I was a big fan of the Nothing Headphone (1) when they launched in mid-2025. Sporting similarities to Nothing’s instantly recognizable design style, the Headphone (1) were packed with features that, like their smartphones, bridge an important gap between outright flagships and the mid-ground, all while keeping to a respectable price point.
The Nothing Headphone (a) brings improvements in all the right places, which is nothing short of amazing, and I’m impressed yet again.
8/10
- Battery Life
-
Up to 135 hours
- Microphones
-
3
- Brand
-
Nothing
- Transducer Size
-
40mm
The Nothing Headphone (a) refine the formula that made the original such a standout. A lighter plastic build, softer clamping force, and plush earcups make them far more comfortable for long listening sessions, while the familiar physical controls are familiar and easy to use. Battery life is outrageous at up to 135 hours, and ANC performs impressively for the price. Their sound leans warm and bass‑forward out of the box, but the Nothing X app offers super-handy EQ control to dial things in.
Specifications and availability
The Nothing Headphone (a) are available from Nothing for $199, available in white, yellow, or pink.
8/10
- Battery Life
-
Up to 135 hours
- Microphones
-
3
- Brand
-
Nothing
- Transducer Size
-
40mm
- Frequency Response
-
20Hz – 40kHz
- Weight
-
310g
- Noise Cancellation
-
Yes
- Foldable
-
No
- Connectivity
-
Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C, 3.5mm
- IP rating
-
IP52
- Charging type
-
USB-C
- Supported codecs
-
AAC, SBC, LDAC
Hands-on with the Nothing Headphone (a)
Nothing has got so much right
The Nothing Headphone (a) are very similar stylistically to their predecessors, with a few key changes. They’re still a chunk pair of cans, but the overall profile is slightly slimmed down, with the Headphone (1)’s mostly metal frame replaced with plastic, dropping the weight from 329g to 310g.
Now, you might think swapping out metal for plastic is a downgrade, but in truth, I like the new design. Not that it’s better than the original’s cassette-style earphone backings, because they were fantastic and added some real style. But the opaque white plastic looks good and suits the rest of the changes made.
What I like, though, is that the clamping pressure has been slightly reduced, too. The Headphone (1) clamping pressure was strong, and many felt it was slightly too much. They did loosen with time, as you’d expect, but the Headphone (a) feel just right. I’ve been wearing them for the past couple of weeks, and haven’t felt the need to take them off to relax my ears or head at any point.
In that, in combination with the relatively thick rounded earbuds, the Headphone (a) are a comfortable wear for long periods. I’ve even fallen asleep wearing them a couple of times while travelling, and they hadn’t shifted an inch when I woke.
One thing Nothing didn’t change is the placement of the headband sliders, which are positioned more towards the top of your head rather than near the ears, where you’d normally find them. Like before, they’re still a bit fiddly at times, especially for someone with long hair.
I’m not entirely sure about the “travel bag” Nothing provides with the Headphone (a). It’s sort of handy, but at the same time, I feel like this is going to disintegrate fairly rapidly; it’s already picked up some small travel-based punctures and whatnot from being in an admittedly overstuffed bag.
How long this will last will have to be seen, but it’s a step down from the solid, hard-shell travel case provided with the Headphone (1).
These are the only headphones I take on long flights now
Noise cancelling headphones are a must for travel, and there’s a new pair in town that have become the new ones I take everywhere.
Wild battery life
But under certain conditions
When the Headphone (a) was first revealed, there was one real headline-grabbing stat nestled among the news: the 135-hour battery life.
I must admit I’ve been travelling a lot recently and haven’t had a chance to specifically test this figure. But what I do know is that it’s with ANC switched off (these big numbers always are, and ANC adds a chunk of audio processing), and using the AAC codec rather than LDAC (again, more processing).
Either way, anything north of 100 hours of playback is an amazing stat and will keep you listening for days.
The controls are still some of the best
Real buttons make my life easier
Something that was roundly appreciated on the Headphone (1) was the array of physical buttons and controls, and Nothing has firmly stuck to this idea. In fact, Nothing hasn’t really changed a thing with regards to the button configuration, and I appreciate that continuity; why change what works?
The button configuration is very similar to the first model, with a rollerball situated on the edge of the right headphone to control your volume, with a press changing your ANC. Then there is the familiar paddle just below it, used to change the track, skip forwards and backwards, and so on.
Nestled in the top corner of the right headphone is the Bluetooth pairing button, while on the outside of the earcup, you’ll find the programmable button that you can set as an EQ switcher, wake a virtual assistant, activate your camera shutter, or use the Channel Hop feature.
Nothing also opted to include a 3.5mm jack option alongside the USB-C input, and included some handy cables with nicely chunky inputs to match the headphones. It’s a small touch, but a nice one.
Why do they ship with bass profile enabled
Shifting the EQ reveals a more balanced sound
Out of the box, the Headphone (a) felt bass-heavy, much too much for my liking. Thankfully, that’s actually not their default sound profile; Nothing apparently has opted to ship the Headphone (a) with the More Bass profile enabled, making them sound deep and powerful, but also a little over the top. There’s also a bass enhancement slider that you can use on top of the Bass Forward profile, which is complete and utter overkill.
I tried this unholy trio while listening to Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone, and guess what? It sounded terrible, to literally nobody’s surprise.
Switching them back to the Balanced profile tones this down a bit, but they’re still somewhat on the bass-forward side. Nothing partnered with KEF on the Headphone (1), but tuned these cans in-house. As I expected, they have a broadly V-shaped EQ, which sounds warm, full of rich sound, but delivers what you’d expect. In that, they sound good, and at times, really good, but it’s not really like-for-like with the true audio.
Either way, Nothing isn’t positioning itself as a high-end, natural audio experience, so I think it’s all good on that front.
What is good is that the Nothing X app comes equipped with both the Basic and Advanced EQ customization options, along with some Presets. The basic EQ is similar to what we’ve seen from Nothing before, allowing you to drag the funny blob around the Bass, Mid, and Treble circles.
This is actually a handy way for this to be presented and is useful for those who may not understand or want to use the Advanced option, which offers eight EQ channels to adjust, with options to also tweak the frequency of the channel. But if that’s a hassle, you can also jump into the Presets created by other Headphone (a) owners and download their profiles.
You can also find two special audio settings in the Nothing X app, too. While the Headphone (a) don’t have Dolby Atmos or otherwise, there are Concert and Cinema functions that adjust the audio. Concert widens the soundstage a bit and brings the audio further away from your ears, while Cinema feels like it adds treble and aims to replicate a kind of “surround sound” experience. It’s decent enough, but not something I’d use frequently.
Oh, and not forgetting that hi-res audio support through the LDAC codec, so long as your device supports it.
ANC that works
Really well done at this price
I found the Nothing Headphone (a) ANC worked really well for me. I wore them on a couple of flights and found that while I wasn’t completely isolated, the majority of the background noise had been cut out.
It’s plenty good enough that I could grab some sleep with them on, undisturbed by the typical cacophony of sound that bombards you on a flight and in an airport.
You can choose between the Low, Medium, or High ANC modes, along with Adaptive. There is also a Transparency mode, which I tried, and it works fine. That’s all I have to say about it; I don’t like Transparency modes in general, but this works well and sounds accurate.
Nothing Ear (open) Review: Surprisingly Comfortable, But I Still Want More
The Nothing Ear (open) has decent audio quality for open-ear earbuds, but I still prefer regular earbuds.
Should you buy the Nothing Headphone (a)?
I love them, but I don’t think they’re for everyone
Given Nothing’s track record for producing budget-focused hardware, I wasn’t really ever worried about the Headphone (a). These headphones still combine Nothing’s classic design elements, with some choice updates to help bring the price down for a wider audience. Then there is that wild battery life that should unsettle a few of the big names in the market.
Now, why don’t I think they’re for everyone? Well, the clamping force and general wear feel will put people off. I love how they feel and find them comfortable, but it could be that I have the perfect headsize. Someone with a larger head is probably going to experience more clamping force, leading us back to the Nothing Headphone (1).
Similarly, if you’re looking for a clean, neutral listening experience, these aren’t the headphones for you. That said, if you’re looking in this budget-focused area of headphones, that’s probably not your primary goal, but it’s worth noting.
But really, in terms of value, the Nothing Headphone (a) deliver in spades, and at $199, they should go on to be some of the best budget-focused headphones of the year.
8/10
- Battery Life
-
Up to 135 hours
- Microphones
-
3
- Brand
-
Nothing
- Transducer Size
-
40mm
The Nothing Headphone (a) refine the formula that made the original such a standout. A lighter plastic build, softer clamping force, and plush earcups make them far more comfortable for long listening sessions, while the familiar physical controls are familiar and easy to use. Battery life is outrageous at up to 135 hours, and ANC performs impressively for the price. Their sound leans warm and bass‑forward out of the box, but the Nothing X app offers super-handy EQ control to dial things in.
