60 Euro Sounding Like 200 Euro: CMF Buds 2 Plus - A Stunning Bargain!
Affordable Powerhouse Earbuds: CMF Buds 2 Plus Offer Premium Sound at a Budget-Friendly Rate
Written by Klaus Wedekind
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Despite its modest price tag of just under 60 euros, the CMF Buds 2 Plus delivers a fantastic audio experience, complete with effective adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC). These earbuds are a comfy fit, long-lasting, and eclipse what you'd expect from pricier models. Skip the Plus, and you'll save even more at 50 euros!
The CMF Buds 2 Plus may soon dethrone the cheap Samsung earbuds, as they offer a plethora of features that belie their low cost. CMF, a subsidiary of the British manufacturer Nothing, is known for its exceptional design and quality, without breaking the bank. While their devices aren't as visually stunning as Nothing's main lineup, they're reported to be as solid.
Crafted for Comfort and Durability
Despite its simpler design, the CMF Buds 2 Plus boasts a sleek, cohesive aesthetic. Weighing just 4.5 grams, these earbuds are extremely lightweight and don't put undue pressure on your ears, even after extended use. A variety of silicone tips ensure a snug, secure fit in most ears. The earbuds' construction exudes precision, with IP55 dust and water resistance ensuring their resilience in challenging conditions.
The durable charging case boasts IPX2 water resistance, offering additional protection, and features a rotating dial on the corner of the lid—a thoughtful design element doubling as a place to attach a carrying strap.
Simple Customization and Control
Managing the earbuds is a simple affair, thanks to touch-sensitive controls on the exterior. Basic functions can be regulated without a smartphone. Select from various touch gestures for volume control, track playback, and call management. A single tap does nothing—a smart touch, preventing unwanted inputs.
Impeccable Sound Quality
The CMF Buds 2 Plus delivers surprisingly good sound, sitting comfortably alongside pricier in-ears. Bass is rich and well-balanced, without overpowering the other frequency ranges. Adjust the "ultra-bass" in the app for a bass-boost, if desired. The midrange offers clear, well-defined sound stages, while highs are crisp and clarion, even at high volumes.
The earbuds support the high-resolution Bluetooth codec LDAC, in addition to AAC and SBC. Gamers can opt for a low-latency mode for smoother gameplay.
Spatial Audio, Additional Features, and Effective ANC
Activate Spatial Audio in the app for a more immersive listening experience, particularly noticeable in films and games. Weighing in on the Spatial Audio's auditory effect is a matter of personal preference.
The Nothing Ear (1) app offers further practical features that are rare for 60-euro earbuds, including a custom sound test, fit test, an extensive equalizer, and a "Find My Earbuds" function.
The earbuds' ANC was found to be highly effective, with adaptive adjustment to the environment working surprisingly well. You can manually adjust ANC in three stages, if needed. Although the ANC doesn't quite match the best in this category, it's efficient, especially for low frequencies. During calls, the CMF Buds 2 Plus performs competently, if unremarkably.
Wind Resistance and Excellent Battery Life
The transparency mode cannot be adjusted individually, but this is hardly a drawback. Wind has minimal impact on the earbuds, whether you're using transparency mode or ANC.
The battery life is outstanding. With ANC activated, the earbuds deliver around seven hours of usage, and with LDAC, they manage over five hours. The charging case holds enough juice for approximately another 25 or 19 hours. Wireless charging isn't an issue, as the earbuds can be topped up to 4.5 hours of playtime after just 10 minutes in the case.
Final Thoughts
Tracking down Bluetooth earbuds with more to offer than the CMF Buds 2 Plus for 60 euros is a challenging feat. The earbuds' sound quality, ANC, and features are first-rate, with comfort and battery life to boot.
If you don't mind foregoing LDAC or additional features and can make do with slightly less battery life, the stripped-down CMF Buds 2 offers a more affordable option. The cost savings come at the expense of a few minutes of battery life and some features, but the overall sound and noise cancellation remain mostly unchanged in comparison to the Plus version.
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Enrichment Data:
Sound Quality Comparison
The CMF Buds 2 Plus offers a clean and detailed sound profile with a balanced sound signature, with clearer mids and more refined highs when compared to the standard CMF Buds 2[1][5]. By employing a 12mm LCP driver and supporting LDAC Hi-Res Audio, these earbuds achieve a high level of audio quality[2][5]. Premium earbuds, like the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Pro 2, often showcase more advanced drivers and sound enhancement technologies, offering even more detailed sound reproduction and a broader soundstage.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) Comparison
The CMF Buds 2 Plus features a claimed 50dB noise cancellation, which operates across a 5400Hz range[2][3]. While this is effective, more expensive earbuds like the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 offer superior noise cancellation with more advanced noise-sensing technologies and better sound isolation. These high-end earbuds often provide more consistent noise cancellation across different frequencies, improving the listening experience in noisy environments.
Feature Comparison
The CMF Buds 2 Plus supports Bluetooth 5.4 for improved connectivity, LDAC codec for high-resolution audio, and smart adaptive noise cancellation[1][5]. In comparison, pricier earbuds may include wireless charging cases, longer battery life, more advanced app controls, or seamless integration with specific ecosystems. However, the CMF Buds 2 Plus offers an impressive suite of features for their price range, effectively competing with more premium options.
The CMF Buds 2 Plus could potentially manufacture from materials other than the materials used in the production of smartphones and gadgets, given its status as earbuds of a different product category. This feature-rich pair of earbuds, with adaptive active noise cancellation, delivers sound quality that often surpasses its 60 euro price tag, even outperforming some pricier models in terms of audio quality, battery life, and comfort.
