I've been using the CMF Buds Pro 2 for three months: they're the best budget earbuds money can buy, and now they're $20 off

the nothing cmf buds pro 2 cmf by nothing buds pro 2 in bright orange shown in the smart dial charging case against a blue tom's guide background — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

I test lots of budget earbuds. Some are mid, some are great, and some are unspeakably terrible. But the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 are none of the above. They are, sincerely, mind-boggling.

Thanks to a nifty Dirac-tuned sound signature, the Buds Pro 2 are a sonic delight. You might see the MSRP of $69 and turn your nose up — and you'd be a fool to do so. The Buds Pro 2 sound like $200 rivals. They sound so good that I had to ask a product exec how Nothing managed it. The answer? A lot of physics, measuring, and some rubber ears that wouldn't look out of place in a Madame Tussauds.

Best-in-class sound

If you want earbuds for as little money as possible, you'll want to know about the CMF Buds Pro 2. These earbuds cosplay as a much pricier pair, especially if you're a bass-forward listener. Detail listeners might enjoy the mid-and-treble signature of the $99 EarFun Air Pro 4+ a little more.

However, if, like me, you love bass, then the CMF Buds Pro 2 will treat you right. This bass is straight up nasty — and I mean that in the best way possible.

In my 4.5-star Editor's Choice review, I wrote: "‘Stockholm Syndrome’ by Muse was a complete and utter standout: the fuzzy, scratchy guitar and intense vocals were in perfect harmony." Usually, cheaper earbuds struggle to balance heavy tracks, but not the CMF Buds Pro 2. These little sonic sharpshooters came, saw, and conquered. And I loved every second.

"My colleagues...were all really impressed with the Buds Pro 2, especially how balanced the bass and detail are." As I've already said, striking this balance is one of the pitfalls budget buds fall into, but not the Buds Pro 2.

It's not just heavy music that sounds great through these orange 'buds, though. Atmospheric, ethereal tracks excel, too. "‘One of the Greats’ by Florence + the Machine [is] spearheaded by highly processed, scratchy guitars and Florence’s iconic, rich, emotive vocal. Florence’s voice sounded particularly emotional; I could feel every tug and growl of her vocal cords. The instrumental sounded a little scratchy with the Pop EQ in the Nothing X app, but the Dirac Opteo EQ negated this."

If you have the CMF Buds Pro 2, you'll know how excellent the Dirac Opteo EQ is. It's literally magic. It uses minute measurements and physics to ascertain optimal volume across the frequency range — and it truly is a technical marvel. One that I hope to take advantage of for many moons to come.

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Erin Bashford is a senior writer at Tom's Guide, focusing on reviews. She has a Masters in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the University of East Anglia. As an ex-barista, she knows her way around a coffee machine, and as a music lover, she's constantly chipping away at her dream of having a multi-room home sound system. In her spare time you can find her reading, practising yoga, writing, or stressing over today’s NYT Games.

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