Tried Nothing Ear (Open).
These earbuds sound good without being corny
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The Nothing Ear (Open) are anything but inconspicuous. Fortunately, this not only applies to the interesting design, but also to the sound that plays in front of the ear instead of in the ear.
While many users want earphones that seal tightly in order to have the best possible noise cancellation and rich bass, there are also apparently a lot of people who can't stand plugs in their ear canals. There are more and more manufacturers offering so-called open ears that do not require silicone attachments. The latest representatives of the open approach are the Nothing Ear (Open), which will be available from October for just under 150 euros.
Chic design and comfortable
The earphones fit securely but comfortably.
(Photo: Nothing)
The manufacturer of the flashing smartphones relies on a design in which the headphones do not hang in the ear like Apple's Airpods 4. The Nothing Ear (Open) wraps around the shell with elastic straps and places the large 14.2 millimeter drivers close to the ear canal. Further technology is located in cylinders at the other end of the earphones, which also serve as balancing counterweights.
Although they look very different from the company's in-ears, the open earphones and their wide charging case also have the typical transparent Nothing look. The Ear (Open) are anything but inconspicuous, but they are definitely impressive.
The charging case is significantly wider than that of the Nothing Ear (2).
(Photo: kwe)
The design not only has the advantage that you can always see what's going on around you. Since the earphones sit in front of the ear canal instead of in it, they are also more hygienic than in-ears and usually do not need to be regularly cleaned of wax.
The earphones, which weigh around 8 grams each, are also very comfortable to wear as long as you don't wear glasses. Since the temples get in the way, depending on the design of the visual aid, it can be uncomfortable. Otherwise, the Nothing Ear (Open), which is protected against dust and splash water according to IP54, sits very securely and is an excellent training partner.
Uncomplicated control with many options
In the stylish app you will find, among other things, an extensive equalizer.
(Photo: kwe)
The earphones lack wearing detection, so the music does not automatically pause when you take one of them off. But you don't really miss the function, as controlling the Nothing Ear (Open) is uncomplicated: you hold the housing in front of the drivers between your thumb and index finger and press one, two, three times or longer. This means you can control everything, including the volume, without having to pick up your smartphone.
You can largely freely determine how you assign the gestures on the left and right in the manufacturer's very successful app. This also includes the option of calling up ChatGPT with a long press instead of the Google Assistant (Gemini), Alexa or Siri and communicating with the AI bot via voice. The prerequisite is that you have a Nothing Phone in addition to the manufacturer's earphones.
This works perfectly, but you cannot, among other things, access navigation, send messages or start phone calls. No problem: it is possible to call up different assistants on the left and right.
Great app with extensive equalizer
Apart from conversations with ChatGPT, you don't have to miss out on anything with other Android smartphones or an iPhone. The exemplary, tidy app also offers, among other things, an equalizer that allows not only simple but also detailed adjustments.
Combined with a Nothing Phone you can chat with ChatGPT via the earphones.
(Photo: kwe)
This brings us to the most important feature, the sound. The Nothing Ear (Open) don't disappoint here either. Despite the open design, they not only manage to produce relatively powerful bass. The overall sound is also pleasing with broad, cleanly placed mids and clear highs. The stereo stage is wide and pleasantly airy, and not just because of its design.
Good sound, great endurance
Sure, the earphones don't deliver the same dynamics or precision as high-quality, isolating in-ears. But overall they are among the best open earphones that ntv.de has heard so far. But that doesn't have to be the same for other people. It all depends on the drivers sitting perfectly in front of the ear canal, which depends on the ear shape.
Nothing has implemented the shielding from the outside well. This means that people around you won't hear what you're hearing unless they're snuggly close. The same applies to telephone calls, where your own voice is well isolated from other noises.
Since the earphones do not have active noise cancellation and a transparency mode is unnecessary, they have very good endurance. They last around eight hours, the charging case has reserves for another 22 hours. If the batteries of the Nothing Ear (Open) are empty, ten minutes in the box are enough to be able to listen to music again for around two hours. You cannot refuel them inductively.
Conclusion
Anyone looking for good-sounding open earphones that offer an interesting design and a successful app will enjoy the Nothing Ear (Open). For just under 150 euros, they also offer a fair price-performance ratio. If you have a little more money left over, you will find interesting alternatives in the Shokz Openfit and the Huawei FreeClip, among others.
