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@clear_piccolo_51 · Owner-reported
Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
You need to play around with it heavily or find guides / QR codes to get good / preferable audio response / quality. Once it’s dialed in, these are my favorite pair of headphones visually, physically (buttons and dials), and especially audio-wise.
@gentle_ridge_32 · Owner-reported
Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
It sounds great, looks great, feels alright, controls are amazing, battery is strong
Own it? Your review joins these
Three answers, four quick reads, one sentence nobody tells you before buying · Sign-in needed to publish · Photo optional
At 8.5, its noise cancelling beats 70% of over-ear headphones we've measured.
Measured on 64 of the 243 we've cataloged.
At 4.1, its audio quality beats 49% of over-ear headphones we've measured.
Measured on 49 of the 243 we've cataloged.
2 of 2 would buy again. 2 of 2 still use it daily.
Owned 6–12 months.
What gave out: Headband / hinge (2)
above average for over-ear headphones — based on 160 of 243 we've cataloged.
Usb-c is the most common — on 89% of the 139 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 243).
5.4 appears on 10% of the 153 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 243).
above average for over-ear headphones — based on 201 of 243 we've cataloged.
Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.
Nothing Headphone (1) Frequency Response (measured on a B&K 5128)
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Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.
| Frequency (Hz) | Response (dB) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 9.5 |
| 25 | 7.8 |
| 32 | 5.7 |
| 40 | 3.8 |
| 50 | 3.6 |
| 63 | 4.0 |
| 80 | 3.7 |
| 100 | 1.8 |
| 125 | 0.3 |
| 160 | -1.2 |
| 200 | -2.4 |
| 250 | -2.2 |
| 315 | -2.1 |
| 400 | -2.2 |
| 500 | -1.5 |
| 630 | -0.0 |
| 800 | 1.1 |
| 1000 | 1.9 |
| 1250 | 1.7 |
| 1600 | 3.4 |
| 2000 | 5.6 |
| 2500 | 6.0 |
| 3150 | 7.0 |
| 4000 | 3.0 |
| 5000 | 4.1 |
| 6300 | 5.5 |
| 8000 | 5.2 |
| 10000 | -0.0 |
| 12500 | -2.3 |
| 16000 | -10.5 |
| 20000 | -25.2 |
Nothing Headphone (1) Attenuation (measured on a B&K 5128)
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Solid lines: passive isolation (dB) with ANC off — how much ambient noise the fit blocks on its own. Dashed lines: total attenuation (dB) with ANC on — passive isolation plus active noise cancelling. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | -0.7 |
| 26 | 1.2 |
| 33 | -0.1 |
| 41 | -0.8 |
| 52 | -0.6 |
| 65 | -0.8 |
| 82 | -2.4 |
| 103 | -2.4 |
| 130 | -1.3 |
| 163 | 1.1 |
| 205 | 3.3 |
| 259 | 5.9 |
| 325 | 8.8 |
| 410 | 10.6 |
| 516 | 13.3 |
| 613 | 14.6 |
| 772 | 15.3 |
| 972 | 17.6 |
| 1220 | 20.8 |
| 1540 | 24.1 |
| 1940 | 34.5 |
| 2440 | 33.1 |
| 3070 | 23.5 |
| 3870 | 35.4 |
| 4870 | 30.5 |
| 6130 | 36.8 |
| 7720 | 32.1 |
| 9720 | 36.9 |
| 12200 | 38.4 |
| 15400 | 37.4 |
| 19400 | 39.0 |
| Frequency (Hz) | Total attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 1.3 |
| 26 | -0.2 |
| 33 | -0.4 |
| 41 | 1.0 |
| 52 | 4.4 |
| 65 | 6.5 |
| 82 | 11.3 |
| 103 | 15.3 |
| 130 | 16.3 |
| 163 | 18.1 |
| 205 | 20.5 |
| 259 | 23.0 |
| 325 | 26.3 |
| 410 | 26.9 |
| 516 | 25.6 |
| 613 | 24.8 |
| 772 | 25.9 |
| 972 | 24.4 |
| 1220 | 25.8 |
| 1540 | 27.4 |
| 1940 | 26.9 |
| 2440 | 29.8 |
| 3070 | 22.4 |
| 3870 | 35.4 |
| 4870 | 30.4 |
| 6130 | 36.5 |
| 7720 | 32.5 |
| 9720 | 36.3 |
| 12200 | 37.5 |
| 15400 | 37.4 |
| 19400 | 40.1 |
Nothing Headphone (1) MDAQS
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores, Scale 1 - 5
Virtual mean opinion scores (MOS) on a 1–5 scale, modeled from the measured response by HEAD acoustics’ MDAQS (Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score) model. Higher is better across timbre, distortion, and immersiveness — add other models to see where this one lands.
The verdict
Nothing's Mark 1 headphones are an impressive debut in the over-ear space. They get many things right, from great ANC to a feature-rich app and a rare IP52 water-resistance rating, but the sound quality requires some tinkering with the custom EQ.
✓Liked: ANC, App, Design, Battery
✕Could be better: Default sound is dark, Doesn't fold, Some Nothing-exclusive features
What readers who own the Nothing Headphone (1) report after living with it. Owner-reported, checked before publishing; ordered photo-verified first, then newest.
Owner reviews are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not rewritten by us: at most we proofread typos, which is shown on the review’s own page and which the author can undo. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from owner reviews.
2 owner reviews
CPEvery author writes under a generated pseudonym; a member can choose to show their name and photo beside it. A signed-in author’s email is never shown. Read more · The reader says they own it. We have not seen proof, and we say so — no label here is proof of a purchase. Read more · Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
Would buy againYou need to play around with it heavily or find guides / QR codes to get good / preferable audio response / quality. Once it’s dialed in, these are my favorite pair of headphones visually, physically (buttons and dials), and especially audio-wise.
GREvery author writes under a generated pseudonym; a member can choose to show their name and photo beside it. A signed-in author’s email is never shown. Read more · The reader says they own it. We have not seen proof, and we say so — no label here is proof of a purchase. Read more · Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
Would buy againIt sounds great, looks great, feels alright, controls are amazing, battery is strong
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What readers ask about the Nothing Headphone (1), answered by the people who own it.
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Ask the first question →See how the Nothing Headphone (1) stacks up against the competition.
Video reviews and comparisons for this product.
Commentary and deep dives from the SoundGuys editorial team.
Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterPersonal Sound is my favorite feature on the Nothing Headphone (1)Tailor your listening with this easy-to-miss Nothing Headphone (1) feature.
Tom TriggsContributorThe best Nothing Headphone (1) alternativesIs the hype for nothing?Tom TriggsContributorI uncovered a major issue with the Nothing Headphone (1)Nothing's worse than headphones that don't fit.Tom TriggsContributorI'm never going back to touch controls after using the Nothing Headphone (1)#BringBackButtons
Adam BirneyManaging EditorThis one feature of the Nothing Headphone (1) proves Apple, Sony and Bose can do betterNothing proved water-resistant headphones are possible. What's everyone else's excuse?Adam BirneyManaging EditorWhat do all the Nothing Headphone (1)'s EQ presets sound like?Let's explore what's in store for you.
Christian ThomasEditor-at-largePhone-specific features suck. Here's whyHeadphone manufacturers are marching to the same somber beat.Tom TriggsContributorI've reviewed headphones for over a decade: Here are 5 things I wish they did differentlyHeadphone companies: help me help youChristian ThomasEditor-at-large5 ways headphones are going to change in 2027Here's where things are headed.Christian ThomasEditor-at-largeWired vs wireless headphones: Which should you buy?Wired headphones do not automatically sound better.Tom TriggsContributor
3 of 5 would buy again
5 owners · owners report ~40 h per charge vs 40 h claimed
Comfort beat their expectations
Expected more from the fit and build
The battery beat their expectations
1 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
Nothing surprising about comfort
0 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
The noise cancelling beat their expectations
0 of 1 would buy again
1 owner · 1 photo-verified
Expected more from comfort
0 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
Comfort beat their expectations
1 of 1 would buy again
1 owner · owners report ~55 h per charge vs 53.77 h claimed
The battery beat their expectations
