Note: This review was first published on 15 July 2024.
Nothing Ear 2.
Nothing has made quite a name for themselves in the tech industry with phones that are extremely value for money while offering excellent performance at their price range. While the company’s true wireless earbuds might not have been as popular before, it could certainly change with the Nothing Ear that was announced earlier in April.
The TL;DR version:
These are the best earbuds Nothing has put out so far, with a decent amount of codecs supported, great sound quality, and improved ANC performance.
Note: You can find the Nothing Ear on Lazada, Shopee and Nothing’s online store and authorised retailers.
Despite the name, the Nothing Ear earbuds are actually the company’s third generation of true wireless earbuds, after the Nothing Ear (1) and Nothing Ear (2). The decision to drop the sequential numbering sequence will certainly cause some confusion.
The Nothing Ear looks almost exactly the same as its predecessor, with the same transparent aesthetic that the brand is known for and it's an undeniably stylish look. The stem design is retained, with the same clear charging case that has a small indent that allows the case to double as a fidget spinner.
Slightly smaller driver, but improved sound quality.
Inside, there’s a new 11mm dynamic driver that uses a ceramic diaphragm, similar to the one in the Nothing Ear (2) but improved for better sound. Nothing also claims the diaphragm’s movement has been improved by 110% compared to its predecessor, thanks to a stacked layout adjustment for better vibration amplitude. The new Nothing Ear also improves on the Ear (2)’s dual-chamber design with two extra vents for better air excursion.
The earbuds are relatively light, weighing just 4.62g each. The charging case is 51.9g. With a pretty standard shell design, the earbuds are comfortable to wear even for long periods. I’ve managed to drain the battery on the earbuds in one go on a long plane flight without any discomfort at all.
Features
As Nothing’s flagship earbuds, these come with a plethora of nifty features like in-ear detection, Google Fast Pair, multipoint Dual Connection and, of course, active noise cancellation. The ANC supposedly can cancel up to 45dB of noise and is effective for noises up to 5kHz. While these values are tricky to evaluate, my ears tell me the Nothing Ear is more adept at cancelling out noise than the old Ear (2).
I did have a problem with the earbuds here, however. Even with the L-size ear tips provided in the box, I wasn’t able to get a good seal with the earbuds, which definitely affects the effectiveness of the ANC. It’s not a knock against Nothing or the earbuds, because the fit of ear tips is a personal thing, but it’s something worth pointing out.
There's also a Transparency mode. Long-time Nothing earbuds users will be familiar with the quirky audio cues (read: woman exhaling) that the brand has been using for indicating ANC or Transparency activation. Thankfully, the Transparency mode is decent enough and lets you stay aware of your surroundings. Voices aren't as natural as with the AirPods Pro 2, but thankfully there are no issues with distortion or things sounding overly digitised.
Everything’s handled in Nothing’s Nothing X app, and it’s an extensive app with loads of features and customisation. There’s a basic EQ function, but there’s also a Personal Sound Profile that can be created with a hearing test. There’s also an advanced EQ with parametric equalisation and also the Bass Enhance feature which boosts the bass in tracks.
Pinch controls.
Control customisation.
Like other earbuds with stems, the Nothing Earbuds can be controlled using a series of pinches on the stem, and what it does can be customised in the app. The app also has a Find My feature that helps you locate your earbuds should you misplace them.
There’s an IP54 water and dust resistance rating for the earbuds, and it’s also quite reassuring to know that the case itself is also IP55 rated. There's also ChatGPT integration if the source device is a Nothing phone, with the option to use the (separately downloaded) ChatGPT app in lieu of a voice assistant. While it's certainly a fun gimmick, there are limitations like being unable to call a contact which renders it a little useless for power users who are used to using Google Assistant to compose messages and the like.
Wireless and audio performance
Connectivity is good.
The Nothing Ear supports a surprising number of codecs. Apart from the usual SBC and AAC, it also supports the high-res LDAC codec as well as LHDC 5.0. The earbuds support Bluetooth 5.3.
There’s multipoint connectivity, or as Nothing calls it, Dual Connection, and it works perfectly when switching between phones and other source devices. Connections are rock solid with no dropouts even in crowded areas and train stations.
Battery life is slightly below average if you have ANC turned on. In my test, I found that it lasted about five hours on a single charge. With the charging case, you get a total of 23 hours. Thankfully, wired charging is pretty fast via the USB-C port and it also supports wireless charging. If you’re not big on ANC, then you’ll be able to get up to 8.5 hours in the earbuds, which is certainly more reasonable.
Nothing Ear.
The audio performance of the Nothing Ear is quite similar to the Ear (2) – presumably because the two earbuds both have drivers that use a ceramic diaphragm. However, it’s almost immediately noticeable that the new Nothing Ear has a crisper sound and superior clarity.
The overall sound signature is relatively balanced although there’s a slight V-shape with a dip in the mids. The bass does appear to be slightly boosted, though this could be because the Bass Enhance feature is turned to level 3 by default
There’s a pleasant warmth in the mids and the vocals feel forward and natural. Percussions, guitar strums, and the like, are well-defined with enough richness and body. The default tuning is suitable for a wide range of music genres, and there’s little to fault here. Any additional tweaks can be done via the EQ function, and if I had to suggest a change, it would be to boost the treble ever so slightly for a touch more air and sparkle in the high notes.
Conclusion
Nothing Ear.
Nothing has done a good job with the Nothing Ear, even if the new naming convention is a little confusing. The sound has been improved, the battery life is decent, and both the ANC and transparency modes work well. Discerning listeners will also be happy to know that it supports the higher resolution LDAC and LHDC 5.0 codecs. The only quibble would be its slightly higher pricing at S$229, which might put off price-conscious consumers. To jog your memory, the Ear (2) had a launch price of S$199.
But considering the Nothing Ear's sound quality and strong feature set, I reckon it's easily one of the better options at this price point. You'd be hard-pressed to find another set of earbuds at this price point that can rival the Nothing Ear's blend of performance and features.
Note: You can find the Nothing Ear on Lazada, Shopee, the Nothing online store, and authorised retailers.
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