Budget buds? Nah. These things sound like they woke up and chose violence — against overpriced flagship earbuds.

TL;DR (Too Loud; Didn’t Read)

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are the “almost Pro” earbuds in the 2025 CMF lineup, offering Hi-Res LDAC audio, personalized hearing profiles, 50dB hybrid ANC, and Spatial Audio. With a battery life that can moonwalk past 60 hours with the case and some of the best audio tuning I’ve heard under £100, these are the budget audiophile’s dream. The design is slick, the fit is comfy, and the Nothing X app integration is feature-rich. If you’re a music nerd with champagne taste but a sparkling water budget, stop reading and just buy these.

Unboxing & First Impressions: Sandblasted Swagger

Right out of the box, the Buds 2 Plus feel premium — not “flagship flagship” but “flagship for someone who knows what they’re paying for.” The case has a soft-touch finish and sandblasted metal dial that gives it industrial chic vibes. It’s the kind of design that makes you want to fidget with it while on Zoom calls. Color options include Blue, Light Grey, and classic tech bro Dark Grey — understated, but slick.

There’s a lanyard hole too, which is clutch for folks like me who’ve turned losing earbuds into an Olympic sport. These buds mean business.

Audio Quality: When the Budget Gods Go Super Saiyan

Alright, let’s get to the meat: sound quality.

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are packing 12mm dynamic drivers made of Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) and Polyurethane (PU), and that combo is music nerd-speak for: “tight bass, crisp mids, and highs that don’t stab you in the brain.”

They’re also Hi-Res Audio certified with LDAC, which is a fancy way of saying if you’ve got a modern Android phone (sorry iPhone folks), you’ll be streaming near-lossless audio at up to 990 kbps. On TIDAL or Apple Music (hi-res lossless), these absolutely slap.

But the real showstopper? Audiodo’s Personal Sound Profile. The buds run a mini hearing test via the Nothing X app and then tailor the EQ to your hearing. It’s like a tailor-made suit for your ears. My left ear apparently rolls off highs faster than my right (thanks, teenage Metallica phase), and the app compensated for it beautifully. Genuinely impressive.

And yes, the Spatial Audio Effect is here too — think a theater-like 360° soundstage. It’s no AirPods Pro-level wizardry, but it’s not trying to be. It’s just immersive enough to make your morning walk playlist feel like a movie soundtrack.

Active Noise Cancellation: Silence is Golden… and 50dB Deep

CMF is flexing here with 50dB of smart hybrid ANC, and unlike a lot of earbuds that throw numbers around like poker chips, these actually deliver. The noise cancellation is powerful enough to muffle a subway ride, airplane engine, or your coworker who somehow types like a 90s cartoon hacker.

The ultra-wide 5400Hz frequency suppression range means it doesn’t just cancel low rumbles; it tackles mids and highs too. And it adapts intelligently — think AirPods Pro-lite.

There’s also transparency mode, which is solid — not supernatural, but clear enough for street safety and not sounding like you’re underwater.

Call Quality: Corporate Ready

Each bud is loaded with 3 mics, powered by Clear Voice Technology 3.0 and Wind Noise Reduction 3.0. I tested calls on a blustery walk, in the kitchen with a loud kettle, and even while watching my dishwasher battle for survival — every time, my voice came through clear with minimal background noise. No AI voice cloning shenanigans, just clean pickup.

Battery Life: Endurance Mode Engaged

CMF calls this their “Battery Champion” and they’re not bluffing.

• 14 hours per charge (ANC off) — most true wireless buds tap out before 10.
• 61.5 hours with the case — that’s nearly 3 full days of juice.
• And a 10-minute charge gets you 8.5 hours. Like… what??

Let me say it louder for the commuters in the back: these buds outlast Bose, Sony, and even AirPods on battery. Insane value.

App Experience: Nothing X Hits Right

The Nothing X app is surprisingly robust:

• Custom EQ (a 5-band visual EQ plus presets)
• LDAC toggle
• Spatial Audio controls
• Personal Hearing Test (Audiodo)
• Dual Device Connection
• In-Ear Detection
• Find My Earbuds
• Even a cheeky ChatGPT integration (still gimmicky, but neat)

It’s all wrapped in a minimalist UI that doesn’t suck. Hallelujah.

Final Thoughts: Mid-Tier in Price, Top-Tier in Vibes

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are a rare breed: earbuds that don’t make you choose between price and performance. They’re the answer to the age-old question: “Can I have amazing sound and not sell a kidney?”

From Hi-Res LDAC streaming, Audio hearing personalization, and brutally effective ANC, to marathon battery life, these buds are the real deal.

They’re not perfect. The transparency mode is just okay, the case is a bit chunky, and they don’t support wireless charging.: Unless you need multi-point pro-grade ANC and top-tier brand cachet, these are punching way above their weight class.