Headphone (a): The flight begins
Arriving at the gate, I reach into my backpack and pull the headphones (a) out of the included carrying case. Instead of a sturdy hard case, as one would expect from the Headphones (1) (click here for the test) As is well known, Nothing includes a bag here.
While it protects against scratches and dust, it doesn't exactly inspire confidence that the headphones are well-protected in your luggage. It's sufficient for quick transport, but I would have preferred more protection in a fully packed backpack.
While sitting in the boarding area, it quickly becomes clear that Nothing has hardly changed the basic concept of the Headphone (a). The slightly angular ear cups, the adjustable headband, and the memory foam-filled ear cushions are largely the same as what you already know from the larger model.
The most striking feature is the new color palette. Besides black and white, Nothing introduces significantly more color with pink and yellow, making the headphones appear less technical and overall more relaxed.
Nothing forgoes aluminum in its materials, relying primarily on plastic. This works well in combination with the colors and doesn't look cheap, even though the difference is noticeable. The workmanship is still solid; nothing creaks or feels flimsy, it just lacks a slightly premium feel.
At 310 grams, the Headphone (a) are about 20 grams lighter than the Headphone (1), but are still not among the lightest over-ear headphones.
Even before boarding begins, I put them on properly for the first time. The clamping force is immediately noticeable. The headphones sit firmly on my head and, even without ANC activated, provide a surprising amount of isolation from the hectic noise at the gate.
This provides good basic insulation, but it also has a downside. Very little air reaches the ears under the large, circumaural ear pads. Especially during longer sessions or in warm temperatures, it can quickly get hot underneath them.
As boarding is announced and I walk down the jet bridge into the plane, the headphones (a) are already switched on. A quick turn of the dial, the volume is set, and the actual test can begin.
Headphone (a): ANC in the long-distance test
As soon as the Airbus reaches its cruising altitude, the part of the flight that everyone knows begins: the monotonous drone of the engines, the steady whir of the air conditioning, and the occasional clatter of trolleys in the aisle.
A press of the roller activates Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and suddenly the deep hum of the engines recedes significantly into the background. It doesn't disappear completely, of course, but the constant drone is dampened to such an extent that music or movies sound much more relaxing. Especially with quiet tracks or podcasts, you notice how much more pleasant the cabin suddenly sounds.
With irregular noises, such as a service cart rolling down the aisle or an announcement coming from the loudspeakers, the ANC of the headphones (a) reaches its limits. While such noises are attenuated, they remain audible. Nevertheless, for this price range, the performance is more than adequate and perfectly sufficient for travel.
As the flight gradually transitions into night mode and the cabin lights dim, the ANC works unobtrusively. There's no pressure on the ears, unlike with some more aggressive ANC headphones. Instead, you notice the noise slowly being drawn out of the room.
When I tested the transparency mode sometime while flying over the Indian Ocean, it worked as expected. The sounds from the cabin came through again, voices sounded natural and not artificially amplified. Handy for a quick chat with the flight attendant without taking off your headphones. After all, you don't want to miss anything, especially when it's time for "Chicken or Beef?"
The real surprise, however, comes when you look at the battery level. After several hours of music, podcasts, and movies with ANC activated, it shows hardly any movement. More on that in a moment.
Headphone (a): Soundtrack above the clouds
On long-haul flights, you have time to really listen to music. Not short test tracks like in the office, but entire albums, podcasts, and films in one go.
Even with the first few songs, it's noticeable that Nothing has a slightly different sound signature here compared to the larger model. The headphones (a) sound more vibrant and direct. In M83's "Midnight City," the synth pads spread out pleasantly, while the beat works cleanly underneath. The soundstage is generally more open than with its predecessor, which sometimes sounded a bit more compact.
The bass also quickly reveals the direction this is taking. Tracks like "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish or "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd benefit from a powerful yet controlled low end. Kick drums have enough punch without the bass overpowering everything else. This is especially enjoyable with modern pop and electronic music.
Voices remain easily intelligible in the mid-range. With Miley Cyrus's "Flowers" or podcasts during the flight, vocals are clearly in the foreground without sounding artificially emphasized. This results in a very relaxed overall sound character that doesn't become fatiguing even after several hours.
The treble, on the other hand, is rather subdued. Details are present, but sound somewhat softer than with more hi-fi-oriented headphones. With acoustic tracks like Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," a touch of texture is sometimes missing in the guitars or percussion. In everyday use, however, this is hardly noticeable, because the overall tuning is geared more towards music than analytical precision.
After a few hours of movies, music, and podcasts, you really notice that these headphones (a) aren't trying to dissect every single detail. They're more the type of headphones that simply make music sound pleasant and entertaining. On a night flight somewhere between Europe and Asia, that's actually the better choice.
Headphone (a): Landing, lobby and a look at the battery
When the plane finally lands in Bangkok and I switch off the headphones (a) just before disembarking, I glance at the Nothing X app out of curiosity. After almost twelve hours of flying with ANC continuously activated, several movies, music, and podcasts, the battery level is still at 85 percent. This seems almost absurd at first glance, and is simultaneously one of the biggest advantages of these headphones.
Nothing claims up to 75 hours of battery life with ANC and even 135 hours without noise cancellation. After this flight, these figures suddenly seem much more realistic. While many over-ear headphones need to be recharged after 30 to 40 hours, the Headphone (a) seem to barely lose any battery power.
Later, in the hotel lobby, while I wait to check in and quickly check my emails, the headphones continue to play smoothly, without any frantic charging with a power bank or a lobby outlet. Ultimately, that's the biggest advantage of the long battery life. You simply forget that the headphones even need charging.
If the battery does run low, there's a quick charge function. Five minutes via USB-C cable provides up to eight hours of playback without ANC or five hours with noise cancellation activated. A short charging break on a laptop or in a hotel room is therefore enough to enjoy several more hours of music.
Wireless charging is not available, but given these battery lifespans, this is hardly a significant drawback.
Headphone (a): Operation on the go
Like the headphones (1) before them, the headphones (a) do not rely on touch gestures, but on mechanical controls, which proves advantageous when on the go. While many touch surfaces quickly become inaccurate when moving or in the rain, the physical controls of the headphones (a) can easily be operated by feel.
The volume roller is located on the frame of the right earcup. A short press pauses playback, while a turn adjusts the volume. Directly below it is the paddle switch, which allows you to skip tracks and podcasts or fast-forward and rewind without having to take your smartphone out of your pocket. There is also a customizable button on the outside of the earcup.
What's missing in everyday use, however, is an automatic playback pause. If you take off the headphones, the music simply continues playing. A wear detection feature would have been a welcome addition, especially when traveling or on the go.
Headphone (a): Connectivity
Bangkok is a great place to test the connectivity of headphones. Listening to music from your laptop in the hotel room in the morning, later listening to podcasts on your smartphone on the Skytrain, and taking a call in between – ideally without having to constantly re-pair.
These headphones (a) perform well in everyday use. They support Bluetooth 5.4 and the usual AAC and SBC codecs, as well as LDAC for high-resolution audio transmission. Users with a compatible Android device can stream music at up to 24-bit/96 kHz. The connection remains stable in everyday use, whether in a hotel, on a train, or out in the city.
The headphones' multipoint connection (1) is also included here, allowing the headphones to be connected to two devices simultaneously. For example, music can continue playing from a laptop while an incoming call is automatically answered by a smartphone.
In addition to Bluetooth, the headphones (a) can also be used with a cable. A 3,5 mm jack cable and a USB-C cable are included in the package.
Headphone (a): Nothing X App
The Nothing X app remains one of the clear and concise companion apps for headphones and stays pleasantly free of unnecessary frills even with the Headphone (a).
The most important functions are easily accessible. ANC levels, transparency mode, low-latency mode, and spatial audio (which, unlike the headphones (1), does not use head tracking) can be switched directly. In addition to simple presets like "Balance," "More Bass," and "More Treble," the equalizer also offers an advanced multi-band EQ for fine-tuning.
While relaxed pop or lo-fi music might be playing by the pool, a bit more bass is welcome for an evening stroll through the streets of Sukhumvit. A quick change of the EQ profile is all it takes to adjust the sound to suit the surroundings.
The controls for the scooter, paddle, and multifunction button can also be customized in the app. The freely assignable multifunction button can, for example, launch the voice assistant, switch between EQ profiles, and even trigger the smartphone's camera. When used with Nothing Phones, additional functions become available, such as direct access to ChatGPT or certain system features.
A particularly convenient feature is that all settings are saved directly in the headphones. Once you've found your preferred configuration, it remains even when you later switch between laptop, smartphone, or tablet.
