Nothing Ear 3A earbuds offer improved ANC and sound at a budget price, but buggy software persists

Nothing has introduced the Ear 3A wireless earbuds at $99, continuing its signature transparent design with a clear case and stem. The earbuds come in pink, yellow, black, and white. They build on the legacy of the Ear 1, which challenged the notion that high-quality audio gear requires a high price.

The Ear 3A are equipped with 12mm dynamic drivers and support high-resolution LDAC codec alongside SBC and AAC. Out of the box, the sound signature is heavily bass-focused, which can mask midrange frequencies like vocals and guitars. However, the accompanying app offers a powerful equalizer, including a simple 4-preset mode and an 8-band parametric EQ, allowing users to tailor the sound to their preference.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) has been improved, effectively reducing low-frequency drone such as air conditioners and airplane noise. The adaptive ANC mode, however, exhibits occasional sudden intensity shifts that last a couple of seconds, which can be disorienting. Static ANC modes (mid and low) perform more reliably.

Call quality is inconsistent. During calls, when the user is silent, the other party hears complete silence—no background noise at all. When the user speaks, their voice comes through clearly if ambient noise is low. But in louder environments, the earbuds aggressively filter upper frequencies, resulting in a muffled voice.

The earbuds include 32MB of onboard storage for recording calls (up to two hours) or one-minute audio snapshots, though the latter is considered a gimmick. Recordings can be transferred via the app.

Despite these issues, the Ear 3A offer excellent value for $99, with the potential for firmware updates to address the bugs. For users who stick to static ANC and avoid noisy call environments, the earbuds perform well.