Sound General
[responsivevoice_button]
Just to be clear, the description of sound here is a mix of the cabled version and the wireless version with the MIY activated. I think I mentioned it before but the Tesla driver in the small enclosure is doing miracles.
The sound signature is probably a tad to the warmer side of neutral and it comes with perfect body from bass to treble. It is a very clean, clear and natural sound as we’re used to from Beyerdynamic, with great higher mids and treble extension.
The dynamics, transparency, spaciousness and airy presentation are extremely well done, especially in the mids. The Xelento’s sound stage is both wide and deep and it comes with exemplary layering. The instrumental separation is spot on and the PRAT is wonderful. You don’t get the intimate, inside your head kind of feeling, and that’s always a pleasure to experience.
The delivery is smooth, realistic and extremely musical and there’s even some nice warmth in bass and lower mids.
Beyerdynamic Xelento AKT8iE MKII
Sound Classics
The Tesla bass is simply impressive. It has big body when needed, and always comes in with good impact. Bass reaches down really low when called upon and it combines that with good detail, layering and speed. For some the amount of bass body could be a bit much if you’re using it with a bass heavier source. With the Fiio M15, bass in my case is a bit big but with the more neutral SP2000 it’s right in the perfect area where musicality, precision and fun meet.
The fulness of the bass flows into the lower mids, giving it a fun yet precise character. The mids sound rich and romantic with excellent timbre. At the same time the mids are very clean, detailed and transparent all at once. The decay is how it’s supposed to be in a high-end IEM. The upper mids do have more energy and vocals – both male as female – sound natural and life like.
The treble section of course is energetic and clear and it extends well. At the same time treble is detailed and precise, but it never becomes harsh or sibilant. In fact the Xelento’s treble perfectly connects to the mids and counters the bass presentation. Treble doesn’t feel separated at all, and the bass, mids and treble mix is smooth and musical.
For my taste the Xelento Wireless has the perfect tuning when combined with a neutrally tuned source, making it one of the few universal IEMs I really love. Hook up the Xelento Wireless to a warmer and bass heavier source and you’ll get just that. For me in that case the Xelento isn’t the best sounding, but at least we can see its transparency.
Conclusion
The Beyerdynamic Xelento Wireless doesn’t come cheap but you get a beautiful, comfortable, well-built and very good sounding IEM in return.
The Xelento wireless is small and the mini Tesla inside is doing miracles, delivering a real high end sound. The wired version still sounds the best to me but the wireless version together with the MIY is getting very close.
The Xelento Wireless won our best wireless IEM of 2019 award a few weeks ago, and just like the regular and remote (+ AK) version, its’s featured on our best universal list. This is a Recommended Buy for sure.
Spie
How is the driver flex?
Mine seems to flex insanely on the left side.
I don’t know if it’s a defect but even jaw movement makes it flex.
Lieven
In general I experience very little flex with IEMs. With the Xelento Wireless I haven’t really noticed it, so it probably was not present.
Have you contacted Beyer about it?
Craig
Hi Lieven, always great information, a little off topic but do you think you could do a review or shed some light on the perfect case for CIEM’s as there is little information out there. My case in point I have the 64 Audio A12t’s with the Effect Audio Leonidas II as per your pairings but the case is not great with this pairing at all. If you look around the web people will recommend a $5 cases for your multi thousand CIEM set up. I was hoping your team could shed some light or do a review on some great options out there for CIEM thanks.
Linus
Hi Craig,
for CIEMs I’m mostly using a Peli Case or the one from my JH Audio Lola, if the cable is slim enough (doesn’t work with every cable unfortunately). They’re near indestructible. My DAPs I usually put in the case Vision Ears shipped the VE 3.2 with. It’s also made of metal and protects my DAPs very well. If I didn’t have this one, I’d buy a bigger Peli Case. I really love those.
To be honest, we most likely won’t ever do case reviews. Why? Because we concentrate on stuff that influences the music we listen to. Although I agree, that cases and protection are incredibly important. Same goes for maintenance and care.
Hope that helps.
Cheers!
Lieven
I just always use a pelican case. It’s perfect.
No, we won’t be doing case reviews, sorry 🙂
Steven Zore
I had the Xelento’s and the AndromedaSS simultaneously, and I loved them both. I thought they complimented each other well: one intense and one laid back. Once I got my CL2, and went back, the X’s sounded like distortion, and the ASS sounded ‘constructed, and I sold them both.