Created by OnePlus cofounder Carl Pei, the young London-based brand has released its new Nothing Ear True Wireless earbuds. These transparent, wireless IEMs promise customizable Hi-Res sound. An Active Noise Cancelling system and transparent mode are also included to allow you to block out or reconnect with your sonic environment. Furthermore, they can be used without a break thanks to their impressive 40-hour battery life. Available for €129, the Nothing Ears are a particularly compelling option on the wireless earbud market.
Included accessories
The Nothing Ear wireless earphones come with three pairs of silicone tips (S, M pre-installed and L) that allow each user to enjoy a comfortable fit. A USB-C to USB-C cable is also included. You’ll therefore need a mains adapter or a computer equipped with a powered USB-C port to charge the earbuds.
Presentation
Transparent design
As the brand states on its website, its mission is “to remove all barriers between people and technology”. This is achieved by developing products that are intuitive and easy to associate, as well as through the design of the equipment. Like the rest of the Nothing catalog, the Nothing Ear earbuds feature a completely transparent design, revealing the components.
The chassis of the case is transparent, offering a clear view of the earbuds inside. It’s embellished with embossed details that give it a futuristic look. Also acting as a charger, the battery is housed in an opaque chassis (black or white, depending on the chosen finish). It features the brand’s logo, an LED, a button for pairing and the USB-C charging port. The case is closed using a magnetic system.
For their part, Nothing Ear earphones have a stem design. The latter is also transparent, revealing the electronic components of the earbuds. The part that houses the transducer is opaque and molded to fit the auricle.
Wearing comfort
With their ergonomic shape and featherweight of 4.62g, the Nothing Ear earbuds are extremely comfortable to wear. Three pairs of ear tips in different sizes ensure a perfect fit for every ear shape. In addition to comfort, these accessories play a very important role in acoustic isolation and sound reproduction. It is therefore advisable to test all tips. Note that the Nothing X app offers an ear tip fit test and indicates when the earbuds are correctly positioned.
Once in the ear, they are perfectly secure and can be worn for several hours without discomfort. They’re ideal for sports activities like running and fitness sessions, especially as they’re sweat- and water-resistant. An IP54 certification for the earbuds and IP55 for the case guarantee protection against water and dust.
Hi-Res Audio Wireless-certified listening experience
The Nothing Ear wireless earbuds are Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified. Each earpiece is fitted with an 11mm ceramic transducer. Compared with their predecessors, the Nothing Ear earbuds benefit from 10% more airflow in each earpiece. The aim of this new design is to reduce distortion and improve sound clarity. Diaphragm movement is increased by 110% for even deeper, more immersive bass. What’s more, they feature a Bass Enhance algorithm that automatically detects and enhances the bass of music in real time.
To meet the requirements of the Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification, the Nothing Ear True Wireless buds support the LHDC 5.0 codec. This enables fast transmission at speeds of up to 1 Mbit/s, and supports frequencies of up to 24-bit/192kHz. They are also compatible with the LDAC codec, maintaining high quality up to 990 kbits/s and frequencies up to 24-bit/96kHz when used with compatible devices. This combination of technologies ensures optimal wireless connectivity.
Customizable sound
The sound signature of the Nothing Ear earbuds can be customized via the Nothing X app (iOS and Android). The latter provides access to presets (balanced, more bass, more treble and vocals), as well as a 3-band equalizer to adjust the sound to your personal preferences.
An advanced 8-band equalizer is also included to fine-tune the response curve. For each band, you can select the frequency to be modified and the Q factor (quality factor) corresponding to the bandwidth of the equalizer. The closer the Q value is to 10, the narrower the bandwidth corrected by the equalizer, allowing more precise adjustments. It is also possible to activate the bass enhancement mode.
Finally, like the AAT system we tested on the Denon PerL Pro earbuds, the app automatically adjusts the equalizer parameters to suit the user’s hearing. A few minutes’ analysis is all it takes. This involves several stages, during which different beeps are played in each ear. The user must indicate when they are no longer audible. The result is available immediately afterward and works very well.
Profiles created with the equalizer can be shared from one device to another to maintain the same sound signature, whatever the source.
Active noise cancelling and transparency mode
The Nothing Ear True Wireless earphones offer total control over the sound environment thanks to their active noise cancelling (ANC) technology and transparency mode. The ANC can be as high as 45 dB for noise-free music. You can choose between three levels of noise reduction, or let the earphones manage this function automatically by selecting “Adaptive ANC”. Another argument in favor of these in-ears which, for this price, offer a high level of customization.
In addition, the transparency mode lets you stay connected to the outside environment without removing your earbuds. By activating this mode, the headphones amplify ambient sounds, allowing you to hear clearly what’s going on around you.
What’s more, Clear Voice technology isolates the user’s voice from surrounding noise for crystal-clear phone calls, even outdoors.
Contrôle par pression et application exhaustive
When it comes to control, the Nothing Ear earphones are out of the ordinary: there are no buttons or tactile surfaces, just “pinch controls”. The click zone is located towards the bottom of each stem. Although it’s not very intuitive at first, you get used to it as you use the earbuds. However, there is one small drawback: for commands to take effect, the user needs to press this part fairly firmly between their thumb and forefinger. The earbud sometimes moves when pinched, and the tip may shift out of the ear canal.
The Nothing X app is very comprehensive. In addition to the equalizer, fit test and active noise cancelling already mentioned, it offers a host of features to enhance the listening experience. You can view the battery level of the earphones and case, and configure the controls. As for connectivity, Nothing X lets you choose the codec and provides access to the connected devices for Bluetooth Multipoint connection.
The app also enables you to activate or deactivate in-ear detection (automatic play and pause when the earbuds are inserted), low-latency mode for video games and the localization function.
Note that, for Nothing smartphone and ecosystem users, the earbuds integrate ChatGPT. Simply use the controls on the earpiece to start a voice conversation with the artificial intelligence, without having to go through the app. You can then ask questions vocally and get immediate answers. Handy!
Battery life
A single charge provides up to 8 h 30 of continuous music playback. For even longer listening sessions, simply place them in their charging case, which extends total autonomy to 40 h 30 when noise reduction is deactivated. The fast charge function provides up to 10 hours of music playback in just 10 minutes! Note that the Nothing Ears are compatible with wireless charging.
Key specifications
- 11mm dynamic ceramic transducers
- Hi-Res Audio Wireless
- Bluetooth codec: AAC, SBC, LHDC 5.0, LDAC
- Active noise cancelling, Transparency mode
- Case/earbud autonomy: 40 h 30 / 8 h 30 (without ANC), 24 h / 5 h 10 (with ANC)
- 8-band equalizer, with profile sharing, bass boost, custom acoustic test
- Pairing functions: Bluetooth Multipoint, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair
- Water and dust resistant: IP54 earbuds / IP55 case
Configuration
To test the Nothing Ear wireless earbuds, we paired them with an Android smartphone and a Windows laptop. We were therefore able to appreciate the efficiency of Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair. This was also the opportunity to use the Bluetooth Multipoint feature, which is very intuitive to use via the app. Phone calls are prioritized, allowing you to be reached regardless of the source used.
We listened to Hi-Res music streamed from Qobuz and Spotify.
Our impressions
The Nothing Ear earbuds offered a warm, pleasant sound signature for all the music we listened to: from rap to rock, jazz and pop. The bass was particularly impressive when the bass boost mode was activated in the app. They added an enjoyable intensity and energy to rap and rock tracks. The highs sometimes lacked clarity, especially at high-volume. However, the overall sound remained clear, and we enjoyed good spatial imaging that allowed us to plunge right into the heart of the music.
We particularly appreciated the Nothing Ear earbuds’ advanced equalizer, which offers very precise adjustments thanks to its 8 bands. It allowed us to fine-tune the sound to suit our preferences. The pre-sets were also handy for quick customization according to the musical genre we were listening to. What’s more, the automatic customization feature is very effective for those who prefer a simple listening experience, optimizing the sound without the need for extensive manual adjustments.
As far as the ANC was concerned, the Nothing Ear wireless earbuds provided good isolation at intermediate volume. This was all the more true when using the “bass boost” mode. The Nothing Ear earbuds outperformed some much more expensive pairs. The transparency mode also proved effective in allowing us to remain aware of our surroundings.
Nothing Ear compared to …
Nothing Ear (a) The Ear model features 11mm ceramic transducers and supports LDAC and LHDC 5.0 codecs, while the Ear (a) uses 11mm PMI + TPU transducers and supports only LDAC in addition to SBC and AAC. The Nothing Ear (a) earbuds offer a slightly longer battery life (42 hrs 30 min without ANC vs. 40 hrs 30 min for the Ears) and IPX2 certification for the case, vs. IP55 for the Ears. Both models benefit from ANC and customization via the Nothing X app. However, the Nothing Ear earphones benefit from more features, including a more advanced equalizer, an automatic sound customization function and a low-latency mode.
Marshall Motif ANC Diamond Jubilee: in terms of wireless connectivity, the Nothing Ear surpass the Marshall by supporting LHDC and LDAC codecs, in addition to the traditional SBC and AAC. IP54-certified, they also offer greater water resistance than the IPX4-certified Marshall Motif AN Diamond. The Marshalls offer up to 20 hours of autonomy with ANC and 26 hours without, while the Nothing Ears impress with 24 hours with ANC and 40 h 30 without. The Nothing X app offers more features than the Marshall Bluetooth app, but the Marshalls benefit from a more convenient tactile interface. The Marshall’s highs have better definition, while the Nothing Ears stand out for their deeper bass.
Who are they for?
The Nothing Ear earbuds are perfect for music lovers looking for advanced sound customization and deep bass. The effective ANC and excellent battery life make them ideal for those who are often on the move. The wireless listening quality is excellent, thanks to the LDAC and LHDC 5.0 codecs and low-latency mode. And for Nothing smartphone users, the integration of ChatGPT is a real plus, allowing you to ask all kinds of questions aloud and get full answers in a matter of seconds.
Conclusion
The Nothing Ear earbuds combine an elegant design with a high-quality sound performance. Offering effective active noise cancelling, an impressive battery life and extensive sound customization via the Nothing X app, they are particularly suited to discerning music lovers. With deep bass and compatibility with the LDAC and LHDC 5.0 codecs, these earbuds are a very attractive option in the wireless IEM market, especially at the competitive price of €129.
We liked
- The energetic sound with deep bass
- The advanced customization offered by the equalizer
- The 3-level ANC
- The comfortable, futuristic design
- Support for the LDAC and LHDC 5.0 codecs
- The complete, intuitive app
We would have liked
- More intuitive controls
