The sound
Contents
We took the Nothing Ear2 with us for daily use. That includes making calls with it, exercising (fitness) and occasionally watching something on the tablet and phone. Think of a series or a Youtube movie. Of course we also used it to listen to music outside sports.
Layed back
The sound of the Nothing Ear2 can be summarized in one word: layed back. It really is a relaxed sound. No sharpness, no pressure in the mids… very relaxed overall.
Now, fortunately, there is plenty of details to hear as well. The intelligibility is good, there is enough sparkle in the treble to keep it exciting, and the bass is full and round, but not too overdone. It is on the warm side, though…. but that’s just what most people are looking for.
For those who want to personalize things: there is an equalizer included in the app. This allows you to tweak the sound a bit to your own taste.
Noise cancelling
These days, it is unthinkable for headphones not to have active noise cancellation. Now, your author is not necessarily a fan of noise cancellation, but we can imagine that people like it. Think suppressing engine noise during long flights. Or creating some peace and calm while studying.
The noise cancellation of the Nothing Ear2 is fine, but not exceptional. Sony, for example, simply scores better on that front. So does the Yamaha. Steady noise is filtered fine, but other sounds still get through. So if you are looking for a model with incredibly good noise reduction, you’d better go for a Sony.