Modular Over

Fender is knownfor its legendary electric guitars and amplifiers, and it’s now the latest company to enter the wireless headphone market.

Its first release, the Fender Audio Mix ($299), is a pair that sticks to Leo Fender's legendary design philosophy: modularity.

At first glance, these over-ear, wireless noise-canceling cans look exactly like dozens of existing products—a subtle Fender logo on the ear cups being their one distinguishing feature.

But hiding behind their handsome yet conservative veneer are two things that set them apart.

First are detachable and fully replaceable parts (including a massive battery).

Second is a wireless transmitter that acts like a Bluetooth Swiss Army knife, equipping the Mix with lossless, low-latency, and Auracast connection options.

The Fender Audio Mix follow in the footsteps of the fully repairable Fairphone Fairbuds XL Headphones.

And if they look similar to you, that’s no accident; they come from the same factory.

Unlike the Fairbuds XL, which can be almost completely disassembled in nine parts, the Mix are composed of four main ingredients: the headband, the ear cups, the ear cushions, and the battery.

While repairability is clearly a benefit, Fender’s main focus is on the ability to mix and match the parts—hence the name.

Eventually, each part will be available in five different colors, and some parts, like the ear cushions, will come in different materials for warmer or cooler climates.

My 10-day stint with the Mix wasn’t nearly enough time to evaluate whether the USB-C-based connections between the ear cups and the headband (an element they share with the Fairbuds XL) will prove sturdy enough for long-term use, but they didn't show any obvious signs of weakness.

In fact, I was impressed at how solidly the parts clicked together, and just how well built these cans feel in general.

Holding them or wearing them, you’d never guess they could be pulled apart with a tug.

I found the Mix comfy to wear, even with glasses.

The ear cushions provide a soft but effective seal, and the headband does a decent job of distributing pressure.

The clamping force felt a little aggressive when I first put them on, but after a few minutes, I got used to it and happily wore them for hours at a stretch.

My only nitpick is the size of the ear cushion openings; they’re a little narrow for my taste.

I prefer a roomier fit.

Like the Apple’s AirPods Max, the ear cushions magnetically latch to the ear cups, but on the Mix, it serves a dual purpose: Not only does it make swapping cushions a cinch, (they’ll sell for $29 a pair later this year), but it’s also how you access that USB-C Bluetooth transmitter, which lives under the left ear cushion, and how you get to the battery compartment (under the right one).

Fender expects replacement cells to cost $49 but hasn’t said when they’ll be available.

The transmitter is a remarkably useful little tool.

Using its button (and LED indicator), you can switch between lossless (red), low-latency (blue), and Bluetooth Auracast (purple) modes.

Lossless (via the LHDC v5 codec in case you were curious) is a bonus, especially for iPhone owners, who are typically limited to lossy SBC and AAC connections.

I don’t game, but if Fender’s claim of sub-20-millisecond performance for the low-latency mode is accurate, that should satisfy all but the most diehard, fast-action game players.

Auracast (via LE Audio/LC3) is a real treat: It lets you share your audio with anyone who has an Auracast-compatible set of headphones or earbuds.

The Mix can also tune into any other Auracast broadcasts, too, but there’s a catch.

With other Auracast-capable headphones, like JBL’s flagshipTour One M3, the JBL companion app includes an Auracast assistant screen that finds and lets you connect to available broadcasts—even if your phone doesn’t support Auracast.

The Mix doesn’t have a companion app yet, but Fender Audio tells me it's in the works and should be available later this year.

In the meantime, the lack of an app not only limits what you can do with the headphones in terms of firmware updates or personalization, but it also means that iPhone users lose out on Auracast.

As of Android 13, Auracast Assistant functionality is available on some handsets (e.g., Samsung Galaxy S23 and newer, Google Pixel 8 and newer), but Apple has never directly supported it and hasn’t provided any clues as to when or if that will change.

Want even more connection options?

Inside the included zippered hardcase, you’ll find an analog cable, a double-prong airplane adapter, and a USB-C cable that can deliver lossless USB audio while charging the battery.

Like the FairBuds XL, the Mix’s controls are comprised of a dedicated button for switching ANC and EQ modes, and a small joystick on the right ear cup for all other functions.

The major features are very intuitive: Click up/down for volume changes, forward/back for track skipping, and a center click provides play/pause.

Despite the joystick’s small size, I rarely had trouble with accuracy, and it even proved easy to use with gloves on.

Strangely, some functions aren’t documented in the included instructions.

It doesn’t tell you to double-click the joystick for voice assistant access, or how to accept/decline/end calls.

The headphones don’t have wear sensors for auto-pause, which feels like a miss at this price, and there’s no way to toggle between ANC and transparency modes—you always have to cycle through normal mode (no ANC or transparency).

Despite Fender’s iconic status in the music industry, the Mix don’t belong in the top tier ofwireless headphonesbased on their audio quality.

Which is not to say that they don’t sound good— they do.

The default “Music” EQ is very balanced, favoring neither highs nor lows.

Fender’s two other available EQ modes (Entertainment and Voice) provide noticeable differences: Entertainment boosts lows and highs for slightly more immersion and impact, and Voice, which I found least useful, bumps the highs while reducing the lows.

There’s plenty of power, and the soundstage has decent width and depth.

At 70 percent volume—in my opinion, the Mix’s sweetspot for performance—I found these cans to be a very enjoyable listen across a variety of genres.

There’s also an undocumented spatial audio mode (double-click to the right to engage, double-click left to go back), which widens the soundstage further.

In comparing them to flagship models likeSony’s WH-1000XM6,Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra, or theSennheiser Momentum 4, the Mix’s limitations become clear.

Bass isn’t as deeply warm, resonant, or as punchy as you’ll get from the XM6.

The highs are clear and energetic, but sibilance (that weird “S” sound) isn’t as well controlled as it is on the QuietComfort Ultra.

If you’re listening critically, the Mix can’t resolve the same level of detail as the Momentums.

I say this even after using the Mix with the transmitter in lossless mode and the USB Audio cable.

Both provide a small step up from conventional Bluetooth, but they can’t magically alter the Mix’s essential sound.

I put these cans in the same league as theBeats Studio ProandSennheiser’s Accentum Plus, which, if you’ve ever heard these headphones, isn’t a knock against the Mix at all.

One quick note on using the included analog cable when the Mix are powered off: It still works, but sound quality takes a huge hit.

Consider it for emergency use only.

It’s a similar story for the Mix’s noise-cancellation and transparency modes.

They’re good: ANC mode provides a strong reduction in background noise—perfect for the gym, the bus, or anywhere you need a bit of peace and quiet—but you don’t get the same level of hush as you do with the Sony, Bose, or Apple.

Transparency lets in lots of ambient sound, and yet (as we’ll discuss in a moment), that doesn’t include your own voice, which can still sound a little muffled.

Call quality is very good.

It’s not quite as impervious to background noise as the Tour One M3 or Sony’s WH-1000XM6, but as long as you’re not trying to do a Zoom call from a construction site, your callers will hear you very clearly.

Transparency mode is available during calls, which makes it easier to hear your own voice.

It’s far from the magical sense of wearing nothing that you get with theAirPods Max, but it still reduces fatigue and the urge to raise your voice.

If there’s one area, other than the swappable parts and transmitter, where the Mix put most other headphones to shame, it’s battery life.

Fender claims it can hit 52 hours when using ANC and up to 100 hours when it’s turned off.

I did not test this with a stopwatch, but I can tell you this: I charged them fully after unboxing them and then never again.

Over 10 days of regular use in testing, I still had about 15 percent battery life left.

That's amazing.

Given their price, design, and features, the Fender Audio Mix get a lot of things right.

Repairability is a big benefit, as is the included transmitter.

They may not set any new benchmarks for audio quality, ANC, or calling, but neither do they disappoint, and you certainly can’t take issue with the huge battery capacity.

Unless you’re looking for best-in-class performance, the Mix are easy to recommend.