Today I got my Xelento 2nd gen remote.
Wow, just wow, it sounds so good.
Comparing it to my IE600, I can say that ear fit comfort is just day and night, with Xelento it feels like you put some cotton in your ears and you can easily forget that you wear it and immerse yourself into music, while with IE 600, I always feel that something is stuck in my ears, to a point of discomfort and often I have to twiddle it a bit to relieve my ears, Xelento fits so smooth.
Sound representation is more open, wider and clear, while bass, mids and treble seem to be represented similarly, but that openness sensation, which Xelento gives, makes music sound relaxing and immersive, while not losing any details, IE600 sounds congested after listening to Xelento.
Both tested with their stock silicon ear-tips. Was driving it with W4 dongle, balanced 4.4, loudness matched, which is btw about 10-11 numerical clicks difference between the two on W4's numerical volume indicator, Xelento being louder aka more sensitive, hence needing less volume and I'm writing it now without actually checking their sensitivity specs, 100% positive it checks out with my experience.
Tested both listening to Pat Metheny The Falcon and the Snowman album. With Xelento it is immersive experience, it's just you and the music around you, highly relaxing sensation, while with IE 600 it is the music and IEMs in your ears, no way I can ignore it being in my ears, day and night difference between the two. Best way I think to put it is with Xelento music is around you, with IE600 music is in your head, plus IEMs in your ears.
Considering that IE600 costed me around 600 euros, I can say that Xelento is worth every single cent of it's asking price, I was doubting whether I should buy it, but it blew me away straight up, I'm new to IEMs, always dreaded that "in your head" sound sensation, but that was 15 years ago in my past experience I was carrying of using earbuds, not IEMs.
So I was doubting to buy it after IE600, thinking it might be just a bit different, didn't think that it will sound so immersive and have "transparent" cotton like comfort, now I'm hooked, didn't expect IEMs to sound this good, now I'll be looking to get Etymotic EVO, because I've been reading a lot of good things about it.
This reviewer helped to pull the trigger on Xelento