Nothing Headphones 1 – Key Highlights
🔹 Design & First Impressions
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Nothing is focusing on design in consumer electronics.
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They’ve launched phones and earbuds with design as a standout feature.
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The Headphones 1 are their first ₹21,999 over-ear, noise-canceling headphones.
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Competing with brands like Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser.
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Design is the major distinguishing factor — dark and light versions.
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Light version looks like cassette tapes on your head.
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Transparent aesthetic is continued, typical of Nothing.
🔹 Unique Aesthetics
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Bold and different look — love it or hate it.
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Some will love it for being unique, others won’t.
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Red dot on the right earcup helps identify the correct side.
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Design is more elegant than something like the Cybertruck.
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Even though internals (drivers, batteries) aren’t visually exciting, the look is still neat.
🔹 Performance Backing the Design
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The rest of the headphone experience is actually solid.
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Good comfort, build quality, and features.
🔹 Sound by KEF
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KEF is a high-end audio brand Nothing collaborated with.
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KEF has many expensive speakers but only one headphone model: Mu7.
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Nothing’s headphones are not just a rebrand — they feel like a different product.
🔹 Controls & Buttons
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Five main physical controls:
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Scroll wheel for volume (press to play/pause, hold for ANC/transparency).
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Track paddle to skip forward/backward, supports fast-forward/rewind.
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Power switch, USB-C, and 3.5mm jack at the bottom.
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Custom button (default: voice assistant, can be remapped in app).
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Bluetooth pairing button inside earcup.
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No touch controls — all tactile physical buttons. Easy and practical.
🔹 Build Quality & Comfort
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Metal and plastic mix — durable but lightweight.
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Headband is flexible for different head sizes.
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Soft, thick earcups — comfortable for hours.
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Slightly heavier than full plastic ANC headphones but not too much.
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Not as heavy as AirPods Max.
🔹 Battery Life & Travel
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Rated at ~35 hours on a full charge.
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Used for 8 hours during flights — comfortable and long-lasting.
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Case is larger and zipper is annoying.
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Headphones do not fold, unlike Sony XM6s.
🔹 ANC & Transparency Mode
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Passive isolation is already great.
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ANC works well for room noise and white noise.
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Slightly behind Sony XM6 in airplane noise cancellation (B+ vs A+).
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Transparency mode is okay — can hear surroundings, but voice sounds booming and unnatural.
🔹 Sound Quality
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40mm drivers tuned by KEF.
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Clear, balanced sound — bass, mids, highs all handled well.
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No distortion at high volume.
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Soundstage is not wide — more of a small-room feel.
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Passive isolation + ANC delivers a clean audio experience.
🔹 Nothing X App Features
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Remap custom button actions.
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Manage multiple Bluetooth device connections (supports two devices).
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Control ANC level: low, medium, high.
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Equalizer: pre-sets and full manual slider adjustment.
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Can tweak sound heavily or subtly based on preference.
🔹 Price vs Competitors
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Priced at ₹21,999 — competitive in 2025 standards.
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Sony, Bose, and Apple alternatives cost $350–$550.
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Good balance of value, performance, and design.
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May not beat Sony XM6 on every spec but offers good savings.
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Some users might prefer physical buttons, unique looks, or the lower price.
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