CMF by Nothing recently introduced its latest CMF Neckband Pro wireless earbuds in India at an introductory price of 1,799. Features and highlights include a 50 dB Hybrid ANC (Active Noise Cancellation), 13.6 mm dynamic drivers, IP55 water-resistant design with 3-in-1 Smart Dial control, up to 37 hours battery life with quick 10-minute Type-C charging, Ultra Bass Technology 2.0, Spacial Audio Effect, 5-mic Clear Voice Technology, and more. Here’s more about the wireless earbuds in our CMF Neckband Pro review.
CMF Neckband Pro Specifications & Features
- Driver: 13.6 mm Dynamic drivers with PET (Titanium Plated) + Custom PU diaphragm
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C
- Wireless Range: 10 meters
- Bluetooth Codec Support: AAC, SBC
- Protection: IP55 dust and water-resistant design
- Features: 50 dB Active Noise Cancellation, 5-mic Clear Voice Technology, 3-in-1 Smart Dial Control, Dual Device Pairing (Bluetooth 5.3), Ultra Bass Technology 2.0, Spatial Audio Effect, Transparency Mode, Magnetic Buds, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, Low Lag Mode (<120 ms), custom EQ, and compatibility with the Nothing X App.
- Battery & Charging: 220 mAh, up to 37 hours of music playback (ANC off), up to 23 hours of music playback (ANC On), up to 20.5 hours of talk time (ANC Off), and up to 18.5 hours of talk time (ANC On), up to 18 hours of playback in 10 minutes charging (USB Type-C)
- Colors: Orange, Dark Grey, and Light Grey
- Price: ₹1,999
- Availability: From 11th March 2024 at 12 PM
- Offers: ₹1,799 introductory price
Design, Build Quality, & Ergonomics
The CMF Neckband Pro is a neckband-style Bluetooth-enabled earbuds available in three color options – Orange, Dark Grey, and Light Grey. In terms of design, the CMF Neckband Pro uses a sleek and lightweight matte-finish design (29.6 grams) with IP55 dust and water-resistant protection. The CMF Neckband Pro is handy, easy to carry, and comes with a curved ergonomic design that’s flexible and easy on the skin, the design is made with smooth and skin-friendly silicone material.
The cool thing about it is its Smart Dial for seamless control, the 3-in-1 Smart Dial allows you to effortlessly adjust volume, play/pause or skip tracks, or control ANC by a quick spin or press. The earbuds are magnetic, meaning it disconnects when you hook them together and seamlessly connects when you release.
On the right side of the neckband, you get the smart dial wheel to control the music, volume, and calls, a USB Type-C port for charging along with an LED indicator, a microphone, and a pairing button which can be used for switching between the paired Bluetooth devices. It is also used to connect to Bluetooth devices and reset the earbuds.
Hardware, Audio Performance, & Features
The CMF Neckband Pro is the first wireless earbuds from the company to feature a 50 dB adaptive hybrid ANC (Active Noise Cancellation). The neckband equips custom 13.6 mm dynamic drivers with PET (Titanium Plated) + Custom PU diaphragm utilizing the N52 Neodymium magnets with copper coils to deliver enhanced low-frequency performance and impressive sound, the audio quality for this price is exceptionally good.
For its noise isolation, the 50 dB ANC is fantastic, with its three intensity settings, it’s effective even in loud and noisy places. The earbuds are equipped with the CMF flagship processor and come with a Spatial Audio Effect feature that delivers cinematic spatial sound, offering a 360-degree listening experience.
It comes with 5 microphones with Clear Voice Technology for AI call noise cancellation and connects via Bluetooth 5.3 with dual device pairing. Other features include Ultra Bass Technology 2.0, Transparency Mode, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, Low Lag Mode (<120 ms), custom EQ, and compatibility with the Nothing X App. It uses AAC and SBC audio codecs for transmission while no Hi-Res audio like aptX HD, LDAC, or LDHC is supported.
You will find something unique, there’s a 3-in-1 Smart Dial control that allows you to seamlessly adjust volume, play/pause or skip tracks, or control ANC, all you need is a quick spin or press the wheel button. The Smart Dial can be used like this – single press play/pause or answer/hang up calls, double press to skip forward or decline incoming calls, triple press skip back, press and hold for switching noise control, and rotate for volume control.
There’s also a pairing button that is used to connect to the Bluetooth devices, switch between connected devices, and can also be used to reset the earbuds. The magnetic earbuds snap together and disconnect when not in use while it connects automatically once released and resume the music playback.
You can access all of its features via the Nothing X app. It allows you to use all the available features via an interface on your smartphone. It helps you connect, use its features, as well as, update the firmware. The app displays battery information, controls for noise cancellation, equalizer, and more. The app is available for Android and iOS platforms (compatible with Android 5.1 and above and iOS 13 and above).
Battery Runtime & Charging
On the battery side, the CMF Neckband Pro comes with a 220 mAh battery that lasts up to 37 hours without ANC, 23 hours with ANC, and 22 hours with Transparency mode. For talk time, the earbuds last up to 20.5 hours without ANC, 18.5 hours with ANC, and 19 hours with Transparency mode. This is on continuous usage, it depends on how frequently you use ANC on the earbuds and set the volume levels. You are most likely getting longer battery runtimes if you have mixed usage.
The earbuds support a USB Type-C charging port with a 10-minute quick charge providing 18 hours battery life without ANC and 11 hours with ANC/Transparency. The battery life on the CMF Neckband Pro without the ANC is as much as 37 hours which means if used ~4 hours a day, the earbuds can easily last about 9 days on a single full charge and about 5 days with ANC On. The overall battery performance is impressive, better than several neckband earbuds in the segment. The battery life may vary depending on the use of ANC and volume levels.
Verdict – CMF Neckband Pro Review
CMF Neckband Pro emerges as a compelling choice given its impressive feature set and performance at this price point (₹1,799 introductory price), it remains an attractive option for users seeking ANC-enabled neckband-style earbuds in the midrange segment. With its 50 dB active noise cancellation, longer battery runtimes of up to 37 hours, dual device pairing support, 3-in-1 Smart Dial control, and exceptional sound quality in this price range, the CMF Neckband Pro is a great pick for users within a budget under ₹2,000.
CMF Neckband Pro Price in India – Where To Buy?
The price for the CMF Neckband Pro is ₹1,999 and is available from 11th March 2024 with an introductory price of ₹1,799.
