They Included a “Make it Worse” Button - CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro Unboxing & First Impressions

Quick Overview

The CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro offers a compelling feature set, including 40mm nickel-plated drivers, LDAC & Hi-Res certification, up to 100 hours of playback, and customizable sound profiles, all at a very aggressive price point of $84, though the build quality feels plasticky and the microphone quality is notably worse than the phone's built-in mic during calls.

Key Points: The CMF Headphone Pro is priced at a surprisingly reasonable $84. Key audio features include 40mm nickel-plated drivers and LDAC & Hi-Res certification for Bluetooth connectivity. The headphones boast an ultra-long battery life, claiming up to 100 hours of playback, with 8 hours provided after just a 5-minute quick charge. The design features unique, customizable ear cups and a highly flexible headband, which the reviewer notes is 'comically' bass-heavy when bent. The companion app offers advanced features like a Personal Sound Profile creator and an EQ slider, though the reviewer finds the lack of granular EQ controls disappointing. The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is effective, claiming up to 40dB reduction, and the transparency mode sounds natural. Call quality using the headphones' microphone is poor, sounding 'too clear' like a standard phone speakerphone call, unlike the superior quality when holding the phone directly.

Context: The video is an unboxing and first impressions review of the CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro, a new pair of over-ear wireless headphones launched by CMF, the budget-focused sub-brand of Nothing. The reviewer compares the product's feature set and performance against its very low price point ($84), particularly contrasting it with more expensive competitors like the AirPods Max.

Detailed Analysis

The reviewer unboxes the CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro, noting the expressive and modular design, highlighted by the ability to swap out the red ear cups (green/mint shown initially) which is a feature Apple only dreams of delivering. Key specifications highlighted on the box include 40mm nickel-plated drivers, LDAC & Hi-Res certification, and up to 100 hours of playback (8 hours after a 5-minute charge). The headphones include a 3.5mm AUX cable and a carrying sleeve, but notably lack a charging cable. Physically, the headphones are very flexible, allowing the headband to be easily tied in a knot, but the overall build quality feels plasticky despite using a metal headband adjustment mechanism. The reviewer also notes the clamping force is slightly higher than expected, leading to some discomfort. Connectivity is established via the Nothing X app, which prompts a mandatory firmware update. The app features include ANC with Low, High, and Adaptive modes (Adaptive mode is enabled by default), Spatial Audio (Concert, Cinema, Default modes), and a Personal Sound Profile creator that analyzes hearing. The built-in EQ is simplified to a single bass/treble slider, which the reviewer dislikes compared to granular EQs. In testing, the ANC is surprisingly effective, achieving a claimed 40dB reduction, and the transparency mode sounds natural. However, the microphone quality is significantly worse than the phone's built-in mic, sounding distant and unnatural during calls. Despite these flaws, the overall feature set for $84 is considered a very good value, though the reviewer jokes about the company name (Carl Pei's company) being overly ambitious.