Nothing launched its new Ear 2 Wireless Earbuds earlier today with its CEO Carl Pei front and center of the online event which riffed off a few popular YouTubers with tongue-in-cheek impersonations. While they share the same basic design as the original Ear 1 Wireless Earbuds, they benefit from a number of under-the-hood improvements in hardware and audio features such as support for the LHDC 5.0 codec which brings Hi-Res audio.
Priced at $149, the Ear 2 Wireless Earbuds is now capable of up to 40dB noise reduction with three modes of Active Noise Cancellation – Light, Maximum, and Transparency. You'll need to download the Nothing X app to your handset to control the ANC levels.
The LHDC 5.0 codec support lets you stream Hi-Res audio which helps bridge the gap between wired and wireless quality by transmitting frequencies up to 24 bit/192KHz at up to 1Mbps speeds. Personal sound profiles let you calibrate the earbuds to your own preferences by taking a quick sound test via the Nothing X app which also lets you adjust the equalizer settings.
The 11.6mm drivers have been upgraded with a new diaphragm unit and a larger internal chamber that helps to increase audio quality. Bluetooth 5.3 is also supported, as is Google's Fast Pair function which lets you connect to other devices quickly. You can also connect the Ear (2) Wireless Earbuds to multiple devices simultaneously, which comes in handy when you want to switch from listening to music on your phone to catching a game on your tablet or TV.
Each earbud boasts a 33mAh battery with the charging case bringing an extra 485mAh which adds a further 22.5 hours of playback (with ANC) to the buds' 6 hours and twenty minutes. USB-C charging for just ten minutes provides 8 hours of listening (without ANC), and you'll be happy to learn that 2.5W Qi wireless charging is also present. Finally, the earbuds carry an IP54 certification whilst the case features an IP55 rating against water and dust.
The Ear 2 Wireless Earbuds are already available to pre-order directly from the Nothing Store for $149/£129/€149 before going on general sale beginning March 28.
Namakkal
Though Noise Cancelling is a Thing, I wish you could turn it off and amplify the sound like a hearing aid for convenient conversations without having to Pop out the buds to hear what someone else is saying!