Skullcandy is well known for offering value-for-money audio products that exceed expectations. With a catchy name, attractive designs, and solid performance, it’s little wonder that Skullcandy continues to gain popularity.
The Indy True wireless in-ear buds can be compared to the likes of Apple’s Airpods, yet they are half the price. We take an in-depth look to see if they can stack up against some fierce competition in our in-depth Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Review.
Can this bang for your buck company push the industry further? And are these earbuds the best Airpod alternative for those on a budget?
(3.8 / 5)
Contents
Design
Being in direct competition with Airpods, you can tell where the design inspiration has come from. There are four different color choices, including Black, Mint (light green), Deep Red (maroon), and Indigo (blue).
They are attractive and have downward-pointing stalks that are home to batteries and the microphone. A major difference between the Indy and Airpods is the buds. With Airpods being a hard design, and the Indy featuring a rubber tip in-ear design.
A touch of control…
Printed on the outside in the center of a circular area at the top of each stalk is the Skullcandy logo. These provide a kind of cover for your inner ear. And not only do they look cool, but they are also where you can tap for touch control.
Included in the package are left and right earbuds, three different rubber tip sizes (S, M, and L), a Micro-USB cable for charging, and a flip-top hard case. Depending on your color choice, everything included matches the color perfectly.
Just in case…
Having a decent storage case is important for true wireless earbuds. When not in use, you can’t just hang them around your neck or have them roll around in your bag or pocket. The case needs to be big enough to offer protection and small enough to slip in your pocket.
This case is probably a bit larger than other competitors’ cases, but not so much that it becomes a frustration in your pocket. There are three small LED lights on the front for battery indication, and the Skullcandy logo is printed along the front of the flip-top lid.
Features
We already mentioned there are touch controls available for the Skullcandy Indy. By simply tapping on the Skull logo for either earbud, you are offered a wide range of controls for your audio device.
Control options include receiving and ending calls, track selection, volume adjustment, and accessing your smart assistant. This works with both Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, including Google Assistant and Siri.
Staying in charge…
Playback time from a fully charged pair of earbuds is around four hours. When placed back into the case for an extra battery boost, you’ll receive an extra 12 hours or so. That makes for a maximum playback time of about 16 hours before needing to plug in the charger.
Placing the earbuds in the case allows for the metal terminals to magnetically join the ones inside the case. The magnet is incredibly strong, so you won’t need to worry about losing the buds, but they can be difficult to remove on occasions.
No sweat…
An official rating of IP55 has been awarded to the Indy for water and dust resistance. That means that you don’t need to panic if it starts to rain or you begin to sweat it up at the gym.
The dust resistance also helps if venturing outdoors, camping, or off to the beach. As a result, these are some of the best waterproof earbuds you can buy in this price range.
While you are out and about, you can be assured of a stable and reliable wireless signal. Low power consumption provides longer battery life too. That’s because these use the latest Bluetooth 5.0 for pairing with your device. Therefore, these are some of the best Bluetooth earbuds for those on a budget.
Noise isolation…
By using an in-ear design with fitted rubber ear tips, which Skullcandy calls “Stability Ear Gels,” this provides a sealed fit. The result is noise isolation, which both prevents external noises from entering your ear canal and clearer, more direct sound to enter.
Making and receiving calls using the Indy is also enhanced with not only noise isolation but also noise reduction. The built-in microphone cleverly blocks out background noise, making your voice clearer and easier to hear during calls.
Performance
As with most in-ear buds, a lot depends on achieving a good fit using the Stability Ear Gels. If you are lucky enough to have an ear canal that is the exact diameter of one of the three supplied sizes, then you’re in for a treat.
With a great seal, the sound is bright and punchy with a surprising amount of bass. In fact, there is so much bass that it can start to overtake other sounds. What begins as fun and exciting can become tiring after extended periods. However, those in search of the best cheap bass earbuds need look no further.
Making things equal…
With the use of equalizer settings on your device, we would recommend reducing the lows, rather than trying to increase the mids and highs. This does balance things out slightly and gives users less fatigue after long listening sessions.
After making these adjustments, lows are less obtrusive, mids cover a bigger range, and highs are bright and vibrant. Overall, the sound would be described as soft due to its heavy focus on bass. But is well still above expectations at this price point.
Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Review – Pros and Cons
Pros
- An affordable option for anyone on a tight budget.
- Nice range of color choices.
- Touch controls for calls, tracks, volume, and assistants.
- A sturdy case offers great protection for your earbuds.
- IP55 water and dust resistance rating.
- The latest Bluetooth 5.0 offers a reliable wireless connection.
- Impressive sound quality with banging bass.
Cons
- Can be tricky finding the right fit with the ear tips.
- The stalks can hit your jaw, loosening the earbuds.
- Micro-USB is used for charging instead of USB Type-C.
- The case magnet is strong, making the earbuds difficult to remove sometimes.
- Battery life is shorter than some other competitors.
- Bass-heavy sound can cause fatigue during long listening sessions.
Looking for Something Else?
Our selection of audio solutions continues to grow. So, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Wireless TV Speakers, the Best Karaoke Microphones, the Best Waterproof Headphones for Swimming, the Best Wireless Workout Headphones, and the Best Keyboard Amps you can buy in 2023.
You may also enjoy our comprehensive Marshall Code 50W Review, our Marshall Stockwell 2 Review, our AKG Perception 220 Review, our Sennheiser PXC 550-II Review, and our Sony MDR-7506 Review for more amazing products currently on the market.
Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Review – Final Thoughts
These earbuds perform in all the areas they should. The connection to your device is solid; they look great, have some useful features, and offer decent sound quality. USB Type-C would have been nice for charging.
As far as pushing the industry further, Skullcandy’s Indy earbuds are hardly groundbreaking. They will certainly have competitors looking over their shoulders, though, which will drive them to innovate further.
Is the Indy a worthy replacement?
At this price, we’d say yes. Although there are a few minor flaws, like getting the right fit and slightly shorter battery life, they can be easily overlooked. That said, anyone who needs some of the best budget wireless earbuds will appreciate these.
Until next time, happy listening.
