Skullcandy reminds us that sub-$60 Bluetooth earbuds are possible if you can live with some caveats.
This week, the company unveiled its upcoming Mod True Wireless Earbuds that come packed with engaging features, like loud audio, long battery life, and that $59.99 price tag, but no noise cancellation.
As expected, the budget earbuds don’t offer any sort of game-changing features. Still, there are some nifty ones and at least one surprise in that budget price package.
Total control
For starters, the Mod Earbuds come with Multipoint Pairing which allows you to connect up to two separate devices at the same time. You can watch a movie on your laptop and then switch over to your phone to answer a call without skipping a beat.
As mentioned, the earbuds don’t have Active Noise Cancellation, but the Mods do have the combination of Clear Voice Smart Mic and Stay-Aware Mode.
Clear Voice Smart Mic uses AI to block out outside noise and isolate a voice while you’re on a call to ensure better audio quality. And Stay-Aware Mode gives you control over how much ambient noise is let in while you wear the Mods. That way, you can still pay attention to the world around you.
These audio control features can be accessed through the Skullcandy app which has different Equalizer configurations for Music, Podcasts, or your own custom settings.
Among the more noteworthy features is Built-In Tile Finding Technology. It lets you find missing earbuds via the Tile app. According to Tile, your missing bud will begin to “ring” and direct you to its last known location.
And then there’s the long battery life. The Mods can, the company claims, last up to seven hours on a single charge, but if paired up with the charging case, that number goes up to 34 hours. The battery sports Rapid Charge which, according to Skullcandy, gives two hours of playtime after just 10 minutes of charging.
Big sound
If you’re interested in the specs side of things, the Mods are fairly decent in that regard, too. Their drivers are 6mm in diameter and have a range, Skullcandy notes, of up to around 95 decibels. But they can fluctuate up or down 3 decibels at times. To put that into perspective, that’s the same decibel level of a motorcycle engine so take care not to play them too loudly.
The earbuds have an IP55 dust and water resistance rating. This means they can survive blasts of sand or splashes, but can’t survive being submerged.
Skullcandy’s Mod Earbuds are currently available for pre-order. If you can’t afford the $60 price tag, you can do four payments of $14.99 with no interest added.
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