• The Nothing Ear (open-back) offers a comfortable fit and solid audio quality, with a compact body.

• Unfortunately, there is no noise cancellation feature to block outside sounds.

• Priced at $149, the open-ear (open-ear) Nothing Ears are worth considering.

Open earbud choices are more limited than traditional earbuds, making these new Nothing ear (open) these are an intriguing option. While they don’t break much new ground using a traditional ear hook design, they do feature a lot of refinement.

Nothing ear (open)

7/10

The unique NothingEar (open) speaker design presents an open soundstage that blends into what you’re doing.

Benefits

• Comfortable fit

• Solid audio quality

• Compact body (mostly)

Disadvantages

• Old style design

• No noise cancellation

How we test and review products

Pricing and availability

The Nothing Ear (open) are available now and cost $149. (Be aware that these were initially out of stock at launch, but appear to be more readily available now.) They come in a single white stem color with a clear case. The base of the charging case is white with a transparent cover.

Features

Selection of open-back headphones is limited

Chances are you didn’t come across this review because you’re new to looking for headphones that don’t fit in your ears and don’t plug them in. I assume you are here because you are desperately looking for something that offers the best audio quality while leaving your ears free to hear your surroundings and avoid any discomfort.

Although Nothing is more of a boutique brand, the Ear (open) is interesting because of the company’s attention to detail. He’s designed a personal audio device that’s better than most competitors, but still familiar with behind-the-ear design.

In this context, the Nothing Ear (open) deserves to be considered. While they’re not perfect, I like the way they fit, sound, and perform. They are 19mm thick and weigh 8.1 grams per head, meaning they are not as heavy or bulky as older models from other brands.

The Nothing Ear (open) doesn’t sound as full as the more expensive one Bose Ultra Open Headphones and are closer in sound quality to Sony Linkbuds adjustment. They are more comfortable than most other over-ear headphones.

An open-ear style that always sounds full

Nothing particularly fancy that Nothing does when it comes to how its headphones work. You can see that it looks like an old-school Sony earbud attached to a dipping earhook. However, instead of going down into your channel, the earpiece sits just outside at a 50-degree angle and pushes the sound inside. This is a more brutal method that manages to do a great job of leaving your ear unplugged.

Nothing has attempted to take the (open) ear to the next level in sound quality, from titanium coating of the internal parts to a custom diaphragm. My first impression was that the sound was full for an open-ear design. The entire frequency spectrum was present and songs sounded rich and detailed. Listening to music with these headphones isn’t as nuanced as with in-ear headphones that have a silicone seal, but the difference in comfort is worth the small compromise.

During my runs, where the environment was noisy and competing with my music, the sound suffered a bit, but the headphones remained relatively competitive. It was the lower end of the ear (open) that drifted away or was lost in the noise of the traffic.

Even walking down city streets, instead of running, I would have to turn the volume up to at least 75% to get some of the bass back. In terms of spoken word, Ear (open) also does well. Overall, people’s voices were clear, not too digital, and didn’t sound too sharp.

You may be able to tailor the headphones perfectly to your audio preferences if you play with the eight-band EQ in the Nothing mobile app, available for iOS and Android, but I tend to stick with the sound profile by failing to get an idea of ​​what people will experience off the beaten track.

The ultimate fitness headphones

There are many reasons to want headphones that leave your ears open, but in my experience the most important is fitness. For example, I need to hear cars and other street noises when I run.

Open-back headphones will perform differently when you’re in noisy environments, sweating or breathing heavily, and having trouble reaching a destination. Although I used the Nothing Ear (open) indoors and while doing things other than exercising, running was my primary evaluation focus.

Simply put, these are great headphones for running. They stayed on my ears without coming loose or, just as importantly, without feeling like they were coming loose. Even if the earbuds don’t fall out, the feeling that they might fall or slip at any moment isn’t ideal for focusing on the task at hand.

Importantly, the (open) ears are IP54 rated for dust and water resistance. They have a total of 30 hours of audio playback, thanks in part to the battery case. I appreciated the haptic feedback and audible cues when using the media controls on the earbuds. The pitch and double pitch were extremely easy to use on the go.

There are more controls available, like long grip or pinch and hold, but I find these types of gestures difficult to use regardless of brand, so I tend to avoid them. Plus, it can be confusing trying to remember what each of them controls.

Headphones that favor Android rather than iPhone

If you have an Android device, you will get more benefits from (open) Ear than if you use an iPhone. On the one hand, you can use Google Fast Pair to connect them without problems.

Nothing’s widget and ChatGPT’s integration with its own phones are another point of differentiation if you want to go down its rabbit hole. I haven’t had a chance to test these specific features, so I won’t pass judgment. Personally, I wouldn’t buy one. Nothing phone for ChatGPT integration, but this could be a nice perk if you already have one.

Should you buy the Nothing Ear (open)?

THE Nothing ear (open) are designed to leave your ears open (and unplugged) without sacrificing much audio quality. They do a very good job with this lens. They work well for running while staying safe and putting out full sound. If you’ve tried other products with open ears and haven’t been happy with them, these might still be the ones for you.

That being said, as good as they are, (open) Ears remain a bit niche and narrowly focused. I never felt like using them on my AirPods 4 in general because I felt a little awkward wearing them when I wasn’t exercising. There’s nothing wrong with their look, but they’re more about utility than fashion or style.

The $150 retail price isn’t much of a value, but it also doesn’t seem too expensive for what you’re getting. If you are looking for this type of audio device with this design, open ear headphones are definitely worth a try.

Nothing ear (open)

7/10

The unique NothingEar (open) speaker design presents an open soundstage that blends into what you’re doing.