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The Nothing Ear (3a) certainly don't feel like budget earbuds.
At 8.1, its noise cancelling beats 66% of wireless earbuds we've measured.
Measured on 93 of the 259 we've cataloged.
No one has reported on this pair yet.
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above average for wireless earbuds — based on 241 of 259 we've cataloged.
IP54 appears on 16% of the 238 wireless earbuds we've cataloged (of 259).
Active is the most common — on 60% of the 176 wireless earbuds we've cataloged (of 259).
Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.
Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.
| Frequency (Hz) | Response (dB) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 13.5 |
| 25 | 13.6 |
| 32 | 13.5 |
| 40 | 13.1 |
| 50 | 12.5 |
| 63 | 11.6 |
| 80 | 10.2 |
| 100 | 8.2 |
| 125 | 5.1 |
| 160 | 0.8 |
| 200 | -4.3 |
| 250 | -6.1 |
| 315 | -4.6 |
| 400 | -4.3 |
| 500 | -3.7 |
| 630 | -2.6 |
| 800 | -0.9 |
| 1000 | 0.1 |
| 1250 | 1.9 |
| 1600 | 4.6 |
| 2000 | 6.5 |
| 2500 | 8.5 |
| 3150 | 9.0 |
| 4000 | 6.8 |
| 5000 | 5.0 |
| 6300 | 5.0 |
| 8000 | 3.8 |
| 10000 | -3.3 |
| 12500 | 1.6 |
| 16000 | -6.3 |
| 20000 | -26.8 |
Passive isolation (dB) with ANC off — how much ambient noise the fit blocks on its own. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 0.3 |
| 26 | 2.1 |
| 33 | 1.5 |
| 41 | 2.0 |
| 52 | 1.8 |
| 65 | 3.3 |
| 82 | 3.1 |
| 103 | 3.6 |
| 130 | 1.4 |
| 163 | 4.5 |
| 205 | 6.8 |
| 259 | 7.1 |
| 325 | 7.5 |
| 410 | 12.3 |
| 516 | 9.6 |
| 613 | 9.4 |
| 772 | 13.5 |
| 972 | 13.8 |
| 1220 | 16.8 |
| 1540 | 20.2 |
| 1940 | 26.3 |
| 2440 | 34.1 |
| 3070 | 34.3 |
| 3870 | 25.4 |
| 4870 | 16.3 |
| 6130 | 16.9 |
| 7720 | 20.2 |
| 9720 | 38.3 |
| 12200 | 19.5 |
| 15400 | 34.3 |
| 19400 | 25.7 |
Total attenuation (dB) with ANC on — passive isolation plus active noise cancelling. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Total attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 16.2 |
| 26 | 16.3 |
| 33 | 12.2 |
| 41 | 16.2 |
| 52 | 21.2 |
| 65 | 20.4 |
| 82 | 24.9 |
| 103 | 23.7 |
| 130 | 18.6 |
| 163 | 32.8 |
| 205 | 31.3 |
| 259 | 26.2 |
| 325 | 20.5 |
| 410 | 26.3 |
| 516 | 21.1 |
| 613 | 18.8 |
| 772 | 25.4 |
| 972 | 24.6 |
| 1220 | 32.2 |
| 1540 | 26.8 |
| 1940 | 27.2 |
| 2440 | 32.3 |
| 3070 | 28.8 |
| 3870 | 21.7 |
| 4870 | 14.1 |
| 6130 | 18.1 |
| 7720 | 19.5 |
| 9720 | 38.6 |
| 12200 | 21.3 |
| 15400 | 35.5 |
| 19400 | 25.4 |
The verdict
The Nothing Ear 3a are competent earbuds, though the stock tuning requires a heavy hand to bring more in line with typical preferences. Luckily, there's very little about the earbuds that can be viewed as a shortcoming — which is extremely notable at $99.
✓Liked: Customizability, Advanced EQ, Price, Battery life
✕Could be better: Stock tuning, Requires effort to dial in
Nobody who owns the Nothing Ear (3a) has written in yet.
Owner notes are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not edited by us. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from notes.
Own the Nothing Ear (3a)?
Three answers, four quick reads, one sentence nobody tells you before buying. Shown under a pseudonym.
Video reviews and comparisons for this product.
Commentary and deep dives from the SoundGuys editorial team.





1 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
Battery in real life — better than expected




0 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
Noise cancelling in the real world — worse than expected



