CMF made its entry into a new subcategory of audio products with the launch of its first-ever headphones, and they simply called them CMF Headphone Pro. Not complaining though. Nomenclature aside, the headphones are worthy of attention for many reasons. For starters, CMF priced them quite competitively and packed a whole lot of goodness. We are to explore them to see if the CMF Headphone Pro stand the test of time.
Take a good first look at the CMF Headphone Pro as we unboxed them.
Let's move on.
CMF Headphone Pro have been launched at a special discounted price of Rs 6,999, Rs 1,000 less than its selling price, starting January 20. CMF sent us a unit for review alongside CMF Cushions, which are sold separately.
Design
At first glance, these headphones don't immediately give away their price positioning—and that's a good thing. Despite being generous with plastic construction, the overall design comes across as premium enough for daily use, thanks to the glossy finish, smooth adjustment rails, and leather-like ear cushions. The headband even gets comfortable padding with the same material choice, making the headphones easy to hold and comfortable to wear, especially over longer sessions. The lighter build makes it easy to wear for long or even hang it around the neck without fatigue.
Comfort, overall, is decent. The clamping force is balanced well—secure without being tight—and the ear cups offer a reasonable seal for everyday environments. One nice touch is the removable, colour-swappable ear cushions, which allow for some visual customisation. Mixing and matching the cushions with different colour schemes adds a bit of pop, if that's your personality. More than that, being able to swap the cushions when worn out will extend the longetivity, hoping the accessory stocks are mainted well down the line. But be careful around the headband as that material is not replaceable.
CMF even throws in a nice cloth travel pouch to easily carry the headphones. The branding is kept subtle on the cloth, but one cannot miss it.
Overall, the design and comfort are optimum, giving you your money's worth. The cushions and good weight distribution make it suitable for daily consumption.
Buttons and controls
Instead of jumping on the touch-control bandwagon, CMF has gone with physical buttons—and it's a decision that pays off. There's a dedicated power button that also handles Bluetooth pairing, alongside a slider that can be customised via the app to control bass or other functions. The real highlight, though, is the rotary dial.
This dial manages volume, playback, and calls with surprising efficiency. A single click plays or pauses music and answers calls, a double-click skips tracks or rejects incoming calls, and a triple-click takes you to the previous track. Pressing and holding the dial cycles through noise control modes, including transparency and ANC. It took a little getting used to, but once you're there, it's as seamless as it gets. There's also a separate button dedicated to toggling ANC, which makes switching modes quick and intuitive.
For connectivity, you get a 3.5mm jack for passive listening and a USB Type-C port for charging with fast-charge support. Bluetooth 5.4 is on board, along with SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. Bluetooth multipoint worked just as well.
Audio performance
Sound performance is solid, if not spectacular. Bass is handled reasonably well for most genres. Vocals remain clear, with decent separation.
That said, the "energy slider" feature feels underwhelming in its current form. Despite the concept being interesting, it didn't make a noticeable difference during testing. With better tuning, this could become a standout feature in a future iteration. Thankfully, the built-in equalisers help fine-tune the sound to an extent.
The headphones work with the Nothing X app, which acts as the control center. From here, you can manage ANC modes, enable spatial audio options, update firmware, and even create a hearing-based personal sound profile. The app is clean, responsive, and genuinely useful, as is the case with Nothing's core UI apps.
ANC
Active noise cancellation focuses primarily on low and mid-frequency sounds. Office chatters, airplane engine sounds, and marketplace noise are noticeably reduced, making the headphones suitable for commuting and indoor use. But high-frequency sounds slip through more often than ideal. It's not the best ANC out there, but it does enough to improve everyday listening experience.
Battery
Battery life is one of the strongest talking points. The company claims up to 100 hours without ANC and around 50 hours with ANC enabled—impressive figures on paper. Long-term battery testing is still ongoing, but early signs suggest endurance won't be a concern for most users. The quick 5-minute charge option comes in handy for last minute travels, as company claims 8 hours of use. Even it comes close to that, it's a fair deal.
Verdict
These headphones get a lot right. The design is attractive, the controls are intuitive, battery life looks promising, and audio performance is dependable. However, the absence of features like auto-pause and head tracking, along with ANC that could use refinement, keeps them from being truly standout.
That said, as a well-rounded pair of everyday over-ear headphones, they strike a sensible balance, especially at their price point. And this is a great start for a fresh product and things ought to only get better from here. In an overall perspective, one thing's clear that CMF isn't fooling around here.
