For your ears only

Wrap your ears and your head around music accessories giant Skullcandy's newest, super-stylish earphones. The verdict? Mixed.

Never short on oomph, Skullcandy makes of some of the hottest-looking music accessories. Not the kind to let you blend into the background, their colour combinations -- from hot pink and white to bright yellow and apple green -- ensure you are the cool baap of all the gold-endowed Bappi Lahiris of the world.


(Left) Skullcandy Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) (Right) Skullcandy Titan.
Pics/Datta Kumbhar

So, when we received two noise cancelling earphones -- the SkullCandy Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) in gold and the Skullcandy Titan in copper, we couldn't wait to rock out to the hippest headgear in town. SkullCandy Full Metal Jacket (FMJ), Rs 3,559

First look
Wound neatly into a stylish package that crammed the works -- ear buds, a satin pouch, foam tips and silicon ear tips (both in small, medium and large sizes, making it a total of 12 tips), the gold earphones are a visual delight.

The metal alloy casing gives FMJ a solid feel, unlike most other earphones that have a delicate toss-me-around-not look to them. The ear buds too, fit snugly into your ears so that you won't be fixing them back every couple of minutes after running on the treadmill. Great for outdoor running, and at the gym. We were a little disappointed with the cord length though -- it's perfect for your iPod or phone, but short for listening to music on your PC.

Getting down to b(r)ass tacks
Bass is where it's at with the FMJ. If you are looking for some serious bass and boom, this pair won't disappoint. The bottom end of the bass frequencies don't overwhelm the rest of the sound. That said, at Rs 3,599, the mids and highs are definitely not what we would have liked.

We tried a variety of music to test the range of the FMJ -- from rock to jazz, and all of it in MP3 format. The result? If you are looking for a throwback to the days of having a boombox above your shoulders to thump along to, this is the pair to get. But a serious music aficionado will not be fooled by the lack of punch in the mid and upper frequency sounds -- the first couple of times we tried the FMJ, we had to double check that the volume was up and our ears were clean, because when Amy Winehouse seems to have lost a little of her steam, you know there's a problem.

Microphone and loose ends
FMJ also has a microphone button to jump between calls and music on your PC and your phone. What it lacks in overall music quality, it makes up for with this feature. The sound is clear and loud, and there's little lag between pausing and returning to your music and/or call. Background noise was not any more of a problem for the listener at the other end than usual, but that didn't stop the mic from picking up some background noise from the caller's end.

Overall, the FMJ should satisfy most casual music listeners looking for a good-looking break from the monotones that otherwise flood the noise-cancelling music accessory market. At almost Rs 4,000, though, a little more emphasis on the mids and high-ends is not asking for too much.Skullcandy Titan, Rs 2,099

Touchy-feely
Just as hip, the copper coloured Titan earphones we got looked sturdy and different -- encased in a metal alloy that will protect them from the vagaries of pointy objects if you are travelling by public transport and take care of the occasional strain by getting caught in the treadmill or cross-trainer handle. Looks and build wise, this pair flexes some serious muscle.

The included eartips are a delight too -- pop them into your ear and you almost wonder whether you are in an airplane -- the illusion of being in a noise-free vacuum is that complete. Of course, that does make this a risky proposition if you are planning to cross the road while swinging to some K'naan. Keep the volume to a reasonable level, and you should be good to go.

Base and little else
The same problem plagues the Titan too, though -- while the bass is great for all around surround sound and great thump, it's a let down by the lack of clarity in the highs. As a result, the vocals often sound muddy. Oh, and a big let down was that after two weeks of use, the volume control got a little iffy and gave us some static each time we used it to control volume. Disappointing.

Peripherals
You won't be stuck with wrapping this pair uncomfortably around your MP3 player or phone, because it comes with a cool little nylon net-case for holding the earbuds and the earphones. Handy as well as a great solution for the inevitable knots that earphones seem to tie themselves into.

Last word
Once again, if it's super-voice clarity and treble you want, this isn't your recommended candy. But if it's a cocoon of surround sound and undisturbed casual music listening you're after, the Titan will do just fine.