Nothing could be taking its headphones to the next level with the Headphone (1) Pro

Nothing only entered the over-ear headphone market last year with the Headphone (1), before making the idea more affordable with the Headphone (a). But for its next pair, the company could be heading in the opposite direction. According to a Dealabs Magazine report, Nothing is preparing a Headphone (1) Pro that could push the brand firmly into premium headphone territory.

The biggest upgrade may be what you actually hear. Nothing is said to be using a three-driver setup, with separate drivers handling different parts of the sound. So, instead of asking one driver to reproduce everything, the headphones can split the workload between bass, mids, and treble. In theory, that should help bass hit harder without overpowering vocals, while bringing out smaller details that can otherwise get lost in a busy track. Metropolis Studios is said to be involved with the tuning, alongside support for LDAC and Hi-Res Audio.

It doesn’t stop at sound quality, either. The Headphone (1) Pro is expected to use 10 microphones for adaptive noise cancelation, allowing the ANC to react to your surroundings. Walk out of a quiet office and onto a packed train, for example, and the headphones could automatically increase noise cancelation rather than making you adjust it yourself. Transparency mode and spatial audio with head tracking round out the listening features.

There are plenty of practical upgrades, too. Battery life is said to stretch to 60 hours, while fast charging should come in handy when you forget to plug them in before leaving home. Bluetooth 6.1, USB-C audio, and a good old 3.5mm headphone jack are all included. Better yet, physical controls appear to be sticking around, which I’m particularly happy about. Touch controls have their place, but sometimes I just want to press a button and know exactly what it’ll do.

The more premium approach carries over to the design. Dealabs points to an aluminum body, scratch-resistant glass, and IP52 protection against dust and splashes. Nothing has always leaned heavily on design to make its products stand out, so I’m curious to see what it does with a pair of headphones aimed further upmarket.

That brings us to the price. Dealabs says the Headphone (1) Pro will cost $399 in the US and €349 in Europe, with Black and White color options. At that price, Nothing would be stepping into a crowded premium headphone market with plenty of established competition. The Headphone (1) Pro certainly seems to have the features to compete, but sound quality, ANC, and comfort will ultimately determine how well it stacks up against the alternatives.

We may not have to wait long to find out, with the Headphone (1) Pro said to launch on September 29. Nothing has been announced about the headphones yet, though, so take all of these details with a grain of salt for now.