CMF Headphone Pro Review: ₹7,999 Gets You Everything That Actually Matters

In a market flooded with safe-looking, black-and-grey over-ear headphones that all blur into each other, CMF has gone in the opposite direction. The design is different, original, and instantly eye-catching, and that's something you notice even before you start caring about specs, ANC numbers, or codecs.

I've been using the Light Green variant, which looks fresh and peppy without being too loud. It's the kind of colour that will divide opinions, but that's fine. Personally, I still think the Dark Grey is the more versatile option if you want something understated, but there's no denying that the Light Green stands out in a good way. More importantly, the material quality and finish feel genuinely impressive for a ₹7,999 headphone.

PROS

• Standout, playful design
• Excellent battery life
• Comfortable for long use
• Bass-forward sound tuning
• LDAC support included

CONS

• No wear detection
• Average noise cancellation
• Energy slider subtle

Design That Tries Something New

CMF's design language is playful, rounded, and intentionally different from Nothing's more industrial, transparent aesthetic. The Headphone Pro looks soft, almost friendly, and that works in its favour. The build is largely plastic, but it's solid plastic, with good tolerances and no rough edges. You do notice that the metal-looking parts are actually coated plastic, but at this price point, that's a trade-off I'm completely okay with.

One design decision I really appreciate is the replaceable earcups. Not only does this help with longevity - ear pads are usually the first thing to wear out - but it also lets you experiment with the look. CMF is selling alternate colour earcups separately, which means you can mix and match depending on your mood. The price of the ear cups isn't known as of writing this review though.

That said, there's a small hesitation here, and it's based on past experience. CMF and Nothing have a history of showing interesting accessories that later become difficult to buy. We saw this with accessories for the CMF Phone 2 Pro. So while modularity is genuinely a great idea, its long-term value depends on whether CMF actually keeps these accessories available in the market.

Comfort, thankfully, is not an afterthought. The Headphone Pro sits with just the right amount of pressure on the head. The padding is generous, the earcups are deep enough, and I've worn these for long listening sessions without discomfort. They do get slightly warm over time, and I didn't mind it in Delhi's cold weather, but summers might have a different story. However, that's expected with closed-back over-ear headphones. Weight distribution is well handled, and despite the chunky look, they don't feel heavy on the head.

Where the Cost-Cutting Shows (And Why That's Okay)

To understand how CMF has managed to price this headphone so aggressively, you do start noticing the trade-offs once you look closer.

There's no hard carrying case, only a fabric pouch. Functional, but basic. There's no wear detection, so music doesn't auto-pause when you take the headphones off. You have to manually pause playback. These are conveniences you'll find on more expensive headphones, and their absence here is noticeable, but also understandable. Importantly, none of these compromises affect core usability.

Controls, the Energy Slider, and Real-World Use

CMF has gone with a very tactile control setup - a Multi-function Roller, an Energy Slider, and a dedicated Action button. The roller is excellent - single press for pause and play, long press to toggle ANC, scrolling for volume feels intuitive and quickly becomes second nature. This is genuinely better than fiddling with tiny buttons.

The Energy Slider, however, is where my experience slightly diverged from expectations.

Conceptually, it's a great idea - a physical slider to adjust bass or treble on the fly without opening the app. In practice, though, I didn't feel a significant difference in sound in most cases. The changes were subtle, often too subtle to matter during normal listening. I'm not sure if this is specific to my unit or if CMF has intentionally tuned it conservatively to avoid distortion, but it didn't end up being a control I actively relied on. It looks cool, fits the design philosophy, but functionally, it feels more experimental than essential right now.

Sound Quality: Fun First, Accuracy Second

Out of the box, the CMF Headphone Pro is clearly tuned on the bass-heavy side. This is not a neutral headphone, and CMF isn't pretending it is. The low end has real weight and punch, making it very enjoyable for pop, hip-hop, electronic music, and casual listening. The mids are slightly recessed but still clear enough for vocals, while the treble is smooth and non-fatiguing.

Detail purists might find the sound a bit thick, and yes, ultra-fine separation isn't this headphone's strongest suit. But what it does deliver is energy and impact, and for most people, that matters more in daily listening.

The Nothing X app plays a big role here. You get EQ controls, ANC modes, spatial audio toggles, and - importantly - Personal Sound tuning. The hearing test-based calibration does make a subtle but noticeable improvement, especially in balancing frequencies that your ears might be less sensitive to. It's not gimmicky, and I'd recommend running it early on.

LDAC support is a big plus at this price, especially for Android users, and wired listening is also supported via the included 3.5mm cable (though the headphones need to be powered on even in wired mode).

ANC, Calls, and Battery: Practical Strengths

ANC performance is solid but not class-leading. It does a good job with constant low-frequency noise like fans and traffic, but don't expect Sony or Bose-level silence. Transparency mode works well enough for conversations and announcements.

Call quality is decent, with multiple microphones doing a respectable job indoors. Wind handling could be better, and there's no sidetone, so you might find yourself speaking louder than usual.

Battery life, though, is where the CMF Headphone Pro absolutely dominates. Up to 100 hours without ANC and around 50 hours with ANC on is exceptional. Even with LDAC enabled, battery anxiety simply doesn't exist here. Fast charging also works as advertised, making this an excellent travel or daily work headphone.

Verdict: Serious Value, Especially at the Introductory Price

At its introductory price of ₹6,999, the CMF Headphone Pro is a straight-up steal. You're getting standout design, excellent comfort, massive battery life, LDAC support, ANC, and a polished app experience at a price where most brands are still cutting core features.

Even at ₹7,999, this remains a strong contender against popular models from Sony and JBL in the same segment. It may not beat them outright in ANC or sound neutrality, but it competes confidently on comfort, features, battery life, and personality.

Yes, there are compromises. But they're smart compromises. CMF has clearly prioritised the things that matter most to everyday users, and the result is a headphone that feels far more expensive than it actually is.

If you want studio-grade neutrality, look elsewhere. But if you want a fun, distinctive, feature-packed wireless headphone that delivers where it counts, the CMF Headphone Pro is one of the easiest recommendations in this price range right now.