Sub-US$200 over-ear headphones with ANC from notable, influential brands are not common. Even less common is one that also offers ultra-long battery life. The Nothing Headphone (a) (stylized as “nothing headphone (a)”) is one such model that brings both qualities together, making it a rare breed. We had the opportunity to spend some time with this pair of mid-range headphones, and we are going to share our experience with you. But first, here’s a quick overview of the specs:
- Drivers: 40 mm
- Frequency response: 20 Hz to 40,000 Hz
- Diaphragm:
- Dome material: PEN+PU (Polyethylene Naphthalate and Polyurethane)
- Coating: Titanium-coated
- Tuning: by Nothing
- Battery: 1,060 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Charging: Type-C wired charging
- Charging time: 2 hours to full
- Battery life:
- With ANC up to 75 hours (AAC) and up to 90 hours (LDAC)
- Without ANC up to 135 hours (AAC) and up to 62 hours (LDAC)
- Noise cancellation: Adaptive ANC, up to 40 dB (2,000 Hz), plus transparency mode
- Microphones: 4 microphones, hybrid ANC (single side)
- Calls: 3-mic algorithm for calls
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4, dual connection supported
- Compatibility: Android 5.1 and above, iOS 13 or newer
- Codecs: AAC, SBC, LDAC
- Other features:
- Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair
- Low latency for a responsive user experience
- LDAC and Hi-Res certified
- LED charging status
- Low-lag mode
- IP52 water resistance
- Controls: Hardware paddle/switch/roller/button
- Includes:
- A PU leather drawstring carry pouch
- A 3.5 mm audio cable
- A USB-C cable for charging and USB audio
Jump to:
- Test conditions
- Design and build
- Wear comfort
- Audio quality
- ANC and Transparency performance
- Call quality
- Battery life
- Nothing X app features
- Verdict
- Where to buy?
Before we get on with our take, there are a few things to clear up. Firstly, as with any headphone, perception of sound varies from listener to listener, shaped by age, hearing sensitivity, and personal listening habits. And to a certain extent, the source also matters. Secondly, I am offering my truest thoughts after having “lived” with this pair of headphones for about a week, with daily use in various scenarios.
Having said that, here are the test conditions, types of audio, and sources used during my testing:
- MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) — wireless / 3.5 mm cable
- Nothing Phone (4a) — wireless / USB cable
- Audio: Spotify streaming, Netflix on Nothing Phone (4a), YouTube movie on MacBook Pro
- Genres: action, OST, pop, rock, R&B, and more
Design and build that somehow relates to the controls
Let’s put it this way: I find no fault in the build quality. It is as solid as it can be. Nothing rattles (no pun intended!). As for the design, it certainly stands out and turns heads, though this particular unit, being black, does not do that as much as the white and other color combos. It is weighty, which is both a con and a pro. The con being I felt fatigue after prolonged wear. The pro is, well, it feels solid and conveys quality (you know, not flimsy).
Where most brands go for safe designs like regular buttons for controls, a conventional headband base sliding into the headband, and a full-length headband cushion, Nothing Headphone (a) is everything but.
The controls
For starters, it has the most inconsistent hardware control design across the headphones. It has a roller for volume control, play/pause control, and toggling ANC/transparency. This roller offers a satisfying tactile feeling, which I dig, a lot. When adjusting the volume, it produces an alluring soft clicking sound effect, and toggling between ANC and transparency mode gives off a strong, short breathing effect. There’s no sound effect when clicking it for playback or pausing, though. The only sound coming off is the one produced by the hardware click itself.
And then there’s the track control. It uses a “paddle” to skip tracks, answer/reject calls, and fast-forward/rewind. It works well enough for skipping tracks, whether next or previous. And it has only hardware sound. No intentional effect was created for this. Fast forward and rewind do not appear to work on the phone and the laptop when streaming via Spotify.
That’s not it for the controls’ designs. On the inside of the right earcup, there’s a flush pill-shaped button for pairing, and then there is a round button—also on the right earcup—for Channel Hop and access to the smart assistant. These button functions are customizable via the Nothing X app. The different design has its perks, one of which is being easy to remember. There’s no mistaking the roller for track skipping, and so on. It is a nice touch, but I imagine this does add to the headphone’s cost.
That’s four different designs for four hardware controls. I bet you never see this many button designs on a single headphone.
Inverse headband design
In most headphones, the headband base slides into the headband. Nothing Headphone (a), however, has a reverse headband setup where the headband slides into the headband base. Because of this design, it cannot have a full length of headband cushion, which some users may not be fond of. You still get enough contact cushion, but like I said, it may not be everyone’s cuppa. Trust me, though, you are not going to notice it unless you actively switch between other headphones. You kind of forget it after a while.
Finally, on the aesthetic… the earcups are a major fingerprint magnet, which I am not a fan of. It is especially noticeable with the black unit.
Wear comfort: you will feel it, though
I am not going to pretend it is the most comfy headphone. It works, but I definitely can feel the weight. It is not a pair that you will forget is there on your head, that’s what I am saying. Also, you definitely can feel the clamp force. Though it is just right for my regular-sized head.
Audio quality: well balanced but…
This part is the most subjective. I don’t want to pretend that the audio quality blows my mind. It sounds good in that it is balanced and more than enough for everyday listening. My music taste is wide and varied. I listen to anything from Slayer to Norah Jones to Mozart, and so it is important that it can cater to my taste. Well, let’s just say I like what I hear—for the most part.
Music
It is definitely not an audiophile device, if that’s what you are thinking, but Nothing puts in effort to create presets that you can select from the app to make the best out of this pair of cans. It has strong, punchy bass, which should be enough for bassheads. If the stock bass ain’t enough, the app lets you choose two added levels of bass enhancement. On Level 2, oh boy, you can pick up that sweet bass guitar in most pop and rock tunes. Very lovely.
While vocals are clear and separation is good enough for me, it may be deemed lacking in detail by some, especially those used to premium options. As I have said, it is pretty balanced. This is no audiophile gear. To sum it up, the audio is not dull, for sure, but it is not super vibrant either. But we should not compare it to premium cans, really.
Videos
Moving on to visuals, I watched two things: One Piece: Into the Grand Line on Netflix and, you guessed it, Transformers: Dark of the Moon on YouTube, with spatial audio, and it was a pretty cool experience—especially One Piece for obvious reasons.
Anyhoo, interestingly, I find the max volume when listening with spatial audio a little limiting. At this point, ANC is not going to do much if you are watching in a noisy environment, TBH. However, it is pretty sweet, spatial, and loud with streaming music. When spatial is on, you will find the music is all around rather than on either side. It is probably not the best, but it works. Perfect for a stroll down memory lane with John Williams — Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). I recommend listening to music of this nature with spatial mode (concert). It does feel like you are in a symphony hall. Very cool experience.
Wired listening
Additionally, I tried the wired routes: both USB-C to USB-C and 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm. Oh yes. These headphones also stood out as offering not one, but two wired connectivity options, and even providing you with two cables. The USB-C to USB-C cable also charges the headphones. My verdict about the wired sound quality? Pretty much the same as wireless, which I find a little strange. I was half expecting better sound. Again, it could be my hearing. Anyhoo, the 3.5 mm cable has a straight plug and an L-shaped plug, and it is flexible as it should be. Though I cannot say the same about the USB-C cable. Because it also charges, it is packing more copper, and hence is a lot stiffer. It is not a joy listening over USB-C with a stiff cable, IMHO.
ANC + Transparency performance
Before I did this review, we heard comments that ANC could be better. Well, guess what? To each their own. I find it effective enough for my application. I mean, seriously, I am not standing next to a hot jet engine or a roaring truck all the time. The ANC is enough to drown out the constant wailing of spoiled kids—that is for sure—and the train noise of our local Mass Rapid Transit (basically, the subway). Though I do find that it mutes certain frequencies, but that’s just me. It could be my hearing, right?
Transparency works as it should. Really, this mode is optional for me. If I really want to hear my surroundings, I’d remove the headphones. I mean, nothing beats naked soundholes, right? The ANC offers low, mid, and high, as well as adaptive. I am always on adaptive.
Call quality
I am going to be honest with you. It is rare for me to get calls while I am listening, so I am not going to pretend it works great. I did answer a couple of scam calls—possibly from Cambodia—but not enough to declare the quality.
Battery life is… pretty insane
I have been using it since unboxing, though not the whole day. It was mostly anything from a few minutes for gaming to a couple of hours, sometimes multiple times a day. Guess what? I am still at 70%. And no, I have not charged it since unboxing.
So, the battery life is hands down one of its strongest features. Oh, it is worth noting that I am playing back on LDAC about 70% of the time. Or to be precise, I have been on LDAC after the first two days. I mean, after all, I am using Nothing Phone (4a), right?
App and other features
I cannot lie about this. I like the app. I love the minimalist approach, just like Nothing OS. It is simple, intuitive, and easy to use.
The app lets you activate ANC, customize ANC level, enable Transparency mode, or turn it off completely. It also lets you activate spatial audio, in which it has concert mode and cinema mode to choose from. It also lets you customize the bass level, manually adjust the EQ, or choose from the presets curated by Nothing.
There is also Channel Hop that lets you listen and switch between your favorite audio content with a simple press of the button on the headphone. Interestingly, Dual Connection is not enabled by default. You will have to enable it in the app, and so is low-lag mode.
The app also lets you customize the controls—though I did not explore it further, as I am happy with the factory default. Settings for audio quality, standby ANC, and Find My Headphones are also available in the Nothing X app.
A quick note about the review unit
Nothing provided the Headphone (a) for review, but all impressions here come from my own hands-on use over the past week.
Verdict
Is it worth the 199 bucks? I don’t know. TBH, there are cheaper options. But if you are looking for assured build quality, good audio quality with fairly impressive ANC performance, and a pair of cans that scream individualism (well, kind of), this would be it.
For:
- Exceptional battery life
- Distinctive hardware control layout
- Balanced sound signature
- Spatial audio
- Adaptive ANC works well for everyday environments
- Includes both USB-C and 3.5 mm wired listening options
Against:
- Noticeable weight during longer listening sessions
- Earcups attract fingerprints easily, which is especially visible on the black version
- Maximum volume for videos feels slightly limited when spatial audio is enabled
- Sound lacks the detail level of premium-tier headphones
Where to buy?
If you are sold, you can pick up the new Nothing Headphone (a) from nothing.tech for £149, or US$199. Folks, in SG can pre-order the cans for S$259.
Images: Mike for MikeshoutsMobile.
