CMF’s first portable speaker packs impressive volume and clear sound into a quirky milk carton-inspired design. I’ve been testing a pair of the Speaker S to see whether its distinctive looks are matched by its performance.

CMF, Nothing’s more affordable brand, has taken a pretty different approach with its first wireless speakers. Featuring a milk carton-inspired design, the Speaker S and M stands out from the usual Bluetooth speaker crowd.

I was sent a pair of CMF Speaker S units to try out, and I was genuinely surprised by just how much sound these little speakers can produce. I’ve spent some time listening around the house and at my desk, and there’s plenty to like about CMF’s compact speakers.

Unboxing

The CMF Speaker S arrives in a pretty compact box. There’s an image of the speaker on the front of the box, with a side-profile image and key specification details around the sides. These include its IP68 rating, 18-hour battery life, 10W output and NFC pairing.

Inside, you’ll find the speaker itself and a quick start guide. Unfortunately, there’s no charging cable included, which is a little annoying. It’s not a major issue if you already have a USB-C cable, but it would have been nice to have one in the box.

One thing that was immediately noticeable when I took the speakers out the box was just how small they were. I’m not really sure what I was expecting, but I didn’t quite release they’d be this small, and they come in at 130.5mm tall.

Design

Unlike most conventional Bluetooth speakers, the CMF Speaker S takes a rather different approach. After all, its shape is inspired by a milk carton.

Personally, I think it’s cool. Like I said in our review of the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro, I’m a big fan of Nothing’s unique approach to product design and the CMF Speakers look totally different from any other speaker on the market. That said, I did find it a little strange seeing one sitting on the side in my bedroom.

The Speaker S is available in orange, turquoise, dark grey and white. I was sent the turquoise and dark grey versions, with the latter essentially being black.

I find myself drawn to the more colourful options, and the turquoise one probably edges it for me overall. However, I did quite like the dark grey as it’s a little more sleek and understated in the home.

The front panel and control knob are removable. The two speakers I tested came with different knob designs. The turquoise speaker had a circular white knob, while the dark grey speaker came with a reddish-orange control shaped like more of a dial. I personally preferred the latter, although it’s cool that you can swap them around.

Nothing has also released official design files for the front panels and knobs, allowing you to 3D-print your own. If you have access to a printer, this could be a fun way to customise the speaker to match your setup or experiment with your own designs. 

There’s also a small circular hole at the top, which lets you attach the speaker to a bag or hang it somewhere. I could see this being useful when camping, for example, or simply clipping it onto a bag when taking it out and about.

Controls

Physical controls are another key part of Nothing’s approach to design, and that same philosophy rings true with the CMF Speaker S.

On the front, the removable knob handles volume and playback. Turning it adjusts the volume, while pressing it plays or pauses your music. Double-pressing skips to the next track, while triple-pressing takes you back to the previous one. Holding down the knob activates Ultra Bass mode by default, but can also be assigned to activate Wide Soundstage. 

Moving to the back, you’ll find dedicated buttons for power, Bluetooth pairing and Auracast, alongside a USB-C port for charging and wired playback. There’s also a lock switch at the top, which keeps the removable front panel securely in place.

NFC is located on the side, allowing compatible phones to pair with a tap.

I found the controls easy and intuitive to use, and there’s something satisfying about having physical buttons and a dial rather than relying entirely on an app. I enjoyed a similar approach on the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro, although the benefits are perhaps more obvious on headphones. With a speaker, it’s more convenient to adjust the volume from your phone than walking over to it.

Connectivity

Connecting the speakers to my iPhone 16 was easy. I used them with Apple Music and the controls on the speakers worked exactly as expected.

The CMF Speaker S supports Bluetooth 6.0, NFC pairing and USB-C playback, so you’re not limited to wireless listening. The USB-C connection also supports lossless digital audio, which could be handy if you want to use the speaker with a laptop or desktop.

One of the main reasons I was sent two Speaker S units was to try them together. I found the process very easy. I pressed the Auracast button and the speakers quickly connected to each other, automatically switching into Party Mode within the Nothing X app. 

One thing I noticed was that adjusting the volume physically on one speaker didn’t synchronise it across both. I guess this is handy if you want different volumes in separate rooms, but if you’d rather adjust them together, you can do so from your phone.

Sound

The sound on the CMF Speaker S is surprisingly good. The first thing I noticed was the clarity. Vocals sounded particularly clear, and I found the speakers enjoyable to listen to while working and moving them around the house.

I was interested in just how loud they could get, and found myself turning the volume all the way up. I wasn’t expecting much from its small size, but the speaker is impressively loud. Even a single Speaker S was more than capable of filling a small room.

Pair two speakers together and the sound becomes fuller, making them a great option for listening around the house or in larger spaces. With two of the same speakers paired, you can enable Stereo Mode within the Nothing X app, which plays separate left and right channels.

There is one limitation when multiple speakers are paired together though. Some sound customisation options, including EQ and Ultra Bass, are automatically disabled. As I primarily used the speakers together, I found this a little annoying as I couldn’t take full advantage of the available settings.

Nothing X app

Alongside the physical controls, the Nothing X app provides a range of customisation options for the Speaker S.

You can choose between four EQ presets: Balanced, More Bass, More Treble and Voice. There’s also a custom EQ option. Each does what you’d expect, giving you a straightforward way to adjust the sound to suit your listening preferences.

There’s also Ultra Bass Mode, Night Mode, Low Lag Mode and Wide Soundstage. Ultra Bass Mode can be activated through the app or by holding down the physical knob, and it noticeably boosts the low-end.

I was particularly impressed by Night Mode, which works by capping the volume at 60% and reduces the bass. I found that the vocals remained loud and clear, while the rest of the music felt softer. It’s a useful option when you want to listen in quieter environments.

I also tried Wide Soundstage, which is designed to make the sound feel more spacious. While it certainly works, I probably preferred leaving it off.

There’s plenty to experiment with in the app, although I’d have liked more freedom to use these features while the speakers were paired together.

Battery life

CMF claims up to 18 hours of battery life from the Speaker S, although actual playback time will depend on how loudly you’re listening and which features are enabled.

The speakers arrived with roughly 50–60% battery remaining, and after a few days of using them on and off, I still had plenty of charge left. The battery level is also displayed in the Nothing X app whenever the speaker is connected, making it easy to keep an eye on how much charge is left.

So, is it worth buying?

Overall, I think CMF has made a very impressive first speaker. The Speaker S is compact, distinctive and surprisingly loud, with a design that’s both practical and a little quirky.

I really like the design, even if the milk carton shape seems a little unusual in some environments. More importantly, the sound is genuinely impressive for such a small speaker. Vocals are clear, there’s plenty of volume, and pairing two together gives you an even fuller listening experience.

At $59, it’s a compelling option if you’re looking for a portable speaker that looks and sounds amazing. The ability to pair multiple together makes the Speaker S an appealing option for listening at home or taking out and about.

The CMF Speaker S is avaialble now on Amazon for $59.

The CMF Speaker S was sent to RouteNote by Nothing for review. No money has exchanged hands for our opinions. The Amazon link above is an affiliate link, meaning we may earn a small commission from sales generated.