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Nothing Ear (a)

NothingMusic earbuds

Ear (a)

Released April 2024.15Press releasenothing.community/d/9003-a-new-nothing-audio-line-upRead 8 October 2026Official Nothing launch post separates April 18, 2024 preorders from April 20 Soho Click and Collect and April 22 online availability. April 2024 is stored as the release month. The review April 18 date is not assumed to mean ordinary retail release. Last checked 23 October 2026.

Form factor
In-ear
ANC
Yes
Battery life
9.5h
With case
42.5h

77 of 166 fields known.

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At a glance

All specs

SourceCalculated

General

Series
Not available
Model numbers
B1623Owner's manualcdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0586/3270/0077/files/ear_a_EN.pdfRead 8 October 2026
GTIN / EAN
Not available
Announced
Not available
Status
Available1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Current US maker page with Black selected offers Add to bag. No current price is represented as launch MSRP.
Predecessor
Not available
Successor
Nothing Ear (3a)18Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-3a-review-159720Read 23 October 2026SoundGuys calls the Nothing Ear (3a) the successor to the Nothing Ear (a).
Launch price (US)
Not available
Launch price (EU)
Not available
Markets
US1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Colours
Black, White, Yellow1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Current maker selector offers Black, White and Yellow. The sole represented reference configuration is Black.
Segment
Music2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026

Design

Form factor
In-ear2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Maker product views and supplied sealing tips identify an in-ear stem design. No hook is pictured or listed, but a negative stabilizer claim is not inferred from this alone.
Bud shape
Stem2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Use one bud alone
Not available
RGB lighting
Not available

Drivers and sound

Drivers per bud
TypeDiameter (mm)
Dynamic11
Source2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Maker identifies an 11 mm dynamic driver and PMI + TPU diaphragm. A separate explicit physical driver quantity was not found, so the count and derived per-bud quantity remain unknown.
Driver type
Dynamic2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Driver size
11mm
Drivers per bud
Not available
Diaphragm material
PMI + TPU2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Frequency response
Not available
Impedance
Not available
Sensitivity
Not available
Sensitivity reference
Not available
Max sample rate
96kHz2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Up to 96 kHz / 24-bit over LDAC with a compatible source device. This is Bluetooth codec support, not acoustic frequency response or lossless playback.
Max bit depth
24bits2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Up to 24-bit / 96 kHz over LDAC. The source phone must support and enable LDAC.
Adaptive EQ
Not available
Personalised sound
No14Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-a-review-114747Read 8 October 2026The reviewed Ear (a) does not offer the hearing-test sound profile of B171 Ear. No later model capability is transferred.17Reviewrtings.com/headphones/reviews/nothing/ear-a-truly-wirelessRead 8 October 2026The public Differences section explicitly describes no custom sound profile based on hearing. Tested edition is White B162 Ear (a). All colors share the documented model hardware, but test configuration remains named. Paid numerical results and hidden data are not accessed.
Onboard EQ
Not available
Custom EQ bands
314Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-a-review-114747Read 8 October 2026Reviewer explicitly identifies a three-band equalizer, separate from the advanced equalizer on B171 Nothing Ear. Reviewed app version 2.3.16 and earbud firmware 1.0.1.41.
EQ presets
Balanced, More Bass, More Treble, Voice11Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726159847057-How-many-equaliser-settings-does-Ear-a-haveRead 8 October 2026Four exact named sound effects plus a custom setting. Bass Enhance intensity and ANC strengths are separate controls.
Volume limit
Not available

Spatial audio

We could not find any of these 2 fields. Show them
Spatial audio
Not available
Head tracking
Not available

Noise cancelling

Active noise cancelling
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
ANC type
Not available
ANC microphones in both earbuds
Not available
Adaptive ANC
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Adaptive ANC adjusts cancellation strength to surrounding noise. Smart ANC separately compensates ear-canal leakage. Neither proves automatic blending with transparency or adaptive sound EQ.
ANC levels
32Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Three selectable strengths, Low, Mid and High. Adaptive is separate and not counted as a fourth fixed strength.
ANC attenuation (claimed)
45dB2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Up to 45 dB maker claim. The page also gives a 5000 Hz cancellation bandwidth, without locating the 45 dB maximum at a specific frequency. No measured overall attenuation is inferred.
Transparency mode
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Adjustable transparency
Not available
Automatic ANC and transparency blend
Not available
Conversation detection
Not available
Wind noise reduction
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Clear Voice Technology describes a redesigned talk microphone and extra stem airway for wind passage. This is physical call-wind handling, not a separately selectable wind mode.

Measured

Frequency response notes (measured)
Default response has elevated sub-bass, recessed 200 to 500 Hz mids and reduced output above 8 kHz relative to the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve.14Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-a-review-114747Read 8 October 2026Reviewer original default-response chart and discussion against SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. Firmware 1.0.1.41, app 2.3.16. No approximate chart amplitude is entered as an exact numerical metric.
Bass amount (measured)
Not available
Treble amount (measured)
Not available
Deviation from target (measured)
Not available
Consistency between fittings (measured)
Not available
Harmonic distortion (measured)
Not available
Sound leakage (measured)
Not available
Noise isolation (measured)
Not available
Noise isolation, best (measured)
Not available
Passive isolation (measured)
Not available
Call quality notes (measured)
Not available
Mic low-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Mic high-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Mic speech-to-noise ratio (measured)
Not available
Latency (measured)
Not available
Bluetooth latency, worst (measured)
Not available
2.4 GHz latency, worst (measured)
Not available
Latency in game mode (measured)
Not available
Battery life (measured)
Hours (h)
8.82
Source14Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-a-review-114747Read 8 October 2026SoundGuys tested B162 Ear (a) over two weeks, firmware 1.0.1.41, app 2.3.16, visibly Yellow. One charge ran 8 h 49 min, converted to hours. Battery paragraph does not identify ANC setting, codec, host or playback level, so these conditions are left unknown. The iPhone/AAC anecdote is not assumed to be the battery test. Case runtime 42.5 h is a maker claim, not a measured result.
Longest tested use per charge
8.82h
Battery life with case (measured)
Not available
Full charge time (measured)
Not available
Weight per bud (measured)
Not available

Microphones and calls

Voice microphones in both earbuds
62Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Maker explicitly lists Clear Voice Technology with three microphones per bud, six across the pair. Case microphones and vibration sensors are not included.
All microphones in both earbuds
62Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Maker Other features explicitly lists three microphones per bud. The six physical microphones across the pair are counted once, without adding ANC logical functions as extra microphones.
Bone conduction voice sensor
Not available
Mic noise reduction
Not available
Call audio bandwidth
Not available
Mic mute control
Not available
Sidetone
Not available

Connectivity

Chip
Not available
Connections
Bluetooth2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Bluetooth
5.32Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Bluetooth codecs
AAC, SBC, LDAC2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Bluetooth profiles
RFCOMM, SPP, HFP, A2DP, AVDTP, AVCTP, AVRCP2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
LE Audio
No7Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726190280721-Does-Ear-a-support-LE-AudioRead 8 October 2026Exact maker FAQ explicitly says LE Audio is unsupported. Bluetooth 5.3 by itself does not establish LE Audio or Auracast. A SoundGuys sentence predicting Auracast from Bluetooth version is not treated as device support.
Auracast
Not available
Multipoint
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Multipoint devices
22Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Multipoint with LDAC
Not available
Paired devices remembered
88Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726184417937-How-many-devices-can-Ear-a-be-paired-withRead 8 October 2026Maker states a maximum of eight saved source-device records, distinct from two concurrent Dual Connection devices.
Automatic switching between own devices
Not available
Fast pairing
Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Audio sharing
Not available
Wireless range (claimed)
Not available
Wireless receiver
Not available
Receiver connector
Not available
Simultaneous 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth audio
Not available

Latency

Low latency mode
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Claimed latency
Not available
Lowest claimed latency
Not available

Compatibility

Platforms
Android, iOS13Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726160252817-Which-devices-are-compatible-with-Ear-aRead 8 October 2026Current exact maker support says Android 5.1 and later, iOS 13 and later. This is documented compatibility, without inferring other platforms from generic Bluetooth capability.
Connection per platform
Not available
Features that need a specific device
FeatureNeeds
LDAC high-resolution audioCompatible Android source with LDAC enabled and high-definition audio enabled in Nothing X. For high-bitrate streams the maker recommends disabling Dual Connection.
Nothing X configurationAndroid 5.1 or later, or iOS 13 or later according to current Ear (a) support.
Google Fast PairSupported Android device with Google Play services 11.7 or later, Android 6.0 or later.
Automatic Low Lag ModeGame Mode on a compatible Nothing phone. Other users can enable Low Lag Mode in Nothing X.
Source12Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726219572881-How-do-I-use-the-LDAC-featureRead 8 October 2026LDAC FAQ recommends adaptive bitrate and, for a higher-quality stream, disabling Dual Connection. It does not categorically prohibit all concurrent LDAC/multipoint use, so multipoint_ldac is not set false. Current compatibility FAQ gives iOS 13 minimum, stronger than legacy full specifications iOS 11. Low-lag and Fast Pair conditions come from the original product page. An under-120-ms headline differs from the as-low-as-120-ms disclaimer, so no exact numeric latency is stored.16Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Product-page Disclaimers 8, 15 and 16 give Nothing phone Game Mode, dual-connection and Google Fast Pair conditions. ChatGPT integration is not stored as universal assistant support.
Official licence
Not available

Battery and charging

Battery per bud
46mAh2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Published 46 mAh per earbud. The maker does not label typical versus rated capacity. No energy or voltage is derived.
User-replaceable earbud battery
Not available
Claimed battery life
ModeCodecIncludes case rechargesHours (h)
ANC offAACNo9.5
ANC offAACYes42.5
ANC onAACNo5.5
ANC onAACYes24.5
TransparencyAACNo5.5
TransparencyAACYes24.5
CallNot availableNo5.2
CallNot availableYes23
Source4Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726182764305-What-is-the-battery-life-of-Ear-aRead 8 October 2026Exact Ear (a) support table separates earbuds-only and case-inclusive music runtimes. ANC on and transparency are each 5.5 h / 24.5 h. The call rows represent ANC-off 5.2 h / 23 h. Separate ANC-on/transparency talk claims are 4 h / 18 h, but the call enum cannot distinguish that condition, so they are stated here rather than duplicated as indistinguishable rows. Nothing laboratory conditions are 25 C, AAC music playback, 50 percent volume and default other features. The source applies these test conditions to the table without specifying a call codec, so AAC is omitted from call rows.
Longest claimed use per charge
9.5h
Playback per charge with ANC (claimed)
5.5h
Playback per charge without ANC (claimed)
9.5h
Total with case (claimed)
42.5h
Total with case and ANC (claimed)
24.5h
Talk time (claimed)
5.2h
Full charge time, buds
80min2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Disclaimer 10 directly states 80 minutes for the earbuds to charge inside a case that is not connected to external power. Nothing lab conditions are 25 C and Nothing Power 45 W for the separate externally powered test. The 90-minute combined earbuds-and-case result is not stored as case-only timing.
Charging guidance
Charge the earbuds in the closed case. Use USB-C to charge the case, with a 5 V / 1.5 A or higher adapter. The maker reports 80 minutes for an earbud charge in an unplugged case and 90 minutes for an empty earbuds-and-case set charged together. Ten minutes gives up to 3.2 hours of earbud playback with ANC off, or 2 hours with ANC on. The separate case-inclusive quick-charge claim is 10 hours with ANC off and 6 hours with ANC on in support, while the product-page footnote says 9.5 hours with ANC off. These are maker laboratory estimates, not case-only charge times.6Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Product-page Disclaimer 10 to 12 separates 80-minute buds and 90-minute combined timing, gives adapter guidance 5 V / 1.5 A or higher, and uses Nothing Power 45 W at 25 C. The adapter rating is not device input power. Disclaimer 12 gives 9.5 h case-inclusive after 10 minutes, conflicting with the 10 h headline and dedicated support article. Both source statements are retained without guessing a reconciliation.
Quick charge time
10min5Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726182885393-Does-Ear-a-support-fast-chargingRead 8 October 202610 minutes corresponding to the ANC-off 3.2-hour earbud claim. The published support text does not state the initial case state for this standalone claim.
Earbud playback after quick charge
3.2h5Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726182885393-Does-Ear-a-support-fast-chargingRead 8 October 2026Dedicated maker support states up to 3.2 h earbuds-only with ANC off after 10 minutes. Its ANC-on earbuds-only claim is 2 h. Test conditions are AAC, 50 percent volume, default other features and 25 C. The separately stated case-inclusive 10 h / 6 h figures are not substituted for earbuds-only playback.

Charging case

Case battery
500mAh2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Published case battery-cell capacity 500 mAh. No USB output capacity or battery voltage is inferred.
User-replaceable case battery
Not available
Case charging port
USB-C2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026USB Type-C charging is for the case. It does not establish wired audio playback.
Case full charge time
Not available
Wireless charging
No2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Manufacturer comparison explicitly marks Ear (a) wireless charging No. B171 Ear wireless charging is not transferred.
Wireless standards
Not available
Wireless charging power
Not available
Speaker in case
Not available
Screen on case
Not available
Case works as audio transmitter
Not available

Controls

Controls
Pressure2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Maker names pinch controls. The original guide labels a force sensor. Broad touch-control translations on another region do not change the pressure-control mechanism.
Earbud volume control
Pressure9Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726233497489-How-do-I-adjust-the-volume-on-Ear-aRead 8 October 2026Assign Pinch and hold or Double pinch and hold to volume in Nothing X. Once held, volume changes by a step every 0.9 seconds. Phone controls alone are not counted.
Gestures
Single pinch: play/pause or answer/end call, Double pinch: skip forward or reject call, Triple pinch: skip back, Pinch and hold: switch ANC/transparency3Owner's manualcdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0586/3270/0077/files/ear_a_EN.pdfRead 8 October 2026Original OPERATIONS panel shows force-sensor pressure controls. Custom volume and voice-assistant assignments are separate Nothing X options. Fitted tips are medium.
Remappable controls
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Voice assistant
Not available

Sensors and health

In-ear detection
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Sensors
Not available
Heart rate sensor
Not available
Skin temperature sensing
Not available
Hearing aid feature
Not available
Medical clearances
Not available
Hearing test
No14Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-a-review-114747Read 8 October 2026Exact review explicitly says no hearing test compared with B171 Ear. This is the tested Ear (a) feature set, not a claim about unspecified future firmware.
Hearing protection
Not available
Health features
Not available

Fit and durability

Ear tips included
S, M, L2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Ear tip materials
Silicone10Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726188190225-What-is-Ear-a-made-ofRead 8 October 2026Exact maker support explicitly names silicone tips. Plastic housing and stainless-steel hinge are also named, without a suitable separate schema field.
Stabilisers
Not available
Ear tip fit test
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Dust and water rating, buds
IP542Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Dust and water rating, case
IPX22Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Water resistance depth
Not available

Software

Companion app
Nothing X2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
App platforms
Android, iOS2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
User firmware updates
Yes2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Finding network
Not available
Precision finding
Not available
Live translation
Not available

Dimensions and weight

Weight per bud
4.8g(0.2 oz)2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Maker 4.8 g for one earbud. A specific tip size is not stated.
Bud dimensions
Not available
Case weight
39.6g(1.4 oz)2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Design specification states charging case 39.6 g, separate from 4.8 g per earbud and 49.2 g combined. Rounded 40 g in secondary specifications does not override the maker.
Case dimensions
Not available

Certifications

Hi-Res Audio
Hi-Res Audio Wireless2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Maker explicitly names Hi-Res Wireless Audio certification under the LDAC section. No separate wired acoustic Hi-Res certification is inferred.
Communication certifications
Not available
FCC IDs
Not available
Other certifications
Not available

In the box

In the box
Pair of earbuds, Charging case, Ear tips in sizes S, M and L, USB Type-C cable, Safety and warranty information, User guide2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Exact Ear (a) standard list. Ear tips S, M and L include the fitted medium pair. No external power adapter is listed.
Cables included
TypeCount
USB Type-C1
Source2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026

Warranty

We could not find any of these 1 fields. Show them
Manufacturer warranty (source market)
Not available

Compare with

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Variants

Each variant lists only what differs from the specs above.

Model numberModel numbersMarketsColoursWireless chargingCase weightIn the box
B162B162USBlackNo39.6 gPair of earbuds, Charging case, Ear tips in sizes S, M and L, USB Type-C cable, Safety and warranty information, User guide

Sources

We read 18 sources for this earbuds. The numbers match the markers in the sheet.

  1. Read 8 October 2026Backs 5 fields
  2. Read 8 October 2026Backs 45 fields
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  14. Read 8 October 2026Backs 5 fields
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  18. Read 23 October 2026Backs 1 field

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