Nothing Ear (Open) review: For those who value spatial awareness while listening to audio

The Ear (Open) comes in a pill-shaped white charging case. It’s got a clear top, rounded edges, and overall is comfortable. The earbuds have magnets to keep them in their place while inside the case. The problem, though, is that they rattle too much when I’m out and about. It’s no different if they're in my backpack or in my pockets; I can hear them rattling regardless.

The design is on point. It’s got that signature transparent look we’ve all become accustomed to, and you can see the circuit board and the pinch control sensors.

While each earbud weighs 8.1g, which is more than the average TWS earbud, it’s comfortable to wear thanks to the ergonomic ear hook design. Furthermore, the weight has been distributed well. To differentiate between the earbuds, the right one has a red dot. Everything else is in white and is neat and clean. The earbuds can be worn all day long and don’t get in the way of your glasses or helmet.

What you need to understand

These earbuds are all about natural transparency. You can’t crank the volume up and forget about the world around you. There’s no ANC, no transparency mode. At full volume, you may not be able to discern what the folks on the table next to you are saying, but you can’t completely drown them out.

For the past few days, I’ve been working out of the Blue Tokai cafe in Connaught Place. From noisy table neighbours to honking cars when out and about on a walk, I could hear them all. Just a few days ago, I was listening to a football podcast while walking around Connaught Place and completing my steps. Now, this area is always full of people, vendors, shops, and restaurants. While I could dial in and focus on my podcast, there were moments, especially the quieter ones, that I couldn’t make out what the panellists were saying, especially when the shoeshiner was nagging me to get my black shoes cleaned.

The best use-case for open earbuds is for athletes who are out and about for a jog or run and want to hear the traffic (such as slow walkers or cars) in case anything untoward happens.

How’s the user experience

If you’re in the demographic for these earbuds, then sound quality probably isn’t your biggest concern. Nonetheless, these are earbuds after all, designed to play music, podcasts, and more.

With open earbuds, it’s challenging to get all the frequencies to the eardrum as intended. With that said, the Ear (Open) features 14.2mm dynamic drivers and is optimally positioned right in front of the ear canal. Yes, thanks to the bumped-up drivers, I managed to get a little bit of bass while listening to Beyoncé’s Partition. It’s nowhere near as punchy as you’d be used to, but for open earbuds, it’ll just about do. Where the Ear (Open) shines is in the mids and treble. Vocals were good, and instruments came out nicely. The instrument separation isn’t the best, but then again, you can’t really expect it in this type of form factor. The soundstage is wide, clear, and crisp, and there’s a good amount of detail offered here.

The only downside is that you’ve got to keep the volume near max to get to a level where you aren’t struggling to make out the words (unless you already know them by heart). My choice of music during testing was mostly jazz and podcasts. I knew those pop songs would be satisfactory no matter what, but these other genres were where I thought the Ear (Open) would falter. And, for the most part, I was right.

One thing I noticed, and liked, was the fact that there was no audio leakage even on full volume. My table neighbours, at this cafe, couldn’t at all hear Iron Maiden’s Phantom of the Opera or the Rolling Stones(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction that was playing at max volume in my ears.

Unfortunately, there are no wear-detection sensors present on the earbuds. But, on the upside, the Nothing X app is a fantastic companion to the earbuds. Inside the app, you can customise the pinch controls (as opposed to tap), which work fantastically well. It takes a few tries to get used to it, but I prefer them.

There are also four pre-installed equaliser options, which are great. There’s a parametric option for detailed frequency response tweaking as well. The Ear (Open) has gotten the same amount of love and care as the other earbuds in the company’s portfolio. After a little bit of tweaking, the earbuds sounded even better.

Is the battery life any good?

Yes. A resounding yes. These earbuds are rated at an eight-hour battery life or thirty hours in total when stored in the case. I had absolutely no problem hitting those numbers.

Verdict: Should you buy these?

If you are convinced about open earbuds, the Nothing Ear (Open) is easily at the top of the list. These are some of the most comfortable earbuds (including regular TWS earbuds) that I’ve ever worn. They’re durable, have a well-thought-out design, the same love and care vis-à-vis EQ, and even some bass for everyone to be satisfied.

The soft hooks are a genius addition, and you never feel any fatigue even after listening to music for hours and hours. The pinch gesture controls were far more reliable than the ‘tap’ ones. The battery life is superb. Yes, the case rattles and is unwieldy in your pocket, and there is no wireless charging. You’ve got to keep these earbuds at 60% volume or more at all times, and they aren’t the best for those long professional work calls, as the mic quality isn’t the best. The transparent case is also prone to scratches.

Don’t expect anything near flagship-grade audio with these open earbuds. Still, the Ear (Open) are the best open earbuds on the market that you can purchase. They’re excellent for athletes or those who walk a lot outside of the house, and even as a second pair for those who just need something comfortable, while also staying aware of their surroundings at all times.