Nwm One Open-Ear Headphones
ZDNET’s Key Takeaways
Retailing at approximately $300, the Nwm One open-ear headphones present a listening experience that is simultaneously immersive and attuned to one’s environment. They rest gently against the ears, offering an exceedingly comfortable fit that adapts seamlessly to both active and professional settings. However, while their ergonomic design and sound awareness stand out, their battery performance does not entirely meet expectations, leaving some room for improvement in terms of longevity.
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Like many audio enthusiasts, my preferences for listening devices fluctuate depending on my mood and surroundings. There are moments when all I crave is a deep, fully enveloping soundstage—music that cancels out the rest of the world and lets me dissolve into melody and rhythm. Then, inevitably, there are days when that same level of immersion becomes overwhelming, when the constant influx of sound heightens my sensory fatigue, and I long instead for quietude, or at most, a faint background score that remains comfortably distant from my ears.
This pattern of alternating between total immersion and gentle awareness is precisely what led me to appreciate the concept of open earbuds. Devices such as Nothing’s Ear Open and Bose’s Ultra Open offer an ideal middle ground: they reproduce a lush, dynamic sound without isolating the listener from the world. While testing these models, I found myself enjoying extended walks without feeling cut off from external cues—the distant chatter of pedestrians, the rustle of trees, or the hum of passing cars blended subtly with my playlist, creating an unusually balanced listening environment.
In fact, I even grew comfortable enough to wear them during mundane outings, like grocery runs—something I’d never risk with traditional noise-canceling earbuds. The constant bustle inside my Brooklyn Trader Joe’s demands situational awareness, and being able to hear ambient sounds made navigating crowds safer and less intrusive.
So when I discovered that Nwm had ventured into producing a pair of full-sized open-ear headphones—aptly named the Nwm One—I was immediately intrigued. I couldn’t help but wonder how this unconventional design would translate to a larger, more powerful headset. After several weeks of testing the headphones across a range of scenarios—from lengthy work sessions to intense gym workouts—I began to uncover the answers to those early questions. Could these represent the next frontier in audio design, and are they worth the investment for individuals seeking the best of both awareness and immersion? The following reflections explore these questions in depth.
The most striking feature of the Nwm One is its unconventional structure. Visually, the headset resembles a traditional over-ear model, but with a crucial difference: where one would normally find padded ear cups enclosing the ears, Nwm has replaced that section with polished, conical speakers that project sound outward instead of sealing it in. This open architecture gives them a distinctive aesthetic—modern yet minimal—and also drastically alters the listening experience.
Because the speakers hover a short distance from the ears, the typical problems associated with over-ear headphones—such as heat buildup, perspiration, or that uncomfortable feeling of pressure—are almost entirely eliminated. The headphones practically disappear on your head, making them ideal companions for brisk morning walks, daily commutes, and extended hours of desk work. They provide the sensation of hearing a personal stereo that floats nearby, maintaining comfort even through long sessions.
When it comes to productivity, the advantages become even more pronounced. Imagine a busy office where conversations ebb and flow. With conventional noise-canceling models, you might find yourself repeatedly lifting one ear cup to respond to a colleague. The Nwm One nullifies that inconvenience: its open-ear structure ensures that you remain effortlessly aware of nearby voices and background sounds, allowing you to participate naturally in discussions without interrupting your music. You can listen at a moderate volume, maintain situational awareness, and still enjoy clarity and presence in your audio stream.
Sonically, the Nwm One delivers crisp, well-balanced performance. The tones are vivid, the mids and highs clear, and the overall sound is impressively robust for an open design. That said, due to its structural openness, there is inevitably some degree of audio leakage—sound escaping outward into the environment—which is expected with this type of headset and consistent with the physics of its form factor. The result is an auditory experience that prioritizes spatial openness over total isolation.
To be clear, listeners seeking a traditional noise-canceling effect will not find it here. In fact, the headphones are designed to do the opposite: they allow sound from the external world to intermingle with your music, fostering an experience that is both grounded and engaging. During my testing in the lively environment of my gym’s weight room—a setting full of metallic clangs, the whir of treadmills, and bursts of chatter—I noticed that the external noise was still perceptible under the audio feed. At times, hearing my podcast required increasing the volume slightly, though this was a fair compromise for remaining aware of my surroundings.
When I moved to a quieter area, the balance improved substantially. The sound became cleaner, and yet I could still interact naturally when approached by others. For instance, when a fellow gym-goer stopped to ask a question, I didn’t need to fumble with controls, remove my headset, or ask them to repeat themselves—the open design allowed our voices to overlap comfortably. This simple yet revolutionary interaction highlighted just how seamlessly these headphones bridge isolation and connection.
The same principle applies outdoors. While walking on busy streets, I could still detect the beeping of cars, the approach of cyclists, or ambient city noises, making the experience safer without sacrificing musical enjoyment. These are precisely the scenarios in which open-ear headphones like the Nwm One reveal their full potential: active environments where awareness and entertainment must coexist harmoniously.
ZDNET’s Buying Advice
If your priorities include a distinctive design, immersive audio that maintains environmental awareness, and a device versatile enough to accompany you through workouts, office hours, and everyday errands, the Nwm One is an outstanding candidate. However, if your goal is to retreat into complete acoustic isolation—blocking out the chaos of the external world—then noise-canceling alternatives may suit you better, as the Nwm One’s strengths lie not in silence, but in balance.
Ultimately, these headphones embody a forward-thinking approach to auditory technology: one that values freedom, comfort, and consciousness as much as it does fidelity and performance.
Sourse: https://www.zdnet.com/article/are-open-ear-headphones-viable-in-2025-this-pair-made-a-bold-statement-at-first-listen/
