The Ear (1) Bluetooth noise canceling headphones are the first product of Nothing, a startup created in late 2020 by Carl Pei, former co-founder of OnePlus. Thanks to investors like Tony Fadell, the father of the iPod, and marketing campaigns focused on hype and the importance of design, Pei’s company has been able to generate attention and expectations for a project that otherwise would have had no chance against the technology giants.
An approach that also brings with it many expectations and the risk of not being able to satisfy them. The danger, we can say, has escaped: the Ear (1) are certainly not a revolution, as Pei and his team would like, but they certainly represent an interesting novelty in a market like that of cuffie true-wireless, saturated with proposals that are now very similar to each other.
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The design: how they are made
The Nothing Ear (1) stand out primarily for their aesthetics and in particular for the use of transparent plastic. Both the case and the headphones themselves let you glimpse what’s inside. A choice that may seem trivial, but which for a designer is a nightmare: everything that can normally be hidden, from the cables to the smears of the glue that holds the two halves of the earphones together, would be seen here. But no: the details are impeccable and you have the impression of having a design product in your hands that worth more than 99 euros of the list price. The user experience starts with the case, in which the earphones can be stowed in place thanks to a magnetic clip and are held in place by two spherical recesses in the upper part of the case.
The technical characteristics
The price of 99 euros is surprising even if we consider the technical characteristics. On the Ear (1), Nothing managed to implement all the functions found on Apple’s AirPods Pro, improving battery life as well. There are IPX4 sweat and rain resistance, Anc active noise cancellation, a sensor that detects whether we are wearing headphones or have removed them, Bluetooth 5.2. The battery lasts 4 hours with the ANC and up to 24 by recharging the earphones in the case, which in turn is equipped with wireless charging or via USB-C cable. There is also a dedicated app for iPhone and Android, well made and simple to use, which allows you to adjust settings and commands, or to activate noise cancellation o the level of transparency to external noise. The two earbuds are also extremely light and fit very well inside the ear (there are also replacement tips in the box that are suitable for larger or smaller ear cups).
The commands: how they work
The stem of the Ear (1) is touch sensitive and allows you to control music playback or calls without ever having to take the phone out of your pocket. With a double tap on one of the two headphones, the music is played or paused, or a call is answered. The triple touch you can customize it to go to the previous or next song, while by tapping and then keeping your finger on the earphone you can turn noise cancellation on or off. Instead, the volume is adjusted by sliding your finger on one of the earphones up or down. Movement is simple and intuitive, but the headphones don’t always recognize the command. Also for turn the volume up or down in a sensitive way it is necessary to repeat the operation several times in a row, ending up moving the headset from the ideal position inside the ear.
Audio quality: how they sound
The overall audio quality of the Ear (1) is good, but not excellent. This is where the AirPods Pro, in our opinion, continue to justify the price difference (even without considering the inevitable incompatibility of Nothing’s headphones with Spatial Audio on the iPhone). The driver da 11,6 mm of the earphones is certainly able to return a clear and clean sound, but they lack the warmth and roundness that you get with higher-end headphones (without bothering Apple, think of Sony or Bower & Wilkins).
Good standard equalization, which results balanced and suitable for most listening. On the other hand, the possibilities for customization are somewhat limited: an app menu allows you to select only two other alternative equalizations with higher or lower levels.
The same considerations apply to the noise cancellation, which is good but not surprising. It is sufficient to eliminate background noises from traffic or a fan and is enhanced by music reproduction (which does not lose quality due to the presence of the ANC). However, if you compare the Ear (1) with the AirPods Pro or with others high-end headphones like the Jabra Elite 85t, the differences are obvious: Nothing’s headphones do not reach the same level of reduction of external noise. However, it remains established that the Ear (1) sound and cancel noise better than any 99 euro true wireless headset that we have tried in recent months, beating even competitors of more famous brands and with much higher list prices.
Nothing Ear (1): what we liked
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The price: These are the best noise-canceling in-ear headphones you can buy for 99 euros
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The design: in a sea of true wireless headphones that are all the same, they stand out thanks to risky design choices, such as the use of transparent plastic
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The duration of the battery, which even beats the AirPods Pro
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The recharge wireless integrated in the housing
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The function Find My Earbud allows you to find lost headphones around the house by making the earphones emit a very loud sound (warning: never try this function if you are wearing them)
What is there to improve
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The volume adjustment: Swiping your finger on the headset often ends up pushing it out of position, while the command itself is not always recognized
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The noise cancellation: it’s already good, but you can do better
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The custody: it is a bit bulky and is very easily scratched
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In conclusion: the first is good
With the Ear (1), Carl Pei’s Nothing has brought a convincing product to the market, which makes design its strong point and undoubtedly offers more than the price might suggest. There are some points that can be improved and we are certainly not facing a market revolution. Nonetheless, we do not doubt that the Ear (1) can stir the waters and cause a downward price adjustment for many producers.
If you are looking for a pair of true wireless noise canceling headphones, we recommend that you consider them, particularly if you are an Android user. On iPhones, the Ear (1) works just as well, but the competition from the AirPods Pro cannot be ignored. While they cost about twice as much, Apple’s earphones offer Spatial Audio, superior sound quality and noise cancellation. The Ear (1) on the other hand, as mentioned, wins on the price, but also on the battery life, both of the earphones and of the case.
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