Nothing over-ear headphones, Headphone (a)

Listeners who want over-ear headphones with adjustable noise canceling and a long claimed battery life may find the Nothing Headphone (a) worth a closer look. Its controls and sound settings are designed to be adjusted through the headphones and the Nothing X app.

The feature mix suits daily listening, from a noisy commute to music at home. Four ANC settings let you choose between High, Mid, Low, and Adaptive, while Transparency Mode lets outside sound through.

If you prioritize fewer distractions and fewer charging stops, this set leans that way, if you prefer a simpler headset with fewer settings to manage, its app customization and multiple listening modes may be more than you need.

Where it shines

The strongest practical draw is having different ways to handle changing surroundings. Adaptive mode is meant to adjust to the environment, while the fixed ANC levels give you a more direct choice. For example, you could use a stronger setting in a noisy room, then switch to Transparency Mode when you need to hear what’s happening nearby. That flexibility is more useful than a headset that offers only one noise-control setting.

Battery life is another headline feature: the listing claims up to 135 hours with ANC off, or 75 hours with ANC on. A five-minute charge is listed as providing up to eight hours of playback with ANC off. Those figures make frequent charging less central to the pitch, though actual use will depend on the selected settings. LDAC, Hi-Res Wireless certification, and Spatial Audio are also listed for listeners who care about wireless sound options.

What matters most

Five HD microphones are included, along with a Personal Sound Profile and Ultra Bass settings in the Nothing X app. The ergonomic design and memory foam cushions are intended for extended wear, and the roller-and-paddle controls offer a physical way to adjust volume, playback, and noise modes instead of relying on a phone for every change.

There are practical extras, too. The headphones can act as a remote camera shutter, which could help when framing a group shot or recording a clip from a distance. The listing says the behavior differs by operating system: on Nothing OS it can activate the camera directly, while on iOS and Android the camera function needs to be open. That makes the feature handy in the right setup, but not a substitute for checking how it works with your phone and camera app.

You’ll appreciate it if you want ANC choices, app-based sound adjustments, and long claimed playback between charges. One fit caveat: the listing provides no weight or dimensions, so judging how they’ll feel on your head is harder without that measurement. Better avoided if you need those details to assess comfort before buying.

Best use cases

These make the most sense for someone moving between focused listening and situations where awareness matters. Picture settling in with music, switching to a lower ANC level when the room quiets down, then using Transparency Mode to catch a conversation without taking the headphones off. The controls and app settings give you more ways to shape that routine than a basic, fixed-mode pair.

They may be less compelling for a buyer who wants a bare-bones headset and has no use for adjustable ANC, app features, or the camera shortcut. The battery claims are also specific to ANC being on or off, so the longest figure shouldn’t be treated as the expected runtime with noise canceling active.

Final verdict

The Nothing Headphone (a) is worth considering if your priorities are configurable noise control, app-based sound tweaks, and fewer charging breaks. Its practical case is less clear if fit measurements are essential to your decision or you only need simple wireless headphones. The claimed 75 hours with ANC on is the more relevant battery figure for someone who expects to use noise canceling regularly, the longer 135-hour figure applies with ANC off.