Wireless earbuds are required to do more than just play music. It should be able to connect during calls, drown out the cacophony around us and deliver top-quality sound. At the same time, it needs to look stylish.
The best wireless earbuds should check all those boxes and integrate into your routine. Apple AirPods do that, and so do Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Sony
WF-1000XM5. These are on the higher run of the price ladder. What about something inexpensive? London-based company Nothing has a sub-brand called CMF that focuses on inexpensive offerings, the latest being Buds 2 Plus and Buds 2. Both offer active noise cancellation (ANC), excellent app support and a good deal of bass without overpowering the soundstage.
Sleek looks
You get an 11 mm PMI driver on Buds 2 versus a 12 mm LCP driver on Buds 2 Plus. Also, on the Plus, there is slightly better battery life and ANC, but both of them have the same checklist of features, including things like AI-assisted environmental noise reduction or what they’re calling Clear Voice Technology and Wind Noise Reduction. They even look almost the same.
There is no CMF logo on the stem, and the buds have a cleaner finish than most rival brands. The buds have IP55 rating to take care of sweat and splashes. The touch controls on the buds work accurately. Users even get in-ear detection to play/pause music.
Both feature a plastic dial in the corner that exposes holes for a wrist strap. And both feature USB-C charging and no wireless charging.
There are some distinguishing features — Plus features LDAC and high-res audio certification as well as the ability to personalise the sound profile based on your hearing. It may not make much of a difference to the casual ear, but the audio is slightly better on the Plus.
The fit of the earbuds is quite good, and they look like AirPods 4 with ANC. There are six HD mics with Clear Voice Technology 3.0; it also helps with active noise cancellation as well as ambient noise rejection when you are using the mic. Aside from the quirks of Bluetooth compression, the microphones are quite usable.
Acceptable ANC level
With ANC on, there is very little of the vacuum-y feel in the ears. Given the pricing, these have excellent ANC. Slightly on the bulky side compared to AirPods, but that’s like desperately looking for faults. There is ANC up to 50 dB on the Plus model, while on Buds 2 it’s 48 dB.
For spatial audio, there are two options — fixed or off. On the AirPods, spatial audio plays out well, but here it is just another feature. You can get ultra bass and there are five different levels. Both Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus go heavy with ultra bass. What takes these earbuds a notch above the rest is the quality of bass — it’s not a muddy sound.
Even with slightly brighter highs, the sound on Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus is quite close. Having personalised sound profile on Buds 2 Plus is a bonus at this price point. It should compensate for any hearing loss. The buds get adjusted for depth, clarity and richness.
Sound story
On the Plus, there is a 12mm driver with hi-res LDAC support. The buds are punchy and if you like bass, this is fantastic. But it doesn’t drown out everything else, which appears to be the case for most other brands.
With the EQ option, you can enjoy a wide range of genres. With LDAC there’s more clarity.
The app support for the device is top of the line. Ear fit test, Find My Earbuds, and all the other usual options are there. Buds 2 also looks premium for their price. What’s missing? LDAC. In terms of microphones, it’s the same. Even battery is insanely good — 7.5 hours with ANC.
Make the call
How does it stack up against Realme Buds Air7 or OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro? It fares as good as OnePlus or Realme. Of course, if bass is what you want, these are the wireless earbuds to have.
Expect 13.5 hours and 14 hours of music on the Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus, respectively, if ANC is disabled. Battery life increases when you factor in the battery in the charging case. You get 7.5 hours with ANC on. In fact, both CMF Buds 2 Plus and Buds 2 prove that budget shouldn’t come in the way of style or performance.
At a glance
Devices: CMF Buds 2 Plus and CMF Buds 2
Price: Buds 2 comes for ₹2,699 and Buds 2 Plus for ₹3,299
High notes
** Excellent app support
** No compromises on basic ANC
** Looks stylish
** Good battery life
Muffled notes
** The sound is as good as on most rival earbuds
** The two devices hardly sound different
