CMF Buds 2 Plus Review

Our CMF Buds 2 Plus Experience

The CMF Buds 2 Plus feel fancy before you even pull them from the case. The case has a shiny metallic look with a spinning circle in the corner. It fits nicely in your hand, and despite thinking the spinner was unnecessary, we loved it. The design is simple, featuring an easy-to-open lid, a pairing button on the inside, and buds with a design for easy, fumble-free removal.

The CMF was easy to pair with or without the app, though the app was required for us to customize the touch control of play/pause, so we recommend downloading it. Apple and Adnroid were similar experiences and share the same functionalities with no connectivity issues.

The CMF come with three different silicone tip sizes and were some of the most comfortable in the group and definitely the best for their price.. We could wear these buds for more than eight hours without discomfort, making them one of the longest-wearing options in the group. They were also pretty stable and only needed slight adjustments when working out and running. While they didn't survive repeated box jumps, they did well on a decline bench, running on a treadmill, and lifting weights. The stems can get caught on clothing, but no more than other buds with similar designs.

The app is better than expected for the price, with more adjustability than we expected. The user interface is clean and uncluttered, with only the necessities on the dashboard.

Making calls with the CMF is better than many budget buds, but it is still hit or miss and would be our preferred option for regular chatting. If you need it for online school or calls in quiet places, we think you'll be pleased, but if you want to chat on the subway platform or in a busy cafe or airport, we suspect whoever you call will have trouble hearing every word. That said, they'll get the gist for brief calls, and these would still be our choice for calling in this price range.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Sound Quality

The overall sound quality of the CMF is good. Not great, but great for the price and just above average. While it may not be as inspired, it doesn't fall flat and is more than enjoyable for most casual listeners.

The bass is inoffensive but restrained, with more emphasis given to the lows than the mids. There is adequate precision here, resulting in a clean but unexciting listening experience most of the time. Occasionally, it sounds a bit mushy in some very bass-heavy tracks, as if it could benefit from a touch of cleaning up.

The mids have a nice presence, giving lead vocals a warmth and emphasis to stand out from the mix. Sometimes the vocals sound a bit compressed, as if there is less depth or richness. The end listening experience isn't as involved or lively as it could be, but it is still enjoyable.

The treble range offers some sparkling brilliance in the highs without shrieking, but it lacks sufficient clarity to compete with higher-end buds. It is almost as if it is playing it safe and refusing to take risks, but no one will take offense either. It can become somewhat harsh at higher volumes, but listening at high volumes is generally ill-advised for maintaining good hearing health.

The comparison of the CMF frequency curve versus our house curve shows an effort to align with some slight variations in the bass, where it trends somewhat higher. The fluctuations in the treble range confirm our expert ears' assessment that there is a lack of clarity, but that it isn't unpleasing so much as it is less refined.

Soundstage

The soundstage manages to create a sense of space that feels wide, very wide, but lacking in substantial height. There is an enjoyable separation between each instrument and voice, and we were impressed by the amount of location clarity, with nothing getting lost in the mix. While not as crisp as higher-end buds, it sounds better than most budget earbuds. It's like sheer curtains being pulled over a window; you can see out, but the amount of light and detail is somewhat limited.

Comfort and Fit

The CMF buds are more comfortable than the average earbuds and one of the most comfortable in the budget subset. With a familiar stem style and multiple silicone tips to choose from, they sit well in the ear canal and feel relatively stable.

The CMF sits right inside the ear canal, avoiding the claustrophobic feel of deeper sitting buds. They are lightweight and feel airy for an in-ear design. The stem doesn't have as many touch controls as we initially assumed, but we appreciate the design that makes them easier to hold and place in the ear.

Noise Cancellation

The noise cancellation on the CMF is just above average for the group, but overall, it's generally meh and uninspired.

Despite having active noise cancellation (ANC), it is only just above other budget pairs that don't offer it.

The ANC quiets the ambient noise, but it doesn't dissolve the sound of a glass clinking nearby. Pots and pans were still audible; the crinkling of a wrapper was surprisingly loud, and we could still hear the shuffling of sneakers. We could even hear odd electrical sounds from the stove that we couldn't hear with our naked ears. At lower volumes, we can hear the keyboard and the music on the loudspeakers. At mid-volume, the background music fades away, and at higher volumes, the treadmill is still audible but dampened, while the clanking of free weights remains.

App Features

The CMF comes with an app that was unexpectedly robust for such a reasonably priced set of buds. We had to download the app to set the touch controls for play/pause. This is pretty standard for earbuds, so it was annoying that this wasn't already set, but it was easily fixed.

There are different levels to choose from for noise cancellation, although the variation between the choices is not significant. It also features spatial audio that sounds pretty good. There is a basic equalizer organized by genre with five presets and ways to customize the presets.

Overall, we were impressed with the app. It has a lot of bells and whistles we don't typically see. It features a user-friendly layout that is concise and not overly complicated, unlike many busy apps that include virtually useless features and unnecessary shopping links. It offers “hear through” mode, which isn't the best, but it is better than nothing, and it makes it easier to hear those trying to get your attention without entirely shutting down the music.

Battery Life

The CMF lasts almost 13 hours, no, really, we tried it. If long battery life is key, then these bad boys knock it out of the park like they got paid to work overtime. While the manufacturer claims 14 hours, we can't be mad at 13.

Thirteen means a full day of work and commute or a quick workout. Plus, it has three full charges in the case, so even on long days, you can listen with minimal downtime to squeeze in all the things your day might bring. With an average life of 8.6 hours for the group, this pair is a standout.

Call Quality

The CMF call quality is below average. While fine for occasional calls or chatting in a quiet space, we don't think they are the best choice for frequent meetings or phone calls. Even in their price range, they fail to knock it out of the park.

They do almost nothing to block ambient sound, occasionally even softening the caller's voice, and prioritize the background sound over the call. The voice volume wavers in and out, and while still understandable, it gets annoying the longer the call lasts.