Nothing Headphone (a) evaluation – save your self $350 and get this Apple rival as an alternative

I want Nothing’s wearables had been round after I was in secondary college. In my teenagers, I went by way of nearly each headphone model that was blowing up on the time. Whether or not it was Skullcandy or a pair of JVC Gummy buds, I actually put my ears by way of the wringer. Since leaving the Apple ecosystem, I’ve used final yr’s Nothing Headphone (1) virtually every day. Now, a less expensive variant, the Nothing Headphone (a), is right here. However does it preserve what makes these cans sing?

This is not the primary time Nothing has taken a swing at rivals with lower-cost alternate options. The Nothing Ear is an outstanding set of earbuds that provides any pair of AirPods a run for his or her cash. Elsewhere, the CMF Headphones Professional are a sturdy pair of finances over-ears that I would suggest over the Sony WH-CH720N or the JVC HA-S95N. On the prime of the model’s audio lineup sits its premium possibility, the Nothing Headphone (1). At $239/£249, it is not precisely low-cost, however it’s beginning to creep into Sony WH-1000XM6 territory.

At $149/£149, the Nothing Headphone (a) is basically a barely stripped-back model. To hit that value, Nothing ditches the metallic earcup chassis in favor of plastic and tweaks the general aesthetic. The clear covers are gone, breaking the visible hyperlink between the Headphone (1) and the Nothing Telephone (3a) Professional. As a substitute, the design leans nearer to the Nothing Telephone (4a) Professional, choosing a extra understated look that also feels unmistakably Nothing.

Personally, I miss the clear covers. They gave off a sci-fi, retro-futuristic vibe that no different model is daring sufficient to strive proper now. We’re additionally saying goodbye to the hardshell case from the Headphone (1), changed right here with a faux-leather pouch. You do nonetheless get a USB-C cable within the field, so charging is not a difficulty. On the headphones themselves, the adjustments aren’t dramatic, and truthfully, they do not must be. The bodily controls stay among the finest on any over-ear headphones, putting an ideal stability between intelligent design and practicality.

For quantity, the curler sits on the rear of the precise earcup. It feels nice to make use of and delivers a satisfying tactile response that jogs my memory of a Fifth-generation iPod. It is a small however welcome hit of nostalgia. Just under it’s the paddle, a slim, sturdy strip you possibly can push left or proper. By default, it skips tracks, although you possibly can remap it within the Nothing X app. On the entrance, there’s what Nothing merely calls the Button. Urgent it allows you to use Channel Hop to leap between audio apps with out touching your cellphone.

I choose mapping this to a spatial audio toggle as an alternative. With Off, Cinema Mode, and Live performance Mode obtainable, switching between them is fast and straightforward. Inside the highest proper of the earcup, there’s additionally a Bluetooth button for quick pairing. The Nothing X app helps twin connections, and I normally pair these with my cellphone and a handheld just like the ROG Ally Z1E. Switching between gadgets is quick and seamless. That stated, to hit the lower cost, options like auto-pause if you take away the headphones are lacking.

If you first set them up, the Nothing X app defaults to the “Extra Bass” profile. For each every day use and testing, I follow the “Balanced” EQ and toggle Bass Enhancement if wanted. I would additionally suggest enabling LDAC within the settings in case your gadget helps it. In any other case, AAC works simply tremendous. Past Bluetooth, you can even pay attention by way of USB-C or a 3.5mm cable, although wired playback nonetheless requires the headphones to be powered on.

So, how do they sound? Truthfully, I am impressed by how little compromise there’s. I would not fairly name the Headphone (a) an audiophile set, however they sound unbelievable. A few of that comes all the way down to EQ preferences, however I’ve discovered they ship a large, expansive soundstage in my listening periods. On my pc, I keep on with lossless streaming each time potential to get essentially the most out of a mixture. Even in case you do not tweak something, you will possible be very proud of the sound right here.

With pop, Harry Types’ Aperture ebbs and flows properly, with layered synths sitting comfortably within the combine. His phase-filtered vocals come by way of silky easy, whereas the highs keep crisp with out changing into harsh. Beneath all of it, the bass hits with a full, punchy presence that by no means feels muddy. The identical goes for Robbie Williams’ Let Love Be Your Vitality, the place reverberated drums and jangly guitars really feel virtually room-filling.

Turning issues up, melodic metallic from Spiritbox is a superb stress check, and the Headphone (a) handles it nicely. Thick bass tones come by way of cleanly, whereas stuttering lead guitars bounce throughout with satisfying readability. For those who lean extra towards digital music, these additionally shine with synthwave tracks from Tonebox and Daniel Deluxe. That stated, the Headphone (1) nonetheless edges forward in relation to tremendous element and selecting aside the nuances of a mixture.

You continue to get a few of that element right here, simply to not the identical extent. Exterior of music, the microphone is respectable however unremarkable. It really works tremendous for calls or hopping right into a Discord chat, however I would not depend on it for content material creation. Away from residence, it will get the job carried out after I’m chatting with mates by way of the PlayStation app. Consolation-wise, they’re straightforward to put on for lengthy stretches with out feeling heavy. Lively noise cancellation remains to be dependable right here, however it is not fairly on the extent of pricier rivals. They block day-to-day sounds nicely, however you may discover it somewhat missing in some public transport eventualities.

The Nothing Headphone (a) strikes a robust stability between value and efficiency. Whereas it trims again among the premium touches discovered on the Headphone (1), it retains the core expertise intact the place it issues most. The sound high quality is spectacular for the worth, providing a large, punchy, and pleasing listening expertise throughout quite a lot of genres. Mixed with considerate bodily controls, it feels way more refined than most headphones on this vary.

There are compromises. The lack of the clear design takes away a few of Nothing’s distinctive aptitude, and options like put on detection are noticeably absent. The microphone is serviceable however not standout, and you may nonetheless discover extra element within the higher-end mannequin. Even so, none of those drawbacks are dealbreakers at this value level. For $149, the Nothing Headphone (a) is a simple advice. It delivers glorious on a regular basis efficiency, a definite identification, and sufficient customization to fulfill most customers.