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Assessment of CMF Buds and CMF Neckband Pro: Excellent functioning + attractive design = good value for money
The latest Neckband Pro and Buds by CMF from Nothing are visually appealing, equipped with wonderful features, and all at an affordable price. The highlight, however, is their impressive ANC functionality, particularly given their price tag.
CMF BudsPros advantages:- Affordable price- Excellent audio quality- Strong bass- Impressive battery duration- Top-notch active noise cancellation
Negatives:- Need time to adapt to touch controls- Absence of charging cord
Score: 4 out of 5
Cost: 2,499 Ru
The advantages of CMF Neckbands include their affordable cost, superior sound output, and active noise cancellation of up to 50dB. They also offer excellent call clarity and impressive battery longevity, with the added benefit of rapid charging.
Negatives: – The package does not include a charging cord – The rotary dial may be somewhat difficult to access at first.
Score: 4.25 out of 5. Cost: 1,799 INR
Nothing has become renowned for its audio equipment, particularly their products such as Nothing Ear 1, Nothing Ear 2, and Nothing Ear Stick. Despite their impressive design and excellent sound quality, many view them as overly pricey. To address this, Nothing introduced CMF, a wearable brand dedicated to providing more cost-effective options.
The Buds Pro from CMF by Nothing were fairly decent TWS earbuds, but their newest products, the Buds and the Neckband Pro, elevate things. CMF presents their products in a unique way, emphasizing color, material, and finish. As a result, the new Buds and Neckband Pro are visually appealing. However, the standout aspect of these products is the high-quality features and sound they deliver, especially considering the price that Nothing has set.
We examine the newest audio offerings from Nothing, the CMF Buds and the CMF Neckband Pro, to assess their performance.
Review of CMF Buds and CMF Neckband Pro: Appearance, Construction & ComfortThe CMF Buds are available in three unique shades: Dark Grey, Light Grey, and Orange. In this review, we are testing the eye-catching Orange version, which is quite captivating and entertaining.
The square box, in orange color, that houses the CMF buds is quite light but still has a high-quality touch. It exudes an upscale vibe, even though it's made of plastic.
The case also comes with a grey wheel where the provided lanyard can be attached. However, if you choose not to use the lanyard, the wheel can alternatively serve as a convenient fidget spinner.
The case also comes with a robust hinge that guarantees longevity, and the bold orange color contributes to its liveliness. Furthermore, the casing includes design features to boost its attractiveness.
The CMF emblem, which has a glossy appearance, is beautifully etched onto the cover, forming a dramatic juxtaposition with the dull finish of the remaining part of the container.
Regarding the CMF Neckband, its appearance is quite typical, similar to many other neckbands available. It boasts a recognizable flexible neckband made of gentle silicone, with short wires connecting to the earbuds. However, what makes it unique is the absence of control buttons. In place of these, it has a small grey wheel that you can use to adjust the volume, answer calls, or switch between different songs on a playlist.
We appreciated the attractive combination of matte and shiny plastic in both the earbuds and neckband. The slight contrast in textures greatly enhances their aesthetic appeal. The CMF Neckband offers an IP 55 protection level, while the Buds have a slightly lower protection level of IP54.
It's praiseworthy that the Buds have incorporated touch controls while maintaining a reasonable price. However, the effectiveness of these controls is merely acceptable. Similar to many earbuds, they have basic touch control features like tap for pause and double tap for the next track. Still, some touch commands can be puzzling and awkward to operate. Specifically, changing the volume with the touch controls was problematic and lacked the intuitiveness one would hope for.
Review of CMF Buds and CMF Neckband Pro: Audio Clarity & EfficiencyGetting the CMF Neckband Pro and CMF Buds up and running with an Android device was remarkably straightforward. Just a couple of taps after lifting the lid, and the phone identified them immediately. Furthermore, the Nothing X application assisted in completing the setup.
The application also provides a wide range of functionalities and personalization settings. For both the Pro neckband and Buds, there are numerous equalizer settings, control reassignment options, noise reduction adjustments, and an "Ultra Bass" enhancement feature. The app also allows you to adjust the ANC function.
In terms of audio, both gadgets provide comparable sound quality, though you may notice minor variations if you pay close attention.
The Neckband Pro has a stronger bass and a more potent sound compared to the CMF Buds, which provides a more even sound distribution. This primarily stems from the difference in driver sizes. The CMF Neckband Pro employs a 13.6 mm driver equipped with their proprietary Ultra Bass Technology 2.0, while the CMF Buds uses 12.4 mm drivers that incorporate Bio-fibre and a custom TPU diaphragm.
Consequently, the Neckband Pros provide a considerable bass impact and truly jolt you when listening to a bass-rich song. However, they tend to distort the lower range vocals a bit. The CMF Buds, on the other hand, may not pack that bass punch, but their sound quality is still impressive, particularly when playing other, less bass-focused instruments and vocals. To put it simply, although the Buds may seem more bass-dominant compared to other TWS earbuds, they maintain a better balance than the Neckband Pros.
Additionally, the CMF Buds feature Ultra Bass Technology 2.0 and Dirac Opteo tuning for an expanded audio range. When paired with the Buds' ANC abilities, this makes them an attractive option.
When it comes to ANC, both the Neckband Pro and Buds provide excellent sound isolation and dependable active noise cancellation. The Neckband Pro, however, elevates this feature by offering adjustable ANC levels that vary from high to low, including adaptive settings, and even a spatial audio mode for users to try out. The neckband also delivers 50dB of hybrid ANC, while the buds only offer up to 42dB.
The Neckband Pro and Buds stand out because they provide users with a high-quality ANC experience at a competitive price. I've tested earbuds and neckbands that are pricier than what CMF proposes, and they simply can't compare to these two. There were a few problems at the beginning, but Nothing has resolved those with a software update.
Review of CMF Buds and CMF Neckband Pro: Audio Quality During Calls
The CMF Buds have remarkable sound quality for phone calls. My experience was that the person on the other end could hear me well, and I could hear them just as good. This crisp and clear sound is probably due to the 4-microphone system that the buds use. It effectively eliminates any background noise and focuses on the main voices during conversations.
Likewise, the Neckband's call clarity is outstanding, thanks to its five-microphone setup, which outperforms the Buds in this regard.
The review of CMF Buds and CMF Neckband Pro focuses on battery life. Each bud comes with a 45 mAh battery and the case has a 460 mAh battery. During my usual day, which involves listening to music, watching videos, playing games, and making a lot of calls, I use them for approximately 5-6 hours in total. I discovered that I can use the earbuds for about 3-4 days without needing to recharge. Even when they need to be recharged, it does not take long. A brief 10-minute charge can easily provide an additional 6-7 hours of usage.
There are no assertions stating that the CMF Buds can provide up to 35.5 hours of usage time without ANC and roughly 24 hours with ANC enabled. I'm entirely convinced of these numbers, judging by my personal experience.
Regarding the neckband, it also boasts impressive battery longevity, surpassing even the Buds. Typically, I can use the CMF Neckband Pro with active noise cancellation (ANC) for roughly two days before needing to recharge it. Without ANC, I managed to use it for more than four days based on my usual usage habits.
Nothing asserts that the Neckband Pro, with its 220mAh battery capacity, provides 37 hours of playback time when the ANC is disabled and 23 hours when the ANC is enabled.
Additionally, the neckband officially comes with fast charging support — simply charge it for 10 minutes, and it will last for 18 hours.
My sole grievance is that Nothing, in an attempt to reduce expenses, failed to include a charging cable with any of their latest sound devices. This emerging trend among producers of excluding key items from the package in order to meet a specific price range, is something I find displeasing.
Conclusion on the Review of CMF Buds and CMF Neckband Pro: If you're in the market for a high-quality pair of earbuds or neckbands that provide excellent sound, durable battery life, satisfactory noise cancellation, lightweight design, and portability, both the CMF Buds and CMF Neckband Pros are fantastic choices.
If you're at ease with either design and are basing your decision primarily on bass quality, here are some things to consider. While both these sound devices deliver strong bass, the Neckband Pro offers a more intense bass experience, while the Buds provide a more balanced sound profile.
Deciding between the two ultimately comes down to your personal needs and how you plan to use them. The Neckband Pro's design provides more flexibility and ease, especially for swift hands-free calls or listening to music since they're always readily available around your neck. There's no need to scramble for a pouch or stress about misplacing an earbud right away, making them easier to use. Plus, the strong battery life of 23 hours, even when noise cancellation is activated, guarantees prolonged use without having to recharge often.
However, if you're more inclined to the genuine cordless earbud experience without any trailing cables, the CMF Buds provide a contemporary answer. Their battery life of 5.6 hours, which can be extended to 24 hours with the case, is fairly good for truly wireless earbuds. Yet, the Neckband Pro continues to surpass in sustained playtime.
With their affordable price tags of Rs 2,499 and Rs 1,999, both the CMF Buds and Neckband Pro provide outstanding worth due to their sophisticated aesthetics, robust construction, abundant features, and dependable sound performance.
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