[DavidMahler]

A friend let me try their Skullcandy Lowriders the other day. I rather snobbishly remarked prior to hearing them that these 20 dollar Skullcandy headphones were going to be awful. To my shock, I thought they weren't just good headphones, but I thought they were great and I felt that if the look was repackaged and the exterior materials were of a higher quality that the sound quality alone could be marketed for at least $200. I was blown away. Immediately after hearing it I popped on my Edition 8s and I have to say the Edition 8s were just incrementally better.....it's even possible some head-fiers would prefer the bass-lighter Skullcandy Lowriders.

I'm sure a lot of people will laugh at this thread, but please know I love audiophile-level quality sound.....the headphones I own which can be of reference are the MDR R10, HD800, HE-5, Edition8, D5000, HD600, HD650, DT880.........

anyway............these were the best $20 headphones I've ever heard and I will probably go out and buy a pair because just the marvel of something being so cheap and so excellent is worth the expense. I can't remark about the product's durability and I thought they look horrid. But anyway, I thought I'd share this..................

There is a VERY SMALL chance that I am misquoting the exact model of Skullcandy headphones because she didn't know the model and I am doing this by recollection of their appearance by looking at Amazon....I saw these headphones about 2 weeks ago, so my memory is probably right.

 

[Napilopez]

*Checks to make sure it's not the first of April yet*

Well, that was unexpected XD Haven't heard the lowriders specifically, but now you're making me wanna check to be sure.

I mean, the lowriders competing with $200 cans? Or even some of the better $75 cans? That's hard to believe, but I'm not a cynic =P. I went to try the skullcrushers once, and I felt the headphones vibrate harder than my celphone in my hands, and laughed.

It'll be interesting to hear what others have to say.

 

[b0dhi]

I appreciate your impressions DavidMahler. It's always good to get a bit of perspective.

 

[Napilopez]

I must say I am quite interested in hearing SKs new models whenever they come out. The Mix Master looks nice, seems quite well built, and has some really smart features. Maybe they'll surprise us like the Monster turbines.

 

[yeahx]

My friend got a pair of Low Riders and I was disgusted by them and I have pretty mid-fi or even low range stuff compared to most on here. They even seem to have some kind of almost cardboard like crap covering the drivers instead of a fabric or foam like most normal headphones. I almost got some Hesh but went with my HD555s based on my experience with the PX100 and Im pretty glad I did. I was a SC fan for a while when FMJs were the best I had.

 

[DavidMahler]

I will say I was never a skullcandy fan...............

Specifically I was impressed by their bass control and they had very adequate midrange............their highs were less than perfect, but I've heard headphones which cost hundreds more that I thought were not as good. If anyone knows me well, they'll know that I am the last person who wants to admit that a headphone at $20 bucks can be good.........I've already spent thousands disputing that theory LOL............so for something to come along which impresses me that much.....

 

[z50j]

maybe he moded it on some way

or maybe you forgot but plugged it in your amp

 

[jjinh]

so what did you use to listen to the skullcandies and e8s?

 

[Landis]

Jokes on you, they had W5000 drivers them!

But in all seriousness, it's refreshing when people give a try to low-fi headphones and get surprised by them. I heard a pair of Skullcandy headphones years ago (before I moved into headphone audio) and thought they were terrible, but who knows, golden nuggets can be found within waste from time to time!

 

[donunus]

DavidMahler,
Please update us if you find out exactly which model your friend has. And tell us if the one you receive is just as good. Thanks. It could have been a dud

 

[z50j]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif DavidMahler, Please update us if you find out exactly which model your friend has. And tell us if the one you receive is just as good. Thanks. It could have been a dud

Low riders nga

it has chrome on the headband and chrome around the cup

 

[DavidMahler]

I listened to 2 songs.....a steely dan track and Tom Waits track.......the steely track was Rikki, but I don't remember the Tom Waits track.

I may ask my friend if I can borrow their exact pair for a day and do some real analytical listening.............

I wanted to just respond to someone in the thread.....I actually owned the W5000 for a day and I thought they were the worst pair of headphones I ever heard barnone. However I found out through a good friend who knows AT products well that the early run of W5000s had a severe manufacturing defect in the drivers. Whether I had an early one or not I will never know, but I do know I bought the pair at least 2 years after the headphones were introduced.

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif DavidMahler, Please update us if you find out exactly which model your friend has. And tell us if the one you receive is just as good. Thanks. It could have been a dud

lol

 

[z50j]

i still cant believe this post

ive tried the skullcandy low riders, hesh and GI

they all sound the same

maybe the one you tried on is defective

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by z50j /img/forum/go_quote.gif i still cant believe this post ive tried the skullcandy low riders, hesh and GI they all sound the same maybe the one you tried on is defective

I'm going to do a detailed lsitening impression followup to confirm everything, but based on my 7 minutes with them I will say that I at least know they were better than lots of headphones I've heard for double and triple the price. I didn't find them comfortable though and they felt really cheap on my head. I felt like if the drivers were taken out of that horrid exterior the driver itself was balanced decently.............I'm used to these brands being bass-heavy obnoxious and supermuffled......it was bass light if anything and not muffled.