CMF Buds Neo

DESCRIPTION.

A design that maintains the brand's identity

If there's one thing CMF has mastered since its inception, it's visually distinguishing itself from the monotonous white or black plastic that dominates the lower mid-range market. The Buds Neo are no exception. They maintain the brand's signature geometric design, combining a square case with a two-tone circular dial that offers a striking contrast and a rather appealing tactile finish.

They also include a lanyard hole, a very practical detail for those who prefer to attach the case to their backpack or keys. As for color options, they will be available in white, black, and a rather understated dark blue.

Sound and noise cancellation: specifications on paper

Getting into the technical specifications, the CMF Buds Neo feature a 12.4 mm dynamic driver built with a titanium-coated PET dome and a flexible PEEK + PU surround. The goal behind this combination of materials is to deliver punchy bass without drowning out the mid frequencies and vocals.

Among the notable audio features are:

• Static spatial audio: designed to create a wider soundstage when playing recorded movies or concerts.
• Advanced equalization: access six pre-configured profiles or adjust a custom equalizer through the Nothing X app.
• Bass Enhancement: configurable in two levels (50% and 100%) to give more punch to the bass.
• Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): promises a reduction of up to 35 dB with three manual modes and an adaptive option that adjusts the insulation according to the environment.
• Calls: features four HD microphones (two per earpiece) backed by Clear Voice technology to mitigate ambient noise.

Without having tested them thoroughly in real-world environments with a lot of traffic noise or public transport, the 35 dB of noise cancellation should be enough to dampen the usual murmur of an office or a walk down the street, although they will probably fall a step behind their bigger brothers in extremely noisy environments.

Autonomy and daily connectivity

The battery life is perhaps one of the strongest points of these headphones on paper. The brand promises up to 11 hours of continuous playback per charge in the headphones with noise cancellation disabled, reaching a total of 52 hours relying on the charge from the case (which has a 460 mAh battery).

With ANC enabled, battery life drops reasonably to 30 hours of combined use, a figure that remains quite competitive for its price range. They also feature USB-C fast charging, allowing you to get up to 5.5 hours of playback with just 10 minutes of charging—a lifesaver when you run out of battery right before leaving home.