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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a feature-dense over-ear headphone with hi-res codec support, deep app customization and a huge battery reserve, choose CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active; if you need a straightforward hybrid-ANC Bluetooth headphone for calls, travel and long listening sessions at a simpler, more conventional spec level, choose SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise.
• CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active — biggest strength: LDAC plus dual Hi-Res certification, a 40mm nickel-plated dynamic driver, custom EQ, Personal Sound Profile and CMF Spatial Audio with cinema/concert modes, all tunable through the Nothing X app.
• CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active — biggest trade-off: It asks more of you. App control, touch controls and EQ tweaking mean setup and fiddling, and the light green color is a statement rather than a neutral.
• SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise — biggest strength: A clean, focused feature set for the two things most people actually do — block noise and take calls — with hybrid ANC, ENC call clarity, 50 hours of playtime and soft breathable earpads.
• SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise — biggest trade-off: A narrower frequency range (20 Hz–20,000 Hz), a lower Bluetooth version (5.3) and no LDAC, spatial audio or app-based EQ, so it leans on solid basics rather than audio extras.
• Pick CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active if you care about sound quality, codecs and customization and want headphones that double as a movie/music system.
• Pick SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise if you want fuss-free noise cancellation, clear calls and marathon battery for commuting, flying and open-plan offices.
The CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active is, in my view, the more ambitious of the two. The spec list reads like a checklist for someone who treats headphones as a small personal audio system rather than a simple accessory. You get a 40mm dynamic driver with a nickel-plated build, LDAC support and dual Hi-Res certification, and a frequency range stretching to 40,000 Hz — figures that point toward detail retrieval and airiness on well-recorded music. On top of that sit CMF Spatial Audio, dedicated cinema and concert modes, and a Bass & Treble slider with custom EQ, all adjustable in the Nothing X app.
The other half of the story is flexibility and endurance. Bluetooth 5.4 with Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, plus AUX via a 3.5mm jack and compatibility with iOS, Android, macOS and Windows, means it slots into almost any device you own. Adaptive ANC is rated at up to 40 dB, with a one-press toggle to Transparency Mode when you need to hear the world. Battery life is quoted at up to 100 hours, or 50 hours with ANC on, and a 5-minute top-up is said to give 4 hours of listening. Memory foam earpads, a cap-friendly headband and a 283g build suggest long-session comfort, and it ships with a cable, protective case and manual.
SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise: Who It's For
The SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise takes the opposite approach: fewer knobs, more focus. Its headline claim is hybrid active noise cancellation, which combines feedforward and feedback microphones to reduce steady ambient sound — plane engines, office chatter, air conditioning. That's the classic commuter and open-plan-office use case, and it's the feature the product is built around. Alongside it sits ENC, or Environmental Noise Cancellation, for calls. That's the other half of the pitch: you'll be heard clearly on a noisy street, which matters more than music specs for anyone taking meetings on the move.
Sound is handled by custom-tuned 40mm dynamic drivers with a Hi-Fi stereo presentation and a bass-forward tuning, covering 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz — the standard audible range. Bluetooth 5.3 keeps the wireless connection stable and low-latency. Battery life is quoted at 50 hours on a single charge, which suits long-haul flights and multi-day trips without a charger. Comfort gets real attention too: soft, breathable earpads, an adjustable headband and an ergonomic shape designed to reduce pressure over extended sessions. The earcups use a fabric and foam enclosure in Midnight Black, and the box includes ear cushions. A one-year manufacturer warranty backs it.
Who should buy it? Travelers, commuters, remote workers and anyone who lives in calls. It's also the easier recommendation for someone who wants noise cancelling and long battery without learning an app. Who should skip it? If hi-res codecs, spatial audio, wired listening or deep EQ customization are on your list, this one doesn't offer them — its ceiling on audio flexibility is lower by design.
• Best for sound quality and codecs → CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active. LDAC, dual Hi-Res certification and a 40mm nickel-plated driver outclass a standard Hi-Fi stereo setup on paper.
• Best for noise cancelling on the move → SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise. Hybrid ANC is explicitly tuned for engines and office noise, exactly the situations it's marketed around.
• Best for calls → SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise. ENC is a dedicated call-clarity feature; the CMF leans on general voice assistant and app support instead.
• Best for battery life → CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active. Up to 100 hours total, or 50 with ANC on, plus a 5-minute charge for 4 hours of playback.
• Best for wired or multi-device use → CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active. Bluetooth 5.4, a 3.5mm jack, AUX support and macOS/Windows compatibility give it more ways to connect.
• Best for comfort-first marathon sessions → SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise. Breathable earpads and a pressure-reducing adjustable headband are its core comfort pitch.
• Best for set-and-forget simplicity → SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise. No app, no EQ learning curve — just ANC, Bluetooth and battery.
• Best for customization and immersive movie audio → CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active. Spatial audio, cinema/concert modes and a custom EQ slider put it ahead for tuning.
If I were buying one for myself, I'd go with the CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active. In my opinion, the combination of LDAC, a 40mm nickel-plated driver, spatial audio, custom EQ, Bluetooth 5.4, wired AUX support and up to 100 hours of playback gives it far more range — it works as a serious music headphone, a movie headphone and a work headphone. The trade-off is that you'll spend a little time in the app learning its controls, and the light green color is a commitment.
I'd recommend the SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise instead if you want the opposite experience: put them on, hit ANC, take a call, and forget about them for days. Hybrid ANC plus ENC plus 50 hours is a genuinely useful trio for commuters and travelers, and its breathable earpads suit long wear. Just go in knowing its audio ceiling is lower — no LDAC, no spatial audio, no app EQ. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since that's the one variable that can tip a close call.
On specs, yes — LDAC, dual Hi-Res certification, a 40,000 Hz upper frequency limit, spatial audio and custom EQ give it more headroom for detailed listening. The SIMIFLY covers the standard 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range with a bass-forward Hi-Fi tuning, which is enjoyable but less flexible.
The CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active. It's rated up to 100 hours of playback, or 50 hours with ANC on, and a 5-minute charge is said to yield 4 hours of listening. The SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise is rated at 50 hours per charge.
The SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise, because ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) is built specifically to keep your voice clear in noisy environments. The CMF relies on its adaptive ANC and voice assistant support rather than a dedicated call-clarity feature.
No. Both work as standard Bluetooth headphones. The app matters for the CMF BY NOTHING Headphone Pro Active, where the Nothing X app unlocks custom EQ, Personal Sound Profile and spatial audio settings. The SIMIFLY Hybrid Active Noise has no app-based tuning layer at all.
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