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Apple’s first AirPods were very innovative for the time and triggered a new segment in itself when they were released years ago. Versions of the EarPods, on the other hand, have been done to death. Nothing can alter their appearance. And that is exactly what Nothing appears to be working on with their new ear (sticks).
The Nothing ear (sticks) are an attempt to rethink wireless earphones, or at least the charging cases that go with them. Nothing’s signature transparent design ethic, for example, is being incorporated into a lipstick-inspired tubular charging case that twists up to allow access to the earpods. The earphones have a slightly different shape than we’re used to seeing — the large 12.6mm drivers have an opening towards your ear canal, and there’s a grille at the back to sort of let them breathe. It is akin to an open-design headphone.
The new Nothing X app on the Nothing phone 1 wakes up on its own as you twist to open the ear (sticks) case in a good native integration that reminds you of how the AirPods work with iPhones. When you tap on this alert, the app allows you to choose from preset equalizers or create your own. If the earphones are misplaced, the app can be used to locate them individually by beeping, which is a useful feature.
The audio profile of the ear (sticks) is slightly more balanced. The music comes across as crisp and layered. Even with the ‘More Bass’ option in the equaliser enabled, this is not a bass boost earphone.
Though it is not recommended to listen to music at high volumes with earphones, it was felt that ear (sticks) should be a bit louder to rise to occasions when you are in noisy surroundings and need to hear dialogues a bit louder. Remember that, unlike the Ear (1), these do not have noise canceling and, in fact, have an open design with no silicone tips to seal off the noise.
The same sharpness comes in handy when you’re on the phone, thanks to Clear Voice technology. Depending on how and for what you use these, the battery life can last up to 30 hours. In fact, the quick charge works well and charges the ear (sticks) in about 10 minutes to last another 2 hrs.
Nothing’s ear (sticks) are certainly priced on the higher side in what is now a highly competitive segment. Indeed, for fans of Nothing, the Ear (1) may suddenly appear to be a better proposition following the launch of the ear (sticks). However, the ear (sticks) may be a better fashion statement and are worth the extra dollar.
Source:IE
