Improved sound and ANC
Technically, Nothing has equipped the Ear (3a) with a new 12mm driver designed to deliver more bass and finer details. It supports Hi-Res Audio Wireless and LDAC up to 24-bit/96kHz. The Nothing X app allows users to customize the sound with an 8-band equalizer and expand it with audio profiles from the community.
Also included is wideband active noise cancellation with up to 45 dB of noise reduction. Three microphones per earbud and AI-powered voice optimization are designed to keep phone calls clear even in noisy environments. For greater immersion, Nothing also offers static spatial audio.
Audio snapshot for audio moments
New is the Audio Snapshot feature. Short audio clips can be saved directly to the earbuds via the integrated 32MB storage, for example, from podcasts, lectures, or voice messages. The clips are then saved in the Nothing X app, where they can be edited, shared, and transcribed. Calls and meetings can also be recorded directly via the earbuds; a notification informs all participants.
Nothing states a battery life of up to 10 hours with the earbuds and up to 42 hours including the case without ANC. With active noise cancellation, up to 6 hours and 25 hours, respectively, are possible. A five-minute fast charge should provide approximately one hour of playback.
Additional features include a new 1×3 LED status indicator on the case, Bluetooth 6.0, dual-device connection, in-ear detection, low-latency mode, IP54 protection, and integration with Nothing OS with access to ChatGPT and Essential News.
Technical specifications: Ear (3a) vs. Ear (a)
| feature | Nothing Ear (3a) | Nothing Ear (a) |
| Bud dimensions | 31,2 × 21,7 × 24 mm | 30,9 × 21,7 × 24,3 mm |
| Weight Buds | 4,53 g per bud | 4,6 g per bud |
| Dimensions of charging case | 64,8 × 48,95 × 22,8 mm | 63,3 × 47,6 × 22,7 mm |
| Weight of charging case | 40,92 gr | 39,6 gr |
| driver | 12 mm dynamic / 32 Ω | 11 mm dynamic |
| frequency range | 20 Hz – 40.000 Hz | 20 Hz – 40.000 Hz |
| Membran | PMI + TPU | PMI + TPU |
| Tuning | Nothing | Nothing |
| Sound features | LDAC, Hi-Res Wireless Certification, Custom EQ, Advanced EQ, Static Spatial Audio | LDAC, Custom EQ, Bass Enhance Algorithm |
| battery type | Rechargeable lithium-ion battery | Rechargeable lithium-ion battery |
| Battery capacity Buds | 55 mAh per bud | 46 mAh per bud |
| Battery capacity Charging case | 500 mAh | 500 mAh |
| charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Quick shop | 5 minutes for 1 hour of playback; 10 minutes for 10 hours of playback with charging case, ANC off in each case. | 10 minutes for 10 hours of playback with ANC turned off |
| AAC playback, ANC off | Up to 10 hours; up to 42 hours with charging case | Up to 9,5 hours; up to 42,5 hours with charging case |
| AAC playback, ANC on | Up to 6 hours; up to 25 hours with charging case | Up to 5,5 hours; up to 24,5 hours with charging case |
| LDAC playback, ANC off | Up to 6 hours | |
| LDAC playback, ANC enabled | Up to 4,5 hours | |
| Talk time ANC off | Up to 6 hours; up to 25 hours with charging case | Up to 5,2 hours; up to 23 hours with charging case |
| Talk time ANC on | Up to 4,5 hours; up to 18 hours with charging case | Up to 4 hours; up to 18 hours with charging case |
| ANC type | Adaptive ANC / Wideband ANC | Smart ANC algorithm, Adaptive ANC |
| ANC depth | Up to 45 dB | Up to 45 dB |
| ANC frequency range | 40 - 5.000 Hz | Up to 5.000 Hz |
| Microphones | 3 microphones per earbud | 3 microphones per earbud |
| Telephony features | 3 MEMS microphones and ENC algorithm for calls | Clear Voice Technology with 3 microphones per earbud |
| transparency mode | Ja | Ja |
| Bluetooth version | Bluetooth 6.0 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Reach | Up to 15m | |
| Dual connection | Ja | Ja |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | AAC, SBC, LDAC |
| Profile | RFCOMM, SPP, HFP, A2DP, AVDTP, AVCTP, AVRCP | |
| Android version | Android 8.0 and higher | Android 5.1 and higher |
| iOS version | iOS 13 and later | iOS 11 and later |
| Pairing | Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair | Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair |
| latency | Low-latency mode | Low-latency mode |
| Class | IP54 for Buds and charging case | Earbuds: IP54; Case: IPX2 |
| LED status | 1×3 LED status display on the charging case | LED charging status |
| Wear detection | Ja | Ja |
| Audio recording | Audio snapshot and call recording |
Price and availability
The Nothing Ear (3a) are now available in black, white, pink and yellow for 99 euros from nothing.tech Available now. Retailers such as MediaMarkt, Saturn, Amazon and Otto will follow from July 8th.
Our detailed review of the Ear (3a) will follow shortly!
Source: Nothing press release
