London-based tech company, Nothing, has announced the launch of its second-generation Ear wireless earbuds. While the eye-catching design remains, the company has focused on improving the connectivity and addressing issues that plagued the original Ear buds. The Ear 2 will cost the same as its predecessor, at $149, which positions it as an affordable alternative to the more expensive true wireless competition.
While there have been no major design changes to the Ear 2 buds or case, Nothing has made several minor alterations to enhance the user experience. The company has reduced the size of the case, made it slimmer, and replaced the textured surface with a soft-touch panel. The outer part of the case is still transparent, but part of the white structure is now exposed. Nothing claims that the see-through plastic is harder to scratch and damage than the original Ear 1, which was prone to scratching. However, the exposed panel could become dirtier more quickly, particularly as the case is white.
One of the main improvements that Nothing has made to the Ear 2 is the relocation of the microphones and antenna inside the buds. This should enhance connectivity and stability, and also make the pairing process smoother. The company has also improved the antenna structure to increase reliability and added dual connectivity, making it easier to switch between devices.
Nothing has repositioned the microphones to reduce wind noise on calls, and it claims that its Clear Voice technology has been improved to filter out up to 20 million sounds, compared to 2 million on the Ear 1. However, in tests, wind noise still proved to be a problem.
The Ear 2 features polyurethane components for clearer low frequencies and graphene for brighter highs. The buds have a dual-chamber design for a wider soundstage and are compatible with Hi-res audio and the LHDC 5.0 codec. While the Ear 2’s sound quality is better than the Ear 1’s, it does not match the quality of more expensive wireless earbuds.
The Ear 2 also features three levels of active noise cancellation (ANC) and a personalized ANC profile calibrated to the user’s hearing. However, the ANC struggles with the reverberations on trains and the subway, leading to a jarring noise echo in the left bud while using ANC, despite recalibrating the buds several times in a bid to fix it.
Nothing claims that the battery life on the Ear 2 has been improved, with up to six hours of listening and 36 hours with the case, two hours longer than the Ear 1. The buds can also be charged wirelessly and offer eight hours of audio from a 10-minute charge. The updated Nothing X app enables users to set up and switch between ANC modes, and the Ear 2 works best with Nothing’s Phone 1.
The Ear 2 will launch in white on March 28th on Nothing’s retail site, Amazon, and Kith, but there are no plans for a black option. Despite the Ear 2 not shaking up the status quo like its predecessor, the improvements, including upgraded water and sweat resistance rating, make it a strong contender in the wireless earbud market.
