Fauna Fabula Audio Glasses review: The tech accessory I never knew I needed

Audio glasses are a relatively new invention. Before 2018, the concept was mostly seen in futuristic movies. I've always thought they were a pretty cool gadget, but it never occurred to me that I needed a pair until recently. I take an hour-long walk every morning, but my route recently changed due to some road construction. Now, I find myself walking directly into the sun. Wearing sunglasses and headphones was uncomfortable and inconvenient, so a pair of Fauna Fabula Crystal Brown Sunglasses seemed like the perfect solution.

These audio glasses work like Bluetooth headphones. You can use them to play music or any other audio content, and they also work for phone conversations or video calls using built-in microphones. Now that I've been using this pair for several weeks, I don't know how I ever survived without them. Although I was unsure whether or not they would stay in place during a brisk jog or walk, this is no problem. Now I can continue with my morning walks in total comfort, listening to my usual tunes and podcasts, despite the surrounding traffic and ambient noise. The super stylish look of these Fauna sunglasses is just icing on the cake.

Fauna Audio Glasses : Price and availability

Fauna is currently available from the WearFauna official website for European customers and from Amazon in the USA. The Austrian startup has not been on the market long, but the high quality makes it inevitable that this brand will be picked up by more USA brands soon. Right now, it's available at $249, which is down from the original price of $299. If it goes even lower on sale, we'll be sure to include it in our Deals section.

Fauna Audio Glasses : Cool comfort and surprising sound

I have to say, I am generally a bit cheap when it comes to accessories like sunglasses, but these audio sunglasses from Fauna are worth every penny. This is my new favorite accessory, and my husband has been making fun of me because I forget I'm wearing them and keep them on inside the house. On that note, I should mention that these can be ordered as blue-light filters or adapted by an optometrist as prescription glasses. Still, I have the sunglasses version, so they are primarily intended to be used outside. However, they are so comfortable and convenient that I have been caught on several occasions wearing them inside. If I had clear lenses in them (as opposed to sunglass lenses), I would be totally comfortable wearing them inside or out for hours at a time.

For functionality, I have zero complaints. I can use these to listen to audio content and music, and they work perfectly for phone and video calls. The microphones work better than most headphone microphones, actually, and I can be heard loud and clear even if I speak in a soft voice. By tapping the right temple, I can pull up my voice assistant Siri, and she (it?) responds right on cue. Bluetooth pairing with my iPhone 12 Pro Max and charging are very straightforward, making these glasses easy and simple to use.

As for sound, I was pleasantly surprised by the audio quality produced by Fauna Audio glasses. I was expecting a big downgrade from earbud sound quality, but the difference was almost indistinguishable. Granted, audio sunglasses will not provide noise cancellation, but I prefer to hear my surroundings when I am outside, so it worked out for me. With these sunglasses playing, I can still hear others around me, participate in conversations, and hear oncoming traffic. When I tested these out with Apple's spatial audio, I was seriously impressed. Although the bass is a little weak, the audio quality coming out of these glasses is excellent, in my opinion. I'm no audiophile, but I've used plenty of headphones from different brands, and Fauna Audio Glasses are surprisingly delightful to listen to.

The look of these glasses is perfect for me; I love the cat-eye style and the tinted transparent look. These look sleek and stylish with any outfit. As for comfort and versatility, I've worn them to exercise, both walking and jogging, with no complaints. It's possible that if I got really sweaty, they might get slippery and move around more, but so far, the fit has been snug and comfortable even during a good jog. I actually prefer these audio glasses to headphones for outdoor exercise because they don't block out important sounds, like an approaching vehicle, for example. With that being said, they do become harder to hear when the surrounding ambient noise becomes very loud, which brings me to the next section.

Fauna Audio Glasses : Noise will not be cancelled

I gave this product a five-star review because it has worked beautifully for me, and I love the look and feel of the Fauna Audio Glasses all around. The only problem I came across would be the same no matter which brand of audio glasses I wore. That is the problem of loud ambient noise. Like any open-air speakers without noise cancellation, loud noises will affect your ability to hear them. When I am outdoors, and a loud bus passes by, it becomes harder to hear the glasses. I prefer not to wear noise-cancellation headphones outside anyway, but it's something to consider if you plan to use the audio glasses in loud areas.

This can lead to another issue, as well. If you turn up the glasses to full volume to defeat the surrounding noise, people standing close to you might be able to hear them. So if you're having a private phone conversation using your audio glasses, be sure to turn them down. Since the speakers are not right in your ear, it is possible for someone standing close to overhear them if they are at a high volume.

Fauna Audio Glasses: Competition

Within the last few years, several brands have come out with audio glasses. One of the most well-known is Bose, with its release of Bose Frames in 2019. I would expect any audio accessory from Bose to produce great sound. Still, Fauna audio glasses do have an advantage in that each arm of the frame has two separate speakers (a micro-speaker and a woofer), while the Bose Frames only have one in each arm. The Bose Frames speakers are likely larger, considering the thick width of the arms on each side, but I'm not a big fan of that look. Both the Bose Frames and the Fauna Audio Glasses come in at similar price points, so choosing between the two will come down to your own preferences of visual style and color.

Fauna Audio Glasses : Should you buy them?

• You don't like the look and feel of wearing headphones and glasses at the same time.
• You like to listen to audio content while still taking in the sounds of the world around you.
• You appreciate a chic, transparent design style.
• You need a good built-in microphone for phone and video calls.

• You're looking for noise cancellation features.
• You plan on listening in extremely loud environments.

Fauna's Fabula Audio Glasses offer everything I'm looking for in a wearable; a fashionable look, straightforward ease-of-use, great functionality, and exceptional sound quality. These glasses are exactly what I was hoping for and more, and they are the perfect solution for my long morning walks. Every once in a while, they get drowned out by a passing bus, but I prefer hearing the bus to being hit by it. I can listen to music (spatial audio sounds great!), take phone calls, and order Siri around with a few taps and swipes across the temple. They also look great with both workout clothes and business casual attire. In my humble opinion, Fauna Audio Glasses are an excellent accessory and well worth the price.