Nothing Headphone (1) Review: Impressive Value and Surprising Sound.

Most people know Nothing for its eye-catching phones now, but audio is where this brand first shined. The company built a name for reliable, affordable sound with the Ear series, and I expected a lot when they announced their first over-ear headphones. After hours of listening, I have mixed reactions. The Nothing Headphone (1) hits some high notes, but doesn’t recapture everything I loved in their earlier earbuds.

The attraction of the Nothing Ear and Ear (a) was always a mix of solid price (starting at $99), sound quality, and good build. They showed that good audio doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Let’s look at the Nothing Headphone (1) hardware first.

These headphones break the mold visually. The design mixes sharp corners with rounded edges and gives off a sort of retro cassette tape look. I didn’t know how to feel at first, but it’s grown on me. While I’m torn about whether I like this look more than classic styles from Sony or Bose, I respect that Nothing took a risk and delivered something different. It fits their overall vibe, and I give them that.

The black color option is a bit more low-key, but the white stands out and feels more playful. Both have their own charm, depending on what you want.

Build quality is strong, even though the headphones skip out on super fancy materials. The glossy bits are plastic, and the metal parts aren’t very heavy. That’s actually a plus, because these headphones are comfortable over long stretches. Whether worn all day at work or on a long flight, I had no real discomfort until hour seven of an overseas journey. Even then, a short break was enough to reset. The memory foam cups and band do a solid job of keeping pressure off your ears. The headphones are heavier than some, but you don’t really notice thanks to the smart design. If you sweat easily, the cups can get a bit warm, which is my only real gripe when wearing them.

The controls stand out too.

Everything is on the right earcup:

a power switch next to the USB-C and 3.5mm ports, plus a small paddle and volume roller. The roller doubles as a pause/play button, and the paddle skips tracks or scrubs through a song. It feels natural after just a little practice. You can customize these in the Nothing X app, and there’s an extra button up top for a voice assistant or to automatically open your favorite music app. There’s also a hidden pairing button inside the cup, which is a bit odd since it’s hard to find.

Software-wise, the Nothing X app is one of the better headphone apps out there. It’s easy to jump between modes for active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency. Adjusting audio presets is straightforward, and you won’t get lost in menus.

All ANC controls live in the app, though you can toggle it with the roller. By default, the “Adaptive” setting does the job in most places by tuning the strength to your environment. On a plane, though, I found myself needing to set ANC to “High.” Even maxed out, it’s just enough for noisy flights but not as powerful as the best out there. According to Nothing, it cuts up to 42db of noise.

Now for sound quality.

This is where my feelings get mixed. Out of the box, the audio is good, but I feel like it’s a little too heavy on the bass. It lacks the clean, lively sound that made the original Ear lineup so much fun. The new tuning comes from a partnership with KEF, a well-known audio company. I honestly think I preferred Nothing’s previous approach. Using EQ settings in the app helps a lot, and you can share custom presets with friends using a QR code, which is pretty handy. Once I tweaked the EQ, the sound grew on me.

Battery life is another strong point.

With ANC on, Nothing says you’ll get 35 hours of listening, which matches my own experience. Flights barely put a dent in the charge. If you turn off ANC, the headphones can last up to 80 hours, far above what most headphones offer. Fast charging is quick – just 15 minutes gave me plenty of extra listening time.

For price,

Nothing Headphone (1) comes in at $299, a lot less than AirPods Max and below most from Sony’s top headphones. For the money, you get a lot, even if the sound isn’t perfect by default.

This is Nothing’s first over-ear headphone, and their history shows they tend to improve quickly. I’m interested to see what the next version looks like. For now, the Nothing Headphone (1) is a promising start.

Pre-orders for Nothing Headphone (1) are open now, with shipping set for July 15.