CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro Review: Affordable ANC & Long Battery Life

CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro Overview

• 💡 The CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro offers a compelling feature set at an accessible price point of $84, including 40mm nickel-plated drivers and high-res audio certification.
• 🔋 Key features include up to 100 hours of playback (50 hours with ANC) and a claimed 8 hours of playback from a 5-minute quick charge.
• 🎧 The headphones boast active noise cancellation (ANC) and a "hyper-personalized listening experience" through its companion app.

Design, Controls & App Integration

• 🎨 The headphones feature an expressive modular design with changeable ear cups, available in colors like green and orange, allowing for personalization.
• 🛠️ Physical controls include a USBC charging port, a remappable smart assistant button, a volume wheel, and a unique bass slider that significantly alters the sound profile.
• 📱 The Nothing X app provides consistent functionality across Android and iOS, offering firmware updates, three levels of ANC (including adaptive), spatial audio settings, and a personal sound profiler.

Audio Performance & Bass Customization

• 🔊 With the bass slider all the way up, the headphones are described as "comically bass heavy," but can be adjusted to a more neutral, average preference.
• 📊 LABS testing, in collaboration with DMS, indicates that dialing back the bass slider results in a sound profile close to the average expected preference range.
• 🎶 The audio quality is surprisingly good for the price, with the Labs team comparing them favorably to the AKG K371 but wireless and more affordable.

Active Noise Cancellation & Transparency

• 🔇 The active noise cancellation (ANC) is described as "really solid," claiming a 40dB reduction and performing comparably to high-end ANC headphones from just a few years ago.
• 🗣️ While the transparency mode is not considered the best, it is acceptable, and the ANC provides effective noise reduction without a significant pressure effect.

Microphone Quality & Durability

• 🎤 The microphone quality is surprisingly good, offering great call clarity and dynamic range, with the speaker's wife describing it as "too clear."
• 💧 The headphones are rated IPX2, meaning they are resistant to light perspiration or precipitation, but not suitable for heavy water exposure.
• ✅ Overall, the CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro offers significant value, combining solid features, good audio, and effective ANC at a highly competitive price point.