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The AirPods have virtually set the standard for how true wireless earbuds should look like, with their pill-shaped case and stem-like design. But some brands are not afraid to challenge the norm and experiment with different shapes and materials. Nothing is one of them, with its Ear series of earbuds that feature a transparent body and a distinctive form factor. The brand has a flair for design, which is also evident in its subbrand CMF’s latest product.
The CMF Buds Pro are among the most quirky and fancy earbuds we have ever seen, but they have more to offer than just looks. Read on to find out why we are impressed by them.
CMF sure was pretty serious about its whole “colour, material, and finish” mojo with the Buds Pro because the earbuds check all these boxes – well, almost if you dig the black colour that I was lent. These earbuds also come in white (which instantly caught my eye when I saw the promotional images) and bright orange for those who like to make a statement. I especially liked the shape and size of the case, which has a circular design that resembles a makeup product, like a blush compact.
One thing that these earbuds nail is the matte finish they sport. It’s not easy to pull off when the choice of materials is low-quality and only makes things worse. But CMF has done a good job here. The earbuds also feel premium thanks to the weight of the case and its thickness. The lid, for example, has a nice heft to it and closes with a satisfying and loud click.
However, the downside of the black colour and the matte finish is that these earbuds are prone to scratches. In fact, I could easily scratch them with my fingernails. That’s why I would suggest opting for the white or orange colours instead.
The earbuds themselves sit inside the case in a way that reminds me of the Nothing Ear series, with their whole body visible. They are very light and have a rather minimalistic design. Unfortunately, they don’t fit my ears very well, no matter what silicone tip I used, and I suspect that the housing is simply too large for me.
The CMF Buds Pro pack a single dynamic driver in each earbud, use Bluetooth 5.3, and support SBC and AAC codecs. They also have a simple but effective V-shaped sound profile. The treble is crisp and clear, as you would expect from Nothing products, and the bass is also boosted for more punch.
The result is a pleasing sound signature that suits most genres and preferences. And if you want to tweak it further, you can use the Nothing X app to adjust the equaliser settings – we’ll get to that in a bit.
The earbuds also feature active noise cancellation with a 45 dB rating. However, I didn’t get to experience it fully, probably because the earbuds didn’t fit me very well. This might not be an issue for you, depending on your ear shape and size.
The companion app for the CMF Buds Pro is one of the best-looking apps I’ve seen for wearables. It lets you choose between four preset equaliser modes: Balanced, More bass, More treble, and Voice. You can also create your own custom mode for finer control.
The app also lets you customise the controls for each earbud to your heart’s content. There are a bunch of options you can assign to four different gestures and each gesture can invoke a different action for each earbud – just like you can on the Nothing Ear series, except there’s no swipe gesture support.
So, should you buy the CMF Buds Pro? If you own a Nothing Phone but find the Nothing Ear series too expensive, then the Buds Pro are a great alternative. They may not have the transparent design, but they still capture the essence of Nothing products. Plus, they offer a polished design and a well-designed app that make them worth more than their price tag.
