Nothing Headphone (a) Review: nothing short of fabulous and fun

I don’t consider myself a tech expert, I don’t spend time comparing sound profiles, and I couldn’t tell you what half the specs mean without Googling. I do perform due diligence and research when making significant purchases, but the aesthetics of a product have a significant impact on what I buy. Which brings me to the pink Nothing Headphone (a) – they look cool, and are a comfortable wear for listening to music, podcasts, and for drowning out reality. I can confidently say they feel like a product made for people like me, not just audio enthusiasts.

 

Unboxing and Effortless Setup

Opening the box is a luxe experience. Right on top, you see the headphones themselves, sitting snugly and looking exactly like the pictures – pink, bold, and ready to grab attention. Underneath, there’s a USB-C charging cable, which feels sturdy and long enough for easy use at home or at a desk. There’s also a warranty card. It’s simple, not overwhelming, and everything you need to get started is right there. Set up was incredibly easy. I just had to power them on and sync them with my device. The Nothing Headphones (a) come with a quick start guide should you require a little more support than I did.

 

Design and Comfort for Everyday Wear

The first thing that stood out to me was (obviously) the aesthetic. These are not subtle headphones. The pink colour has a soft, slightly playful vibe, but the overall design is still quite bold and different from anything else I’ve owned. If you are the sort of person who is offended by pink, then you can choose from black, white, or yellow. The slightly see-through parts and chunky shape make them feel more like a fashion accessory than just a piece of tech. I really like that they are square in shape – a nice departure from the usual round ear cups. I’ve worn them out a few times and people do notice them. That might not matter to everyone, but I personally like that they don’t just blend in. A lot of headphones feel generic, and these definitely don’t. They compliment my style and are fun to wear.

Comfort was something I was a bit worried about before buying them, because over-ear headphones can sometimes feel heavy or tight. I generally wear in-ear buds, so these are a departure from my usual “go to”. The Nothing (a) are a little on the larger side, but once they’re on, they feel secure without being uncomfortable. The ear cushions are soft and sit nicely around my ears rather than pressing on them. I wear spectacles, so the comfort of the ear cushions over the arms of my glasses is a big deal breaker for me. I’ve worn them during long walks, while commuting to work, while working on my laptop, and even just lying on the couch, and they’ve held up well. After a couple of hours, I do start to notice them a bit, but not in a way that makes me want to take them off immediately. They weigh just over 300 grams, which sounds like a lot on paper, but in reality certainly feels manageable.

Sound Quality for the Rest of Us

When it comes to sound, I’ll be honest, I’m not analysing tiny details. I just want my music to sound good and my podcasts to be clear. For that, these do the job really well. Voices come through clearly, which is important for podcasts and videos, and music sounds full enough to be enjoyable. I listen to a mix of pop, some indie, some classical and the occasional throwback playlist, and everything sounds ‘balanced’ for lack of a better term. I did notice that really heavy or complex songs can sound a bit less crisp, but that’s not something that bothers me much in everyday listening.

The noise cancelling is another feature I wasn’t sure about before trying them, but it’s actually one of the things I’ve come to appreciate the most. It doesn’t completely block out the world, but it softens background noise a lot. Things like traffic, air conditioning, or people talking nearby become much less distracting. It makes a difference when you’re trying to focus or just relax. I’ve used them in cafes and on public transport, and they help create a bit of a bubble without feeling totally cut off. I can listen to lovely, soft classical music while reading a novel and block out the world around me.

 

Tactile Controls and Intuitive Use

One design feature I really enjoy is the controls. Instead of tiny buttons that you have to fumble around for, these have more tactile controls that are easier to use once you get the hang of them. At first, it took me a day or two to remember what does what, but now I can adjust volume, skip songs, or pause without even thinking about it. It feels more intuitive than constantly reaching for my phone. There is a large, raised oval shaped button that controls the volume by rolling it right or left to increase or decrease sound levels. Then there is a short, raised rectangular lever that you pull or push to either side to skip a song or go back to a previous track. The difference in the two controls is very much appreciated as I do not have to look at them to figure out which one I am using. Added bonus is that the controls are about the size of the pad of your index finger, so I am not having to fumble around to find a small button, and I can easily differentiate between volume and track controls.

Battery Performance: Power for the Week

Battery life has been excellent. I don’t charge them very often, and they just keep going. I’ve used them across multiple days without worrying about running out of power. According to Nothing the engineers fitted two core batteries in the headset providing up to 5 days of power or the equivalent of 135 hours of playback. The Nothing (a) is also fitted with a dual-core chipset – basically a processor that has two independent cores within a single chip. Each core can handle tasks separately, so the device can do more things at once without slowing down as much as a single-core processor. I imagine this technology has a big impact on battery life.

 

Considerations: Portability and Fit

There are a few downsides, though. The biggest one for me is that they don’t fold up, which makes them a bit annoying to carry around. They take up more space in my bag than I’d like, and I do wish they were easier to pack away. It would be really cool if they had a carry case as design innovative as the headphones themselves.

Another small thing is that they can feel a bit tight at times, especially if you’re wearing them for a long stretch. It’s not painful, but you do become aware of them after a while. I’ve also noticed that my ears can get a little warm if I’m wearing them indoors for too long, which is pretty common with over-ear headphones but still worth mentioning.

Taking calls indoors works fine. People can hear me clearly, and I can hear them without issue. For casual calls or social chats, they do the job well. Outdoors, however, background noise can make conversations a bit more challenging. On the plus side, the call controls are very easy to feel and use, which makes answering or ending calls straightforward.

 

Final Verdict: Is the Nothing Headphone (a) Right for You?

Overall, I think these headphones are best for someone who cares about design, comfort, and everyday usability. They feel like they were made for normal people who just want something that looks good and works well, rather than people who want to analyse every detail of their music.

If I had to sum it up simply, I’d say the pink Nothing Headphone (a) are fun, practical, and a little bit different. They’re not perfect, but they don’t need to be. They do what I want them to do, they look great while doing it, and they’ve easily become part of my daily routine and wardrobe. For a non-audiophile like me, that’s ticks all the boxes.

With thanks to Nothing for a super cool listening experience. You can get a gorgeous pink (or black, white or yellow) pair for $329 here.