review with features, price and specifications

We knew Fairphone well for its smartphones, but little by little we are also getting to know it for its headphones. In 2023 they already launched the first generation of Fairbuds XLand now these supra-aural headphones have been renewed to win whole numbers in the sound section, which perhaps had been one step behind competitors in that price range. The arrive Fairbuds XL (2025).

What does not change is that same differentiating element of everything this company does: repairability and modularity are incomparable and are once again the protagonists in headphones that promise to last us and accompany us for a long time. Especially because if something breaks, we can easily change it. Let’s listen to them closely.

Fairbuds XL technical sheet (2025)

The design changes…

The new Fairphone Fairbuds XL are misleading with their name, and the same thing happened with their predecessors because these are not ‘buds’, which aim for an in-ear (intra-aural) format, but we are talking about some supraaural headphones which, yes, are not especially large when it comes to enveloping the ear. The headphones are available in green and black.

You could almost say that they are compact supra-aural headphones, and their ability to fold is notable, which means that they can take up less space when moving them from one place to another if we do not want to wear them or wear them around our neck.

What they are is dense, perhaps due to that somewhat more compact design: the 330 grams are noticeableespecially when my personal wireless headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4they weigh 254 grams.

The Fairbuds XL adapt perfectly to the user, although it is true that they seem to want to be a little closer to the ear, perhaps due to their weight or the elasticity of the materials that makes them press slightly compared to the Sony, although it is an almost imperceptible sensation: once you put them on, the grip is comfortable and we have not had any problems when we have worn them for several hours.

This design is very similar to the original model, but here the headband is covered with a fabric with a unique mesh texturethe same as the pads. In both cases the new material replaces the vegan leather of the 2023 Fairbuds XL.

The headphones do not have any indicator of which is the right or the left. The right earpiece is the one that has the three major elements necessary to interact with them.

The first, the USB-C charging port, which also allows us to use them connected with a cable even if the headphones do not have enough battery, a welcome idea from Fairphone. The second, the button with which we activate the pairing, but which also serves to select the active noise cancellation mode (active, ambient sound, inactive).

The third is the small directional joystick which allows us to turn the headphones on or off with a press of about three seconds. From there we can make short and somewhat longer presses to pause/play or take calls or hang up, and we can move up and down to increase or decrease the volume and right or left to go to the beginning of the song or move to the previous one (two touches to the left) or the next one (two touches to the right).

The interaction is comfortable and fast, and it is certainly a valid alternative to the touch controls that many headphones in this price range typically offer. In certain cases the tactile interaction is faster and more accessible (a quick touch to pause is, for example, faster by touch than with the joystick), but in general the interaction is very correct.

…the sound too

At Fairphone they have improved the design and features of the 40mm drivers which are the heart of these Fairbuds XL, and which are largely responsible for the sound quality offered by these headphones.

These new drivers have been retuned to offer a more balanced sound that is especially appreciated with warmer and more tempered music and sounds. In my tests with some of the songs that I listen to the most, I was able to verify that the quality is notable, although the user profile is clearly different from that offered, for example, by the Sony model.

Thus, with ‘So Far Away’ by Dire Straits the sound is somewhat less dense and flatter than with the WH-1000XM4, and the same thing happened when listening to ‘Hasta el final’ by Coque Malla, ‘Carolina’ by M-Clan or ‘I Don’t Want a Lover’ by Texas: that initial guitar solo sounds more electric with the Sony headphones. The bass is really enveloping with the Fairbuds XL, and the volume margin is enormous: turning them up to the maximum in some songs shows the power of those drivers.

These headphones make use of the Bluetooth 5.1 standard and although this means that they do not have support for some modern codecs, they do offer support for aptX HD if we use audio platforms capable of offering 24-bit wireless streaming.

Although the standard is not the newest, we do have an important option: that of being able connect them to two different devices via Bluetooth simultaneously. Thus, I have used them connected to my Mac mini and my mobile phone and I could change the audio source automatically at any time if I started playback on one device or another. It is something especially useful in all types of scenarios, and it is a very appreciated option in these headphones.

The experience, as we say, is very satisfactory, although perhaps it is habit, because I consider that my WH-1000XM4 sound better in general terms. The differences are not too big, but they are easy to see after so many years of using them.

As for the noise cancellationthe cups that cover the ear and part of the ear already do a good job, but it is true that the noise cancellation works really well and isolates from the environment without many problems. They are almost at the level of the WH-1000XM4 and block a large part of outside noises and conversations unless they are right next to it, and if we play music on top it will be difficult for us to perceive any external sound.

To do this if we wish, there is the ambient mode, which filters part of those sounds and allows us to use them more coherently outside the home, for example in response to warnings when crossing a street if a car passes by and honks its horn.

Autonomy is around 30 hours (26 if we have noise cancellation active), a notable figure that benefits from three additional advantages. The first, that we can use them with a USB-C cable at any time even if they are not charged.

The second, they have an automatic shut-off system, so that if we have noise cancellation disabled, they will turn off after 30 minutes of inactivity. The third, fast charging: 50% of the battery is charged in just 15 minutes, which gives us about 15 hours of wireless enjoyment.

The mobile application, called ‘Fairbuds’, allows you to play with equalization and configure different profiles, something that undoubtedly improves the personalization of each user’s audio profile. There are not many more options in the rest of the sections, although we can find some tips and a small guide on the sustainability and repairability of these headphones.

Fair, sustainable and above all, repairable

There is another notable element of the design of these headphones, and that is that they are largely made with “fair” or recycled materials. The magnets and solder paste are 100% recycled, and 80% of the plastic and 92% of the aluminum are recycled.

100% fair cobalt, copper and silver are also used through a credit system, and 100% renewable energy has been used in its assembly. Fairphone’s commitment here remains impeccable and difficult to surpass by other manufacturers.

He modular and repairable design It also means that we have new different parts that we can replace in case of any problem. On the Fairphone YouTube channel we find guides to repair the pads, the base, the battery or speaker covers, the speakers themselves and the headband with their respective components.

It is, as happened with the Fairphone (Gen. 6)an absolute declaration of intentions that supports, as always, the right to repair and that absolute defense of sustainability. It is true that the price of the headphones is not low, but this type of commitment – and that we are not talking about a brand that manufactures as massively as others – makes it more justified.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL, Xataka’s opinion and note

We have before us headphones that are clearly a twist on their predecessors and that are already more in line with other competitors in that price range, especially in the sound section.

This is where some small areas for improvement are still noticeable—perhaps a somewhat less “flat” sound, so to speak—but of course the quality is notable. The power of the speakers and bass is surprising, and that is where the Fairbuds XL excel, and never better said.

But of course Its great differential value is that repairability and that ability to replace many of its internal elements—such as the drivers themselves and their covers—in a relatively simple way. The commitment to sustainability and modularity continues to be its great advantage, and that is where Fairbuds XL really make sense, as they can now compete with more guarantees in a certainly demanding market.

Images | Xataka

This device has been provided for testing by Fairphone. You can consult how we do reviews in Xataka and our relations policy with companies.

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