When two brands play the same note - the CMF Headphone Pro is born. The duo of Nothing and CMF presents a new creation. These are headphones that are aimed not only at users looking for design, but also for sound quality. Balanced sound, attractive image and up to 100 hours of battery life at an affordable price (about 80 Eur) sound tempting. Let's not forget the abundance of features that take the listening experience to the next level! Since we've already talked about notes, let's listen to their full range by testing the Nothing CMF Headphone Pro. Pros, cons and verdict.

Unpacking

As soon as I opened the Nothing CMF Headphone Pro box, I found a user manual with a QR code for downloading the app. Next came the securely packaged headphones, and next to them was a protective bag for carrying the headphones. The creators of this product also included an old but good AUX 3.5 mm cable. What caught my attention was that we don't have a charging cable in the package. But if you look at it from the other side - almost everyone has a Type C charging cable.

First impressions

Nothing CMF Headphone Pro has a rather simple but attractive design, which does not remind us of the usual Nothing transparent style. The exterior is covered with matte plastic, the surface of which seems to be prone to collecting fingerprints or scratching easily. The ear cushions and the upper part of the headphones are made of soft, comfortable and high-quality leather at first glance. After trying on the headphones, the cushions gently and completely surround the ears, adapting to the shape of the head. We also have chrome-plated metal, from which the headphone length adjustment mechanism is made.

These Nothing CMF headphones have physical control buttons on the ( L ) left and ( R ) right speakers. The buttons are plastic, not covered with any additional materials, which can look a bit cheap. On the left earbud we have ON/OFF/BT Pairing and a sliding Bass/Treble button. We also see external microphones for ANC support and a 3.5mm AUX input. On the same earbud we also have a battery indicator light.

On the right - a rotary volume up/down, play/pause, ANC authorization control. Also, a Smart Assistant button and a USB-C charging port with a battery level indicator. The control does not seem complicated and overloaded with a bunch of buttons. Many different functions can be controlled with one button, and the whole process seems convenient.

The Nothing CMF Headphone Pro looks like a solid and solid product, with a modern but unobtrusive design. Due to its light weight, the headphones should not cause any discomfort even during prolonged listening. The build quality is good, although the physical buttons could have been more thoughtful - additional texture would have given them a more "premium" feel. The buttons are small, but conveniently placed. A slight looseness when shaken is normal, although some connections are slightly wobbly, and the rotating speakers emit a quiet creak.

App

Once you download this app, you won't have any major problems pairing it with your headphones. Connecting is simple and fast, allowing you to use various functions and change settings. This app shows your available and paired devices. When you open your device (in this case, Nothing headphones), you will immediately see its image and battery level. By clicking on the icon of the connected device, you will be directed to the menu for adjusting the functions of the controls. Here, you can choose the functions of each button on the Nothing CMF pro headphones according to your needs.

When you return to the main window, you will have access to all available functions and sound settings. By turning on the surround sound function, you will be able to feel like you are in a theater or concert. We also have five types of equalizer presets here: rock style, pop music, electronic music, amplified vocals and classical music. If you do not find a golden mean, you can adjust the sound bands according to your needs. If you still do not find the sound and balance you like, you can try the personalized sound function, which will help you find the perfect sound according to your own hearing and ear sensitivity.

This app can also help you find your headphones if you accidentally lose them. Of course, this only works in a small space. Enabling this feature will play a sound signal from the headphones, making it easier to find the headphones that you accidentally left behind the bed. This feature only works when the headphones are turned on and paired with the app.

Sound quality

The Nothing CMF Pro headphones support AAC, SBC and LDAC, allowing you to stream high-quality audio playback via Bluetooth. You can also listen to music using an AUX cable.

After listening to various styles of music, I was surprised by how detailed and clear the vocals and low frequencies are reproduced. However, you can enjoy rich bass up to about 65 percent of the volume. As you increase the volume further, it seems to disappear, as the higher frequencies begin to stand out. As you know, we have a sliding Bass button, which you can easily adjust the amount of low frequencies according to your wishes, which is quite convenient, but not particularly necessary.

The sound is very pleasant, and if you want to adjust the sound to your ears, you can do so using the three-band equalizer functions. Personally, the headphones sounded best with each equalizer band set to flat, then there is no frightening low or ear-splitting high frequencies.

The personalized sound feature is designed for those who want to customize the sound to their hearing. After completing a short test in the app, hearing is assessed and the sound is automatically adjusted to the specific user based on the results. The test revealed that one ear hears certain frequencies less well, so the sound was adjusted accordingly, but personally the headphones sounded more pleasant with the factory settings.

Comfort

I didn't feel any discomfort when wearing the headphones for a long time, because the ear cushions fit perfectly and softly and don't tire me. Of course, over time, you feel that your ears tend to heat up, and the specific weight of the headphones reminds you of themselves. I also had the opportunity to exercise lightly with these headphones. They are really comfortable, the headphones stay in place perfectly, and when I ran to the other side of the gym - there were no connection problems. So, I can safely say that listening to music for a long time will not cause any discomfort.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

The headphones are convenient to use both in a noisy environment and in silence or to support background sound. These headphones not only sound good, but also have good sound attenuation and transmit external sound perfectly. Since the sufficiently large cushions completely cover the ears, the headphones already have quite good sound insulation. When the ANC function is turned on, extraneous sounds become practically inaudible.

Of course, if you want to hear the surroundings, you can turn on the external sound function, which allows you to talk freely with another person. Also, when listening to music quietly with the external sound function, it seems that the music is coming from speakers in the room or room you are in. Calls with these headphones are smooth, but the sound is heard by the interlocutor as if the headphones were a little further away than on your head. However, you can talk without any problems.

Battery

The additional features obviously reduce battery life, but it still remains one of the strongest aspects of this model. The manufacturer claims up to 100 hours of listening without ANC and about 50 hours with noise cancellation or ambient sound mode on. Although I didn't do the full 100-hour test, in real-world use the battery life proved to be extremely long - the headphones can be charged very rarely.

In practice, when listening to music at medium volume and using different modes, the battery from 15 % to 10 % lasted about 5 hours of active listening. I was also pleasantly surprised by the fast charging - just 5 minutes of charging gives about 4-5 hours of music listening, which is very convenient when you're in a hurry.

Comparison with competitors

There is a lot of competition on the market from well-known brands that have been around for a long time in the audio world. Therefore, it is worth comparing it with other headphones and finding out if this Nothing product is significantly behind other similarly priced headphones, or if some features even work better.

SONY WH-1000XM3

These headphones have solid noise cancellation - it eliminates most of the ambient noise, although complete silence is not achieved, as high-pitched sounds still break through due to the not-so-enveloping cushions. Ambient sound mode makes the reproduction of ambient sounds natural, so it seems as if you are not even wearing headphones. The comfort level is maximum - the headphones are light, with soft cushions, perfect for longer listening. The sound quality is clean and clear, especially in the high-frequency zone, although the amount of low frequencies is not very abundant. The control and the app require some getting used to the physical buttons and touch functions, but navigation is fast. When switching ANC or other modes, voice prompts can interrupt the music you are listening to, but they help you clearly understand the mode you are using. You will find many EQ options in the Sound Connect app, and the case is sturdy and travel-friendly.

Soundcore Space Q45

The Soundcore Space Q45 has very good sound isolation, as the ear cushions completely surround your ears. With ANC turned on, the noise level is reduced to almost complete silence, and Transparency mode slightly muffles ambient sounds, so you won't always hear everything that's happening around you. Comfort is slightly inferior to Sony models, as the cushions are harder, but the headphones are still comfortable during prolonged listening. The sound quality is focused on the high frequency range, but using a wide selection of EQ, you can adjust the sound to your preferences. The Soundcore Signature setting provides a different sound, and when Bass UP is activated, the sound becomes richer. The control is similar to Sony's, only without the touch function, and voice notifications are also audible. The transport case is safe and convenient, so it's not scary to store the headphones while traveling.

Nothing CMF Headphone Pro comparison

Compared to its competitors, Nothing CMF Headphone Pro is definitely not far behind Sony or Soundcore. The ear cushions completely surround the ears, so even without ANC, noise isolation is good, and with noise cancellation turned on, ambient sounds are minimal. Transparency mode works great and more natural than Soundcore. The sound is focused on the low frequencies, but remains balanced and clean. The bass is not as punchy as that of its competitors, but rich and high-quality. The sound customization options in the app are limited, and there are fewer EQ options than with Sony or Soundcore.

Comfort remains high, as the cushions are softer than the Soundcore, so the headphones are comfortable during longer listening sessions. One of the more obvious drawbacks is the transportation solution: instead of a hard case, we only get a bag, so it's not the safest option for traveling. Another aspect is the voice prompts heard when switching noise cancellation modes, which can be a bit annoying over time.

Verdict

The Nothing CMF Headphone Pro leaves a very solid impression - it is a well-balanced, comfortable and functional headphone at an attractive price. It offers quality sound, effective active noise cancellation and exceptionally long battery life, which is one of the strongest arguments in this price segment.

Although the sound customization options in the app are not very extensive, and the transportation solution could be more practical, these headphones are perfect for everyday use. Comfort, stable connection and fast charging allow them to be used at home, on trips or in the gym. Nothing CMF Headphone Pro is best suited for those who are looking for long-lasting, good-sounding ANC headphones for everyday use and do not want to overpay for a famous brand - it is a rational and worthy choice in its price segment.