I am not an audiophile — removed from it — however I’ve listened to my justifiable share of headphones and earbuds to know what’s good and unhealthy, and what options make one higher than the opposite. 

I additionally know a classy piece of tech after I see one. 

Additionally: The very best noice-canceling earbuds (and the way they work)

Whereas the last word decider of what product is king is, properly, every particular person’s eyes and ears, I’ve spent the previous two weeks with the Nothing Ear 2 — you in all probability do not want any pun-tastic introductions of the corporate at this level — and can not help however shake my head at how this two-year-old, London-based startup now has a pair of earbuds that goes toe to toe with the trade’s finest.

The brand new earbuds, which go on sale right now for $150, look nice and sound even higher. Nothing has stored the design of the Ear 2 roughly the identical because the unique Ear 1, with two semi-transparent buds housed in a see-through charging case. The commercial design, in and of itself, helps the Ear 2 stand out from a market stuffed with monotone-colored earpieces. Take a look at the unboxing expertise beneath.

Nothing says it is made some modifications to the plastic all through the physique this time round, choosing a smoother materials that is extra proof against scratches. (Keep in mind, clear plastic is the bane of micro-scratches. House owners of clear cellphone circumstances ought to know finest.) This shift in design is a refined but significant change that I observed immediately. The general footprint of the Ear 2 has reduced in size, too. 

So, what if I informed you that even with the shrinkage, the Nothing Ear 2 comes with a superior audio diaphragm than its predecessor and will get a bump in battery life (from 32 hours to 36 hours)? The corporate tells me that the brand new customized diaphragm inside the buds options gentle polyurethane (PU) for extra correct replica of low frequencies and graphene for sustaining via excessive frequencies. Principally, the Ear 2 sound lifelike, heavy sufficient on the bass to scratch an itch, and true to artists’ intentions.

Additionally: I sweat a lot it damages earbuds. This is what I run with now

Maybe probably the most priceless spec with the Ear 2 is its LHDC 5.0 codec compatibility, permitting them to faucet into hi-res audio from supported platforms like Apple Music, Tidal, and extra. Even Apple’s AirPods Professional 2 cannot play in hi-res, lossless audio which, at this level, is a constant shortcoming. The function just isn’t a deal breaker by any means, however it’s actually wonderful that audiophiles have causes to be extra drawn to Nothing’s $150 earbuds than Apple’s $249 pair.

My complaints with the Ear 2 are extra nitpicks than goal criticism: Closing the charging case produces a loud clack regardless of how gently I shut it and the disconnect chime is louder than I might want. I’ve additionally discovered the squeeze-based gestures extra dependable than the companion app’s adaptive noise-canceling mode.

Evaluate: Nothing Cellphone 1: You ain’t seen Nothing but

We have hit a plateau within the wi-fi earbuds house, with most producers now preserving their upgrades incremental and designs on the safer finish. That leaves room for newer gamers like Nothing to take a leap of religion at customers, like myself, who lengthy for one thing new, contemporary, and simply pretty much as good. The Ear 2 ship on these sides, and their $150 price ticket is the icing on the cake.