Skullcandy Chops Review
First Impressions
Skullcandy hails from Park City, Utah and makes a wide range of audio products for sports and gaming. Their distinctive logo and vibrant color combinations started a wave in the industry and the company still remains iconic with the boarding and biking crowd. Skullcandy’s Mix Master product cruises up to $350. But of course, we didn’t test that offering. Instead, we gave the bargain-priced Skullcandy Chops a try, and opted for the cool yellow and gray combo.
Features
At less than $20 MSRP for the ear bud version, the Chops represent the very bottom of Skullcandy’s line up. We chose to test these instead of Skullcandy’s more expensive Fix ear buds. Although we like the Fix for everyday use, they just don’t live up to their marketing claims. I’m sorry to say that Skullcandy’s design didn’t “fix” the problem and rigorous exercise still caused them to fall out of our ears. That issue was not evident at all with the Chops which are an over-the-ear model.
Specs
Speaker diameter: 15 mm
Dynamic range: 18 Hz to 20,000 Hz
Cable length: 47 in
As you’d expect from a low-cost option, the feature list is pretty spare. There’s no inline mic or volume control. There’s no foam covers for the buds nor are there extra rubber nibs for different size ears. But the quality of construction is solid and materials have a high-end feel to them. The cable is plenty long, and is made from a supple plastic as are the over-ear hangers. Sound quality is good with slightly better frequency range than the other products in this test and the speakers – since they sit outside the ear – allow for good ambient sound penetration.
Rounding out the Chop package is a small drawstring satin bag for storage.
Fit
The Skullcandy Chops hangers drop over the top and behind the ear. The soft plastic holds snuggly and the buds can swing away or up close to the ear. We liked the fit and the fact that we never had to worry about the buds falling out of our ears.
Final Verdict
For just under $20, the Skullcandy Chops are a total bargain. The over-the-ear fit isn’t for everyone, but we like it a lot. There’s never any question that these buds will stay put. If you need a pair of earphones for running or other outdoor sports, the Skullcandy Chops are definitely worth considering.
