With its very first product, the Ear (1), Nothing seeks to find a place among the big names in tech. These ambitious headphones true-wireless are they well armed? That’s what we’re going to find out…
If Nothing stirred up more than enough air to make its first product known, the Ear (1) are nonetheless good headphones. true-wireless. They are clearly not revolutionizing the market, but they fulfill their mission and ultimately position themselves as a model of choice for anyone wishing to afford a pair of headphones with active noise reduction at a contained price. That said, beware of the competition, which offers an equally interesting overall experience at similar prices, or even sometimes at an even lower price, such as the Freebuds 4i.
Strong points
- Very rich sound reproduction, very nice extension in the lowest and highest frequencies.
- Particularly natural and well-defined bass (without active noise reduction).
- Good general level of accuracy.
- Very comfortable.
- All essential controls at your fingertips (with both headphones).
- Numerous recharges offered by the case/compatibility with Qi wireless charging.
Weak points
- Restitution of treble which lacks finesse, sometimes rough.
- Bass that loses punch when active noise reduction is engaged.
- Biased reproduction of the soundstage (very wide, but shallow).
- A bit sparse customization (assignment of commands and equalization in particular).
- Very average isolation in the midrange/treble.
NB: The reported price drop is calculated by comparing the lowest price of the day with the average of the lowest prices charged by all merchants for the product last month, with security rules to exclude prices from shops whose the VAT policy is not clear (known as “grey” shops, typically in the case of imports from China).
Alternatively
The FreeBuds 4i are certainly not free from defects – in addition to their disappointing noise reduction, we especially think of their controls which are too scanty. But that does not prevent them from boldly teasing many supposedly more prestigious models, thanks in particular to extremely solid comfort and sound performance. A great success.