Is the Nothing CMF Headphone Pro worth the upgrade from the HiFiMAN HE 600?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The Nothing CMF Headphone Pro scores 9.6 points above the HiFiMAN HE 600. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. The gains are concentrated in value (7.5 to 9.0). On paper: active noise cancelling, weight 389 g to 283 g and water resistance (IPX2). Worth checking: driver size goes 100 mm to 40 mm. It's also $720 cheaper, which makes this an easy call. Worth doing if you're replacing anyway; harder to justify as a pure upgrade if what you have still works.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.08.0
- Value7.59.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | HE 600 | CMF Headphone Pro | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes | |
| Weight | 389 g | 283 g | |
| Water resistance | Not rated | IPX2 | |
| Driver size | 100 mm | 40 mm | |
| USB-C | No | Yes | |
| Driver | 100 mm planar magnetic | 40 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 8 Hz - 65 kHz | 20 Hz - 20 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "HE 600 to CMF Headphone Pro". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across over-ear and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.