Wi-fi earbuds are one in all our least favourite machine classes. Most earbuds have a plastic shell glued shut, with the batteries glued or soldered in, which means the buds are fully ineffective and unserviceable after a couple of hundred cycles. It is no shock that almost all of those units rating very low on our repairability scale.
Just a few gems are; The Fairbuds particularly are a fantastic instance of how user-friendly batteries are potential in earbuds. Sony’s WF-1000XM3 earbuds had been additionally fairly repairable—although sadly, each mannequin in that lineup since has been worse. However for essentially the most half, producers simply need to make extra units of the identical measurement.
That is why we get fairly excited each time we see the phrases “replaceable battery” hooked up to wi-fi earbuds. The newest declare comes from Bang & Olufsen’s $500 Beoplay Eleven. With such a excessive price ticket and guarantees of battery substitute, I anticipated these earbuds to affix the ranks of slim “repairable earbuds.” I am unsure how they did it, however B&O has disenchanted me in each conceivable method.
Beoplay Eleven Batteries: Technically usable
Let’s begin with that “replaceable battery” declare. After we received into the wonderful print, we realized that B&O wasn’t promoting a consumer-replaceable battery in any respect. Seems, the battery is just for substitute at B&O service facilities, which is a far cry from the user-replaceable expertise on the Fairbuds or Sony WF-1000XM3. However we held out hope that, even when B&O most popular to do the repairs themselves, maybe designing for service would imply an intrepid dwelling repairman may determine it out.
Sadly, the battery removing course of is similar to the Apple AirPods. We needed to slot it into an AirPods jig, in truth, to maintain it secure sufficient for the heating and priming cycles we would have liked to undergo.
As soon as we lastly cracked the case open, we may see the battery—however it was nonetheless firmly caught within the backside case. After we regarded nearer, we realized that there was truly a small spot weld holding the battery on one facet. Then again, it’s soldered on a circuit board. It is secure to say that even the bravest DIY repairman hesitates right here.
I might like to see B&O’s course of for changing these batteries. I am keen to wager it is neither low cost nor wasteful however I would like to be confirmed incorrect.

Beoplay EX vs Beoplay Eleven
After we opened the entire thing up, we had been in for a fair larger shock: it seems that the Beoplay Eleven is an actual copy of the three-year-old, $400 Beoplay EX! There are some important software program modifications and the microphones have been upgraded to supply higher ANC efficiency — however that is it. Every part else inside these buds is a carbon copy. Even the peel-off movie on the again of every earbud says “Beoplay EX” — not “Beoplay Eleven.” Hmm
This begs the query: if they’re providing service on the identical Beoplay Eleven batteries, are additionally they changing the batteries on the Beoplay EX earbuds? Ambiguously, the reply seems to be no. And, on the time of writing, the unique “Battery Service” tab on Beoplay Eleven’s assist web page has apparently disappeared.
Worth level and competitors
This final level is on your {hardware} consultants. You could be stunned (or not), however the {hardware} contained in the Beoplay Eleven does not scream premium. Fairly the other, from the management board to the wiring, a side-by-side comparability of the Beoplay Eleven Buds and Airpods 4 Buds reveals simply how far behind the Beoplay Eleven is when it comes to {hardware} design.
The BeauPlay places two microphones in collection on the Eleven stem, one to select up your voice for telephone calls and one other to “hear” sound out of your environment for noise-cancelling functions, and its in-ear driver. There’s a third microphone towards the noise cancellation)
AirPods take the no-compromise method of putting a microphone on the very backside of the stem, an exterior noise-cancellation microphone on the outer curved edge, and an inside noise-cancellation microphone instantly in-line with the eardrum. are These appointments should not straightforward to realize, requiring a certain quantity of fanatical over-engineering and deep pockets to execute.
Relying on who you ask, this offers the AirPods a slight or main edge in ANC efficiency over the competitors.

Reducing the bar
If I can exchange these batteries myself I can consider the value level and some other high quality of life compromises. Because it stands, trying — and failing — to satisfy the minimal required beneath upcoming EU regulation for usable batteries, Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay Eleven scores a 1/10 on our repairability scorecard. It is 2025, and customers aren’t searching for compliance with the letter of the regulation — we additionally count on compliance with the spirit of the regulation.