Skullcandy Venue review: You’are not going to lose your headphones

Name: Skullcandy Venue review: You’are not going to lose your headphones
Item: Skullcandy Venue review: You’are not going to lose your headphones
Rating: 4.0
Author: Abhinaya Prabhu

Here’s what we think about the Skullcandy Venue headphones.

By Abhinaya Prabhu

| Published: Saturday, March 2, 2019, 16:54 [IST]

There are several brands that have come up with active noise cancelling headphones. Though there are popular brands such as Sony and Bose, the others have also made their presence felt with disruptive products. One such brand is Skullcandy and it has come up with an over-the-ear headphones called Skullcandy Venue.

Rating:

4.0/5

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Notably, wireless headphones have really come a long way. And, Skullcandy is known for its bass-rich and stylish headphones. Skullcandy is a popular global brand that has been involved in launching headphones that are not only priced reasonably but also offer impressive audio quality.

The latest launch from the company is the Skullcandy Venue noise cancelling headphones priced at Rs. 18,999. Looking at its price, it is clear that is not for those who are looking for a budget headphones but for those who want to enjoy uninterrupted and disturbance-free audio wherever they are. This headphones can standout from the rest in its category with a distinct feature - Tile integration.

For the uninitiated, Tile can be attached to things such as keys and you can get an alert regarding the same on your smartphone if you forget to take them along with you. Tile will make a noise to help you find the misplaced items. This technology is inbuilt in Skullcandy Venue, so you will never miss this headphones behind.

Let's take a look at the review of the Skullcandy Venue from here to know what goodies it holds for us.

Design

Skullcandy Venue flaunts an elegant and minimalist design. The branding is limited to a small Skullcandy logo with the skull positioned on the headband. The overall headphones is made mostly using plastic except for the leather cushioning on the headband and earpads. This design gives it a premium look and makes it suit the ambiance of wherever you are. This makes the earpads soft to touch and feel.

Though it has a premium and elegant design in terms of looks and feel, there are a few aspects of concern. The locking mechanism of the headband doesn't security fit in one point. And, this is a serious roadblock when it comes to the comfort level. During my usage, there were a few times when the locking mechanism became too lose and fell off. Also, the Skullcandy Venue isn't suitable for long periods of use as it becomes uncomfortable and leaves a sort of ache in the ears. This is mainly due to the buzzing sound that is heard within the earpads that causes a little pressure.

When it comes to the controls on the Skullcandy Venue, you can see them positioned on the earpads. At the left, you can see the power button, ANC button and battery level indicator. This way, turning the active noise cancellation feature on and off is just a click away. On the other hand, the right earpad comes with controls such as volume up and down and a pairing button in the depression. The right earpad also has the 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB charging port at the bottom. With the former, you can plug in the headphones to your laptop and use it even while there is no battery life left.

Pairing process

The pairing process of the Skullcandy Venue is quite simple. During our review, we paired it with three or four smartphones easily. You just have to click on the small depression for the pairing purpose between the volume controls on the right earpad. From the Bluetooth menu in your phone, you should choose the Venue option and that's it. The Skullcandy Venue will be paired with your smartphone.

Performance

The Skullcandy Venue delivers an impressive performance its terms of audio quality. Well, it delivers well-defined bass so that the sound doesn't sound unnatural. The balanced audio output is really impressive. The bass is not too heavy but it is punchy. It is pleasant to listen to most genres. At high volume levels, the bass could be a little distorted.

Talking about the ANC feature, when it is turned on, you can hear a hiss in the audio. This is noticeable even when you are listening to it at low volume levels. However, the output is decent enough and impressive. The active noise cancellation functions like a pro except for the buzzing sound. Otherwise, it does the job it is intended to smoothly without any trouble. With ANC turned on, you can hear loud music that is crisp and clear as it conceals the outside sound. On the other hand, without this functionality, the sound output is hardly audible as the overall volume level drops considerably.

The Skullcandy Venue comes with a Rapid Charge feature. With this feature, if you charge the headphones for 10 minutes, then you will get 5 hours of play time. It is touted to provide up to 24 hours of battery life with both Bluetooth and ANC turned on, which is quite impressive. We couldn't use it continuously but still managed to use it for 16 hours and there was more battery power left.

Tile integration

As mentioned above, the Skullcandy Venue comes with Tile integration. You can install the Tile app on your smartphone to locate the headphones with just a single tap on the button. This is really a boon to those who are absentminded. It will connect to the headphones via Bluetooth and play a sound to help you locate it. Also, there is a feature that lets you locate the headphones wherever you are by showing it in the map. So, there's no losing your headphones again.

Verdict

The Skullcandy Venue priced at rs. 18,999 is for those who expect more from a pair of headphones. It delivers superior battery performance with quick charge support, impressive audio quality and active noise cancellation. The Tile integration gives it an upper hand compared to the competition that exists in the market. But it is definitely not for audiophiles as it might not deliver an exceptional audio quality with all the necessary elements at the right level. And, it cannot be worn during workout sessions as it is not sweatproof and its headband might keep slipping.