In this review The Nothing Ear (2) are a peculiarly named and oddly styled pair of wireless earphones that deliver superb sound for their modest price of $149/£129/€149.
The Ear (2) has a compact charging container, dual device attachment, and support for Hi-Res Audio when compared to the Ear (1) from 2022.
Ironically, I can only suggest the Ear (2) to anyone who doesn’t already own the only phone Nothing presently produces because this Hi-Res option is unstable on the Nothing Phone (1) but not on any other phone I tried.
Design & build
- Cool transparent design
- Pinch controls
- Three in-ear tip sizes
Even though Nothing takes great efforts to point out minor design variations right down to how the components are organized in the transparent buds themselves, the Nothing Ear (2) looks precisely like the Nothing Ear (1).
The fact that they are nearly identical is not a negative thing because they appear fantastic. The black contrast translucent sides (complete with AirPod-esque pinch controls) really stand out, and there is a white dot on the left and a red dot on the right bud to distinguish them. The white bud and stem design is inspired by Apple’s AirPods.
The container is constructed of a durable see-through plastic and is slightly smaller than the Ear (1)’s. Despite being dropped several times, the case only has a few small dings and didn’t break. It feels as though Nothing worries about the case’s aesthetics, whereas competing designs are only practical, making it one of the best looking cases for wireless earphones. Heck, it even applies to the style of the earphones themselves.
Although I frequently battle with the fit of some of the best wireless earbuds due to my narrow ear canals, the Nothing Ear (2) suit me very well with the medium tips. The buds are light and pleasant to wear at 4.5g each. (there are small and large also included). Like the AirPods Pro, the ends are more elliptical than circular, which is very beneficial.
The Nothing Ear (Stick) Buds have an open shape and no silicone ends if that’s what you desire.
Nothing cares about the case’s aesthetics where rival designs are purely functional
Sound quality
- Excellent music sound
- Great personalised audio
- Buggy hi-res if on Nothing Phone (1)
The Ear (2) has excellent audio quality. Even though the treble can occasionally be a little too overpowering, they have excellent bass and can effectively propel rock and rap songs.
The majority of styles sound fantastic, but in hectic rock songs the mid tones can be lost. The reduced music I was listening to on Spotify may be to blame for this, though.
Spotify’s rendition of Interpol’s Obstacle 1 sounded faithfully replicated when I played it. the same song via a high-resolution audio program I immediately became aware of new nuances thanks to Qobuz, like the passages’ crisp rhythm guitar. Which audio streaming program you choose matters.
The Ear (2) are good enough to clearly replicate the higher sound, which is especially remarkable at this price range even though the audio source is what has improved rather than the earphones.
UK Grim by Sleaford Mods’ pulsing synth sounds have superb audio separation, and the bass response is complete enough that inferior earphones distort. Everybody’s Gotta Live by Love’s acoustic guitars are gorgeously lush, as are the strings on several versions of Bach and Chopin.
Paid by Eric B. & Rakim Full-fledged bops with a tight, regulated tone. The Nothing Ear (2) are among the best-sounding earphones in their price category, outperforming the Ear (1) and the $149/£139 Samsung Galaxy Buds 2.
Nothing’s unique sound setting in the Nothing X companion app is even better. I had to go through the setup procedure twice before I was satisfied with the result, but it was well worth it.
The Nothing Ear (2) are among the best sounding earbuds in their price range
The software walks you through a five-minute hearing exam to see where you can hear a beep above static noise. As a result, the software boosts audio recordings in frequencies that your ears may battle to perceive (due to age). The mode’s richness and clarity of sound surprised me, and it’s also customizable.
If you swap devices or unpair the buds, you must repeat the test, and there is a completed equaliser feature if you wish to experiment without the algorithms. It cannot compete with the NuraTrue earbuds, which are obviously more costly.
All of this was noticed while the Ear (2)’s high-quality audio mode was switched off. It’s a toggle in the Nothing X software that turns on or off the earphones. It employs the LHDC 5.0 audio codec, and the software cautions that it will only work if your phone or device supports this high-resolution streaming standard.
I tried the Ear (2) on a variety of devices, including a Nothing Phone (1) with a beta version that enabled the codec to function, and then with the app’s general release. Unfortunately, when using the Phone, the setting made all music sound worse. (1).
After reporting this to Nothing, I even attempted it on a second set of Ear (2). Surprisingly, the audio degradation only occurs on the Phone (1); on other Android devices (the toggle is not accessible on iOS), the feature functions flawlessly, keeping audio as-is when necessary and streaming in high-resolution when available.
The high-quality audio option appears to give audio from Phone (1) to Ear (2) a scratchy quality, and songs have a static about them that makes the buds sound damaged in their present form.
In its current state, the high-quality audio toggle seems to give audio from Phone (1) to Ear (2) a scratchy quality
Tracks sound far better without it, and I couldn’t locate a single instance on any app or device where it improved the audio or video when using Nothing’s phone.
It’s not a dealbreaker for any phone except that one. If you own the Phone (1), you should be aware that the hi-res function is presently unavailable. Streaming music over standard AAC and SBC formats is perfectly acceptable.
In my trials, the wireless link over Bluetooth 5.3 is stable when the source device is close but drops when you are two rooms away.
Noise cancelling & smart features
- Solid ANC
- Buggy multipoint
- Audio lag with video
The robust active noise cancelling is another feather in the Ear (2)’s hat. (ANC). It’s a step down from the best-in-class ANC on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 and less comprehensive than the AirPods Pro 2, but for the price, it’s more than adequate.
As with the audio choices, the Nothing X app provides a pleasant degree of control to the user with ANC, which gives high, mid, low, and adaptive levels, as well as a toggle for personalised ANC, which takes your own hearing into account.
I found this less helpful than the personal sound profile and preferred to leave the preset ANC settings on, but the effort put in by a small start-up to create truly useful and successful features is notable. The transparency option is also useful when you want to hear the buds but still be conscious of your surroundings.
You can also link Ear (2) to two devices at the same time using Multipoint technology, so you can be connected to your phone and laptop or computer at the same time and hear music from either source. Again, a somewhat uncommon function at this price range, but I found it untrustworthy. I would frequently loose access to the internet while connected to an Android phone and a MacBook Air.
I also noticed audio/video lag when viewing YouTube movies with Ear (2) linked to the Mac, which I haven’t noticed with any other wireless earphones. It was both obvious and irritating.
The crisp speech technology is superior. Nothing has replaced the buds, which listeners said made me completely audible on phone conversations. You can also pair the earphones with Google Assistant via speech match for hands-free assistance from the Big G.
Battery life & charging
- 4 hours with ANC
- About four charges with case
- USB-C or wireless recharge
Nothing guarantees six hours of playing on a complete earbud battery with ANC disabled. I don’t wear wireless earphones for more than a couple of hours unless I’m on a train or aircraft, so I didn’t have any battery issues with the Ear (2), but the drop off is such that it begins to get risky at around four hours with ANC turned on.
When completely charged and recharging the earphones, the case provides 36 hours of playing in total, but this is a theoretical number. Nothing states is when the ANC is turned off. A ten-minute charge can replenish the buds/case for eight hours of playing. The package includes a tiny USB-C cable but no adapter.
Price & availability
The Nothing Ear (2) costs $149/£129/€149, which is a very reasonable price for wireless earphones with ANC, wireless charging, multipoint connectivity, and high-resolution support.
You can buy them globally direct from Nothing.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 ($149/$139/€149) are a close rival in price and features, but after using both, I prefer the Ear (2) for its superior style, fit, and sound clarity.
Nothing’s own Ear (Stick) are less expensive at $99/£99/€99, but they lack ANC and have an open construction. Nothing Ear (1) is still available for $149/£149/€149.
To get a significantly superior product than Ear (2), you’ll have to spend a lot of money on the $249/£249/€299 Apple AirPods Pro 2 or the $249/£249/€279 Sony WF-1000XM4, though the latter can be found at a reasonable price in 2023.
More choices can be found in our chart of the finest wireless earbuds, and if you need something inexpensive, we have a chart of economy wireless earbuds.
Specs
- Active Noise Cancelling
- Wireless: Bluetooth 5.3, LHDC 5.0
- Voice control: Yes
- Touch controls: Yes
- Battery life: 36 hours total without ANC
- Ear tips and wing tips: Three sizes
- IP54 sweat and weather resistant buds
- IP55 case
- Weight: 4.9g per earbud, 51.9g case
