Nothing Headphone (1) review

They look a lot less like sci‑fi cosplay and more after‑work lounge accessory in the black/gun‑metal finish with transparent earcups. The gain a more subtle and classy feel than the nerdy white option.. The chunky rectangular earcups house a visible bass chamber like a futuristic cassette deck but doesn’t come off as obnoxious and in fact, ports the brands signature see-through design language quite artistically. Weight clocks in at 329 g, tipping the scales heavier than Sony WH‑1000XM5 but lighter than Apple’s AirPods Max.

Build quality impresses with a smart mix of aluminium for the supporting headband and plastic shell that gives a premium feel without fragility. The memory‑foam pads wrap your ears comfortably, though they’re non‑replaceable for now which could be troublesome if you plan on being a long-term wearer.

The Headphones (I) ditch touch in favour of real buttons and a roller wheel. Track skipping, volume, play/pause…everything clicks satisfyingly into muscle memory. There’s also a toggle switch for ANC on/off and a dedicated power switch. That’s three physical controls all up, and honestly, they’re far superior to fidgety touch surfaces. You’ll also get a customizable button you can configure for voice assistant access, app switching, or launching Nothing’s “Essential Space” tool if you own a Nothing phone. Then there’s the 3.5 mm jack. Perfect for long‑haul flights or squeezing out the best from a USB‑C Hi‑Res feed with zero latency and maximum fidelity.

Tuned in collaboration with KEF using 40 mm drivers that feature nickel-plated coating, Nothing is definitely serious about the headphone market. Support for Hi‑Res audio, LDAC, plus Spatial Audio with head‑tracking is included and the partnering Nothing X app lets you dial in an eight‑band EQ, or dive into advanced mode where you can tweak frequencies and Q‑factors manually. That’s rare in mainstream cans and meant for audio nerds who love obsessing over every granular tweak.

Monsoon Season’s Big Dawgs felt compressed near full volume on a Galaxy Z Fold 7 using LDAC. Cutting 31 Hz by 2.5 dB with a Q of 0.1 smoothed it out and now, the bass was tighter, imaging got sharper, and the soundstage became more immersive (though not cavernous). ANC‑on is essential too as the sound noticeably flattens out upon turning ANC off. ANC reduces mostly mid‑range, but not with the finesse of Sony or Bose. Spatial Audio was rendered beautifully though, with an imersiveness that belied its category and if you keep the volume levels in check, these can be a hugely satisfying pair of headphones that have a neutral tonal balance while maintaining airiness and openness, which for ANC headphones is indeed a tough illusion to pull offf. 

That said, you do get multi‑device Bluetooth, fast charging, and a massive battery life up to 35 hours with ANC on, up to 80 hours with ANC off (or 54 hours with LDAC on). Mic performance doesn’t impress in noisy places, but then again, most wireless headphones have proven to be less than ideal for optimal voice quality

Here’s what this all means: if you’re hunting for headphones that stand out visually, sport intuitive physical controls, and deliver tunable sound with serious battery life, you’ve got yourself a strong contender. They don’t eclipse Sony or Bose in ANC finesse or raw audio purity. The mic isn’t stellar, and the styling polarizes. But if aesthetics, tweakability, and tactile feedback matter to you, they absolutely deliver. Nothing is onto something here though and it’s relatively minor issues can be fixed with firmware updates. Which makes the app almost integral to the sonic outcome of the Headphones (1).