Short answer: the Sony MDR-CD900ST. It ranks #131 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $193; the Fairphone Fairbuds XL ranks #136, rated 3.4/5, and costs $229.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Sony MDR-CD900ST: The bass and mids are close to target, with bass within 0.3 dB and low mids about 1.8 dB up, and the 63 ohm, 106 dB/mW design is easy to drive. The tradeoff: Sub-bass is about 8.7 dB under target and the highs roll off, with treble 4.5 dB low from 6 to 10 kHz and air 6.8 dB low above 10 kHz.
What the Fairphone Fairbuds XL does well: 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. The catch: 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.
Buy the Sony MDR-CD900ST. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Fairphone Fairbuds XL and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony MDR-CD900ST | Fairphone Fairbuds XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $193.00 | $229.99 |
| Ranked | #131 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #136 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 69 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.59 dB standard deviation | 2.74 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.76 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.70 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 50 Hz (-12.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wireless and wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 63 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/mW | 99 dB at 1kHz |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs (200 g) | 0.7 lbs (330 g) |
| 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 |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Sony MDR-CD900ST compares with other leading options:
- Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro X Limited Edition vs Sony MDR-CD900ST
- Cooler Master MH752 vs Sony MDR-CD900ST
- Shure SRH840A vs Sony MDR-CD900ST
- Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro X Limited Edition vs Fairphone Fairbuds XL
- Sennheiser HD 599 vs Fairphone Fairbuds XL
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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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The Two Headphones In Full
Sony MDR-CD900ST: $193.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: The bass and mids are close to target, with bass within 0.3 dB and low mids about 1.8 dB up, and the 63 ohm, 106 dB/mW design is easy to drive. The lightweight 200 g closed back isolates well, and the neutral midrange has long suited monitoring work. Peaks are small, the biggest being 0.2 dB below target near 3.5 kHz.
Cons: Sub-bass is about 8.7 dB under target and the highs roll off, with treble 4.5 dB low from 6 to 10 kHz and air 6.8 dB low above 10 kHz. That leaves the sound thin at the bottom and dark on top, with little rumble or sparkle. A 5.9 dB dip near 6.2 kHz and a 2.4 dB dip in the upper mids also push vocals back.
Full Sony MDR-CD900ST review and specifications →
| Released | 1989 (37 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.59 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 63 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 50 Hz (-12.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.76 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs (200 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +7.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 78 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.76 |
| Peak | 1,982 Hz | +6.7 dB | 1.54 |
| Peak | 866 Hz | -2.9 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 6,984 Hz | +5.3 dB | 1.05 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +5.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,934 Hz | -1.1 dB | 2.86 |
| Peak | 7,718 Hz | -2.8 dB | 3.68 |
| Peak | 5,807 Hz | +1.6 dB | 4.16 |
| Peak | 188 Hz | -0.6 dB | 2.64 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Fairphone Fairbuds XL: $229.99 Wireless Amazon eBay
Pros: 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. An IP54 rating adds splash and dust resistance, which is uncommon among over-ears, and a wired connection at 32 ohms and 99 dB is available too. Mids and low bass track the target closely, within about 0.3 dB from 60 Hz to 1 kHz.
Cons: 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. A 2.8 dB peak near 6.4 kHz adds some sharpness on top of that. Sub-bass is lifted about 2.9 dB, and at 330 g it is heavier than most wireless rivals such as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II.
Full Fairphone Fairbuds XL review and specifications →
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (26 with ANC on, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX HD |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.74 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 69 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | IP54 |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 99 dB at 1kHz |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.70 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (330 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -7.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -7.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,409 Hz | +7.2 dB | 2.60 |
| Peak | 60 Hz | +7.1 dB | 1.03 |
| Peak | 979 Hz | -2.0 dB | 1.35 |
| Peak | 242 Hz | -1.8 dB | 1.04 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,413 Hz | -4.2 dB | 5.06 |
| Peak | 2,037 Hz | -2.5 dB | 4.81 |
| Peak | 1,598 Hz | +1.3 dB | 4.26 |
| Peak | 2,813 Hz | +1.6 dB | 5.68 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons