With a new starting price of $149, the Nothing Ear 2 earbuds are a whopping 50 percent more expensive than their predecessor, the Nothing Ear 1, which retailed for $99. This is not shocking given that Nothing raised the price of the original Nothing Ear 1 earbuds by the same amount last October, but it does change the playing field for the Ear 2’s rivals.
Nothing Ear 2: Description
The price of $149 is comparable to other wireless earbuds on the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and the Apple AirPods (which are frequently discounted). This sets the bar extremely high for any offspring Nothing may have. However, when compared side by side with Nothing Ear 1s, the visible differences are minimal.
The Ear 2’s case is more compact and lighter, and the earphones have a marginally more elevated profile and reduced weight. Even though earbuds from different generations can’t share a single set of controls, their dimensions are close enough that they can fit in either charging case. Functionally, however, Nothing claims to have upgraded to a more durable plastic for the new case, which should make it less prone to scratches than the Ear 1 case we previously tested.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Strong Transparency mode
- Attractive drop-stem design
- Good sound balance Effective
- Personalized sound profile
Cons
- Low battery capacity
- At high volumes, some sounds become abnormally grating.
- There is a lack of individualized EQ and ANC settings.
Nothing Ear 2: Specification Table
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Drivers | 11.6mm dynamic driver |
| Active Noise Cancellation | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Battery Life | Up to 34 hours (with case) |
| Charging | USB-C fast charging |
| Controls | Touch controls |
| Voice Assistant | Google Assistant and Siri |
| Weight | 4.7g per earbud |
| Visit Website | Visit Website |
Nothing Ear 2: Design
The Nothing Ear (2) looks similar to the rest of the Nothing true wireless collection but improves upon its predecessor in key ways. Instead of starting from scratch, the goal here is to improve upon existing methods. You get three different sizes of oblong-shaped silicone ear tips with the Ear (2), but if your ears are particularly large, you may find that even the largest size is insufficient.
It’s simple to swap out the ear tips and test out various fits. The smallest one has a diameter of about 12mm, the medium one of about 13mm, and the largest one of about 14mm. My right ear prefers the large ear tip, while my left ear prefers the medium.
The Nothing Ear (2) are comfortable for those who prefer a looser fit in their earbuds, and weigh only 4.5g each. The app also includes a measurement tool for the ear tips. The Nothing Ear (2) doesn’t go all the way in my ear, but it stays put for the most part. For instance, even though it may not feel particularly secure, it does not move during extremely windy conditions.
If not for the ear-fatiguing default tuning (more on that below), the headphones‘ inconspicuous design would allow you to wear them for up to two hours straight without any problems. Teenage Engineering, a cutting-edge manufacturer of musical instruments, also gave the case’s translucent exterior the same aesthetic treatment as the buds.
The case is small enough that it won’t cause too much of a bulge in your back pocket if you put it in your jeans. It’s well-made, with features like a sturdy magnet and a thumb hole. There is a little bit of side-to-side hinge play, but it’s not terrible. This appears to be very scratchable, as is the case with most clear plastics.
Special Features and App
For the full range of features, including a customizable touch control, Noise Control, Ear Tip Fit Test, Find My Earbuds, and Personal Sound Profile and Dual Connection as well as Firmware Updates, the Nothing X app is an essential download for Ear (2) users. On-ear detection is reliable, and you also get Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair. Almost immediately upon removing an earbud, playback stops, and it resumes almost as soon as the earbud is reinserted.
Nothing Ear 2: Connection
To transmit audio at sampling rates of up to 24 bits wide and 192 kilohertz, the Nothing Ear (2) makes use of the LHDC 5.0 codec (not to be confused with LDAC). Not many Bluetooth devices use this codec, but it may work with Android 10 and later. Low-latency gaming mode and the use of SBC and AAC codecs on iPhones are additional features of The Ear (2). The Nothing X app has a setting that allows you to connect to two devices at once, so you can answer a call on your laptop instead of your phone.
Sound and Noise Cancelling
The Ear 2 sound better than many other headphones in this price range, making them ideal for casual listening. When pushed, they can play some pretty low notes, and their tonal separation is good enough that they can handle complex tracks with ease. They are excellent at covering a wide variety of musical styles, but they occasionally lack energy. They’re a marked improvement over their forerunners, but they still can’t compete with the very best in their field.
While the earbuds can play high-resolution audio on select Android devices, the iPhone could hardly tell the difference when listening to music in standard quality. The Ear 2’s active noise canceling did a good job of reducing the hum of engines and smoothing out the daily commute, but they did not block out higher-pitched sounds like people talking or typing on a keyboard.
Their awareness mode is fairly natural sounding, making it useful for conversation and traffic monitoring. The call quality was great when there was little background noise, but it sounded a bit distorted when there was a lot going on, such as when a car horn honked nearby.
Nothing Ear 2: Battery and Charging
The Nothing Ear 1’s biggest flaw was its short battery life; with active noise cancellation turned on, the earbuds would only last for about four hours. That hasn’t changed for the better, unfortunately. While wearing the Ear 2 for work, I used it for about three hours before I received the low battery warning while switching between music and video meetings with brief periods of ANC-assisted silence in between.
Even in 2023, when wireless earbuds typically have a battery life of five to six hours (with active noise cancellation), this is a very disappointing figure. With active noise cancellation, the charging case provides around 18 additional hours of battery life. The case for the earbuds can be charged in two ways: wirelessly or via USB Type-C.
Price and Availability
The Nothing Ear (2) can be purchased for $149 (or £129 or €149), which is a reasonable price for wireless earbuds that offer ANC, wireless charging, multipoint compatibility, and high-resolution playback. You can get them from Nothing anywhere in the world.
While the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 ($149/$139/€149) are a close competitor in terms of price and features, I prefer the Ear (2) due to their superior design, fit, and sound quality. The open-backed Nothing’s Own Ear (Stick) is the least expensive option at $99/£99/€99, but it doesn’t offer active noise cancellation. Priced at $149 (or £149 or €149), the Nothing Ear (1) is still available.
The Apple AirPods Pro 2, which retail for $249/£249/€299, or the Sony WF-1000XM4, which retails for $249/£249/€279 but can be found at a decent discount in 2023, are both significantly better products than Ear (2), but they both cost more than $200. For more choices, peruse our best wireless earbuds chart, or if you’re on a tighter budget, peruse our budget wireless earbuds chart.
Final Words
The Nothing Ear 2 are a huge leap forward from the previous version, and they show just how far the company has come. They’re much less prone to crashing, the accompanying app is more feature-rich, and they still feel great on the skin. Honestly, it’s hard to find fault with this. They’re a great, reliable pair of headphones that won’t let you down.
The Nothing Ear 2 performs well even when taking cost into account. At $149, they’re on par with the best that Google and OnePlus have to offer, despite the hefty price tag. However, the price is justified because, while the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 are great, the Nothing Ear 2 are superior for my needs. In comparison to the “HeyMelody” app for the Oppo and OnePlus phones, which is used to control the headphones, I find these to be more attractive, comfortable, and functional.
FAQs
Is nothing ear stick noise Cancelling?
The EarBuds might be a good option for people who want wireless headphones that provide an unsealed fit like the Apple AirPods but are compatible with both Android and iOS (stick). The Nothing Ear (sticklack )’s of noise canceling is a plus if you value maintaining a continuous audio and environmental experience.
Does noise cancelling reduce ear damage?
Inadequate protection against noise in the workplace means that using noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds instead of proper hearing protection can lead to long-term hearing loss. You could be more vulnerable to accidents if you use noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds.
