CMF Buds 2 Plus: Noise-canceling and LDAC headphones for $69

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are setting a new standard in the affordable wireless headphone segment. At just $69, they offer a host of premium features typically found on more expensive models, including active noise cancellation (ANC) and support for the LDAC high-resolution audio codec. With balanced performance and excellent value, they're a worthy choice for the price.

Unique design and comfortable wearing experience

The CMF Buds 2 Plus differentiates itself from the square charging case with rounded corners and a unique rotating knob that doubles as a strap hole and a small entertainment accessory. The earphones have a long body design, providing a comfortable fit when worn for a long time. A subtle design detail is the glossy circle on the right ear and the rounded border on the left ear, making it easy for users to distinguish.

The product meets IP55 water and dust resistance standards, can withstand sweat and light rain, suitable for sports activities. The touch surface on the body of the headset allows you to control tasks such as changing songs, playing/pausing music or activating virtual assistants.

Main specifications

Outstanding active noise cancellation performance in the segment

The active noise cancellation (ANC) on the CMF Buds 2 Plus is surprisingly effective for the price. The earbuds offer three levels of noise cancellation (Low, Medium, High) and an adaptive mode that automatically adjusts to the surrounding environment. In real-world testing, they did a good job of canceling out low and mid-frequency noises like those from airplane engines. While they can’t completely eliminate high-frequency or intermittent sounds, the overall noise reduction is impressive, especially in crowded environments like cafes.

Transparency Mode works at a sufficient level, allowing users to hear ambient sounds when necessary, although the sound quality is not really natural.

Powerful sound quality with LDAC codec

Sound quality is a highlight of the CMF Buds 2 Plus, especially when connected to devices that support the LDAC codec. The earphones deliver rich, engaging sound with deep bass and clear highs. At default settings, the bass is strong and powerful, handling tracks with a lot of sub-bass well. The singer's vocals are reproduced richly and detailed. While the highs can lack a bit of sparkle on some acoustic tracks, users can improve this through EQ customizations in the app.

The product also supports spatial audio, creating a more spacious music space in a subtle way, without being annoying like on many other headphone models.

Battery life and included apps

The CMF Buds 2 Plus offers pretty good battery life, with 7.5 hours of continuous listening with ANC on and a total of 33 hours when combined with the charging case. The charging case supports fast charging via USB-C port, just 10 minutes of charging can be used for 4.5 hours (with ANC off).

The headphones are managed via the Nothing X app (available on Android and iOS), which offers a number of useful customizations like noise-canceling mode, spatial audio, and Personal Sound Profiles. However, the EQ is quite basic, only allowing for bass, mid, and treble adjustments without detailed frequency ranges.

Conclusion: A worthy choice

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are a standout in the budget wireless headphone segment. With a combination of attractive design, comfortable wearing, good sound quality, effective noise cancellation, and LDAC support, this is an excellent value option. There are a few minor drawbacks, such as limited EQ and no charging cable included, but overall, these are some of the best noise-canceling headphones you can find for under $70.

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