Nothing Ear (stick) test: should you fall for the most stylish headphones of the moment?

In an audio market that is growing a little more each year, the newcomer to tech is trying a second foray with the Ear (stick). Determined to distinguish itself in terms of design, Nothing offers a format never seen before: the Ear (stick) are housed in a case in the shape of a lipstick stick that can be opened with one finger.

But beyond appearances, is the manufacturer convincing? On paper, the promises are beautiful. Especially since the Ear (stick) are offered at an attractive price of 119 euros. So, good deal or wet firecracker? Answer in our full test.

Yes, for the style (obviously)

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If we had to name just one reason to buy the Ear (stick) it would definitely be their design. Nothing has made this criterion a central element of all its products. Once again it is a success.

The case, certified IP54, takes on the appearance of a lipstick stick (hence the name). Cylindrical, it can easily be opened with one hand (even with one finger) thanks to a “grip” type coating positioned in the centre. This possibility was also among the brand’s priorities.

This case uses the color codes to which Nothing has accustomed us: transparent (to always honor the product) with touches of white and red. A small chrome button allows you to pair the headphones with a smartphone, tablet or computer. A USB-C port allows you to recharge the set.

The same care has been taken with the earphones that Nothing initially wanted to be very light. Despite the integration of a large driver (we will come back to this) they weigh only 4.4g each.

Also transparent, they are divided into two parts: the stem, transparent and black, and the shells, cylindrical and white with chrome speaker grilles. Nothing has thought of all the details and also added a color code to distinguish the right earbud from the left. The first is decked out with a small red dot, the second with a white one.

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What about comfort? In all transparency (ah ah), it all depends on the shape of your ears. The Ear (stick) not being in-ear headphones, we just put them at the entrance of the conduit without any possibility of adjusting the size of the tip.

As for your humble tester, the shape of the shells and their size did not allow him to have an optimal experience. Like the AirPods, the Ear (stick) held badly and fell off at the slightest jolt. Impossible for example to run with it.

This does not mean that the pebble format is inadequate. Most of our colleagues have not encountered this problem and even find that the Ear (stick) fit very well in the ear. Some even explain that they managed to shake their heads without the headphones falling out.

The only catch is that the Ear (stick) are only available online. Also it is impossible to try them before buying. So consider that if AirPods (or even old iPhone hands-free kits or iPod earphones) didn’t fit on your ears, there’s a good chance that the Ear (stick) will also get lost at the slightest jerk. You have been warned.

Yes, for autonomy

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The advantage of not integrating active noise reduction is that the battery is less stressed. Therefore, the autonomy of the Nothing Ear (stick) is among the best on the market. Finally in this category. According to the results of our lab 01Lab, the new headphones from Nothing last 6h52 in continuous listening.

They are therefore positioned just behind the AirPods 3 and their 7h09 of autonomy. A great performance for headphones sold almost half the price. Behind the OnePlus Buds display an autonomy of 6:30, the Galaxy Buds Live of 6:09 and the Sony Linkbuds of 5:55.

Obviously, these results always depend on the use of each one. If you are one of those who listen to music at a very high volume, you may end up charging the headphones more often.

To avoid getting stranded, the Ear (stick) headphones can recover 2 hours of listening time in just 10 minutes of charging, ensures the brand. A figure that we confirm after a few days of testing. A full charge takes less than an hour, which brings these results even closer to those of the AirPods 3.

The only downside is the lack of wireless charging made impossible by the format of the case explains Nothing. We must therefore “be satisfied” with a wired charge in USB-C.

Yes, for the price

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The Ear (stick) are offered at a price of 119 euros. A very attractive price compared to that of competitors. The AirPods 3 for example cost 100 euros more. The AirPods 2, which are starting to date, still cost 159 euros.

With its aggressive pricing strategy, Nothing puts all the chances on its side to achieve a good performance. With the ear(1), launched in our opinion at a price a little too high in view of their performance, Nothing did not really manage to convince. Did she learn from her mistakes? Not really.

Because at the time of writing these lines, ear(1) have undergone a price increase of 50 euros! According to the brand, this increase is the result of the current economic context (shortages, cost of components, etc.).

The good news for Nothing is that the positioning of Ear(stick) looks even more interesting compared to that of ear(1). A voluntary process? Regardless, the main thing for the consumer is to have access to products at the right price-quality ratio. And in this little game, the Ear (stick) are not bad at all.

No, for sound quality

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On paper, the promise is beautiful. To compensate for the lack of passive isolation, Nothing claims to have worked on two axes. First of all, headphones carry a 12.6 mm driver larger than that of ear(1) as well as most open wireless headphones. This theoretically increases the power without making the sounds sizzle.

Next, engineers have developed Bass Lockan algorithm to automatically compensate for the loss of bass, the main problem of open headphones.

Thanks to these adjustments, Nothing ensures that the Ear (stick) deliver better quality sound than the ear (1), which in itself is not very difficult (oh the naughty ones!).

More seriously, despite these technical choices, the Ear (stick) are not really there in terms of sound quality. Since the headphones are open, you have to systematically turn up the volume to hear the music.

But under these conditions, the sound reproduction is unbalanced. First, the technology Bass Lock does not work or very badly. The bass is still too discreet, not to say almost absent when listening to music in a noisy environment.

The highs are too soft. So we tend to increase the volume even further. But in this case, the mediums, too present, take over the whole spectrum.

Have our ears got used to in-ear formats with noise cancellation? Maybe. But that does not detract from our impressions. Even in a calm environment, with a more reasonable volume, the account is not there.

Fortunately, Nothing accompanies its headphones with the Nothing X application. It allows, among other things, to adjust the sound thanks to an equalizer. Unfortunately, it contains only 3 bands, which makes it possible to make insufficiently fine adjustments to correct the imbalance of the spectrum.

So yes, the Ear (stick) cost less than 150 euros. But even at this price, we expect a little more in terms of sound quality. Nothing could have at least attempted to build a signature of its own. That would have saved the furniture a bit.

No, for the quality of the conversations

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In 2022, headphones are also a great tool for holding telephone conversations. Finally “great”, it is quickly said. Because until now, no model of wireless headphones has really managed to convince us.

And it’s not the Ear (stick) that will change the game. Despite the integration of three microphones associated with noise reduction algorithms, conversations turn out to be complicated.

Firstly because the open format of the headphones prevents us from hearing our interlocutor well. In addition, the algorithms seem to have difficulty isolating parasitic noise and tend to blur high frequencies as well. As a result, our interlocutor also hears us very badly.

Again, unless you use the Ear (stick) in a quiet environment (ie alone at home isolated in a room), holding a telephone conversation seems difficult to us.

Our opinion on the Nothing Ear (stick)

After ear(1) which left us unsatisfied, Nothing still has trouble convincing with its Ear (stick). By choosing an open format, the manufacturer did not make the task easier. And despite a lot of good will, the result in terms of sound is not up to par.

The audio quality delivered by the Ear (stick) is just mediocre, that of conversations frankly bad. Therefore, one could imagine putting them away and saying that the manufacturer has made a mistake.

This would condemn the Ear (stick) too quickly. If they struggle to deliver quality sound, they are distinguished by their original and elegant design and their very good autonomy. Above all, they are offered at a price much lower than that of competitors.

At 119 euros, the Ear (stick) display good value for money, provided you are not too demanding in terms of sound quality.

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Sur le papier, les promesses sont belles. Du2019autant que les Ear (stick) sont proposu00e9s u00e0 un tarif attractif de 119 euros. Alors, bonne affaire ou pu00e9tard mouillu00e9 ? Ru00e9ponse dans notre test complet.rnrnrnOui, pour le style (u00e9videmment)rnrnrnSi nous ne devions citer quu2019une raison du2019acheter les Ear (stick) ce serait sans hu00e9siter leur design. Nothing a fait de ce critu00e8re un u00e9lu00e9ment central de tous ses produits. Une fois de plus cu2019est une ru00e9ussite.rnrnLe bou00eetier, certifiu00e9 IP54, reprend lu2019aspect du2019un stick de rouge u00e0 lu00e8vres (du2019ou00f9 le nom). Cylindrique, il peut facilement su2019ouvrir u00e0 une main (mu00eame u00e0 un doigt) gru00e2ce u00e0 un revu00eatement de type u00ab grip u00bb positionnu00e9 au centre. Cette possibilitu00e9 figurait du2019ailleurs parmi les prioritu00e9s de la marque.rnrnCe bou00eetier reprend les codes couleur auxquels Nothing nous a habituu00e9s : transparent (pour toujours faire honneur au produit) avec des touches de blanc et de rouge. Un petit bouton chrome permet du2019appairer les u00e9couteurs avec un smartphone, une tablette ou un ordinateur. Un port USB-C permet de recharger lu2019ensemble.rnrnLe mu00eame soin a u00e9tu00e9 apportu00e9 aux u00e9couteurs que Nothing a du2019abord voulu tru00e8s lu00e9gers. Malgru00e9 lu2019intu00e9gration du2019un gros driver (nous y reviendrons) ils ne pu00e8sent que 4,4g chacun.rnrnEux aussi transparents, ils se divisent en deux parties : la tige, transparente et noire, et les coques, cylindriques et blanches avec des grilles de haut-parleurs chrome. Nothing a pensu00e9 u00e0 tous les du00e9tails et a aussi ajoutu00e9 un code couleur pour distinguer lu2019u00e9couteur droit du gauche. Le premier est affublu00e9 du2019un petit point rouge, le second du2019un blanc.rnrnrnrnrnrnQuu2019en est-il du confort ? En toute transparence (ah ah), tout du00e9pend de la forme de vos oreilles. Les Ear (stick) nu2019u00e9tant pas des u00e9couteurs intra-auriculaires, on se contente de les poser u00e0 lu2019entru00e9e du conduit sans aucune possibilitu00e9 du2019ajuster la taille de lu2019embout.rnrnEn ce qui concerne votre humble testeur, la forme des coques et leur taille ne lui ont pas permis de vivre une expu00e9rience optimale. u00c0 lu2019instar des AirPods, les Ear (stick) tenaient mal et tombaient u00e0 la moindre secousse. Impossible par exemple de courir avec.rnrnCela ne veut pas dire que le format galet est inadu00e9quat. La plupart de nos confru00e8res nu2019ont pas rencontru00e9 ce problu00e8me et trouvent mu00eame que les Ear (stick) tiennent tru00e8s bien u00e0 lu2019oreille. Certains expliquent mu00eame avoir ru00e9ussi u00e0 secouer la tu00eate sans que les u00e9couteurs ne tombent.rnrnLe seul hic est que les Ear (stick) ne sont disponibles quu2019en ligne. Aussi il est impossible de les essayer avant du2019acheter. Considu00e9rez donc que si des AirPods (ou mu00eame de vieux kits mains libres du2019iPhone ou u00e9couteurs du2019iPod) ne tenaient pas sur vos oreilles, il y a de fortes chances pour que les Ear (stick) se fassent aussi la malle au moindre mouvement brusque. Vous u00eates pru00e9venus.rnrnrnOui, pour lu2019autonomiernrnrnLu2019avantage de ne pas intu00e9grer de ru00e9duction de bruit active, cu2019est que la batterie est moins sollicitu00e9e. Du coup, lu2019autonomie des Nothing Ear (stick) fait partie des meilleures du marchu00e9. Enfin dans cette catu00e9gorie. Du2019apru00e8s les ru00e9sultats de notre labo 01Lab, les nouveaux u00e9couteurs de Nothing tiennent 6h52 en u00e9coute continue.rnrnIls se positionnent donc juste derriu00e8re les AirPods 3 et leurs 7h09 du2019autonomie. Une belle performance pour des u00e9couteurs vendus presque deux fois moins chers. Derriu00e8re les OnePlus Buds affichent une autonomie de 6h30, les Galaxy Buds Live de 6h09 et les Linkbuds de Sony de 5h55.rnrnBien u00e9videmment, ces ru00e9sultats du00e9pendent toujours de lu2019utilisation de chacun. Si vous faites partie de ceux qui u00e9coutent de la musique avec un volume sonore tru00e8s u00e9levu00e9, vous risquez de recharger les u00e9couteurs plus souvent.rnrnPour u00e9viter de tomber en rade, les u00e9couteursles Ear (stick) peuvent ru00e9cupu00e9rer 2h du2019u00e9coute en seulement 10 minutes de charge assure la marque. Un chiffre que nous confirmons apru00e8s quelques jours de test. Une charge complu00e8te dure moins du2019une heure ce qui rapproche encore ces ru00e9sultats de ceux des AirPods 3.rnrnSeule ombre au tableau, lu2019absence de recharge sans fil rendue impossible par le format du bou00eetier explique Nothing. On doit donc se u00ab contenter u00bb du2019une charge filaire en USB-C.rnrnrnOui, pour le prixrnrnrnLes Ear (stick) sont proposu00e9s au prix de 119 euros. Un tarif tru00e8s attractif si on le compare u00e0 celui des concurrents. Les AirPods 3 par exemple cou00fbtent 100 euros de plus. Les AirPods 2, qui commencent u00e0 dater, cou00fbtent encore 159 euros.rnrnAvec sa stratu00e9gie de prix agressive, Nothing met toutes les chances de son cu00f4tu00e9 pour ru00e9aliser une belle performances. Avec les ear(1), lancu00e9s selon nous u00e0 un prix un peu trop u00e9levu00e9 au regard de leurs performances, Nothing ne parvenait pas vraiment u00e0 convaincre. Aurait-elle appris de ses erreurs ? Pas vraiment.rnrnCar u00e0 lu2019heure ou00f9 nous u00e9crivons ces lignes, les ear(1) ont subi une hausse tarifaire de 50 euros ! Selon la marque, cette augmentation ru00e9sulte du contexte u00e9conomique actuel (pu00e9nuries, cou00fbt des composants etc.).rnrnLa bonne nouvelle pour Nothing, cu2019est que le positionnement des Ear (stick) semble encore plus intu00e9ressant au regard de celui des ear(1). Une du00e9marche volontaire ? Peu importe, lu2019essentiel pour le consommateur est du2019avoir accu00e8s u00e0 des produits au bon rapport qualitu00e9-prix. Et u00e0 ce petit jeu, les Ear (stick) ne sont pas mauvais du tout.rnrnrnNon, pour la qualitu00e9 de sonrnrnrnSur le papier, la promesse est belle. Pour compenser lu2019absence du2019isolation passive, Nothing assure avoir travaillu00e9 sur deux axes. Du2019abord, les u00e9couteurs embarquent un driver de 12,6 mm plus gros que celui des ear(1) ainsi que de la plupart des u00e9couteurs sans fil ouverts. Cela permet en thu00e9orie du2019augmenter la puissance sans toutefois faire gru00e9siller les sons.rnrnEnsuite, les ingu00e9nieurs ont du00e9veloppu00e9 Bass Lock, un algorithme permettant de compenser automatiquement la perte de graves, principal problu00e8me des u00e9couteurs ouverts.rnrnGru00e2ce u00e0 ces ajustements, Nothing assure que les Ear (stick) du00e9livrent un son de meilleure qualitu00e9 que les ear(1), ce qui en soi nu2019est pas bien difficile (oh les vilains !).rnrnrnrnPlus su00e9rieusement, malgru00e9 ces choix techniques, les Ear (stick) ne sont pas vraiment au rendez-vous en matiu00e8re de qualitu00e9 de son. Puisque les u00e9couteurs sont ouverts, on doit systu00e9matiquement pousser le volume pour entendre la musique.rnrnMais dans ces conditions, le rendu sonore est du00e9su00e9quilibru00e9. Du2019abord, la technologie Bass Lock ne fonctionne pas ou alors tru00e8s mal. Les basses sont toujours trop discru00e8tes, pour ne pas dire quasi absentes lorsque lu2019on u00e9coute sa musique dans un environnement bruyant.rnrnLes aigus, eux, sont trop doux. On a donc tendance u00e0 augmenter encore le volume. Mais dans ce cas, les mu00e9diums, trop pru00e9sents, prennent le dessus sur lu2019ensemble du spectre.rnrnNos oreilles se sont-elles habituu00e9es aux formats intra-auriculaires avec annulation de bruit ? Peut-u00eatre. Mais cela nu2019enlu00e8ve rien u00e0 nos impressions. Mu00eame en environnement calme, avec un volume plus raisonnable, le compte nu2019y est pas.rnrnHeureusement, Nothing accompagne ses u00e9couteurs de lu2019application Nothing X. Elle permet, entre autres, du2019ajuster le son gru00e2ce u00e0 un u00e9galiseur. Malheureusement, il ne contient que 3 bandes ce qui permet du2019effectuer des ru00e9glages insuffisamment fins pour corriger le du00e9su00e9quilibre du spectre.rnrnAlors oui, les Ear (stick) cou00fbtent moins de 150 euros. Mais mu00eame u00e0 ce prix, on en attend un peu plus en matiu00e8re de qualitu00e9 sonore. Nothing aurait au moins pu tenter de se construire une signature qui lui est propre. Cela aurait permis de sauver un peu les meubles.rnrnrnNon, pour la qualitu00e9 des conversationsrnrnrnEn 2022, les u00e9couteurs sont aussi un formidable outil pour tenir des conversations tu00e9lu00e9phoniques. Enfin u00abu00a0formidableu00a0u00bb, cu2019est vite dit. Car jusquu2019u00e0 maintenant, aucun modu00e8le du2019u00e9couteur sans fil nu2019a vraiment ru00e9ussi u00e0 nous convaincre.rnrnEt ce ne sont pas les Ear (stick) qui vont changer la donne. Malgru00e9 lu2019intu00e9gration de trois micros associu00e9s u00e0 des algorithmes de ru00e9duction de bruit, les conversations se ru00e9vu00e8lent compliquu00e9es.rnrnDu2019abord parce que le format ouvert des u00e9couteurs nous empu00eache de bien entendre notre interlocuteur. Par ailleurs, les algorithmes semblent avoir du mal u00e0 isoler les bruits parasites et ont tendance u00e0 estomper aussi les hautes fru00e9quences. En consu00e9quence, notre interlocuteur nous entend lui aussi tru00e8s mal.rnrnEncore une fois, u00e0 moins du2019utiliser les Ear (stick) dans un environnement calme (cu2019est u00e0 dire seul chez vous isolu00e9 dans une piu00e8ce), tenir une conversation tu00e9lu00e9phonique nous parau00eet difficile.rnrnrnNotre avis sur les Nothing Ear (stick)rnrnrnApru00e8s des ear(1) qui nous ont laissu00e9s sur notre faim, Nothing a encore du mal u00e0 convaincre avec ses Ear (stick). En choisissant un format ouvert, le constructeur ne su2019est pas facilitu00e9 la tu00e2che. Et malgru00e9 beaucoup de bonne volontu00e9, le ru00e9sultat en matiu00e8re de son nu2019est pas u00e0 la hauteur.rnrnLa qualitu00e9 audio du00e9livru00e9e par les Ear (stick) est tout juste mu00e9diocre, celle des conversations franchement mauvaise. Du00e8s lors, on pourrait su2019imaginer les ranger au placard et se dire que le constructeur a commis une erreur de parcours.rnrnCe serait condamner trop rapidement les Ear (stick). Su2019ils peinent u00e0 du00e9livrer un son de qualitu00e9, ils se distinguent par leur design aussi original quu2019u00e9lu00e9gant et leur tru00e8s bonne autonomie. Surtout, ils sont proposu00e9s u00e0 un tarif bien infu00e9rieur u00e0 celui des concurrents.rnrnu00c0 119 euros, les Ear (stick) affichent un bon rapport qualitu00e9-prix, u00e0 condition de ne pas se montrer trop exigeant en matiu00e8re de qualitu00e9 de son.”,”author”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”Presse-citron”},”datePublished”:”2022-10-30″}}