand made in part, as well as hand finished, the Xelento sports Beyers latest Tesla driver, the Tesla.11; an 11.2 mm dynamic driver certified for Hi-Res Audio. High efficiency is achieved by a powerful neodymium ring magnet and the Tesla technology, making for a very fast responding driver. Limits of many dynamic drivers are the speed at which they can respond to sound inputs, limiting overall dynamism. The use of the ring magnet, and Tesla technology overcome this, but without making the character dry or analytical.

Coming in a rather unique package, with two diagonal opening flaps, the Xelento “jewelry” is presented front and center. Underneath you will find a glossy information sheet, with a larger than life image of the Xelento. Below that is the long front opening case, tips and the two cables, both in 1.3m length. One pentaconn 4.4bal cable is included along with a single-ended 3.5mm cable plus a microphone for use on the go. As a move towards additional strength, the connection is MMCX, which can also be used to accommodate Beyer’s Bluetooth module, making the Xelento Remote G2 a veritable option for use with your Smartphone. With CODEC’s of Qualcomm® aptX™ HD, Qualcomm®aptX™ Adaptive and LHDC as well as the integrated digital and analogue converter with amplifier from the AKM specialist ensure that wireless sound enjoyment is possible on all devices. This does of course put it into the price point of the higher model BT TWS models (or above them in price) but may just outperform those due to the wired technology as a first option. The module is a $299 option or one can get the Xelento Wireless G2 with it included for $1199, as opposed to the $999 here.



There is no getting around that the earbuds are small. Ornamentally small. A pear-shaped teardrop has a shiny metal faceplate laden with the “Y” on both in gold of the 24k variety. Yes, the logo is in solid gold inlay. The shiny surface then adds a bit of look to it, much like a mirror might make a room look bigger. Also, in real gold is the “Xelento” on both buds, along with a vent hole under said logo. The inside carries a black “L” or “R” for each bud along with “beyerdynamic,” also in black on the left and “made in Germany” on the right along with the unit’s serial number. The oblong nozzle also carries a black lip, with a screen attached. There is no denying the small size of the bud, but I did find the nozzle shape a bit odd. Comply T500 foam tips (s, m, l) are included along with seven, yes SEVEN sizes of oblong silicon tips (xs, s, m, l, xl, xxl, 3xl).

Some reviewers have complained about the small size of the Xelento G2, but I find it fits well, and is nearly flush when inserted; even with Comply’s attached. The cable does not come with any ear guides, making it a struggle to keep in place when using the cable as an over-ear on the front. There is a cable cinch, above the Y-splitter, so one could easily use the cable much like musicians do, routing it around back. For the audiophile though, this really isn’t an option, and ear guides would be appreciated. I was able to get the cables to stay in place, even with reading glasses on, but it took a concerted effort in doing. No microphonics were heard while using the silver-plated cable.

Presentation and build-wise, the Xelento Remote G2 is so far worthy of the price.



Sound

Coming off a custom IEM in the Campfire Audio Supermoon, with a higher price I found the fit of the Xelento G2 to be quite good, even with the large Comply tips. This afforded an excellent seal, and my incessant pecking of the MBP keyboard could not be heard at all. It might be that Beyerdynamic is onto something here.

Queueing Taylor Swift’s “Question…?” from her excellent Midnights album, the first impression was of typical dynamic driver deep reaching bass. But with the size, excellent rumble was had as well. The acoustic chamber design definitely plays a part here, but this has more of a rumble than many of late. That bass is controlled as well, with excellent decay (the magnet helps), allowing the bass to set the tone without encumbering the rest of the signature. A little bleed into the mids acted as a red-carpet treatment more than a hinderance to me, which leads to an uncharacteristic Beyerdynamic sound signature of which I will discuss below.

Swift’s vocals as a result came across as sublime, and dead center, with excellent definition to note and air between each note. That Tesla technology is playing a big part in the signature here, allowing a larger than life sound, but under excellent control. Support instruments here played their part, with easily defined location across the mids, and without stepping on each other’s toes. Often with dynamic drivers, the vocals are moved forward to accommodate the lack of energy, which can come about in a single driver. Not so here, and this adds to that uncharacterized sound listed below, almost mimicking a dual driver technology.


Voluminous comes to mind when describing the soundstage. But with excellent weight to the notes so that space is filled with high quality sound as opposed to a large expanse of vacant space as often occurs with large soundstages that do not meet the IEM’s sound signature. Monty Alexander’s “Spunky” defines that space with percussion clearly to the left, while the piano occupies center stage. The upright bass holds the right, and you can clearly define the placement on stage in the recording; which is by design to give that expansiveness of which I speak. The expansive stage is further defined on “La Vida Es Un Carnaval” by Celia Cruz. A large horn section gives the song a big noted sound, and her piercing vocals fill in the space nicely. The solid bass adds to the notes, and the excellent percussion instruments extend the high end along with the trumpet high notes. But not too much like some IEM’s I have heard of late.

That treble note is often used to help define Beyerdynamic’s sound characteristics as excellent for studio monitors and here the Xelento Remote G2 does not go quite as high but has excellent weight in the trumpet’s notes mentioned. Sometimes when the upper notes are rounded, they tend to have less sparkle. Not here as the reach provides excellent expansion but without becoming grating or too piercing. Compared to the Supermoon, there is better definition, and a more realistic treatment of the upper notes. But the Supermoon does extend a bit further, which helps give it an expansive sound as well. Both are excellent but front slightly different directions.

I mentioned earlier about an “uncharacteristic” sound coming out from the Xelento G2. Beyer’s headphones and studio headphones have a typical sound to me, which promotes excellent quality of notes all around, but especially in the upper end. With excellent definition and detail, they make for fabulous monitoring or even reference quality headphones. This really isn’t my flavor, and I subsequently sold a model I owned to Will, who took them without hesitation. But the Xelento Remote G2 are different. There is a smoothness to the signature, which pervades my senses across the sound spectrum using the 4.4 balanced cable (both, actually). This is not the “typical” Beyerdynamic sound to me, but I very much appreciate it. There is richness in the details presented no matter what I listened to, and that signature carried over into a warmer richness, which is my preferred signature. Even that bass carrying into the lower mids does not hinder the quality, offering up a platform for a smooth transfer into the mids and subsequent vocals; no matter the source. If this was by design (I never heard the G1 models), I very much approve.


That richness in character is still presented as a highly detailed sound, with excellent clarity of the notes. You can hear Taylor Swift take her breath’s ever so softly, and with a warmth you might not find on a more “clinically-driven” sound. That breath may come across as a bit harsh as opposed to sublime and sensuous. For giggles, I switched to the excellent DDHiFi BC130B 4.4 balanced cable in copper. Slightly better detail came about, and with an even richer tone. The Xelento Remote was showing that it could play well across many platforms. As easy as the Xelento is to drive, the DDHiFi cable made it easier yet. I had to turn the volume down on the Astell & Kern ACRO CA1000 by about 7-8 numbers on the volume scale for the same “perceived” sound level.

Switching to the microphone 3.5 single ended cable did not diminish the overall listening pleasure of the Xelento G2, either. Controls were easy, and when paired with a Smartphone (iPhone dongle for me), the call quality of the microphone made for a quite acceptable option. A lack of microphonics certainly helped as well.



Conclusion

Coming into this, we had high praise for the Free Byrd TWS from Beyer. As a first attempt at TWS technology in a higher priced bracket it is an excellent model, especially coming in at a lower price than some of its competitors. The Xelento Remote and Xelento Wireless may have had a part in that, with their excellent sound, build and technology. But the Xelento models stood on their own before the Free Byrd and based upon the Xelento Remote G2 can certainly do so with this iteration. We found it to be one of the best sounding models at this price, which is chock full of excellent sounding IEM’s.


From the warmth pervading, but without lacking in quality details, the Xelento G2 comes across as a smooth operator, with soundstage that should make others envious. But that expansive soundstage does not come at the detriment of the rest in the signature. Good rumble down low carries you into smooth mids, with real character, ending with enough sparkle to satiate my upper end tolerances. The overall sound signature of the Xelento Remote G2 is one that can definitely hold its own within this price, and on its own merits, making this one of the best to come across our desks in a good while.

Preamble
Bought these with my own money. Not biased nor sponsored in anyway. I keep my reviews short and to the point. Hope this helps you make a decision on whether to purchase or not.

Packaging
Very nicely laid out packaging. Has everything you could want. The case is a bit odd, but once you get the hang of using it works well to keep the IEMs safe. The double box design makes it look and feel sophisticated, which i think is what they are going for with the whole $1k ear jewlery thing.

Build
Very solid build. The shell size will likely fit a majority of ears. the included cables are good, and although the MMCX connector swivles quite a bit, it isn't too bothersome. The cables don't have any microphonics and are of good quality and sturdy.

Fit
Good. You need to find the right tips. I would NOT rec foam tips (they make the sound really crap). Symbio W bores wored really well for me.

Test Gear

• Hiby R5
• Macbook Pro
• Iphone X with Lightning dongle

Test Tracks

• Toto - Africa (Instrument seperation, staging, vocals and bass)
• Drizzy - MIA (indicator of bass response, good for delineating mids vs. bass bleed)
• Post malone - WOW (bass and mid seperation)
• Teitso and co. - Ritual (Vocals)

Comparators

• Sony IER Z1R
• Empire Ears Legend X

Sound

• Bass: Very nice meaty bass slam. The bass is well defined, with good extension. There is a greater prominence in the sub and mid bass. Very well done. tight with fast decay.
• Mids: Even though on paper the sound signature appears to be very V shaped. The mids actually sound reallly nice. Vocals are prominent and don't sound holo. The low mids and high bass does mix.
• Highs: Smooth. Not silibant. I can't say much else. Other than that.
• Overall: Good amount of detail and clarity. The bass doesn't get muddy and doesn't bleed too much into the mids. These appear very good for vocal centric music which again is suprising given the FR graphs. They sound lively and fun.

Comparisons

• IER Z1R: The Xelento has more bass impact, but the Z1R has greater sub bass and much further extension. The Z1R has a wider sound stage and better instrument seperation, which was expected, due to the dedicated mid and treble drivers. However, given the Z1R costs double the price, i wouldn't say you are getting double the performance, albeit far from it.
• Legend X: X has greater bass impact and a tighter response. Xelento has better mids and vocals. I would say the Xelento also has a wider stage than the Legend X, but the Legend X has better instrument seperation even though at times it sounds ' congested ' (what i mean by that is, even though all the sounds are there, it's hard to percieve due to the sheer amplitude of each frequency - if that makes any sense). Again, at double the price you are not getting double the performance.

Summary
I really liked the Xelento. Even though i eventually sold it, as the upgraditis bug took over, i think it is a very solid dynamic driver IEM. Beyerdynamic has refined their house sound to a great level with the xelento. At it's price point i think it competes very well against similarly priced IEMs which i've had a chance to audition (Campfire atlas, andromeda, Empire ears bravado etc).

Thanks for reading

CAUTION: Long post ahead

Beyerdynamic Xelento Wireless

“An audible piece of jewelry”

DISCLAIMER: I’d like to thank sir Richie See of Audible Illusions for loaning me the Beyerdynamic Xelento Wireless for a week in exchange for this review.

The SRP is $1000 USD

DETAILS:

Beyerdynamic puts pride in their research and development (R&D). One of their source of pride is the Tesla Technology, wherein Beyerdynamic explained that “it indicates the intensity of the magnetic field (magnetic field strength) in the air gap of the magnetic circuit. Because a magnetic flux density of more than one tesla is achieved in beyerdynamic acoustic transducers, the term tesla technology is used.” This technology is a testament to Beyerdynamic’s huge leap in the innovation of dynamic drivers.

Now imagine the Tesla technology inputted in an IEM. This is when the Xelento was born.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Transducer type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dynamic, Tesla
Operating principle. . . . . . . . . . . . . Closed
Frequency response with jack cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 – 48,000 Hz
Nominal impedance. . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Ω
Nominal sound pressure level with jack cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 dB SPL (1 mW / 500 Hz)
Power handling capacity. . . . . . . 100 mW
T.H.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 0.2% @ 500 Hz
Sound coupling to the ear. . . . . . In-Ear Cable
length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.38 m, detachable (incl. battery)
Bluetooth® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2 version
Frequency response . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.4000 – 2.4835 GHz
Transmission power . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 mW
Power class. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.0
Supported profiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . HSP, HFP, A2DP, AVRCP, GAVDP
Supported Codecs . . . . . . . . . . . . . aptX™, aptX™ HD, AAC, SBC
Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to 10 m
Runtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to 8 hours
Charging time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 minutes.
Operating-/ Charging temperature range. . . 0 to 35 °C
Battery capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 mAh
Charging socket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Micro USB
Weight without cable. . . . . . . . . . . 7 g
Weight with cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 g


TRACKS USED
Blue Man Group - Mandelgroove
Anthrax - Be All, End All
Maroon 5 - Closure
Radwimps - Sparkle (Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra vers)
Sara Bareilles - Armor
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight



Accessories:
As a flagship IEM, Beyerdynamic didn’t fail on delivering the Xelento package. Upon opening the box, you’ll be surprised by the plethora of earphone tips from sizes XS to XXL, three Comply TX, a magnetic case where the earphones are placed, and the detachable Bluetooth module with remote control. I have to say that Beyerdynamic provided all the necessities for their flagship.





Design, Build and Comfort

For the design, it is one of the smallest in-ears I've ever encountered, especially at this rate, you’re expecting something that fits the ear. Well, this one is round-shaped like a 25 Philippine Centavo coin, even smaller than the said coin. it fits the contours of your ear. Beyerdynamic did something that is unique from the usual universal IEMs of other companies and their design suits every ear.

The build of the Xelento is one of a kind, and knowing German IEMs, their build quality is quite on the notch: its construction is solid and has a chrome finish that says “try me”, the brushed gunmetal faceplate with their logo, and the Xelento’s serial number.

The comfort coming from the Xelento is quite well for my ears, it doesn’t require a shallow fit for some IEMs. Some may experience a lack of isolation from this but I didn't experience it since it fits me nicely. I find the nozzle a bit odd really, it is oval-shaped and so does the standard tips which has a certain contour that is matched with the shell of the iem. Moreover, I have also tried tip rolling and the isolation is much better than the stock ones, but of course the signature of the Xelento will change.




SOUND

Tonality
Knowing Beyerdynamic, their product tends to go a bit bright with a good amount of air and sparkle, but the Xelento is a V-shaped IEM (some may consider it as a U-shaped). The bass has an emphasis where its punch is just right for a dynamic driver, the mids are quite organic where it sits just right and it is not congested. The treble also has an emphasis and it is not too bright for those easy going listeners.

BASS
Upon trying the Xelento first hand, you’ll know that the bass quantity is HUGE, warm and it has good control, the sub bass has that rumble that you’ll not find on most IEMs. I find that its bass is more focused on the midbass region, wherein you'll find the bass notes a bit prominent. Some may tend to experience the bass a bit bloated or slightly muddy, but Xelento’s low end Is quite aggressive depending on what track is being played.. It has that extension and does not decay fast, it still shows good detail retrieval and great resolution.

MIDS
The lower mids is a bit bumped and has no bleed from the upper bass. It gives that lushness to the vocals with a bit of clarity, and the midrange is just close to neutral and has a noticeable climb at the upper mids where it gives good detail retrieval. Overall, the mids is quite good though it could be improved to match those other IEMs in the market. The lower mids give body to the vocals while the midrange sits near the neutral ground. The vocals seems a bit laidback but then again it is compensated by the upper mids, giving good detail retrieval.

HIGHS
The highs are quite excellent for a v-shaped iem. It is not that extended nor too bright to the point it becomes unbearable, The lower treble is well constructed, meaning it has a good transition from the upper mids to lower treble that gives a smooth tone to it where details are present. The mid-treble has that sparkle and comes out crisp with a good amount of air. The upper treble is well extended though decays quickly.

SOUNDSTAGE
The Xelento is quite a spacious IEM considering the extensions given and the air, the width is where I am most impressed with, especially when playing “In The Air Tonight”, you’ll understand the width I'm talking about. Compared to what I've tried, this one is the largest yet. Given with the enormity of its width, separation is nicely done and gives you an accurate instrument placement. Depth is quite good also, considering the laid back vocals of around 5-6 rows it still sits quite nicely to the point that it doesn’t sound too distant. With the depth and width considered the imaging is great overall due to the smoother tonality. Given the layering would not be that comparable to some IEMs, it is never congested.



DRIVEABILITY

Looking at its specifications the Xelento is easy to drive, considering its 110db sensitivity and 16ohm impedance, and this scales well with higher tiered digital audio players (DAPS).


BLUETOOTH MODE
Trying out the Xelento in Bluetooth mode, it makes you feel like you’re wearing a necklace looking at the Bluetooth module centered and the shirt clip fits quite well with the look. The sound quality still remains the same as I have mentioned and the module lasts around 7-8 hours, which is the standard nowadays in terms of wireless technology.


ASTELL AND KERN AK 240
A controlled bass with this one, smooth texture and gives more detail at the midbass and lower mids section. Knowing the 240 is quite analytical, the vocal presentation is a bit better, and the treble is maintained as is, resolution is better and has a darker background, and no hiss heard. The soundstage is still superb as mentioned earlier.

ASTELL AND KERN AK120 TITAN VERSION
Bass is more prominent. Less controlled but still retains the smooth texture although less detail but gives more body to the midrange giving out a lush vocal presentation, the treble has more air and sparkle than the 240 but it is not extended, has a slight hiss and the soundstage still remains the same.

COMPARISONS

As I lack the time to find a suitable Dynamic Driver to match the Xelento, I have only found one suitable IEM that i can compare it with.

Hyla CE-5
I’ve tried the CE-5 for quite some time and it's one of my favorite IEMs in terms of V to U shaped even considering it as balanced. The bass of both Xelento and CE-5 really has that quantity and rumble but detail is much more given from the CE-5 but texture is taken by the Xelento. The CE-5 has greater control than of Xelento’s, the mids of the CE-5 is much more thinner but has accurate vocals that stands out more than Xelento’s, considering the Xelento’s more warmer, full bodied and has smoother mids. The treble region of the CE-5 has much more crisp and less air, more sparkle and extended even giving a better upper treble presence. Now in soundstage, the Xelento has more width than of CE-5 but in return, the CE-5 has more depth. Now in terms of imaging I have to side with the CE-5, it is much clearer and has better layering.

VERDICT
Beyerdynamic focused on the consumer part on this iem, and looking at the provided cable, it has a microphone with it, which means they focused on an IEM that welcomes all platforms: audiophile and consumer markets. They gave out a warm welcoming sound signature that is pleasing to all. For me, I consider this as one of the best dynamic driver iems in the market.