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Jun 27, 2023

Fairphone Fairbuds XL Review: The Repairable Noise Cancelling Headphones

Dutch company Fairphone has made its name in the smartphone space with its

Dutch company Fairphone has made its name in the smartphone space with its easily repairable handsets, and relying as much as possible on sustainable and fair trade materials. Smartphones need accessories, and Fairphone's latest headphones have been designed around the same principles as its smartphones.

Do these principles get in the way of a functional design? Has Fairphone been able to deliver an excellent all-around package suitable for a hectic lifestyle? And what impact does this have on the price? I’ve spent time with the new Fairphone Fairbuds XL to find out

Fairphone Fairbuds XL

Let's get one weird moment out of the way. They may be called Fairbuds XL, but they are not buds. As you can see, these are closed-ear Bluetooth headphones, which I guess is covered by the ‘XL’ designation, but the naming still feels an awkward misstep.

Build-wise, everything feels rather substantial. The headphone cups have a nice amount of swivel to allow them to fit around your head's countries, while the connecting bandpass enough tension to hold the Fairbuds XL in place without feeling squeezed, and you can adjust the distance between the cups and the band with a friction slide. All in all, as expected. There's no re-inventing the form here.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL

Being Bluetooth headphones, you’ll be looking for the controls. They’re sitting at the back of the right cup, with a small nub joystick for playback and a single button for noise cancellation mode.

The former offers no long press on any of the directions to access additional functions; you have the volume on the up/down and skip/scan on the left/right. Pushing in is your play/pause, but you do have a long press to switch the headset on or off.

The latter lets you switch between the various active noise cancellation modes; off, on, or ambient sound. Putting ANC off, and you’ll remember how effective closed headphones are compared to wireless buds. There is sound leakage, but far less than the in-ears. There's still a noticeable difference when you switch ANC on.

The ambient noise setting has always been an excellent option on wires buds, but with closed-ear headphones, it becomes vital when out and about. Acting as a passthrough for noise around you but mitigated slightly so your audio remains clear, it's a good balance between keeping your audio clear and not losing touch with what's happening around you.

There's nothing fancy or revolutionary on offer here. The controls offer the standard features, with the ANC toggle separated from the playback controls.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL

As with most Bluetooth headphones, there is a separate app from the manufacturer, and much like the controls Fairphone has kept this simple, with preset EQ options available and not much else (although there is the option to turn on Qualcomm's aptX HD audio this is under the standard Bluetooth menu)

I feel the app isn't really there for audio settings. You can see the four preset EQ levels and a picture of the Fairbuds XL when you open it. Swipe to the side, and suddenly an exploded/disassembled view of the headphones is on screen, with a touch point for each part. Touch a point, and you can order a replacement for this part from the Fairphone store.

This is one of the sustainable twists on the package. Arguably it's why many will consider the Fairphone Fairbuds XL. With a single standard screwdriver and Fairphone's own repair guides, you can repair the headphones themselves. From self-evident things like switching out the battery and headband to the audio modules and connecting cables, any damage to the headphones can be switched out at home at a much lower cost than buying a new pair of headphones.

The company hasn't given a definitive answer on how long parts will be available beyond the two-year guarantee, which is unfortunate. Its Fairphone 4 smartphone has a six-year guarantee on parts availability, and it would be nice to have something similar for the Fairbuds XL given how much of the value proposition is built around repairs.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL

Fairphone has built a solid pair of headphones with good sound reproduction. The active noise canceling, which will always be more effective on closed headlines rather than in-ear buds, does the job. And the joystick-like stick makes the physical user experience very easy to use.

The sound on offer feels on par with headphones one step lower in price.. Fairphone may be a relative newcomer to audio, but its partnership with Sonarworks to tune the audio has proven to be a smart decision. The vocals are crisp, and the bass is suitably deep, but the mid- and high- tones can become a bit jumbled in the mix.

I would like to see more options in the app, though. When wireless buds offer individual audio profiles and highly configurable EQ tuning at a personal level, four presets are not enough to get the most out of the audio. I’d also like to see a way to tweak the strength of the ambient sound levels built into the ANC system. I’d feel comfortable with a little bit more ’passthrough’ than what is on offer.

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL have been kept simple, and that's arguably a good choice for a new entrant to make. There may be no frills, but the experience does work. Fairphone's skillset lies in the areas of easy-to-repair hardware, the use of sustainable and fair trade materials, and working with the supply chain to offer living wages to those manufacturing the headset.

That, coupled with being a small company, means there are extra costs and much less economy of scale. If you’re wondering why these headphones are more expensive than equivalent specced headphones from other manufacturers, this is why. In the long run, that extra cost, plus some spare parts purchased over two or three years, is likely less expensive than the alternative of buying a full replacement unit with another manufacturer.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL are a competent pair of headphones that can be repaired at home. Some areas can be improved, especially in software, but there's enough on offer to recommend them.

Now read my review of the Fairphone 4 smartphone and how it signals a different way forward for manufacturers….

Disclaimer: Fairphone supplied a pair of Fairphone Fairbuds XL for review purposes.