The Nothing CMF Headphone Pro is a remarkable wireless headphone offering, especially considering its ultra-budget price tag. These headphones have managed to capture the attention of many with their impressive audio performance and long-lasting battery life, earning them the title of our new Editors' Choice for budget-conscious consumers.
A Unique Design Despite Inexpensive Materials
Upon first glance, it's evident that the CMF Headphone Pro utilizes cheaper materials compared to its pricier counterparts. The abundance of plastic gives away its budget nature. However, what sets these headphones apart is their unique and appealing design, which is a refreshing change from the generic look often associated with cheaper options.
One notable feature is the removable ear cushions, a luxury usually reserved for more expensive models. CMF has cleverly marketed this as a style option, allowing users to mix and match colors. While this adds a fun element, it also improves durability by allowing for easy replacement of worn-out cushions. The IPX2 rating provides some protection against water drops, but it's not enough to withstand a downpour, so keep that in mind on rainy days.
The overall design is quite appealing, offering a fun and colorful alternative to the sea of black headphones on the market. The plush padding on the earcups and headband ensures comfort, and the tight yet comfortable clamp keeps the headphones securely in place.
Tactile Controls and Customization
The CMF Headphone Pro boasts an impressive array of controls, many of which are borrowed from the Nothing Headphone (1). On the left earcup, you'll find a power button that doubles as a Bluetooth pairing button, a bass boost slider, and a 3.5mm port for wired listening. The right earcup houses a volume wheel, a voice assistant button, and a USB-C port for charging. What's more, these controls are highly tactile, making them easy to locate and use.
You can even customize some of these controls to suit your preferences. By default, the slider boosts bass, but it can also be set to enhance treble. The voice assistant button can control noise modes, spatial audio, or the microphone, and you can set both single-press and press-and-hold functions.
Impressive Audio Performance and Connectivity
The headphones are equipped with 40mm drivers capable of producing frequencies from 20Hz to 20kHz. They connect via Bluetooth 5.4 and support Bluetooth Multipoint for simultaneous connections to two devices. Additionally, they support the AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs, and surprisingly for their price, LDAC for hi-res audio.
Accessories and Battery Life
The accessories included with the headphones are standard for their price point. You get a 3.5mm audio cable, a soft carry bag, but no hard case. Notably, there's no charging cable in the box, so if you don't have one, you'll need to purchase it separately.
However, the battery life more than makes up for any shortcomings in the accessories department. With up to 50 hours of listening time with ANC on and up to 100 hours with it off, these headphones offer some of the best battery life in the market, regardless of price.
App Experience and Noise Cancellation
The headphones work seamlessly with the Nothing X app, which is well-designed and user-friendly. The app provides easy access to battery level, noise modes, and spatial audio controls. You can also tweak the controls, set up Bluetooth multipoint, and create a personal sound profile through a quick hearing test.
One minor drawback is the lack of access to the Advanced EQ, which is available on the Nothing Headphone (1). The Basic EQ allows for adjustments to bass, mid, and treble frequencies, but without the ability to tweak the Q, some users may find it limiting.
The noise cancellation technology is decent for the price but falls short compared to more expensive options. It effectively reduces low-frequency rumble but struggles with higher frequencies, leaving a thin white noise. Similarly, in busier environments like a city bus or cafe, the noise cancellation is less effective, leaving many background noises audible.
The transparency mode could use some improvement, but it's not as bad as some other options in its price range. While it struggles with high frequencies, it works adequately for quick conversations without adding much background noise.
Sound Quality: A Pleasant Surprise
The sound quality of the CMF Headphone Pro is exceptional for its price. These headphones easily outperform many models in the $200-$300 range, offering a rich and immersive audio experience.
The bass response is particularly impressive, delivering deep and impactful bass even with the bass boost slider turned down. Tracks like "Silent Shout" by The Knife, which rely heavily on sub-bass, sound full and rich. The mids are slightly de-emphasized, which is typical for consumer-oriented headphones, but the crisp and detailed highs more than make up for it.
On tracks like "Loyalty" by Kendrick Lamar, the headphones excel, reproducing the distinct bass line with ease and adding body to the low notes. The vocals are rich, and the percussion has excellent clarity.
While some weaknesses are exposed on more acoustic tracks like "Drover" by Bill Callahan, the overall balance and clarity are impressive. The cymbals offer a nice sizzle, creating a dynamic and exciting listening experience.
Orchestral tracks like the opening scene of "The Gospel According to the Other Mary" by John Adams sound good, but the soundstage could be wider, especially when compared to more expensive options. Nonetheless, the different sections remain distinct enough for an enjoyable listening experience.
The spatial audio modes, "Concert Mode" and "Cinema Mode," could use some refinement. Concert Mode sounds muddy and mid-heavy, while Cinema Mode over-emphasizes dialog, making it sound unnatural. While the idea of different modes for music and movies is appealing, the execution could be better.
The custom EQ and personalized sound profile features are worth mentioning. While the custom EQ improves the sound, the default "Pop" EQ is still quite good. The personalized sound profile, which involves a hearing test, aims to compensate for any hearing loss, but I found the audio sounded better without it, as it added a muddy quality to the left channel.
One area where the headphones could improve is the built-in microphones. While they pick up your voice, the clarity is lacking, and there's a noticeable muddiness. This isn't a deal-breaker, but it's an area where these headphones could be enhanced.
In conclusion, the Nothing CMF Headphone Pro offers an impressive audio experience at an ultra-budget price. With its unique design, excellent battery life, and impressive sound quality, it's easy to see why these headphones have become a popular choice for those on a budget.
And this is the part most people miss: despite its budget nature, the CMF Headphone Pro offers a listening experience that rivals headphones twice its price. So, are you ready to give these headphones a try? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
