Nothing Headphone (1) Pro in for review
Nothing is slowly fleshing out its headphone lineup and is now adding a Pro tier. For context, we got the Headphone (1) a year ago, then the Headphone (a) this Spring.
The Headphone (1) Pro comes in either Black or White, and costs €370. For context, the Headphone (1) is normally €300, but is currently €250. Let's unbox the Pro. It ships with a 3.5mm cable and a USB-C cable, while the headphone itself sits in a case that encloses the cups but leaves the band unprotected to serve as a handle.
It's similar in both look and concept to the AirPods Max 2 Smart Case. It has a glossy plastic finish, which both feels premium, but it feels like it would be constantly smudged up and easily scratched.
An Apple AirPods Max 2-styled case
There are no clever compartments inside the case, but there are places to attach a lanyard on both sides.
The case has a lanyard placeholder
So what's Pro about the Headphone (1) successor? A lot. The old cans used formed aluminium and moulded plastic, while the Pros have CNC-machined aluminium and tempered glass. The headband uses a titanium alloy in place of stainless steel, and the band itself is 10% wider and has 12% thicker padding. The ear cushions are also 50% softer.
On the audio front, the old model's single 40mm driver has been replaced by a 3-driver system: a new dual-magnet 40mm driver, and a dedicated precision dynamic driver and xMEMS solid-state driver for the midrange and treble. Spatial Audio has been upgraded and now supports head tracking.
Active Noise Cancellation is also improved, thanks to a new 10-microphone system, which promises up to 46dB of reduction.
Materials feature lightweight titanium and glass
There's a unique little switch on the inside of the left earcup, labeled "Flat". It's not simply an EQ preset but a dedicated neutral monitoring mode, developed by Metropolis Studios. It's supposed to remove artificial sound enhancement and "coloration". Flipping it disables any equalizer settings, as well as Spatial Audio and Transparency mode, though it works with ANC.
Nice controls
Nothing kept the physical controls on the right cup (and we love them for it!). There's a volume slider that's also a play/pause button, as well as the clever "paddle", which can change tracks but also act as a scrubber.
The controls are on the back of the earcup and require some getting used to.
A quick word on comfort. The Nothing Headphone (1) is a very premium-feeling headset to wear. The softer cushions are immediately noticeable - there was no discomfort even after more than half an hour of wearing.
Passive isolation is superb, thanks to the cups' size and the firm clasp of the headphone. This reviewer could see himself going for a run with the Headphone (1) Pro, no problem!
We'll talk about ANC and sound quality in our review.
