In recent years, my exploration of various wireless earbuds has spanned from bulky designs to sleek, compact models, yet all have impressed with their exceptional sound quality. Lately, a notable trend has emerged: the shift towards sustainability. Manufacturers are increasingly focusing on eco-friendly materials and processes, minimizing the environmental footprint of these audio gadgets. Among the latest entries in this green initiative is the Skullcandy True Wireless Ecobuds. Over the last week, I've tested these earbuds, assessing their performance and eco-conscious design. Read on to discover my insights.

What are Skullycandy True Wireless Ecobuds?

Skullcandy True Wireless Ecobuds unboxed.GearBrain

The Skullcandy True Wireless Ecobuds are eco-conscious earbuds designed to deliver an exceptional audio experience while caring for the planet. These sleek, wireless earbuds offer a generous 8 hours of battery life on a single charge, ensuring your music keeps playing all day. They also have many excellent and relevant features for users who love wearing earbuds instead of over-the-ear headphones. A rapid charge feature is designed for the ones on the go. Skullcandy Ecobuds has a quick charge feature that breathes 2 hours of life into your earbuds with just a 10-minute charge, so you're never without your tunes for long.

The Ecobuds come with a unique, battery-free charging dock, simplifying your listening experience and reducing battery waste. It features a built-in USB-C cable that charges your earbuds and supports reverse charging from your phone,you'reing you're fully powered wherever you are. These new earbuds also feature durability and comfort. They come with an IPX4 sweat and water resistance rating, which can withstand your most intense workouts or sudden downpours, ensuring durability and reliability.

As for the audio quality, Skullcandy has incorporated three distinct EQ modes in their new earbuds. These new EQ modes (Music, Bass Boost, and Podcast modes) cater to your personal sound preference, whetherch you're in the mood for rich bass or crystal-clear vocals. And users can easily manage their music and calls seamlessly with intuitive controls for call, track, and volume directly on the earbuds. Plus, the flexibility to use either earbud solo means you stay connected and aware of your surroundings.

How do these new earbuds connect to your mobile devices? They work on a 5.2 wireless Bluetooth connection that provides crystal-clear, uninterrupted connectivity, which can keep you synced to your favorite devices effortlessly.

Another nice feature the Skullcandy Ecobuds bring to the market is its eco-friendly design. These True Wireless Ecobuds are not just good for your ears but also for the environment. They boast a 50% lower carbon footprint than similar earbuds on the market, with a total carbon footprint of only 1.35kg CO2eq. Skullcandy ensures that every aspect of your Ecobuds is environmentally friendly, including a 100% fully recyclable package, reflecting your commitment to a greener future.

Use the Skullcandy logo on the earbuds to control the Ecobuds.GearBrain

How do you set up your Skullcandy True Wireless Ecobuds?

The setup processHere'sther easy. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to set up the new Skullcandy Ecobuds:

1. Charge Your Earbuds: Before you start using your new Skullcandy earbuds, charging them fully is a good idea. Use the charging case with the cable attached to charge them.
2. Power On: Take your earbuds out of the case. They typically power on automatically when removed from the charging case. If they don't, press and hold the button on the earbuds until the LED indicator lights up, signaling they are powered on.
3. Enter Pairing Mode: The first time using the earbuds, they will automatically enter pairing mode when turned on. If they don’t, you can manually enter pairing mode by pressing and holding the button on the earbuds until the LED indicator flashes white.
4. Activate Bluetooth on Your Device: On your smartphone, tablet, or computer, go to the Bluetooth settings and make sure Bluetooth is turned on. Also, make sure your smartphone can connect on a 5.2 Bluetooth connection.
5. Select Your Skullcandy Earbuds: In the list of available Bluetooth devices, select your Skullcandy earbuds. They might appear as "Skullcandy" followed by the model name.
6. Confirm the Pairing: Your device will connect once you select the Skullcandy earbuds. You will hear a prompt confirming you paired your earbuds.
7. Test the Connection: Play audio on your device to test the earbuds. Adjust the volume and try a few tracks to ensure both earbuds work correctly.
8. Use Touch Controls: Familiarize yourself with the touch controls on the earbuds for playing/pausing music, skipping tracks, adjusting volume, and answering phone calls. Note the key to the controls is locating the Skullcandy logo on the back of each earbud. Here is a guide on how to use the touch controls:
   • Hold the Skullcandy logo on the back of each earbud simultaneously for one second to turn on the earbuds.
   • Hold the Skullcandy logo on the back of each earbud simultaneously for two seconds to turn the earbuds off.
   • Touch the Skullcandy logo on the right earbud for one second to turn the volume up and one second on the left earbud to turn the volume down.
   • To forward a track, touch the Skullcandy logo on either earbud two times. To go back, you hit the logo on either earbud three times.
   • To get to pairing mode, you have to hold the Skullcandy logo on either bud for three seconds. When you are in pairing mode, the LED white light will flash on the end of the Ecobuds.
   • To change the EQ mode, touch the Skullcandy logo on the right earbud four times. You will hear the prompt telling you the new EQ mode - Music, Bass Boost, and Podcast. The Music mode is the default mode.
   • Todevice'sr smartphone or mobile device's virtual assistant hit the left earbud four times, and it will activate Siri or Google Assistant.
   • To re-sync your Ecobuds with your mobile device, touch each earbud simultaneously four times.
   • To clear any paired devices, touch your Ecobuds simultaneously six times.

If you run into any issues during the setup process, refer to the user manual that came with your Skullcandy earbuds, as the exact instructions might vary slightly based on the specific model. Additionally, Skullcandy’s website and customer service can provide model-specific guidance and troubleshooting.

Skullcandy Ecobuds case comes with an eco-design that used recycled materials.GearBrain

How much does Skullcandy Ecobuds cost?

The Skullcandy True Wireless Ecobuds come with a few premium features and an affordable price of $39.99, making them a smart choice for eco-minded music lovers looking for quality, sustainability, and value. They come in one color, Glacier, and are available on the company website and select online retailers.

Skullcandy EcoBuds in-Ear Wireless Earbuds, 8 Hr Battery, Battery-Free Charging Case, Microphone, Works with iPhone Android and Bluetooth Devices - Glacier

List Price: $39.99

New From: $39.99in Stock

Performance

Our testing usually involves wearing the earbuds for a few weeks and observing how well they perform under the conditions where users would most likely use them. For the Skullcandy Ecobuds, we were one of the first sites to get the earbuds before launch and only had a week to test them. But from what we learned during this week, they were quite good.

Skullcandy Ecobuds are a good, affordable pair of wireless earbuds with an eco-friendly design. The touch controls are easy to use once you know how they work. When you change the sound level or other controls, the earbuds make a pinging noise. I found the touch controls to be a little sensitive. You must get used to touching the Skullcandy logo on each earbud to find the proper control. It took us a while to get the hang of the touch controls, but changing songs or answering calls was easy once we did.

These wireless earbuds come with a lightweight case that has a built-in USB-C cord that connects to computer, tablet or smartphone to charge.GearBrain

Another feature of these wireless earbuds was the charging cord. Most wireless headphones and earbuds come with a charging or power cord, which you attach to the wireless charging case. With the Ecobuds, the charging cord is built into the case and has a UBS-C connection on the end. Though the cord is very short and gets tucked away underneath the case, it allows you to use your laptop or mobile device to charge it. This makes it easy for you to charge the case without carrying the cord with you. Just make sure your device has a USB-C port. And the magnets inside the case hold your earbuds in place while charging. This was a nice touch and something we hadn't seen before.

From what we could tell in a week of testing, the battery life was good. We never run out of power when we listen to music for about 2 hours daily. Once we took the earbuds out of the case and put them in our ears, they would let us know once they connected to our mobile device. The earbuds do not have an option to stop the music if you take one earbud out of your ear. So, turn off the music or whatever you are listening to if you want to talk to someone.

We also found the sound quality for phone calls was not that good, especially if making or receiving a call outside. Also, if windy outside, the earbuds did not block the wind, even with a good tight fit in our ear. Also, these earbuds do not come with active noise canceling or an app with an EQ feature to control the sound mix for the earbuds. They do come with three modes that help improve the sound experience. We would definitely recommend the Bass Boost mode for listening to music. It's much better than the music mode.

Skullcandy Ecobuds do not work or connect to the Skullcandy appGearBrain

One of the best features of the Skullcandy Ecobuds is its total carbon footprint of only 1.35kg CO2eq. You are probably wondering what does it mean to be total carbon footprint of only 1.35kg CO2eq. Let me help explain to you. A total carbon footprint of 1.35kg CO2eq for a product like earbuds is considerably low, especially compared to larger electronic devices such as smartphones, which can have footprints upwards of 50kg CO2eq. This indicates that the production of these earbuds is relatively environmentally friendly, suggesting the use of sustainable materials and manufacturing processes. In the broader context of global carbon emissions, where individual annual footprints can average from 4 tons CO2eq globally to over 16 tons in countries like the United States, the impact of such a low-carbon product is minimal, making it a sustainable choice for environmentally conscious consumers.

Lastly, the next best feature is its price. At $39.99, this is an attractive price for wireless Bluetooth earbuds with EQ capabilities, decent sound experience, and good battery life. But they only come in one color, Glacier. So, hope you like this color.

a

Skullcandy EcoBuds in-Ear Wireless Earbuds, 8 Hr Battery, Battery-Free Charging Case, Microphone, Works with iPhone Android and Bluetooth Devices - Glacier

List Price: $39.99

New From: $39.99in Stock

Summary

The Skullcandy True Wireless Ecobuds are a unique pair of wireless earbuds, blending environmental consciousness with an innovative design and technology to deliver an unparalleled listening experience. From my week-long testing period, it became apparent that these earbuds are not just another affordable pair in the crowded wireless earbuds market.

Priced at an accessible $39.99, the Skullcandy True Wireless Ecobuds stand out not only for their environmental credentials but also because they are an excellent choice for eco-minded music lovers. While there's room for improvement in call quality and wind noise, these earbuds represent a valuable addition to Skullcandy's lineup, appealing to users seeking quality, sustainability, and value in their audio experience.

Pros

• Price
• Eco-friendly design
• user-friendly controls
• Instant connectivity
• Good battery life with a unique charging cord
• Sound Modes

Cons

• No auto pause
• Controls can be overly sensitive
• Subpar Call Quality Outdoors
• Wind noise
• Lack of Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and Customizable EQ

Check out The GearBrain, our smart home compatibility find engine. It can help you find, buy, and connect any smart device. It can even help you find other smart devices or systems that are compatible with your existing smart devices, including Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa-enabled devices.

Like GearBrain's content? Be sure to follow us.

The GearBrain, First Compatibility Find Engine for Smart DevicesGearBrain's mission is to simplify the Internet of Things or new connected devices for consumers. Many of today's new connected ...