These headphones with noise-canceling capabilities are almost on par with AirPods Max but come at a $150 lower price point. The design is stylish, offering excellent physical controls, premium noise cancellation, and a battery life of thirty-five hours. The sound quality includes strong bass and dynamic range, with support for spatial audio.
Compared to AirPods Max or Sony WH-1000XM6, the soundstage is not as wide, and the noise-canceling performance is slightly inferior. Unfortunately, the earpads are not replaceable at the moment. Despite my initial skepticism about Nothing’s technology claims, I genuinely appreciate the quality of their products.
The Headphone (1) over-ear headphones with noise-canceling feature continue to uphold this positive reputation. They match or even surpass the appearance of pricier models from Sony, Apple, and Bose while offering similar features at a significantly lower cost. Rather than imitate other premium models, the new Headphone (1) showcases its unique design with distinct features like clear outer ear cups revealing a bass chamber and a red dot to indicate the correct ear cup placement.
Upon wearing these headphones, you will immediately notice the exceptional controls they offer. With a rolling wheel and a switch for volume adjustment and music playback, these controls are intuitive and efficient. The physical controls are far superior to touch controls in most cases, making them among the best-designed controls available.
The headphones come equipped with an on-off switch, a 3.5-mm cable port, and a USB-C charging port on the right ear cup bottom. With an impressive 35-hour battery life that outperforms Sony, Bose, and Apple models, these headphones are ideal for long journeys.
The secure fit on your head is ensured by an L-shaped metal bar attaching the ear cups to the headband externally for even pressure distribution from the synthetic leather and memory foam earpads. While comfortable for extended listening sessions, it’s disappointing that replacement earpads are not currently available.
Despite lacking advanced features found in more expensive models from top brands like Apple, Sony, and Bose, these headphones offer high-resolution audio, multi-point pairing options, and Nothing’s unique surround sound technology at an affordable price point. The brand’s app allows customization of noise-canceling settings and enables a pass-through mode for ambient sounds.
Although not as high-performing as premium models in terms of speed with high-end sounds, these headphones deliver excellent quality at a more budget-friendly price point. They may not match pricier options in certain aspects but provide exceptional value overall.
Overall, there are few drawbacks to mention about the Nothing Headphone (1) besides the non-replaceable earpads and branding. If you seek stylish headphones with solid performance without breaking the bank on Bose, Sony, or Apple alternatives, these near-premium headphones from Nothing are likely your best choice.