As someone who has been a headphones user for most of their life, I've often shunned earbuds and in-ear headphones. I found them too uncomfortable and thought they lacked the raw power and sound quality you get from a pair of headphones. Times have changed, however, and I found myself needing a quality, but affordable pair of earbuds. Thankfully, I found some.
The Nothing Ear (a) are the best budget option on our best earbuds guide, and, quite frankly, they made me a believer. While they were an excellent price when I bought them (at £79), they're now even cheaper.
Today's best Nothing Ear (a) deals
Now I'm a believer
For me, you can't beat the best headphones when walking around. Whether I'm listening to the uplifting tones of Bruce Springsteen or the often crushing and brutal sound of Dir En Grey, I'm always ready to grab my trusty Sennheiser Momentum 4.
Life, however, dictated that I would need some earbuds, something I'd avoided as I've often found them too uncomfortable, too fussy, and most of the time underwhelming. But, headphones can be cumbersome at the gym or when heading out to meet friends, so earbuds were needed.
After hearing and reading about the Nothing Ear (a) from Becky Scarrott, our very own Audio Editor, I bought a pair and was immediately impressed. In her glowing Nothing Ear (a) review, she said the Nothing Ear (a) had a 'fun, zealous and expansive sound' and I couldn't agree more.
Listening to my music, I was still getting the driving guitars, thumping drums, and chunky basslines from my favorite metal bands, but crucially, it still sounded balanced. There was plenty of detail and nuance for tracks from the Final Fantasy X soundtrack, a regular listen while I'm working, but enough life when listening to my ever-growing 80s playlist. Whatever genre, the Ear (a) earbuds can handle it.
I was also mighty impressed by the Ear (a)'s excellent ANC, which did a great job of drowning out untoward noise even in busy streets. With an impressive 9.5hr battery life for the buds (5.5 with ANC on) and 42.5hrs for the case (24.5 with ANC on), these earbuds have got excellent lifespan too. Design-wise, while I may have picked the more conservative black pair, the striking yellow set are unique and a real sight to behold.
Yes, I may still prefer a pair of headphones for marathon listening sessions, but my Nothing Ear (a) have yet to let me down so far.
➡️ Read our full guide to the best earbuds
1. Best overall:
Technics EAH-AZ100
2. Best mid-range:
Cambridge Audio A100
3. Best budget:
Nothing Ear (a)
4. Best for noise-cancelling:
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra 2nd Gen
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