CMF Headphone Pro review: Peppy colours, Hi-Res audio, and lasting battery

Check out what CMF Headphone Pro brings to the table as the brand's first over-ear headphones, from design and comfort to battery life and sound

Over-ear headphones have become predictable. Most of them look the same, sound comparable, and focus on one or two headline features like noise cancellation or battery life. The CMF Headphone Pro tries to break that pattern. These are CMF by Nothing’s first over-ear headphones.

 

Having reviewed CMF’s earlier audio products: the CMF Buds 2 and the Buds 2 Plus, there’s a clear sense of continuity here. The Buds 2 focused on balanced sound and battery life, while the Buds 2 Plus stepped things up with stronger ANC, LDAC support, and better tuning through the app. CMF Headphone Pro feels like the next logical step, carrying forward that emphasis on endurance and clean audio, but applying it to a more comfortable, feature-rich over-ear form factor.

 

 

On paper, the Headphone Pro promises a lot: a 100-hour battery, adaptive noise cancellation, Hi-Res audio support, modular ear cushions, physical controls and tight integration with the Nothing ecosystem.  

 

But how does it all come together in real-world use? Over the past few weeks, I used the CMF Headphone Pro for music, calls, movies, workdays, travel, and long late-night listening sessions. This review breaks down what works, what doesn’t, and who these headphones actually make sense for.

Design

The first thing you notice about the CMF Headphone Pro is that it doesn’t try to blend in. While most over-ear headphones play it safe with muted colours and smooth curves, CMF goes in a different direction with a bold, industrial design. The frame appears solid and structured, conveying an intentional rather than purely decorative feel. There’s a clear sense of purpose here, which fits well with CMF’s identity as a sub-brand focused on accessible but thoughtful design.

 

I have the light green colour, the same shade I reviewed earlier on the CMF Buds 2, but the expression here is very different. Where the earbuds felt soft and minimal, the Headphone Pro feels more assertive and mechanical, almost tool-like in appearance. The larger surfaces, flat panels, and physical button controls give it a stronger visual identity, making it feel less like a fashion accessory and more like a piece of everyday gear. It’s a design that will not appeal to everyone, but it feels intentional, confident and very much in line with CMF’s evolving design philosophy.

Modular ear cushions

One of the standout design choices on the CMF Headphone Pro is the interchangeable ear cushions. This isn’t just about easy replacement; it’s clearly meant to let users change the look of the headphones without committing to a single style. Swapping the cushions is simple, and once attached, they feel secure enough that they don’t shift or come loose during daily use.

 

I tried swapping the stock cushions for an orange pair, and the difference was immediate. The headphones went from understated to noticeably more fun and eye-catching. It genuinely changes how the Headphone Pro looks on your head, making it feel more playful and expressive. The process itself is surprisingly fuss-free: a quick inward swipe to release the cushion, and an outward swipe to lock the new one in place. After doing it once, it becomes intuitive and you stop worrying about breaking anything.

 

While this level of customisation will not matter to everyone, it’s refreshing to see a brand treat headphones as something personal rather than fixed. It also makes the Headphone Pro feel less disposable — instead of replacing the entire product when it starts to look worn or boring, you can simply change a part of it and make it feel new again.

Comfort over long sessions

At 283g, the CMF Headphone Pro feels like a lighter over-ear headphone, and it sits comfortably on the head. The weight feels evenly balanced, and the grip is firm enough to stay in place without feeling tight or uncomfortable.

 

The ear cushions are soft and spacious, covering the ears properly without pressing against them. I used the headphones for long sessions, sometimes four to five hours at a stretch, and didn’t feel the usual pressure or soreness that over-ear headphones often cause. This stood out to me because I’m generally sensitive to over-ear designs — my skin and the area around my ears usually get irritated after extended use. With the Headphone Pro, that simply didn’t happen.

 

I travelled with these headphones for several days in a row, using them on daily office commutes and during long drives. Even after wearing them back-to-back, I didn’t feel tired or uncomfortable. My ears and head felt fine, which isn’t something I experience often with over-ear headphones. The only small issue is ventilation. In warmer conditions, especially while running or moving around, the ear cups do trap some heat over time. It’s not uncomfortable right away, but after a while, you do become aware of the warmth around your ears.

Physical controls

Touch controls are everywhere now, and they often feel unreliable or overly sensitive. CMF avoids that completely by sticking to physical controls, and it’s one of the smartest decisions here.

Energy Slider

The Energy Slider quickly became one of my favourite features on the CMF Headphone Pro. Instead of opening the app every time I wanted to change the sound, I could just adjust it on the headphones themselves. When I was listening to podcasts or taking calls, I slid it towards clarity so voices sounded cleaner. For music, especially during workouts or travel, I pushed it towards bass for a fuller, punchier sound.

 

I used this more often than I expected. For example, while switching from a work call straight into music, I could change the sound in seconds without touching my phone. It feels practical and genuinely useful in day-to-day use.

Multi-function roller and action button

I ended up using the roller a lot more than I expected. I adjusted the volume while walking, paused music during quick conversations, and switched noise cancellation modes without taking my phone out. Sometimes the sound change felt very slightly delayed, but it was minor and something I got used to after a few days. The good part is that volume control feels accurate, and I never accidentally skipped songs, which often happens with touch controls.

 

I set the Action Button to control spatial audio, letting me switch easily between Cinema mode, Concert mode, and off. This turned out to be especially useful while watching movies or YouTube videos on my tablet. A long press also allowed me to switch between noise cancellation and transparency mode, so I didn’t have to open the app or dig into settings at all. After a few days of use, these controls started to feel natural and intuitive, almost like second nature.

 

These physical buttons were also helpful while walking, running, or completing my steps. I didn’t feel distracted by my phone because I could control almost everything directly from the headphones. Another small but important thing — even in winter, I could use all the controls while wearing gloves, something touch-based headphones usually struggle with.

Noise cancellation

CMF calls it Hybrid Adaptive ANC, and in daily use, it mostly works in the background without you having to think about it. As I moved between different environments, the headphones automatically adjusted the level of noise cancellation on their own.

 

In quieter places like my home office or a library, the ANC stayed subtle. It reduced background noise just enough to help me focus, without that uncomfortable pressure some noise-cancelling headphones create. When I stepped outside or sat in traffic, the change was noticeable. The ANC became stronger, cutting down road noise, passing vehicles, and general city sounds.

 

During commutes and cafe visits, it handled constant noises well — things like engine hums, air conditioners, and people talking around me faded into the background. Sudden sounds, like honking or someone speaking loudly nearby, still came through, but they felt softer and less distracting rather than jarring. The CMF Headphone Pro performs reliably. More importantly, it avoids common ANC problems like ear pressure or listening fatigue, which makes it comfortable to use for long hours without feeling drained.

Spatial audio

Spatial Audio on the CMF Headphone Pro comes in two modes: Cinema and Concert, and I ended up using them differently depending on what I was watching or listening to. Cinema mode was the one I used the most. While watching movies or streaming shows on my tablet, it widened the soundstage and made dialogue feel clearer and more centred. Action scenes sounded more spacious, but the effect never felt artificial or echo-heavy, which I appreciated during longer viewing sessions.

 

Concert mode was more situational. With well-recorded live performances, it added a nice sense of depth and made the music feel more open, almost like sitting a few rows back at a gig. However, with regular studio tracks, the effect wasn’t always consistent and sometimes felt unnecessary. Because of that, I didn’t leave Concert mode on all the time, but it was fun to switch to when the content suited it.

 

What I liked overall is that Spatial Audio doesn’t change the headphone’s core sound too much. Turning it on or off never felt risky; if it worked for the content, it enhanced the experience, and if it didn’t, switching it off brought me straight back to the familiar sound without any adjustment period.

Sound quality

The CMF Headphone Pro delivers a clean and balanced sound focused on comfort rather than loud, flashy tuning. The bass has good depth and punch when needed but stays controlled, so it doesn’t overpower vocals or instruments. Voices sound clear and natural, making the headphones great for music, podcasts and calls, while instruments remain well separated even in busy tracks. The treble is smooth with just enough sparkle to keep things lively without becoming harsh, resulting in a sound profile that’s easy to enjoy for long listening sessions.

Personal sound profile

The CMF Headphone Pro also comes with a Personal Sound feature powered by Audiodo, which I’ve seen before on the CMF Buds 2 Plus. Through the Nothing X app, it runs a short three-minute hearing test that checks how you respond to different sound frequencies and then creates a listening profile tailored specifically to you. This profile is saved directly on the headphones, so it stays consistent no matter which device you’re using.

 

The difference isn’t dramatic, but it’s definitely there. Vocals sound a bit more natural, and certain details in the music come through more clearly. It’s not the kind of feature that jumps out at you, but rather one that quietly improves the experience in the background. Once it’s set up, you stop thinking about it, which is probably exactly how personalisation features like this should work. 

Battery life

Battery life is easily one of the biggest strengths of the CMF Headphone Pro. As of writing this, I have not charged the headphones even once, and it’s already been four days with light to moderate use. That alone says a lot about how long they last in everyday conditions.

 

CMF claims up to 100 hours of playback with ANC turned off and around 50 hours with ANC on, and based on my usage so far, those numbers don’t feel unrealistic. In real life, this means you’re likely charging these headphones once every week or two, depending on how heavily you use them.

 

A quick five-minute charge can give you hours of listening time, and a full charge takes under two hours. There’s even the option to top them up directly from a smartphone when needed, which came in handy while travelling. Overall, the battery life takes away the usual anxiety of constantly checking charge levels and planning your listening around a charger.

Calls and microphone quality

I usually judge call quality very quickly, if the person on the other end struggles to hear me, it becomes obvious within the first few minutes. With the CMF Headphone Pro, nothing felt awkward during regular calls or video calls. My voice came through clearly, and I didn’t have to repeat myself or raise my voice.

 

The headphones use three microphones with environmental noise cancellation, and in indoor settings, call quality is reliable and natural. Conversations felt smooth whether I was on a work call or a casual video chat. Outdoors, the background noise is under control, though in very windy conditions, some noise does get through.

Nothing X App 

The Nothing X app works as the main control centre for the CMF Headphone Pro. It’s available on both Android and iOS. Through the app, you can adjust the sound using EQ and different sound profiles, control noise cancellation levels, set up the Personal Sound profile, and customise what the Action Button does. Everything is placed where you expect it to be, so you’re not digging through menus to find basic settings.

 

The interface is clean and simple, in line with Nothing’s design style. It doesn’t overwhelm you with too many options, but at the same time, it gives you all the controls you actually need. Instead of feeling cluttered, the app feels focused and practical, which suits the headphones well. 

Verdict

The CMF Headphone Pro are strong first over-ear headphones from CMF by Nothing. It focuses on things that matter in daily use such as comfort, long battery life, and easy-to-use physical controls. The sound is balanced and pleasant for long listening sessions, noise cancellation works well without feeling tiring, and features like Spatial Audio and Personal Sound add value without getting in the way. The battery life is a real highlight and makes charging something you rarely have to think about.

 

These are not perfect, though. Noise cancellation isn’t the best in the segment. The bold design may also not be for everyone. Still, if you want over-ear headphones that are comfortable, practical, and different from the usual designs, the CMF Headphone Pro is a solid and easy recommendation.

• Price: Rs 6,999
• Colour: Light Green

CMF Headphone Pro: Unboxing 

 

 

 

 

 

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