Can anybody have a look at the Nothing Headphone 1 for the primary time with out cracking a smile? It was the speak of TechRadar’s Sydney workplace after I unboxed it for the primary time and has virtually everybody else I’ve proven cooed over. And that is as a result of it wears its greatest facets on the skin.
The Nothing Headphone 1 is a breath of contemporary air amongst in any other case well-tuned however very same-same headphones. I am positive I am going to have stirred some sturdy reactions with that assertion, however hear me out, please.
I is perhaps targeted on masking smartphones at TechRadar (having simply gone hands-on with the Nothing Phone 3), however it’s nonetheless fairly apparent in my view that the overwhelming majority of over-ear headphones function impartial, uninspired aesthetics, incorporating ovular cups and sometimes single-tone colorways with out a lot model to talk of. Contact buttons are widespread, as are restricted shade choices.
In protest, the Headphone 1’s cups are squared, with the outside sporting an aesthetic evoking retro sci-fi hits like Blade Runner and Akira. A mixture of metals and plastics have been employed to make the Headphone 1 really feel distinctive wherever your fingers might land, and in contrast to the corporate’s telephones – which you would be inclined to place in a case – the aesthetic of those headphones are on full show always.
And, better of all, there are not any contact controls – a function I’m rising more and more uninterested in throughout all of the tech that I evaluation, from wearables to electrical vehicles. That is the bit I’m most head over heels for, and when combined with a reasonably modest worth level, I imagine the Headphone 1 represents the most effective realization of Nothing’s imaginative and prescient but.
The Nothing Headphone 1 is iconic and, by my estimation, it is the tech of the second.
Nothing’s cooking
I don’t imagine Nothing wants its headphones to supply the most effective sound high quality amongst its shut competitors. Certainly as you’ll have learn in our Nothing Headphone 1 review, sound can come throughout as compressed from these cans – however I’m passionate about all of the facets that the corporate aces to put an excessive amount of weight on its soundscape – in spite of everything, sound is a private choice.
Nothing’s distinctive aesthetic will little question weed out many potential clients, however as with Nothing’s phones, the model has its followers. That is precisely the type of aesthetic that appeals to me, paying homage to retro designs whereas additionally feeling contemporary and distinctive in its personal regard. It’s daring, completely different and to some extent underscores the design chops that corporations like Apple have been recognized for years in the past (suppose the iMac G3).
And I may harp on concerning the aesthetics for a whole article, however I’ll prevent the boredom by transferring onto Nothing’s silver bullet – actual buttons. The tech trade at massive, so devoted to effectivity and maximized financial savings, forgot that tactile buttons really really feel actually nice to make use of, and provides the person rather more confidence over their product (in that they’ll be higher knowledgeable about what buttons have been pressed, ergo what features are activated).
The amount is managed by what Nothing calls the Curler, a horizontally moved cylinder on the sting of the headphones, which can be pressed to pause, play, and swap between ANC and transparency (extra on that later). It’s a button of all trades, in impact, and one thing not often seen within the headphone trade lately. The Sonos Ace and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have multi-function buttons, however I’m not conscious of many units that give one button so many features.
In the meantime, a ‘paddle’ beneath the Curler selects the following or earlier monitor, whereas additionally providing answering and rejecting calls. An further button to the highest proper of the correct cup then prompts your voice assistant on Android and iOS platforms, however can be certain to a number of different features on Nothing OS (or if you happen to use a Nothing Telephone). There’s yet another button on the within of the correct cup, however that is solely used for Bluetooth pairing.
This simply makes me so completely satisfied! So lengthy and farewell to the annoyance of not activating a operate like skip or pause as a result of a contact management failed to note the delicacy of your finger press.
Higher but, with many of the headphones’ exterior left with none buttons in the way in which, the headphones are displaying off various free house. On the one hand, that’s house I’m completely satisfied to go away uncovered as they appear nice. On the opposite, I wish to cowl these dangerous boys in stickers, and that’s the type of thought Nothing’s enjoyable philosophy feeds into.
Wrapping up the issues I actually love about these headphones, the energetic noise cancellation is extraordinarily spectacular – on par with Sony headphones I’ve used prior to now – and highly effective sufficient to sufficiently take away the audio from a room with a reside DJ standing proper beside me. I like getting work carried out with noise cancellation turned all the way in which up, so that is tremendous satisfying for me.
Nothing’s good
There are solely a few issues that I’m hoping Nothing will change with both software program updates or upcoming product releases.
The primary may appear type of unusual, however imagine me after I inform you it’s unnerving. Nothing’s sound results with the Headphone 1 are uncomfortable. Switching to transparency mode provides an impact that appears like somebody’s inhaling your ear, whereas different sound results really feel aggressive and means too tight – comparable to a bass thud when switching on noise cancellation, or a sci-fi pc beep when switching off ANC or transparency.
I get it, Nothing has a really deliberate method to aesthetics and design, and that extends to its sound results, however that is simply an excessive amount of – you could be distinctive with out being bizarre.
One other is that the headphones are fairly tight on my head – and I’ve a reasonably average-sized head! After some time of use, the Headphone 1 begins to really feel uncomfortable, so I’m hoping the corporate releases an upsized mannequin or makes an adjustable band for the second-gen mannequin.
There’s additionally clearly the problems reviewers have raised with sound. Certainly my Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones produce extra balanced sound regardless of being a barely older set of cans, with deeper bass and richer audio. For a pair of headphones as costly as they’re, you’d definitely count on the Headphone 1 to be as much as scratch – particularly as they’ve been tuned in collaboration with British hi-fi stalwart KEF.
Now, do not get me unsuitable: the sound is nice and satisfactory, however I’d definitely prefer it to be higher. Sadly, whilst you’re given a good quantity of audio profile tweaking through the Nothing X app, you possibly can’t make the headphones produce sound that simply sounds extra dynamic.
I might nonetheless encourage anybody who appreciates the design to audition the Headphone 1, after all, as what might not sound fairly proper for me might sound incredible to you – as I’ve already alluded, sound is private. Critiques can solely present a lot data, if you happen to just like the sound a product produces, then that’s the correct one for you.
Other than that, I genuinely don’t suppose there’s the rest unsuitable with the Nothing Headphone 1: it’s properly weighted, can go flatly compact and has a few of the greatest ANC I’ve ever heard.
Nothing’s on the rise
4 years after releasing its first product, the Ear 1 earbuds in 2021, adopted by a aggressive portfolio of aesthetically fascinating tech, Nothing has lastly tipped its hand to disclose its most spectacular product but – a tool that genuinely one-ups the competitors with an distinctive person interface.
It’s actually that straightforward. The Nothing Headphone 1 won’t have the most effective sound high quality of all of the headphones in the marketplace, however it’s definitely one of the crucial thrilling choices. The aesthetic rocks, it has an amazing function set and in the end it’s not priced inaccessibly (and chances are high you would possibly discover it getting a great low cost when Black Friday 2025 comes calling later within the 12 months).
I’m actually excited to see what a next-generation set of Headphones from Nothing shapes as much as be like. For now, I believe I’ll be utilizing the Nothing Headphone 1 as my day by day audio gadget as an alternative of my Sonys or my Samsung buds, and that’s saying one thing.
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