So I’ve be very lucky to have been able to test the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds prototype for the last 3 months. Now just some background, I currently own many ear buds, the Pixel Buds A series, Pixel Buds Pro, Galaxy buds Live, Galaxy Buds 2, Galaxy Buds Pro 2, Bose Quiet Comfort II , Nothing Ear 2 and Nothing Ear 1, etc. When I was first sent these to test I was pretty shocked to discover these were a (a) series bud.

Build Quality:

The build quality on the case is a huge step up from previous Nothing Ear cases. Its a very hard durable plastic. The Hinge feels very well made and sturdy. Nothing here is cheap or flimsy. The hinge is clearly metal from the see through plastic top of the case, the magnets are nice and strong. When you put the earbuds in the case the magnets grab each bud in a very satisfying way. The only physical button is on the inside of the case to reset and reconnect the Bluetooth connection.

Ear Fit:

The buds are super comfortable and lightweight. They feel great in my ears, which I can’t say about all of my previously owned earbuds. They don’t go too far in my ear or feel intruding at all.

Sound Quality:

I’m pretty impressed with the sound quality of these buds. Whether its songs with a lot of Bass or more vocally faced music. I mostly use my earbuds to listen to Youtube Videos to be honest. The ANC is very good for what is supposedly the more budget focused model. Just as an example, last night we had some pretty bad storms going on while I was listening to some YT videos and I simply couldn’t hear the storm or my Wife talking to me. So I’d say that is very impressive.

App:

The Nothing X app is pretty fantastic as well. The Earbuds support Googles Fast Pair so if I’m switching devices they pair extremely fast without any bugs or anything so far. The app layout and animations is also pretty impressive. There is a pretty impressive EQ that lets you modify a ton of settings, toggle the ANC and a Bass boost option. Battery levels for each bud and the case are also shown.

Battery Life:

Battery Life has been fantastic. I honestly don’t think I’ve charged them in a very long time so I’m extremely happy with that aspect of them.

Value:

I think for a $99 USD this is a great price for them. Especially if there are any sales. These are definitely better than Googles Pixel Buds A Series and Samsung’s budget offerings.

Conclusion:

These are pretty great earbuds, IMO they are better to me than even the Ear 1 and Ear 2 earbuds. I actually thought when I started using them that they were the Ear 3’s until I noticed later. I’m pretty interested to see how great the new Ear model is now that I’ve tested these. I think they are easily the best buds under $100 for sure. I also have not been able to test the ChatGPT functions. That was a pleasant surprise that was announced today that adds even more value to what is a great package!

    Related discussions

    These look really good, just like every Nothing product. The price is definitely a good value. Can’t wait to watch some reviews.

    Rob ⚡️ love the yellow. I’m a bit of an iem aholic, I have purchased about 30 different TWS, have used wired iems for over 20 years and daily drive some 64 Audio U12T’s when not listening wireless (which is probably about 70%) of all of my listening.

    The Ear a actually appeals to me more than the new Ear, primarily because of the smaller case size. If the TWS SoC can support it - porting the parametric equalisation that the Ear has to the Ear a would be a 100% instant buy from me. If the PEQ could be extended to NothingOS as well, it’d be make Nothing’s phones basically the go-to for audiophiles.

    I use PEQ daily and it’s a bitch on Android to use without rooting your phone and next to impossible on iPhone (I keep a jailbroken iPhone 6S that can run EQE).

    Congrats on the launch, and god that shade of yellow looks good.

      I can say from the launch video of nothing ear and ear (a) that the product is awesome, but the barrier for us Africans even to buy your products is something. Here in Nigeria phone 2 costs around 1.1 million and if we want to buy your audio products it would cost around two to three hundred thousand. Anyways, ❤️❤️❤️ nothing

      I had a minimal interaction with both the products during the community reaction and sharing my thoughts on the ear(a) as it was my favorite of the two.

      Audio Quality: In all fairness the ear is a superior hardware but like DMS had mentioned in one of his recent videos every human ear has a different profile and different receptions to the audio, I completely agree with it as for me it was ear(a) which was clean and soft, whereas the ear I found it a bit harsh on my ears. I tried at full and mid volume settings.
      I did not pay much attention to the bass boost, which was again mentioned on the same review by DMS, which could have made ear audio output harsh to my preference. But if you like something punchy ear is absolutely the one to go for!

      Form Factor: I was very amused by how engineering team came up with such an unconventional design and neatly packed in everything in. This has resulted in a very ergonomic case, the length and contours of the ear(a)'s case makes it more ergonomic while putting them into and taking out of your pockets, on the contrary sharp boundary on the ear would make the case pop out from the pockets. That 0.7 mm extra thickness of the ear(a) is a negligible factor. The ear buds are packed closely in the ear(a), if you are someone who at times would like to use just one ear buds, extra caution is needed.
      You might very likely touch the other one unintentionally and disturb its position. But if you use the side space can avoid this, would be fine with practice.

      Design: I don’t think I have to comment anything on the design as it has been a strong forte of Nothing, just one thing if had to say would be more of a request than a comment that I would have loved to see the PCB on stem of the Yellow buds in Yellow as well.

      The above mentioned reviews are my 1st impression from a 5 minute interaction and very personal opinions.

      I’ve had the absolute pleasure of testing both Ear and Ear (a) and I’ve been blown away with my experiences so far.

      While audio reviewing certainly isn’t my strong suit, I’m still aware of what good audio is, and what bad audio is. To put it bluntly, I know what I like, and with audio being quite subjective, that’s certainly the most important thing.

      Having used a variety of audio products at different price levels, including Nothings previous generations of Ear, I wanted share some comparisons as well as some good points and some areas for improvement.

      Pros

      - Solid all around audio performance, the bass especially is an area that has seen some improvement, partly aided by the new bass boost feature/algorithm.

      - Vastly improved ANC over previous offerings

      - Great battery life, improved over previous offerings

      - Comfortable and very lightweight, more so than anything else I’ve tried

      - Great build quality and design

      Cons/areas for improvement

      - No wireless charging

      - No Advanced EQ or profile sharing. This is a shame to see, as with Ear (2) I’ve very much enjoyed trying community creations and seeing people’s unique preferences with sound.

      - No personal sound profile. Certainly another feature I will miss. Personal sound profile in my experience has had a huge impact on my listening experiences, with certain frequencies being boosted to “tailor” the experience to my hearing.

      - While the case is eye catching and unique, It is smaller and more compact, with the buds being much closer together when docked into place. This can be a bit fiddly at times, especially if you have big fingers.

      Overall I’ve been very happy with my initial experience with Ear (a). While it’s a shame to see some preferred features missing, It’s great to see a solid, all around package with improvements in some key areas, especially since these are considered as the “cheaper option” for the everyday user.

      Enjoy some photos of Ear (a) in stunning 🟡

        Just wonder… anyone tried both ? wondering if the ceramic driver really make a big difference ?

          neikees having tried both, Ear definitely has the edge over Ear (a) in terms of performance, so it must be having an impact! Paired with other specs and features of course. Definitely head over to the review thread for Ear for more in depths.

            Hey folks

            A quick question, how do I purchase the nothing ear a? It’s mentioned that it’s available on Flipkart, croma and Vijay sales in India but more details about it’s availability remains unanswered.

            Can someone please provide more details about when it goes on sale or if it’s available for offline purchase?

            Thank you!

              Just ordered mine in the yellow in South Korea! I can’t wait to get it! I was deciding between the Ear and Ear(a) but decided to just get the Ear(a). I have the Ear2 and still satisfied with it enough to keep using it but as you all know, the battery life could be better. I also love the pop of the yellow. I will leave a review once I get mine.

              Rob ⚡️ I was about to order these until I realised that they don’t have built-in Spatial Audio support. Its baffling to me that Nothing still hasn’t added that feature after three whole iterations of its audio lineup. Once you experience Spatial Audio with OnePlus/Oppo earbuds on podcasts, youtube videos, movies/shows etc there’s no going back. I really wanted to get the Ear(a) cuz of that gorgeous design but alas.

                Rob ⚡️ The best audio product for daily use in price range liked it a lot

                  4 days later

                  Nothing Ear (a) - Insider Review!

                  Over the last few months, I had the opportunity to put the prototype of the Nothing Ear (a) through its paces.  Alongside various other models like the Nothing Ear (1), Ear Stick, Ear 2, and the CMF buds, I’ve also tried out a range of alternatives from brands like Samsung, Google, and Apple over the years with the Nothing Ear (2) and Apple AirPods Pro 2 my current go to buds.

                  Case

                  Upon receiving the Ear (a) prototype and unboxing them, I found myself initially taken aback by the case, especially when compared to other Nothing Ear products like the Ear Stick. Personally, it felt like a step backward in terms of design.  The white casing and pairing button blended in too seamlessly, making it initially unclear how to connect the buds.  However, once connected, it was easy to remember the location of the button.  While the hinge feels sturdy, it doesn’t match the premium feel of the Ear (2) hinge.  The design of the case gave me the impression that it was tailored to snugly fit into a box, perhaps resembling the shape of a phone box cutout to possibly include Ear (a) in a future phone bundle of sorts.  The departure from Nothing’s usual aesthetic left me unenthusiastic about choosing these over the Ear (2) or Ear Stick, regardless of the buds’ sound quality.  In many instances looking at these on my desk, I just felt like it was an unfinished product and desperately hoped the case was an initial prototype that wasn’t heading to market, but unfortunately it is indeed the same case.

                  Comfort

                  The Ear (a) buds are pretty comfortable.  My oldest daughter, who has tried both the Nothing Ear (1) and Ear Stick, preferred the overall fit of the Ear (a).  I tend to agree with her assessment in comparison to the Ear Stick; the Ear (a) buds are more comfortable for extended periods.  However, personally, I find the comfort and feel of the Ear (1) and Ear (2) more to my liking than the Ear (a) in everyday use.

                  Sound Quality

                  I primarily listen to hip hop music, I find myself wanting more pronounced bass from Ear (a).  Throughout the last few months of using these though, I’ve certainly noticed a significant enhancement in overall sound quality since the initial unboxing of the prototype, attributed to many subsequent updates.  Initially, the sound profile out of the box failed to impress me and I was honestly very confused as to where these would fall in Nothing’s line-up given CMF is suppose to be the more budget friendly brand.  However, throughout the updates during my testing, Nothing has fine-tuned the listening experience, culminating in a more commendable level of clarity and coherence in sound reproduction.  I think many would be happy using these, especially if you do not prefer bass heavy buds.

                  Nothing X App

                  To be completely honest, the Nothing X App stands out as my favorite aspect of any of the Nothing Ear products.  Many I know using Nothing Ear products quickly mention purchasing these buds mainly for the app’s features and controls, allowing easy customization to individual preferences or simply for experimentation playing with all of the settings to find the right sound profile.

                  Battery Performance

                  Battery is excellent.  I had zero issues with battery performance, charging, etc.. Battery is on par with many other buds I’ve used.

                  Pricing / Conclusion

                  For $99, I find these to be a fairly decent option in the ever saturated ear bud market.  However, I would recommend considering spending the extra $50 to invest in the latest Ear model or Ear (2), if you can still find them available.  Alternatively, for even greater value, you could also opt for Nothing’s CMF buds, which have also proven to be great buds offering similar qualities noted above.  It’s great to see Nothing catering to a wide range of consumers with options available at all various price points.  However, extending the number of choices may confuse consumers also, (not to mention dropping the numbering feels premature for a still relatively new brand).  Since the launch of the CMF brand, which again is suppose to be the more budget friendly brand, it really makes me wonder how will Nothing set itself apart long term, if Nothing also continues to focus their hype on budget products like Ear (a), Phone (2a), etc.. Personally I’d prefer Nothing to be the premium brand and CMF continue to be the budget brand, but I can also see some value in offering something in between, if what’s offered in between can set itself apart enough.  The Ear (a) does just that.  They’re not the worst in the lineup, they’re certainly not the best in the lineup, but for 99$ you’ll get what you pay for and that’s all most consumers ultimately will care about.

                  Review Summary

                  Case/Design 3/10
                  Comfort 8/10
                  Sound 7/10
                  Battery 10/10

                  AVERAGE SCORE 7 out of 10

                  Thank YOU to the Nothing Team for this awesome opportunity as an Insider, really appreciate it! Thank all of YOU as well for reading my thoughts. Take care!