Skullcandy have become known as a company that provides good value for money products. With the Skullcandy Indy, they’ve applied the same philosophy to these Truly Wireless earbuds.
Whilst not being world-class in the sound performance department, because of an over-reliance on booming bass, they are pretty comfortable and have a high IP55 rating for resistance to water and dust. If you’re looking for an affordable set of truly wireless earphones designed for exercising, with a stable fit and are not too bothered about sound quality, these could be the earphones for you.
In this review, we’re going to tell you what worked for us and what didn’t and, ultimately, whether you should spend your hard-earned dollars on the Skullcandy Indy Earphones.
So, let’s find out what they’re really like in this in-depth Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Review…
(4 / 5)Our Ratings
| Sound Quality | 7.1 |
| – Bass | 8.2 |
| – Mids | 6.3 |
| – Treble | 5.9 |
| Sound Isolation | 4.7 |
| Design | 7.3 |
| Connectivity Performance | 8.2 |
| Microphone | 4.8 |
| Value For Money | 7.9 |
| Best Used For | Exercise/Sport |
Design & Comfort
At first sight, you could be mistaken for thinking these were a black pair of Airpods due to the distinctive stalk design. They are quite bulky and stick out from your ear a fair distance. The glossy finish doesn’t seem to be as prone to fingerprint markings as other brands, which is always a plus.
Whilst seemingly quite bulky, the Skullcandy Indy True Wireless are actually quite lightweight and relatively comfortable to wear. Like all in-ear fits, they can become tiring over time, but the pressure they put on your inner ear is bearable enough.
Three sets of ear tips and one set of stability fins come with the package. Most ear shapes should be able to find a secure fit from that selection. As with most in-ear phones, these are very breathable, meaning you won’t sweat any more than normal, and sweat doesn’t get trapped.
Once you’ve found a good fit using the stability fins, the Indy’s stay in place very well, especially when jogging. Any extreme head movement is likely to break the airtight seal though. Also, as there are no cables, you’ll avoid getting them caught on anything and being yanked from your ear.
Build Quality
The Skullcandy Indy’s are well constructed and shouldn’t malfunction from regular usage or the occasional drop. The IP55 water resistance rating should make them impervious to sweat and rain whilst out running.
The hard shell charging case provides an extra layer of protection that feels reasonably compact and sturdy. The case, although not quite as small as Apple’s Airpods, will still comfortably fit in your pocket.
Controls
Touch-sensitive controls are found on the stalks, although they aren’t always as responsive as they could be, often not functioning as required.
Volume, track selection/pausing, pairing, power, and call options are all determined by how long you press the touch-sensitive control. This can become a little convoluted. That being said, as they don’t have raised buttons, so you won’t end up pushing them deeper into your ear-canal every time you want to forward or pause a song.
Battery Life
Skullcandy Indy True Wireless earbuds, like most in this category, don’t have a very long battery life. At around 4.5 hours of non-stop playback, it’s on the same level as most other truly wireless buds on the market.
But the good news is the charging case has an extra 12 hours of power to back things up. A full recharge of the earbuds takes two hours, which seems like a lot for just 4.5 hours’ playback, but if you store them in the case when not in-ear, then they should be good for the whole day.
Connectivity
You’ll find Bluetooth 5.0 technology under the hood, which is good for earbuds in this price range. This will make the Skullcandy Indy highly compatible with any new devices you may buy in the next few years.
Bluetooth 5 also has a longer range and more efficient data transfer, so you’ll be able to wander further from the device with fewer interruptions. Without any obstructions in the way, the range is effective up to 65ft away. Walking between rooms didn’t cause any major performance issues.
One area they did fall down on was latency, meaning we noticed a slight delay on the audio when using the earbuds to watch video content.
What! No app?
Yes, you did read that correctly. There is no companion app that comes with the Indy earbuds. That means no customizable sound options, which might have been quite a good idea as the sound quality could do with a few tweaks. More on that later…
Microphone
The integrated microphone does a reasonable job of fielding phone calls in quiet environments. Speech transmitted through this mike sounds a little muddy but clear enough to be heard by whoever you’re talking to, so long as you’re not in a busy area.
On loud public transport or a busy street, the Indy’s microphone really struggles to separate your voice from all the hustle and bustle. No good if you’ve got to take important calls on the move.
Sound Quality
Skullcandy are known for their bass-focused sound signature, and the Indy’s are no different in this respect. Powerful, extended bass is the order of the day.
Beats driven music fans will appreciate the deep and punchy delivery that compliments genres like hip-hop and EDM. For those with less need for thundering bass frequencies, who require a level of refinement to their listening experience, the Indy’s just don’t cut the mustard.
The bass is bloated and overdone, bleeding profusely into the mid-range, cluttering the whole mix. Vocals and lead instruments are crowded out at the expense of all that boom. Most unsatisfactory for genres not lead by thumping bass.
The treble frequencies also lacked any real refinement. Fans of classical, jazz, and even rock music, would be well advised to steer clear, while bass-heads should be nodding along gleefully.
One particular problem we noticed was a mismatch between the sound signature of the two buds. Basically, they didn’t sound the same. Several pairs of ears agreed. It may just have been our set, but if that’s standard, then you have to wonder why. It’s not beneficial in any way.
Also see: Powerbeats3 Wireless In-Ear Headphone Review
Noise Isolation
Due to the size restrictions inherent with truly wireless earbuds, you don’t generally get any Active Noise Cancelling technology as part of the package. That’s also the case here.
The Indy’s rely on a good fit to achieve a decent level of passive noise isolation. They don’t do a great job of blocking out noises from the lower end of the spectrum, the rumble of an engine, for example. However, in the mid range frequencies, they are pretty successful in negating the sound of voices and the hum of a fan or A/C unit.
In the other direction, they do a very good job of keeping the sound in. There is very little leakage even at high volumes, so you don’t need to stress about bothering the people around you.
Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Pros & Cons
Pros
- Cost around half the price of Apple’s AirPods.
- Excellent IP55 protection rating.
- Superb wireless performance.
Cons
- Incredible emphasis on the bass frequencies.
- Not the best sound isolation.
- Lack of clarity of the voice in busy environments.
- No app for fine-tuning.
- Not the easiest to get out of their charging case.
- The left and right earbud didn’t sound the same on the pair we tested, but we doubt that would be an issue on every product, if so, oh dear!
Other Options
With so many quality earbuds and headphones currently available, making a perfect choice can be difficult.
Therefore if the Indy True Wireless are what you’re looking for, please check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, the Most Comfortable Earbuds, the Best Earbuds under 50 2 Dollars, the Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds, the Best Earbuds under 100 dollars, and Most Durable Earbuds currently available.
Are The Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Earbuds Worth Buying?
When compared to the competition in the true wireless sector, how do the Indy’s hold up? Somewhere in the middle of the bunch would be the fair answer, An also-ran. They do everything reasonably well without overly impressing in any one particular area.
They do, however, offer very good value for money. Whilst not up to the high standards of the latest Airpods Pro and the industry-leading Sony WF-1000XM3, the damage to your wallet also isn’t as high. At a third of the price, they do make an attractive enough alternative for those who don’t want to splurge the extra cash.
If you’re into bass-heavy music and want a pair of wireless buds to use whilst exercising, then the Indy’s will represent good value. In fairness, they represent pretty good value to anyone at the relatively low price they’re being sold at. But if you need a little more subtlety to your listening experience, then these are not the earbuds for you.
All in all, a solid performer at a very reasonable price that most non-audiophile exercisers will be happy enough with.