The Headphone (1) Pro is a whole lotta Nothing, and it’s really something

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Most new wireless active noise-canceling headphones can be explained in a one-pager. Nothing’s new flagship Headphone (1) Pro has, and needs, a 26-page PDF. OK, some of it is splash pages and section dividers, but at least half are a feature-rich showcase of what distinguishes the London-based brand and its mission “to make tech fun and inspire self-expression.” Whether custom EQs that let you tune independent components of a triple-driver array are fun depends on your personality, but it certainly syncs with our definition of delight. And even if a Flat EQ switch for sonic clarity isn’t your thing, the Headphone (1) Pro’s transparent design language may be. So let’s do our best to summarize what goes into getting so much out of this headphone.

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The follow-up to 2025’s Headphone (1), the Headphone (1) Pro carries over the squared silhouette and tactile controls of the previous model, but with upgraded materials. A mix of titanium and aluminum results in reduced weight, while thicker, wider headband padding and a two-layer cushion that combines PU leather with nylon fabric adapt to different head shapes to further distribute weight and reduce pressure. It’s packed with softer foam and features an 8mm silicone baffle wall that reinforces the seal, which also helps compensate for things that can impact sound and noise cancellation, such as glasses, piercings, chewing, etc.

At various points along the earcup you’ll find physical onboard controls, no touch panels, that reduce the need to fiddle with your phone. There’s an on/off switch. A Roller adjusts volume, triggers play/pause, and toggles ANC modes. The Paddle skips tracks, rewinds and fast-forwards, and nswers/declines calls. The Button can be customized in the Nothing X app to activate a voice assistant, Camera Shutter, ChatGPT, or more. There’s a dedicated Bluetooth pairing button, and there’s a switch to Toggle Flat EQ (more on that below).

Finally, on the exterior face, 9H Panda Glass offers a scratch- and shatter-resistant window into a representation of the new triple-driver architecture. While its depths hint at the configuration, the purposefully positioned combination within is quite real, and unusual. Niche audiophile brand Noble Audio has produced the FoKus Artemis, with a hybrid architecture featuring a dynamic driver, planar driver, and balanced armature driver. But that’s $899. The Headphone (1) Pro is the first consumer headphone to break the dual-driver threshold.

The foundation is a 40mm PET electroplated metal-ceramic dome dynamic driver with a PEEK+PU surround, which handles the bass frequencies of 20 Hz – 10 kHz. At the core is a rear-mounted 13 × 8mm precision dynamic driver with PEN diaphragm that reproduces 5 kHz–15 kHz. And topping it all is a front-mounted treble xMEMS driver, which uses a silicon diaphragm to deliver 10 kHz – 40 kHz without distortion. Together, these allow for articulation, breath, sharper grain, tighter rhythm, and a heightened sense of separation facilitated by more well-defined transients. And the achievable thresholds allow the Headphone (1) Pro to be certified Hi-Res Audio for wireless listening up to 24-bit/96 kHz using the LDAC codec or 24-bit/192 kHz when connected via USB-C. The stated goal is not to use this alignment to emphasize thrust or enhance texture, but rather to embrace musical authenticity with the accuracy of professional studio monitors.

This full frequency range has been tuned in-house, as well as customized in collaboration with Metropolis Studios, who helped develop multiple dynamic spatial audio modes, EQ profiles celebrating British genres, as well as the Flat EQ switch. The spatial modes include Standard (“Wide + balanced”), Studio B (“Punchy + honest”), Live House (“Raw + reverbed”), Club (“Deep + energetic”), and Concert Hall (“Refined + spacious”). They offer options to sync with various genres.

Speaking of genres, there are curves for Neo-Jazz, British Rock, UK Rap + Grime, Electronica, and UK bass. But EQing goes well beyond presets or basic band boosts. The Nothing X app has support for parametric EQ, a feature rarely found outside the likes of audiophile-geared headphones such as the Sennheiser HDB 630. And you can independently tune the main and precision drivers, for even more granular adjustments. Then share the tuning you’ve created through the EQ Library feature.

As for that Flat EQ, it activates a neutral profile that disables all spatial audio and EQ settings and is intended for creators who need to make critical mix decisions.

Making sure listening takes place against the least distracting background is improved adaptive active noise cancellation, which draws on 10 mics (three feed-forward and two feedback mics on each side) for 5dB stronger average noise reduction than Headphone (1) and 40 percent broader noise cancellation coverage across the frequency range.

That’s a lot of information, so here’s a little more: The Headphone (1) Pro features Bluetooth 6.1 with SBC, AAC, LDAC, and Auracast transmitter/receiver; supports dual connections and wear detection; includes Personal Sound hearing analysis and Low Latency mode; weighs 327g; is IP52 rated; and has a battery life of up to 68 hours ANC off, up to 30 hours ANC on (both reduced if using LDAC), plus fast-charging.

Finally, the Headphone (1) Pro comes with a hardshell protective case lined with a soft TPU lining (shown below). It allows you to use the exposed headband as a handle, and also has integrated loops for attaching a strap if you want to wear the Headphone (1) Pro crossbody.

We’ve got a pair in hand and on head and will share comfort, convenience, and most of all listening impressions in the future.

Priced at $399, Headphone (1) Pro will be available in Black and White on Sept. 29, 2026, at us.nothing.tech, on Amazon, and nationwide at Best Buy stores in North America.