CMF Launches Affordable Yet High-Quality Clip Earbuds

Clip earbuds are all about finding the right balance. Their design inherently involves some trade-offs, especially when it comes to comfort and sound quality. They’re a solid choice for those who prefer not to have something shoved deep into their ears, but this can lead to a compromise in audio performance. While they allow for ambient awareness, meaning you can hear your surroundings easily, this also means you might need to crank up the volume to enjoy your music, which can result in sound leakage. Premium options can get pricey, often hitting the $200 mark, but the CMF Clip Pro comes in under $100, managing to navigate these compromises quite effectively.

CMF is the budget-friendly offshoot of a well-known brand, typically offering earbuds in the $40–$60 range. So, I was surprised to see the Clip Pro priced at $99, the same as a recently released model that boasts more features (and some issues). Just days after their launch, the Clip Pro were already on sale for $79, which feels more in line with their value.

The standout feature of the Clip Pro is their comfort. The flexible band design prevents any pinching around the ear, and I found the placement of the speaker and battery/control capsule to be quite comfortable. This clip design is ideal for anyone who struggles with traditional earbuds fitting snugly in their ear canals.

However, the lack of a sealed fit does impact sound consistency, so I wouldn’t recommend these for critical listening. That said, they performed well enough for casual listening, whether I was jamming to my playlists or tuning into a radio app. The default bass boost is a nice touch, compensating for the open design without overwhelming the sound, unlike some other models.

The Nothing X app includes a three-band EQ for personalizing your audio experience, though it can be a bit finicky. Adjusting one frequency can inadvertently affect others, so it requires some trial and error. The Clip Pro also supports fixed spatial audio, which adds a sense of space to the sound, though I personally preferred the audio without it. High-res audio over LDAC is available, but the benefits are minimal in an open-ear design, especially with background noise.

While using my radio app, I noticed that the DJ’s voice could become hard to decipher during busy moments, like when traffic was loud. Turning up the volume helps, but it also risks sound leakage, which can be an issue in public spaces. The app features an anti-leakage mode that cuts higher frequencies, but this can negatively impact sound quality. Since leakage only occurs at higher volumes, it’s usually best to keep the volume down.

There are several ways to control the volume, including your device, buttons on the earbuds, or a dial on the case that can be customized in the app. This dial also functions as a button for play/pause, skipping tracks, or activating your phone’s assistant.

However, the dial lacks sufficient resistance, which sometimes led to accidental volume changes while the case was in my pocket. I ended up disabling the dial and opted for the buttons on the earbuds, which work well despite a slight delay, or just pulled out my phone instead. With the functionality turned off, the dial became a fun little fidget toy.

Call quality on the Clip Pro is decent, without the glitches I encountered with another model, where my voice would fluctuate based on background noise. The noise gate is quite aggressive, filtering out surrounding sounds and occasionally clipping the ends of words. Still, when I spoke at a normal volume while walking, my wife could easily understand me. However, soft-spoken individuals might struggle, as my quieter speech came across as muffled and required her full attention to decipher.

Overall, the call quality reflects the essence of the CMF Clip Pro, as does their sound performance. They excel within the limitations of their design, and their comfort combined with an accessible price point makes them a great choice for anyone looking to avoid the discomfort of traditional earbuds.