Hear the Future: Step into Audio Bliss with Nothing Ear Stick

Nothing but impressive hype and marketing drive have made people notice the brand, and it feels even more monumental when you realize the firm has only produced three key products. The startup founded by Carl Pei unveiled its second pair of genuine wireless headphones after entering the smartphone market with the Nothing Phone 1. The Nothing Ear Stick, priced at Rs. 8,499 in India, looks and feels grNothing Ear Stick Revieweat for its price. Yet, there’s more to truly wireless earphones than style, and the Nothing Ear Stick’s seeming single-minded concentration on design has significant limitations. How are these earphones overall? Discover it in this review.

Nothing Ear Stick Specifications

PROS

• Crisp, distinct audio
• Stylish and one-of-a-kind layout
• more comfortably than most in-ear headphones

CONS

• Simple, sensitive control interface.
• Flimsy audio

Price

Nothing announced the Ear (Stick) on October 26 as its “most advanced audio product yet.”  Because the ANC has been discontinued, we consider it the company’s mid-tier offering. The keen-eyed will probably find it odd that the mid-range earphones cost the same as the flagship model. CEO Carl Pei announced on Twitter that the Ear (1) will cost $149 “because of rising prices. That price puts the Ear (Stick) in direct conflict with the superb Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus, whatever Nothing’s pricing policy is. Hard company to maintain.

Design

The Nothing Ear (Stick)’s new stem sensors are great. The small, clickable silver button is on the stem’s front edge, nearest your cheek, rather than the back edge like the AirPods Pro 2, making it easier to access. It clicks pleasantly to detect your touch and indicate that your morse-code request of single, double, or long-hold clicks is being processed.

The clear plastic outer shell includes a textured white plastic nest, which we enjoy spinning, and the lipstick-red accent on one end (the case is happy on its side or end) is charming. Though the driver housings are large and our ears are small, the earbuds did cause fall-out worry during our listening. With no tips, you can’t do anything about this situation. Nothing states that the ergonomically constructed and tested earphones were designed to rest less intrusively in the ear canal for a naturally pleasant fit. Though not bad, it’s not the most secure approach we’ve attempted. At under $100, USB-C charging is the only juice option.

However, the earbuds’ uncommon IPX7 waterproof designation protects them from submersion in fresh water up to one meter for 30 minutes, but the casing does not. The iOS and Android apps, which now have circular equalization, can toggle wearer recognition and a low latency mode for better gaming. A handy Find My Earbuds option lets you click on an image of the lost bud to make it make a cricket-like noise to help you find it.

Sound Quality

The Nothings lack head-tracked, agnostic spatial audio compatibility like LG’s Tone Free T90 and the even newer Anker Soundcore Liberty 4, but they’re still fun. We streamed Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones (yes, going big early) and toasted Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Ronnie’s raucousness like 1981. The hand claps are powerful through a strong treble, but the bass end is considerably better and more disciplined this time. In INXS’s Need You Tonight, synths and Michael Hutchence’s backing vocals seem wider and more expressive. Bruce Springsteen’s I’m on Fire is solemn, nimble, and has the gorgeous, untiring drum fill just below our left ear, where it belongs in an excellent and coherent mix. Switch to the Cambridge Melomania 1 Plus to sacrifice some thrill and energy but gain more upper midrange detail. Remember the hi-fi vs. high-excitement debate? The contrast between rage and refinement is strong, but that’s the point. Choose one you prefer, but there’s plenty of ability and desire here. The new Bass Lock Technology and Nothing’s decision to employ the best driver magnets and tighten the diaphragm may help keep things rhythmic. They outperform the ear (1) in sound per pound.

Battery life

Aesthetics are important with true wireless earphones, and the Nothing Ear Stick has some amazing aesthetic qualities. In terms of performance, the headset is disappointing. Due to the architecture, there is neither active noise cancellation nor passive noise isolation, but the sound was still dull. I utilized the Nothing Ear Stick with an Apple iPhone 13 (review) mostly indoors but occasionally outdoors for my review. The design made the sound change depending on how I wore the earpieces, but it didn’t take long to discover the optimum position. The Nothing Ear Stick’s sound on Let’s Groove by Earth, Wind, and Fire was curiously treble-heavy, with harsh upper-mids and highs. The beat of this disco-era track was more like clicks than thumps, with fewer lows. The clarity of the sound caused listeners to fatigue at even moderate volumes when listening to other fast-paced tunes.

Verdict

The Nothing Ear Stick was hyped before its release, but it’s not as amazing as expected. There aren’t many genuine wireless earphones under Rs. 10,000 that look better, but the sound quality is poor and the pricing seems exorbitant given the lack of active noise cancellation. The Nothing Ear Stick sounds good with certain music and is useful for voice-based material and calls, but it doesn’t justify the Rs. 8,499 price. Choose the older Nothing Ear 1 or spend more on the fantastic Oppo Enco X2, which has ANC, improved codec support, and greater sound.

FAQs

Do ear sticks cancel noise?

The Ear (stick) may appeal to Android and iOS users who want an unsealed fit like the Apple AirPods. Lack of noise cancelling makes the Nothing Ear (stick) ideal for always hearing music and the surroundings.

Nothing ear sticks comfortable?

However, Nothing are one-size-fits-all earphones. They’re more comfy, well-built, and sound neutral, which some users may like. The Status Between Pro True Wireless outperforms the Nothing Ear (stick) Truly Wireless.

Nothing ear sticks waterproof?

Designed for daily wear. IP54 dust-, water-, and sweat-resistant.