Recently, I received a set of Blue Skullcandy Grind Headphones (MSRP $59.99 USD) for review. Skullcandy is a well-known manufacturer of headphones and ear buds that cater to the younger, active consumer. These headphones have a classical on ear design, with a detachable cable that features a simple to use, one button control for answering telephone calls, and managing your music, that they call TapTech. The materials used are premium and definitely feel solid and well made. The Grind Headphones are available in Black, Royal Blue, White, and a very cool striped version with lots of yellow.
To put this review in perspective, I should point out that I am an avid studio musician, and have used hundreds of headphones in my past, so I have plenty of experience evaluating audio gear. I would gladly include these cans in my gig bag. Besides, I look really cool wearing them!
I have used these headphones as my primary headphones for several weeks now and I have been quite surprised at the quality of these cans. They are extremely comfortable, sound amazing, and the controls are easy to use. I was particularly impressed with how comfortable they are, even after many hours of use. As their web site promises, these headphones can really handle high volume beautifully. Although they are not marketed as noise canceling, I was pleasantly surprised at how they blocked outside sounds.
The Skullcandy Grind headphones are certainly stylish (as shown in the image above) and my 18 year old son gives them a thumbs up for “coolness.” During my review, I have used these for every style of music and they handled every nuance perfectly. I also used them to watch movies on my iPhone and my iPad, and they sounded on par with my studio monitors. Finally, I used these headphones for online class lectures, and it sounded like I was in the lecture hall.
Are these headphones perfect? No. When working out, my ears got warm fairly quickly. In its defense, I don’t know a closed ear headphone that doesn’t make your ears warm. I was more concerned that you are not able to fold them in any way, and that they do not come with any kind of travel bag or case. They’re not very comfortable wrapped around the neck, so carrying them is problematic. The TapTech feature is limited, in that it only allows you to answer calls, play/pause or switch tracks (see image below – there is only one button). There is no volume control. What does this mean? It means that as a pair of headphones to listen to video and audio at home, they rock. Using them on the move is problematic though vs. a good set of stereo Bluetooth earphones, or any number of in-ear canal or other earphones with built-in audio controls.
Are they a good value at $59.99 USD? Absolutely! They are lightweight, have great sound, and work terrifically with my iPhone 6+, my iPad Air and my MacBook Pro. Are they a good choice for replacing all of your headphones? No. I would still recommend these headphones as an addition to anyone’s collection of listening tools. You would be hard-pressed to find a better set of quality, premium headphones in this price range. All in all, Skullcandy’s Grind Headphones get my thumbs up. The Skullcandy Grind headphones come with a limited lifetime warranty and free shipping.
Source: This sample was provided to this reviewer by Skullcandy. Please visit their site for more info.
Product Information
| Price: | $59.99 USD |
| Manufacturer: | Skullcandy |
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