Headphones are a purchase order that the majority of us shouldn’t must assume an excessive amount of about.
The most recent Sony WH-whatevers are normally one of the best for most individuals, with Bose QuietComfort not far behind, whereas the AirPods Max are for Apple die-hards solely. Loads of cheaper fashions can be found, however it’s price paying a premium for years of dependable use.
Nevertheless, the brand new Nothing Headphone (1) critically threatens to disrupt that. The British firm has made a number of pairs of earbuds earlier than, however that is the primary time it’s ventured into over-ear headphones. And my god, it was well worth the wait.
The Headphone (1) has the wacky design we’ve come to affiliate with Nothing merchandise. However with real high quality and a few spectacular, considerate touches, I see no cause why these headphones can’t compete with one of the best within the enterprise.
Even after solely a day or so of testing, I can confidently say they’re my favorite headphones I’ve tried out in a really very long time. Let’s discover in additional element.
Retro, but futuristic
Within the lead-up to launch, the Nothing Headphone (1)’s design is all anybody has been speaking about. And with good cause – these are essentially the most ridiculous-looking headphones I’ve ever seen, however that’s precisely why I like them a lot.
Whereas the headphone market is a sea of sameness, Nothing is daring to be completely different. The Headphone (1) cans borrow the semi-transparent design we’ve seen in Nothing smartphones, giving them a futuristic vibe.
These are essentially the most ridiculous-looking headphones I’ve ever seen, however that’s precisely why I like them a lot
But, on the similar time, they remind me of outdated cassette tapes – a decidedly retro type of know-how that many individuals my age won’t ever have used. This fusion of outdated and new ends in a design that’s as distinctive as it’s divisive.
In case you’re searching for an understated pair of headphones that can pair with any outfit, this ain’t it. However in case you’d want to face out from the gang and make your headphones a part of your private fashion, these are the cans for you.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
As an introvert, I haven’t dared enterprise exterior carrying them but. I’m anticipating loads of stares and some questions – another excuse I received’t be doing it, no less than whereas they’re beneath embargo.
Lengthy-term, one thing from Sony or Bose is undoubtedly a safer guess. However for pure wow issue, and a design that’s really fascinating to take a look at, Nothing wins each time.
In complete management
Once I took the Nothing Headphone (1) cans out of the field, the bodily controls confused me lots. I couldn’t even work out tips on how to flip them on.
Nevertheless, over time, they’ve confirmed to be surprisingly intuitive. The facility change is barely used to show the headphones on or off, which I recognize.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
The curler, which feels lots just like the scroll wheel on a mouse, is used to manage audio in actual time – play/pause, transparency/lively modes and quantity, with the final of those making full use of its scrolling capacity.
With the ability to inform the distinction between buttons based mostly on their really feel alone is a large profit.
A separate paddle stands out in an uncommon method, however it supplies a straightforward option to transfer between songs and calls. With the ability to inform the distinction between buttons based mostly on their really feel alone is a large profit.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Earlier than opening the companion app, I hadn’t even realised there was a 3rd button on the top-right of the best headphone. It’s used to set off the voice assistant (Google Gemini in my case), however I ignored it more often than not.
Alongside the USB-C port for charging, it’s additionally price mentioning the three.5mm jack, which supplies you the choice of wired audio.
Consolation to the max
The aluminium and plastic construct of the Headphone (1) cans actually feels very strong, and Nothing has particularly highlighted the sturdiness assessments that every half has needed to cross.
However with this industrial-style building and strange squircle (sq. with rounded corners) exteriors, I used to be involved that consolation could be sacrificed.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Nevertheless, as quickly as I attempted them on, all these worries melted away. The smooth earcups completely cushioned the sting of my head, totally masking my ears. An simply adjustable headband (additionally cushioned) allowed me to get match inside seconds.
The smooth earcups completely cushioned the sting of my head, totally masking my ears
And crucially, the Nothing Headphone (1) maintains its consolation as time goes on. Regardless of weighing a comparatively hefty 329g, I had no downside carrying them continuous for a few hours. For lengthy flights, consolation shouldn’t be a problem, until you’re making an attempt to sleep whereas carrying them!
That sounds wonderful
Design and luxury are essential, however they imply nothing (pun meant) if the sound high quality isn’t good.
And whereas I’m no audio skilled, I used to be blown away by how good they sounded. The mix of 40mm drivers and tuning from audio specialists, KEF, ends in wealthy, full-bodied music with crystal-clear vocals.
My testing wasn’t essentially the most scientific, though nearly all of tracks I listened to have been in Amazon Music’s lossless ‘Extremely HD’ class, which is taken into account even higher than CD high quality.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
I’ve listened to songs from the likes of Olivia Dean and Pleasure Crookes dozens of instances beforehand, but the Headphone (1) cans tease out additional particulars and background devices that I’d by no means heard earlier than.
Switching to Amazon’s ‘Better of Extremely HD’ playlist allowed me to check out one other key function: ‘Bass Enhancement’. Throughout the Nothing X app, you’ll be able to customise how a lot you need throughout 5 completely different ranges. Bass isn’t precisely missing with ‘Bass Enhancement’ turned off, however the throbbing, dancefloor-like hit you get at Degree 5 is addictive.
Bass isn’t precisely missing with ‘Bass Enhancement’ turned off, however the throbbing, dancefloor-like hit you get at Degree 5 is addictive
It’s not all about music, although. Podcasts are an enormous deal in 2025, so it’s doubtless you’ll be utilizing the Headphone (1) to meet up with your favorite exhibits.
Crisp, clear voices can be found by default, however I loved dialling up the immersion with ‘Spatial audio’. I’ve been a sceptic of options like this prior to now, however with sound coming from plenty of completely different instructions, it genuinely feels such as you’re there within the room with the hosts. I significantly just like the head-tracking model, which robotically adjusts relying on the way in which you’re going through.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Final, however very a lot not least, is the lively noise cancellation (ANC). ANC is without doubt one of the most essential issues for me when shopping for a set of headphones, and I’m happy to report that Nothing does an ideal job of blocking out background noise. On the different finish of the size, the transparency mode amplifies these sounds very successfully.
Sony nonetheless has the slight higher hand on this space, however based mostly on early testing, the Headphone (1) cans aren’t far behind.
Nothing has stored issues easy within the Nothing X companion app, prioritising entry to those key settings, alongside an equaliser so that you can customise the sound even additional.
A aggressive price ticket
With so many high-end options, there’s little doubt that the Nothing Headphone (1) is a premium set of headphones.
Nevertheless, at £299/$299, they considerably undercut the £399/$449.99 Sony WH-1000XM6 whereas providing an analogous vary of performance. Pre-orders through the Nothing web site start on 4 July, forward of a 15 July launch date.
Assuming the Nothing Headphone (1) performs in addition to it has thus far, battery life is the one factor stopping me from recommending it already. The 1040mAh sounds promising, however you’ll be able to by no means make sure.