Nothing has officially unveiled its first over-ear headphone, the 'Headphone 1'. Having entered the full-fledged audio product market last year with the open-type earphone 'Ear 2', Nothing has expanded into the full-size wireless headphone sector with this product.
Headphone 1 was designed in collaboration with high-end audio brand KEF, and reflects Nothing's signature transparent design. The outside of the rounded square ear cups is wrapped in a transparent plastic capsule, and the inside is equipped with a memory foam cushion. Overall, it is somewhat large and heavy at 329g, but it is not too much of a problem to wear for a long time, and the IP52-rated waterproof and dustproof design was considered for use during exercise.
Key specs include 40mm dynamic drivers, active noise cancellation, external sound transmission mode, spatial audio, and head tracking. Nothing claims that it can block up to 42dB of noise, and the audio codec supports LDAC, AAC, and SBC. The battery can be used for up to 35 hours with noise cancellation on, and up to 80 hours with it off, and a 5-minute charge provides about 2.5 hours of playback time.
The operating method has eliminated the existing touch control and adopted physical buttons. The right earcup is equipped with a volume control roller, track control paddle, multi-button for calling the voice assistant and customizing, power switch, and Bluetooth pairing button. Detailed functions such as EQ settings, ANC mode switching, and spatial audio activation can be adjusted through Nothing's dedicated app 'Nothing X'.
The app offers a variety of options for audiophiles, including bass boosting, genre-specific EQ profile sharing, and QR code importing, along with an 8-band custom EQ. Before adjusting the EQ, the sound quality may feel somewhat flat, but after adjusting, you can experience a rich and three-dimensional sound. The microphone quality is also good, making it suitable for calls and video conferences.
Dedicated features include 'Channel Hop' and 'Essential Space' that can be used when connected to Nothing Phone 3, and it also supports multi-point connection and automatic play/pause. It is based on Bluetooth 5.3 and can also use Android's Fast Pair and Windows' Swift Pair, providing high convenience.
Headphone 1 comes in two colors, black and white, and is priced at $299. Pre-orders will begin on July 4th through the Nothing official store, and the official release will be on July 15th.
