Nothing Headphone (1) Pro brings triple-driver sound and studio-focused tuning

By Tom MarshallOctober 7, 202611 mins read

Nothing’s new Headphone (1) Pro brings triple-driver audio, adaptive ANC, lossless USB-C playback and studio-focused tuning to its latest premium over-ear headphones.

Nothing has expanded its over-ear headphone range with the Headphone (1) Pro, a more advanced version of its first-generation Headphone (1).

The new model combines three dedicated drivers, improved noise cancellation, tactile physical controls and a new Flat EQ mode developed with London’s Metropolis Studios. It is aimed at listeners who want more control over how their music sounds, while still working as an everyday pair of wireless headphones.

Here’s what you need to know about the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro.

Design and physical controls

The Headphone (1) Pro keeps Nothing’s distinctive transparent and industrial design, returning in both black and white colours. But this time, the headphones introduce several changes aimed at making the headphones more comfortable for longer listening sessions.

Nothing says the new ear cushions are 50% softer than those on the previous Headphone (1), while the headband is 10% wider with 12% thicker padding. The earcups can pivot up to 20 degrees to help them sit more comfortably.

Rather than relying on touch controls, the Headphone (1) Pro has a tactile roller for volume and playback, a paddle for skipping and scrubbing tracks, and a customisable button.

There’s also a new physical Flat EQ switch. Developed alongside Metropolis Studios, it’s designed as a tool for receiving music, producing and mixing by offering a more neutral sound profile.

Sound quality

The biggest change is inside the earcups.

The Headphone (1) Pro uses a three-driver system, with a 40mm bass driver, a precision dynamic driver for the midrange and an xMEMS solid-state tweeter handling higher frequencies.

In practical terms, Nothing is aiming for stronger low-end, clearer vocals and more detailed high frequencies.

Alongside Flat EQ, the Nothing X app offers further EQ customisation. Users can choose from Advanced EQ, Personal Sound and several genre-focused profiles. There is also Dynamic Spatial Audio with head tracking, with modes including Studio B, Club, Concert Hall and Live House.

The headphones support Hi-Res Audio, with LDAC wireless playback up to 24-bit/96kHz and lossless USB-C audio up to 24-bit/192kHz. A 3.5mm connection supports up to 24-bit/96kHz.

That wired USB-C option gives users another way to use the headphones when Bluetooth isn’t the right choice.

ANC and microphones

This time around, Nothing has equipped the Headphone (1) Pro with ten microphones for Adaptive Noise Cancellation, up from six on the Headphone (1). Three feed-forward and two feedback microphones sit on each side, working to reduce sound up to 46dB. Combined with a new silicone sound seal, Nothing says the Headphone Pro (1) offers 40% broader noise cancellation coverage than the original Headphone (1).

The microphone system also works for calls and voice recordings. Nothing says its Environmental Noise Cancellation system has been trained using more than 30 million real-world scenarios, helping separate the user’s voice from wind and surrounding noise.

Battery life and connectivity

The Nothing Headphone (1) Pro boasts up to 30 hours of battery life with ANC enabled or 68 hours with ANC switched off. A five-minute charge can provide up to 4 hours of listening time.

The Headphone (1) Pro supports Bluetooth 6.1, LDAC, multipoint connectivity and both USB-C and 3.5mm wired connections. They support Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair and MFi setup for Apple devices. Meanwhile, Auracast compatibility allows audio to be broadcast to multiple headphones at the same time.

There is also a low-latency mode offered through the Nothing X app.