I’ve been testing the CMF Headphone Pro, and they feel like The Jetsons meets Jet Set Radio
I’ve spent the past week with the new CMF Headphone Pro, and what strikes me immediately is how different they feel from the usual herd of wireless headphones.
Now, Nothing, parent brand to CMF, has a knack for designing different, and just like the premium Nothing Headphone 1, which calls back to ’70s and ’80s engineered design, CMF Headphone Pro recalls mid-century elegance piped through ’60s kitsch.
A rare blend of style and practicality
Right out of the box, Headphone Pro feels soft, warm, and genuinely comfortable. The cushions cradle your ears without applying too much pressure, providing relief for extended listening sessions. The Light Green variant I tested, using my Nothing Phone 3, is almost pastel in tone, soothing in a way that stands out against the often clinical, monochrome palette of mainstream audio gear. (Other colours are Dark Grey and Light Grey.) The design itself carries a retro-modern energy, situated somewhere between mid-century sophistication and a playful, almost cartoonish charm. These are a little Jetsons, a little Jet Set Radio.
CMF goes a step further with customisation: the ear cushions are interchangeable, coming in two colors, Orange and Light Green, letting you tweak both aesthetics and comfort. Beyond style, this is a practical touch, potentially extending the headphones’ life if the cushions wear out. It’s rare to see that level of user-friendly thought in a product under $100.
The Pro’s controls are a highlight. Unlike touch-only designs that can be fiddly and imprecise, CMF offers a tactile experience: a bass slider, a volume roller that doubles as ANC control, and a customisable action button. Mapping Spatial Audio, AI features, or other shortcuts to the action button is seamless and intuitive.
It’s the kind of physical interaction that makes these headphones feel more alive and responsive than many competitors’ button-light offerings. Though the build quality on the slider and roller feels a little light and sharp, they’re still a nice touch on a ‘budget’ overear.
Audio is more than you’d expect
The CMF Headphone Pro punches above its price point when it comes to audio performance. It supports LDAC and Hi-Res audio, wired or wireless, and comes with 40mm custom drivers with nickel-plated diaphragms and a dual-chamber design. The result is audio that’s robust, punchy, and clear. While the frequency response is standard at 20Hz–20kHz, the personalised Audiodo sound profile, the same you get on Nothing’s new Ear 3 buds, adds a premium touch, adapting playback to your ears, a feature usually reserved for much more expensive headphones.
That said, audiophiles may notice the tuning is somewhat opaque, while you can adjust the sound in the Nothing X app, using the slider for bass, particularly, is a little imprecise. For casual listeners, it works beautifully; for those chasing precision or extended highs and lows, it’s a bit of a guessing game. But then, there’s that $99 / £79 price tag, and I kind of shrug and love what these actually offer for the money – and it’s a lot.
Where these headphones truly shine is in battery life. You’re looking at up to 100 hours without ANC, or 50 hours with it active. This is according to Nothing’s data, and in my testing, it’s about right. Even LDAC streaming holds up impressively. If you’re in a hurry, a five-minute charge delivers around five hours of playback. On top of that, the reverse charging feature lets your phone top up the headphones in a pinch, a small but clever addition.
Where the CMF Headphone Pro falls short
No product is perfect. The build is mostly plastic, which could affect long-term durability compared with aluminium-heavy competitors. The interchangeable cushions, while convenient, might not feel as solid as fixed designs. ANC is functional, and while it features three modes to adapt to your surroundings, as well as spatial audio, it’s not quite on par with costly headphones, but then, you’d expect that. Using ANC also hits battery life, but again, this is expected.
The personalisation features, like Audiodo calibration, rely on the companion app. This adds a step and could limit accessibility if the app isn’t consistently updated. Some features, like Spatial Audio or AI functions, may also lean on Nothing OS or Android, so cross-platform parity isn’t guaranteed. But, if, like me, you’re used to Nothing and Android, CMF Headphone Pro is a no-brainer.
I need to bring up cost, too. While the headphones themselves are very affordable, the custom cushions are priced at $25 / £19, which means they’re around 25% of the actual headphone price – kind of Nintendo levels of marketing. You don’t need the extra cushions, but if updating the style is your thing, consider the overall cost.
Finally, the premium features, such as LDAC support, personal sound profiles, and long battery life, set high expectations. At a sub-$100 / £80 price point, CMF Headphone Pro doesn’t exactly compete with flagship ANC over-ears, but they deliver far more than the price suggests.
Personal, playful, and practical
Ultimately, the CMF Headphone Pro is a rare budget headphone that feels genuinely personal. Colourful, comfortable, and playful in design, with smart tactile controls and sound that punches above its weight, they stand apart from the generic crowd of monochrome, touch-only headphones.
These won’t sway audiophiles chasing perfect fidelity or ANC perfection, but for anyone who values personalisation, ease of use, and long listening sessions without discomfort, CMF Headphone Pro is an unexpectedly capable and tactile option.
These headphones are for people who want a device that feels theirs, from the colour to the fit to the way it responds in your hands. In a market flooded with lookalike tech, that alone makes the CMF Headphone Pro feel special. And at this price, it’s rare to see this combination of personality, practicality, and performance all in one pair of headphones.
Visit the Nothing store for more details.
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