Nothing Headphone (1) vs AirPods Max: the Android AirPods?

Phone Arena

12 hours ago

Nothing just announced its first-ever over-ears — the Nothing Headphone (1). With their tactile controls and aluminum cups, these will definitely draw comparisons to Apple's AirPods Max. So here we are... to draw the comparison.
The Nothing Headphone (1) do kind of look the part as an AirPods Max counterpart for Android. Slightly techier look that speaks to powerusers, while still a very clean aesthetic with a signature look.
The question is — do they sound the part, and do they provide a seamless and pleasing experience at almost half the price of the AirPods Max? We'd say not quite, but close!
Nothing Headphone (1) vs AirPods Max in a nutshell:
Rectangular cups with transparent tops vs a fully rounded and sleek design
Lightweight, but solid build vs all-metal, kind of heavy build
40 mm dynamic driver on both
Advanced user EQ vs computational audio that does everything automatically
Excellent tactile controls on both
Bluetooth multipoint vs iCloud multi-device support
Two color options vs multiple color options
IP52 protection rating vs no rating
Off the top, the Nothing Headphone (1) have a couple of specs that the AirPods Max don't. A newer Bluetooth 5.3 codec for, presumably, more robust connection (we've had trouble with neither), support for LDAC therefore more devices, a longer battery endurance, and official IP52 rating. What the AirPods Max have going for them is support for more than two devices — once paired to one of your iCloud devices, it can seamlessly hop and start streaming audio from any other MacBook, iPad, Mac, iPhone.
I'm pretty sure the Headphone (1) design will be divisive at first. It's definitely something new – a rectangle with a circular shape planted on top. They kind of look like a prototype of a headphone. Some will find this cool, others may take a while to warm up to it. In all fairness, the AirPods Max design wasn't met with universal praise either, and to this day there are some that can't stomach it.
Where the AirPods Max does win right now, though, is the amount of color options on offer — from the simple white and black, to purple, orange, and blue. The Nothing Headphone (1) come in white or black, though that may be just enough for their utilitarian look.
Both of these offers some excellent tactile controls. The Nothing headphones have a roller on the back of the right earbud to control volume, or press it for play/pause. Also, a paddle clicker for forward / back, and an actual mechanical button to turn them on or off. All of these feel great to use. There's also a customizable side button that can call up the assistant, or cycle through EQ profiles, or ANC, et cetera.
The AirPods Max have that digital crown on top — again, for volume and playback — and a single button to toggle between ANC and transparency. These, of course, also feel great. Notoriously, the AirPods Max do not have an off button — you need to remember to wrap them up in their "case" so they will auto-sleep. Though, it's worth noting that they do go into deep standby when not used for 5 minutes anyway.
The earmuffs on the Nothing Headphone (1) feel soft, and the headband pressure is kind of strong but still OK. The length adjustment is stepless and feels quite solid.
By comparison, the muffs on the AirPods Max are definitely a step above. They are more spacious on the inside, their material is soft, cool, and feels draftier. The headband is notably heavier, as it's all metal, and takes some getting used to. Also, no headbanging with these. Their length adjustment is also a very solid stepless slide which hasn't gotten wonkier with time (we've had our pair since gen 1 release in 2020).
The carrry case of the Nothing Headphone (1) is kind of big. These don't fold, so they just sit full-size in the case, which in turn requires some space. The AirPods Max, on the other hand, come with this... wrap, which many have mocked over the years. At least it's easy to store, but it definitely doesn't protect the headband (or parts of the earmuffs), which hasn't been great for the pristine look of our all-white set over the years.
The Nothing Headphone (1) sound clear and wide, but are quite mid-forward. While it's not in an annoying way, most of the time, it does tend to bury vocals in some songs, or bring guitars and brass forward too much in others. They do have bass, but it's kind of unfocused and doesn't provide a satisfying thump when it needs to. For the most part, their sound is pretty good, if you enjoy that particular style. It can be tweaked with the Advanced EQ in the Nothing app somewhat — I was definitely able to get a sound profile I am happy with.
By comparison, the AirPods Max have a very nicely sculpted — not scooped — midrange, a nice big but tight low end, and very clear pristine highs with a lot of air to their sound. Clearly, for almost twice the price, you are a much better sound, and I am fine with that. What many may not be fine with is that the AirPods Max are not tweakable — no advanced EQ, not even a basic EQ, unless you cound Apple Music's settings as some sort of EQ. Instead, you get the Apple sound, with computational EQ adjustment that scans your ears and the fit of the AirPods to adjust things on the fly.
No complaints there, as they sound excellent, but there has been a lot of criticism — rightfully so — that a set of $550 cans don't allow you much control.
It's also worth noting that the Nothing Headphone (1) have a 3.5 mm jack for cable audio. But they can't be passive — they need to be on, otherwise you don't get any sound, so you can't rely on the cable when out of battery. The AirPods Max need a 3.5 mm to USB C cable (or Lightning, if you have the older model). Note — not any cable, but a cable especially designed to deliver sound to the AirPods via the USB C side. $39 at the Apple Store.
Casual users will probably do just fine with the sound profile of the Nothing Headphone (1). In fact, sometimes I am even "in the mood" for their middy, cushy sound. But, hands down, the AirPods Max still sound more overally balanced, "honest", deep yet sizzly.
The ANC on both of these is phenomenal. You can drown the world out and just focus in your work with no hums, brums, clattering, or chit-chat coming through. The transparency mode is definitely better on the AirPods Max. It's so clear and its directional input is so well defined, that it's almost as if you are not wearing headphones at all. That said, the transparency mode of the Nothing headphones does the job quite well. A bit muffled and a bit less stereo, but certainly effective at what it's supposed to do.
Both of these have a Spatialize function, which will take any sound source and put it in a virtual space around you. It seems to work equally well on both — making a recorded track sound more like "You have a big 5.1 system in the room with you". Same goes for head tracking, which you can activate separately on both — they keep the virtual sound source placed quite firmly in the "room" as you rotate your head around. The Nothing Headphone (1) support AAC and LDAC for some more flexibility. While most Android and contemporary Windows laptops do support AAC, sound quality can be hit or miss, depending on how the manufacturer implemented it. Switching to Sony's LDAC often guarantees superior performance on Android phones specifically.
With Bluetooth multipoint, the Headphone (1) can stay connected to two of your devices at all times, so swapping audio sources is quicker and mostly painless. They also support Google's Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair for quick connections.
Apple's AirPods Max only support AAC, obviously, and they do sound fantastic when paired to iDevices. To Android and Microsoft — again, reports are divided. Of course, the AirPods do encourage you to only connect them to Apple devices — they don't have multipoint, but they are instantly paired to all your iCloud devices with no limits. It's definitely another level of user experience when you can seamlessly switch streaming from iPhone to iPad to MacBook to desktop Mac with no hiccups!
Nothing definitely takes the cake when it comes to battery endurance. With ANC on they provide a good 50% more battery life than the AirPods Max!
I generally think that buyng a set of AirPods Max isn't worth it if you don't own an iDevice to hook them up to. Without gaining access to the full feature set that they offer, that $550 price tag is definitely much, much saltier.
So, let's assume that you do own at least an iPhone and are wondering what to pair it to. At $299, are the Nothing headphones half the quality? I wouldn't say so. The AirPods Max sound is certainly superior, and if that's a top priority, it's probably worth saving up for a pair.
That said, the sound of the Nothing Headphone (1) is not bad. Plus, it's tweakable, and their user experience with the controls, headband, and ANC is overall excellent. To top it off, the Nothing Headphone (1) set is lighter to wear for prolonged periods, and comes with a case that protects the entire product. If I were traveling or commuting often — I'd lean more towards the Nothing Headphone (1). If — and only if — you like the design or at the very least don't mind it.