Do You Know? Nothing’s Headphone (1) Pro is the company’s latest over-ear model, with three drivers in each earcup and tuning developed with Metropolis Studios.
What Nothing announced
Nothing announced the Headphone (1) Pro at an evening event in New York City. The headphones resemble the company’s first over-ear model, introduced the previous summer, but Nothing says the design and fit have been refined.
The Headphone (1) Pro costs $399, which is $100 more than the standard Headphone (1). Nothing is positioning the new model for consumers seeking higher-quality sound as well as recording artists and audio professionals working in studios.
What changed inside
Instead of using one dynamic driver for the full audio range in each earcup, the Headphone (1) Pro has three drivers per ear. A 40-mm bass dynamic driver handles low frequencies, a precision dynamic driver covers the midrange, and an xMEMS-based treble driver handles high frequencies.
Nothing says the midrange driver is designed to render vocal, piano and guitar sounds, including “S” and “T” sounds, with more detail. The company also says the silicon-diaphragm xMEMS driver should make sharp transients, such as cymbal hits and synth stabs, sound clearer. These are company claims rather than independent test results.
Studio-focused features
The headphones include a physical button that activates a flat equalization mode. Nothing developed the EQ features with Metropolis Studios, and a “Studio B” Dynamic Spatial Audio mode is intended to simulate the studio’s mixing room.
There are also four other custom EQ profiles, including Concert Hall and Club. The headphones support a 3.5-mm wired connection, hi-res wireless audio and USB-C.
Design, battery and noise cancellation
The earcups include two 9H Panda glass panels that expose parts of the internal hardware. The rest of the headphones are largely aluminum with titanium accents. Nothing claims the glass is shatter- and scratch-resistant; the company’s associate principal industrial designer, Philipp Von Lintel, told WIRED that it survived durability tests involving 18 drops from more than 1 meter.
The Headphone (1) Pro is 2 grams lighter than the standard Headphone (1), with a wider headband and thicker padding. Battery life is rated at up to 68 hours with active noise cancellation turned off, compared with 80 hours for the standard model. The headphones have an IP52 dust- and water-resistance rating.
Nothing says the model has its strongest active noise cancellation yet, using 10 microphones to filter ambient sound. That is a company claim and has not been independently established in the supplied report.
When and where it goes on sale
The Headphone (1) Pro is scheduled to reach stores on September 29 through Nothing’s online store, Amazon and Best Buy locations across North America.
Why this matters
Nothing is using a multi-driver design, studio collaboration and dedicated EQ controls to distinguish its newest headphones from more conventional single-driver models. The product is aimed at both everyday listeners and people who want studio-oriented features while commuting or making music away from a studio.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Headphone (1) Pro cost?
Nothing lists the headphones at $399, a $100 increase over the standard Headphone (1).
How many drivers does each ear have?
Each ear has three drivers: a 40-mm bass driver, a precision dynamic midrange driver and an xMEMS treble driver.
Does it support wired listening?
Yes. The headphones include a 3.5-mm jack and also support USB-C and hi-res wireless audio.
How long does the battery last?
Nothing rates battery life at up to 68 hours with active noise cancellation turned off.
Bottom Line
The $399 Headphone (1) Pro is Nothing’s more studio-focused over-ear model, combining three drivers per ear, Metropolis Studios-inspired audio modes, wired connectivity and claimed improvements to noise cancellation.
Source
This report is based on information published by WIRED.
