The retro aesthetic audio brand Nothing released its first pair of over-ear headphones just over a year ago, and already, they’re back with improvements.
The brand announced its latest flagship product, the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro, on Sept. 28. This will be the second over-ear headphones release from Nothing this year, following March’s budget-friendly Nothing Headphone (a), which I found to be a more well-rounded and better value pair of headphones than the initial launch.
The Headphone (1) Pro, though, show some serious potential. Though I’ve only spent a few days with the headphones so far, I have some initial thoughts, alongside everything else to know about Nothing’s newest release.
Nothing Headphone (1) Pro: Price and specs
The Nothing Headphone (1) Pro cost $399, putting them $100 over the asking price of the Headphone (1) upon launch. The specs are as follows:
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Drivers: Bass dynamic driver, precision dynamic driver, and xMEMS driver
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Active noise cancellation: Adaptive, powered by 10 microphones
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Battery life: 30 hours with ANC on, 68 hours with ANC off
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Quick charge: Two hours of listening from a five-minute charge
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Spatial audio: Yes, five modes of dynamic spatial audio (standard, Studio B by Metropolis Studios, live house, club, concert hall)
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IP rating: IP52
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Multipoint: Yes
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Connection: Bluetooth 6.1, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair
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Colors: Black and white
Nothing Headphone (1) Pro vs. Nothing Headphone (1)
While the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro retain the same distinctive retro-rectangular look of the Headphone (1), the brand brought some updates that separate the newer model as the premium one. For instance, the transparent part of the ear cup is made of shatter- and scratch-resistant glass, while a combination of titanium and aluminum provides for a lighter overall product.
Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable
Nothing also claims to have upped the noise cancellation power by 40 percent, thanks to the 10-microphone system with more optimally placed mics. Unlike the older headphones, all the microphones are placed inward on the ear cup, meaning less interference from wind and airflow.
The headline with these headphones, however, likely lies with the broad listening experience. The triple driver architecture isn’t one too common on headphones, but it’s designed to provide the most robust listening experience. In the companion app, you have the option in the equalizer to tune the main drivers or the precision driver specifically.
In addition to the drivers, Nothing included five different modes of dynamic spatial audio, optimized for different genres of music.
If you’re into audio editing, music mixing, or any aspect of audio production, Nothing also included a Flat EQ mode, which is designed to provide the most faithful reproduction of the original audio as possible. The headphones also feature an on-ear switch for this mode on the interior of the left ear cup.
Speaking of on-ear switches, it’s worth noting that something that hasn’t really changed between the two headphones is the excellent on-ear controls.
Nothing Headphone (1) Pro: First impressions
Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable
Though I haven’t had much time with these headphones so far, immediately I could tell they were more comfortable than the Headphone (1), which I could not wear comfortably for more than an hour. Nothing claims the Pro headphones have 50 percent softer ear cushions and an overall lighter frame, both of which feel accurate and make the experience of using these headphones significantly more pleasant.
I’ve yet to put them through the wringer on the ANC front, but claims of improvements there also feel accurate so far — even the standard sounds of my apartment, like my own typing and the AC running, are basically impossible to hear when I’m streaming audio with the ANC on.
What I’m really looking forward to testing extensively is the robust sound profile. These headphones offer an impressive amount of customization, from the custom equalizer, presets, spatial audio options, and flat EQ mode. As a freelance podcast producer and editor, I’m particularly interested in trying out that last mode against my usual editing headphones.
Ultimately, I’m struggling to come up with critiques in my first days of testing, which I didn’t experience with the Headphone (1) — we’ll see how that develops over the rest of my testing period.
Nothing Headphone (1) Pro: Where to buy
The Nothing Headphone (1) are available to purchase for $399 at Nothing’s website, Amazon, and Best Buy.
Source: https://mashable.com/tech/nothing-headphone-1-pro-price-announcement
