Nothing introduced the Headphone (a) along with the Nothing Phone 4a and Phone 4a Pro at London. The headphones are positioned a tad below the company’s top shelf offering, i.e., the Headphone (1). These are my first impressions after spending some time with them during the unveiling event.
Design And Fit
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The design looks completely the same as the Headphone (1). The difference is felt when you hold the Headphone (a). The frame is polycarbonate and glass fibre, and hence, the overall weight also comes down a notch.
The design, overall, is extremely punk-rock. Billy Joe Arstsrong would love it. There are standard colourways such as white and black, and there are some interesting options such as pink and yellow.
One can call them an exact replica of the Headphone (1), but if you look closely, you will start noticing the differences. The Headphone (a) is a bit more subtle in the sense that it stands out less in a crowd. Do not get me wrong, they still stand out in a sea of Sony 1000XM6s and Bose Quietcomforts. However, compared to the Headphone (1), these are less transparent, lighter in weight, and, for some reason, they appear slimmer.
The fit is so snug that I did not want to take these off my ears at the media launch event. They sit really well on the ears, and the main reason for this is the quality of the ear cushions. The clamping force is just about right, and the grip over the head is good.
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There are no touch controls in sight and only tactile buttons. Users get a paddle, a roller, volume, ANC, and voice assistant controls. These are well-designed and tactile, and needless to say, well-thought-out. There was an intention behind each button, and it is clearly visible. There is also a Bluetooth pairing button on the inside that you might almost miss.
The last thing I wanted to mention in the design section was the IP 52 rating, which kind of restricts the usage of the headphones in certain situations. One of the activities that sees people use headphones excessively is during exercising, and unless scientists find a way to eliminate sweating, the IP52 rating is sort of downer.
Performance Metrics
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The Headphone (a) is powered by 40 millimetre titanium-coated dynamic drivers which support LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs. You can choose between these codecs from the Nothing X app. They have a frequency response of 20Hz to 40,000Hz and apply some AI-powered algorithms to enhance the bass response.
The Nothing X app also allows users to gain access to an 8-band equaliser and grants the ability to configure the Spatial Audio settings. The Headphone (a) also comes with ANC, which means it can cancel external noise, up to 40db, to be precise. There are three settings to adjust the intensity. There is adaptive ANC, as well, which allows the headphones to adjust the noise cancelling based on the environment.
Bluetooth 5.4 enables quick connectivity and allows for multiple-point pairing for two devices at the same time.
Battery Life
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The 1,060mAh battery in the Headphone (a) claims to offer up to 75 hours of playback with ANC turned on, which is more than the Headphone (1). Turn it off, and you’ll get up to 135 hours. Additionally, if you do not have time for a full charge, all you need to do is plug it in for five minutes, which will provide up to five hours of playback with ANC on.
Audio Quality
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The first thing that came to mind after seeing the headphones was “Who did the tuning?” Well, it turns out that Keff, the UK-based company that Nothing partners with for audio tuning, did not work on the Headphone (a), which was surprising because the headphones sounded very good. Saying this at the risk of sounding flippant, but despite not having a professional company tuning their headphones, the Headphone (a) sounded terrific.
On the AC front, I must say that this is one area that truly lets you know that these are not flagship headphones. Unlike other top-tier headphones like the Sony XM6 or the Bose, the active noise cancellation (ANC) in the Headphone (a) will not make you feel like you’re in a vacuum. They are sufficient, though, and will get the job done, which is to give you a breather from the noise around you. During the media launch, I wore this headset, and it completely shunned the top-end part of the ambient noise. So, things like people speaking, most of the music that was being played, and general surrounding noise were all gone. However, if I really focused, I could hear some of the talking going around me and the music from the speakers. That said, for the price, this ANC was good.
Final Thoughts: Nothing Headphone (a)
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The Headphone (a) came across as a very viable option for those who prefer not to compromise on audio quality and have an elevated taste in the design of the products that they use. That said, at the same time, they do not wish to empty their bank accounts for the sake of music. For these users, the Nothing Headphone (a) poses as a viable option with its lightweight frame, sleek design, various colour options, and a bunch of tactile buttons.
The only downside I see here is the lack of a higher IP rating since headphones usually find their way to situations where there is somehow water involved, i.e., the gym, the pool, beach, rainy days, and the list goes on.
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The noise cancellation is decent, the 40mm titanium-coated drivers do a great job in delivering a totally immersive audio experience, and last but not least, a longer battery life than the flagship Headphone (1). I have not reviewed this, but as per various reviews on the web, these headphones really do muster up around 75 hours of battery life with ANC. Other features such as Dual Connect, Fast Pair, low latency, and Hi-Res make it a very tempting choice for daily usage.
I really wish these come to India very soon. The quality of audio that the Headphone (a) produces, along with the price tag, as well as really interesting colour options, make this product a must-have. If and when these do come to India, they will probably be priced at around Rs 20,000.
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