Launched alongside the Buds TWS (our review here), the CMF Neckband Pro brings a lush soundstage and premium features to the affordable headset category. Much like their Nothing counterparts, CMF’s products have an easily recognisable design language even though they don’t utilise the ‘transparent’ aesthetic. The minimal, no-nonsense route taken by CMF is something we like a lot. We’ve been using its newest neckband for almost a week. Here is our CMF Necband Pro review. This neckband is currently priced at Rs 2,000.
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In This Article
CMF Neckband Pro review: Design
Here’s what you get inside the CMF Neckband Pro retail package:
- Neckband
- Extra ear tips
- Safety Guide
The Neckband Pro is available in three colour variants – Orange, Dark Grey, and Light Grey. It follows the traditional neckband design language but gets rid of some things in favour of a ‘cleaner’ look. The two stems on either side of the neckband have flat top panels. The right stem houses the rotating dial on the top panel. The bottom panel contains the pairing button and the microphone. A small LED notification light lies on the side. Right next to this notification light is the USB Type-C charging port.
The rotating dial takes care of all the media controls. Pressing it once plays/pauses the music and accepts incoming calls. A double press skips the track and declines any incoming call. Rotating the dial alters the media volume. Pressing and holding it toggles between ANC and transparency mode. These controls can be customised using the Nothing X app.
The neckband is made out of plastic, which makes it quite lightweight. The matte texture on the stems feels premium. The earbuds follow the traditional in-ear design and offer a comfortable fit. These earbuds magnetically lock together when they’re not in use.
CMF Neckband Pro has an IP55 rating, which means it can easily withstand exposure to minor splashes of water. Wearing the headphones while working out did not present any issues. We were expecting the glossy earbuds to pop out when things got sweaty, but we were surprised to see that the fit held up quite well.
CMF Neckband Pro: Performance
Pairing the Neckband Pro to a smartphone or PC is a seamless process. Pressing the setup button on the right stem for 3 seconds puts the headset in pairing mode. Once it has been paired, you can enable Google Fast Pair for easy access across all your devices. Neckband Pro also supports Bluetooth 5.3. Delivering the audio output are 13.6mm custom dynamic drivers with Ultra Bass 2.0 tech.
The audio output produced by Neckband Pro is balanced and detailed. The mids and the highs get ample representation in the sound stage. If you like a thumping bass with your music, the neckband’s ‘Ultra Bass’ feature can be accessed from the Nothing X app. The additional dollop of bass does make the listening experience quite fun.
The equaliser section in the Nothing X app lets you choose from multiple sound profiles. We were happy with the default ‘balanced’ profile as it was versatile enough to handle a range of genres. Spatial Audio is another handy addition to the neckband. It can be toggled from the Nothing X app as well.
For a neckband priced at Rs 2,000, you expect good noise cancellation and the CMF Neckband Pro does not disappoint in this regard. This headset can cancel up to 50dB of surrounding noise. We were satisfied with its quality and found ourselves using it a lot while travelling on public transport. You choose from 3 ANC levels or simply set it to ‘adaptive’ mode. The 5 microphones onboard the Neckband Pro do a great job of relaying high-quality audio on voice calls as well.
Dual connection is another handy feature that we were happy to find on the Neckband Pro. You can connect the headset to 2 devices and switch between them using the setup button on the right stem. This process works seamlessly and you get used to it fairly quickly. The low-lag mode helps in reducing the latency of the neckband while gaming. You can locate your neckband around the room using the ‘Find my earbuds’ feature. The only catch is that they must be connected to your smartphone. By hitting the play button, you can trace the neckband using the shrill sound emitted from it.
CMF claims the 220mAh battery pack on the Neckband Pro can power it for 37 hours with the ANC turned off. With ANC turned on, the neckband can last 23 hours on a single charge. During the review period, we got around 30 hours of playtime out of the CMF Neckband Pro with frequent ANC use. It took us 40 minutes to fully charge the headset. A quick 10-minute charge can power it for 18 hours.
Verdict
If you’re a neckband loyalist who refuses to make the switch to a TWS product, CMF has got your back. The Neckband Pro is an excellent device that offers a comprehensive soundstage with a garnish of premium features. The headset’s ANC is the X-factor here, cancelling up to 50dB of surrounding sound without breaking a sweat. Neckband Pro’s performance on call is also better than your average TWS. It doesn’t get any better than this at Rs 2,000.
Neckband Pro: Pros
- Good audio output
- Clean design
- Rotating dial
- ANC
Neckband Pro: Cons
- No USB Type-C cable inside the box
