Nothing Headphone (1) Pro Unveiled with Triple-Driver Setup and 46dB ANC!

Nothing entered the over-ear headphone market last year with its first Headphone (1), bringing the brand’s distinctive transparent design and tactile controls to a new category. The company has now unveiled its successor, the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro, with a more advanced triple-driver setup, improved ANC, and a stronger focus on studio-style audio. It also retains the transparent design language while adding features developed with Metropolis Studios. 

So, let’s take a closer look at everything the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro brings to the table, including its design, audio, features, battery life, specifications, and price in Nepal.

Nothing Headphone (1) Pro Overview

Design and Build

The Headphone (1) Pro retains the transparent aesthetic that made the original Headphone (1) stand out, but Nothing has made several changes to the construction. The earcups feature transparent glass panels that offer a look at parts of the triple-driver architecture inside. These are made from upgraded 9H Panda Glass, which Nothing says is scratch- and shatter-resistant.

The main structure is built from aluminium carved from a single block, while the headphone arms now use a titanium alloy that is 45% lighter than those on the previous model. The headphones weigh 327 grams and measure 190.2 x 174.4 x 78.0mm.

Comfort has also received some attention. The dual-layer ear cushions are 50% softer than before and are designed to adapt better when wearing glasses. Nothing has also made the headband 10% wider and increased its padding by 12% to reduce pressure during longer listening sessions.

The headphones retain Nothing’s physical controls, including the familiar volume roller and paddle for playback controls. There is also a dedicated button that can be customised through the Nothing X app for functions such as accessing ChatGPT or using the phone’s camera shutter. 

For protection, the Headphone (1) Pro carries an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance. It also comes with a hardshell carrying case with a protective TPU lining.

Audio

The biggest upgrade comes in the audio department. Unlike the original Headphone (1), which uses a single 40mm dynamic driver per earcup, the Headphone (1) Pro uses three drivers on each side.

The setup includes a 40mm dynamic driver handling the bass, a 13 x 8mm precision dynamic driver for the midrange, and a small xMEMS solid-state driver dedicated to treble. This allows the different frequency ranges to be handled separately, with the xMEMS driver designed to deliver faster responses for high-frequency sounds. The headphones have a frequency response ranging from 20Hz to 20kHz and support Hi-Res Audio over both wired and wireless connections.

Nothing has partnered with London-based Metropolis Studios for the tuning. One of the most interesting additions is Flat EQ, which can be activated using the physical switch on the headphones. It is designed to reduce additional sound processing and provide a more neutral profile for reviewing, producing, or mixing music.

There is also Dynamic Spatial Audio with head tracking, including a Studio B mode developed around the sound of Metropolis Studios. The Nothing X app further offers custom EQ profiles, advanced EQ controls, and Personal Sound, which adapts the sound profile to the user's hearing.

Noise Cancellation

The Headphone (1) Pro also brings a substantial upgrade to noise cancellation. It uses a total of 10 microphones, with five microphones on each side dedicated to the hybrid ANC system.

Nothing claims up to 46dB of adaptive active noise cancellation, with the system continuously adjusting based on the surrounding environment and the fit of the earcups. The headphones also feature a new 8mm silicone baffle wall and a two-layer cushion system designed to reduce sound leakage.

For situations where you need to hear your surroundings, there is also a Transparency mode. This mode is designed to keep voices sounding natural rather than simply passing ambient noise through the headphones.

For calls, the Headphone (1) Pro uses four microphones for its Environmental Noise Cancellation system. Nothing says the technology was trained across 30 million scenarios to improve voice clarity in calls and voice notes.

Battery Life

The Headphone (1) Pro packs a 1,060mAh battery. With ANC turned off, Nothing claims up to 68 hours of playback using AAC, while enabling ANC reduces this to 30 hours.

When using LDAC, the figures drop to 53 hours with ANC off and 28 hours with ANC on. The headphones support fast charging as well, with a five-minute charge providing up to four hours of playback with ANC off or two hours with ANC on. A full charge takes around two hours.

• Also read:

• Nothing Headphone (a) launched in Nepal with up to 135 hours of battery life

Connectivity and Features

The Headphone (1) Pro supports Bluetooth 6.1 and can connect to two devices simultaneously. It works with both Android and iOS, with Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair available for compatible devices.

It supports AAC, SBC, and LDAC codecs for music playback, while LC3 is supported for broadcast audio. The headphones also support Auracast, allowing compatible audio to be broadcast wirelessly to multiple headphones at the same time.

There is also automatic wear detection, which can pause playback when you take the headphones off. Nothing claims latency below 15ms when using the AUX connection with Flat EQ enabled, while a low-latency mode is also available through the Nothing X app.

Nothing Headphone (1) Pro Specifications

• Weight: 327g
• Drivers: Triple driver setup (40mm dynamic, 13 × 8mm precision dynamic, xMEMS solid-state)
• Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20,000Hz
• Codecs: LDAC, AAC, SBC, LC3
• ANC: Adaptive, up to 46dB
• Microphones: 10 total, 4-mic algorithm for calls
• Battery: 1,060mAh
• Playback: Up to 68hrs (ANC off) / 30hrs (ANC on) / 53hrs (LDAC, ANC off) / 28hrs (LDAC, ANC on)
• Fast Charging: 5 min = 4hrs playback (ANC off), 2hrs (ANC on)
• Full Charge: 2 hours via USB-C
• Bluetooth: 6.1, dual-device connection
• Controls: Roller, paddle, buttons, and EQ switch
• Smart Features: Wear detection, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, Dynamic Spatial Audio, Personal Sound, custom EQ, low-latency mode, ChatGPT integration, Auracast
• IP Rating: IP52
• Wired Audio: USB-C and 3.5mm
• Colors: White, Black

Nothing Headphone (1) Pro Price in Nepal and Availability

The Nothing Headphone (1) Pro has been launched globally at USD 399 and is available in White and Black color options. Nothing has not yet announced its official Nepal pricing or availability. However, if it launches in Nepal, we expect the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro to be priced at NPR 61,999.

• Meanwhile, watch our Nothing Phone 4(b) vs Nothing Phone 4(a) video: