If there’s one brand that has shaken up the hornet’s nest of consumer technology in recent years, it’s undoubtedly Nothing. Since Carl Pei decided to go it alone, the company has strived to demonstrate that industrial design doesn’t have to be boring or monotonous.
We saw it with their phones, those Nothing phone with a transparent back and LED lights that look like something from a retro sci-fi movieand we see it, perhaps even more strongly, in its audio division.
To be honest, the wireless earphone market had become a sea of white clones indistinguishable from each other. Nothing resulted in a bold, almost shameless aesthetic proposal brimming with personality.
*Some prices may have changed since the last version
And the best part is, it’s not just a facade; behind this futuristic “look”, there is generally products with a quality-price ratio that leaves much more expensive competitors in evidence. The Nothing Ear (a) are perhaps the best example of this philosophy: a round product that penetrates the eye and convinces through the ear.
We talk about a good deal in every word because its price has fallen. Even though its initial price was around a hundred euros, it is now possible hunt them down on AliExpress for the modest sum of 45 euros by applying the discount coupon ESGS04.
çAnd be careful, this is not one of those shipments that takes a month to arrive from a lost warehouse in Shenzhen; They are shipped from Spain, which guarantees that in three days or less you will have them at home ready to wear, without customs hassles or eternal waits.
The design is good, but the sound and ANC are even better
The first thing that strikes you when you see the Nothing Ear (a) is its design. While the top of the brand’s range has opted for square boxes, here we have a refill case which is reminiscent of a blister pack of pills or a little transparent plastic jewel.
It’s compact, it’s fun and above all it’s different. It maintains that visual identity of the brand that reveals the innards of the technology, the magnets and the internal components, but with a fresher and younger touch.
If you opt for the yellow color, which is the great protagonist of this generation, you get headphones that have an overwhelming personality..
But how do they sound? Because at the end of the day, it’s about listening to music. The surprise is crucial. Nothing has decided not to cut where it hurts the most and has equipped these headphones with Hi-Res Audio certification and compatibility with the LDAC codec..
So we understand: they are capable of transmitting music with a quality and speed much higher than what we are used to in this price range. The sound is powerful and fun. They’re not looking for a flat studio response that will bore the sheep, but rather punchy bass, thanks to a bass-enhancement algorithm that delivers hip-hop or electronic sound with depth that thrills.
The 11-millimeter drivers do a fantastic job separating instruments, making vocals clear and present without being drowned out by the kick drum. It’s a very pleasant sound profile, designed for the street, for the gym and for everyday life.
Another point where “cheap” headphones usually fail is active noise cancellation (ANC).but here the Ear (a) shows its chest again. They promise cancellation of up to 45 dB, which in practice translates into more than competent isolation.
An intelligent algorithm detects if there is sound leakage between the earbud and your ear and adjusts the intensity of the cancellation to compensate.. They won’t isolate you like three-hundred-euro headphones, obviously, but they’re more than capable of silencing the hum of the bus engine, the hubbub of a cafeteria, or the typing of an office colleague.
In addition, they have a transparency mode that works very naturally, allowing you to hear if someone is talking to you without having to take it off.
The battery is another of its strengths. With the charging case, you can go up to almost 43 hours of playback if you don’t overuse the noise cancellation. And if you run out of battery, they have fast charging: just ten minutes in the box gives you several hours of music. It’s that peace of mind knowing that they won’t leave you stranded in the middle of a long trip.
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