Skullcandy EcoBuds Review

Skullcandy EcoBuds are claimed to be sustainable true wi-fi stereo (TWS) earphones. In line with the corporate, they’re made with “65 p.c licensed recycled plastics and 57 p.c fewer heavy metals, ” leading to a 50 p.c decrease carbon footprint than related merchandise out there. Off the bat — spectacular claims. Who would not need to be part of an try and make the world a cleaner place? The quantity could also be barely extra initially than you’ll suppose as a result of the price of environmentally pleasant earphones right here is battery, lithium batteries to be particular.

The storage dock of the Skullcandy EcoBuds doesn’t have battery help. Which means when the earphones are positioned within the magnetic case, they merely fulfil storage functions. They don’t juice up like different TWS earphones normally do in charging circumstances. They’re suitable with reverse charging through an built-in USB Sort-C cable. You’ll be able to plug it into any USB Sort-C port, together with the one in your telephone, and it’ll energy up the earphones. Is that this novelty, alongside sustainability, value Rs. 3,999? Let’s discover out.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Design and Options: Feathery Gentle and Purposeful

• Measurement (with case) – 102 x 60 x 30mm
• Weight (with case) – 40g
• Water and mud resistance – IPX4
• Color – Glacier

The Skullcandy EcoBuds include a conventional in-ear design and three gel tip sizes — small, medium and enormous. The medium ones match me one of the best. They provide a good match however will not be essentially the most snug for long-duration makes use of. The contact sensors on every earbud are simple to find as a result of they’re marked by engraved firm logos. The charging connectors of the earphones are positioned on the within of the stems.

The storage dock comes with a brief inbuilt USB Sort-C cable

The earphones include a magnetic storage dock, which has a built-in USB Sort-C cable that folds again in case it’s not in use. This lightens the blow of the lacking battery, in my view. I think about I might not be greatest happy if I needed to search for or carry a further free cable with me throughout. Though the earbuds are held in place by magnets, the case doesn’t have a canopy. Subsequently, keep away from making the error I made from placing them in a tote bag with a number of different gadgets. In transit, one of many earphones had dislodged from the case, and I panicked briefly earlier than it dropped out of the umbrella folds. Apart from this, the earphones and the case are compact, light-weight, and simple to hold.

The Skullcandy EcoBuds can be found in a single Glacier colourway, the place each earphones and storage docks seem in a blue and white marbled sample. The built-in USB Sort-C cable is white with sand-like speckles. The earphones have an IPX4 ranking for splash resistance. With the case, they measure 102 x 60 x 30mm in dimension and weigh 40g.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Specs and Controls: Too Easy?

• Driver – 6mm
• Gesture controls – Sure
• Companion app – No

The Skullcandy EcoBuds carry 6mm drivers, in keeping with the product’s Amazon itemizing. We are going to talk about their sound high quality in a bit, however for this part, we’ll concentrate on the management expertise. Like many different TWS earphones, the EcoBuds help capacitative contact controls, however not like a number of rivals, they don’t include a companion app. This impacted me on two ranges. Firstly, you may solely shuffle between the three preset EQ modes — music, bass and podcast, and never customise the equalisation. Even when I let this slide as a result of I’m not on the lookout for a studio-grade expertise from these earphones, the dearth of an app additionally signifies that all controls are based mostly on gestures, which is the second factor. There are just a few gestures you will have to recollect, so let’s get to it.

The charging connectors are positioned on the aspect of the stems

A single faucet on both earbud controls playback and calls, whereas an extended press regulates the quantity (left for down, proper for up). A double faucet on both earpiece advances to the following observe, whereas a triple faucet returns to the earlier observe. A quadruple faucet on the proper earbud toggles by means of the EQ modes. A quadruple faucet on the left earbud prompts the assistant for the paired gadget. A six-second maintain disconnects the paired gadget, whereas two faucets and a one-second maintain change off the headphones.

Sure, it’s as tedious to recollect because it was to learn (and write), however I primarily handled the play/pause and quantity controls, which had been easy and direct sufficient. The marginally bothersome motion for the primary few makes use of was shuffling between the EQ modes, however it will definitely grew on me.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Efficiency and Battery Life: Chaotic Impartial

• Quick Charging – Sure (claimed 10 minutes for as much as 2 hours)
• Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.2

How do the Skullcandy EcoBuds sound? Higher than I anticipated. With 6mm drivers, my hopes for the audio expertise had been set fairly low. The violation of these expectations was welcome. Comprehensively, they provide a transparent and vibrant sound expertise. The podcast mode focuses on the vocals over every other particulars. True to its identify, the bass enhance mode highlights the bass, whereas the music mode provides a extra balanced audio of the three.

The charging cable neatly folds again into the dock when not in use

The sound isn’t outright muddied at any stage, though the upper notes are inclined to crack up at 70 p.c quantity or above. For example, you may hear the distortions with the excessive notes in Nirvana’s About A Woman. For the bigger half, the sounds are clear however lack particulars that you’d get with bigger drivers. From tracks like Gooey by Glass Animals to Ramble On by Led Zeppelin (the latter within the bass mode), you get a adequate audio output to maintain you engaged when you are on a cleansing binge or strolling to the native market.

Regardless that the Skullcandy Ecobuds don’t help energetic noise cancellation (ANC), the corporate claims that the earphones include a “noise-isolating match.” Technically, the declare isn’t fully unfaithful. It does isolate some noise, however not a big quantity. If you’re used to ANC earphones and headphones, particularly in public locations, the change to the EcoBuds could unsettle you a bit. Nevertheless, the dearth of ANC didn’t alter my expertise a lot since I principally used them casually (learn: to disassociate) and to not take calls or concentrate on work.

The Skullcandy EcoBuds help Bluetooth 5.2 and join seamlessly with the paired gadget every time they’re taken off the case. You’ll be able to select to make use of each earbuds or only one. The audio syncs up properly even if you happen to add the second earbuds mid-track. The mic efficiency isn’t excellent, however practical. It picks up environmental noise alongside your voice. The whirring of the fan can muffle your voice when you find yourself utilizing these earphones. If you’re in a crowded place and even outside, you may need to use your telephone audio to reply calls.

The earphones are available plastic-free, recyclable packaging

In a market the place a number of main manufacturers throughout the board are competing with TWS earphones that supply 30 to 40 hours or extra complete battery life, Skullcandy EcoBuds include about 8 hours of playback time. Which, if in contrast with different common TWS earphones and simply the earphones, is a good common. On paper, the dearth of battery within the storage dock appears too jarring. Earlier than utilizing them, I couldn’t cease the premonition of being stranded within the metro with out functioning earphones. Nevertheless, I confronted no such challenges. On simply 10 minutes of cost, they provide virtually two hours of playback. If you happen to can cost the earphones for a full hour, you will get round eight hours of utilization out of them. I clocked eight hours and 13 minutes of playback in a single charging cycle.

Charging the earphones is fairly simple. You pull the USB Sort-C cable out from the again of the storage dock and plug it right into a USB Sort-C port. In my case, I principally charged them utilizing my telephone, and in an hour, they’d cost totally. That is environment friendly in additional methods than one. You should not have to hold a separate charger round (sure, typically, the case would suffice, however when in Rome!), and it doesn’t drain the telephone’s battery considerably both. The compact dimension of the earphones additionally means that you can proceed your telephone utilization as normal. You can even use an influence financial institution to cost them, and even your laptop computer, pill, or any gadget with a USB Sort-C port.

That mentioned, I’ve to simply accept that the dearth of a charging case was perceivably bothersome for the primary couple of days, if not virtually so. It grew on me fairly rapidly, although. Charging on the go remains to be very a lot attainable, and it’s one much less gadget you must fear about plugging in earlier than mattress.

The compact design of the earphones and the dock make them simple to hold

Skullcandy EcoBuds: Verdict

The Skullcandy EcoBuds are good TWS earphones. They’ve secure connectivity, clear sound, and supply the claimed battery life. The sustainability side of the product additionally provides brownie factors to your consciousness as a citizen of the world (how a lot ever it’s value). Are these earphones value Rs. 3,999, although? Sure and no. The reply relies on your preferences. Would you set higher sound element and 40-something hours of complete battery life forward of your conscience? For my part, these ought to work high quality for informal listeners.

If you’re planning to purchase your solely pair of each day use earphones, nevertheless, and never a supplementary on-the-go wearable, you’ll find different choices that include higher match, extra options, charging circumstances (albeit unsustainable) and companion apps inside this worth vary.

You will get the Realme Buds Air 6 (Review) Rs. 3,299 for an virtually 40-hour complete battery life. On the similar worth, you may go for the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro (Review) for a greater match and balanced sound expertise.

For simply Rs. 300 extra, you may spend money on the CMF Buds Pro 2, which provides as much as 50dB ANC, as much as 43 hours of complete battery life and ChatGPT-integrated options through the Nothing X app.

The dearth of a charging case isn’t a deal breaker for me. Even the audio high quality is nice for informal listening. On this aggressive worth vary, many different options could make the sound expertise extra gratifying. Certainly, there might sometime be a center floor between being an audiophile and an environmentally aware particular person, however possibly, as Dean Martin says, “At this time isn’t the day.”