ANC headphones for five hundred crowns. CMF Buds Neo look like a suspiciously good buy

The CMF brand, which falls under Nothing, has long specialized in how much equipment can be packed into the lowest possible price. With the new Buds Neo, however, they’ve taken it to a point where one automatically looks for a catch: $24.99 for headphones with active noise cancellation.

Features that don’t fit this price

Let’s start with what fit into the box. The headphones feature 12.4mm dynamic drivers with a titanium-coated dome, adaptive ANC with up to 35 dB effectiveness, and a quartet of microphones for noise cancellation during calls. Connectivity is handled by Bluetooth 6.0 with support for SBC and AAC codecs.

The manufacturer states a battery life of 11 hours from the headphones and 52 hours with the case. However, this applies with noise cancellation off – with ANC on, the numbers drop to 8 and 30 hours, respectively. Also included are Google Fast Pair, simultaneous connection of two devices, and support for the Nothing X app, which you know from more expensive models.

The design remains true to the brand. A square case with a circular dial, two-tone finish, and a lanyard hole. The dial is purely decorative this time – unlike the more expensive Clip Pro model, you don’t control the volume with it. Black, white, and dark blue are available.

How does it sound? First impressions are unexpectedly favorable

Detailed reviews are still scarce, but initial user impressions from the Nothing community forum suggest that the sound is surprisingly good for this price. The tuning is distinctly bass-heavy – meaning more fun than neutral – and the headphones are very loud. The author recommends staying around forty to fifty percent volume, as distortion reportedly appears above sixty percent.

The low weight and comfort during extended wear also received praise, and the noise cancellation is said to be surprising within its category. Conversely, spatial audio feels like a checked box in the specifications table, and the microphones are described as average. It’s worth noting that the Nothing X app offers a full-fledged equalizer and bass boost even on the cheapest model.

However, take this with a grain of salt. These are impressions from a single user published on a forum run by the manufacturer itself, not an independent test. The picture may change once editorial measurements arrive.

Will it reach us?

And here’s the catch. The headphones launch on August 26 in India for 1,999 rupees, and are sold on Amazon in the US for the aforementioned $24.99. Nothing has not announced European prices or availability dates.

Experience with previous products from the brand suggests that new releases usually arrive in Europe with a delay of several weeks. However, converting from the Indian price to crowns is completely misleading – with European VAT, logistics, and margins, the final price will shift significantly. Until Nothing announces figures for our region, there’s no point in speculating.

Do you trust noise cancellation in the cheapest headphones, or do you think it’s just a checkbox in the spec sheet?

Sources: 9to5Google, Nothing Community, Gadget Bridge