amazon Skullcandy Riff reviews
Skullcandy is a firm that knows how to change itself according to customers’ tastes. After being ‘criticized’ is to make pairs of too colorful headphones, with bass sound too powerful, it was hard to hear, the company changed the whole design on its product lines, inside and out to suitable for more users.
Skullcandy Riff is the company’s newest pair of headphones, which embodies this step.
The look of the box is also quite simple, no more cellophane details. Here we can see a few lines introducing the quality of the headset’s battery, in which we can listen to music continuously for 12 hours, and can charge fast for 10 minutes to listen to 2 hours. 12 hours for a standard charge, not bad, but still below Sony’s WH series.
The back introduces the kit in the box in many different languages.
This year the company abandoned the transparent plastic case to use black plastic, which is also more elegant. The headset is neatly placed inside, while the accessories are placed in a separate box.
There is only one micro USB charging cord in the box. As with products from other brands, I think the use of USB microphones is a drawback because 2019 is the year of USB Type-C, using that kind of wiring simplifies charging problems a lot.
Design
Riff owns Skullcandy’s new generation design, simpler and more modern, but still has youthful breakpoints instead of being too colorful like before. The casing is finished in plastic, but it is thickly molded and it is sure that holding in the hand feels reassuring that the headphone will last for years.
The most eye-catching design point on Riff is the ear pad. This cushion consists of two layers, a hard inner layer made of dark orange and the outer layer with a soft cloth in blue and with polka dots like stars! This is indeed a beautiful design, outstanding but still not too ‘cumbersome’, so far I have not seen any company to do so!
One of the points I was not satisfied with the Skullcandy products in the past, especially the On-ear and Full-size headphones, which are poor finishing quality, the buttons are often loose. Riff did not encounter this problem, the buttons are made very sure, click with clear physical feedback. The middle button can call a virtual assistant by pressing 2 times in a row.
The micro USB charging port is located at the bottom of the headset, not covered by any rubber ports because Riff is not water resistant. This is also a weakness that users must accept when choosing a pair of headphones at low prices.
The head cushion is also designed to be sturdy enough, with adjustable steps to fit the listener’s head. Unlike other high-end products, Riff does not have cotton pads, only plastic, but the headset has a small weight and a low grip, so the top of the head at the time of wearing is also not high pressure, so also do not make a point uncomfortable.
Overall, this is a pair of reasonably well-designed, well-designed headphones that look very courteous, similar to Sony’s On-ear ears rather than Skullcandy’s older products.
Technical specifications
– 40mm Dynamic diaphragm
– Bluetooth v4.1
– Response range: 20Hz – 20kHz
– Impedance: 32 Ohms
– Sensitivity: 98dB
– Total distortion: <1% (1mW / 500Hz)
where can you get a Skullcandy Riff online
Skullcandy Riff Wireless On-Ear Headphones – Black: Buy it now
Skullcandy Riff On-Ear Headphones Microphone, Refined Acoustics, Foldable, Call Track Control, Plush Ear Cushions Durable Headband, Blue/Speckle/Sunset: Buy it now
Skullcandy Riff 3.5mm Stereo Headset for Phones – Retail Packaging – Pink: Buy it now
Practical experience
Like other wireless On-ear headphones, Riff is able to securely connect to the source, along with very low latency, almost the same as wired headphones. This has never been a weakness of large headphone pairs, which often affect true In-ear and wireless ears, so it’s not too prominent.
Over the years, Skullcandy’s headphones paired more closely, no longer pursuing V-shape sounds, and following me is a good thing because it will suit many listeners, it’s easier to hear with many types of music. But saying that does not mean that new headphones such as Riff are ‘lost’, this is a pair of headphones with strong sound, hit the bass to be able to express strong music.
Bass is the first strip of users to notice when listening to the earpiece for the first time. The drums in the Trampoline song of the Kero Kero Trampoline group are extremely full, slightly over average but playing in one place, very punchy, creating a high-pitched rhythm rather than buzzing and girth . I myself am not a person who likes to hear a pair of bass headphones, but after 1 or 2 songs, I am also familiar with this kind of expression of Riff.
One of the biggest weaknesses of the pair of Skullcandy headphones in the past was the mid-range, when the company focused too much on the bass and treble and pushed the strip too far, thereby losing more detail. Riff also has no prominent mid range, slightly backward but still has a place and is not “obstructed” completely by the other two bands. Singer voice through Riff’s expression is quite smooth and natural, cutting a bit in the high-mid range so leaning towards the dark. This mid sound plays vocal tracks like Never of the Chinese Army, but will be better suited to Sarah Bonito’s Pop songs like Framingo.
Riff’s treble sound is not bad at all. Just like the middle band, the treble sound does not go straight to the listener, but has a sufficient amount of use as well as a very good brightness. In some trebles, it is even so bright that there is a slight sibalance, but the emphasis is ‘light’ because it is only enough to create a highlight, to avoid being laced with bass, not enough to damage the song (like the Previously 50/50 also of Skullcandy)!
Summary
As mentioned a lot in the review, I feel Riff a pair of higher-end headphones compared to the previous price range On-ear products Skullcandy. This is also a product that both the fans of Skullcandy bass and those who listen to noise can enjoy it when possessing a bold sound, but not ‘forget’ completely mid and high range. This is a serious competitor for pair of headphones under $100, especially the Sony WH-CH500 pair.
Advantages
– Outstanding but courteous design
– Perfecting the outer shell firmly
– Strong connection, low latency
– 12 hours of playing music
– Powerful sound
– Bass is strong, thick, but it is reasonable
– 2 mid strips and treble are clean, enough details
Defect
– No water resistance
– Still using standard Micro USB wire