I love testing earbuds. I’ve tried so many pairs now that I can smell a set of the best earbuds from a mile away. Like a shark sniffing out blood, or a raccoon sniffing out trash… So my olfactory senses went crazy when the CMF Buds Pro 2 passed into my territory. They’re some of the best cheap wireless earbuds without a doubt.
Perhaps even the best pair of sub-$70 earbuds. If you favor rich, heady bass over expansive soundscapes, these are the budget buds for you. Even so, you can “fake” an expansive soundscape with the Spatial Audio feature in the Nothing X companion app. I had a wonderful time testing these earbuds: I was head-bopping to every genre from rock to electronic to DnB.
And the ANC? It’s literally Apple-worthy. It was better than my AirPods Pro 2, and just as good as the AirPods Pro 3. Think it’s too good to be true? To find out all the details, keep reading this CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? A pair of budget earbuds for bass lovers
- What does it cost? An incredibly reasonable $69 / £59
- What do we like? Almost everything: sound, features, battery, ANC…
- What don’t we like? They look a little plasticky
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Specs
Price |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
ANC |
Yes |
Durability |
IP55 |
Battery |
11 hours (buds), 43 hours (case) |
Weight |
3.5 ounces (case) |
Dimensions |
1.9 x 0.8 x 1.9 inches (case) |
Colors |
Orange, black, silver, blue |
Compatibility |
iOS, Android |
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Price & availability
The CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 are incredibly cheap. They’re just $69 on Amazon U.S. and £59 on Amazon U.K., although often on sale for even cheaper.
For earbuds of this caliber, this price is almost unbelievable. I’ve recently tested the EarFun Air Pro 4+, which are $99/£89, and was blown away by them. The Buds Pro 2 have all the same features as the Air Pro 4+, but with a much bassier sound signature. If you like heavy bass in your music, I’d recommend the Buds Pro 2 over the EarFun option.
EarFun also makes the Air 2 NC, which are $69, but don’t have features like wear detection and spatial audio. As a result, I’d recommend the Buds Pro 2 over that EarFun mode.
I’ve also tested the $36 JLab Go Pods ANC, which remain my top pick for ultra-cheap earbuds. However, the CMF Buds Pro 2 have a much better range of features for only $30 more expensive, so would be my go-to option if you’re fussy about premium features.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Design & controls
- Four color options: orange, black, silver, blue
- Customizable, but not perfect, touch controls
- A little plasticky
No one is surprised that cheap earbuds look cheap. That’s my main qualm with the CMF Buds Pro 2. They are completely plastic and quite cheap-looking. If that’s something you can ignore to save those sweet, sweet dollars, then this won’t be an issue.
The earbuds were more comfortable than I expected, too. They’re still not quite as comfy as my personal AirPods Pro 2, but with the small ear tip size, I was able to wear them for hours on end before my ears started aching. I have weirdly small ears, so if your ears are normal-sized, then you should be fine for longer than I.
I can overlook cheap design, because it’s unfair to expect budget earbuds to excel in every category. No, the Buds Pro 2 don’t look like AirPods or Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, but you can’t ask the world of $69 earbuds.
The charging case is pretty cool, though. Rather than being the classic palm-sized oblong, the CMF Buds Pro 2 have a square charging case with a ‘Smart Dial’ on the top right (more on this below). The case opens like a clamshell, true of most other earbuds I’ve tested, but there’s much more space inside. Whether you like this newfangled design or not will be up to you, of course, but I like it. The case feels less losable than my AirPods Pro 3 or the EarFun Air Pro 4+.
The Smart Dial doesn’t really do much. You can customize it to activate Siri or skip tracks, but I found this more hassle than it was worth. While it doesn’t activate by accident (unlike the finicky JBL Tour Pro 3 case), I still don’t know why Nothing/CMF has been advertising this as a key feature.
The touch controls on the earbuds themselves are much more useful. You can customize them to do all the classic things: Play/Pause, next track, activate Siri, etc etc. It’s a bit baffling that you can’t single-tap the earbuds to play or pause — you have to double-tap or triple-tap — but I suppose you can always pause by just taking out the earbuds.
Perhaps that’s why CMF/Nothing didn’t load the buds with a single tap control? Either way, it’s weird, but it’s not the end of the world. As I said earlier, these buds have customizable but not perfect touch controls. Everything else about the earbuds impressed me.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Features & connectivity
- Wear detection
- Custom EQ — including Dirac tuning — in the Nothing X app
- Bluetooth 5.3
Although wear detection is standard on all earbuds now, I still breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the CMF Buds Pro 2 have wear detection. This feature is effective in practice, too. My music paused within a second of removing the buds. True, the AirPods Pro 3’s wear detection activates faster, but it’s like comparing apples to oranges. Very cheap apples to very expensive oranges.
Some more features I like are: Dirac Opteo tuning in the Nothing X app; the Ultra Bass settings, multipoint connectivity, LDAC, and Spatial Audio.
It’s not a placebo, I promise you, but the Dirac Opteo EQ actually makes everything sound better. This EQ has a premium-feeling richness to it, a depth and structure to the music that elevated my listening experience.
In terms of connectivity, I’m also pleasantly impressed. The CMF Buds Pro have seamless multipoint: I was controlling the EQ in the Nothing X app on my iPhone 16 Pro, and it would instantly change the audio output from my MacBook Air M2, which the earbuds were connected to. It’s easy to set up in the Nothing X app, too.
I stayed connected to my iPhone and MacBook Air when I went downstairs and outside, which means the Buds Pro 2 have an impressively long range, too. It’s pretty much identical to the range on my AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3. Although the earbuds only use Bluetooth 5.3, this is negligible in real-life usage.
The Buds Pro 2, however, don’t suffer from those issues. If my AirPods broke and I needed some interim earbuds, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the CMF Buds Pro 2.
The Spatial Audio is also a really neat feature. It’s not “true” spatial audio, but the app basically sends a series of DSPs into the buds to make it feel like the music is coming from all around you. I found that this elevated my tracks and helped with the expansiveness issue I’ve mentioned briefly.
I’ll end on another standard-yet-still-nice feature: IP55 rating. The CMF Buds Pro 2 are IP55 rated, which means they can withstand water and dust. As a result, I’d have no issues wearing these in rainy weather or on a sweaty run. This is better than the $69 EarFun Air 2 NC, which only have an IPX5 rating, but not as good as the $36 JLab Go Pods ANC’s IP66 rating.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Audio quality
- Pumping, rich bass
- Treble tends to scratch with custom EQs
- No muddiness or tinniness
To test the CMF Buds Pro 2, I listened to a range of genres on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. Obviously, I listened to more tracks than listed here, but these were some genre standouts — for better or for worse.
The Buds Pro 2 have dual drivers: an 11mm ultra bass driver and a 6mm tweeter. Obviously, dual drivers and larger drivers don’t inherently make for better sound. If the drivers are low-quality to begin with, even a 20mm+ bass driver won’t automatically mean the earbuds sound premium.
I do like the sound quality of the Buds Pro 2, though. The bass and treble are pleasantly balanced, and I never felt like the bass overpowered vocals or percussion, even with the “Ultra Bass” setting in the app set to the max. The Dirac Opteo EQ also helps elevate the performance and could definitely trick you into thinking these buds are much pricier than they are.
I started with ‘One of the Greats’ by Florence + the Machine. This is an atmospheric, ethereal track spearheaded by highly processed, scratchy guitars and Florence’s iconic, rich, emotive vocal. Florence’s voice sounded particularly emotional; I could feel every tug and growl of her vocal cords. The instrumental sounded a little scratchy with the Pop EQ in the Nothing X app, but the Dirac Opteo EQ negated this.
After, I switched to ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ by Muse. This song sounded phenomenal. The rich, all-consuming bass blew me away thanks to Nothing’s Ultra Bass mode. I upped this to Level 3, and it immediately warmed up the track. I could feel the drivers pumping air into my eardrums. Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but that’s how powerful the bass was.
I played ‘Entwined’ by Sub Focus and Grimes, which is a classic drum and bass track with squelchy synth bass and rapid percussion. The heavy bass didn’t overpower Grimes’ warped, high-frequency vocals, but I do wish the drop had been louder.
Lastly, I took a left turn to some indie. I’m obsessed with Julia Jacklin, so of course I listened to ‘I Was Neon’. This is a guitar-driven song with soft, breathy folk-inspired vocals. The rolling country-esque guitars were spaced out well behind Jacklin’s voice, and the kick drum provided the bass. However, there was a tiny bit of crackling right at the top of the treble.
I also tested out the LDAC performance. You’ll need an LDAC-compatible phone (sorry, iPhone users) to make use of this lossless codec. I listened to a number of the same tracks mentioned here. ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ by Muse was a complete and utter standout: the fuzzy, scratchy guitar and intense vocals were in perfect harmony.
My colleagues — who also review audio gear — echoed the sentiment. We were all really impressed with the Buds Pro 2, especially how balanced the bass and detail are.
After my standardized tests, I then compared the audio to the EarFun Air Pro 4+ ($99) and the Apple AirPods Pro 3 ($249).
The CMF Pro 2 are much, much bassier out of the box than the EarFun Air Pro 4+. I went into the EarFun Audio app and adjusted the EQ: this increased the bass volume, but the CMF Pro 2 were still bassier. This is likely due to the Ultra Bass setting in the app and the specially designed bass driver.
I then compared to the AirPods Pro 3. The AirPods Pro 3 were more detailed and less bassy than the CMF Buds Pro 2 — more comparable to the lighter, yet clearer EarFun Air Pro 4+ — but the CMF Buds Pro 2 still hold their own. If you’re a basshead, then I’ve found the budget earbuds for you.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: ANC
- ANC is as good as AirPods Pro 3
- ANC or Transparency mode
- Adaptive ANC
I know this is a bold claim, but the ANC on the CMF Buds Pro 2 is as good as the Apple AirPods Pro 3. I have a test pair of the Pro 3 in the office, and I tried them side-by-side with the Buds Pro 2. I genuinely couldn’t hear a difference.
I was wearing the CMF Buds Pro 2 at home, at work, and while out and about in the city. When I was at home, I couldn’t hear my boyfriend trying to talk to me (multiple times). Usually, when I use my personal AirPods Pro 2 at home, I can hear him when he speaks loudly.
The CMF Buds Pro 2? Nada. He had to tap me on the shoulder (I then jumped out of my skin, naturally).
I know people want excellent ANC, but I feel like the CMF Buds Pro 2 are another level. When I was walking around the city, I couldn’t hear any traffic noise. I actually felt like a newborn deer, wandering around blindly, at a danger to myself and others. I was in a bubble — nay, a vacuum — of ANC-induced isolation.
These are 100% the best budget buds for ANC. There’s no doubt in my mind. If you want Apple-level ANC for $69, you need the CMF Buds Pro 2.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: App
- Nothing X app
- EQ customization, Ultra Bass, control customization
- Easily navigable and user-friendly design
The Nothing X app is a top-of-the-range companion app. It has a clean UI, with easily navigable sections, and you can even do an ear fit test in-app. I have nothing bad to say about the Nothing X app whatsoever.
Here are a few screenshots from the app so you can see what it’s capable of.
As you can see, you can customize the EQ or choose from a pre-made selection. I will say you can only adjust treble, bass, and mids in the fully customizable mode, but I never wanted to move from the Dirac Opteo setting anyway (even though I did for testing, naturally), so the lack of frequency bands was a non-issue for me.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Call quality
- 6 AI-enhanced mics
- Good call quality
- Good ambient noise minimization
As is seemingly standard on all earbuds these days, the CMF Buds Pro 2 have six AI-enhanced mics, so three in each bud. These mics are supposed to isolate your voice and minimize background noise.
As with all earbuds I test, I called my boyfriend. He reported that my voice sounded similar as when using my AirPods Pro 2, but there was a little metallicness at the top of my voice. However, this didn’t negatively impact the call quality overall.
He also said that he couldn’t hear the traffic noise from outside when I was speaking, only in the brief silence between talking. This is impressive for budget earbuds.
Considering the Buds Pro 2’s MSRP is just $69, this call quality is really excellent. I’m positive that the Buds Pro 2 won’t let you down when it comes to calls.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Battery
- 43 hours in the case
- 11 hours in the buds
- Better than AirPods Pro 3, EarFun Air Pro 4+
The battery life on the CMF Buds Pro is incredible. These earbuds last for a staggering 43 hours before they need charging — that’s almost double the AirPods Pro 3 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 earbuds. Until now, the EarFun Air Pro 4+ had been my reigning champ of earbud battery life, but not anymore. They’ve been pipped to the post by the Buds Pro 2: 42 hours to 43 hours respectively.
I used the CMF Buds Pro 2 for about 20 hours, and the battery still read 55%. Unfortunately, you can’t check the charging case battery without the Nothing X app. If you have the app, you need to put the buds back in the case and open the case to show the remaining battery.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 review: Verdict
The CMF Buds Pro 2 are some of the best budget earbuds I’ve ever tried, and there’s very little competition. For super-cheap earbuds, you’ll want the JLab Go Pods ANC, and for a little more premium, detail-heavy buds, you’ll want the EarFun Air Pro 4+.
However, if you’re looking for bassy earbuds that sound much better than their price may suggest, then I can’t recommend the Buds Pro 2 enough. These are my new go-to recommendation for bass lovers on a budget. I love pretty much everything about them: sound, features, battery, and companion app. My only issue is with the plasticky design, but then again, is it that bad if cheap earbuds look cheap?
I can’t believe these earbuds aren’t more of a household name: they’re so, so good. From now on, I will be recommending the CMF Buds Pro 2 to anyone and everyone who will listen.
