Just under a year after the Buds Pro, Nothing is back with the Buds Pro 2. The earbuds debut a new case (like the Buds) and promise improvements in all the areas that matter.
For your information, we performed this test with firmware version 0.0.5.7. The CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 are available at the price of 59 euros in 4 colors (blue, orange, light gray and dark gray)
Design & Confort
Nothing’s sub-brand has decided to revisit its copy with the Buds Pro 2 and this is proven in terms of design. The approach remains classic and the design is reminiscent of Apple’s AirPods Pro, with a stem oriented towards the user’s mouth. The top of the earphone reveals a slight protuberance to offer a bean shape that fits into the hollow of the ear.
In this light gray version, the Buds Pro 2 will be easily forgotten and will not really stand out from the many earphones on the market. While I personally appreciate this color, CMF does not forget its roots and still offers a flashier orange version, as well as dark gray and blue variants. Only the discreet brand logo slips onto the stem of the earphones.
Even though we are dealing with all-plastic earphones, the Buds Pro 2 benefit from a rather good manufacturing quality. The transition between the matte and glossy finishes of the earphones is well managed by the manufacturer. In addition, the Buds Pro 2 are IP55 certified and are resistant to dust and water splashes. The manufacturer is slightly improving compared to the Buds and Buds Pro, two pairs of earphones certified IP54.
Once on the ears, the Buds Pro 2 prove to be very comfortable. The semi-in-ear orientation and the lightness (4.9 g) of the earphones avoid any pressure. They can be worn for long sessions without feeling any discomfort.
A new case with a wheel
The main design novelty is in the case. CMF abandons the cylindrical format in favor of a square one. The case opens in two flaps like a jewel case, revealing the earphones inside. A small dial is located at the top left, as a nod to the CMF Phone 1 launched this year. It is not only decorative and acts as an extension of the earphone controls.
Called a “customizable smart dial” by CMF, this wheel is customizable from the Nothing X app (see below). The integration is successful and this wheel brings a touch of originality to these entry-level headphones.
Features & User Experience
Orders
The Buds Pro 2 are controlled using a touch surface on each earbud. The basic controls available by default are:
- Double press: fast forward, answer calls
- Triple press: fast rewind, hang up calls/reject incoming calls
- Long press: noise control
- Double tap and hold: no action
The wheel is invited to the party
It is obviously possible to modify them via the Nothing X application. The controls are rather responsive and easily accessible, accompanied by sound alerts. CMF also offers in-ear detection to switch to pause when the earphones are removed (automatic playback when they are inserted). There is also a dual connection option to connect up to 2 devices at the same time with the earphones.
The novelty with this model comes from the case and more particularly from its customizable wheel. It allows access to several commands: play/pause, fast forward, fast rewind, voice assistant, low latency mode, answer calls, volume control… The actions are numerous and most are customizable, with the exception of two gestures:
- Volume management is logically reserved for rotating the wheel
- Dial lock/unlock is done only by double pressing and holding
This addition is convenient for controlling the headphones without going through your phone or by pressing directly on the headphones. There is a risk of unexpectedly pressing the wheel, but the lock is there to avoid this type of problem.
L’application Nothing X
All this is controlled via the Nothing X application, already seen on other Nothing or CMF headphones. Very well designed and pleasant to use, it provides all the expected features to manage the headphones. The app aims to be very complete by ensuring sound management (equalizer, noise control, Ultra Bass, etc.), controls or even options such as the tip adjustment test.
Discover the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 on Amazon
Audio quality
Affordable, the CMF Buds Pro 2 promise “hi-fi” sound and we can say that the brand is giving itself the means. The earphones are inspired by the higher ranges by offering a dual-speaker configuration. There is an 11 mm bass speaker and a 6 mm tweeter.
This interesting design is complemented by the presence of a Bluetooth 5.3 chip supporting SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs. As we saw in the application, CMF also focuses on bass with the Ultra Bass mode and offers an equalizer with six preset settings. By default, we are entitled to the Pop mode with active noise reduction and the Ultra Bass mode at level 3. High-quality audio (LDAC codec) is not enabled by default.
Nothing gets lost in the bass
To our ears, CMF’s choices do not allow the Buds Pro 2 to be highlighted. There is an over-representation of low frequencies on the soundstage, so much so that listening quickly becomes tiring. These bass crush the other frequencies, which struggle to express themselves while we nevertheless detect a certain potential. This is confirmed by correcting a few parameters (flat mode, deactivating Ultra Bass mode, activating the LDAC codec) and by playing on noise reduction.
The best sensations come from deactivating it, but we tend to keep it in an urban environment. The Buds Pro 2 express themselves better and listening becomes more pleasant, with good precision for the price. A lack of detail remains, however, as does the bass which leads to an imbalance in the sound signature. The latter are still a little less slobbery than with the Ultra Bass mode.
This approach may appeal depending on your listening preferences, but it should be taken into account when making your choice. It remains quite common on the entry level, reversing the trend we had a few years ago with a sound that was too metallic. The quest for the right balance remains delicate, especially in this price range.
Noise reduction still lagging behind
There is a fairly large gap between Nothing’s speech (which promises attenuation of up to 50 dB) and reality. The CMF Buds Pro 2 are not necessarily very bad at this – especially if you take into account the price positioning – but they don’t promise miracles. The headphones offer to juggle between four levels: adaptive, low, medium and high.
Even at the maximum level, the headphones are far from filtering out all external noise. They are limited to attenuating the most muted noises, such as an engine or a fan. On the other hand, the limits are quickly reached and the Buds Pro 2 never give the impression of cutting you off from the world. The mids or even the voices are very little filtered, so you can always hear a conversation. In the good news department, we still have relatively effective passive isolation.
Autonomy: CMF keeps its promises
The CMF Buds Pro 2 have 60 mAh batteries while the case integrates a 460 mAh accumulator. The manufacturer claims up to 11 hours of listening (without ANC) or 6h30 with ANC (and the AAC codec). Bet held for CMF which achieves this promise without too much difficulty, which is an appreciable element.
The case is there to provide about three additional charges. It needs about 1 hour to fully charge the earphones while a full charge (case + earphones via USB-C) takes about 1h10. A quick 10-minute charge helps to recover up to 3 hours of listening on the earphones (a little less than 2 hours with ANC). We inevitably lose endurance by activating the LDAC codec. The results are nevertheless more than correct with 6h30 of listening without ANC and around 4h with active noise cancellation.
Source: www.journaldugeek.com
