Hands-on with the Nothing Headphone (a): 75 hours, ANC on

In our short time spent with the headphones, we’ve noticed that the bass response is quite boosted. People looking for a reference-like sound or monitoring headphones may not find it in the Nothing Headphone (a).

At the same time, these ~S$260 cans are better suited to general consumers who want extra oomph and energy to their favourite tracks.

The closed-back design grants it a narrower soundstage, but there’s decent separation, and instrument imaging feels generally accurate.

However, much of these audio perks are dependent on whether you can get a proper seal with the headphone. Folks who wear glasses (like me) might struggle to get the headphones to sit well without discomfort behind their ear’s helix. The ergonomics also affect Nothing’s bass-boosted sound signature, where an imperfect fit also negatively affects bass quality.

That said, Nothing improved the clamping force, especially when comparing to its predecessor. That’s still some relief for users with bigger noggins (unlike me).

The brand claims up to 40dB of active noise cancellation, although it isn’t as effective as I hoped. I can still hear my keyboard clacking away when I’m typing in the office. Other sounds, like doors closing or people holding a conversation about 15m away, can also be heard. This is most likely because of the imperfect earcups seal caused by wearing glasses.

Nothing Headphone (a) gets A+ for endurance

The crown jewel of the Headphone (a) and the main reason to get one is the stunning battery life.

According to Nothing, a full charge can last up to 135 hours if you’re listening to your music (AAC, with ANC off). It can still deliver up to 75 hours of battery life with AAC and ANC enabled.

This drops slightly if you’re listening in LDAC, with 90 hours and 62 hours, respectively.

Nothing also kept the same physical control buttons from the Headphone (1). There’s a track-skipping paddle and a roller for volume/media playback on the side of the right earcup.

Additionally, the right earcup has a customisable outer button that can either activate a voice assistant, switch between media apps, or even serve as a shutter button for photos and videos, all without touching the phone.

There’s also IP52 dust and water resistance, which is enough to withstand a sprinkle but not heavy rain.

Local availability and pricing

The Nothing Headphone (a) will retail come 28 March 2026, and is priced at S$259. The headphones come in four colourways:

The Headphone (a) will be available for purchase at Nothing.tech and retailers such as Shopee, Lazada, Eraspace, Challenger and Courts.