Fairphone Fairbuds XL Review
A unique pair of premium modular over-ear headphones with an eco-friendly focus.
Verdict
A responsible sourcing of materials and a fully repairable modular design make the Fairbuds XL a rather unique prospect in the headphone space, allowing for true long-term use, though they do lack some of the smarts of similarly priced alternatives from Sony and Bose.
Pros
- Made from recycled materials
- Modular design is easy to repair
- Decent ANC capabilities
- Preset and custom EQs via Fairbuds app
Cons
- Not the smartest headphones on the market
- Vocals can sometimes sound muddy
- No fast charging tech
Key Features
- Modular designThe modular design of the Fairbuds XL mean that practically every component can be easily replaced, with cheap parts avaialble from the Fairphone website.
- Environmentally-consious focusAs well as a modular design, the Fairbuds XL are created using mostly recycled materials. Fairphone also ensures that all factory workers around the world are provided with a true living wage.
- Great audio performanceThe 40mm dynamic drivers deliver powerful, rounded bass and a wide soundscape suited to a lot of genres of music.
Introduction
Fairphone, the company behind the environmentally conscious and easily repairable Fairphone 5, has dipped its toes into the audio world with the Fairbuds XL.
Following the same sustainable, repairable focus as the company’s latest smartphone, the Fairbuds XL are a fully modular pair of over-ear headphones that are both sustainably manufactured and impressively easy to repair with cheap replacement parts from Fairphone and a bevvy of video tutorials taking you through every single step.
However, the focus on modular design means that the Fairbuds XL lacks in other areas, with seemingly everyday smart features like auto play/pause tech and fast charging not present on the £219 / €249 cans.
So the question is, are the Fairbuds XL worth the premium price tag Fairphone is asking for? Well…
Design
- Nice modern design
- Joystick control for most actions
- Modular design for easy repairability
Most over-ear headphones don’t tend to stray from the template, and the Fairbuds XL don’t either – on the surface, at least.
They look and feel practically the same as any other pair of over-ear headphones, sporting a plush vegan leather headband with plenty of cushioning that helps alleviate the build-up of pressure over longer listening periods, with complementary soft-touch earpads on the oval-shaped earcups that sit really nicely around the ear.
The largely plastic and aluminium build means the headphones are lightweight at 330g, and there’s just about the right level of clamping force; not too loose that the headphones slip out of place, but not too tight that I feel pressure when worn.
The green finish of the Fairbuds XL I was sent is fairly attractive, with a combination of various shades of green and the occasional pop of orange in the form of cables. There’s also a speckled finish on the outer rim of the earcups, further adding some razzle-dazzle to proceedings.
If you aren’t a fan of the colourful finish, however, the cans are also available in a much more muted all-black finish.
Controls are handled almost exclusively by a joystick on the back of the right earcup, allowing for quick adjustments to volume, as well as the ability to skip songs and even answer calls. The other button, which sits just above, allows you to cycle through the ANC, transparency and default listening modes, and there’s a USB-C port for charging on the bottom too.
Of course, this is a Fairphone product and that means that, as well as looking good, the Fairbuds XL are incredibly easy to repair thanks to a largely modular design.
You can swap just about anything out on the Fairbuds XL, from the headband covering to the drivers and even the battery, with cheap replacement parts available from Fairphone and plenty of easy-to-follow video tutorials outlining the process.
This is not only better for the environment, allowing you to replace broken parts rather than getting rid of an otherwise perfectly fine pair of cans, but it also means you can carry on using the Fairbuds XL for much longer than practically any other pair of headphones on the market in 2023.
If longevity is important to you, the Fairbuds XL certainly tick that box.
The modular design is further improved by the use of sustainable materials, with the Fairbuds XL sporting 80% recycled plastics and 100% recycled aluminium in the headband base – but make no mistake, this doesn’t make them feel in any way cheap or any way less solid than any competing over-ear headphones.
That’s not all, either; as with the Fairphone 5, Fairphone has committed to paying living wage bonuses and promoting worker voice programs across its manufacturing line to ensure better working conditions for its workforce – something the company should be commended for.
Features
- 26-hour battery life
- Hybrid ANC
- Preset and custom EQs
Despite costing over £200, the Fairbuds XL aren’t the absolute smartest over-ear cans around – the price is focused more on the repairability and sustainable production of the headphones than snazzy high-end smart features.
As such, you won’t find features like the Speak to Chat feature of the Sony WH-1000XM5, or even the ability to automatically pause music when the headphones are removed.
It’s a similar story with battery life, offering a rather standard 26 hours with ANC enabled or 30 without, and a rather slow charge time of around 3 hours. The key benefit here is that, as well as lasting for an industry-leading 500 cycles, you can swap out the battery pretty easily once the capability does begin to wane.
That said, there are some strong qualities including Bluetooth 5.1 support with dual-point connectivity that lets you connect to two devices and switch audio input between them seamlessly. Just pause on one device (like your phone) and play on another (like your laptop). It’s not exactly an exclusive feature, granted, but it’s certainly nice to see here.
There’s also hybrid ANC capabilities – standard ANC along with a transparency mode – though the former is certainly stronger than the latter, which struggles to let in any meaningful sound at anything higher than extremely low volumes.
The ANC, on the other hand, is good enough to take the edge off the hum of background noise on the streets of London and even a busy café on a Saturday morning, though it couldn’t quite quieten the (sometimes ridiculously loud) London tube.
I also think Fairphone needs to work on dampening the effects of wind on the ANC mics, with the wind playing havoc with the ANC capabilities on even slightly gusty days.
Away from the headphones themselves, there’s also the dedicated Fairbuds app for both iOS and Android. As well as providing a way to deliver software updates to your cans, you can rename your headphones and browse between a range of equaliser presets to tweak the output of the cans depending on the style of music you listen to.
My only real complaint is that, unlike rivals that name EQ settings based on what they’re for – i.e. bass boost, vocals – the EQs are named after cities around the world, from Amsterdam to Tokyo. You do get a little description as you swipe through each preset, but it’s not ideal for at-a-glance selection.
Sound Quality
- Powerful, rounded bass
- Wide soundstage
- Vocals can sometimes sound muddy
Let’s dive into the most important element – sound quality. The Fairbuds XL pack a 40mm dynamic driver in each cup that packs quite a punch in general use, with powerful, rounded bass that’s present without being too overpowering, as some headphones boast. That said, if you do want all-powerful bass tones, you can easily create your own custom EQ in the Fairbuds app.
Fast-paced, bassy songs like the Skream remix of La Roux’ In for the Kill and Flux Pavillion’s I Can’t Stop sound tight, bright and well-balanced with a fairly wide soundstage that helps add presence to performances.
But while the sound is generally punchy and bright, vocals can sometimes come across as a little muddy. That means the crisp vocals of P!nk in titles like Who Knew don’t always come across as well as they could, with a slightly blunt delivery at times.
I do think the experience is somewhat curtailed by the lack of support for newer, higher quality Bluetooth codecs like aptX Lossless or LHDC, instead capping out at the (still decent but not the best) aptX HD.
Switching genres a bit, listening to Hans Zimmer’s Day One – otherwise known as the Interstellar theme song for those unfamiliar – delivered beautifully warm tones with a sharpness that perfectly suits the higher notes of the piano.
The sound totally envelops you, with great sound separation that lets you pick out the various notes played individually, and it’s a similar story when listening to any classical songs, from Claire de Lune to Moonlight Sonata.
That all said, the headphones should more than serve the vast majority of users’ needs, though audiophiles may want to look elsewhere.
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Should you buy it?
You want your headphones to last for years
The modular design of the Fairbuds XL means you can swap out practically any part if it goes wrong, with cheap replacement parts available online.
You want the smartest sound experience
Despite its price tag, the Fairbuds XL miss out on smart tech like auto play/pause, fast charging and intelligent ANC found on similarly priced rivals.
Final Thoughts
The Fairbuds XL are a rather unique prospect in the headphone space, with a fully modular design that encourages repairs rather than replacement, and its commitment to both recycled materials and providing a good living standard for its factory workers should be commended.
That’s further improved by the charming look of the headphones and just how comfortable they are to wear over long periods, with just the right amount of clamping force to stay secure without being too tight. Smaller elements, like a joystick control, are also great to see.
It does lack in smarts, however, with no auto play/pause tech, intelligent transparency mode or any other fancy features you see in many premium alternatives.
Audio quality is pretty good overall, with powerful bass that makes fast-paced Pop, Hip-Hop and Dubstep sound great, though vocals can sometimes come across a little muddied. As such, it’ll be enough for the everyday user, but those with a keen interest in audio may want to look elsewhere.
How we test
We test every pair of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Tested for a month
Tested with real-world use
Tested with a range of music genres
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FAQs
It takes around 3 hours to go from flat to full, with no fast charging tech available on the cans.
Yes, with an IP54 rating, they should survive a short rain shower.
Full specs
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
