These $150 transparent earbuds offer audiophiles something AirPods Pro don’t

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

I additionally know an elegant piece of tech once I see one. 

Additionally: The most effective 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 business’s greatest.

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

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 greatest.) This shift in design is a refined but significant change that I seen instantly. 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 delicate polyurethane (PU) for extra correct replica of low frequencies and graphene for sustaining by means of excessive frequencies. Mainly, the Ear 2 sound lifelike, heavy sufficient on the bass to scratch an itch, and true to artists’ intentions.

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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, nevertheless 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 would favor. I’ve additionally discovered the squeeze-based gestures extra dependable than the companion app’s adaptive noise-canceling mode.

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

We have hit a plateau within the wi-fi earbuds area, with most producers now maintaining 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, recent, and simply nearly as good. The Ear 2 ship on these sides, and their $150 price tag is the icing on the cake.