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) Fairbuds XL (2025) diaphragm unit 40mm 20Hz – 20KHz 32 ohms Sensitivity: 99±2 dB at 1 KHZ Design and weight They can be folded 190 x 180 x 70mm 330 grams Connection Bluetooth 5.1 Use with USB-C cable noise cancellation Active Compatibility Any Bluetooth device CODECS SBC, AAC, aptX HD Microphones 6 (2 on the left, four on the right) Autonomy 26 hours with volume at 80% and ANC 30 hours at 80% volume without ANC Burden USB type C 50% charge in 15 minutes More than 500 charge cycles (they maintain 80% battery capacity after these cycles) replaceable battery extras IP54 certification Easy to repair Price 249 euros Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links 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 … Read more
