Skullcandy is a brand I remember well from my late teens then somewhat I never seen them around but realigned myself with the brand two years ago and what they have on offer is certainly something to consider the next time you purchase headphones from what I have tested in the past.
The Venue borrow the design from the Crusher Wireless which is arguably one of the best noise cancelling headphones out there alongside the bass which people tend to like these days but for anyone thats looking for some new cans these are certainly something you should consider and they can be picked up pretty cheap these days for around €100 or so if you shop around.
The Venue offer great comfort all round and also offer a great listening experience for those who want to pick some up. I have been testing these two weeks now with several devices and the audio is excellent and its loud which is how I like my music.
There is simple to use controls on the Venue on the left side you have your power on/off and you have the ANC option which you will never turn off unless you require it and we also have a battery indicator,On the right side you have volume controls and your I/Os which is a 3.5mm jack and micro USB though I would liked to have seen USB C but this is not a big issue. You also have volume play and pause. The monitor mode is also handy which means you do not have to remove your headphones to hear the outside world or stop and talk to someone.You will get the battery life claimed by the Skullycandy and depending on your personal needs which for me is a once a week charge which is fine but there is headphones out there that offer much more in this price range but in fairness we all tend to keep the likes of headphones topped up.The buttons are easy to navigate and tactile and are easy to use blindly and a nice rubber touch to them.
The sound signature is great it has to be said with all genres and from my track playlist which covers all music avenues inside and out and maxed out is where these shine and they offer really good base too which was nice to see. There is no app however which is something that would have been a bonus but you can use your own EQ or a third party to get that little bit extra should you not be entirely happy with the standard offering here. Another important factor to add is there is no lip latency with what you watch on your phone or tablet.
Comfort wise these are also great with a soft headband and cups to match and can be worn for long periods of time with no sweat issues but this might vary between people and the environment they are so for me it is indoors around the house or in bed catching up on my You Tube subs and listening to my playlists. The pairing process here is lighting fast and once you connect for the first time which is simple they pair instantaneously any other time with no dropouts at all and phone calls are crisp and clear too both ends on the few calls I got whilst using them. I also like the no robotic voice prompts on these which is not robotic.
The build quality is also robust and solid with a 90 degree swivel on both sides and some movement on the cups themselves to nestle nicely onto your head without that clamped feeling, Given they are mostly plastic with a matt finish they are solid and easy to maintain and should have a good long life once you take care of them and you do get a nice case to carry them in so there is no excuse to have these for at least two/three years or longer again this is down to the individual and how often they change cans but from my experince I still have the old crusher wireless and they still work and look like new so I cant see any difference here.
As seen above these come equipped with tile this is a great feature to have and all headphones should have this. Again a simple set up if you ever happen to misplace your cans at the office or home, it does happen…
Are they worth the wads (139 euro at the time of posting) is what you will ask next. Well yes Skullcandy have improved immensely over the years and with what’s on offer here as a whole is fair.