Nothing is making waves in the premium headphone space with their Headphone (1) dropping to $239 on Amazon - a 20% discount that puts these AirPods Max competitors within reach of more buyers. The early Black Friday deal highlights how newer players are disrupting Apple's high-end audio dominance with design-forward alternatives at aggressive price points.
Nothing just threw down the gauntlet in premium audio with their Headphone (1) hitting $239 on Amazon - a move that makes Apple's $549 AirPods Max look seriously overpriced. The 20% discount lands just ahead of Black Friday, signaling how aggressively newer brands are going after Apple's audio empire.
The timing isn't coincidental. Nothing, the company founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, has been methodically building a design-first ecosystem that directly challenges Apple's aesthetic dominance. Their headphones earned WIRED's "best looking" title while delivering sound quality that punches well above their price class.
What makes this deal particularly compelling is the collaboration with KEF, the British speaker manufacturer known for their high-end audio equipment. The 40mm drivers deliver what reviewers describe as excellent low-mid performance with a unique "pop" that sets them apart from the usual consumer headphone sound signatures. Sound quality doesn't quite match Sony's WH-1000XM6 or Bose's QuietComfort Ultra in active noise canceling, but the combination of excellent fit and passive isolation closes the gap considerably.
Apple should be paying attention to these design details. Nothing's headphones include thoughtful touches like a small red dot on the right earcup for orientation - no more squinting at tiny letters inside the headband. The physical controls combine a clicky wheel and flicky knob that WIRED's Parker Hall called "some of the best and most intuitive controls ever designed."
The feature set reads like a premium checklist: high-resolution audio support, multi-device connectivity with memory, and object-based surround sound for travel entertainment. Everything's controlled through Nothing's app, available for both iOS and Android - a cross-platform approach that contrasts with Apple's ecosystem lock-in strategy.
Amazon is offering the deal in both black and white colorways, with the white version particularly striking against the sea of black headphones dominating the market. The discount appears timed to capture holiday shoppers before they commit to pricier alternatives.
