Funky transparent design backed by good sound and noise cancelling make these budget buds winners
The tech firm Nothing’s latest set of cut-price Bluetooth earbuds offer great sound and noise cancelling for an even more competitive price, while continuing to stand out from the crowd through cool design.
The London-based firm has launched the budget Ear (a), which keep almost everything that was great about previous Nothing earbuds and cost £99 (€99/$99). That is £30 less than its previous offering and the new £129 (€149/$149) Ear, which offer a few more customisations for sound and other features.
The Ear (a) have the same shape as their predecessors, though now with an injection of colour to make them a bit more jazzy. The fit and finish is still excellent, with the firm’s signature transparent design revealing some of the inner workings.
The stalks have the same squeeze controls for playback, noise cancelling and volume as their predecessors. They are customisable and work pretty well by pinching once, twice, thrice or squeezing and holding the stalks, though the final gesture, double squeeze and hold, took a bit of practice to get right every time.
The main body of the earbud and silicone tip sit comfortably and securely in the ear for extended listening sessions. The battery lasts for a solid five to six hours of playback, with a further three or so charges in the case.
Nothing has significantly improved the case for the Ear (a), too, shrinking it to roughly the size of the best in the business, such as Apple’s AirPods, slipping nicely into the watch pocket of a pair of jeans.
