Customer Reviews

Skullcandy (Product Out Of Date, Newer Version Available) INK'D Earbuds (Silver)

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

These earbuds were given to me by my sister for my birthday and I loved them because the quality of sound is much better than that of the earbuds that come with the iPod. Also, they do an excellent job of blocking out all other sounds so you listen to only your music and nothing else. However, I soon found out that the product lacked durability.

I carry my iPod to school with me everyday and from being in my pocket all the time, the base of the earbuds where the wire goes into the MP3 player tore after about 3 months. I lost sound in one earbud and I decided that was fine and I would continue using them. I later would lose sound in the other earbud and I looked into the warranty they have.

I found out from the Skullcandy website that the warranty covers them for a lifetime and if the product fails from normal use they will replace it, or if you should tear the earbuds they will send you a 50% off coupon as long as you send in the shreds of your earbuds. Through this warranty I have gone through 3 sets of the earbuds in just under 2 years and haven't paid for the subsequent sets.

I will continue to use them as the quality is unmatched for the price and even if you don't treat your earbuds well I would recommend them to you.

I was seriously considering buying a pair of Skullcandy Titans or FMJs up until a few days ago. But given their high price (the case of the FMJs) and mixed reviews (the case of both) I decided to go with something tried and true, namely, these Ink'd buds.

I just picked these up from a local Bestbuy and I have to say, they're much better than I expected in every way possible. I think their good-quality sound-isolation and superb bass are their selling points. The treble sounds not to tinny either (which is good). These buds really do seem to make you notice things in your songs that you didn't seem to hear before.

The jack is set in a straight position, but it looks durable enough to be bent in most angles (just in case though, don't repeatedly try this!). And as with ALL sound-isolating earbuds, the wire causes a barely-noticeable bit of interference when you move it (i.e. brushing it against your clothing), but I don't feel that this is an issue at all, since even the lower-volume settings with these drown those out.

All-in-all, I wouldn't be surprised if these were comparable in sound-quality and overall specs to the Titan and FMJ.

..Overview..

Pros:

- Great sound-isolation
- Great to superb-quality bass
- Wire seems sturdy and durable (though I'm not one of those people who would wrap earbud wires around their iPods)
- Great, affordable pricing
- Soft silicon earpieces feel extremely comfortable, they don't irritate/cause discomfort at all. They come in 3 sizes (small, medium, large), though the default mediums should fit fine for most.

Cons (they're pretty minor):

- Doesn't come with a carrying pouch/case (but hey, for just $20, what do you expect? I just used a pouch from my previous pair of buds, problem solved)
- There aren't left/right markings on the buds which leaves me to wonder, does it really matter which buds goes in which ear..? For me, I just look at the Skullcandy plastic bit where the two earbud wires join and orient left and right as the left side/right side of the bit.

..Notes..

- Wire may be a bit too long, though I can see that it could really come in handy when you're carrying your MP3 player in your pants pocket and need that extra length. Due to this extra length, it also compensates for the fact that it's a symmetrical split in the wires of the left/right buds, so there's always enough wire for each side of the ear.
- There is a slight sticking/popping sound when you are inserting these into your ears, don't worry, this is normal. It's just the silicon earpieces sticking together and adjusting their shape to fit your ear canal
- Might be a little obvious but... All people listen to music that can be either slightly or drastically different and thus, everyone's experience with the same kind of earbuds can be very different as well. Keep this in mind when browsing for your next pair of earbuds. Not to deter you from buying this pair or anything, though!

The "Ink'd" earbuds (which were available locally for the same price) were an impulse buy for my wife because I could get pink to match her new Ipod Nano. However, when I read notes on the Ipod earbuds, I was glad I bought them, and she was even more so. She loves them, so much so that I bought her a spare pair and bought a set for our daughter to match her Ipod Shuffle. I recommend them for your MP3 player or any other portable music solution, or for use with your laptop when traveling. Great value, solid performers, low price.

I got one pair of these earbuds from someone who owned them but found it irritating to hear her voice echo in her head. I liked how they fit nicely in my ears (with the smallest tips, they actually stayed in my ears, unlike other earbuds), and the sound was decent. After two months I stopped being able to hear in one ear. Undeterred, I bought a second set because I liked the fit so much. I was very careful with this second set, but nonetheless one ear suddenly stopped working again as I was walking yesterday. The cheap price doesn't help if the earphones only last for a few weeks.

I bought these earbuds, mostly on price, for use while training for a marathon and other outdoor use. They held up very well for about 4 months, surviving dozens of runs (they seem impervious to heat and sweat), use in the rain, and even a trip through a full machine washer and dryer cycle (accidental). Comfort and sound quality were great, and the buds held firm in my ears no matter how much moving around I did. Unfortunately, this particular design's Achilles' tendon is the connector between the cord and the mini-plug. Eventually the connection worked its way loose. For a while only one earbud worked, and then, suddenly, even that was silenced, never to work again. Very likely this was my fault, as I was pretty rough on them, but it's something to consider when shopping around.

Overall, I'd certainly recommend these as great value for money, and very nice all-around earbuds.

Mine lasted six weeks. I don't care how cheap they are, headphones should last longer than that. I didn't even use them most days, only maybe once a week.

I just purchased a pair of Skullcandy Ink'd earphones, in the white/silver trim. They are leaps and bounds better than stock Apple earphones (or equivalent). After hearing my music through these, I find it completely inconceivable that anyone would spend $100+ (or more??!!) on supposedly "high-end" in-the-ear units like the Shures, etc. I am totally convinced you're paying the extra $80+ for 2 things, and 2 things only: the carrying case, and the Shure name. If those 2 items are worth $80+ to you, by all means go for it. But if what matters to you is sound quality, save the extra money for a nice dinner out with your significant other, and go with these. You'll love 'em.

I bought these ear buds because the ones that came with my personal media player are awful. You couldn't hear a thing with them when you are in a car or on a plane. The two places I use the player for. I saw these and thought I would give them a try. They are great. I even allowed my daughter and husband to try as well. They both gave an overwhelming two thumbs up. They do block out sound, and all three of us used the smallest size ear inserts offered. So it worked for an 8 year old, and two 36 year olds. Overall, they are great and I plan to buy a few more!

I've had these for 8 months, and one of the earbuds decided to stop transmitting any sound. I was wearing it out in freezing single digit weather, but other earbuds have been surviving.
These were pretty good while they lasted. Very comfortable and good sound for a non-audiophile. Like other reviewers mentioned, these aren't the best to use for workouts or with activity because any movement of the cables DOES get transmitted, and you hear this rubbery thunk thunk, which you may or may not be able to get used to.

Initially, these seemed like a good value. The earphones delivered clear sound, blocked out a good deal of outside sound. They were comfortable, which was greatly helped by the fact that they come with 3 different sizes of gels to use (one of the initial selling points for me, since I have small ears).

Four months later, this Ink'd model suddenly died on me; sound would work in only one ear, and the other had a horrible crunchy static whenever the wire was moved, which was often since they were used with an ipod (which to no surprise, MOVES! and often). I bought them on April 20, 2010, and sent them in June 26, 2010 to Skullcandy after filing an online warranty request (as they have a lifetime warranty). Covered by a "manufacturer defect," I was shipped a new pair of the Riot model on July 13. (To my best knowledge, the Riot model is a generally comparable model.) Lo & behold, these also suddenly died in the same way. I shipped the replacement pair (pair #2) in on September 19, 2010 , and received pair #3 (the Ink'd model) on October 4. Third time wasn't a charm either; yet again, pair #3 died in the same fashion on December 9. Shipped pair #3 in, and am currently on pair #4.

I would not at all recommend the brand as a whole. Perhaps the more expensive models are more durable, however considering my history with the brand, I would not dare gamble on that. Skullcandy has been faithful to all of the warranties I have filed with them, and for $10 for the original pair + about $6 total in shipping/handling charges, I have myself a fourth pair of headphones. However never would I purchase another pair. Once this pair dies--which, by extrapolation, I assume to be fairly soon--I will be seeking a different brand altogether. I will post this comment/warning on the appropriate product pages, and hope that other consumers have had better luck than I!