Nothing's $399 Headphone (1) Pro adds a hardware switch that turns the processing off
The new flagship over-ears pair a triple-driver design with a Flat EQ button, and according to The Verge the noise cancelling lands just below the current top three.
If you have ever wanted to hear what a pair of wireless headphones sounds like before the tuning gets applied, Nothing has built a button for that. The Headphone (1) Pro, a $399 flagship over-ear, carries a tactile Switch control that toggles Flat EQ and strips out the processing. The Verge's reviewer says he had not seen that on a pair of headphones before, and that the idea came out of a partnership with Metropolis Studios, the London recording and mastering space where Mark Ronson produced an Amy Winehouse album.
Underneath, the driver layout is unusual too. According to The Verge there are three drivers per side: a 40mm dynamic driver handling bass, a separate midrange driver, and a xMEMS solid-state driver for the upper frequencies.
The audio spec follows through. The Headphone (1) Pro supports LDAC, high-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz both wired and wirelessly, and wired lossless over USB-C up to 24-bit/192kHz, and GSMArena notes the headphones carry Hi-Res Audio certification along with AAC, SBC, LDAC and LC3 support.
Noise cancelling runs off ten microphones in total, with Nothing claiming a maximum of 46 dB of reduction. The Verge's take after limited time with them is more measured: not quite level with the Sony XM6, Bose Ultra Headphones Gen 2 and Apple AirPods Max 2, though the reviewer felt suitably isolated once music was playing.
Build materials include lightweight titanium and an aluminium frame. GSMArena reports the padding is thicker than before and the headband is 10% wider than the original Headphone (1), with the finished pair weighing 327g in either Black or White. The rating is IP52.
Connectivity is Bluetooth 6.1 with Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, instant setup on Apple devices, dual connectivity, a low-latency mode and auto-wear detection. Through the Nothing X app the headphones can work as an Auracast transmitter or a receiver.
Battery is a 1,060mAh cell. Nothing claims up to 30 hours with ANC switched on and up to 68 hours without it.
Published by Techtutka ·