Are Skullcandy Headphones Any Good? (The Truth)

• Are Skullcandy headphones worth their asking price?
• Which models suit you best?
  
• How do they compare with other headphone brands?  

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If you’re a musician, producer, or even a simple music lover, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered a pair of Skullcandy headphones.

Skullcandy headphones have made a considerable impression, becoming somewhat of a fashion statement in the process.

In this article, we’re going to unpack these style icons and see if they live up to their hype. We’ll also measure these headphones up against other top-tier models to see how they compare.

Are Skullcandy Headphones Any Good?

Skullcandy headphones are a great choice for casual music consumers. They offer impressive sound performance for their asking price and provide a comfortable fit for long periods of use.

That being said, music creators and audiophiles may seek something that provides a more accurate stereo image and frequency response for practical purposes, especially mixing. If you fall into this category, we suggest checking out some other options. 

But if this isn’t you, let’s look at some of the most popular Skullcandy models:

Hesh

Skullcandy’s most accessible budget headphones – the Hesh offers a clean, reliable audio signal that drops slightly when used wirelessly.

The Hesh delivers a 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency response, which is quite impressive for headphones at this asking price.

Its speaker driver diameter sits at 40mm – a relatively standard size for headphone speakers at this price level. Anything smaller and you would be selling yourself short.

Crusher

The Crusher is Skullcandy’s most popular seller, and for good reason. The Crusher provides a slightly stronger sound than the Hesh.

The Crusher’s primary benefit is its bass enhancement capabilities. This feature allows users to boost or lower the mid to low-frequency responses of their audio playback.

While this feature is incredibly popular amongst commercial consumers, it might not be suitable for more practical uses, such as studio mixing or live performance monitoring.

Venue

The Venue’s primary focus is usability and comfort. It delivers a slightly less powerful signal than the Hesh, but the level is consistent across wired and Bluetooth modes.

Sound Quality

As far as retail headphones go, Skullcandy headphones deliver great sound for their price range.

One of the primary benefits of the Skullcandy series is that its product range comes with different sound performance capabilities to suit various preferences, as we’ve seen.

Durability

The materials used in the manufacturing of Skullcandy headphones are a mix of both high-grade and cheaper textiles.

The Hesh has a housing that is made up of mostly plastic parts, including the structural headband. Plastic parts tend to break a lot easier than other textiles, especially with constant use.

However, the Hesh headphones are foldable and come with a light protective material bar that keeps out dust and water damage. 

The Crusher and Venue models thankfully use a sturdy but light metal for the headband but incorporate the same plastic as the Hesh for the outside casing.

All Skullcandy headphones come with the same headphone cups, which are made using a spongy foam that has a moisture-proof skin over the top.

These headphone cups won’t wear away from any sweat or moisture after long hours of use, but their skins might experience noticeable friction wear after about a year of consistent use. 

Comfort and Usability

All Skullcandy headphones have an adjustable frame that can fit a variety of head shapes and sizes comfortably.

The structural design of these headphones gives them terrific tensile integrity, which makes them a great choice for use during activities like gym, hiking, or even cycling and skating.

Thanks to their wireless function, users can also enjoy a lot more mobility than traditional headphones, but at the cost of some signal quality (especially when the battery life is low).

Gamers should enjoy the general comfort that the Skullcandy range provides, as the headphone cups don’t cause any abrasive pressure on the ear or head during use. 

Pros

• Wireless functionality – Skullcandys can be synced to most modern audio playback devices using Bluetooth. There is a slightly noticeable drop in sound performance in wireless mode, but this shouldn’t be a problem for most passive listeners.
• Headphone controls – Users can make a few essential playback adjustments using the controls on the Skullcandy headphones. All headphones come with volume controls and a power switch located on the right headphone. The Crusher and Venue models feature a bass control slider on the left headphone. These controls are ideal for use in transit or when users might have their playback devices out of reach.
• Tile app integration – The Tile app integration is one of the most useful non-audio functions that come with Skullcandy headphones. Tile allows users to track any devices they may have lost. Users can simply download the app onto their mobile devices or PCs and sync their headphones in a matter of minutes.  
• Rapid charging – Rapid can be useful during periods of travel, or when users have limited time. Skullcandy claims that their headphones can achieve up to four hours of playback through just 10 minutes of rapid charging. It’s important to note that the Crusher headphones do not come with a rapid charging function.

Cons

• Headphone flaking – While the skins used on the Skullcandy headphones may protect them from dust and moisture, they can be easily damaged if left out in harsh conditions and direct sunlight. The most noticeable damage is the flaking of the headphone skins, which can be uncomfortable on the ear.
• Plastic parts may feel cheap – The plastic parts used in certain areas of the Skullcandy headphones not only give them a cheaper feel, but they’re also more likely to break with constant use compared to metal parts.
• Bluetooth sync issues – This is not a problem inherent to Skullcandy headphones, but you may run into issues where Bluetooth is just not working as expected. Usually it’s the playback device but the result is the same – no music!

Final Thoughts

Skullcandy’s target market is made up of commercial music consumers.

These are people who like to listen to music, but don’t necessarily find value in creating music. These consumers look for different qualities in a set of headphones than a music producer, DJ, or engineer would.

Music creators may prioritize factors like sound quality or frequency response when shopping for headphones, whereas regular consumers may prioritize aesthetics or ergonomics.

In short, your overall grading of Skullcandy will differ depending on your intended use for them. For general music listening, there are plenty of good models you should consider alongside other big names.

For pro audio headphones, you can instead take a look at 5 Best Studio Headphones Under $200 For Beginners.

FAQ’s

Is Skullcandy as good as Beats? 

Skullcandy headphones offer a very competitive sound performance and durability in comparison to Beats. Currently, Beats headphones are the more popular choice for consumer audio.

Are Skullcandy headphones better than Bose?

While Bose headphones may be better than Skullcandy in terms of sound quality, Skullcandy headphones do offer a highly competitive comfort and battery life compared to Bose.

How do I know if my Skullcandy is an original?

The simplest way to verify your Skullcandy headphones is to scan the sealed QR code on the side of the packaging.

This code should link you with Skullcandy’s website for verification. You can also enter the serial number of your Skullcandy headphones on their website to verify the authenticity.

What are the best Skullcandy headphones?

Based on overall sound quality, versatility, and value for money, the best Skullcandy headphones are the Crusher EVO headphones.

This specific model is also the current top model from Skullcandy – which is a valuable indication of their overall popularity.