One of the most exciting up and coming tech brands, Nothing, recently dropped its second wireless earphones: Ear Stick.
The firm’s Phone 1 is one of the best mid-price devices of 2022, and it was preceded by last year’s Ear 1 ANC earphones which punched well above their weight for the then €99 price point.
Ear Stick have arrived just in time for the busy Christmas season and the unusual packaging means nobody will guess that they are when wrapped under the tree.
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Design and build
Ear Stick have a similar semi-transparent design to the firm’s other products and come in an unusual and eye-catching tubular case that I love.
I was also impressed by the packaging box that Ear Stick ships in, which looks nothing like the standard carton packaging typically used with earbuds.
Ear Stick do not have ANC and opt for a half-in-ear design that doesn't sit inside your ear canal.
This provides additional comfort, especially when wearing for long periods such as an eight-hour shift at work. (If only they were that short!)
Each bud weighs only 4.4g. Compare that to the 7.3g weight on one Sony WF1000xM4 bud.#
It also means you are more aware of your surroundings when wearing them.
They are the sort of buds you can wear all day without feeling any discomfort.
Audio
Audio quality and call quality are both generally pleasing.
The 12.6mm dynamic drivers inside each earbud produce a lively sound that's bright and airy.
There is plenty of detail, and the half in-ear design means the soundstage feels pleasantly open.
You lose a little bottom end because of their design, but you can always but the Ear 1 if you want more pronounced bass from a tighter seal.
There is a custom EQ, incidentally, which is always nice if you like to tweak your sound to suit your own preference.
Ear Stick’s audio reminds me of Sony’s pioneering LinkBuds which are another set of in-ears designed to be worn all day.
Battery life
Battery life is decent at 29 hours including the charging case.
Endurance from the buds themselves is rated at seven hours and I got close to that.
So if you do want to use them for an eight-hour working day, you may need to give them a 10-minute quick charge which delivers two more hours of play time.
A USB-C charging cable comes in the box. The case does not support wireless charging.
Other features
The tactile touch controls for Nothing Ear Stick enable you to pause and start playback, skip tracks, adjust volume and answer calls.
You can customise the controls in the app which works best on the excellent Nothing Phone 1.
Other Android users (and iOS users) can download an app too.
And Android or Microsoft users both get fast pair.
You get an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance.
Ear Stick Verdict
If you are looking for everyday buds with a well-rounded set of features and a design that stands out, then Ear Stick fit the bill.
I’m a big fan. That’s three hits out of three for Nothing.
Pricing
€119 from Nothing .
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