PSA: Nothing's latest firmware update make the Headphone 1 sound worse to some users

Nothing has been busy releasing firmware updates to improve things like the Headphone 1‘s transparency mode and sound quality. However, some users have noticed strange issues after installing the new firmware. While we’ve covered this sort of thing before, this is one of those times where it can be difficult to tell whether or not the issue is something you have to worry about. Usually, when people report wonky firmware, it only affects a small number of users, but our unit exhibited the exact issues some were posting about online. So let’s take a look at what’s going on.

What happened

With firmware update 1.0.1.72, Nothing changed the sound quality of the headphones, but did not offer details on how, exactly. After some complaints were levied from users online about the volume of the headphones going a bit wonky, Nothing hustled out firmware update 1.0.1.74, which fixed loudness issues. However, some users noted that the bass was significantly impacted after the updates.

The new update for the headphones 1 has made the bass almost non-existent… I just need to check if I’m going crazy or if anyone els(e) has the same problem.” — User willHA, Nothing forums

Upon a re-measure after the 1.0.1.74 firmware update, we found that the response with ANC on was indeed a bit strange in the lows. Because this dip in the lows is so pronounced, it stands a good chance of making some of your music sound a little weird. When asked for comment on the sound quality update and our newest measurements, Nothing didn’t have an answer right away. One user claims Nothing is aware of the issue and working on it, so it’s not surprising that the engineering team didn’t have much time to respond. I’ll update this if we hear back with more details.

While one user reported that this change in tuning was fixed by updating from 1.0.1.72 to version 1.0.1.74, there don’t seem to be many others with this experience. So it’s possible that some other setting or feature is getting messed with and affecting results in some units but not others. If it were something that affected everyone, I’d expect to see much more noise about it online, given that this update has been rolling out for over a month now. We tested our unit on two separate occasions over a week, so we know that these results are at least repeatable. If your headphones are up to date and are affected by this, you may notice that your Headphone 1 is a little too light on the low bass because of the new dip at 100Hz. Similarly, presets you have stored in your app should also sound a bit off.

There’s a long history of firmware updates causing unintended issues, so don’t think that any other company is immune to this kind of kerfuffle. Though it’s frustrating when you spend a ton of money on something and then it stops working the way you’re used to, the nature of headphones with firmware updates means that it’s always possible for something wonky to make its way through. I’ve seen this happen with a fair number of popular brands.

What to do

If this article is the first you’re hearing about this, don’t worry — hold off on updating a little if you have an earlier firmware release. Though it’s upsetting to hear about issues with a product you own, if you don’t notice anything, is it really an issue?

For those who this affects, resist the urge to EQ this dip away, or to mess too much with presets you liked before. Addressing an extreme dip like the one we measured can cause issues with distortion and/or loudness. While I tried my hand at a quick and dirty solution, I was unable to get the results I wanted — so that’s why there isn’t a QR code in this post. In the interim, turning the ANC off (above), while not a fix, will eliminate the dip in emphasis in the lows in favor of a flatter response. It won’t satisfy everyone, but the headphones should sound less weird.

I suggest anyone who’s affected keep an eye on the r/NothingTech subreddit and the Nothing forums for news and updates. In the meantime, it seems as though users’ options to deal with this dip are either to tough it out and wait or grab another set of headphones. But don’t fear: this may not be permanent. In any case, we here at SoundGuys wish you Nothing but happy listening and good luck.