Short answer: the Fairphone Fairbuds XL. It ranks #265 of 483 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $229.99. The Sivga Anser ranks #314, rated 3.2/5, at $199, $30.99 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
Why pick the Fairphone Fairbuds XL: Wireless with active noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.1 and aptX HD, plus a 30 hour battery (26 hours with ANC on), so it covers travel and desk use. Watch for: The presence region from 3 to 6 kHz sits about 5.3 dB under target, with a 10.2 dB dip near 3.4 kHz, which pushes vocals and instrument attack back and makes music sound recessed.
What the Sivga Anser does well: A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap. The tradeoff: The rating reflects sound quality only; comfort, build and noise isolation are not part of the score.
Buy the Fairphone Fairbuds XL. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $30.99 with the Sivga Anser does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
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Wireless with active noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.1 and aptX HD, plus a 30 hour battery (26 hours with ANC on), so it covers travel and desk use.
Amazon $229.99 eBay
A published AutoEQ preset corrects its response toward the Harman target, so a few minutes of EQ setup closes most of the gap.
Amazon $199.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Fairphone Fairbuds XL | Sivga Anser | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $229.99 | $199.00 |
| Ranked | #265 of 483 in Over-Ear Headphones | #314 of 483 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 69 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 64 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.74 dB standard deviation | 2.69 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.70 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic | 1 x 50mm dynamic driver (titanium-plated diaphragm & carbon fiber polymer dome) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 38 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 99 dB at 1kHz | 105 dB |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (330 g) | 0.8 lbs (342 g) |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (26 with ANC on, Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX HD | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IP54 | - |
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