Cmf Nothing Earbuds: Affordable ANC Earbuds With Good Performance

The Nothing Earbuds are a game-changer in the affordable earbuds market. They offer Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) at a price point that's hard to beat.

With a battery life of up to 5.7 hours, you can enjoy your music or podcasts without worrying about running out of juice.

The Earbuds' compact design makes them easy to carry around, and the charging case provides an additional 24 hours of battery life.

They're also water-resistant, so you can take them with you on the go without worrying about getting caught in the rain.

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The CMF Nothing earbuds have a super smooth case that's a minor work of art. It's angular yet smooth and looks cooler on your desk than regular earbud cases.

The case has a silver sliding circle that moves around to reveal holes for a lanyard, and you get a lanyard with your earbuds, but it's not included as standard. You can easily get your own, though.

The earbuds themselves are fairly standard and fit snugly in your ears with a selection of silicone eartips included to get things how you like them. Each earbud has a touch-sensitive area for controlling things like skipping tracks, answering calls, and switching between ANC and Transparency mode.

Here are some key features to consider:

The earbuds are lightweight and easy to store, and the case isn't a wireless charging case, which is hardly surprising at this price.

The CMF By Nothing Buds's design is a standout feature. The case feels like a minor work of art, with its angular yet smooth design looking much cooler on your desk than regular earbud cases.

The case has a silver sliding circle that reveals holes for a lanyard, which is a nice touch. However, a lanyard doesn't come standard with the earbuds, so you'll need to get your own.

The case is lightweight and easy to store, which is a bonus. It's not a wireless charging case, but that's not a surprise at this price point.

Each earbud has a touch-sensitive area for controlling things like skipping tracks, answering calls, and switching between ANC and Transparency mode. These touch controls are fairly standard, but it's not always easy to activate them.

The earbuds themselves fit snugly in your ears, and you can customize the fit with a selection of silicone eartips included. The case can hold both earbuds, making it easy to store them when not in use.

The CMF Buds have some great features that make them a solid choice for earbuds in this price range. They offer up to 35.5 hours of battery life with ANC disabled, which is a decent amount of time for listening to music or podcasts.

The earbuds also come with a companion app that lets you adjust the equalizer, activate Ultra Bass, and control ANC settings. However, I found that the app can be a bit finicky and sometimes forgets the earbuds, requiring you to re-pair them.

Dual-device connection is a nice feature that lets you switch between your devices seamlessly. This is especially useful if you like to listen to music or take calls on multiple devices at the same time.

One thing to note is that the ANC on the CMF Buds is not the best, but it does try to dampen down surrounding noises. Transparency mode is also available, but it doesn't completely eliminate background noise.

The earbuds come with a charging case that promises up to 35.5 hours of battery life, and 6.5 hours on a 10-minute charge. This seemed about right in my experience, and I had no issues with battery life during my testing.

Here are some key features of the CMF Buds:

In the affordable TWS earphones category, you can find some great options for under $50. The CMF Buds by Nothing is a great example, with a price tag of $40.

This earphone set offers Active Noise Cancelling and a bass-heavy sound, making it a great choice for music lovers. The CMF Buds by Nothing has a few quirks, but overall, it's a solid option.

One of the standout features of the CMF Buds by Nothing is its waterproof design, rated IP54 for protection against rain and dust. This is a great feature for anyone who plans to use their earphones outdoors.

The CMF Buds by Nothing also has a long battery life, with 5.5-8 hours of listening time on a single charge. This is a great feature for anyone who wants to enjoy their music without worrying about running out of battery.

Here are some key specs and features of the CMF Buds by Nothing:

The Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 is another option in this price range, available for around $50.

The CMF Nothing earbuds have a sound quality that's just okay, not really impressive. They don't sound bad, but they're not going to blow you away either. If you want to hear every detail of your favorite songs, you might be a bit disappointed.

The earbuds have a fairly weak soundstage, which means you won't feel like you're right in the middle of the music. Even with the ultra bass setting, the sound can feel a bit flat. Bass is fairly flimsy, and trebles and mids are distinctly weak.

However, listening to podcasts is a different story. The sound is reasonably crisp, and voices come through clearly. But if you're walking near busy traffic, the earbuds' ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) doesn't do much to block out the noise.

Here's a breakdown of the CMF Nothing earbuds' sound quality scores:

The earbuds' MDAQS (Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score) scores are a bit of a mixed bag. While they score high overall, it's worth noting that the simulated panel of listeners tends to prefer bass-heavy sound, which might not be to everyone's taste.

One thing to keep in mind is that the earbuds' touch controls can be a bit finicky. There are no single tap functions, such as play or pause, which can be a bit of a hassle. But overall, the sound quality is just okay, and you might find yourself cranking up the volume to get the best sound.

The CMF By Nothing Buds' sound quality is reasonable, but not exceptional. They have a crispness to them, but the bass is pretty weak and understated.

You won't be blown away by the soundstage, but they're fine for listening on the move. Music won't stand out with these earbuds.

The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is more about dampening background noise rather than taking a proactive approach. It's better than nothing, but not great.

The earbuds have dual-device connectivity, which is a nice feature.

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The CMF Buds performs decently when it comes to phone and video calls, but the microphones give your voice a metallic underlining.

The microphones forward your voice clear and loud, but unfortunately, they also pick up your surroundings quite loudly, including door slams and background chatter.

Wind noise isn't the biggest threat, but it's still audible.

In quiet environments, like your home or office, the sound quality is good and you won't have any issues. However, in noisy environments, like a busy street or metro, the noise cancellation algorithm can be too aggressive and filter out some of your voice, making it sound muffled.

This is a trade-off, as the main focus of these earbuds is on music quality, not voice quality for the other person.

The CMF Buds have a battery life that's pretty impressive, lasting up to 8 hours without active noise cancellation (ANC) and over 35 hours with the charging case.

Their onboard 45 mAh battery is a decent size, and the fast charging support is a nice feature – 10 minutes of plugged-in time can give you over 6 hours of listening time.

Enabling dual device connectivity does bring down the battery longevity figures significantly, though.

Long calls can also take a toll on the battery, especially since transparency mode is enabled by default for voice calls.

However, the call quality is decent, and the person on the other end can hear your voice even in windy conditions.

Here's a quick rundown of the call quality performance in different environments:

This earbuds' audio controls offer a simple way to enhance your listening experience. You can pick between rock, pop, electronic, classical, and enhanced vocal presets to get a simulated surround feel and added depth to your music.

One of the presets, audio controls, adds a dash of oomph to the bass and trebles. Depending on your listening preferences, you can choose the one that suits you best.

The custom option allows for limited equalizer customization across bass, treble, and mid-levels. This means you can tweak the sound to your liking, but it's not a full-fledged equalizer.

There are no controls for the four mics, two each for the left and right earbuds. This might be a drawback for some users, but it's worth considering the price segment and hardware at your disposal.

The CMF Buds by Nothing offer a solid handsfree experience, with a microphone that's good for quiet environments, but may struggle in noisy areas. It's equipped with 4 HD microphones, including two on each earbud, which work with Clear Voice technology and AI-powered noise cancellation.

For calls in quiet environments, the sound is clear and crisp, but in busy areas, the noise cancellation can be overly aggressive, muddying your voice. This is a trade-off, as the focus is on delivering great music quality, not top-notch call quality.

In terms of noise cancellation, the ANC on the CMF Buds is quite effective, reducing background noise like traffic hums and coffee shop chatter, but it may not be able to completely eliminate sudden sounds like laughter or keyboard typing. It's a great value for the price, but don't expect the same level of isolation as pricier earbuds like the AirPods Pro or Sony's WF-1000 XM4.

The ANC performance of the CMF Buds 2a is quite impressive, especially considering its price. It can reduce noise levels up to 42 decibels, making it a great option for everyday use.

ANC works well in quiet environments, but may not be as effective in noisy areas. The earbuds can silence constant background noise like traffic or a fan, but may struggle with sudden sounds like chatter or laughter.

The ANC system is not as powerful as that of more expensive earbuds, but it does a decent job of reducing noise levels. It's not meant to create a completely silent environment, but rather to enhance the listening experience by reducing background noise.

The ANC performance is adaptive, meaning it adjusts to the environment and can even detect wind noise, which it tries to eliminate by lowering the noise cancellation.

The earbuds have a simple ANC mode with just three options: ANC on, transparency mode, and ANC off. No fancy features or custom settings are available, but the simplicity is a triumph.

The ANC performance can be affected by the environment, and the earbuds may not block out all noise in busy areas. However, for the price, the ANC performance is quite good.

Here are some key points to consider when evaluating the ANC performance of the CMF Buds 2a:

Overall, the ANC performance of the CMF Buds 2a is a great value for the price, but may not be as effective as more expensive earbuds.

The CMF Buds 2a is a solid choice for those looking for a handsfree with ANC. Its unique design is both eye-catching and well-built.

One of the standout features of the CMF Buds 2a is its exceptional sound quality. It boasts a thrilling and engaging sound with a powerful and punchy bass.

The battery life of the CMF Buds 2a is also noteworthy. Each earbud has a 43mAh battery, and the charging case has a 460mAh battery, allowing for up to 8 hours of battery life per earbud and a total of 35.5 hours.

The CMF Buds 2a also supports fast charging, which means you won't be left hanging when you need to top up your battery on the go.

Here are some key specs to consider:

The CMF Nothing earbuds were released in March 2024, making them a relatively new addition to the market.

They're priced at $39 in the US and £39 in the UK, which is a very affordable price point for wireless earbuds.

You can buy them exclusively on Amazon, or if you're in the UK, you can also visit the Nothing store in London.

The earbuds come in three colors: orange, dark gray, and light gray, with orange being the most popular choice.

Here are the prices in different regions:

The CMF By Nothing Buds are a solid choice for budget-conscious consumers who don't require the highest-quality audio codecs. They pack a good punch for their sub-$40 price tag, delivering premium features at an affordable price.

The earbuds excel with impressive active noise cancelation, decent battery life, and a useful companion app. Call quality and transparency mode are also strong points.

However, the sound quality is heavily skewed towards bass, which may be too much for some listeners. While somewhat adjustable via EQ, it's not ideal out of the box for those seeking a balanced sound profile.

If you're looking for a more balanced sound profile, you might want to consider spending a bit more on the Nothing Ear (a) or the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. But if you're on a tight budget, the CMF By Nothing Buds are a good option.

Here are some key features to consider:

Ultimately, the CMF By Nothing Buds are a good choice for those who want great battery life and a stylish case. They're also a good option for budget shoppers who don't require the highest-quality audio codecs.