So, Nothing just dropped their new Ear (a) earbuds, the cheaper sibling to the Nothing Ear. I was curious, especially with that bright yellow color they added, so I grabbed a pair to test out. Here’s my honest take, coming from someone who’s been using them for a while now.
First off, yeah, that yellow is definitely eye-catching. I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone, but it’s cool that Nothing is trying something different. Design-wise, the Ear (a) looks pretty similar to the Ear, except for the charging case. It’s a rectangular shape instead of square, but still has that cool see-through design.
The feel of the Ear (a) is a bit more ‘plasticky’ than the Ear, probably because of the materials. But honestly, it’s not a big deal for me. They’re still super lightweight, just like the Ear, which makes them comfortable to wear for hours. I’ve worn them for long stretches without my ears feeling sore, and the ear tips fit really securely without feeling too tight.
Now, the sound. The Ear (a) does support LDAC, which is great, especially since the Ear only supports LHDC 5.0. That means you can use it with more devices for high-quality audio. Compared to the Ear, I’d say the sound is decent but not mind-blowing. The vocals are clear, but the high-end feels a little thin. The bass is boosted, like on the Ear, but it sounds kind of ‘stiff’ and not as full or punchy. It’s okay for casual listening, but if you’re really into bass-heavy music, you might be a bit disappointed.
The noise cancellation on the Ear (a) is pretty impressive, just as good as the Ear. It blocks out a ton of background noise, even on noisy public transportation. I mainly use the ‘adaptive’ mode, and it works like a charm.
Battery life is where the Ear (a) really shines. These things last forever! I’ve been using them for two days straight without needing to recharge, which is amazing. The earbuds themselves can play music for about 9.5 hours, and the case extends that to over 42 hours. Plus, they have fast charging, so a quick 10-minute charge gives you another 10 hours of playtime.
They also have the ChatGPT feature, but to be honest, it’s a pain to set up here. It’s like they didn’t really think about us folks outside the main ChatGPT regions. I’m just ignoring that feature for now.
Overall, the Nothing Ear (a) is a good value for the price. It’s not as impressive as the Nothing Ear in terms of sound quality, but it’s still a solid choice for everyday use. The long battery life and effective noise cancellation are major pluses. If you’re on a budget and want a decent pair of wireless earbuds, the Ear (a) is definitely worth considering. Just don’t expect audiophile-level sound quality.