Nothing Ear (2) Review: Better in Every Way
Nothing Ear(2)
Nothing’s third set of earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2) have kicked on from the company’s first release in 2022. The Ear (2) bring a much improved, more balanced sound that will appeal to a wide-range of users, and maybe even to some less-discerning audiophiles that just want something that sounds good but doesn’t cost much. Improvements to ANC, comfort, and fast-charging are all welcome additions, and Nothing has done an excellent job of taking the good from its first attempt and building upon that foundation.
Nothing is back with its third set of true wireless earbuds, the aptly named Nothing Ear (2). No, not (3), because Nothing’s second set of buds was the Ear (Stick), a slightly pared-back version of the Nothing Ear (1) with some changes to design and functionality.
But where the Ear (Stick) minimized in some areas, the Nothing Ear (2) is all about building on the numerous plus points of the Ear (1).
Nothing’s trademark transparent design remains, and the ear tip design is the same, which means the Ear (2) is just as comfortable as its predecessor.
But the Nothing Ear (2) comes with upgraded customizable ANC, slightly improved battery life, improved fast charging, even better microphones (somehow!), physical buttons to replace the at-times awkward touch controls of the Ear (1), and a host of new features in the Nothing X App.
Nothing Ear (2) Style and Comfort
The Nothing Ear (2) differ from the Nothing Ear (1) in a few areas. You’ll immediately note Nothing’s signature transparent style featured across the earbuds and case, allowing you to peek at your earbuds while they charge or at the inner workings of the earbuds.
In terms of design, the Nothing Ear (2) feature a short transparent stem that allows you to glance at the hardware inside your earbuds, on the rear of which you’ll find Nothing’s dot-matrix logo (updated to say Ear (2), naturally), and the striking white driver housing at the top.
Nothing switched out the touch controls on the Ear (Stick) in favor of a tiny, physical button, and it’s made a welcome reappearance on the Ear (2). Instead of attempting to figure out if you’ve tapped the earbuds in the right place or if it has registered two or three taps, the tactile Ear (2) button responds quickly and accurately.
They’re not a perfect implementation, as I still managed to mute calls when adjusting the earbuds while chatting, so the sensitivity could perhaps be decreased a little, but I’ll still take knowing exactly where a physical button is over the at times unfathomable mysteries of a touch control sensor.
Nothing has also reduced the size of the Ear (2) case to 55.5 x 55.5 x 22mm (down from 58.6mm x 58.6mm x 23.7mm) and rounded the edges a little more. The reduced size is a bonus, making it that bit easier to fit into your jeans when you head out. Also, the fidget-spinner dimple remains, which has been great while reviewing the Ear (2), and makes them the best earbuds to keep on your desk while working. However, the textured inlay of the Ear (1) case is gone, with Nothing opting for a smooth plastic design for the Ear (2).
The magnetic clasp on the Nothing Ear (2) case is also nice and strong, withstanding the hold-upside-down-and-shake test. I also thought the magnetic charging points inside the case were good, helping the buds slot straight into position for charging.
One small change between the Nothing Ear (1) and Nothing Ear (2) is the earbud weight, which falls from 4.7g to 4.5g per bud. It’s an imperceptible change except to my digital scales, but as part of the Ear (2) package, it all translates into comfort. And on that, the Nothing Ear (2) is a very comfortable set of earbuds. Nothing’s design hasn’t changed all that much because, really, why would you make alterations to one of the previous generation’s best features?
In the box, there are three ear tip sizes (S, M, L), of which one should provide the right fit for your ears to make a tight seal. The upgraded Nothing X App now features an ear tip fit tool, but more on that in a moment.
Nothing Ear (2) Battery Life
The Nothing Ear (2) battery life is another area of improvement, though it is marginal. Nothing’s spec sheet states that the Ear (2) will last for four hours with ANC switched on, with another 22.5 hours in the case. That claim was accurate, and the buds lasted for four hours exactly while testing them at home using High ANC.
Without ANC, playback rises to around 6 hours, with another 36 hours in the case. Again, this figure is accurate, though it does vary with the volume level.
However, four hours of playback with ANC enabled isn’t enough. These earbuds are extremely comfortable, look great, and have some other excellent features that we’ll get onto, but as someone who uses earbuds all the time with ANC, four hours doesn’t cut the mustard.
Nothing has drastically boosted the Ear (2) fast-charging option, though, almost as a salve to the underwhelming battery life. The Ear (2) gains up to eight hours of charge in the case in 10 minutes, which is a huge boost over the Ear (1).
Nothing Ear (2) Connectivity and Bluetooth Codecs
The Nothing Ear (2) uses Bluetooth 5.3, which enables multi-point connections for two devices, and is a welcome addition.
Furthermore, when connecting the Ear (2) to my Nothing Phone (1), it offered to create and save a profile for the buds to my Gmail account for easy sharing. When I connected the Ear (2) to my OnePlus Nord, the connection through the shared profile was instantaneous (as was the first connection to the Nothing Phone (1)). It’s a similar system to Samsung’s Galaxy Buds profiles, and it’s another handy feature for the Nothing Ear (2) buds.
Nothing is pushing the Ear (2) as a high-quality audio device, too. Along with support for SBC and AAC, the Nothing Ear (2) supports LDHC 5.0, a high-res Bluetooth audio codec (it literally stands for Low-Latency High-Definition Audio Codec—it’s in the name!) that will deliver high-quality audio for Ear (2) users. LHDC performs similarly to Sony’s LDAC, delivering variable bitrates of 400/560/900 kbit/s, bit-depth of up to 24 bits, and a sample rate of up to 96 kHz.
How much you can tell the difference between Bluetooth codecs comes down to your audio source. For example, if you’re streaming audio from Spotify, there isn’t much point in switching LHDC on, as the streaming quality and compression mean the high-res codec won’t make a difference. However, if you use a high-res streaming service like Tidal or Qobuz or have your own lossless audio files stored locally, you’ll be able to make the most of the Ear (2)’s high-res LDHC.
Nothing Ear (2) Sound Quality and Custom EQs
The Nothing Ear (1) sound quality was good for the price and for a first-time effort from a new manufacturer.
The Nothing Ear (2) has interestingly gone through two iterations of the final sound profile. The audio profile that will ship with the Ear (2) came as the result of early audio testing feedback, with Nothing listening to the concerns and issues raised and making adjustments before launch.
We didn’t try the original version of the Ear (2) audio profile, so we cannot comment on that. But whatever changes were made, they must have been in the right direction because the Ear (2) is a great-sounding set of earbuds, rich in detail, with a wide soundstage and a balanced tuning that outshines the Ear (1).
Although the Ear (2) comes with the same 11.6mm driver size, the bass is presented particularly well, driven by the Ear (2)’s stronger driver magnets and larger dual chamber design. The extra power helps the Ear (2) deliver some extra detail in the low end without becoming muddy or overpowering. There is some slight elevation which you’ll note from time to time on bass-heavy tracks, but the Ear (2) low-end sounds precise.
The mid-range is also a pleasure, with the Ear (2) delivering a really crisp and clear representation of any genre. When you throw on something like Another One Bites the Dust, those opening notes sound wonderful, delivered with clarity and rich detail, without an inkling of hollowness in sight.
I enjoyed the Nothing Ear (1) buds at launch. But having heard the Nothing Ear (2), these are a substantial improvement and deliver a sound that the majority of people will really enjoy, full of detail, power, and clarity. The additional option to adjust your EQ and create a custom sound profile will also endear the Nothing Ear (2) to anyone looking for a top-quality audio experience without spending a fortune.
The Nothing X app features a basic-yet-handy customizable EQ, with options to change the bass, mid, and treble. It’s not the most detailed EQ you’ll ever see, but it’s a handy option, nonetheless. In addition to the custom EQ, Nothing upgraded the Nothing X app with a unique sound profile option accessed through a hearing test. The hearing test takes around five minutes to complete, during which you’ll respond to various noises and beeps.
For me, the outcome of the audio test and the subsequent custom EQ were patchy. The tool worked and detected deficiencies in my hearing due to age. However, the overcompensation for those issues, especially for treble, was overbearing, massively ramping up bass and high-end audio and drastically altering the audio output. Obviously, your mileage will vary with such a personal tool, and having the option there at all is great for those that are unsure about tweaking an EQ.
But for me, the standard EQ is well-balanced and sounds great, and there isn’t much need to make huge alterations.
Nothing Ear (2) Microphone Quality
Microphone quality was one of the Ear (1)’s best features, and it’s the same with the Ear (2). Nothing has adjusted the Ear (2) microphone locations, and this change, along with the Clear Voice Technology, makes the microphone quality exceptional. The Clear Voice Technology is another important difference between the Ear (2) and other earbuds—even those that implement the same tech.
While talking in the car (to my Mum, who I always test earbuds with!), she noted that she couldn’t hear the car at all. There were no engine noises, no sounds of parking sensors beeping, indicators ticking, or otherwise. Furthermore, while walking, it was also noted that there was no wind picked up, keeping the voice clear at all times.
Nothing Ear (2) ANC
What better way to test ANC than to sit in a busy cafe at lunchtime? With the Ear (2) ramped up to full and music playing, the sounds of the cafe were muted entirely. The Ear (2) ANC was even more effective at home, blocking out the sounds of a busy weekend of children at home with various friends and comings and goings.
The Nothing Ear (2) has four ANC levels: High, Mid, Low, and Adaptive. Furthermore, you can also create a personalized ANC setting using the Personalized ANC Test in the Nothing X app. It takes less than a minute to complete, though you’ll need some background noise for a proper configuration. I couldn’t detect a great deal of difference between the highest ANC setting and the customized ANC, but it’s nice to have the option, regardless.
If you’re a fan of transparency mode, the Nothing Ear (2) has improved here, too. Transparency modes aren’t my cup of tea, but I found the Ear (2) tuning to strike a good balance between external and internal audio, keeping the external from overwhelming and disturbing what you’re listening to.
There’s Nothing Basic About the Ear (2) Buds
Followers of Nothing’s rise as a tech company may already know that the Nothing Ear (1) launched in 2022, priced at $100. Then, Nothing revamped the Nothing Ear (1), adding new features, improving its ANC, tweaking its sound profile—and pushing the price up to $150. However, with the launch of the Nothing Ear (2), the Nothing Ear (1) is officially discontinued, with the new Ear (2) taking its place for the same price.
So, should you buy the Nothing Ear (2) for $150?
It’s a fantastic package, that’s for sure. The Ear (2) sound brilliant, with Nothing building on and learning from Ear (1), along with listening to and adjusting for the issues raised by their audio testers. The Ear (2) ANC works really well, and the extensive customization options in the Nothing X app, such as customizable ANC and a unique sound profile, only add to the bang-for-buck the Nothing Ear (2) earbuds deliver.
They’re cheaper than Nothing’s first set of buds, and make improvements in many places.
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