Nothing's latest low-cost earbuds appear imminent — but set to lack a crucial feature

(Image credit: CMF)

CMF by Nothing has been a bit of a surprise in the audio world, with the very low-cost CMF Buds Pro 2 becoming a budget darling around the web.

It now looks like we won't have that long to wait before we see a new pair of affordable buds from the brand, thanks to a date on the Japan Audio Society website.

New budget buds on the way

So what do we know? The entry on the site tells us one very simple but revealing thing — a date. 2025/03, to be exact. That pegs them for release pretty soon, given that we're already in March.

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There's some bad news on the site as well though, especially if you're into your hi-res audio. Other products have a designation "+HRAW", which we're told means hi-res support.

The B170, which we suspect are the new CMF buds, don't have this following their entry, unfortunately — so it looks like there's no hi-res support in the buds.

Would it be too much to expect from some wireless earbuds that cost under $50? Potentially, given licensing costs and the need for extra Bluetooth hardware inside.

But it's still disappointing. Hi-res support is always nice to see, and it often brings a tangible difference in sound quality over those which don't have it.

Is there anything else we know about the buds? Thanks to an FCC filing (via MySmartPrice), we've got a picture of what the buds will look like. As you'd imagine, pretty similar to the last model.

An FCC filing showing the design for the new buds — (Image credit: Mysmartprice/FCC)

Expect improvements to battery life, more colors and better sound quality to be on the release docket as well — and it won't be long before we see what those improvements look like, by the seems of things.

We'll be after them the moment they land, so that we can see how they match up against the best wireless earbuds.

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.