After a month, I continue to be troubled by an aspect of the Nothing Headphone (1)
The Nothing Headphone (1) and Sony WH-1000XM6 are two of the most talked-about headphones in the market, each offering advanced controls but with distinct differences in physical design, app integration, and protection features.
Control Placement and Usability
The Nothing Headphone (1) has physical controls located on the rear side of the right ear cup. While this unique placement allows for easy access, users with long hair may find interference with these controls, potentially making them harder to use comfortably. On the other hand, the Sony WH-1000XM6 also has physical controls on the ear cups, but some users report plastic parts poking their ears, indicating slightly different ergonomic trade-offs.
App and Customization Features
The Nothing Headphone (1) offers a robust app with parametric equalization, allowing for very granular sound customization, plus features like Find My, spatial audio integration, and other ecosystem-specific controls. Sony WH-1000XM6 includes extensive app support as well, with 360 Reality Audio, multiple ANC modes, and sound upscaling features, making the controls via app highly versatile. Sony's app also supports LE Audio codecs, which aid in low-latency applications, surpassing Nothing in some niche connectivity use cases.
Ingress Protection and Durability
Notably, the Nothing Headphone (1) has an IP52 ingress protection rating, giving it modest moisture and dust resistance, which enhances control and device durability in varied conditions. Sony WH-1000XM6 lacks any formal ingress protection rating.
Physical Comfort Impacting Control Experience
The Nothing Headphone (1) has a tight clamping force, which can cause ear fatigue during long use, possibly affecting how comfortably users interact with physical controls over extended periods. Sony headphones have less clamping force but some ergonomic criticisms related to ear cup design.
In summary, the Nothing Headphone (1) provides more detailed sound control through a sophisticated app and has an advantage in ingress protection, but its physical control usability may suffer for some users due to placement and design. The Sony WH-1000XM6 offers comprehensive ANC and spatial audio controls within a highly refined app experience and slightly better physical ergonomics but lacks moisture protection.
The reviewer suggests that other headphone brands could benefit from the button design of the Nothing Headphone (1). The reviewer was impressed with the controls on the Nothing Headphone (1) after using them. The reviewer was pleased with the absence of touch controls on the Nothing Headphone (1). The track-skipping rocker button on the Nothing Headphone (1) is appreciated by the reviewer. The power switch of the Nothing Headphone (1) is a true switch, not a button requiring a long press. The reviewer prefers buttons over touch controls in headphones.
The Nothing Headphone (1)'s unique button design is praised by the reviewer, offering a track-skipping rocker button and a true power switch, which grants easier and more preferable control over headphone functions compared to touch controls. Conversely, while the Sony WH-1000XM6 offers multiple advanced audio features through its app, its physical control design faces criticisms related to ergonomics and ease of use. Interestingly, though the Sony WH-1000XM6 lacks specialized moisture resistance, it compensates with a wider array of technology embodied in its comprehensive app. When considering the overall control placement and usability, the Nothing Headphone (1) and Sony WH-1000XM6 both have their strengths, with the former excelling in button design and the latter in app features.
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