I didn’t anticipate much from headphones at this price point, yet Nothing and CMF truly impressed me.
CMF, the sub-brand of Nothing, offers affordable tech gadgets with a unique twist, and has recently launched its inaugural over-ear headphones, the CMF Headphone Pro. This release follows the debut of the Nothing Headphone 1 earlier this year but features a more understated design and a significantly lower price. The CMF Headphone Pro is priced at just $99, with the latest promotion bringing it down to only $84.
I usually view the ideal range for over-ear headphone pricing to be around $300, which is what the mainline Nothing headphones cost. I adjusted my expectations for the Headphone Pro accordingly; however, as I began testing them, it became clear that they offer far fewer compromises compared to their rivals. They also perfectly embody Nothing’s philosophy, thanks to their thoughtful design, tactile controls, physical ports, and modularity.
Transitioning from more expensive models like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 and earbuds like the AirPods Pro 3, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the CMF Headphone Pro could easily become my go-to headphones.
CMF Headphone Pro features a comfortable design with tactile input.
Nothing emphasizes design, whether we examine their mainline offerings or CMF versions. The CMF Headphone Pro showcases a shiny plastic finish with a metal slider that adjusts the headband. This glossy plastic will appear more appealing in certain colorways than in others — I tested the light green variant that resembles teal or blue — but I believe it works well on the Headphone Pro. It’s iPod plastic, not low-quality plastic.
Both the ear cushions and headband are soft, with the former being replaceable via a twist-lock system. However, replacements must be purchased separately. There is a small gap between the headphone chassis and the cushions, which gives the Headphone Pro a slightly incomplete feel and might lead to confusion when swapping styles.
In typical Nothing style, there are numerous ports and buttons available — a USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, two buttons, a slider, and a roller. The Energy Slider acts as an EQ directly on the headphones, allowing real-time adjustments to bass or treble levels. While customization through the Nothing X app is excellent, it’s a nice touch to modify your sound profile without it.
Most of the controls you’re likely to use frequently are within the “multi-function roller,” which manages volume, ANC modes, and playback. Would dedicated buttons for each function be preferable over the EQ slider? Likely, but to CMF’s credit, the roller operates effectively. It offers more reliability and utility than the capacitive controls found on premium headphones I’ve tried.
The sound quality is outstanding for the price — I could use them daily.
When I envision sound quality for headphones under $100, I often think of a tinny sound with poor separation and weak bass. The CMF Headphone Pro does everything to challenge that perception. These headphones incorporate 40mm drivers with nickel-plated diaphragms that Nothing claims help reduce distortion and enhance clarity. They’re matched with a 16.5 mm copper voice coil, precision bass duct, and dual-chamber construction, as stated by the company.
The hardware provides a sound signature that’s more balanced than I’ve typically experienced with Nothing. The bass is clearly present but does not overpower like the Headphone 1 or Ear 3. Sounds in the mid or high frequencies may not be as crisp as those on more expensive headphones, but they crucially avoid being piercing or excessively bright.
The best way to characterize the Headphone Pro’s sound is to note that I own all the top wireless headphones available and switched to CMF’s $100 pair without any issues. Sure, I would prefer the superior sound quality and ANC from pricier models, but I didn’t feel deprived using the Headphone Pro.
With LDAC support up to 990 kbps via Bluetooth, these headphones do accommodate high-resolution audio. There’s also a function that creates a Personal Sound profile tailored to your ears, based on your hearing of distinct audio frequencies.
CMF’s Headphone Pro also features “Hybrid Adaptive ANC” with three levels of noise-canceling intensity. The ANC performs quite well for the price, muting external sounds effectively when your music is at 75% volume or higher. The transparency mode is less effective, as voices aren’t as clear as I would prefer. However, it is possible to engage in a brief conversation with the transparency mode activated — but only with the music off.
The battery life is possibly the most impressive aspect, reaching 100 hours with ANC disabled. It drops to 50 hours with ANC enabled, which is still commendable.
Are the CMF Headphone Pro headphones worth it?
As someone who appreciates excellent sound quality (and is ready to invest in it), I wouldn’t criticize anyone for opting to spend on superior audio.
Read More
