PR/Business Insider
The Fairbuds XL are the new over-ear Bluetooth headphones from Dutch social business Fairphone. They are made from sustainable and recycled materials and have a modular design that allows for self-repair, improving their longevity.
In our test, the sustainable Fairbuds XL headphones scored well with their excellent sound and particularly high wearing comfort. Other strengths are additional functions such as ANC (active noise cancellation) with transparency mode.
The headphones are available in green and black colors. The recommended retail price is EUR 249.00. You can buy them from Cyberport*, Proshop* or directly from Fairphone, among others.
E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the EU, according to a report by the European Parliament. In 2020, there was an average of 10.3 kilograms of electronic waste per EU citizen, of which only around 43 percent was recycled. The problem: As a result, potentially harmful materials can pollute and pollute the environment. But the solution can be so simple – for example by repairing broken devices, reusing them, avoiding waste production and recycling incentives. This is exactly where the Fairbuds XL, the new sustainable over-ear Bluetooth headphones from the Dutch social business Fairphone, come in.
What makes the Fairbuds XL sustainable?
Compared to conventional headphones, the Fairbuds XL are sustainable because they are designed to last. The headphones are characterized by their modular design, which allows them to be disassembled into their individual parts. This enables users to independently replace or repair parts that wear out over time. These include but are not limited to: the ear cushions, the batteries and the headband. In this way, the service life of the headphones can be extended, which avoids unnecessary electronic waste.
On the other hand, the new Fairbuds XL are also made from recycled materials such as vegan leather, 100 percent recycled plastic and 100 percent recycled aluminium. In addition, Fairphone supports CO2 reduction projects to reduce its own ecological footprint. Finally, the social business also supports fair working conditions. Fairphone pays an additional USD 0.55 per headset to close the workers’ wage gap.
Fairphone’s Fairbuds XL tested
There is no question: sustainability is an important topic. But durable products made from recycled materials that are produced fairly still end up in the trash if they are no good. That’s why we tested the new Fairbuds XL for you. How good do the sustainable headphones sound, what functions do they offer and how long does the battery last? For our everyday test of the over-ear Bluetooth headphones, we looked at what we noticed when using the Fairbuds XL on a daily basis. These are our findings:
The most important findings of the test at a glance
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Made from fair and recycled materials | Short Bluetooth range |
| Modular design allows repair | Only two color options |
| High wearing comfort | Bluetooth 5.1 |
| good sound | |
| Compatible with all cell phone brands |
The design of the Fairbuds XL
The Fairbuds XL have a typical over-ear design with a wide bracket and two large ear cups. Both the upper part of the bracket and the ear cups are softly padded. The upholstery is covered with vegan leather. The rest of the temple is made from recycled aluminum and recycled plastic. The earcups are also made from recycled materials in a two-tone design. So parts of it are solid color while the rest has a speckled pattern. The Fairphone logo is embossed on the outside of the two ear cups.
The headphones are available in two colors, green and black. The rust-brown headband on the green version stands out in color, while the black headphones are completely monochrome. In addition, there is the bronze-colored joystick on the right ear cup. The second button (a Bluetooth and ANC button) matches the base color of the earcup.
Sound: How do the sustainable headphones sound?
Anyone who is used to in-ear headphones like the AirPods will notice a difference with the Fairbuds XL. The sound sounds fuller, more three-dimensional and multifaceted, which is mainly due to the over-ear design of the headphones. The Fairbuds XL also owe this to a collaboration between Fairphone and Sonarworks. Sonarworks, one of the leading companies in the field of sound calibration, is responsible for the uniquely clear sound of the headphones.
For most users who use the Fairbuds for music, podcasts and phone calls, the sound should be more than sufficient. That’s not to say that the Fairbuds XL don’t offer good sound. On the contrary: We find the sound quality excellent with its powerful bass, warm mids and bright highs. That’s just to say that some discerning users who want to use the headphones primarily professionally might find greater flaws than we noticed in the course of this test.
The Fairbuds XL offer these functions
The Fairbuds XL are suitable for listening to music, listening to podcasts and making phone calls. They have ANC (Actic Noise Cancellation or active noise cancellation) and a transparency mode that still lets ambient noise through. The ANC works reliably, although louder ambient noises such as doorbells can still be easily heard. In transparency mode, such noises can be heard without any problems – even better than with deactivated noise cancellation.
The IP54 protection class is not a real function, but should not be neglected. This makes the Fairbuds XL weatherproof, so they can also be worn in the rain.
The over-ear headphones can be customized via the accompanying Fairbuds app, available on the Play Store and App Store. There, the default settings made by Sonarworks can be edited according to your own needs. Fairbuds XL users can also use the app to access help topics, carry out updates and order spare parts.
Bluetooth headphones connectivity
With Bluetooth 5.1, the Fairbuds XL use a Bluetooth standard introduced in 2019. Although this is not the latest, it is nevertheless a reliable standard that offers a maximum data rate of 50 Mbit/s and a range of up to ten meters. Compared to the AirPods, the range is a bit shorter. So the connection feels more likely to break off. However, since it can be assumed that the headphones will mostly be paired with a smartphone, this should cause few restrictions in everyday use (since the cell phone is probably always at hand anyway).
Comfort: How comfortable are the Fairbuds XL?
Although over-ear headphones like the Fairbuds XL score above all with their usually better sound, they also have a disadvantage: their wearing comfort. Overhead headphones can cause pressure and pain, especially when used for a long time. In our test, we were pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the Fairbuds are. Even after hours of use, they have not caused any problems. They lie comfortably on the ears without slipping. At the same time, they do not create any pressure on the head, so they can also be worn in the office for a whole day.
Battery and runtime of the sustainable headphones
Fairphone states the battery life of the Fairbuds XL as 30 hours. We did not independently check the runtime because we assume that most users regularly charge the headphones overnight. That’s why we didn’t record the charging time separately in our everyday test. In any case, the battery lasts for an entire (working) day and after work – even with intensive use.
Overview: Technical data of the Fairbuds XL
| Battery: | 800 milliampere hours |
| Battery life: | 30 hours |
| Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): | yes, including transparency mode |
| Spare Parts: | Battery, speaker-to-speaker cable, earcup covers, headband, earpads, headband base, speaker, headband cover |
| Bluetooth range: | ten meters |
| Bluetooth: | Bluetooth 5.1 – AAC, SBC, APTX HD |
| IP rating: | IP54 (protection against dust and splash water) |
| Weight: | 330 Gramm |
| Intelligent Assistant: | Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri |
| Connection: | USB-C |
| Driver diameter: | 40 Millimeter |
| Compatibility: | Compatible with all major cell phone brands |
Conclusion on the test: Are the Fairbuds XL from Fairphone worth it?
Is it worth buying the Fairbuds XL? We find: yes. On the one hand, the headphones look very chic and, on the other hand, score points with their excellent sound. Added to this is the simple, intuitive operation. However, the Fairbuds XL’s greatest strength is its modular design, which allows for repairs to be made to improve longevity. In addition, they are made of sustainable materials and have been produced fairly. At a time when many consumers want to consume more consciously, all of this is a clear reason to buy.
After our test, we can not only recommend the headphones without reservation for that reason. Basically, the Fairbuds XL are good over-ear headphones that also offer incredibly high wearing comfort. All of this allows even the smallest weaknesses (such as the low Bluetooth range) to be overlooked – especially since most users should probably not be restricted by such “defects” in everyday life anyway.
Buy Fairphone’s Fairbuds XL
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