The Fairphone Fairbuds XL ranks #84 out of 134 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Prices on this page were last checked October 10, 2026 at 5:37 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
#84 Fairphone Fairbuds XL: $229.99 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.
| 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 |
| 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
1 comparisonsNo comparisons match that search.