The storage dock of the Skullcandy EcoBuds doesn’t have battery assist. This implies that 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 instances. They are appropriate with reverse charging through an built-in USB Type-C cable. You can plug it into any USB Type-C port, together with the one in your telephone, and it’ll energy up the earphones. Is this novelty, alongside sustainability, price Rs. 3,999? Let’s discover out.
Skullcandy EcoBuds Design and Features: Feathery Light and Functional
- Size (with case) – 102 x 60 x 30mm
- Weight (with case) – 40g
- Water and dirt resistance – IPX4
- Colour – Glacier
The Skullcandy EcoBuds include a standard in-ear design and three gel tip sizes — small, medium and huge. The medium ones match me the most effective. They provide an honest match however usually are not probably the most snug for long-duration makes use of. The contact sensors on every earbud are straightforward 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 Type-C cable
The earphones include a magnetic storage dock, which has a built-in USB Type-C cable that folds again in case it isn’t in use. This lightens the blow of the lacking battery, for my part. I think about I might not be greatest happy if I needed to search for or carry an extra free cable with me throughout. Although the earbuds are held in place by magnets, the case doesn’t have a canopy. Therefore, keep away from making the error I manufactured from placing them in a tote bag with a number of different objects. In transit, one of many earphones had dislodged from the case, and I panicked briefly earlier than it dropped out of the umbrella folds. Aside from this, the earphones and the case are compact, light-weight, and straightforward 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 Type-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 measurement and weigh 40g.
Skullcandy EcoBuds Specifications and Controls: Too Simple?
- Driver – 6mm
- Gesture controls – Yes
- Companion app – No
The Skullcandy EcoBuds carry 6mm drivers, based on the product’s Amazon itemizing. We will focus on their sound high quality in a bit, however for this part, we’ll give attention to the management expertise. Like many different TWS earphones, the EcoBuds assist capacitative contact controls, however in contrast to a number of opponents, 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 if I let this slide as a result of I’m not searching for a studio-grade expertise from these earphones, the dearth of an app additionally implies that all controls are primarily based on gestures, which is the second factor. There are a couple of 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 amount (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 fitting earbud toggles by means of the EQ modes. A quadruple faucet on the left earbud prompts the assistant for the paired system. A six-second maintain disconnects the paired system, whereas two faucets and a one-second maintain change off the headphones.
Yes, 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 barely bothersome motion for the primary few makes use of was shuffling between the EQ modes, however it will definitely grew on me.
Skullcandy EcoBuds Performance and Battery Life: Chaotic Neutral
- Fast Charging – Yes (claimed 10 minutes for as much as 2 hours)
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.2
How do the Skullcandy EcoBuds sound? Better 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 brilliant sound expertise. The podcast mode focuses on the vocals over another particulars. True to its title, the bass enhance mode highlights the bass, whereas the music mode affords a extra balanced audio of the three.
The charging cable neatly folds again into the dock when not in use
The sound is just not outright muddied at any degree, though the upper notes are likely to crack up at 70 p.c quantity or above. For occasion, you may hear the distortions with the excessive notes in Nirvana’s About A Girl. 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 ok audio output to maintain you engaged if you are on a cleansing binge or strolling to the native market.
Even although the Skullcandy Ecobuds don’t assist energetic noise cancellation (ANC), the corporate claims that the earphones include a “noise-isolating match.” Technically, the declare is just not 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. However, 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 give attention to work.
The Skullcandy EcoBuds assist Bluetooth 5.2 and join seamlessly with the paired system every time they’re taken off the case. You can select to make use of each earbuds or only one. The audio syncs up nicely even in case you add the second earbuds mid-track. The mic efficiency is just not excellent, however useful. 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 outdoor, you would possibly wish 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 whole battery life, Skullcandy EcoBuds include about 8 hours of playback time. Which, if in contrast with different in style TWS earphones and simply the earphones, is an honest common. On paper, the dearth of battery within the storage dock appears too jarring. Before utilizing them, I couldn’t cease the premonition of being stranded within the metro with out functioning earphones. However, I confronted no such challenges. On simply 10 minutes of cost, they provide nearly two hours of playback. If you may cost the earphones for a full hour, you may 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 Type-C cable out from the again of the storage dock and plug it right into a USB Type-C port. In my case, I principally charged them utilizing my telephone, and in an hour, they’d cost absolutely. This is environment friendly in additional methods than one. You don’t 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 measurement of the earphones additionally permits you to proceed your telephone utilization as common. You may use an influence financial institution to cost them, and even your laptop computer, pill, or any system with a USB Type-C port.
That mentioned, I’ve to just 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 doable, 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 straightforward to hold
Skullcandy EcoBuds: Verdict
The Skullcandy EcoBuds are good TWS earphones. They have secure connectivity, clear sound, and provide the claimed battery life. The sustainability facet of the product additionally provides brownie factors to your consciousness as a citizen of the world (how a lot ever it’s price). Are these earphones price Rs. 3,999, although? Yes and no. The reply is dependent upon your preferences. Would you set higher sound element and 40-something hours of whole battery life forward of your conscience? In my opinion, these ought to work superb 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 discover different choices that include higher match, extra options, charging instances (albeit unsustainable) and companion apps inside this value vary.
You can get the Realme Buds Air 6 (Review) Rs. 3,299 for an nearly 40-hour whole battery life. At the identical value, 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 affords as much as 50dB ANC, as much as 43 hours of whole battery life and ChatGPT-integrated options through the Nothing X app.
The lack of a charging case is just not a deal breaker for me. Even the audio high quality is nice for informal listening. In this aggressive value vary, many different options could make the sound expertise extra satisfying. Surely, there may sometime be a center floor between being an audiophile and an environmentally aware particular person, however perhaps, as Dean Martin says, “Today is just not the day.”
