Nothing comes back with a new product launch (and there are already three) related to audio this time. The Nothing Ear (Stick) are the brand’s second wireless earphones to see the light of day, after the presentation last year of the Nothing Ear 1.
Unlike those mentioned, those reviewed here lack active noise cancellation functionality. However, let’s see where their strengths lie and if they’re really worth being only $30 cheaper than the Ear 1.
Design and construction
- Very comfortable to wear
- Supports pressure checks
- innovative case
- No wireless charging
Más allá de los substantial cambios que hay entre el estuche de los nuevos Ear (Stick) en formato pintalabios, y el de los Ear (1) con un design de caja más tradicional, visualmente los auriculares parecen semejantes, aunque también tienen useful cambios que you need to underline.
Compared to traditional headphones, the head doesn’t end in a pointed shape, which means the headphones fit better in the ears than the vast majority of models, which tend to lose grip after wearing them for a while. time.
During the time that I have tested them I must admit that they feel comfortable and in no case have I suffered any unexpected falls that could transmit insecurity, especially if you are one of those who use the public transport with the fear of falling on the subway or train tracks.
They’re comfortable for long periods of listening, with each earbud weighing just 4.4 grams, which is quite a liability. Without a swappable silicone tip, the acoustic seal for noise isolation is not perfect, so the earbuds don’t totally block out external sound.
It’s a toll you have to pay, in exchange for a pressure-free listening experience, something some expensive headphones can’t handle effectively and some users complain about.
The Ear (Stick) doesn’t have touch controls like the Ear (1) and many other rivals do. Instead, you can take advantage of the pressure-based controls, which are applied to the stem of the same to activate the volume or skip tracks with longer presses.
In general, interaction with them is fast and intuitive, so you quickly get used to them. There is also clicks audio to guide you, so that even when you take them out of the case and put them on your ear, the sound immediately informs you that the synchronization with the mobile has been carried out optimally.
The cylindrical case is very well thought out, with the headphones marked in red (right) or white (left) to quickly identify them with the naked eye or pinpoint them precisely to insert them into the charging case.
To open it, just turn the transparent cylinder 180 degrees and the headphones are left in the air. A small indicator light indicates their condition, and when stored they fit so tightly that it will be difficult to lose them even if the case is open.
Unlike other earphone cases, being totally transparent allows us to see at all times if we have them stored or if any of them are missing. Visually you have everything in view and they are striking to show off.
Already at the top we see that next to the red area there is the USB C type charging connector, as well as the button to synchronize the headphones with any compatible device. We would only improve the length of the USB cable provided by Nothing for charging.
Finally, know that the Ear (Stick) have an IP54 water and dust resistance classification, so they should withstand both rain and sweat in the gym or if you run with them. This is another incentive for the most athletic.
Sound quality
- 12.6mm Drivers
- ear detection
- Trio of microphones
We’ve already mentioned that the Ear (Stick) are less expensive than the Ear (1), but offer the most advanced sound experience yet, as the company pointed out when it launched. This is due to its 12.6mm drivers which are 1mm larger than in-ear (1).
The question is, do they sound better than the more expensive Ear (1)? Although this is a difficult question to answer, we would say that for most people the answer is no, although these do lack silicone rubber which may appeal to many and make others uncomfortable. .
This open cut, which can be comfortable to wear headphones for many hours, acoustically is detrimental for better soundproofing, especially when moving regularly through the streets of a big city.
Nothing has given the Ear (Stick) a technology called Bass Lock to help compensate for these situations. It is responsible for reading a tone when you first put the headset on to measure your ear canal to improve the EQ setting.
Aided by your phone’s mobile app, both for iOS and Android, you can manage these EQ settings manually if you want to be able to establish more precise values that better suit your tastes.
Compared to entry-level headphones, the Ear (Stick) has some nice extras, like ear detection, so if you take them off at any point, the music stops momentarily until put them back in place.
There’s also Clear Voice technology for calls, taking advantage of the deployment of a total of three microphones inside. In real life, this improves quality, but it doesn’t prevent things like wind or heavy traffic noise from filtering out.
I particularly liked the syncing of the headphones, whether you’re using an iPhone or an Android phone. Phone remembers pairing and only once in my testing failed to connect to iPhone 11 to the point of needing to go into Bluetooth settings to fix it.
Software
- Ecosystem with phone (1)
- App for iOS and Android
If you’re one of those who own a Nothing Phone (1) smartphone, you’re in luck, because you won’t need to download anything extra to get the most out of your new headphones.
Sound settings and controls are built into the operating system. As we did not have mobile access during the tests, we relied on synchronization with an iPhone 11 and with a typical Android phone.
The application is easy and simple to use, with a good user tutorial and everything accessible from the main screen, which allows us to have everything at our fingertips. It has four controls per earbud to play with, including double press and hold, which is a little trickier.
By default, it has no action, but you can configure it to activate a voice assistant, for example. The app also gives you access to EQ as well as the ability to find my headphones.
Autonomy and load
- seven hours of use
- 22 hours with case
- Quick charge
The Ear (Stick) offer an average autonomy of up to seven hours when used continuously, a figure that can be extended up to 29 hours if you use the recharge offered by the charging case, offering a slightly shorter time 34 hours of the ear (1).
Thanks to the fast charging system, you can also put them back into service immediately to use them for the next 2 hours with just 10 minutes of connection to the electric current.
These figures are absolutely correct. Indeed, I was able to verify that after an hour of listening to music, the battery level of the headphones had barely dropped by 10% compared to its initial charge.
Regarding charging, the Ear (Stick) do not have wireless charging like the Ear (1), another aspect that sets them apart. It also seems logical if we take into account the cylindrical format of the case rather than having a completely flat face.
price and sale
A reality is that the new Nothing Ear (Stick) are positioned as the cheapest wireless headphones in the range, thus competing with many other brands including the 3rd generation Apple AirPods.
The price of the Nothing Ear (Stick) It amounts to 119 $ and you can buy them finished only in white. It’s priced a little higher than the entry-level models which guarantee some quality, but in exchange you get a good sound response.
If you are thinking of buying new headphones for your mobile phone, take a look at our ranking of the best headphones of the momentwhere you will find models of the major brands.
verdict
As expected, Nothing reinforces its commitment to quality sound with these new Ear (Stick) headphones that are cheaper than the Ear (1). It seemed logical to think that its price would be less than 100 $, but in the end it was something that was not fulfilled, at least at the time of launch.
In any case, as with Apple’s AirPods 3 and AirPod Pro, Nothing already has both types of headphones (silicone and open back), so it meets the main needs of current users.
In this sense, I am impressed with their comfort and safety when traveling and walking throughout the day. If listening to music for long periods of time is your thing, this should be your choice.
But beyond the design that the Ear (Stick) shows, with the hand on the heart, I would say that the Ear (1) they’re a more recommended buy, because for $30 more you get plenty of extras, like wireless charging, longer battery life, and active noise cancellation.
If Nothing decides to lower its price later, it is possible that the Ear (Stick) will become more competitive against other brands where competition is fierce at the moment.
specifications
- 12.6mm Controller
- Support for AAC and SBC codecs
- detection in the ear
- Compatible with iOS and Android
- Three high-definition microphones
- USB-C connector and cable
- 7 hours of battery life (headset)
- 29 hours of battery life (box)
- IP54 approval
- Weight of 4.4 grams per earphone
Table of Contents
