How much is repairability worth to you? - Fairbuds XL (2025)

Quick Overview

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL headphones are highly repairable, allowing users to swap up to nine parts with a single screwdriver, but their sound profile, especially the treble and bass response in the default EQ, exhibits significant sonic quirks that may not appeal to all listeners, though the overall commitment to sustainability is commendable.

Key Points: The Fairbuds XL are highly repairable, allowing users to swap up to nine parts using just a single screwdriver, continuing Fairphone's commitment to longevity. The headphones offer 30 hours of listening time on a single charge, feature easily replaceable parts, and include Auto Power Off and seamless dual-point connectivity. The frequency response graph shows a significant bass hump above 100Hz that extends into the mids, making the default tuning sound muddy. The treble region (above 5kHz) is erratic, with noticeable peaks and dips, indicating a potentially harsh or uneven high-frequency presentation. The companion app provides four sound profiles (Default, Bass Boost, Podcast, Detail Clarity) and a 5-band equalizer, though the reviewer suggests sticking to the default as the flat EQ is also flawed. The earcups are noted to be quite firm and seal poorly at the bottom, leading to some discomfort and warmth around the ears during extended use. The price point is relatively high at approximately €250 / $290 USD, which suggests competition from established, high-performance audio brands.

Context: This video reviews the Fairphone Fairbuds XL headphones, a product line known for prioritizing ethical sourcing and repairability over typical consumer electronics design. The reviewer unboxes the dark green headphones, demonstrates their modular design, tests the accompanying smartphone app features like EQ presets, and presents objective frequency response measurements from Labs to analyze the acoustic performance of the new model.

Detailed Analysis

The review focuses on the Fairphone Fairbuds XL headphones, emphasizing their repairability and design updates from the previous generation. Unboxing reveals the dark green color and fully recyclable packaging. The modular design allows users to replace up to nine parts using only a screwdriver, including the battery (which is lithium-ion with a recycling symbol) and the earcup padding, which swaps from faux leather to a mesh material. The headphones feature USB-C charging and a single joystick button for controls. The reviewer notes that while the modularity is excellent, comfort is subjective; the earcup padding is firm, and the seal at the bottom is inadequate, causing some warmth. Sound quality analysis, based on frequency response graphs from Labs, shows the default EQ has a significant bass hump above 100Hz, leading to muddiness, and an erratic treble response above 5kHz, with peaks and dips that can sound unnatural. The flat EQ setting is also criticized for sounding awful, particularly due to a pronounced low-mid bump and pulled-down treble. The app supports SBC, AAC, and aptX HD codecs, and offers four presets plus a 5-band EQ, but the reviewer suggests using the default profile until potential firmware updates address the uneven sound signature. The headphones are priced around €250 / $290 USD.